Wish Upon A Star

Summer

The light summer breeze was blowing, making the white curtains flutter. Ashlyn sat on her bed a book in hand. Her amber eyes scanned the page, taking in every word. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, it had grown longer during the summer. She had grown too. She was taller now. She liked the fact that she was growing up. She had found herself quite short. 

"Ashlyn, sweetheart, come down for breakfast." she heard her mother call. She bookmarked her page and went downstairs where a tasty breakfast was waiting for her. 

Over the summer Ashlyn felt that her behaviour was becoming more like a twelve-year-old rather than a seventeen-year-old, which she would have been, had she been living her old life. There were many things that had changed. She was obedient, she found herself getting excited when her father would bring her a book or a candy bar from his business trips, but that could be because she was generally attracted to books and sweets. And certainly all that teenage angst and hormonal shit wasn't meddling with her life, and it was quite peaceful. But somehow she still remembered all the swear words. Her vocabulary was colourful as ever. Guess bad habits die hard. Heh.

Two days ago she had got her Hogwarts letter, with a list of books she needed.

"Papa, can we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" she asked.

"Diagon Alley? Oh! Your Triple S. Sure thing, sugarplum," said Mr Clarke smiling.

Mr Clarke called Diagon Alley the Triple S. School Supplies Streets. He had been referring to it as 'That place' until he found something that wouldn't sound that rude. 

Ashlyn was lost in thoughts. It was Harry's birthday a few weeks ago. She did send a present and a card, but Dobby would stop them. She contemplated whether she should send it by muggle post but decided not to because of a wretched yet wonderful thing called 'plot line'.

Right now Harry would be at the Weasley's. Good for him. It was not that Ashlyn didn't like her place, but it was the Burrow we're speaking of. The Burrow! Like, who wouldn't want to go there? . . .There is Malfoy. But he is a git and has no idea how fabulous the place is. His loss.

The next morning, the Clarkes set out to Diagon Alley. Like last year, Ashlyn went in, leaving her parents in the building opposite to the Leaky Cauldron. Diagon Alley was busy and bustling and unique as usual. 

A small smile crept up her face as she went about with her purchases while keeping an eye out for Hermione, Harry or the Weasleys. She would have loved to sit in a corner of Flourish and Blotts, secretly reading books. But this time she kept it for the ends there was the one and only Gilderoy Lockhart visiting.  Yay. Please note the sarcasm.

She was on her way from buying owl treats for Dawn when she spotted the all too familiar bushy, brown hair.  

"Hermione!" she called, waving wildly.

The said girl turned and saw her best friend waving like a madman and rushed towards her. 

"Put your hand down, Ash," she said smiling as she went to hug her. "How was your summer?"

"It was fine," Ashlyn said dismissively.

"I wonder what Harry and Ron are doing?" Hermione mused.

Ashlyn hid her smirk. "Enjoying their life, I'd say."

They were having a light chat about what they had done during their holidays while making their way to Gringotts when Hermione spotted Harry and Hagrid. The timing was just incredible. 

"Harry! Harry! Over here!" Hermione called. 

"Hey, Hagrid. Good to see you. Hey, Harry. How was your summer? Wonderful, I suppose," said Ashlyn.