Chapter 172 – Astoria Greengrass
It was likely that someone else had told Malfoy to approach Harry
But they hadn't told him about the true strength of the Potter family. That's why Malfoy had acted so arrogantly, thinking Harry was beneath him.
Someone was clearly pushing Harry away from Malfoy and, by extension, from the pure-blood families aligned with him and from Slytherin.
In truth, Dumbledore had already planted subtle seeds to keep Harry from Slytherin. Instead of assigning Professor McGonagall or even Professor Snape to guide Harry, Dumbledore had sent Hagrid a man who had never taken on such a role before.
Because of his half-giant blood, Hagrid had a simple, childlike way of seeing things. In his mind, Slytherin equaled bad. He would naturally pass that view on to Harry, shaping Harry's perception and inclining him to avoid Slytherin instinctively.
Still, the person who directed Malfoy to find Harry had an even larger goal than just steering him away from Slytherin. They were also trying to pit Harry against the entire pure-blood establishment. And that was dangerous.
After all, Harry—last heir of the Potter family—even with mixed heritage, could easily integrate into pure-blood society and hold status. With his connection to Sirius Black, it wasn't unthinkable that the Potters could return to the ranks of the sworn families of the Pureblood Council.
But now, Harry held deep mistrust toward most pure-blood families. That would only distance him further from the pureblood council and its ancient values.
Phineas didn't know for sure if Dumbledore had orchestrated this, but the potential consequences were serious.
Because of the ties between Sirius and Narcissa, there had been the possibility for alliance between the Malfoy and Potter families. If Phineas played his cards right, both could have become powerful allies within Hogwarts and beyond.
Now, it seemed that opportunity was being deliberately sabotaged.
With these thoughts spinning in his mind, Phineas made his way to Malfoy's compartment. He knocked once, then entered.
Inside, as expected, was a girl—about Malfoy's age, and clearly a new student this year.
Her robes stood out—not the common ones sold in Diagon Alley, but clearly custom-made. Though the style was similar, the fabric was finer, and the trim shimmered with elegant, arcane embroidery.
It wasn't difficult to guess she was pure-blooded. And unlike most young pure-blood witches, she didn't carry herself with smugness or arrogance.
Instead, Phineas noticed a softness in her ice-blue eyes—wisdom far beyond her age.
She carried herself with quiet dignity, and her long, slightly wavy golden hair only made her stand out more from the others.
"Good afternoon, sir. May I help you?" she asked, noticing his gaze. Her tone was cool but not unfriendly, composed yet respectful.
Before Phineas could reply, Draco burst out nervously, "What are you doing here? Are you here to scold me again? I—"
Phineas frowned. Lucius had not raised Draco properly. He was too easy to rattle. One could see through him too quickly.
Shaking his head slightly, Phineas turned to the girl instead.
"I am Phineas Black. And who might you be, fair lady?"
The girl's eyes widened in surprise. Clearly, she hadn't expected to be speaking to the heir of the Black family. A faint nervousness crossed her face, and her hand moved almost reflexively to smooth a lock of hair behind her ear as she replied,
"...Astoria Greengrass."
Phineas paused. The name was familiar. The youngest daughter of the Greengrass family—rumored to have inherited the family's curse—sickly since birth.
The Greengrasses had long sought a cure within the inner circles of the Pureblood Council, leveraging their ancient status.
But this raised a question. Astoria was supposed to begin school next year. Why was she already aboard the Hogwarts Express?
She noticed his puzzled look and offered a small smile—two faint dimples appearing in her cheeks.
"I imagine you already know what afflicts me."
Phineas nodded. "The blood curse."
"My father made arrangements with Headmaster Dumbledore. I've come to Hogwarts a year early—not as a student, but to stay under his care while he seeks a cure."
Phineas gave a small nod, studying her face. Her eyes were calm, thoughtful. He had heard the Greengrass blood curse was tied to ancient magic—possibly even dating back to the founding of the Pureblood Council.
It was no wonder that, despite not being aligned with any one family and having only a single surviving line of descent—all daughters—the Greengrass name still carried weight. The Elders would protect them.
Phineas turned his attention back to Draco.
"Now let's get to the point, Draco. I know you didn't approach Harry simply because of your father's instructions. In fact, I suspect Lucius would've advised against it. So—who told you to go? Who sent you?"
Draco's eyes shifted uneasily. He avoided Phineas's gaze, confirming the suspicion.
Phineas's brow furrowed deeper in frustration. Silence only proved guilt.
It was then that Astoria gently broke the tension.
"It was my sister," she said quietly. "Miss Daphne Greengrass. She asked Mr. Malfoy to speak with Mr. Potter."
Phineas blinked, surprised. He turned to Astoria again.
"Your sister… Daphne, yes. Your family does favor names from Greek mythology."
Astoria gave a small nod. "Yes. Daphne is my elder sister."