Daphne Greengrass helped her mother out of the dining room.

The two house-elves also went to the kitchen to clean the dishes they had just made.

Jon and Astoria were the only ones left in the dining room, and the soft saxophone still sounded from the corner from time to time, but the atmosphere was slightly awkward.

Astoria stood up and stole a glance at Jon, "Terrible meal, isn't it?"

"No...... On the contrary, I think it's great. Jon shook his head, "I've never experienced such a grand banquet!"

"Emily's cooking skills are indeed great!" Astoria forced a smile on her face, "although her mind is a little unclear. ”

The two stood in the restaurant like this, looking at each other a little awkwardly, but they didn't know what to say. In fact, the two of them hadn't whispered together for months before that...... Because some time ago, Astoria has been deliberately choosing to avoid Jon.

"Do you want to take a break......" Astoria said in a small mosquito-like voice, "I must be a little sleepy after eating......"

"Sort of!" Jon nodded thoughtfully.

"You can go to my room......" Astoria turned her back, her cheeks flushed slightly, and whispered, "Rest there for a while......"

"Yes!" Jon nodded without thinking, then smiled.

......

Astoria led the way in front, her pace was slow and she looked vaguely hesitant.

Jon's expression was calm, and together they walked up the luxurious marble staircase before stopping at a pink wooden door.

Astoria took out the key and opened the wooden door.

"This is my room!" she whispered.

Jon looked around—the whole cottage was indeed filled with the scent of a girl. A pink Simmons bed with a blue futon on top. A pale pink mosquito net above the bed is tied to the bedpost, and a cabinet next to the bed is stocked with all sorts of knick-knacks.

On the desk, in the most conspicuous position, in addition to a few books, is a silver mirror, and above the desk hang two photographs, the people in the pictures are waving to him—

One appears to be a photo of Astoria with her sister and mother, who must have been taken recently, while the other is a photo of Jon himself and Astoria, both of whom look to be only eleven or twelve years old.

"When is this picture?" Jon asked, curiously.

"Towards the end of my first year, Colin Creevey from Gryffindor did me shoot, have you forgotten?" Astoria reminded softly.

"yes, I remember!" Jon nodded...... Continuing to look around the room, in the other corner of the room, there were a few things piled up here: for example, a half-human-tall ragdoll bear, a light wheel 2001 broomstick that seemed to have not been used for a long time, and a few textbooks......

"It can be a bit chaotic here......" Astoria explained in a whisper.

"Much cleaner than my house. Jon shook his head, "I can find newspapers and books everywhere in my house, but it's a mess!"

......

The two sat on the pink Simmons bed, and the room fell into a brief silence.

Jon smelled the faint scent of the room, and listened to Astoria's slightly rapid breathing.

"I heard from Hodder, you've just been talking to your mother for over an hour......" Astoria said timidly, not even daring to look up into Jon's eyes, "Did she tell you everything, about me." ”

"Yes!" Jon nodded solemnly, "She told me everything. ”

"So...... Jon...... Are you afraid of me......" Astoria's hand trembled slightly.

Jon took the initiative to grab her hand: "Scared, how can it be." ”

"But...... I am...... I'm a monster,......" Astoria said, plucking up her courage, and this sentence seemed to hold back in her heart for a long time: "Growing up, I knew that I was different from my sister, that I was not healthy at all...... Even though my mother never told me the truth......"

"No, you're certainly not a monster. Jon took her in his arms, "How can there be a monster so beautiful and so cute as you?"

Astoria took the initiative to break free from his embrace.

"When I was five years old...... I visited Malfoy Manor with my mother and sister......" Astoria's voice trembled, sounding distressing: "There is an ancestral mirror at Malfoy Manor, and my sister told me that it is a 'demon mirror' that can show all the dark magic...... Then I got up and went to look in the mirror......"

The girl's voice was full of despair and fear.

Jon took her in his arms again, and this time she didn't break free.

Jon...... What I see in the mirror is not me...... It's a snake...... The snake was still spitting letters at me, as if smiling at me......" The girl shrank into Jon's arms, shivering all over, "I always dream of the mirror and what I see in it...... They remind me all the time that I'm a monster, I'm a monster......"

"Listen Astoria, you're just sick......" Jon said with a smile.

"No, Jon...... Even though my mother didn't tell me what had happened to me, I knew that I was a monster and that I would die mysteriously overnight like Aunt Alice and Aunt Anne!" The girl's face was already full of tears: "I'm so scared...... I'm afraid of death, I'm even more afraid of hurting you......"

"Do you believe me?" Jon clutched her tightly in his arms.

The girl in her arms nodded slightly.

"I've never deceived you, have I...... Not this time!" Jon said earnestly, "I will save you, and I will make you as healthy as your sister and your mother...... Trust me, Astoria!"

"But...... I'm going to die...... Aunt Alice and Aunt Anne ......"

"No, you'll live to be a hundred years old, Astoria!" Jon continued calmly, "You do have a little problem, but don't worry, I'll help you heal...... I swear!"

Astoria held out a finger and pressed it to Jon's lips.

"Don't swear, Jon...... I'm sure you'......" she muttered, "and...... Don't ever let me hurt you, I'll be very, very uncomfortable!"

......

Hearing the faint sound of breathing in his arms, Jon laid the girl on the bed and covered her with a quilt.

Then, with a solemn face, he walked out of the girl's boudoir.