Skylar was caught off guard by the question. She had expected another polite remark about the ball, something about the Van Elst family or the dreadful number of people in the room, but not something quite personal. Her fingers loosened the glass slightly before she glanced between the two sisters, studying their expressions for a moment as though trying to decide whether the question was genuinely curious or merely another form of polite conversation.
“It’s not actually like that.” Her brows knitted together as she looked at the girls. “We just prefer to mind our own business rather than strike up a conversation whenever we’re in the same room.” If the Smyrnidi knew anything about the Astors, they would have heard that the family had always been loyal to the Ministry, with most of its members following the path their ancestors had laid down for them generations ago. The Astors were known for their work as Herbologists, Potionists, and Magical Creature Researchers. Her sisters, two years older than her, seemed to fit perfectly into that image. In everyone else’s eyes, the twins had been born to be ladies, following in their mother’s footsteps. They were the perfect Hufflepuffs, polite, well-mannered, never breaking the rules, and seemingly destined for the careers their family had already chosen for them. Skylar, however, could never be like that. Merlin knew she asked too many questions, wandered into places she shouldn’t, and became interested in things everyone else considered terribly inconvenient. The more she grew apart from the family’s expectations, the more strained her relationship with her sisters became.
There was a brief pause as she looked down at the floor. “Though it’s usually nothing particularly dramatic. At least, not anymore.” Skylar gave a small, almost dismissive shrug, though the words had clearly made her think. “We’re not exactly close in the way you two seem to be. My sisters have always been rather… well.” She searched for a more polite word before settling on one. “They’re very good at being what our family expects them to be.” There was a bitterness in her voice, with something quieter lingering beneath it. She glanced around at the people nearby, her eyes eventually settling on a familiar face, perhaps someone from her own house at Hogwarts. They seemed to be having a genuine conversation, completely at ease with one another, while Skylar sat there trying to play the part of someone she wasn’t. “As for lonely…” She continued. “That depended on how you defined it.” It was indeed a hard question for her.
The Astor estate was not exactly empty. There were always people coming and going, her grandparents, her parents, her aunt, even her sisters. Yet, none of them stayed there as long as she did. Of course, she was the youngest, but that also meant she was often left on her own for months at a time. Even her parents always had a reason for being away, but somehow, they always seemed to care more about her sisters. Azalia and Hailey had the privilege of watching their parents work from home or at the Ministry. Their parents had occasionally taken them to the Ministry from a young age, letting them see where the family worked and introducing them to people they were expected to know. They had been given countless opportunities to learn, whether it was studying in any of the gardens on the estate or visiting the Astors’ shops, as long as they were permitted to use the Floo Room. They were always allowed to go wherever they wished. Skylar, meanwhile, had little more than the plants she grew in her own garden to keep her company.
She drifted through her thoughts for a moment before turning back to the Smyrnidi girls. “I’m sorry.” She gave them an awkward, wry smile, only realising then that perhaps it was not wise for her to speak poorly of her sisters in front of people she barely knew. She quickly avoided their eyes and changed the subject. “It might have slipped my mind, but I don’t think I’ve ever asked which house you’re in at Hogwarts. If you’re in Hufflepuff, you might have seen my sisters before.” |
