A Flurry Of Crimson

Chapter 4 | Fragile

ASTORIA'S POV:

"Fascinating," he says in a guttural voice, mockingly. "And who might you be young lady?"

"Astoria Greengrass, Pure-Blood," I say, considering that they'll note "Pure-Blood" as something powerful and great. But when I said "Greengrass," his horrifying face puckered in disbelief.

"And how did you happen to be a non-coward like your parents and the rest of the family?"
The people gathered around him at the table, draped in black from head to toe, laugh at the word non-coward.

There's nothing funny at this point in my opinion. I stay speechless as I walk towards him. Fear and panic gather in my chest, hurting like there are chains of metal tightly wrapping around it. I hardly breathe, wanting to rub its center where the pressure is, but a feeling stops me from doing so, as though it's not allowed here.

When I approach him, I hold out my left arm then feel a powerful captivity forcing my knees down the floor, black dots popping in my view as I hunch down, the nails of my right hand sinking into my thigh. My lips part in pain but the scream remains imprisoned in my sore throat.

The image of Draco's bloody arm abruptly blows into my memory and I close my eyes, feeling the tip of the Dark Lord's wand digging into my skin.

***

They offered me a bedroom with a bathroom. They are large and luxurious like I'm a guest at the Malfoys, unlike when I was imprisoned.

I can't stop looking at the Dark Mark drawn on my forearm.

I grab a bathing robe from the closet and rush to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.
I'm now a traitor to the DA, and one day my friends are going to know, and they won't look at me the same way as before.

I look at the mirror. My eyes are glossed with red veins and I feel like crying.

"You're such a cry baby Astoria, suck it up," I say to myself as I jump into the shower area. It is hard to force the tears to stay inside. I turn the head shower on.

Sprinkles of water flow down against my skin and my muscles relax. My legs couldn't support my body anymore, therefore I lean against the wall, my back sliding down to the floor where I sit, covering my face with my hands. Tears run out of my eyes as quickly as the rain of the shower, my fingertips throbbing.

I wish life would just pause for a bit.

I glance at the marks drawn on my shoulder, reminding me of my uncle. One's on the back part of my shoulder, and the other dangling down across from it.

--------"What are these?" I asked curiously.
"These Astoria are Norse Runes, used in divination. Each symbol has a meaning. The ones the family marked on your shoulder are the rune thurisaz and the uruz rune. The rune thurisaz symbolizes fidelity and trust in one's self while the uruz rune signifies endurance, and independence. We made this willing for you to have these characteristics as you grow up," my uncle explained thoroughly.
There was a huge parchment paper spread across the floor of the room, where both of us crawled, observing the sheets of Noble Arts of Divination and Astronomy.
I will always work on what my family rose me to be, a survivor with loyalty towards them.
I will be persistent
I will be determined
I will survive----