Wish Upon A Star

Snuffles

The end of the second task only reminded Ashlyn of how much less time she had. She had been very careful about sneaking off, especially with Moody having the Marauder's map. She had thoughts about getting into Moody's office and nicking the map, maybe she could also release the original Moody. But then they'll find out that he had sabotaged the Goblet of Fire, and the whole plotline would go to shit.

Ashlyn would go with a group of Ravenclaws up to the seventh floor. Walk past the door thrice quickly with big steps, and slip into the newly formed door, as the Ravenclaws turned the corner. It was stressful, alright. Knowing that someone could be watching your every move was very unnerving. It made her really paranoid; being very careful about the places she went to, and how long she stayed there.

One thing good about her extra classes of occlumency with Snape was that their collective dislike for Moody set quite a pleasant vibe. Snape had seen an image of her glaring at Moody in Ashlyn's memories, and he had given her relatively less homework than he usually did.

As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds. There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course.

'Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish and Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much food as you can.'

Harry showed them Sirius's letter.

"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?" said Ron incredulously.

"It looks like it, doesn't it?" said Hermione.

"I can't believe him," said Harry tensely, "if he's caught . . ."

"Made it so far, though, hasn't he?" said Ron. "And it's not like the place is swarming with dementors anymore."

"Right, we sent a letter to Sirius— let me guess, you already know?" Harry said looking at Ashlyn who nodded.

"How?"

"Don't ask no questions and I'll tell you no lies," Ashlyn said as they walked to Potions.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls.

"There they are, there they are!" Parkinson giggled, as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ashlyn arrived, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart. 

"You might find something to interest you in there!" Pansy said loudly, and she threw the magazine at Hermione, who caught it, looking startled.

Ashlyn sighed.

It was the Witch Weekly magazine. She knew what was in store. She had just missed that Skeeter by an inch, alright. She wanted to get her, but the blasted plot!

At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside.

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ashlyn headed for a table at the back of the dungeon as usual. Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of today's potion on the blackboard, Hermione hastily rifled through the magazine under the desk. At last, in the centre pages, Hermione found what they were looking for. Harry, Ron and Ashlyn leaned in closer. A colour photograph of Harry headed a short piece entitled:

Harry Potter's Secret Heartache

A boy like no other, perhaps — yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.