a(goode)stor(y)

| Astor Goode | 16 | the middle sister | | Slytherin || Prefect | Chaser |

[helenbennet-archives]

Helen shrugged. Those were secrets for her, or if ever Astor ever took the initiative. “Probably to your surprise, I don’t consider myself a pessimist or very cynical.” If anything, she was skeptical and she didn’t really care to compete for a title of ‘Most Cynical.’ “So Goode, is your paranoia gone? About your sister that is? And the gift?” Helen asked, concluding their main point of conversation.

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Astor considered, then shrugged, not caring about labeling Helen. She was extremely worried about Calla, about everything that could come of the decisions made, but that didn’t have anything to do with a damned sweater, did it? “It’s a Christmas gift, something I shouldn’t bother stressing over. Traditions dictate everything, after all. So. Yes. I’m no longer paranoid... thank you.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

‘happy new year’

[myungchoe-blog]

“I’m proud of many things, as I’m sure you’re well aware,” she replied casually, shrugging off the other girl’s snide words in favor of a much more interesting conversation topic: the announcement that had just been made. “Anyhow, this whole thing has me utterly intrigued – That is, how the Goode family handles their blood purity. Do you suppose you’ll be married off as well after you win the succession?”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Too proud, Astor snapped mentally, resisting the very real temptation to scowl at the seventh year. “It depends on the generation. The heir is usually forced into something - usually something with someone insufferable.” In her parents case, Eudora was the insufferable one, and Astor certainly didn’t mind implying as much. “I expect mother, at least, will try to force it.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

‘happy new year’

[cal-duvall]

He nodded slowly following her gaze, “It’s fucking horrible.” He ran a hand through his hair, “This is all a power play for our parents. I don’t think your parents would do that. Or they’d at least tell you about it first.” 

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“Isn’t it always a power play with families like this?” She gestured across the room, not doubting the likelihood of any of these parents forcing their kids into something they didn’t want. Except perhaps for the Klausens. “I’m not convinced mum wouldn’t. But their intentions don’t matter right now, I suppose. How are you going to deal with this?”

[blindedbytheford-blog]

Thin Ice, Mishaps and Maybe A Call For Help [Slipped on Ice]

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“When was the last time anyone saw you take a break? I don’t count, because we’re not in the same classes, much less the same year.” Isaac was serious now, listening to the soft patting of snow. Tilting his head, he just sighed in his response. “Sounds very stressful, try harder. What about some calming activities? Like yoga, ice skating or something?”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Astor squinted at him, wondering if he was screwing with her. Probably not, she decided, if only because he really didn’t seem the type. “No one sees me when I take a break. That’s the point; for me at least, taking a break from people: I go and play piano, or I sit in a garden, or on some grass. Somewhere no one will bother coming near me.” Exasperated, she shook her head, tossing the snowball in the direction of the castle. “Do you do yoga? Do you go ice skating? Or is worrying about other people’s habits somehow soothing to you?”

[helenbennet-archives]

“He ruined one secret.” Helen pointed out. “There are actually quite a lot of secrecy and mysteriousness surrounding both regular botany and sub-aquatic.” She chuckled at Astor’s warning. “Of course, I’d expect nothing less than malice from a sea-witch. Not so much a fellow land-witch.” Her last comment had her thinking of Astor’s sister, really.

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Astor considered Helen’s perspective, then nodded once. “Point taken. I just wish it were something you could specifically research here, not just general herbology.” Rolling her eyes, she ignored the obvious reference to their earlier conversation. “Expect malice from all directions, Bennet. Or at least don’t rule it out, I suppose that would be less cynical. Anyone’s capable of it - from the lowliest Hufflepuff to the surliest muggle celebrity.” Everything except dogs, she thought, then smirked.

[astorygoodeness-blog]

‘happy new year’

[myungchoe-blog]

After the announcement had ended, Myung had taken some enjoyment from scanning the crowd for confused and angry faces. Her eyes had naturally fallen upon Astor, standing a few feet away, who seemed to be the most frustrated of them all. When the other girl spoke, Myung bit back a derisive snort. Instead, she replied, “Haven’t the slightest why you thought you’d be safe, though I hardly understand the innerworkings of a Goode’s mind.” She studied Astor for a moment before continuing, “Something I pride myself in, actually,” and giving a small, demeaning smile.

