| Ashley took the cup of tea with shaking hands. Blinking
a lot at the strange man in across the table from her. A few hours ago she
didn't believe in magic, but in the last few hours she had seen a man vanish
from sight and reappear a few feet away, objects fly across the room, moving
pictures - those being paintings that had been hidden from her all these
months that Jenkins now brought out and with Harry's help hung along the
walls. In fact, the paintings, mostly of Hoods, all of them with mold green
eyes, talked. House Elves now appeared, freaking Ashley out. It was Harry
who calmed her down in the long run. Until Ashley found out that every time
she had lost her temper in the past she had accidentally cast a spell that
hurt someone. Right down to transfiguring an old school bully into a frog.
Though he had been in the bathroom at the time. Over this she sobbed, very upset she had hurt people. Dumbledore had sat and patted her hand. "This is why Lord John Hood left his estate to you. You're the last Hood with magical powers, Ashley. All the others are all muggles. Non-magical people." He grabbed her chin, lifting her head up so their eyes met. "Ashley Katrina Hood, I'm about to offer you a very unique opportunity. Something no adult has ever done before." Slowly he removed a piece of paper Harry recognized, after all, he had seen enough of them. "This is your official invitation to Hogwarts." Ashley took it. Opening it. Earlier she had been shown the invitation she should've gotten to an American witching school with her mother's handwriting - pretending to be Ashley's - on it saying she wouldn't be attending. Now she held the fresh invite in her hands. Staring at it as if it was all part of a dream. "I really have no choice, now, do I?" Ashley said. "I have to learn self control. So I'll go - on one condition." "And what would that be?" Dumbledore asked, though he looked like he already knew. Ashley looked directly at Harry. "I need to learn some basics so I don't make a fool of myself. I want Harry to tutor me. And any friends he has whom he might think will help." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was one week into the tutoring when Harry walked in on an awkward moment. Ashley was on the phone, yelling. "YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" She screamed. "You STOLE my heritage from me! You kept the truth from me and I HURT people, mother! I hurt people. And the saddest thing is that I might've agreed to not do this had you told me the truth from the beginning! Yeah, well, that's fine. I want nothing to do with you either." She slammed the phone down just as it burst into flame. That's what happened when Ashley lost her temper. Spells shot off. Harry put the fire out even though the phone was a total melted loss. Ashley collapsed on the couch, sobbing. "They disowned me, Harry. I don't have any family anymore. Every single one - my parents, my brothers, my nieces and nephews. They were all aware I was a witch and they all disowned me. Even my cousins." Harry sat down next to Ashley, feeling awkward. He knew what it was like to be hated by those who should support you no matter what, but he was only 16. Yet he put his arm around her and let the adult lean on his shoulder and cry. "But you do have a family." He whispered, picking up a knife. He didn't know why he did it, but he pulled away a bit and grabbed her right hand, slashing the palm, then he slashed his own and grasped her bleeding hand. Their blood mingling. Harry was acting on pure instinct. Words tumbled from his lips he couldn't even understand. He knew he read them somewhere. Their hands glowed. Something seemed to run thru them both. "We're family." Harry said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You blood bonded with her?" Hermione said in a shocked voice. "Harry, that's a very serious ritual. That's the most sacred bond two people can share especially in the wizarding world." Blowing a bit of brown hair out of her eyes, Hermione Granger looked at her friend. "Why would you do that?" "Instinct." Harry answered honestly. "She and I are - well, we're a lot alike. Both our families lied to us for one thing. My aunt and uncle, her parents. We both feel like freaks in the regular world. Only difference between us beside the obvious is that she picks up on spells quickly. Especially potions." Harry chewed his bottom lip in worry. The only other person he knew who was skilled in potions was the head of Slytherin House, Professor Severus Snape. What if Ashley ended up in Slytherin? Could they still be friends? Speaking of friends Harry was standing in Diagon Alley with Hermione and Ron. Ron was grumbling about Harry's revelation. Apparently he was upset that Harry never blood bonded with him. But Ron hadn't been there when Ashley was sobbing her eyes out. They had met her before, of course, Hermione over-saw Ashley's tutoring in magical history and potions. Ron helped with the spells but mostly he helped Ashley with the wizarding vernacular. He was also trying to teach Ashley Wizard's Chess. Harry suspected it was more because Ashley praised Ron at his skills at the game then any desire for a new playing partner. Ashley showed no skill at even muggle chess let along the wizarding version. Right now they were waiting as Ashley withdrew money from Gringott's. Harry had plenty himself. He wondered how Ashley was doing inside. