Break

Chapter 1: Rebellious Heart

A/N: This is the story of Harry and Ginny's oldest daughter, Ashlyn, who is 11 and about to go off to Hogwarts. Harry defeated Voldemort for good one year ago. The one year anniversary of his defeat is in a month, and all over the world, riots are taking place. The Death Eaters are still out there, active, and looking to avenge their former master to try and restore power on the Dark Side. Harry is 34, Ginny is 33.

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"Ashlyn! Gwen, have you seen Ashlyn?" Ginny nearly ran into her eight year old daughter, who merely rolled her eyes at the mention of Ashlyn. Ashlyn always ran away. Not permanently, of course, she always came back and was never gone more than a few hours, but the two Potter children had never been allowed to leave the house without permission-it was just too dangerous with the Death Eaters still out there.

"Get Mhera, will you? Help me look for her, but don't tell Harry yet." Gwen, whose full name was Guenevere, hurried off to go look for the elderly house elf, who had been Ashlyn's second mother from birth and could always find the rebellious Ashlyn within five minutes.



Ashlyn sat under an apple tree in the small orchard near the house. Ashlyn had her mother's flaming red hair, pale skin and freckles, but everything else about her resembled her father. Behind her thin glasses her green eyes danced and shone with the light of defiance. She loved mysteries and Quidditch. Secretly, she adored her father, all the things he had done, mysteries he had solved while at Hogwarts, and the way he flew on his broom. Giving aloud sigh, she realized she hadn't seen him fly for a very long time now, not since groups of Death Eaters had sprung back up around the world.

"Of course not," she thought wryly, "he's been too busy 'protecting' me from whatever 'bad guys' might be lurking in our orchard."

Ashlyn looked at her watch. She had been gone four minutes and fifty-six seconds. "Four, three, two, one."

"Miss Ashlyn! I knew you'd be hiding here, I just knew it!"

Ashlyn turned her head and saw an elderly house elf crossing the orchard, her large ears wiggling back and forth with disapproval. "Do you know your Mum's 'bout worried herself sick with you being gone?"

"Calm down, Mhera, I only wanted five minutes' peace. I got it, and now I'm going to have to endure twenty minutes' lecture; five from you getting to the house, five from my mum, and ten from my dad." Ashlyn stood up to walk back to the house.

"I don't think your mum told your daddy. She was about to, but I don't think she did. You'll just have to hear ten from me and ten from her."

Ashlyn walked back to the Potter house, which was more of a mansion, listening to the house elf scold her fondly, her ears still wiggling back and forth. Ashlyn sighed heavily; it wasn't that she ran away to get away from the noise of her house; since her house should rightly be called a mansion with only four people and a few house elves occupying it, you could hear a pin drop four rooms over. No, she could have gone to any of the forty-one rooms had quiet been all she wanted. But she wanted to be alone, and since all the rooms were equipped with surveillance equipment, the only way to truly be alone was to be outside. She had tried this argument before, but the counter argument from her parents was "We're only concerned for your safety."

Typical parent response. She was concerned for her safety, also, and wasn't that enough? How many people did one need to be concerned for one's safety, anyway? Gwen obviously thought the more people the better. Gwen, who had been only four at the time when Voldemort had regained serious power, so only vaguely recalled being able to go outside and play whenever she wanted to. Ashlyn, on the other hand, had been seven, and still recalled being able to roll down the hill behind their house free of adult supervision.

Ashlyn did an involuntary eye roll at the thought of her sister. Gwen! What a perfect little angel. She actually liked being kept prisoner in her own house and spied on 24/7. She actually like checking in with her parents every half-hour, just so they would know where she was when she was in the mansion. She actually liked holding her parents' hands in public so she couldn't get snatched from the Bogey Man. She actually liked not having a social life, and not having any friends, except her pen-pal from Australia who didn't even know her real name because her parents had told her they had to be "careful." Ashlyn snorted. What a sissy. What a suck up. What a mama's pet. What a-

"Mum! Here's Ashlyn! You can lecture her now!"

-tattletale.

