"Yet another year has gone, and what a year it has been."
Dumbledore stood with his hands folded together, calmly overlooking the great hall and the students gathered within it. Uttering his speech, he'd gained all the attention except for a few people, one of them being Ashley. She couldn't care less about his supposedly encouraging words; she was much too busy admiring the new decor of the vast room. Green and silver were hung from the ceiling to honor the Slytherins for winning the House Cup. Aside from the competitive folks, none were too upset with the knowledge. The Marauders (Ashley loved using that term, and Sirius and Remus were proud to have her use it) had succeeded in lessening the House rivalry, although there still was a bit of friendly completion in action. It was all in good fun though, and the Slytherins had earned their points fair and square (mostly). This time around, the headmaster could do nothing about it. Giving Ashley extra points would be useless since he'd then need to give points to Alyssa and Mitchelle as well, and that meant their respective Houses would rise with them.
"And now, I believe an awarding is in order. Well, might I say, the points seem to be quite close this year."
Hufflepuff came in fourth place which clearly disheartened the badgers. Maybe that needed to change, the whole House Cup aspect of school. That would certainly remove the rivalry in anything other than Quidditch and scores permanently. They could all focus on studying for their sake instead of worrying over such nonsense. That would be wonderful; nobody would feel the disappointment of not having won the cup at the end of the year. Ashley hated seeing the student body look so crushed.
With those thoughts in her mind, she cast a sympathetic smile towards Mitchelle who had slouched in her seat upon receiving the news. However, the brunette wasn't upset for long. She was immediately comforted by Cedric, causing her to lighten up drastically. Ravenclaw was in third place, next was Gryffindor. Honestly, the eagles surely would have made second if the lions hadn't won the Quidditch Cup.
"In first place with four hundred and sixty five points, we have Slytherin."
Enthusiastic cheers and victorious cries rang from the table off to the far right. Hats were thrown high in the air as the other Houses stood and clapped, happy for their fellow students. From her position, Ashley could see Alyssa jumping along with a few first years but then, she was pulled into a fierce hug by her soul-bonded. The Potter Heiress enjoyed seeing the redhead turn the same color as the signature Weasley hair. Ashley hid her smile behind the back of her hand when she noticed the glare sent her way.
The feast began when the excitement settled down. As per usual, Fred and George made it their mission to make sure Ashley ate the amount she needed and more. How could she complain? The food was always so delicious, and she did want to have the chance to actually grow. Sirius and Remus were quite tall so she had to be at least above five foot five. Malnourishment was not going to get in the way of that.
After breakfast, the students gathered their belongings and changed out of their uniforms. They assembled in the main courtyard, waiting for their turn as batches were transported by carriages off to Hogsmeade Station. It being their last day at Hogwarts, there was this odd melancholy feeling present in everyone's hearts. Ashley felt this twice as much since she was one of the school's Heirs. The sentient magic called out for her stay, and she was tempted to. The castle had accepted her wholeheartedly and it carried this sense of security and comfort. However, her home was with her soul-bonded. They held her heart, her soul yearned for them, and she would happily go wherever they went.
"Ashley."
Ashley turned from her camera to face the unwanted guest inside the small bubble of peace she'd created around herself. Of course, it was Dumbledore. He had cornered Ashley in a way by acting as a barrier between her and her friends. She suddenly regretted standing a few feet away from them but in her defense, she had to move back to capture a picture of the crowds. Unfortunately, she could make no excuse for him to leave and so, she had to tolerate Dumbledore's presence for the time being.
"Hello, Headmaster." She greeted, stuffing her camera in her satchel.
She frowned when she realized that Dumbledore's gaze was trained on the small serpent wrapped around her forearm. It was a beautiful, warm summer day which is why Moko insisted he be somewhere he could bask in the warm sunlight. He and Ashley hadn't anticipated that they would be bothered by anyone, especially not their number one enemy. Nevertheless, they figured they should reveal one of her secrets. Maybe to frustrate him that he was late to the party.
"This is Moko, he's my familiar." Ashley introduced.
"I want to hurt him. May I bite him, little one? Never mind, may I eat him instead?" Moko hissed.
"Not right now, Moko. He said that it's nice to meet you." Ashley translated, biting back a laugh.
"Ah, likewise... You've never mentioned you could speak Parseltongue." Dumbledore mused, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think it was important. Although, I am aware that it's a rare ability." Ashley smiled innocently as Dumbledore lost a bit of the twinkle in his eyes.
