AN: Hey :) So after this little prologue, we can get to the real stuff that happens! But you need the prologue to explain her past years, as you can't just dive into life at Hogwarts, can you?! Ah well, enjoy, and don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT and FAN (if the prologue is fantabulous).

PROLOGUE- THROUGH THE YEARS

Book- Who can you befriend when your house hates you? If you're anyone but a Slytherin, everyone will be your friend, welcome you with open arms. But if you're Slytherin, who else wants to associate with you? No one. That's also the amount of people who like me, funnily enough. Zero. Depressing isn't it? Whatever.

Thanks for listening, book,

Ashlynn Gray

FIRST YEAR

"Gray, Ashlynn!" The professor with the hawklike face called out. Ashlynn was pretty sure her name was Professor McGonagall, but she really couldn't be bothered to figure out for sure.

She slumped over towards the stool with the raggedy hat upon it, her brow furrowed in anticipation and her long, black hair swinging behind her. The murmurs of the Great Hall could be heard, and almost the entire room was glaring at her for some reason or other.

She plopped down on the stool and slammed the hat on her head, eager to get away from the glares of the student population of Hogwarts.

Well, this is indeed interesting, the Sorting Hat echoed in her mind, another grim voice that dictated her life. As if there weren't enough of those. You don't appear to fit in… anywhere really. The best fit would probably be Gryffindor, but you aren't that stupid. Hufflepuff is out, you're too much of a smart arse for that. You are smart, but you don't want to work too hard in your studies, so no Ravenclaw. Slytherin would tear you apart. Where to put you?

Ashlynn felt her heart break a bit at the hats words. She never belonged anywhere, really, but she was hoping that Hogwarts, where near everyone belonged, would be different. Apparently not.

What house do you want to be in? Of Gryffindor and Slytherin I mean, as Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw won't do at all.

Slytherin, if you please, she nervously thought.

Are you absolutely sure? You are cunning, but not as ambitious. You also have courage, but lack the necessary dose of stupidity that has become a requirement for Gryffindor house. Neither house would fit, but at least in Gryffindor, you could have the possibility of making other friends. As great as unity might be, its just not happening anytime soon. But… you may be the tool through which unity could be achieved… I take the option of a choice back. I've decided for you, see? It shall be…

SLYTHERIN, the hat roared, shocking Ashlynn out of the stool.

With a nervous gaze, she shoved the hat off her head and onto the deserted stool, and darted off towards the glaring table. It was obvious that they didn't want anyone who wasn't immediately cunning and ambitious. A less angry looking girl scooted over at the table and gave Ashlynn a half smile, as though inviting her to sit and talk.

"HEY MUDBLOOD!" A first year boy called at Lily Evans, halfway through November.

A gentle snow was drifting around the courtyard where most of the first years had gathered during the one free period they all shared. The soft flakes gave the nearly full, yet strangely silent, courtyard a serene feel. The courtyard was made of cobblestone, and with a light dusting of snow and some chirping birds hopping around, appeared magical in the most basic use of the word. The spell had been broken though, the second the word was yelled.

Lily Evans, with her gleaming red hair, and cutting emerald eyes whirled around. The infamous eyes had sparkling tears welled up in them. Ashlynn rolled her own, less brilliant jade eyes.

The boy, whose green scarf betrayed him as a Slytherin, smirked. When Lily turned back around angrily towards her friends, the boy (whose name was later revealed to Ashlynn as Ethan) pulled his wand. Ashlynn looked around nervously, waiting for someone to notice that he was about to curse Lily as her back was turned.

Though Ashlynn didn't have very high regard for the muggle born girl, it still wasn't right to curse someone when their backs were turned. To be fair, Ethan probably didn't actually know how to do anything that would actually harm that Evans girl, but it was the principle that mattered.

As Ethan's mouth opened (most likely to say Wingardium Leviosa if Ashlynn was being honest to herself), she surprised herself by saying "STOP!"

All eyes in the crowded courtyard turned towards her. Everyones eyes narrowed. The one time that all houses were brought together in unity was in the fact that none of them were particularly found of Ashlynn at that point in time.

Christmas break had come and Ashlynn was the only first year from her house staying, to her immense relief. After her outburst in the courtyard, none of them had wanted anything to do with her. In their words she was nothing but a blood traitor, and no better than the Gryffindor's that they hated.

SECOND YEAR

Ashlynn's summer had been terrible, her mother dragging her to all sorts of events and giving her lessons about the darker aspects of magic. The expectations that the ever charming Ms Gray had for her only child were unrealistic at best, and cruel at the worst. Ms Gray loved Ashlynn, let that be understood, but she had unorthodox ways of showing it.

Ashlynn didn't know whether she hated her home or her school more. Both were equally terrible to her.

As she stared out the window of her empty compartment, a small smile lit her face at the thought of the still beauty that was the Forbidden Forest and the Black Lake. As much as she didn't like Hogwarts, there was still little pockets of beauty and joy that went unnoticed and unappreciated by the majority of Hogwarts. Those were her favorite parts.

