a/n not mine. You know the drill: recognize it it is JK's
January 1992
"What the?" Ascella shot up out of bed. Harry had just hit her. She turned to glare at him, when she realized he was still asleep and he didn't appear to be dreaming about sunshines and rainbows. In fact it appeared he was having some sort of nightmare. He was twitching and thrashing about his face screwed up in discomfort. It was scaring her.
She leaned forward and grabbed his shoulder shaking him. "Harry! Wake up! You're having a nightmare," she whisper-yelled at him. He woke with a start sitting up, his eyes wide, the pupils dilated making his green eyes look black.
His eyes frantically found hers.
"Harry, it's okay it was just a nightmare," she said hurriedly, trying to calm him down. The sheets were tangled around the two of them and he was breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his brow. "Just a nightmare," she repeated gently placing her hands on his upper arms and rubbing circles there, like Meda used to do when she'd been little. Harry nodded and she felt the tension slowly leaving his muscles as his breathing returned to normal. When he met her eyes again she was glad to see the green again.
"Sorry," he mumbled to her, looking embarrassed. Ascella shook her head.
"Don't be. Do you want to talk about it? That didn't look like a normal nightmare," she said. Harry shook his head, before looking down at the bed spread. He began playing absently with a loose string. Ascella let her arms fall to her side as she waited. She had a feeling he did want to talk about it; he just needed a moment so she gave it to him. Finally he spoke.
"You know how I told you about that mirror I found?"
Ascella nodded. When she'd gotten back on Sunday he had filled her in on all that had happened while he and Ron had been at the castle; about the invisibility cloak (Ascella was quite excited about this as it made sneaking out of Harry's dorm in the morning much less problematic), finding the mysterious Mirror of Erised, seeing his parents and family (she had physically choked up at this point, half upset for her friend and half wondering if she would see something similar), and about the chat with Professor Dumbledore (she had found this both amusing and impressive, it wasn't everyday one got to chat with the famous Albus Dumbledore).
"Well ever since then, I've - I've been sort of having these, dreams I guess, about -" Harry paused to take a shaky breath. "About my parents murder." He finished voice trembling.
Ascella felt a tear race down her cheek. "Oh Harry," she said. "I'm so sorry." She reached out for him and pulled him into a hug. He buried his face in her hair. Ascella felt like what she'd said was a vast understatement for the moment. She didn't know how to help him but she knew that she was sorry. She was sorry that such a good person should have to grow up without parents who would have loved him as he deserved, she was sorry that she couldn't do more for him other than be there when he needed it but most of all she was sorry she couldn't share this.
She was angry too. Angry at Voldemort for taking her friends parents from him, angry at the world for allowing things like this to happen, and angry that he'd had to be raised by people who would never love him. Ascella may have not been raised by her parents, she may be half an orphan, but at least she'd had a childhood full of love, laughter, and comfort; at least she'd had a home before Hogwarts. And that was when Ascella realized that maybe in a way she could share this with Harry; at the very least she could share a story.
And so when they had both laid back down, looking up at the red curtained ceiling of the four poster Ascella began speaking, her voice soft and emotionless.
"There once was a little girl named Ascella Marlene Black. She was born in the middle of the war against Voldemort. The summer before the girls second birthday her mother and her entire mother's family were murdered by the followers of the Dark Lord.
"Later that July night, a man stumbled into a dark house, a bundle in his arms. It was his cousin's house, the only place he could think of; the death of his beloved had made it clear there was a traitor in their midst. Light illuminated the hall then, a single bulb swinging dangerously.
"A woman stood at the top of the stairs, her wand pointing at the man. The man begged her to take the bundle, saying it was the only way he could keep his daughter safe. The woman nodded. She took the bundle and the man left as suddenly as he had arrived. The woman pulled back the blanket, and when she made eye contact with the silent, grey-eyed infant staring back at her, she fell in love and knew she would protect this child with her life." Ascella paused the room silent except for the sound of Ron's snoring. Ascella took a deep breathe "Or at least that's what I've been told."
Ascella could feel tears flowing down her cheeks but her tone had remained emotionless, despite the lump that had grown in her throat. Harry took her hand and squeezed it. She squeezed his back. Then swallowing she continued speaking, but more earnestly now.
"Meda and Ted aren't my parents. Nor is Dora my sister," she confessed. "Technically we are cousin's of some relation, second or otherwise I've never quite been able to figure it out. No, they aren't my parents, so I understand what it's like to wonder about what wasn't, what could have been, but I do know that they are my family and I love them.
"I don't exactly know what all of this has to do with you now except that family doesn't always mean blood, Harry, and I know I can't help you or change the past no matter how much I want to but I can tell you that you aren't alone anymore, you'll never be alone again. I know none of us can replace your parents but we, Ron, Hermione, me, we are your family now. Don't forget that."
Harry squeezed her hand again and said in a sincere but strangled voice, "Thank you."
It was a long time before either of them fell asleep both lost in their own thoughts, but they both knew something had shifted this night. Their relationship had deepened to a level it hadn't been at before. They trusted each other explicitly, they had shared secrets from the darkest places of their hearts, sure there were still others lingering there but one day they could and would be shared. Whether she'd wanted to or not Ascella had let someone in, let someone see beyond the mask and there was no going back, so she snuggled closer to her friend and soon the two of them were snoring softly, for the night at least, at peace with the world.
A few weeks later Ascella was in the Gryffindor common room actually working on an assignment with Harry, Ron, and Hermione for once when Neville stumbled through the portrait hole.
He stumbled because his legs were locked together from groin all the way to his feet.
"Oh Neville!" Hermione had cried rushing forward to help the poor boy.
Ascella and Ron looked at each other dumbfounded while Harry asked what had happened. All of their faces soon colored with rage at hearing what Malfoy had done.
"That complete git," Ascella hissed between her teeth as Hermione performed the counter curse and Ron told Neville he really did need to start standing up for himself more. Neville hung his head in shame but looked grateful for their support nonetheless. He even offered them the last of his Christmas chocolate frogs. It was as Ascella was cursing her misfortune at having gotten another Merlin that Harry let out an exclamation of excitement.
"What?" Ascella asked. "I swear to Merlin if you got Gwenog Jones I am going to..."
"No! Dumbledore!" Harry said his eyes bright with excitement. Ascella sat back
"Oh. Well that's not very exciting," she said. "I've got like ten of him and I swear they've figured out how to communicate to one another..." Harry glared at her.
"Would you just listen?" Ascella held her hands up in surrender. And so he read from the card. Ascella felt a buzz of excitement build in her stomach at the mention of Nicolas Flamel and then the Sorcerer's Stone.
"So that's it then," she said eyes wide. "That's what Snape is after. That's what Fluffy is guarding."
Harry looked at her, his eyes just as excited.
"But why?"
"Oh that's easy," Ascella replied. "It's because..." but she was cut off by Hermione's squeak of excitement and rushed words telling them she'd be back. Ascella sighed.
"Where'd she go?" Harry asked.
"To get her copy of Hogwarts, A History. No doubt she's just remembered as I did that it's mentioned in there. I could tell you what it says but I'll let her have the satisfaction of telling you."
And tell them she did. The foursome proceeded to not get anymore homework done that night instead talking together in hushed voices about all they'd learned. In the end they were only able to conclude that Snape could never get this weapon even if they didn't have any clue as to why he would want it exactly. They agreed to keep further watch and wait to act until they knew more.
