"Aster, I challenge you to a duel!" Draco's voice rang out across the Great Hall, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Aster was calmly eating at the Gryffindor table. He didn't even glance at Draco, simply replying, "I'd win. Why would I waste my time?"
Draco sneered. "So you're running from a challenge? Is that all that's left of the Black family?"
Aster's expression didn't change, but his locket hissed faintly, words only he could hear: "Lucius's son, speaking of courage?"
It almost made him laugh, but he stayed composed. Hermione, sitting beside him, saw the flicker behind his eyes. She didn't know what had amused him, but she always saw through his mask.
Then Harry stood up. "I accept." It wasn't about pride or honor, he just wanted to protect his friend.
Draco arched a brow. "Potter? Giving me the honor of beating the Boy Who Lived?"
Aster, still not looking at him, said coolly, "At least he's known for something he actually did."
It wasn't a taunt, it was the truth. Harry had survived the Killing Curse. Aster didn't know how, but Harry had survived.
Shame flickered across Draco's face, but he couldn't come up with a proper retort. Instead, he shoved a folded piece of parchment into Harry's hand, detailing the time and place for the duel.
Now it was Harry who began to look uncertain.
"I've accepted the duel… but how am I supposed to win?" he asked, eyeing the note.
Hermione was already launching into a list of spells, her voice quick with urgency. "Try Basic Cast, or maybe Lumos Maxima to blind him, oh, or a Stunning Charm if you can get the wand motion right—"
But Aster cut across her calmly. "Ignore spells. Just punch him."
Hermione looked scandalized, about to say something about barbarism or proper decorum, but then she paused. She thought about it. And realized Aster was right.
Magic would be wasted on Draco.
Harry unfolded the parchment."Midnight. Trophy Room," Aster read over his shoulder.
"It's a trap," Hermione said immediately, frowning.
Aster nodded. Of course it was. Draco had every reason to fear his sudden rise in Slytherin. Aster now had Blaise, not quite an ally, but clearly not loyal to Draco either. Pansy had taken to managing social circles with surprising finesse, and several others had begun leaning toward Aster's side, especially after Susan Bones befriended him. Her quiet presence had weight, more than Draco realized.
Daphne remained neutral, watching and waiting.
"I can't let him call me a coward," Harry said, jaw set.
Hermione hesitated. She didn't want to be part of this mess, especially with the risk of losing house points if they were caught. Gryffindor couldn't afford that.
Aster, standing just behind her, said calmly, "I'll go too. Worst case, both Slytherin and Gryffindor lose points, better than Gryffindor taking the fall alone."
Midnight came, and Aster moved like a shadow through the castle's corridors. He didn't yet know how to Apparate, but he was getting close. Kreacher had once told him that ordinary wizards couldn't Apparate inside Hogwarts. That alone made elven magic seem far more powerful.
What if I mix spells? Aster wondered. The idea intrigued him more than it should. He longed to experiment, to test the boundaries. For now, though, he relied on what he had. He'd mastered the Disillusionment Charm, a simple trick to make himself near-invisible, even muting his footsteps. It wasn't true invisibility, but it was close enough.
Outside the castle, just ahead, he spotted three familiar figures huddled together: Hermione, Ron, and Harry. They had no idea he was already there, not a meter behind them.
Aster smiled faintly to himself.
They really never look behind.
He stood in silence, perfectly hidden, enjoying the quiet comedy of the moment.
Soon, Filch came running down the corridor, Draco close to him.
Aster knew it was a trap, he just thought it was really cowardly.
"Wait! Where's Aster?" Hermione whispered, panic creeping into her voice.
"Don't worry about that," Aster said, stepping out from the shadows right behind them, moving silently but swiftly. Though it was hard to see him clearly, they could tell he was there, watching over them.
They didn't stop running. Down the stairs they rushed, hearts pounding, hoping to reach Gryffindor Tower before anyone caught them.
Aster followed at a careful distance, his footsteps muffled by a Disillusionment Charm. He wasn't there to fight, his goal was simple: to make sure they all reached the Gryffindor common room safely.
With no better options, the four of them rushed to a nearby door. It was locked, Hermione stepped forward quickly and whispered, "Alohomora."
The lock clicked open, and Aster raised a brow. That spell wasn't difficult, but the fact it worked here surprised him. Shouldn't most of Hogwarts be protected against that? he wondered, stepping in behind them.
The room was dark and musty. Ron and Harry let out sighs of relief until a deep, rumbling growl shook the air behind them.
They turned slowly.
A massive, three-headed dog loomed over them, each head drooping slightly in a half-sleep but still alert enough to growl at the intruders.
Aster stared at the beast and deadpanned, "Well, I can't see any of us winning against that thing. House points aren't worth our lives."
Everyone quickly nodded in agreement, backing out of the room as quietly as they could.
Aster followed them quietly through the dark corridors until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"So this is your common room?" he asked, keeping his voice low. He didn't step closer, careful not to risk punishment, either for himself or for them.
Hermione, Harry, and Ron turned to him, still visibly shaken from what they'd seen. Harry looked like he wanted to talk about it immediately, but Aster raised a hand.
"Tomorrow," he said calmly. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."
He offered them a small nod, then disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, silent as ever. The Fat Lady yawned and swung open, letting the trio slip back into their dormitory, minds still racing.