Wish Upon A Star

First Day

The next day was quite nice for Ashlyn. But not so for Harry and Ron. 

At breakfast, Ashlyn was enjoying her toast, Hermione was reading Lockhart's 'Voyages and Vampires' (Ashlyn wasn't excited about that). Just then the Weasley family owl, Errol landed or rather crash-landed on the Gryffindor table.

"Oh, no —" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.

"It's not that — it's that." Ron was pointing at the red envelope.

"Oh dear," said Ashlyn.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"She's — she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it, and" — he gulped — "it was horrible."

"What's a Howler?" Harry asked.

"You'll see," said Ashlyn, putting her bread slice down on her plate, and wiping her hands, before putting them over her ears. Harry and Hermione looked at her in confusion.

The envelope began to smoke at the corners.

"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes —"

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. Ashlyn scooted away from the envelope and braced herself for the reaction. Harry looked around, utterly puzzled.

Then the envelope exploded, figure-of-speech-ly.  

The thundering voice of Mrs Weasly shook the Great Hall. The spoons and plates were rattling. Even with the protection of her hands, Ashlyn's eardrums were throbbing.

"RONALD WEASLEY! 

STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE. LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. 

"That was a bit too loud than I expected," muttered Ashlyn.

Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head. "Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you —"

"Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron.

Professor McGonagall was handing out timetables.

"Double Herbology with Hufflepuffs," said Ashlyn, who had received the timetable first out if the four of them. They were going to see the Mandrakes, the super important foreshadowing.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ashlyn left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. 

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, she sounded slightly disgruntled. 

Ah! No wonder Sprout was pissed, Ashlyn thought as she saw Lockhart walk away, his robes of turquoise shining in the light.