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Astor almost groaned. Almost. If Choe and been related to her in any manner, she wouldn’t have bothered resisting the urge. “Oh, so there are specific things you’re proud of about yourself? That’s truly excellent to hear. Really. I can’t think of something I’d rather be made aware of.” Specifically, an actual piano and not the musical bracelet on her wrist came to mind. Her mums’ howlers. Family warfare. Less dramatic things, too, but still. 

[blindedbytheford-blog]

Thin Ice, Mishaps and Maybe A Call For Help [Slipped on Ice]

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“You’ve seen my heart, you’ve probably seen it all then, my dear.” Isaac sat up straighter, smirking even wider when she spoke about her cousins. “They sound pretty. Pretty dumb!” Isaac laughed at his own joke, out loud. “I did. You needed to chill, prefect. And snow’s the perfect place to do it in.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Snorting and shaking her head in disbelief, Astor scooped up a handful of snow and started to pat it into a ball, just for something to do, she told herself. “Why’s everyone so very concerned with me not taking a break? This is my vacation! No family drama at the moment, since I’m here, no prefect responsibilities since it’s Christmas and the teachers aren’t totally awful. I don’t get the fascination with my free time.” She paused, realising something and squinting at him. “Did you just call me ‘my dear’?”

[thegoodecallalily]

More than anything, Calla wanted her sisters. She wanted the sense of normalcy, she wanted their love. She wanted to go back to when she still had them, instead of this ghostly loneliness and an album with their memories. She wanted to go back, she wanted her sisters again. And the tears came down faster, proving so. Heart racing, knees shaking…—Calla was a sobbing mess. Shaking her head, the words didn’t come out as clearly as she hoped, she paused to take a breath. 

“I’m not. I’m falling apart, ‘Ster.” The weight of her own confession broke her, and she fell to the ground in a heap, a mess of cloaks and tears. “I can’t do this anymore…—I’m losing my friends, my family…but I can’t go back anymore.” The consequences of losing would be severe; she wouldn’t want to be that Goode that her Purist family members talked about. 

[astorygoodeness-blog]

Astor looked on as Calla collapsed on herself, knowing what she wanted to make of the situation and knowing she couldn’t think optimistically. There was no silver lining to any of this, after all, and anyone who claimed otherwise would likely be considered dense. And while Astor might consider herself second best in a lot of things, she had never called herself stupid.

Reluctantly, almost as if she feared contact would break the spell, she followed Calla to the ground and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her sister tight and pressing her face into the cloaked shoulder. “I know. I know you can’t undo what’s been done - but it’s such a relief to hear to say you know it, too. I thought - Merlin, Calla, I thought you had changed so much. But - but if you regret it - maybe there’s a little hope for you, yet.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

‘happy new year’

[cal-duvall]

He was trying to avoid all contact but when Astor speaking up, Cal couldn’t stop himself. He respected her on a general level but between “You know about this?” 

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“Cal. No. Of course I didn’t know this was coming. You think I would be able to stay quiet -” Astor paused, shaking her head. “This is a fiasco that’s going to inspire mum, that’s all. Before it does that, though...” She bit her lip, glancing towards where she had last seen Rowan. “This whole thing is terrible.”

[helenbennet-archives]

Helen shrugged lightly. “Being favorite has its perks.” She nodded in confirmation at Astor’s comment. “I think everyone and their mother knows about gillyweed after Harry Potter’s Tri-Wizard stint, so yes, things far more elusive than gillyweed. It’s helpful for when I decide being a witch is awful and want to pursue life as a mermaid.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“That prat ruined herbology secrets for everyone,” Astor scoffed, not entirely serious. In truth, hearing about Potter’s feats had inspired her researching the subject instead of simply playing in the garden. “If you make that decision, make sure not to befriend any malicious sea-witches. Gotta keep an eye out for those ‘mermaids’ who aren’t actually giving up witchcraft.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

‘happy new year’

“This is ridiculous; absolutely ridiculous. I just wanted to avoid the parties, not go to progressively worse ones as the holiday goes on.” The prefect party thrown by the heads, the holiday party thrown by the professors, and now the Duvall’s party. Where she had just watched the announcement that would make Rowan miserable, never mind who she thought she was fooling. Astor was just glad her dad wasn’t too protective of the whisky he was always served at these things. “Why did I convince myself I’d be safe from this trainwreck. What? Got an answer for me?”

