Aria Ashborn and the Deathly Hallows (A Harry Potter fanfic)

Chapter 1: In Memorium

                                                                                                                                                                   July 27, 1997
Mum and Dad,
I miss you more than you will ever know. I wish you were here to give me advice about love, life, and the war. But you're not. You were always there for me. Through Cedric's death, You-Know-Who's return, the Battle of The Department of Mysteries, and all the turmoil I've gone through in the past three years, you were there. But now I've got to grow up. This is one battle you won't be able to help me with, but I know you will be there with me. I love you and I hope I do not see you again too soon. I'm fighting for you.
Your Daughter,
Aria

Aria folded the letter as many times as it would oblige and placed it against the cool, grey headstone that marked her parent's graves. The graves were placed atop the highest hill in the cemetery, away from all the others, and in the shadow of a large birch tree. Aria sat, cross-legged against the trunk of the tree, as she often did. The grass underneath her was dead and straw-like as if it hadn't been watered for weeks. Upon seeing this, Aria drew her wand, pointed it at the grass, and thought 'herbivicus'. From the tip of the wand, an emerald ball of energy released itself on the dead grass causing all sort of plants and flowers to blossom in its wake. As Aria watched a bush of lilies sprout to the right of the headstone, she couldn't help but smile at her improvement with non-verbal spells.

When the sun began to decline from its highest point in the hazy sky, Aria stood and dusted herself off. She kissed her hand and touched the tips of her fingers to the headstone as she knew that she would not be returning to it until the war had ended. She then turned on the spot, disapparating from the cemetery. She had improved on this as well, no longer closing her eyes when performing the action, and successfully arrived in the front yard of her small home. Another place that she would not set eyes on again for a long time.

She had lived there nearly all her life with her father and mother. The age of the house showed with the pale blue paint chipping away and the shutters creaking in the breeze. A large, familiar willow tree grew in the yard. It was once bright green and full of life. Aria's mother would push her daughter on the attached tire swing and one day Aria jumped off of it, causing her mother to gasp. But the young Aria did not fall, she floated in mid-air for a moment before gracefully landing on both feet upon the wet grass. She had been seven. Now, the willow tree was close to dead. It's leaves ached with infection and the rope of the tire swing was frayed. Aria did not remember when the tree had started deteriorating; it must've happened while she was away at Hogwarts.

She made her way into the house which was completely bare except for one large painting stuck to the wall above the fireplace. Mr. Ashborn had hung it with a Permanent Sticking Charm as he thought he and his wife would grow old in the house as they should have. The painting was of the family. It did not move like the portraits at Hogwarts did as it was a muggle painting. Aria was ten years old in the portrait and would leave for Hogwarts in a year. She sat on her mother's lap and her father had his hands resting on both of their shoulders. Aria's eyes were glistening with tears as she gazed at the loving smiles both her mother and father had etched on their faces.

Just then, Aria heard a crack from outside the door. Aria jumped and quickly turned towards the door. Having not been expecting anyone this early, she approached it cautiously. She did not have to peer through the peephole long before throwing the door wide open upon seeing bubblegum pink hair.

"Aria!" Tonks exclaimed, "Your hair!"

"Tonks!" said Aria as they embraced. Aria's wavy hair, for the first time in three years, was its natural color of brown and she had let it grow out just past her shoulders.