To say Ash was furious was an understatement. How could they discriminate based on houses when they hated people who discriminated based on blood. Ash could have easily been sorted into Slytherin.
Regulus was a good person and Sirius's shunning would only make him more inclined to become a bad one.
Ash sat in an empty corridor wrapping up a 2nd year Slytherin's arm. She always kept bandages and healing potions on her. Along with a lot of chocolate.
She tended to help Madame Pomfrey a lot. As a thank you for helping Remus. Before she met Remus she was on her way to becoming an auror but now healer seemed like the obvious choice. She was very good at it too. She was a genius at potions so that helps as well.
"You're very good at this," the girl says.
"Thank you. I've been practicing. Here just drink this potion and you should be good. Be more careful ok?"
"Well it wasn't really my fault... a few Gryffindors surrounded me and..."
Ash's eyebrow twitches. Of course. She was ticked off.
"If it happens again tell me," Ash says, "My name is Ash Potter. If you ask around I'm sure you'll find me in 5 minutes."
"Thank you again," the girl smiles.
Ash felt like she could just explode with anger. She had had enough with the harassment the houses gave each other. Not being sorted into Gryffindor and Slytherin was a blessing. She hadn't talked to James or Sirius since the compartment. It had only been a few days but more and more people were being admitted to the Hospital wing with bullying-relatedd injuries. She had an inkling that they wouldn'tt be talking for a while.
She made her way to her shift at the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey greeted her and she started mixing salves. Remus came to visit her.
"Hey Rem," she smiled as she leaned casually over a counter.
"Hey... um James and Sirius wanted to apologize," Remus frowns slightly.
"Have they apologized to Regulus and ended their prejudice against Slytherins?"
"Er no but-"
"I'm busy Rem," Ash shakes her head.
"...Will you be at the full moon next week?"
"I always am. I'd be there even if you were the one I was mad at. I'll always be there."
"Sirius and James will too," Remus adds.
"They are your friends. They should be or I'd have something else to be upset about," Ash nods.
"They're your friends too. And your brother."
"Rem I've already told you what they need to do. If they don't do it then why should I ever believe them."
"Come on, they love you."
"I don't want to talk about it anymore. If you want to stay talk about something else."
"...fine ok... I think I fancy Margaret Brown?"
"Are you asking me?"
Ash's heart dropped. Why wouldn't he fancy Margaret? I mean her curly blonde hair and lighthearted smile. Ash just always thought his type was dark brunette girls with hazel eyes. It hurt even more because she knew Margaret reciprocated the feelings. She suddenly wanted to get back to talking about the other topic.
"No, but James and Sirius and Peter know so I thought you should too. How are you and Teddy?"
"Completely platonic."
"Ah well I'm sure you'll find someone else."
"...yeah. Um what do you like about Margaret?"
"Well she's pretty. Smart too. She's really nice to me," Remus lists.
"Are you going to date her? She likes you too," Ash says.
Remus blushes slightly, " no, I don't date."
"So just a snog?'
"No no no no, just fancy her a little," Remus blushes more from embarrassment this time.
"Being a werewolf isn't a good reason to never date. You should put yourself out there. More people are interested in you than you know," Ash says.
"Really?"
"Don't look so proud, it's cause you're tall and mysterious."
"Mysterious huh?"
"Get that look off your face, I figured you out years ago."
"Ash could you take care of Roger?" Madame Pomfrey calls.
"Yeah," Ash yells back.
Remus follows behind her holding a few potions and a medical bag.
Ash pulls the curtain back and is met with a boy around her age with Dark curly hair.
"What happened?" She asked getting a few things out.
"I fell on the banister, got a bruise of something on my stomach."
"Take of your shirt yeah?"
"Oh um sure," Roger blushes slightly.
Remus watches him closely as Roger watches Ash. It was no secret that Ash was attractive and popular. More so than Sirius because she usually doesn't say yes to the advances and she never made anyone feel too bad about asking. More brushed them off than publicly humiliated them.
Ash started to get to work on the bruise and as Remus watched he felt a feeling of jealousy. For some reason, he always thought Ash would only ever heal him. He was glad she didn't. She was so talented, she should put them to use.
He remembered her healing his bruise a few months ago, it felt so intimate. His heart raced at the contact and now someone else was being healed in the same way.
"I'm gonna go. I'll get Sirius and James to apologize," Remus says.
