"WHAT'S GOT her so moody?" Zara asked, gesturing at Astoria, who was sitting next to Noor, a frown on her face, staring out of the window.

Noor, Astoria and Zara were currently at The Three Broomsticks, getting a drink. Normally these weekly meetings were just between Zara and Noor, but Noor and Astoria were going to go somewhere in half an hour, so Astoria had opted to tag along instead of waiting inside the castle.

It wasn't like she was much of a disturbance, anyway, Astoria had barely said three words the whole meeting, leaving Noor and Zara to carry all of the conversation.

"She's just being childish." Noor said, sending Astoria an annoyed glare.

"She can hear you, you know!" Astoria exclaimed, sitting up. "And I'm not being childish! I'm mad, and rightly so! You'd be mad too if I was making you..." she suddenly trailed off, remembering Zara was in front of them, "um, never mind."

"What? You two going somewhere secret?" Zara asked, smirking. "Got a hot date?"

"What? No!" Noor spluttered, while Astoria rolled her eyes,

"It might as well be." Astoria scoffed. "I know Noor doesn't want to be there any more than I do, the only reason she's going is because Weasley asked her to."

"What? Shut up!" Noor said, shoving Astoria slightly. "I'm not -"

"Oh come on! You're totally in love with him! Why else would you agree to consorting with Gryffindors and," Astoria shuddered, "Muggleborns."

"Weasley? Gryffindors? Muggleborns? I'm so confused." Zara butted in, saving Noor the trouble of having to reply. "What are you guys going to do?"

Noor leaned forward, and once she made sure no one was listening in, she whispered, "Some students have set up a defence club, to teach us how to defend ourselves. The teacher we have this year," Noor laughed, thinking back to her lessons with Umbridge, "... isn't very competent."

Astoria snorted, "Umbitch isn't teaching us shit! She treats us like we're five years old! Has us learning first year stuff."

"Yeah, I've heard about her." Zara said, "Who's going to teach you?"

"Harry Potter."

Zara's eyes glinted, "Harry Potter." She repeated slowly.

"Yeah. If half the things they say about him are true, he's more than qualified."

There was a short moment of silence, before Zara spoke, "So what's this I heard about Noor being in love with a Weasley?"

"N - nothing!" Noor said hurriedly.

"Oh it's something. She's got it baaaad."

"I don't!"

"No, I can sympathise. I worked briefly with a Weasley, Charlie's was his name I think, and," Zara whistled, "he was so fine. I had to stop myself from climbing him like a tree."

Noor snorted, while Astoria leaned forward excitedly, "Did you? 'Climb him like a tree'?"

"Oh no, I don't want to hear this." Noor said checking her watch, "We need to go thankfully." She said, standing up, "Come on Astoria, let's go!"

Astoria pouted, "I want to hear this though."

"Come on! We're going to be late! You wouldn't want to be late to a meeting full of Gryffindors now would you?" Noor said slyly. This made Astoria down her drink hurriedly.

When Noor made it outside, she was surprised to see Ron standing there, looking as though he was just about to go into the pub.

"What are you doing here?" Noor asked, startled.

"Just came to get you." Ron said, grinning, "I figured it was better you come in with a Gryffindor, the others might be less hostile towards you."

Ron suddenly noticed Astoria behind Noor, who was glaring daggers at him.

"Oh! Uh, this is Astoria. Astoria, Ron." Noor said awkwardly.

"Uh... hi?" He said, but it came out more like a question.

Astoria didn't say anything, continuing to glare at Ron.

"Uh, okay. We should probably go."

And with that they started their walk towards the Hog's Head, Ron sending worried glances at Astoria the whole time, and Astoria glaring holes into his head.

"It'll be fun." Noor said quietly to Astoria, in a last ditch effort to convince Astoria that going would be worth it.

"No, it won't be." Astoria hissed, while Ron looked around at the shop windows trying ( and failing ) to look like he wasn't listening in. "The place is going to be full of Gryffindors, not a second in there is going to be fun."

"With Umbridge as our teacher we're not learning anything, this will help us pass our exams."

"I don't need help passing my exams." Astoria said haughtily.

"Um, we're here." Ron interrupted, smiling nervously.

He stood in front of a small, old looking building, with peeling paint and a jagged sign hanging over the door that looked like it was going to fall down at any moment.

"Is this where the meeting is?" Noor said, scrunching her nose.

"Yeah. Hey, uh can you go on ahead?" Ron said to Astoria, "I want to have a word with Noor."

Astoria said nothing, but complied, walking inside, leaving Noor and Ron alone.

"Are you sure Astoria isn't ... like - " Ron hesitated, seemingly not knowing how to say what he wanted to say, "against Muggles or something?"

"What? No, she isn't."

"Are you sure? She seemed pretty against coming here." He said. "And there will be Muggleborns in there, if she says a word against them I won't hesitate in kicking her out." He said firmly.

"No, no she won't say anything. Astoria..." Noor hesitated, "her family doesn't believe in the 'Pureblood Supremacy' stuff ... she doesn't hate muggles or muggleborns. She doesn't like them, but she doesn't hate them."

Ron looked unsure.

"Look, Astoria's my best friend." Noor said, grasping Ron by the arm and looking deep into his eyes. "You don't have to trust her, just trust me."

"Ok." He said after a long pause of silence. "Ok."

Noor stepped forwards towards the door when Ron pulled her back "What about you?" He asked quickly. "How do you feel about Muggleborns and Muggles and," he waved his arm, "all of that."

Noor pursed her lips, "I don't know." She said quietly. And was somewhat surprised to see what she said was true, she didn't know where she stood.

Ron frowned, and looked like he was about to say something when a voice called for him from inside.

"We'll talk about this later." He said, pushing the door open. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, I'm coming!" He shouted at someone inside.