"Well, whenever you have questions about certain things you don't understand, you know where to find me. I'd be happy to answer any of your questions." He said, putting his grandfatherly mask on.
"I'll remember that, thank you." Ashley nodded, rolling her eyes internally.
Those fake acts of kindness would never work on her. She was well aware of the Dumbledore's intentions and they were anything but nice. It was a facade for the world to see so that he could earn the praise and power he so deeply desired. He was a greedy bastard through and through. Ashley dropped her smile the moment he turned and left. She approached her group of friends, the Marauders (she would never tire saying that), where she learned that she didn't need to relate to them the interaction with the old goat since they were all eavesdropping.
Not long after, the empty carriages returned. Ashley chose to ride with the same people she sat with last time, which consisted of Alyssa, Mitchelle, Neville, Cedric, and Draco. That would be the arrangement until they were all too big to fit in one carriage. Even with the lack of snow, the trip, nonetheless, was still quite charming. On her way back from Christmas break, Ashley hadn't appreciated the view enough due to missing Sirius and Remus. Now, however, she was doing to her best to admire the beauty of it all for the few months she would be away from the wondrous place that was Hogwarts. The trees, bushes, and grass constructed evergreen scenery that matched well with the shimmering water of the Black Lake that they were traveling around. Ashley giggled when she saw a purple tentacle belonging to the giant squid rise from the deepest end of the water to wave her goodbye. What could she say? She was a natural with creatures, never mind if they were magical or not.
Arriving at the outdoor station, she handed her trunk and owl cage over to be placed in the baggage car while she talked with Alyssa and Mitchelle. The two girls informed the Potter Heiress that they would be sharing a compartment with Draco and Cedric. Ashley didn't mind, Neville didn't either. He was hell-bent on reading in peace while she was bound to spend the entirety of the train ride sleeping anyway just as she had done before. She had gotten too excited with the idea of going home, so much that she had been unable to sleep the night before. It simply wouldn't do to feel tired when she was reunited with her soul-bonded. Despite the almost daily letters they had continuously exchanged, they still had a lot of catching up to do. They would send her off to bed if she yawned even once so she had to rest while she had time.
Just as she and Neville settled in an empty compartment, Fred and George popped in and shut the door behind them. They revealed their hidden stash of sweets as if sensing that she was about to complain about driving away the lady with the cart. If she were to be honest, she wouldn't be surprised if they did somehow sense it. They had a knack of knowing things without prior discussion. There were many secrets that Ashley hadn't told them yet but somehow, they were already aware of them. It was...frustratingly confusing.
"I... How do you do that?"
It had been a mystery from the very start. Ashley had stopped questioning it a while ago but she couldn't deny that she was still curious. The twins had never given her answer, or even a hint that would help her unravel the whole thing. She trusted them and she was sure that whatever they were keeping from her wasn't something that could hurt her. But she wanted to know oh so much!
"Do what?" The twins chorused.
"Tell me the truth, are you Seers?" Ashley quizzed.
Frowning, she tilted her head when Fred and George traded identical looks of contemplation. They held each other's gaze as if having a mental conversation which, probably, what was really happening. Ashley theorized that they had some sort of telepathic connection as magical twins but she wasn't sure yet. Neville glanced up from his book and blinked at them. He eagerly waited for their answer alongside Ashley. He was curious as well.
"No, we're not." The twins denied.
"Then, what...?" Ashley gaped, raising her hands in frustration.
"Sorry, little raven." Fred apologized.
"She says it's not time for you to know just yet." George explained sympathetically.
"Oh..." Ashley pouted.
"But as soon as she gives the sign,-"
"-we'll be sure to tell you."
"Fine..."
Wait, she? Who the bloody hell was she supposed to be?!
Thoroughly confused, Ashley expected the twins the further clarify the situation. She shook her head in disbelief when they refused to say anything else. They offered her their famous smirks before they began to scheme to themselves. She switched her gaze over to Neville who shrugged helplessly. He was just as clueless as her alongside Moko, if not more. She slouched in defeat and chose to let it go for the time being. Hopefully, she would know soon enough.
"Alright... Well, I'm gonna go check on the others." She announced.
By that, she meant she was going to be handing out her creations from the night before. Her current companions would be the last to receive them when she returned. She stood and slipped through the door, following the nearest Marauders' magical signature. It just happened to be the compartment her best friends occupied with their soul-bonded. She had to do this fast, she could already feel the drowsiness seeping in.