"Alright. Bye Rem," Ash doesn't look up from her work.
Rem hadn't walked very far from them at all yet. He could still hear them, especially with his magnified hearing.
"Are you two dating?" Roger asks.
"Me and Remus?" Ash laughs, "He doesn't date."
He didn't know how to interpret her response. If he did date would they be dating?
Later that day Ash was sitting at her own table. Marlene had joined her. Sirius, James and Peter were watching her across the room. They missed her, more than she missed them. They needed to make it up to her.
"Hey love," Sirius winked as he wrapped an arm around her.
"Did you talk to your brother?" Ash looked at him in expectation.
"Er... no. But I was thinking you and I could maybe go out some time so you don't have to miss me so much."
"How do you feel about Slytherins?"
"Like they shouldn't be Slytherins, I-"
"So why are you still here? Leave me alone Black," Ash looks away and directs her attention back to Marlene.
"What'd she say? What's my sister say?" James asks Sirius eagerly when he makes it back to the Gryffindor table.
"She said no to the date," Sirius mopes.
"What? No, what did she saw about forgiving us?"
"I think we should just do what she told us to. I mean it shouldn't be that hard," Peter says.
"My brother is evil," Sirius rolls his eyes at the thought of talking to him.
"Ash seems to like him, maybe he isn't so bad," James thinks.
"He is."
"She is friends with Sirius, maybe she isn't such a good judge of character," Remius smirks.
"Why isn't she mad at you?" Sirius huffs.
"I've already went through the hating Slytherins phase in third year. Plus I'm fine with talking to Regulus," Remus explains.
"I'm not doing it."
"Neither am I."
"Oh I guess I won't either then."
"Suit yourself," Remus get's up and walks over to Ash.
As soon as she sees him she's smiling and pulls him down to sit by her.
Sirius and James watch in annoyance, she hadn't shown any signs of happiness around them in what felt like years.
Remus whispers something in her ear and she glances over and frowns. James and Sirius divert their gaze. She says something to McKinnon and she goes back to the Grtyffindor table.
Remus and Ash get up. Remus offers his arm and Ash hooks hers with his. They make their way to Regulus. Regulus rolls his eyes when he sees Remus greets him anyways.
"Hey Reggie, my favorite blood supremist," Ash grins.
"Don't call me that," he rolls his eyes.
"You know, you're Remus's favorite blood supremist as well."
"It's true, you are," Remus nods.
"Why are you two here?" Regulus asks,
"Missed you," Ash shrugs.
"And you?"
"Missed you?" Remus guesses.
"Uh huh. Are you sure it has nothing to do with my brother?"
"We're just trying to show him how easy it is to talk to you," Ash says.
"You should just forgive them. He's been like this for a while, I don't think he can change," Regulus shrugs.
"If you can change he can too," Ash rolls her eyes.
"I haven't changed," Regulus sighs.
"Uh-huh. What did you get on the potions test?" Ash changes the subject.
"100 you?"
"100 as always," Remus brags.
"Man...that makes my grade a little pathetic. I only got a 105," Ash smirks.
"Oh bugger off," Remus shoves her a little.
"She's always like this, so full of herself," Regulus laughs.
"I have a right to be, I mean I'm brilliant."
"Naturally."
"I think she uses us to advance her grades. We study every wednesday and thursday."
"Weird, we study every Monday and Friday."
"Who do you reckon she studies with on Tuesdays and the weekends?"
"I study on the Weekends with Marlene and Lilly. I don't study on tuesdays."
"She's using us!" Remus pulls Regulus to his side.
"Like pawns to her grade," Regulus agrees.
"Aw come on, I don't need to use you all. I'm brilliant remember," Ash smiles.
"I got 105 on the charms essay," Remus says.
"105 on the flying course," Regulus gloats.
"Oi you see! We're all overachievers," Ash puts her arms around their neck and they're jerked downwards. They were taller than her, Remus especially.
"You're gonna break my neck," Regulus grunts.
"Oh shush. Remus is taller and he isn't even complaining."
"I can't complain if my neck is broken," Remus complains.
"Alright, you're both done eating, let's go study!"
"Yeah alright," Regulus hoists her up with Remus. They carried her to the library. Much to her protest.
"Who knew Remus was so chummy with Regulus," Sirius sneers.
"He is still your brother," James says.
