An Ambush at Hogsmeade
Two weeks had passed since Astoria and Sebastian uncovered the secrets hidden beneath Hogwarts, and life had almost returned to normal—at least, as normal as it could be for her. The weeks flew by in a blur.
That Friday afternoon, she, Natty, and Poppy decided to make a girls' trip to Hogsmeade. No boys, no distractions—just an evening of light-hearted chatter, butterbeer, and shopping for much-needed supplies.
Besides, Sebastian and Garreth were both preoccupied with Quidditch practice. The upcoming Gryffindor versus Slytherin derby match was the talk of the school. Both houses were on edge, and with Garreth and Sebastian's personal bet riding on the match, tensions were higher than ever.
Astoria welcomed the break from the chaos.
Hogsmeade was alive with activity as patrons bustled from shop to shop on a Friday. The girls finished their shopping before heading towards The Three Broomsticks for a well-deserved drink.
As they left Tomes & Scrolls, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows along the cobbled streets.
Then, the air shifted.
A prickle crawled up the back of Astoria's neck.
Natty, ever perceptive, stopped mid-step. "Do you feel that?" she asked quietly.
Poppy, frowning, followed their gaze into the emptiness in the alleyway ahead, where the usual warmth of Hogsmeade seemed to dissolve into something colder.
Then it happened.
Dark figures emerged from the alleyway; their faces obscured beneath sleek, masked hoods. There were five—no, six—of them, moving with a purposeful silence that sent a warning bell ringing in Astoria's mind.
Natty barely had time to react before the leader of the group raised his wand. "Well, well," came a low, measured voice. "It seems the rumours were true."
The first spell flew directly at Astoria—a crackling bolt of red light. Expelliarmus! She barely had time to dodge as the duel erupted around them. Poppy and Natty immediately sprang into action, their wands flashing through the air as they fended off their attackers.
The masked wizards were fast, their movements sharp, calculated. These were not common thieves or rogue dark wizards—they were well-trained. Astoria's eyes flickered to their robes, where an unfamiliar silver emblem shimmered briefly under the dim light. The sight of it sent an unsettling feeling through her core, but there was no time to dwell on it as another spell came hurtling toward her.
A stunning spell shot toward Poppy, and Astoria acted without thinking. Her fingers tingled as Ancient Magic surged through her, forming a protective barrier that absorbed the impact.
One of the figures stumbled backward, shocked. "She's already using it," he muttered in disbelief.
Astoria threw him back with a flick of her wand, sending him crashing into a stack of barrels.
Then the street fell eerily silent.
From the shadows, a tall figure stepped forward. He was older, unhooded and dressed in an impeccably tailored coat. His hair, platinum-blond, was slicked back, and his face sharp and refined, exuded an air of quiet authority. The silver spectacles perched on his nose glinted under the flickering lantern light, giving him an undoubtedly distinguished look.
"I see, you must be Ms Blackwood," he said smoothly.
The other hooded figures immediately stepped aside, bowing their heads in deference. He took another step forward, studying her with something bordering on fascination.
Astoria's grip on her wand tightened. "Who are you?" she demanded.
The man smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "The name is Magnus Dainforth. But you, my dear, can call me Magnus."
A chill ran through Astoria.
Dainforth.
"The Keeper's Successor," he murmured, tilting his head. "I had to see it for myself."
Natty took a step-in front of Astoria. "What do you want with her?"
Magnus ignored her, his silver gaze locked onto Astoria. "You wield a power most witch and wizards could only dream of," he said. "The Keepers sought to bury it, to shackle what should never have been hidden."
Astoria's heart pounded. "Ancient Magic isn't meant to be controlled."
His smile deepened, like a teacher pleased with a naive student. "Is that what they told you?"
Poppy raised her wand. "She's not interested. Leave."
Magnus exhaled, as if disappointed. "Such a waste, you have been misguided in those esteemed hallowed halls you love so much." he mused. "But I am patient, Astoria. You will come to me, in due time. When you are ready to know the truth - all you must do is say the word."
Before he could move forward, a sudden chorus of pops filled the air—Aurors apparated onto the street.