[thegoodecallalily]

“At least you know you love the outdoors, and you hate parties! At least you had the chance to deal with life before mother’s dictatorship ruined us! But me? I didn’t get the chance! The only thing she couldn’t take away from me was you, Astor. My baby sister, the only person who was my person, my best friend.” Calla wasn’t going to cry, she wasn’t going to break down. If Astor could be ice, than she would be no less than marble. “I watched you grow up, nursed you when Mother was too busy for things as trivial as children, and I stood by you. I was your sister for sixteen years, and I still will be!” 

Rubbing her temples, she felt her eyes grow wet. I won’t cry, I won’t cry, I will not cry! But the tears spilled, silently dissolving any trace of resolve. “How would you take it if I told you I gave in to Mother’s decision? That I weakened and I said yes?” Looking away, she took in a deep breath. “I am a terrible person, Astor. We both know it.” Rubbing away the tears from her cheeks, Calla shook her head. “I’m sorry Astor.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“Yeah, I know what I want in life, and just like I told Prince I shan’t have it because of the damn Succession and not wanting to leave Rowan alone in our bloody family.” Astor listened, she did, but everything Calla was saying was rubbing her wrong, irritating her more than it would if she was being reasonable. “You are thirteen months older than me, Calla, the very fact that you were a better mother figure than Eudora Conway-Goode proves nothing except that I’m right about our family being terrible.”

She reached out, grabbing Calla’s arm as she was unable to shake the thought that her elder sister was going to run from this, the confrontation they’d been building up to for months. “You’re not going to stop being my sister - Merlin help me, I’d rather die than lose you completely - but nothing’s ever going to be the same again. What does it matter how I would’ve reacted? You know how I did react. Isn’t that bad enough? How are you doing any of this without tearing yourself apart completely?”

[helenbennet-archives]

“Do you know a lot of people?” Helen asked with an awkward laugh, uncomfortable with the mention of her state of happiness. “I’m sure it wouldn’t matter. Sooner or later, you’ll be her favorite sister.” She replied offhandedly. “And it was ‘Sub-Aquatic Botantical Mysteries’. Just leisure reading.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“Misery loves company,” Astor shrugged, then snorted. “Oh Merlin, just what I always wanted. To be the favorite sister.” While maybe it had been something she was interested in in the past, they both knew that was just because Calla was despicable, now. Sub-Aquatic Botanical - so, things more elusive than, say, gillyweed, yes?”

[gabriel-antonelli-deactivated20]

Gabriel dipped his head before side-stepping her to leave.

[astorygoodeness-blog]

fin

[blindedbytheford-blog]

Thin Ice, Mishaps and Maybe A Call For Help [Slipped on Ice]

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“The view’s great from down here, thanks for asking!” Isaac smirked, responding to whack with a little ‘oww’ and massaging the place. “You’ll help me, obviously. I mean, who can resist my charms, now?” He laughed a little, sitting up after she was done. “It is, isn’t it? I love the snow, don’t you?”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“Merlin,” Astor huffed, sitting up properly. Drenched from the snow and his antics, she shifted off of him. “Less your charms and more my good heart, I think you’ll find. Of course I love the snow. Only thing I could use to pelt snowballs at my stuck-up cousins whenever they went too close to the door or windows to the yard.” She smirked at the memory of Zoe and Aspen and their horrified screams. “But did you really have to pull me down?”

[helenbennet-archives]

“Well, thank Merlin for Father Goode then, ey? My parent’s didn’t really pressure me into anything besides being a good daughter.” Though one aspect of being a good daughter was just simply something Helen couldn’t do, but that was neither here nor there. “You don’t have to worry about me telling your sister. I barely talk to anyone, honestly.”

[astorygoodeness-blog]

“Define good daughter and you might find we aren’t so different. Though I give you this, you seem a lot happier than some of the people I know.” Obviously. Astor shook her head. “I’m not that worried about her finding out. Just wondering how I’d explain it away if it did. What were you reading? Before I interrupted.”

[red-rose-orlov]

Well, then all Goodes are egotistical and paranoid. From what you yourself have told me, this still is true. Anyway, it’s not my fault you hang out with prefects yet for whatever reason decided to simultaneously piss them off for no reason.

[astorygoodeness-blog]

That’s exactly what I’m saying. True, that’s not your fault - but it’s Christmas, it’s a good time to make everyone hate me. Less reason to be festive. Besides, when has anyone ever accused me of being smart?