"Sod off," Sirius glares at his friends betrayal.
"I don't know Padfoot, it hasn't been that long since I've talked to Ash and all I want to do is talk to her. I mean she's my sister, I have to talk to her. I'm sure Regulus feels the same way I do," James reasons.
"We should make amends," Peter nods.
"You're all knocked in the head," Sirius ignores them for the rest of the day.
As if overnight Sirius couldn't stand it anymore. He needed to be in Ashs' life. So he got up that morning and threw James and Peter off the bed.
The next minute passed and they were on their way to the Slytherin common room.
"REGULUS ARTICUS BLACK!" Sirius bangs on the door.
A few minutes later with the occasional knock or thud on the door, Regulus appears at the other end of the hallway with Ash. Peter blushes in embarrassment, they had just spent the last hour under the glare of the Slytherins. First years would come out to see who was making the commotion just to swear at them.
James made it a point to apologize and say sorry every time. Ash wanted them to get along with Gryffindors.
"You belloweed brother," Regulus stands with Ash at his side and his arms crossed.
"You called for back up?" Sirius scrutinizes.
"I was with him when the 3rd year practically threw us out of the library and told us to silence this commotion," Ash explains.
"Nerds," Sirius rolls his eyes.
"Did you have something to say to Reggie?" Ash asks.
"Yeah I do have something to say to this- I'm sorry, Reggie. I shouldn't have cast you out of my life."
"I'll give you some alone time. I've got to talk to my brother and Peter."
"Ash I'm so sorry. You're my sister, and even if you were in Slytherin I would be there for you. And as far as Slytherin and Gryffindor go, we are just as much of the issue as they are. I promise we won't mess with Slytherins specifically anymore," James apologizes.
"Yeah but we'll probably still mess with Malfoy and Snape. Not only because they are Slytherins though," Peter says.
"That's all you had to do," Ash smiles and opens her arms for a hug that they immediately return, " Now I'll make sure you mean it."
"I missed you Ash," James says.
"Missed you too brother."
Regulus and Sirius walk over to join them, Sirius's arm slung over Regulus's shoulder.
"Yeah so we're good," Regulus says nonchalantly.
"Yep, can't talk to him in the public cause of dear old mum and pops but, yeah, we're good," Sirius nods.
"We should get icecream to celebrate," Peter suggests.
"A great Idea wormtail."
"Sounds lovely, I'll go get Remus," Ash says.
"He's in the common room," James says.
"I know."
Ash made it to the Gryffindor common room bursting with excitement. SHe basically throws herself onto Remus.
"They did it REM! Oh gosh I'm so glad they did. I was about to crack honestly," Ash beams, her excitement rubbed off on Remus and he was smiling too now.
"Really? I thought you were too stubborn for that," Remus laughs.
"You know you haven't given me back my book yet," Ash brings up.
"Do you need it?"
"Well no, but if you're done reading-"
"I'm not. I uh I like rereading it, and your notes on it," Remus blushes, he could've sword most of the annotations were about him.
"Oh really? Well you can keep it as long as you'd like then," Ash winks.
"There is something I wanted to ask you about," Remus puts the book he was reading down and looked at the girl who sat in front of him, "There was this sheet of paper. It had a bunch of lines, it kind of looked like constellations, but it fell out of the book, what is it?"
Ash freezes, oh nothing just your scars that I memorized drawn out on a piece of paper before I realised I was in love with you.
"It could just be a random scrap paper," Ash looks away.
"That's what I thought at first but it had a title and everything, 'Serum' was written on the top and it looked too well made to be scrap paper."
"Hm you'll have to show it to me then," Ash shrugs, trying to play off her rapidly beating heart, "after we go to the kitchen and get celebration ice cream. To celebrate James, Sirius, and Peter, not being house supremacists anymore!"
"Eh, I kinda feel like reading," Remus doesn't budge from his spot on the couch.
"Come on Remus," Ash gets up.
"Yea alright, you've convinced me," Remus gets up and follows Ash.
"That wasn't hard at all."
"It never is with you," Remus smiles at the girl leading him.
When they get there James is immediately pelting them with questions.
"How many times did you snog? Why are you so late? It takes you 30 minutes to get a 6'2" bookworm? Did you shag or something?"
"I'll have cookies and cream," Ash ignores James.
"Chocolate," Remus sits Ash.