Hello everyone and welcome to my latest fanfic. Today (June 12th) is a bit of a treat because I'm uploading a lot of stuff including this new story and a few updates to other stories, the reason for this being that its my birthday!
So I know I said I probably wouldn't upload anything until after one of my other fanfics was done, but I've been co-writing this story with a friend (You will find her account as emeraldgirl93, though I don't think she has any fanfics posted as of right now) and it's just been going so well! We already started on chapter 8 and everything and have a summary going all the way to chapter 30 (though the fanfic itself will be far longer).
So first let me tell you why the heck I'm doing a harry potter fanfic. It's definitely not my usual work, and to tell you the truth (please don't kill me) I've never read harry potter and I've only watch 2 or 3 of the movies... But lately I've been reading a lot of harry potter fanfic and i just had the urge to write one. There aren't very many (that I could find) with a good OC that isn't from the Harry Potter-universe.
Emerald was absolutely flabbergasted when she learned that I hadn't even ready harry potter and was writing a fanfic. Bless her, she's still willing to work with me on it, though so far, I've proved to know a lot even thought I've never read it (reading fanfics really keeps you in-the-know, it seems.)
Also, the picture I'm using right now (6/12) for the story is from Dreamselfy(I used it for a few of my other stories) and is in fact of the OC Serena. Emerald has made one for Ashley but I have yet to put them into one pic. I'll probably do that soon and update the pic. OH! And instead of Chapter titles, I've decided to use song names. I suggest you check them out, they are pretty good (though it takes us hours to look though songs and select one that is a close enough fit...).
Now here's a word from Emerald (I will use underlining for anything she says):
Hey guys, let me introduce myself! I'm emeraldgirl93, but you can call me Emerald. I will be writing Ashley's side of this story. To be honest, Snow kind of broke my brain when she said she hadn't read Harry Potter. Just... What?! Anyways, this is the first time I partnered with someone for a piece, and I can't say I'm disappointed. It's been incredibly fun, and it gave me an opportunity to look at Harry Potter in a new light. Whether you're like Snow (experiencing Harry Potter for the first time), or a die hard Potterhead, I hope that you can experience the magic as you travel with Ashley and Serena through this tale.
Man, she has a way with words... Anyway, time for the disclaimers. Neither of us own Harry Potter. Serena and Theron (you will meet him later) are mine, Ashley is Emeralds.
Chapter One: Wanderer's Lullaby by Adriana Figueroa
The skies were an inky black. The rain poured down heavily, and the winds howled, rustling the tree branches in a ghostly dance. This weather was usually Ashley's favorite, she called it 'reading weather.' Not today. Today it felt ominous... unpredictable, channeling Ashley's fears of tomorrow's test.
The bookshop was calm, an eerie silence filling the shop, penetrated only by the scratching sounds of pencil on paper, as Ashley studied for final exams. Brushing her dark brown hair out of her eyes, she leaned over a math book to check her answer. With a sigh, she began to labor over another problem when the bell on the front door chimed. Ashley glanced up from her studies to greet the customer.
"Hi, can I help you find anything?" came Ashley's overly chipper voice.
A lady in her forties glanced at Ashley, a smile on her lips as she shook off her umbrella. Water droplets rolled down her yellow umbrella, forming a little puddle at the front of the store. Ashley held back a sigh, realizing she would have to clean the floor later.
"I'm looking for a book," the woman replied sweetly.
Ashley stopped herself from audaciously raising her eyebrows at the lady. Is there any other reason why you would come to a bookstore? However, she replied politely. "Well, you've come to the right place."
The woman smiles, and brushes her red hair out of her eyes. "I can find it on my own, just point me to the young adults' section, please." Ashley gestured over to the front corner, and moved her schoolbook away from the register. The woman skimmed briefly over the book covers, and quickly picked a book out. She handed it to Ashley, who couldn't hide her surprise.
