Chapter one: October 1978
Ashlynn sat up straight in bed looking about and breathing heavily. She calmed down when she realized that she was in a bed. Soon she heard a door open, and it was quietly shut. A moment later Madam Pomfrey stood in front of Ashlynn's bed, "Lie back down my dear your ribs are still healing." She was never much of a comfort and Ashlynn always found that comforting in an odd way.
Ashlynn laid back down and closed her eyes sighing. She was safe for the first time since graduation she was back in Hogwarts. "Madam Pomfrey?" She rasped.
"Yes my dear?" She asked.
"How did I get here?" Ashlynn asked.
"Madam Rosmerta heard you apparate and then saw you fall. She had Aberforth take you up to see Albus. Of course once he saw your condition you were rushed here to me." She said as she fluffed the pillows. "Now you drink this and go back to sleep. You will be able to ask questions in the morning."
Ashlynn stood at the window watching the students of Hogwarts enjoy the chilly Halloween air. She had been asleep for much of the morning and had been awaked by a brunch tray prepared by Madam Pomfrey.
"Ashlynn Malfoy." A soft voice said from behind her.
The pale witch jumped and gasped as she saw it was none other then Albus Dumbledore in front of her. "Hello Professor." She whispered looking at the older man.
"How do you feel this fine afternoon?" Dumbledore asked as he lowered himself to the bed and Ashlynn looked out the window longingly at the schoolchildren enjoying the day.
"I'm fine Professor." She answered once again in her soft whispering voice. Dumbledore nodded and watched the young girl for a moment. "Is there a reason you're here Professor?" She asked suddenly.
Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Yes there is my dear Ashlynn, why don't you come to my office and I will explain everything."
Ashlynn turned away from the window and looked at Dumbledore. "Alright." She said softly.
Soon the odd pair were making their way down the hallways of Hogwarts and Ashlynn sighed wistfully. Hogwarts had been the one place Ashlynn could remember being able to do what she wanted when Lucius wasn't looking. 'Could it really only be five months since she left here for good?' She thought to herself.
When they finally reached the office, Dumbledore sat down and behind his desk and lowered his head. "Miss Malfoy I ask for you to extend your left arm please." He said softly.
Ashlynn gladly pushed back her long robes and extended her left arm. "I know what you are looking for Dumbledore it's not there." She said looking squarely in the blue eyes of the elder man.
Albus nodded slowly and smiled. "One wonders why you don't have a Dark Mark." He said softly.
"I refused it." Ashlynn said looking down.
Albus nodded slowly. "I assume that you escaped from your family after some torture from your appearance last night."
"Barely escaped Sir." Ashlynn said wincing at the memories of her father and beloved brother casting the Cruciatus Curse on her.
"Why would you refuse the mark? If I remember right dear one you went along with all Lucius and Rabastan's plans before." He asked leaning forward hoping that this child wasn't beyond reach and she could be of use to the Order of the Phoenix.
Ashlynn sighed and nodded. "When I attended Hogwarts I believed the delusions of a mad man who wanted to be Master of All. My family has served under You-know-who since I can remember. I went along with this mad man for so long that I even stood by and laughed as my own mother was driven insane and eventually murdered because she didn't believe the pure bloods were any better then anyone else."
"I slowly realized my mistakes but I was in the inner core of you-know-who's followers. Lucius' my beloved big brother was his right hand man, the man that I had chosen as my husband was part of this group. How could I escape without ending up the way my mother did?" Ashlynn paused for a moment and looked at up at Albus.
"Please continue you my dear." Dumbledore urged the seventeen-year-old witch.
With a gulp she continued. "I expressed my wish to leave the inner core. The moment the words were out of my mouth, Lucius placed me under the Imperius Curse. He hid the fact that I was no longer loyal to the Dark Lord for many months. Then last night I was suppose to receive my mark. Lucius had hoped I had come to my senses."
"The Dark Lord came to Malfoy Manor and the moment he arrived he knew something was amiss. He forced Lucius to admit that I was under the Imperius Curse. Knowing I didn't want the Dark Mark, he commanded that Lucius or my father kill me within a day. Luckily I was able to get close to my wand and Apparate."
Dumbledore nodded slowly and sighed. "So returning to you family is out of the question then."
"You're forcing me out of Hogwarts?" Ashlynn cried unhappily.
"Far from it my dear. I'm offering you a place to stay. Here at Hogwarts temporarily, until I can arrange something more suitable." Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Really?" Ashlynn asked shocked.