Ashlyn glared at Gwen and walked into the house. Gwen had been waiting on the front steps for Mhera to lead Ashlyn back into the safety of the house.

"Does Mum know where you are?" Ashlyn asked her younger sister, who stuck out her tongue. Ashlyn made a move as to chase her sister, when she was stopped from her mother.

"Ashlyn Meriel Potter! Where in the name of Merlin have you been?" Ginny's tone was half admonishing and half relieved.

Gwen settled back to watch the argument, even though she knew what each person would say by heart, she had watched it so many times. Gwen silently moved her lips and rolled her eyes as each person spoke their line.

"We were so worried!"

"All I wanted was five minutes' peace, Mum."

"You could have told me! I nearly worried myself sick! Good thing I never told your father. He would have something to say about this, I'm sure."

"Something to say about what, Gin?" Harry entered the downstairs study where Ginny was upbraiding Ashlyn, ruining the argument Gwen had playing in her head.

"Nothing you can't figure out, dear." Ginny sighed and sunk into a near by arm chair.

Harry's tone became stern. "Wandering off again, Ashlyn?"

"I'd hardly call it 'wandering off.' I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and I got there. And no Bogey Man snatched me from the orchard." Ashlyn said defiantly.

"I'll just have a talk with Ashlyn." Harry said to Ginny, who nodded and left the room, followed by Mhera. "Alone." He said pointedly to Gwen, who was still observing the conversation with amusement.

Gwen huffed, heaved her self out of the deep armchair and sulked out of the room, shutting the door with a loud thud.

Ashlyn installed herself in her favorite chair, a large cushioned maroon chair with padded arms and an ottoman to go with it, and stared at a point above her father's head, prepared to block him out.

"Ashlyn, I know that your mother and I may seem over bearing-"

"Gee, ya think?"

"But with the Death Eaters about, we just couldn't bear it if you were kidnaped or killed."

"In my own house? First, there are literally hundreds of curses and spells and enchantments you have to say to even get in to the place. Second, it's guarded by hippogriffs, and house elves, and unicorns, and trained wizards. You can't apparate on or off, there are no secret passages leading anywhere off the grounds; this place is safer than Hogwarts!"

Harry gave a small smile. "There is no place safer than Hogwarts. Which is why I'm glad this came in the post today." He reached into his cloak pocket and withdrew a thick envelope that had her name on it in elegant green writing.

Ashlyn snatched it, ripping the envelope open eagerly, anxious to confirm her suspicions. She dropped the other papers as she read the parchment clutched in her had, her acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Her smile broadened as she skimmed the boring parts, flipping through to the list of materials and books. She couldn't wait. She had heard stories from her Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione about how wonderful Hogwarts was. She had even taken Hermione's advice and read 'Hogwarts, A History.' It sounded like an amazing place. What was even better is that now she would have to visit Diagon Alley to purchase her school supplies. It would be her very first trip; she had never been allowed there before for 'security reasons.'

Harry could see the excitement in his daughter's eyes as she spoke.

"When do we go to Diagon Alley?"

"Well, your mother thought that she could send a house elf there, to get your supplies. Keep you out of danger and all that." Harry saw her face fall. "But you're older now, and there's no reason why you shouldn't go. I'll take you there myself, we can meet up with Ron and Hermione and your cousins Devon and Anthony. If you agree to have someone with you at all times, there's no reason why you shouldn't see Diagon Alley."

Ashlyn leaped up, hugging her father around the neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll be with someone the entire time, and I won't wonder off ever!" Ashlyn skipped for the door, then turned around to face Harry, her hand on the door handle.

"Gwen won't be able to come, will she?"

Harry took on a stern tone, hiding a smile. "I should say not! She's much too young and irresponsible. She'd get lost for sure. I'm sorry, Ashlyn, but she's just not old enough yet, and won't be for a few years. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll have a good time with your cousins."

"I'm sure I will." Ashlyn's face broke out into an all-out grin as she opened the door and skipped up to her room, humming as she went.