"Harry Potter?" What kind of reader doesn't own the Harry Potter series all ready? The woman chuckled at Ashley's obvious astonishment.
"I seemed to have misplaced the first book to the series. I just moved here, you see. It must have been lost in the move."
Ashley nodded as she rang her purchase out. "I was beginning to wonder, I was under the assumption that everyone has read Harry Potter!" Ashley glanced up at the slightly plump woman and smiled. "It was one of the first series I read, I miss the magic of it all." A wistful smile took over Ashley's professional expression.
The woman gave a half smile to the teen. Her blue eyes were sparkling with excitement, and a hand reached out and squeezed Ashley's reassuringly. She lowered her voice, as if she was about to tell Ashley a well-kept secret. "Well, you know, the magic never truly leaves. All you have to do is open the book."
The woman took her package and left, and Ashley became well aware of how much time she had left before she could close the store. The hands of her watch seemed to stand still, and she found herself staring at her math book instead of studying it. The woman's words echoed in her mind, becoming an endless loop. Her eyes continued to wander up toward the young adult books causing her to finally close her math book with a sigh. If I'm not studying, I might as well read one of the new releases.
She walked towards the fiction section, and paused by the front door in surprise. Where did the water go? My eyes must have played a trick on me. She rubbed at her eyes absentmindedly. I must be more tired that I thought. Must be the lack of sleep getting to me. With a shrug, the water matter quickly escaped her mind, replaced by her desire to continue her journey to the young adults fiction, where she often finds her escape from not only the world, but from herself. She paused at a shelf, glancing over all of the spines, but her eyes kept returning to one book in particular. Her hand itched to grab it but she held back long enough to look over the other books.
"Let's see… I Am Number Four. An alien, action thriller. Sounds interesting, just not tonight. Hmmm, oh! How about the new James Patterson novel? Let's see… it doesn't seem that interesting to me. Oh, how about a Steven King novel?" Ashley glanced at the stormy weather, and shuddered. "Maybe not."
Eliminating almost every other possibility, she grabbed one of the store's copies of Harry Potter, and returned to her chair near the register. Tucking her feet under her, she carefully removed the flimsy book jacket, and began to read the book that had impacted her childhood.
"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number Four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."
The feeling of falling was not an uncommon way to wake up, which is why Ashley didn't panic at first. The sun beat on the back of her eyelids, causing Ashley to open her eyes drowsily. Jolted from her drowsy state, she realized that she was free-falling. She rapidly approached cobbled pavement. With her heart in her throat, she squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for the hard landing. The hard landing she was fated not to have, for she landed on something far softer.
There was a squeak of protest that Ashley paid no mind to at first.
Relieved laughter erupted out of the teen once she realized that she was still, in fact, alive. A frown of confusion surfaced when the chilly temperature hit her skin, and the clear blue sky shined down on her. It was supposed to be in the seventies, and pouring down rain like it had been moments ago. Her train of thought was interrupted when she felt something shift beneath her accompanied by an angry noise. Raising herself off the pavement, she discovered herself on top of a girl no older than the age of eleven.
"Get. Off. Me." The girl hissed, her voice as chilly as the winter breeze.
Scrambling up with a flushed face, Ashley was taken aback by the icy expression on the girl's face. How could someone so young be that cold? "I'm so sorry!" Wait, is that my voice?
The girl slowly stood, running her hand through her long blonde hair, seemingly trying to control her temper. Absentmindedly, Ashley realized that the girl was taller than her. She shook her head and sighed, resigned about the strange events. The skies are blue, the air is cold, and I am shorter than an elementary schoolgirl. I've had better days.
"Honey, come here a second." Serena paused in front of her parents' doorway, raising a brow as her mother beckoned her in. The fabric of her mother's navy blue empire gown sweeped across the floor as she moved across the room to collect accessories.
With slight reluctance, Serena nodded, walking only as far as the archway. Truthfully, she had only been in her parents room a handful of times. Her parents were normally busy so she never spoke to or saw them much. In fact, weren't they supposed to be going to a party tonight hosted by the Malfoys?
