AN: We have the third installment in the SAF series! Wooo! Let me know what you think! Review!
1 - Griffin
"MOM! DAD! LOOK WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL!"
Asher buried his head further into his pillow. It was summer, and way too early for his little brother Griffin to be yelling. Groaning, Asher glanced up at his clock. Nine AM. He was going to kill his little brother.
"MOOOM! Come on!"
Rolling from his bed, Asher groggily made his way into the living room, where his brother was holding a stack of letters. Seeing him approaching, Griffin tossed one of the letters at Asher. Glancing down, he saw the Hogwarts emblem and slowly began to pick away at the wax seal.
Asher's parents shuffled into the room, trying to calm Griffin, who was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. When they got close enough, he dumped the pile of letters on the floor, holding in his hands a letter with an identical seal emblazoned on the front.
Asher and his parents grinned as his brother opened the letter, and read the contents. Glancing down at his own letter, which contained a list of books and supplies he would need for the upcoming year, he heard his brother jabbering away to his parents.
Returning to his room, Asher sat down at his desk, grabbed some paper and a pen, and began to write to his friends.
Levi and Julian wrote often. So often, in fact, that Asher usually had to write a letter each day. On the other hand, Thad had never returned a single letter, and Valerie and Sean only responded every so often.
"So Griffin is going to go with you this year?"
Martha, Luke and Asher were walking around the area at a slow pace, passing the playground and the houses of a few friends. Dylan was absent, as usual, because his family was on a trip to California, where the boy would be for the remainder of the summer.
"Yup," Asher nodded, "he's going to be joining me at Hogwarts."
"I'm still a little lost," Luke muttered, "you're a wizard, and you go to a wizard school. To learn magic. And now your brother is going too. So he's a wizard too?"
"Yeah," Asher nodded, "both my mum and dad are wizards, so we inherited it or something."
"So that's the explanation behind your hair…"
Asher laughed, "Yeah, my magical hair…"
A bit of laughter stopped the three kids in their spot. Turning slowly, Asher grimaced. Just slightly down the road, standing beside a large man, and a tall, thin woman, was Josiah.
"Who is that, Josiah honey?" The woman asked, placing a perfectly manicured hand on Josiah's arm. He shook his head.
"Someone from school," he grunted, "hanging out with two muggles."
The large man look taken aback.
"Muggles?" he stepped quickly, up to Asher, "are you in your right mind? Why are you willingly in the presence of these… weaklings?"
Glaring, Asher held his ground, "They're my friends, I'll be around them if I want to."
The man simply nodded, "Hmmm, a shame. Perfectly good pure-blood, wasted."
Returning to his son and wife, the man grabbed both their arms and led them back down the street. Martha and Luke were left watching Asher.
"Who was that?"
"Someone I know from school," Asher bit out, "and his parents."
"What's a muggle?" Luke asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Someone without any magical ability," Asher explained, "I guess the thought that you guys are pathetic runs in the family."
"Don't wave that!"
Asher's dad flailed and grabbed the wand out of Griffin's hand. Griffin merely laughed, running slightly ahead. Asher's dad jogged to keep up, leaving Asher walking beside his mother.
"You have everything you need?" she asked, looking into his currently green eyes, "even your permission slip to the village?"
"Yeah, I've got everything."
"You know," his mother said, "I met your father in my third year. He was the year above mine, played on the Quidditch team."
Asher had never heard any of the real details about his parents, so he listened intently.
"We didn't actually start our relationship until sixth year," she sighed, "he was always so busy with Quidditch…"
"Why didn't he stay with it?"
"He played for about four years after he graduated. He went straight from Hogwarts to playing Keeper for England's Quidditch team. He was great."
"What happened?"
"Has your dad told you about the Battle of Hogwarts?"
Asher shook his head, and his mom nodded.
"Well you know about Harry Potter," Asher nodded, "when he was in his seventh year, he was going all around England, looking for the objects that held the pieces of Voldemort's soul; Horcruxes."
Asher nodded.
"Well the last of the Horcruxes was at the school, and Voldemort didn't want it destroyed, so he went to the school with all his followers, and attacked."
Asher gasped, but nodded.
"Your father and I were there," his mom explained, "fighting against him and his followers. Your father was leading a group of people on brooms, and I was down on the ground with a bunch of the teachers. One of Voldemort's followers knocked your dad off his broom, and he fell into a pile of rocks. It cut his leg up pretty badly."
Asher winced.
"Madam Pomfrey was able to save it, but your dad couldn't play Quidditch anymore. It's too physical, and your dad's leg just can't take all the strain it brings."
Asher's dad returned then, carrying Griffin in his arms, and out of breath.
"This one," he panted, "is going to need to be watched."
"ASHER!"
Looking up from his trolley, Asher saw Levi's blond head of hair running through a crowd. He had grown considerably taller over the summer, and was most likely the tallest among their group of friends.
Tailing close behind, was Julian, who didn't seem to have grown an inch.
"Valerie is already on the train, saving us seats." Julian said, and Asher nodded. Before he could step away, his dad's hand was on his shoulder.
"If it isn't too much trouble, could you stay with Griffin and show him where to go when the train stops?" Asher nodded to his dad, and grabbed Griffin's hand, leading him toward Levi and Julian, who were grinning.
"And who is this little fellow?"
"He's adorable!"
"Look at his blue eyes!"
"I think I might die!"
"Guys!" Asher shouted, silencing their rambling, "this is my brother Griffin. Griffin, this is Levi," he gestured to the blond, "and Julian." He pointed at the brown-haired boy, who was currently grinning like mad.
"Valerie has her little brother with her too."
Snickering as they stepped on the train, Asher and Griffin waved a 'bye' to their parents, and Asher noticed a few tears in Griffin's eyes. Kneeling down beside him, he grasped Griffin's hand in his.
"Hey," he spoke softly, "what's the matter?"
"I'm gonna miss them." Griffin replied quietly.
Asher pulled Griffin into a hug. "Don't worry little man, dad's at school, and we'll write to mom all the time. And if you need anything," he said, "and I mean anything, you come to me. Okay?"
Griffin nodded, and the two of them stepped into the compartment where Levi, Julian, Valerie, Valerie's younger brother, and Sean were seated.
"Hi! I'm Carson!" Valerie younger brother waved vigorously at Asher and Griffin, and Asher chuckled, pushing Griffin slightly toward him, so the two could sit together.
"Hey," Levi's eyebrows furrowed, "where's Thaddykins?"
"Thad stopped me before I got on the train," Valerie said, "he decided to sit with Liz and Noah this year. Wanted to stay away from you two…" she glared at Julian and Levi, who raised their arms in defeat.
"Don't kill us, evil witch lady!"
The train started moving, and Griffin was waving, with Carson, out the window at their parents. Asher vowed he would watch his little brother, no matter the cost.