𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞⁽ʰᵃʳʳʸᵖᵒᵗᵗᵉʳ ˣ ᵒᶜ⁾

- 38 -

Ashlynn was stressed. Hand on her head, papers stacked as high as her, stressed. 

She hasn't left her office since her last meeting, which was at 4:30. It was almost nine and she hadn't planned to leave the office anytime soon.

She was still trying to figure out how to follow through with Ron's request for a different partner. There weren't many people she could switch out to make such arrangements and the people she could switch out wouldn't be able to work well alongside him.

Each pair she has created, she has thought out down to the last detail. She knows each of her aurors strengths and weaknesses off of the back of her hand. It was all written in their files when they were first hired and she had made adjustments since then, seeing as their work ethic changes over time. 

It was like a puzzle that she took the time and effort to sort through, to make it perfect, to make it all connect. 

Ron and Harry were perfect together. Everyone knew that. They understood each other on a level that she would never understand, that no one would be able to understand. They had signals/looks that only the two of them could comprehend and created different strategies that were shared between just the two of them. They have worked together for years, there was no reason for them to be paired with anyone else.

But, she knew she had to do it. She knew she had to follow through with his request because it would bring her one step closer to him forgiving her. And she wants his forgiveness more than anything. 

Harry wasn't made aware of this sudden change and she was worried for his reaction. She knew how crushed he would be that his life long partner didn't want to be his partner anymore. But, she knew that he would want whatever would make both of their situations better in the long run. As much as Ashlynn needed to tell him, she chose to wait until the last second.

Ashlynn didn't realize how much she missed her brother until he wasn't apart of her life anymore. Even though they weren't as close as they were when they were younger, he was still her big brother. Still her twin. The first person she would go to out of everyone in her family.

Even though he never really understood her problems, or ever offered advice that was ever helpful, he was always there to comfort her. He was always the shoulder she would cry on when she needed one and listened to her talk for hours about the most random things. 

There is nothing more painful than knowing you lost someone like that.

She sat straighter in her chair, the rough material scratching against her porcelain skin, and dropped her hand off of her forehead. She was exhausted. The letter in front of her was killing all of her brain cells as every minute passed by. Her hand was cramping from the amount of times she has had to sign her signature on multiple documents, and there was still many more to go. It was a never ending cycle of the same things and it was completely draining her.

A soft, sudden knock came from the door that grabbed her attention. She didn't think there was anyone else left in her department since many of them left before eight thirty. 

Subconsciously, she grabbed her wand and became cautious of what was on the other side of the door. She stood silently from her chair and listened carefully to any sound that could reach her ears.

"Can I come in?" came Harry's soothing voice.

She sighed a small relief and placed her wand back down on the table. 

"Yeah," she said tiredly. She pushed the chair back slightly and sat down with a thud. Her body sagged against it and she realized how difficult it was for her to keep her eyes open.