Wish Upon A Star

Time Turner

They reached the castle from the platform using carriages. The usual chatter that filled the carriage, was absent today. No one felt like talking much. It had started to drizzle ever so slightly, and the chilling, howling winds just took the place of silence.

 As they stepped out of theirs, a familiar drawl met their ears.

Ashlyn sighed.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously. 

Ashlyn really didn't have the energy or patience to deal with that idiot at that time. She folded her arms across her chest, with a sigh, as Malfoy eyes them with the usual malevolent glint in his eyes.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er — Professor,"

Ashlyn was pulled out of her thoughts, the moment she heard him. All the trepidation suddenly seemed to vanish and was replaced by an instant urge to hex Malfoy into bits. How dare he?! 

"I swear I won't hesitate, asshole" Ashlyn growled, her wand pointed at Malfoy's face.

 Malfoy cocked his eyebrow. There was no way she would hex him in front of a teacher, would she? 

Ashlyn could see a flicker of fear in his grey eyes. She smirked. The git deserved it. No one gets to insult anyone based on their appearance, no they don't. 

"Do it once again, Malfoy, and you'll be signing your own death certificate," she said, taking a step closer, her wand still at his face, a spell in the back of her head. She could hardly care if she got detention the first day back. If she got it for hexing this asshat because he was being a bigoted, prejudiced, bully, then she'll take it happily.

Hermione prodded Ron and Ashlyn in the back to make them hurry, and the four of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; they followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Clarke! Granger! I want to see you three!"

They turned around, surprised, and saw Professor McGonagall looking at them with a stern look.

They followed her, leaving Ron to go and save their seats. McGonagall sent a reluctant Harry to the hospital wing and led the girls to her office.

"You both have opted for all the subjects this year, is that correct?"

Both of them nodded. McGonagall reached out, opened her desk drawer, and pulled out the small golden Timeturner. It looked so fragile, yet it held so much power. 

She handed it to Ashlyn who looked at it intently before handing it over to Hermione who did the same. This time-turner was one of the main reasons she took up all the subjects this year. In case she didn't get to use the time-turner to save Sirius and Buckbeak, like how she didn't get to visit the Chamber of Secrets last year, she would at least be able to use the thing once. She listened to the instructions carefully.