Wish Upon A Star

The Feast

Ashlyn groaned as she became aware of her surroundings. Her body felt numb. She didn't open her eyes as memories of the past events rolled in.

 So she had been petrified. 

She didn't get to try the polyjuice potion, be a part of Lockhart's Valentine's day celebrations, or visit the  Chamber of Secrets. She hoped the others were okay, she hoped that Hermione would have figured it out, and so would have the boys, she hoped Ginny was alright. Well, now that she was up that's what it had to mean, right?

She winced as the bright light hurt her eyes. Once her vision cleared she saw Hermione's anxious figure looming over her.

"Oh! Thank God you are okay!" she cried throwing herself at her.

"Woah, Mione. You got petrified too, didn't you?" Ashlyn asked mischievously. Hermione nodded.

Once she let go of Ashlyn, yet another figure fell onto her. "Ginny?" 

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she sobbed

"It's okay Ginny. It's perfectly fine. You got my note didn't you?" Ashlyn said softly, patting the top of her Ginny's head reassuringly.

Once Ginny had let go of Ashlyn, she was hugged by yet another pair of arms. Did she know these many people?

"Oh, thank you, Ashlyn dear. Ginny told us everything. How you helped her. Oh, thank you!" Mrs Weasley cried as she held Ashlyn tightly in her arms. She saw Mr Weasley smiling at her thankfully. She closed her eyes and smiled into the warm hug.

The feast was incredible. Everyone was in their pajamas. Hermione had run at the boys, 

"You solved it! You solved it!" 

"Good thing you did," Ashlyn said pulling both Harry and Ron into a hug. 

Hagrid turned up at half-past three. "Some mess up with the papers. Some ruddy owl named, Errol" 

Ron turned red.

The exams had been cancelled. And Gryffindor won the house cup with the four hundred points Harry and Ron had earned. Ginny was happy again. Although not perfectly, but she was taking small steps towards it. And Ashlyn might just know what to do.

One evening, Ginny was sitting in the corner of the common room, alone, just staring into the distance. She had been ignored by her classmates, once it got out that she was the one who had opened the Chamber of Secrets, and it was really hard on her.

Ashlyn slipped down the girls' dormitory, and out the common room. Then she went searching for Harry and Ron. She found those two soon enough and dragged them up to the common room.

Then she promptly left Harry alone and pulled Ron up to the boys' dormitory and gave him some stupid excuse as to why she had brought him there.

A few minutes later, she went back to the girls' dormitory, but not before seeing that Harry and Ginny were engrossed in a game of Exploding Snap.

With a grin, Ashlyn closed the door behind her. Her job there was done. Now, maybe she could do some reading...

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Ashlyn, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practised Disarming each other by magic. Ashlyn was helping them out. Harry was getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny — what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well — Percy's got a girlfriend."

Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — you know — attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.

 The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped. Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron, Hermione, and Ashlyn.

"This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it thrice, tearing the parchment, and handing it to them. 

"I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer — he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to. . . ."

"Maybe you won't have to," Ashlyn muttered, thinking about all that was going to happen in a few months. Starting with Harry blowing up his aunt Marge.

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

The slipped through the brick barrier and emerged out into the muggle world, with people bustling in the ever-busy King's Cross.

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious. . . ."

"But we are, Harry," Ashlyn said going to hug him. "We are very proud of you. Enjoy your summer,"

"Thanks," Harry beamed, hugging her back.

"Have a good summer, Harry," Hermione said hugging him, then went to Ron.

"You too, Ron," Ashlyn said, pulling Ron into a hug. "Write to us, okay?"

"Course, I will," Ron said. "I might have to steal Errol though I hope you get the letter within this year itself, really, you never know when that owl will arrive. He's so ancient,"

They chuckled lightly.

Ashlyn parted with the boys and then she pulled Hermione to the side. 

"Are you telling your parents?" Ashlyn asked.

"No," Hermione answered promptly.  "They'll get worried. They might not send me back here again," she said frowning and Ashlyn nodded. 

"Are you?" she asked.

"Of course not," Ashlyn said. "They'll lose it completely. And I'm totally sure they won't send me back,"

Hermione sighed. Then she took the little piece of parchment from Ashlyn's hand and pulled out a quill from her pockets.

She scribbled her number on the back of the parchment Harry had given Ashlyn

"Do try to call," Hermione said handing the parchment back.

"I know," Ashlyn said.  "Let's go out during the summer, then. We can make plans,"

Happily, the girls went to their parents, making plans for their summer.