Wish Upon A Star (Cont.)

Invite

Ashlyn heaved a sigh and slammed her head on the desk. This was just terrible. Paperwork was always nasty business. Especially when she'd rather be out there doing something else.

With a groan, she got out of her chair, and waltzed around the clutter, over stacks of paper and boxes, trying to avoid knocking over any inkwells balanced precariously on top and avoiding stepping on stray quills. 

The place was decluttered every week, but somehow the next Monday, everything is back, out of its place. And this happens in a matter of minutes.

The clutter was also an indication of the work the Aurors have to do. And when workload increases, so does the junk. If the office is hard to navigate, then the Aurors are having a tough time and are dead tired.

Ashlyn raised an eyebrow curiously when she reached the cubicle she spent most of her free time at the Ministry, annoying Draco. Today, however, the desk was cleared and the seat was empty.

"Looking for me?" Draco's voice said behind her.

Ashlyn turned around with a smile. "You've gotten a desk change,"

Draco shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes were twinkling slightly causing Ashlyn to smile wider. 

"Lead the way," she chirped. 

"I can never get used to this place," Draco complained as they navigated their way through the office. 

"Honestly. All this garbage lying around. Quills are supposed to go in the drawers, not lying on the floor like feathers,"

Ashlyn nodded along with a smirk.

"Yes, yes," she said. "You're father will hear about this,"

Draco turned to her with an incredulous glare. "Really? You're going to do that now?"

"Is your father going to hear about this too?" Ashlyn said skipping playfully. Draco scoffed in annoyance.

"I'm only letting you do this because I like you," he grumbled.

Ashlyn let out a giggle. "I don't see what you could have done about it otherwise,"

"Tch,"

She plopped herself down onto the chair and started spinning around.

"Why are you always the one to sit on my chair even before I do it?" Draco said wearily, waving his wand and arranging the folders into their new places.

"You've got a window now," Ashlyn observed. "That's always good news. You're going pretty fast. I got a window after two years in,"

She picked up a little book from a huge box on the desk and flipped the pages lazily. 

"...Is that a compliment or a challenge?" Draco said raising his eyebrow.

"Oh, let's say compliment. I don't lose challenges," Ashlyn said dismissively as she fingered the pages of the little book. It was mostly notes on Alchemy and occasional spells littered around the margins. Then something fell out. 

A photograph.

She sat straighter in the chair.

"When did you even take this?" she said staring at the photograph. It was a polaroid and, unlike usual photos in the wizarding world, it didn't move. The night sky in the picture was spilt with stars, and the outlines of treetops were visible. To the right, there was the silhouette of a girl.