Astoria was taking time this afternoon to read her papers. No one in Berlin or it's surrounding area seemed to be abusing magic this afternoon, so she was safe to do so. She was usually one to two weeks behind on British news, but she read the Daily Prophet still. She had since she started Hogwarts. She'd continued while at Durmstrang. She liked knowing what was going on in the country of her birth. She had been debating a return ever since she had heard news of her father's death. She had not seen him for many years before his passing. Devlin Greengrass portrayed the iron-fisted solitary man, but the truth had been that without his wife, he was lost. Astoria had not even been permitted to go to the funeral of her mother. Her father said it was because she needed to concentrate on her studies and mourn her own loss, but Astoria new the truth. His eyes had told her as if he'd spoken the words aloud. He did not want her to know Daphne was alive. She had known for years, but had not wished to attempt to contact her sister and incur his wrath.

Astoria had not spoken to him since the day he told her of Queenie Greengrass' passing. It was true. She had her husband's detah to mourn, and she was sad about Aleksey. It was better that way. Astoria knew this now. Her father had been a controlling and hateful man. Though now that he was gone, she was finding it difficult to actually gather the courage to go to Daphne. Her sister was difficult in her own ways. She might not be rational about Astoria not rebelling and finding her sooner.

"Frauen Dolohov?"

Astoria looked up and the woman who worked the office with her. "Yes, Brunhilde?"

"I think you might vant to see this."

She handed Astoria a report. It was of a case from the British Ministry. Illegal potions. So what? Why am a looking at this? Then the name of the prime suspect caught her eye.

"Blast and damn!"

There was a string of swears running through her head in Russian - the language of her husband's birth country. There were also some very nice German ones flitting about too. Also, a few choice things she recalled from growing up in England, but she was too ladylike to speak any of them aloud. Astoria jumped to her feet and started gathering her things. It looked like she was going to England sooner than she suspected. Damn Daphne anyhow. Could she never do as she was told? Could she never stay from trouble?

"Brunhilde-"

"l have your portkey already, Frauen Dolohov."

Astoria smiled at her. "Danke, Brunhilde."


{SUMMARY} Astoria is coming home