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ashley felt sicker then she ever had in her entire life. The speeding of the cart through the darkness of the bank had put her stomach in turmoil. The little Goblin next to her, Tomlin, looked rather annoyed as Ashley had to wait a few minutes before she could even stand. Finally she got out and entered the vault he had just opened. There were piles of gold everywhere along with other things. Taking a bag she scooped up the ones that Harry had told her were worth the most. Better then carrying a variety. That way she could be sure she had enough. As she did so something caught her eye. A beautiful necklace with a sapphire set in a gold heart. Without thinking about it she picked it up and put it on. She never noticed the brief moment it glowed. She went back into the cart and headed out. Hermione seemed to take over. Ashley didn't mind. She allowed the children to tell her where to go and what to do. Getting their robes first. Ron looking upset as he had to buy used robes. After a whispered conversation Ashley convinced Madam Malkin to secretly slip Ron brand new robes. The boy never noticed. Then it was off to the book store. Ashley was pouring over a book of potions when the kids pulled her away to buy her owl. She chose a large brown owl common to England. One that wouldn't stand out. The male owl seemed to be rather attached to Ashley right away and Ashley to him. She named him Erik. The final stop was for Ashley's wand. She let Harry and the others take her stuff while they went for ice cream. She didn't want to keep them as they looked bored and anyway Erik didn't need to be kept in a cage for hours which it might take to get her wand. Taking a deep breath, she walked into Ollivander's. The little man behind the counter was talking to a tall blond haired man holding a cane with a silver snake's head on top. He looked at Ashley. "Can I help you, my dear?" He said, looking nervous. "I'm here to get a wand." Ashley answered, even as the blond man turned to level an icy blue glare at her. She shrugged it off. "Go ahead and help him, I can wait." "Why don't you take a look around?" Mr. Ollivander encouraged. "I'll be right with you. Now Mr. Malfoy, I'm telling you there's nothing wrong with your wand." Ashley began to wander down the rows. Boxes and boxes of wands were everywhere. Knowing that the wand picked the wielder, Ashley held up her hands, trying to see if she felt any vibrations. As she did she sang softly to herself. "Early one morning just as the sun was rising...." "I'm telling you it's not casting right!" The blond man, the one called Malfoy, snapped. "It's not the wand, Mr. Malfoy, it's the caster." Mr. Ollivander said. "Are you calling me a liar? Perhaps I should test it...." Ashley's hand whipped up as suddenly a wand ripped free of it's box and flew at her. She spun, swinging the wand downwards, sparks flying out of it, striking Malfoy and sending him out the window. "Oh my God!" Ashley cried out, running to the window. "Oh dear.... Sir, are you alright?" "I'm fine. No thanks to you." Malfoy said, standing up and brushing his robes off. He was bleeding but he didn't seem to care. "Who are you?" He looked down at Ashley as if she was a piece of used chewing gum. Ashley squared her shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. "Ashley Katrina Hood." "The mudblood freak." Malfoy said, "I am Lucious Malfoy, you'll do well to remember that name, mudblood." He looked beyond Ashley's shoulder. "We're not finished, Ollivander." With a swirl of robes Lucious Malfoy stalked off. "I'm so sorry about your window, sir." Ashley said. "I'll pay for the repair." "No need, dear." Ollivander said and with a wave of his own wand the glass was back where it was. "Seems you found your wand without me." He took the wand from Ashley. "Ah yes, rosewood, 11 3/4ths, dragon heartstring with a little something special." He looked around and whispered. "I wrapped a sea mermaid's hair around it. I'm afraid I was a little off kilter that day. Spent a few too many hours in the Caldron pulling down a pint or two." He chuckled. "You must have MacFarllen blood in you, my dear. I heard you singing, only MacFarllens with wizarding blood have voices to rival the Pheniox. Not to mention sea mermaids are known for being music lovers. Yes, a special wand for a very unusual girl. But not really a girl, are you my dear?" Once the transaction was completed she exited the shop to find her three young friends waiting for her. "Did you really knock Lucious Malfoy thru a window?" Ron asked instantly. "Unintentionally, yes." Ashley replied. "Hermione, close your mouth, you're drawing flies." Gently clothing Hermione's mouth with her hand. "Yes, yes, I remember everything you told me about the Malfoys but it was an accident." "Let's hope it's one you won't live to regret." Hermione quipped. "My dear Hermione," Ashley said, "I already do." (Continue....) (Home Page 1) |