Magnus didn't even flinch.
"Ah," he murmured. "Times up. But we'll speak again soon, until then."
And with that, he and his followers vanished into thin air.
Astoria told the Aurors everything that happened—but omitted any mention of Ancient Magic.
She learned from them that Dainforth was an Undesirable—a wanted criminal—leading a faction of dark wizards known as the Shadowcasters.
By the time the three girls returned to the castle, and Astoria to the common room, everyone was already winding down for the night, a quite chatter echoing through the dungeons —save for one very restless figure pacing near the fireplace.
Sebastian was still in his Quidditch gear, his hair damp with sweat, his entire posture tense. The moment Astoria stepped inside; he grabbed her by the shoulders.
"What happened?" His voice was urgent, his grip firm but not rough. "Are you hurt?"
Astoria blinked, startled by the intensity of his worry. "I—I'm fine."
Sebastian didn't look convinced. His dark eyes scanned her face, searching for any sign of harm. When he saw nothing, his shoulders relaxing slightly.
"Garreth and I got Natty's owl," he added. "It said you were ambushed—by masked wizards. You could've—" He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Why do you have this ridiculous talent for attracting danger like a magnet."
Astoria hesitated. Normally, he would make a joke, brush it off with a smirk—but there was no humour in his tone. She studied him for a moment before cracking a lopsided grin.
"Who are you and what did you do with my friend, Sebastian Sallow?" she teased. "The Sebastian I know would gladly send me into a cursed crypt crawling with Inferi and have the audacity to say 'ladies first'."
Sebastian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "That's different," he muttered. "I knew you could handle yourself then. This time...this time I wasn't there." His voice was softer now, a rare moment of unguarded sincerity. "And I can't stand the thought of something happening to you when I'm not around to stop it."
Astoria's heart ached at the confession; a rare glimpse of the vulnerability she saw that day in the Undercroft.
"I'm really alright Sebastian." she said giving him a lighthearted spin "See? And I wasn't alone. Natty and Poppy were with me and we gave them a hell of a fight."
Sebastian shook his head "I should have been there."
Astoria was quiet for a moment, before placing a hand on his arm. "I know. And I wish you had been, but for what it's worth, I'm totally unscathed—it takes more than a few cult-y, masked-up, "doomsday prophecy" types to take me down. Honestly, they looked like they'd just stepped out of an ancient wizarding fashion disaster—like someone told them 'creepy' was in this season."
"Don't joke." Sebastian nudges her gently feigning annoyance, but a smirk appears on his lips.
"And miss out on giving you a taste of your own medicine? Never!" Astoria shoves back, not so gently.
Sebastian stared at her, then sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This year is shaping up to be just as chaotic as the last."
Astoria gave a small laugh. "It certainly seems that way."
And for a moment, the weight of what had just transpired lingered in the air.
"I'm glad my favourite duelling partner is back in one piece." Sebastian smiles, "Because if somebody knocked you off your feet before I did, I could Avada Kedr-"
"SEBASTIAN!" Astoria covers his mouth with her hand and earns a shush from someone across the room who was trying to have some quiet reading time. "You absolute idiot, you can't go around saying that out loud!"
Sebastian tugs her coat playfully, and she stumbles into him. He catches her. "No intention, no harm." He shrugs, but suddenly they both notice just how close they are—his hands on her waist, her body flush against his. For a moment, neither of them move. Astoria swears she can hear his heartbeat thudding against her own.
Astoria feels her face grow hot, her usual sharp tongue momentarily failing her. Sebastian, too, looks slightly flustered, his grip loosening, but not letting go entirely.
A loud cough interrupts them.
"If this is what you two get up to on your 'adventures', then I'm less than impressed," Imelda drawls from across the room, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on her lips.
Beside her, Ominis shakes his head. "Sebastian, do us all a favour and go take a shower. You're absolutely rank. The only reason I tolerated it for this long is because you've been pacing like a lunatic for the last two hours."
Astoria and Sebastian snap apart instantly, both turning an impressive shade of red. Sebastian clears his throat, running a hand through his hair, while Astoria looks anywhere but at him.