"Ash, hey, what're you doing here?" Alyssa asked upon seeing the Potter Heiress.
Ashley, instead of replying, forced her to scoot over to the left so that she was pressed against Draco's arm. Although it wasn't like they weren't already close when Ashley arrived. She ignored the incredulous stares of those present and fished out items from her satchel. Those items were mirrors, very similar ones. They were oval-shaped with intricate silver frames, sized as small as compact mirrors for easy transportation via pockets and such. The only existing difference between them was that each had a unique gemstone that represented the owner. Ashley had gathered those days ago since she had already planned on making the mirrors. To name some, hers was citrine, Mitchelle's a blue topaz, and Alyssa's an opal. For the three of them, the gemstones held nostalgia as their birthstones of their past lives.
"Mirrors?" Draco raised an eyebrow as he was handed his mirror.
"Enchanted mirrors, for fast communication between us lot. They're all connected so just touch the glass and think of the person you want to contact. Try it out." Ashley encouraged.
Alyssa volunteered and attempted to contact Mitchelle. The redhead lightly rested her fingertips on her mirror's surface and focused on her goal. Surprised, Mitchelle yelped when her mirror began to warm up. Ashley had gotten the idea from the DA coins in Harry's fifth year. She needed a subtle way for the mirror to alert its owner of an incoming call so it making any sort of noise wasn't an option. If separated from their owners, the mirrors would send a kind of wave of magic that would then call out for the owners.
Mitchelle, per Ashley's instructions, tapped her mirror to answer. Her blue topaz gained the dim glow Alyssa' opal possessed as an indication of their connection. Their reflections wavered, rippling like disturbed water, until they disappeared completely and were replaced by an image of the other.
"It's only for emergencies though, and anything else regarding talk of our plans. I figured that letters, without the proper warding and charms, would be too dangerous if anyone were to receive it by accident. Worst-case scenario, someone intercepts the letters on purpose and we're all busted."
"That's smart."
"When did you have time to make all of these?"
"Last night, I couldn't sleep so I thought that I may as well do something productive to pass time."
"What if someone else finds this?"
"First of all, don't lose that. I worked very hard on each one. Second, each mirror is keyed only to us."
Ashley's original idea had been to link the mirror it its owner but then if something to that owner, someone else would need to be able to call for help. There were times where her internal paranoia was useful. It made her think of all the possible consequences of not preparing for the worst. But if she were to properly contemplate the subject, she would realize that there really was no harm in an outsider obtaining the mirror. After all, it held no secrets as it was only a means of communication. However, if their group's intentions were suddenly exposed and one of them was captured, the other Marauders' identities would be at risk. There was also the little feature the original mirror had which could be used to track the other mirrors. It was better to be safe than sorry.
"I had to borrow a book from the library about the necessary spells. I got the hang of it after a little practice."
"You mean stole a book?"
"I returned it!"
"Unlike the other books you got from the Restricted Section?"
"I only have two! Plus, those books have useful knowledge that we may need in the future."
Ashley purposely forgot to mention that she had planned to acquire more books from the library for personal reasons, particularly books about particular spells made only for Parselmouths. After that, she had to leave for the rest of the Marauders. It was a hassle having to go visit a couple more compartments and repeat instructions but she managed. At least she was given a break from the talking when she returned to her own compartment. Fred and George volunteered to be the ones to showcase the mirror to Neville while she leaned against the window to catch up with sleep. Moko settled in as well, he hadn't stayed up with her last night but he did love napping.
When she regained consciousness, the sun had just begun to set. That meant that she had, at the very most, two hours or so before they would arrive at King's Cross. She spent this time playing Exploding Snap with Fred on the floor. She won, though she had a feeling that he'd let her. When she called him out on this, he denied and faked being offended. The mirth in his eyes betrayed him but she let him be. Instead, she urged him to play against George while she and Neville cheered for both sides. The game eventually turned into a playful wrestling match that had the first years (soon-to-be second years) laughing until their sides hurt.
Ashley, rubbing her aching cheeks from smiling too much, glanced outside the window in time to see the train's swiftly approaching destination. Her heart leapt with joy as she waited for the train to come to a full stop. Clutching onto the sling of her satchel, she stepped over the sprawled twins and rushed to the exit. She stepped onto the platform and retrieved her luggage before realizing that she was once again lost within the crowd.