Her mother was now sitting on a chair before a large vanity. She eyed her daughter though the glass, and when she noticed Serena was not heading over she gave a sigh. "Closer honey, I need your help with my hair."
Serena frowned, but complied with her mother's request. She stood behind her mother's form now, careful not to step on the silver chiffon fabric cascading from the dress's waistline. She crossed her arms, looking into her mother's reflected eyes. "Why can a house elf not do so?"
Her mother made an annoyed sound, a childish pout on her lips as she looked at Serena pleadingly. "They can never do it as good as you, and Magic always tangles it," she admitted, playing on her daughter's sympathy.
Serena's eye twitched before she sighed, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat. "Very well." She took up the silver comb from the dresser and began to brush through her mother's ash blond hair. "What style would you like this time?"
"That half up curly thing," her mother announced in childish joy, giving her daughter a bright smile.
Serena frowned. Curly thing? That sure makes it clear.
"You know! That curly bun thing? The one that makes me look like a princess. "
Serena sighed. "I'll see what I can do." Taking up half of the hair in her hand, she twisted it into a little bun, purposefully allowing multiple strands to escape. She took her mother's wand from the dresser and with a flick of her wrist, she curled the escaped strands.
"That's perfect!" her mother announced, clapping her hands together. When she finally took in her daughter's appearance, she frowned. "Why aren't you dressed?"
Serena shrugged. "You didn't ask and I didn't feel like going."
"But you're 11!" her mother cried out in horror. "You can't miss these parties now! What if there's a handsome boy that's just standing around waiting for a beauty like you?"
Serena glared at her mother and turned to leave. "They can keep waiting. I don't feel like entertaining idiots."
Her mother pouted as she watched her daughter leave. "Honey! You have to!" When that didn't get Serena attention, she added "I, as your mother, am telling you to!"
Serena tried not to laugh. You barely know me. You can't play the mother card. She continued to walk, ignoring her mother's protests.
Not wanting to be dragged to the party, Serena left the house quietly and wandered into the surrounding woods. Their woods. The Krov, or Blood if translated, Woods.
It was just a normal stroll. Well, it was supposed to be until some stupid git fell from the sky like a griffin that had lost its wings.
Squashed beneath this random girl, Serena blinked a few times in confusion before her eyes steeled over. Her face turned bright red with indignation. "Get off me, crazy girl!" she demanded, Russian flowing subconsciously from her lips. At the blank stare she received, Serena sighed. "Get. Off. Me," she explained in English this time.
The girl jumped up as if she had been burned. "I'm so sorry! I-" she cut herself off as her brows furrowed and a hand subconsciously lifted to her throat, confusion evident in her eyes.
Ignoring the girl's apology, Serena stood up and dusted off her clothing before turning her eyes back on the girl before her. She looked young, maybe around Serena's age, not that it really mattered. Especially not when Serena sensed no magic coming from the girl. "A muggle?" she hissed under her breath, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Why is a muggle here? This is private property! Aren't there spells around our land to keep people out?!
The word seemed to grab the mystery girl's attention. "W-what did you say?"
Serena was baffled by the girl's question. Rather than upset, the girl seemed confused. "Muggle. I called you a muggle. How did a stupid muggle get in here?" Serena demanded, spitting the word out in annoyance. Unfortunately she never got her answer when the girl's eyes grew wide and she turned and sped off as if a dragon was on her tail.
Serena blinked a few times, already reaching for the wand she had forgotten to return to her mother, but stopped at the last minute. Sighing, she turned around and headed home. Her calm stroll was over.
So tell me what you think! I would like to know everyone's opinions. Also, please hang with me, the story gets better. Chapter 1-3 are a little slow to pick up pace since they aren't even in Hogwarts yet and the story has just begun.
While this story is marked as Adventure, there will be a bit of (slow) romance later.