Astrid tried to be the good kid when she could. She always did her homework, did every essay, perfected every spell and potion, but there were things she couldn't control. Like her mouth or her eyes. Her eyes would automatically roll when she spoke to someone she thought was either stupid or wasting her time. And her mouth would spew out sarcastic comments like a faucet. That's how she scored another detention with Snape, and this time, there was no running away from it.

"What's your problem with me?!" She yelled at Snape, who glared at her with such coldness, Astrid could've shivered if she wasn't so hot with anger.

"I have no problem with you Miss Black." He said in a low voice, even though it was low, it demanded attention and he had all of Astrid's attention. "You have a problem with me."

"If you weren't such a dick, I'd have no problem with you." She growled at him. His eyes narrowed into thin, deadly slits. "I'm sure you're one of the fucks who think I helped Sirius escape! Sure! I'll waste my entire lifetime plotting this stupid escape and making sure Dementors don't suck up my face!" Her eyes went wide when she realized her mistake. She shook her head. "I didn't—"

"Detention!" His eyes never left hers. Astrid fumed again but said nothing. Snape smirked at her, at least it looked like a smirk in her point of view. "This time Miss Black, there's no way you are going to wiggle your way out of it."

Astrid now sat at the Gryffindor table, complaining to Oliver and the trio about her detention with Snape.

"You called him a dick?" Oliver asked, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Astrid groaned.

"Yes, I was angry. And I automatically thought that he thought that I helped my dad escape, cause every single person here thinks that!" She groaned again. "I'm just tired of it. Sure he broke out, did I help? No! How the hell did I get past the Dementors in the first place? Merlin only knows."

"We don't think you helped your father escape Astrid." Oliver gently said, placing a small kiss on her cheek. Astrid instantly brightened up. "But I think Cedric might, I think Tulsa put this idea in his head."

Astrid felt herself grow sad and angry at the same time. How could Cedric trust a random girl he had met over his best friends whom he had been friends with since the first year?

*

The following morning, Astrid ignored Cedric's stupid hello and marched right past him and Tulsa who waved excitedly at her. Astrid wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, even Oliver. She was in a sour mood, she didn't even touch her food at breakfast. That's how Oliver knew something was very wrong.

"Are you okay?" Oliver asked and the mail came in. Astrid could see Narcissa's owl and she groaned.

"I'm spectacular." It dropped the letter in front of her and she groaned when she saw the color of the letter, red, red like the anger that was slowly building up in her.

Everyone looked at her as she fumbled while trying to open the letter. She finally opened it and immediately, Narcissa's screeching was heard.

"ASTRID ELLADORA BLACK!" The letter had begun. "WHAT IS THIS I HEAR?! INSU—"

"Bombarda." Astrid waved her wand and the letter exploded. Everything was silent as the four houses, the Professors and Argus Filch stared at her. "What?" She asked Oliver who stared at her with a mouth hung agape. The trio stared at her too.

"You're not okay." Oliver concluded and the stares reduced as everyone went back to their own business.

"I haven't got much sleep." She said, sighing. "They've—" She rubbed her temples. "They've gotten worse. I didn't think they would but they have and I'm afraid to go to sleep." Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "This is too much to handle." She admitted weakly.

"I'm here for you Astrid, never forget that." Oliver smiled at her and she gave him half a smile. Astrid sighed, she really did need to tell Trelawney about her dreams.

After classes, Astrid found herself outside Snape's classroom. She raised her knuckles to knock but stopped herself. Just as she was going to turn around, the classroom door opened and she froze.

"Can I help you Miss Black?" Professor Snape drawled out and for the first time, Astrid didn't find it dramatic or annoying at all. Instead, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Professor, I was wondering if—" She stopped to rub her eyes angrily. "If you could brew me a vial of Dreamless Sleep Potion?" It felt awkward to talk to him like a normal human being. She was already used to yelling at him all the time.

Snape raised his eyebrow at her and Astrid sighed. She shouldn't have come to him, she should've just brewed the potion herself.

"Come in." Snape said before he whirled back and closed the door behind her. "Is the potion for you or someone else?"

"It's for me Professor." Astrid said, taking a seat. She felt weak. She hated the feeling. "I just—" She stopped herself again. She couldn't tell Snape her problems. She didn't realize she was crying until a teardrop fell unto her hand. She quickly wiped them away, hoping Snape didn't see them.

Snape said nothing but begin to brew the potion for her. They sat like that until the potion was complete, it had been extremely uncomfortable for Astrid but she willed herself not to run away, she needed the potion. She couldn't bear with the dreams anymore.

She just couldn't see Cedric's limp body anymore, she couldn't bare to see Oliver's milky white, soulless eyes stare at her and Oliver creeping towards her. Or Andromeda scream her name over and over and over and over again until her mouth seeps blood. Or Sirius engulfing her in a big hug only to be killed when he let's go. She didn't have the heart anymore.

"Here you go." Snape had softly said, handing her the vial. "If you need more, don't hesitate to ask." It seemed as though he was smiling, or forcing his lips to smile.

"Thank you." She said, taking the vial from him. She turned to leave and she headed for the door. Severus sighed, not believing what he is about to do.

"About the howler Narcissa sent you," He began and Astrid turned around. If she hadn't seen his mouth move, she would've never believed it when he said, "I'm sorry, I'm the one who told her about our last encounter."

Astrid was shocked and she gaped at the man. Then she decided that Snape maybe didn't hate her after all. "It's all in the past, and what good comes from hanging onto the past?"

The words hit Severus more than he would have liked, because he knew he hanged onto the past because that's the only place Lily is, in the past.