"Yes my dear. Now I trust you to stay away from the other students. I ask you to stick to the rooms I'm going to show you, and the library. I do not wish the whole school to know I'm harboring you from Voldemort. It would put my students at risk you understand."
"Yes sir." Ashlynn whispered.
Ashlynn sat in buried in the restricted section of the library reading it had been two weeks since she had come to stay at Hogwarts. She had been taken to reading most of her days, until she was called to Dumbledore's which he had taken to doing most days. Some days it was nothing but to see how the girl was, other times it was to ask questions about Voldemort or his inner core.
She had just finished the chapter in the book she was reading when she heard a voice calling her name. She closed the book and walked to the gate of the restricted section. There the head boy stood looking at her expectantly. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you in his office."
"Thank you." Ashlynn said softly and exited the library quickly.
She walked quickly to headmaster's office and after saying the password, she walked up the spiral staircase. She knocked softly on the door and walked in to see Albus Dumbledore was not alone. With him sat a black haired man and a red haired woman.
"Hello Professor." Ashlynn said softly.
"Come in Ashlynn, come in." Dumbledore said with a smile. Ashlynn slowly made her way to the open chair, without waiting she sat down quickly. "Ashlynn I think remember James Potter and Lily Evans from your time here."
Ashlynn nodded to the couple. "I do sir, it wasn't that long ago that we were seventh years together." Ashlynn answered softly. Though she had never really talked to either Potter or Evans she knew who they were especially because her dear friend Severus Snape had often talked about them.
"Sir." James spoke "What is she doing here? She's a pureblood fanatic. She's in with You-know-Who!"
Ashlynn sighed and lowered her eyes; the sins of the past were coming to haunt her. She started to open her mouth but Dumbledore waved his hand to silence both of them. "James, Ashlynn refused the dark mark. She scarcely escaped with her life." Dumbledore said.
"She's still a supporter! She's Princess Malfoy! Abraxas' pride and joy, the darling little pureblood sister of Lucius! She's engaged to Rabastan Lestrange! Hell her best friend is that bat like Snape!" James cried standing up.
"James." Lily warned but Ashlynn stood up and glared at James.
"Abraxas himself is the one who performed the Cruciatus Curse on me! Rabastan almost hit me with the Killing Curse and my own brother wanted to torture me till I died!" Ashlynn cried. "So excuse me Potter that I'm not exactly jumping up and down wanting to have mark that says I serve a nutter!"
James sat back down surprised as in the seven years he had seen the Malfoy girl she had never spoken above her wispy voice. "My family disowned me because I refused to join some nutter who thinks being half blood or less is punishment for death."
"I'm sorry I didn't know." James said looking down.
"No you didn't. All you think I am the spoiled rich girl. Princess Malfoy, the perfect pure blood daughter." Ashlynn gasped.
Lily glared at her fiancée unsure of why her heart went out to the girl standing in front of her. "James, Ashlynn please settle down. I've asked you all here for a reason." Dumbledore soothed.
Ashlynn sat back down glaring at James. "I'm sorry for losing my temper Professor." She said.
"Its fine my dear, I can understand your anger." Dumbledore said with a smile. "Now the reason I invited you here is about where Miss. Malfoy will be staying. She cannot continue to live at Hogwarts."
"Dumbledore…" James began.
Dumbledore waved his hand. "Miss Malfoy is to be trusted she has given me invaluable information about Voldemort and his Death Eaters."
"She can stay with us." Lily said suddenly before she even realized the words were out of her mouth.
"Lily!" James cried.
"James think about it she has no one. All her friends and family are on the other side. She is very brave to refuse that awful mark. I say she can stay with us, if you don't like it you can leave James Potter." Lily looked at her fiancée with a small forced smile.
"It'll be a delight to have you at our house Ashlynn." James said with a smile.
That night Lily showed Ashlynn the room she would be staying and Ashlynn had retired early. In hushed whispers, James and Lily spoke of Ashlynn Malfoy. "How can we trust her Lil she's a Malfoy." James whispered.
Lily sighed and shook her head. "James her last name doesn't matter, that's like saying all Blacks are bad and we know for a fact they aren't." Lily said as she held her fiancé's hand. "Dumbledore trusts here so we should too."
James rubbed his untidy black hair and nodded. "Your right my dearest. Let's just pray she doesn't betray us." James said.
Lily patted James hand and smiled. "She won't dear; I have a good feeling about her."