This had to be the best day of her life; she hadn't gotten lectured severely for running away, she had gotten accepted into Hogwarts, told she could go to Diagon Alley, and best of all, Gwen wasn't allowed to come! That would wipe the smirk off her little perfect face!



Ashlyn skipped into her room, still humming and clutching the letter in her hand. Her nifflers Lunaris and Stellar lifted their heads from her bed, as her humming disturbed their afternoon nap. Ashlyn distractedly ruffled their ears as she went to her desk, and marked September 1st on her calendar in swirly green and blue writing, counting down the days.

Lunaris looked up curiously as Ashlyn danced and skipped around the room singing, "I'm going to Hogwarts, I'm going to Hogwarts."

Gwen heard the noise through the wall that separated their rooms and poked her head in through the adjoining door, watching as Ashlyn danced with Stellar, still singing.

"So that was what Dad wanted?"

"Yep." Ashlyn said off handedly, knowing Gwen was secretly green with envy. "He didn't even lecture me." Ashlyn refrained from mentioning Diagon Alley, knowing it would make better dinner table conversation.

"So...one of the house elves is going to get your supplies?"

"I dunno, Dad hasn't told me that yet."

Mhera interrupted any further conversation. "Wash your hands for dinner, girls."

Ashlyn and Gwen went to their separate bathrooms to wash their hands, and then walked downstairs to the dining room together.



"Very good meal, Gin." Harry said over the linguini with clam sauce they were eating.

"Oh, I didn't fix it, Mhera and her daughter Hana fixed it."

There was a lull in the conversation. Ashlyn could see her father wasn't going to bring Hogwarts up, so she asked a question, even though she already knew the answer. "Dad, when do I catch the train to Hogwarts?"

"You didn't tell me she got accepted to Hogwarts!" Ginny said, putting down her fork.

Harry nodded proudly. "Beaubaxtons, too, but of course she'll be going to Hogwarts."

"And the date, Ashlyn, is September first on the ten thirty train."

"I'll send one of the elves in to get supplies in a week or so." Ginny said to Ashlyn, who looked at her father, silently reminding him of his promise.

Harry cleared her throat. "Actually, dear, I thought I'd take her in myself and we could meet up with Ron and Hermione."

"Harry, I don't think-"

"Gin, she'll be with someone at all times."

"Yes, but-"

"Gin."

Ashlyn was smiling expectantly, she knew her mother would eventually back down and her father would win. Gwen was staring with wide eyes, Ginny was actually going to let Ashlyn, Ashlyn who always ran away, go to Diagon Alley, one of the most dangerous places for a Potter child? Gwen certainly didn't approve, and she said so.

"Gwen, when we need help from you, we'll ask." It was only a tiny reprimand, but a reprimand none the less; Ashlyn was too thrilled for words.

Gwen paused with shock at her father's words, but she found her voice again and asked, "Then when will we be going?"

"Gwen, darling," Ginny started, "Why don't you and I stay here? We'll have some bonding time."

Gwen gave her a quizzical look. "We can bond in Diagon Alley."

This time it was Ashlyn's turn to sit back and watch the fun.

"Gwen, what your mother's trying to say is that you can't go."

"Why not?" Gwen was most always given or allowed to do what she wanted.

"Because you're too young."

"So? I'm more responsible than Ashlyn! I want to go!" Gwen turned on the waterworks and ran up to her room, knowing that her mother had never been able to refuse her when she was crying.

"Oh, Harry, I'd better go console her." Ginny looked anxiously at the hallway through which Gwen had run.

"Leave her be, Gin. After five minutes she should realize no one's coming to promise her anything she wants and she'll turn off the waterworks."

Ashlyn cleared her plate, nearly bursting with contained giggles. She ran upstairs to her room and buried her face in a pillow and had the longest and hardest laugh she had had in a long time.

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A/N: So, whadda ya think? It will get interesting as Ashlyn goes off to Hogwars. I know I spelled Beaubaxtons wrong, please forgive me.

Disclaimer: Harry, Ginny, and all the creatures are not mine. Gwen and Mhera belong to me, and Ashlyn belongs to herself.

Review and I will love you forever! ~WhiteLily~