"Astoria, you have a letter."
Astoria looked up from her dinner. No one wrote to Daphne's silent sister. There was only one place the letter could have come from.
Mrs. Greengrass opened the letter herself and smirked. Strutting over and handing it to Astoria, she then said, "This is exactly what I was hoping for, Astoria." After leaving the room, Astoria silently read to herself.
Dear Miss Greengrass,
You are cordially invited to dinner at the Malfoy Manor tomorrow night. Please apparate to the front gates of the manor at eight o' clock.
Sincerely,
Narcissa Malfoy
Astoria expected nothing less than a terse and formal invitation. Soon enough she would be nothing more than a housewife made to stay in the nursery and force her own children to be married. By now, her mother was standing in doorway, beaming.
"I'm so proud of you! Landing an invitation to Malfoy Manor! They may not have ministry connections anymore, but their money certainly makes up for that. Imagine, my daughter, married to a Malfoy! You've done far better than Daphne has! And so soon after her wedding, too . . ."
Astoria slowly turned her head up towards her mother, face hardened with fury. Voice quivering, Astoria asked, "What am I to you? I am more than a trinket to be sold to the highest bidder. I am a person with feelings. I've seen death, torture, and far worse. I refuse to be sentenced to life in a nursery."
Mrs. Greengrass's smile vanished in an instant. "You should be greatful, Astoria. It is comepletely childish to complain about such an opportunity. With the Malfoys' money, you could practically have anything you want, Astoria."
"Yes Mother, I could have anything I want. Except for freedom." With that, Astoria stood and left the room.
_______________________________________
Astoria stared at her flawless appearance. Everything except her bloodshot eyes, of course. Astoria's mother had forced her into an uncomfortable dress. The skirt reached just above her ankles and was dark blue. It did compliment Astoria's figure, though.
However, the last thing Astoria wanted was attention drawn to herself. All this dress would do was remind the Malfoys of Astoria's youth and availability. Refusing to let another tear fall, Astoria held her head high and disapparated.
YOU ARE READING
Scars We Share
FanfictionTwo people drastically changed. Both scarred by the horrors of war and plagued by expectation, they somehow find one another and try to make sense of all their pain and suffering.