Ashlynn was so caught in her thoughts that she didn't notice the door to her compartment sliding creakily open, and a shadow-like boy slipping in. In fact she didn't even notice that there was in fact another soul in her compartment until five minutes had passed and the boy coughed awkwardly. She jumped, not expecting anyone in her area, and took the boy in with curious eyes.

He had perfectly styled ebony hair, and passive looking eyes. His features were extremely aristocratic, and he had on unmarked robes, those of a first years.

"Who're you?" Ashlynn asked, in a rather out of character way.

His eyes widened slightly, before a small smirk snuck its way onto his lips. "I'm Regulus Black. And I could ask the same question of you."

"Ashlynn."

"Well I'm going to call you Ash."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Good."

"Good."

THIRD YEAR

Ash and Regulus' friendship had progressed well through the following year. They only hung out in private though, and Slytherin still hated Ash through everything. It was kind of childish really, not liking a girls company because she stopped someone from cursing another someone, but it was how the hierarchy of Slytherin joy worked. No one knew of the slowly budding friendship, and if either of the friends had a say, no one ever would.

Halfway through third year someone found out.

"Reg, you can't say that to someone!" Ash cackled. She was sitting under a weeping willow, with branches that made a curtain to the ground. Regulus was planted beside her, with a devilish grin on his face. It was midnight on a Saturday in October, and, though it was nippy, they were doing their best to keep the camaraderie a secret.

"I did though! And McGonagall gave me detention for a month!"

"Reg, you really were sorted into the wrong house. You have that extra dash of Gryffindor stupidity thrown in!" Ash smirked, before shoving Regulus' shoulder and lying backwards so her hair swirled out around her hair, like a dark crown.

"Well what do we have here?" A voice smirked from outside the willow, and a pale hand shot through the canopy of leaves, drawing it aside to reveal a familiar face.

"Sirius!" Regulus gasped.

The friendship had been discontinued after it was discovered by the Marauders, as the group consisting of the increasingly popular Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew had named itself. The damage had been done, however and Sirius Black had made it his personal mission to 'destroy the girl who pulled his brother over to the dark side.' It hadn't helped that Ash was from the family Gray, with its prestigious pureblood pedigree and infamy for secrecy regarding the lives of their children.

FOURTH YEAR

The past summer had been… different for Ashlynn. Her mother had brought her to dress fittings and dances, and pushed almost all of the available pureblood males in her direction, whilst her father had watched from the sidelines. It was tedious.

One of the lessons that Ashlynn still had in dark magic had gone a bit like this. Her mother had set up the dummy across from them in the practice room, and had told Ashlynn the spell she was to use on it. It was a variation of a cutting spell, and was usually fatal according to the Gray family matriarch.

"Ashlynn, pay attention! We can eat once you get this right. The spell is Lacerare, and when you cast it you move your wand in a figure eight. Now practice on the dummy," Ms Gray ordered, a bored look on her face, masking the immense excitement that she felt about her only child following down her path.

Ashlynn picked up her Rosewood wand, with a core of phoenix feather, and slowly turned towards the dummy.

"Hurry child!" Ms Gray ordered, tiring of the exercise.

"Lacerare!" Ashlynn cried, twisting her wand in the required way. The spell had little effect however, and aside from some minuscule tears along the stomach of the dummy, nothing much happened. Ashlynn turned to look over towards her mother, wincing when she saw the look on her face.

"This is unacceptable Ashlynn. Again!"

The exercise was repeated over and over, and each time that Ashlynn messed up the spell, Ms Gray got more and more upset.

"Ashlynn! Room! Goodnight, no dinner. Practice the spell, I expect it perfect for next time."

"Yes, mother."

"Today we are starting to vanish objects, with the spell Evanesco. I don't expect really any of you to be able to do this, but I hope some of you will at least put forth the effort required to perform such high level transfiguration," Professor McGonagall droned at the class of Slytherin's and Hufflepuff's, shooting a pointed look at Amos Diggory. Said boy was sitting in the back of the class, a grin plastered on his face. Amos had the look about him of someone who couldn't care less.

McGonagall left them to practice with the spell on beetles, while she patrolled around watching her students like a hawk.

"Evanesco," Ashlynn whispered at her beetle, and tapped it with her wand. The beetle disappeared instantly, and Ashlynn gave a half smile at the table, before setting down her wand and reaching into her bag to pull out a piece of parchment and a quill. Usually she would have given more of an effort at appearing average at the class, but today she was tired and wanted to finish the Potions essay that they had been set (three feet on the use of dragon scales in potion making!)

"Miss Gray, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be attempting to vanish your beetle right now?" McGonagall swooped in, causing Ashlynn to jump half heartedly.

She gave a blank look up towards the professor and said, "I already did that."

McGonagall's eyebrows shot up towards her hairline. Ashlynn had always gotten mediocre grades in the class, though McGonagall had suspected that the girl was holding something back, it was quite inconceivable that she should be able to vanish the beetle that quickly.

"Well, let me get you another one and you can show me Miss Gray."

The professor hurried to her desk and grabbed another scuttling bug, placing it carefully upon Ashlynn's desk. She was the only one in the class who had a desk to herself, as no one from either house was that fond of the ebony haired girl.

