Il Silenzio Delle Stelle Cadenti [Harry PotterxPokemon Crossover Fanfic, 2015 PKMNWatties]

The Waning Spirit

If Ariana had known better, she would think Professor Augustine Sycamore was flirting with her niece.

Never mind, he totally was.

Inwardly face palming, she interrupted the professor trying to woo her niece into something.

"Long time no see," she drawled.

Instantly recognizing her voice, Ash Ketchum shot up from her seat at a desk and faced her in surprise.

"Aunty Ariana?" she exclaimed.

Grinning slyly, she came over to her niece and slid into place next to her. Ash turned a bit to look at her questioningly.

"Augustine," Ariana almost raised an eyebrow at Ash's use of the Kalos' professor's first name. "This is my Aunt Ariana. Aunty, this is Professor Augustine Sycamore."

Ariana held out a hand, examining the man that was obviously interested in her niece. She gave a sharp smile that the other returned more nervously as he shook her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Professor. I found out my niece was here and I have to talk to her about something urgently."

"By all means!" he exclaimed with a polite grin. "Feel free to use this area. Ash, I'll just step out then, alright? If you need me, I'll probably be out in the back."

Ash grinned widely back at him and gave a small wave, and soon enough it was just her and her niece in the room.

"So...he's handsome," Ariana commented.

"And not my type," Ash answered wryly, knowing what Ariana was implying. "He is handsome though, and I'm completely flattered that he's interested in me."

Ariana frowned at her niece. "Can you like not be interested in older men? What about boys your age?"

"I'm not interested? Too immature? Boring?" Ash lazily smirked at her aunt. "I could go on, but you look ready to throw me out of a window."

"I'm just saying," Ariana grumbled. "I'm not particularly thrilled at your choice of men. Surge, Morty...and I even heard about Pryce!"

"That was one date," Ash rebutted. "And it was more of a just a rock out at a concert. You'd never know, looking at him, but Pryce is a hardcore rocker."

Ariana glared at her. "Oh? And what about Norman? Wasn't he married?"

"Doesn't count. He and his wife are swingers. And I was curious."

Ariana threw up her hands in disgust, deciding she probably wouldn't win this. "Fine! Whatever. Anyway, I need your help on something."

Now looking entirely too smug, Ash found a chair and sat down, looking inquisitively at her aunt.

"Yeah? What's up?"

Ariana took a deep breath. Actually, she hadn't told her niece the truth about her being in Team Rocket, or the fact that the three idiots known as the JJM unit (and specifically as Jessie, James, and Meowth) were allowed to shadow her because Ariana wanted a close eye on her and to know what she was up to, as well as the fact that Giovanni admitted that he got a kick out of reading the reports and JJM's repeated failures and Ash's repeated, exasperated wins.

"There's really some things I need to tell you..."

So Ariana confessed to her role in Team Rocket, as well as her high rank in the organization. Ash's face flickered through several emotions, too fast for Ariana to keep track of, before settling on blank.

"Well, at least you're really high-ranking. That's actually kind of cool," Ash admitted at last. "Please tell me you get to order around those three idiots."