Astoria → Draco Malfoy

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

"been stressed out lately"

Two weeks later, Theo was released from St Mungo's with a frown on his face, "I thought being bloody hit with Dark Magic was enough to get me out of my NEWTS. Fucking McGonagall..." He shook his head.

"No such luck Theo," Blaise hit him playfully, "I almost killed someone, and I still have to bloody sit them." Blaise had been different since that night, but he had been working on it. Once again, their shared trauma had brought the Slytherin students together.

Astoria raised her bandaged arms, "it seems like we all have some kind of ailment..."

Pansy and Daphne protested, "not us."

"And not really me." Draco added, looking up from his revision.

"Mentally..." Blaise trailed off, "might be a different story."

"Did you see the Daily Prophet this morning?" Pansy asked as she scoffed down another slice of toast, "they wrote about us, again." She passed her copy to Astoria, knowing she would be eager to hear.

"Don't tell me!" Theo said at once, "I need to pass Herbology at least, don't distract me from the Alihots tree!"

Astoria took the Daily Prophet, sliding away her copy of Advanced Potion Making away from her.

"Yet Another Hogwarts Blunder," she read aloud.

"Off to a good start with the title..." Pansy commented, rolling her eyes.

"Parents of notorious Slytherin students arrested yet again in Hogsmeade Battle. Emelda Zabini, Adrian Greengrass and Perseus Parkinson were detained for their involvement in the release of  deadly Lethifold on the Hogwarts ground that claimed the lives of one Professor and one Slytherin student earlier in the term."

Daphne bit her lip, "they didn't even name Millicent? Her death deserves recognition!"

Astoria shook her head, continuing. "Theodore Nott Snr was confirmed dead, caught in a fire in the Three Broomsticks, escaping his prison sentence."

"Merlin, do they think he died to avoid Azkaban?"

Draco nodded his head, "I would."

"What?" Astoria shook her head, "you would rather die?"

"Have you seen Azkaban? People don't come out the same." He shivered at the thought.

"Even with the new Aurors, rather than Dementors?" Pansy added.

He paused, "it's more tempting, but to be imprisoned for the rest of my life," he shook his head again, "why would I want that?"

"Fair enough." Daphne agreed, "I think with the Aurors, I might be okay, but if they went back to Dementors, kill me first."

Blaise nodded, "I'm with Daphne."

"I did not expect that!" Astoria exclaimed; her brows raised. Although she knew her blood curse was a death sentence, she still had a fear of death, imprisonment would be better. She would still be able to see her family, she would still have some sense of life.

Daphne clicked her fingers, "hey! Keep reading!"

"Sorry!" She shook her head, turning her focus back to the article. "Other infamous Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy," she glanced at Draco who appeared to have turned his attention back to his revision, "is set to go on trial before the Wizengamot in the coming weeks. Several students will be key witnesses for the Defence including Blaise Zabini, Astoria and Daphne Greengrass."

"When's the trial?" Pansy asked the trio.

Blaise replied, "two weeks' time. After our final Defence Against the Dark Arts exam."