"Evanesco," Ashlynn murmured at the bug, gently touched her wand to it, and looked sheepishly up at the shocked professor.

Spending Christmas alone at Hogwarts for the fourth time in a row didn't bother Ashlynn. Even getting her yearly present from her family was fine with her as long as she got to gaze out over the deserted grounds happily alone, marveling at the snow that sparkled on the branches of leafless trees.

The only thing that bothered her was that this year was the year that the Marauders decided to stay. Not that it wasn't enough that they had to constantly prank her during the school year, but now they had the ability to during her favorite time at Hogwarts. It was unfair.

On the first day of break, Ashlynn woke up to her hair dyed a vibrant red with gold streaks running through it. On the second, her face had been painted (in paint that could only be washed off with lake water) red and gold with the foursomes signatures on her cheeks and forehead. Nothing happened afterwards until New Years Eve when Ashlynn got stuck under their enchanted mistletoe with a house-elf. Miraculously they overlooked kissing it's cheek, and she was free after about ten seconds of internal panicking.

"Just for my sake, let's see how you all do at the Patronus Charm," Professor Flitwick announced, one blustery March afternoon. "You simply wave your wand and say Expecto Patronum, whilst thinking of your happiest memory."

Ashlynn rolled her eyes from her seat in the back of the classroom. Soon frustrated shouts of the charm rang through the room, as the most anybody could produce were staccato bursts of white mist. "Expecto Patronum," She chanted, thinking of her friendship with Regulus. To Ashlynn's surprise, and murky shadow burst out of the tip of her wand, and left the entire class, including Flitwick, staring at her with wide eyes.

FIFTH YEAR

Last summer it had been dark spells and the summer before fifth year, Ashlynn was taught nonverbal spells. She took to them quickly and had impressed her mother. For once the hard hearted matriarch was a tiny bit proud of the girl, but that was not to be confused with genuine affection.

Her daughter was shaping up to be the perfect vessel for the family to gain status, money, title and prestige.

"As you all may know, a dark wizard has made his name known among the Wizarding World, by performing acts of terror on people of non-magic blood," Dumbledore spoke solemnly at the Welcome Back feast. It was rare the generally joyful man spoke with anything but underlying humor, and it made everyone nervous. "His name is Voldemort."

Almost the entire room let a gasp slip past their lips. The name was rarely spoken, most preferring to say He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who, or the Dark Lord, for those who supported the man.

Ashlynn rolled her eyes. What was there to fear in a name? To quote Shakespeare, a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. Voldemort would do the same things, regardless of what you called him or who was calling him it.

"The Houses must be closer than ever before, though I fear they just grow further apart. What is to be achieved without all working together? Nothing. Have a good night, but be cautious and remember to attempt to bring together what was once one," The elderly man dismissed the four house tables with a sigh, and turned back towards his chair.

"This is OWL year, and it will be hard work. You will be assigned much homework," The class groaned in unison, before letting Professor Slughorn finish his litany. "And we will be brewing potions at a higher level than ever before. Today we will start the month long process of brewing the Polyjuice Potion. Can anyone tell me what this potion is intended to do?"

Lily Evans hand shot up, followed tentatively by Ashlynn's. "Miss Gray?"

Lily slumped in her seat, and shot an upset look towards Ashlynn.

"It transforms the taker into a different person for up to an hour, depending on what persons thing you put into the potion before taking it. For example if I took a potion with Evans hair in it, I would take on the appearance of her. Similarly if the potion had a piece of Potter's toenail or something in it and Evan's took it, she would take on his appearance for an hour. The potion is incredibly difficult to brew and temperamental, so if you add ingredients at the wrong point in time and attempt to take it something disastrous can happen. The potion should only be used on human to human transformations, so if you want to become a cat don't put cats fur in it, you'll probably die," Ashlynn smirked, resisting the urge to take a glance at Lily Evans to see just how angry she had gotten.

"Very good Miss Gray. We won't be testing anyones in here of course, this is all for experience. Now will everyone collect the appropriate ingredients from the front and heat your cauldrons to a temperature of.."

Ashlynn's OWL's went fairly well, in her opinion. She hadn't forgotten the Great Wizarding War of 1687, nor how to defend herself against magical creatures. She had even remembered how to transform a cat into a mouse (not that that was hard or anything but it was the principle of her remembering).

SIXTH YEAR

Miss Ashlynn Gray has achieved the following grades on her Ordinary Wizarding Levels

Arithmancy- E

Astronomy- E

Charms- O

Defence Against the Dark Arts- O

Herbology- E

History of Magic- O

Potions- O

Transfiguration- O

"Non-verbal spells are one of the most difficult things that you are to be taught at Hogwarts, and I highly doubt that any of you will be able to do them yet, but we shall try," McGonagall lectured to her class of sixth years, giving a wary glance towards Ashlynn. She remembered last time she had said something similar, and she didn't want to be made a fool of again. "We will start small, back to first year basics. Transforming these matches into pins, but without saying the incantation out loud. Get to work please!"

To McGonagall's unwilling amazement, Ashlynn was able to perform the transfiguration first time.

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