"Here we go again..."
She sighed and craned her neck, attempting to see above the mass of people. She thought that it would be a long search for her soul-bonded but this time, they found her. She jumped as a bark rang from behind her, quickly turning to spot the source of it. A black dog sat at on the floor with its tail wagging happily and its tongue hanging out. Recognizing the canine to be Padfoot, she paced towards him and immediately kneeled to sweep him in her tight embrace.
"Padfoot..." She crooned, giggling when he licked her cheek.
They garnered stares due to the fact that it became well-known news that Padfoot was an Animagus once he'd registered at the Ministry. Though when had he ever cared what strangers thought of him? He blissfully ignored all the unwanted attention, and so did Ashley. She'd only seen him in that form once or twice back at the mansion. The reason for that was because he missed being able to move freely as a human. Ashley didn't mind, she didn't ask for him to turn into Padfoot. What's important was that he was comfortable within the walls of their home.
Watching the loving exchange was Remus, the Potter Heiress' second soul-bonded mate. Upon noticing him, she stood and tackled him into a hug. Chuckling, he easily caught her, picking her up and twirling her around. He placed her back on her feet but kept her close to him. Padfoot pawed at his pants, signaling the werewolf to grab their cub's things and apparate to the mansion. While Padfoot shifted, Ashley rested her chin on Remus' stomach as she looked up at him adoringly, smiling when he bent down to kiss her forehead even though she had to step back a little.
"We missed you so much, Bambi." He muttered softly.
"I missed you too." Ashley beamed.
"What about me?"
"I can only assume what you've just said, but we missed you too, Moko."
"Well, I'm feeling a bit left out."
Ashley sensed the pout Sirius wore before she even turned to look at him. She was right, he was pouting. He was definitely less mature than he really should have been at his age, but she and Remus loved the man nonetheless.
"I want a proper hug." Sirius whined.
"I don't know... I'm kind of comfortable here." Ashley joked.
"Guess she loves me more, Padfoot." Remus smirked.
"Not as much as I love you though, right?" Sirius waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Although Remus attempted to scowl, a smile broke through as Sirius leaned in. Ashley, sandwiched between the two men, giggled when they shared a tender kiss while attempting to cover her eyes. They weren't fans of extreme public displays of affections. There was hugging, the occasional hand-holding, but they mostly just leaned against each other for comforting closeness. They acted the way close friends usually did unless they were alone. They often avoided proclaiming their romantic relationship to the world, even close friends and family, since they appreciated the joys of privacy. Well, unless someone provoked their jealousy. Now that definitely wasn't rare, both men were quite possessive of each other (and of Ashley too, actually). Ashley had learnt that fact when they went to Diagon Alley to buy Christmas presents. A nameless witch, ignorant to their very close proximity, made the mistake of flirting with Remus, and then Sirius when the werewolf dismissed her. Long story short, she was nearly attacked by both Moony and Padfoot. It was incredibly amusing, for Ashley and Moko, at least.
Letting the couple have their moment, she ducked under their arms and wandered over to the kitchen. Kreacher greeted her and offered a plate of newly baked cookies with a caged rat for her familiar as a 'welcome home' gift. She thanked him and asked him to take her trunk and Hedwig upstairs while she and Moko dug into their snacks. She had already finished about a third of the cookies when Remus and Sirius came in to drag her to the couch to chat. It was simply domestic, she liked it. It was a vast change from the excitement of school events. Thinking back to the...talk with Voldemort, she hadn't realized that she had been blankly staring off into space until Remus nudged her.
"Are you alright, Bambi?"
"Yeah, I'm just really glad to be home..."
"So are we. Here, we know you're safe and happy, away from Dumbledore, Voldemort, and anyone else who wants to hurt you."
Of course, Voldemort didn't really want to hurt her because, well, that would be putting his own life in danger. However, she couldn't tell them that so she let them think what they wanted to. Or at least, think what they needed to for the time being.
"Siri, Remy?"
"Yes?"
"I love you, both of you, so much..."
"And you know we love you too."
Ashley hummed and held their hands in hers, savoring the feeling of her soul thrumming with joy. The fact that she had been given a brand new reality where wizards, witches, and all mythical creatures alike existed didn't matter to her. Nothing could ever compare to the feeling of being with the two people she loved the most. They were her mates, her world, her everything. In return, they made her feel like she was everything.
That? That was the real magic.
TO BE CONTINUED...