Summer before fifth year
"I'm too told for a baby-sitter!" Dwayne complained to me one day shortly after I returned home from school. "I'm going to be going to secondary school next year. I don't see why I have to have a baby-sitter! I am going to be twelve in December. You were my age when you started baby-sitting."
I sighed. "Dwayne you're going to be my helper this year," I told him.
Not only was I baby-sitting for Louie and Dwayne that year, but I was baby-sitting a few other kids in my neighbourhood as well. Louie was now eight, but I had two four years old, Martin and Phoebe plus a six and seven year old; Kyleigh and Kelsey.
"I'm even going to pay you some money," I continued.
I could see his point, and I understood his frustration. By the time I was his age, I was left on my own or my sister was in charge. I'd also baby-sat him a few times. He was going on twelve years old. There were first years at Hogwarts already who could take care of themselves. Pat however wanted one more summer where she had someone in charge of the kids. Dwayne had taken this really hard, but since she's recommended me to other parents for the summer, I had more kids to look after.
"Really?" Dwayne asked now excitedly. "You're not going to treat me like a baby?"
"You're no baby," I said. "At my school, there are people who go away at your age. I went away for school when I was your age, so I understand why you feel this way. Your mother is more comfortable leaving you with someone in charge though. So you can help me all summer, but you have to remember to be responsible. We have Louie, Martin, Phoebe, Kyleigh and Kelsey. Also, just because you're in charge it doesn't mean you can be mean to the kids. Remember how I've always been with you and your brother."
"I know," Dwayne said. "So how much do I get an hour?"
"I'll give you two dollars an hour," I said. It was a little less than I had started making but I had less kids to watch. Since I was being paid to baby-sit six kids and each parent was paying me a good amount per week, I could afford to pay him about that much. It would be $80 a week. My mother and step-father had said they were going to pay for some of my school that year. "That's $80 a week Dwayne."
"Okay," Dwayne said. "I'll be your helper. You must be rich by the end of summers if you can pay me that much!"
"Not quite, but it is good money for school," I answered. "I have to buy new clothes and text books and supplies every year, plus I have to have money for anything else during the year. So the baby-sitting really helps me. My parents said they'd help pay for some of it this year, but I'd rather pay for most of it myself."
"Do you think I'll end up going to your school?" He asked. "You said you get invited there, but do you think maybe I will too?"
I'd been watching both Louie and Dwayne for any signs of magic. In a way I hoped they would show some kind of a sign, but I didn't think they were magical. I thought it would have been nice to have kind of a younger brother at school, and I considered those boys as my little brothers since I'd grown up beside them most of my life. They had been so young when they'd moved in and so had I for that matter. The boys had looked up to me and Louie had known me since he was a baby.
"Maybe, I guess you'll know next year if you get a letter," I said.
"I think it would be neat if I did," Dwayne said. "Mum still sees me as a little kid, but I think she wouldn't if she realized I was old enough to go away for school. I overheard your mum telling my mum that. She always saw you as a little girl until you went away. My mum was asking your mum for advice because I was angry with her for making me have a baby-sitter again."
"Well we'll talk to your mum about how you're my helper this year," I told Dwayne. "If I notice that you're a good baby-sitter then I will tell her you."
"Thanks a lot," Dwayne said happily.
I kept my word to him. Later that evening, I went over and told Pat my idea that I would watch Dwayne but he would also be my baby-sitter in training. I explained I would teach him everything he needed to know about baby-sitting that summer so that when I went back to school, he would be ready to watch Louie all by himself.
"I think that's a wonderful thing you're doing," Pat said. "You really don't mind paying him some of your money for it?"
"I was thinking $2 an hour for him, I can afford it and that's close to how much I made when I first started baby-sitting. I think it will be easier for him accept that he has to have a baby-sitter this year if he believes he is in charge too. With the other kids I am baby-sitting, I can afford it. I can't thank you enough by the way for recommending me to the other parents. I'll make more than enough money for my fifth year. Mum and Terry said they would pay for some of my schooling this year too," I answered.
"Well their regular sitters have grown up now, and I knew you wanted to make more money for school, so I told them that you've always been good with my boys," Pat replied.
The beginning of the summer was busy for me with new kids to watch over. Dwayne proved to be a major help, and I was thankful for it. He took his job very seriously, and there was only a few incidents when he was mean to Louie but all I had to do was pull him to the side, and remind him of our deal. I'd decided to never scold him in front of the other kids so that they would all see him as their baby-sitter too.
We'd gotten a bigger pool from the one we'd had after my first year. This one was bigger and deeper with a wood platform built around it. So I had to be careful if I let the kids in the pool. Phoebe and Martin had to wear both life jackets and water wings while I wouldn't let the others in the pool without water wings at all. Louie found this to be kind of insulting, but I told him if he complained that he wouldn't be allowed in the pool.
"Louie, there are no adults around, and I don't care if you find it babyish, you are wearing your water wings," I told him. "When your mum or my parents are around, you don't have to but I don't feel comfortable with any of you in the pool without them. That's just the way it is."
It was a Wednesday afternoon and a very hot day. Dwayne was in the pool and keeping a close eye on the younger kids, but Louie who I got into this argument with every day was yelling at me.
"But it's not fair! I took swimming lessons!" Louie shouted. "I can swim!"
"Louie, do you want to go in the house with me for the rest of the day?" Dwayne asked. "We'll sit in the house until mum comes home. You know you have to wear the water wings."
Louie shot his brother a dirty look, but he grabbed the water wings from my hands and put them on.
"There! Are you happy now!?" He retorted.
"I would be if you lost the attitude," I said. "Now come on, let's enjoy our afternoon in the pool. If you really feel this way about them, we'll talk to your mum about it. For now, you'll wear them."
Louie shook his head, turned on his heel and jumped into this pool. I couldn't help but remember when he was younger and he did what I told him without argument. Perhaps I was over reacting about the water wings, but it made me feel more comfortable if all of the younger children had something. Of course I would keep a constant eye on them, but the last thing I wanted was for them to drown. We spent the afternoon swimming until I saw an owl fly onto the top of my house. I glanced over at the kids, who were busy laughing and playing. I had Phoebe and Martin around me while the older ones were playing on the other side.
"Time to get out now," I told the kids as I lifted Martin out on the side of the pool. "Your mums will be here soon, so we have to get you dressed." I lifted Phoebe out next.
The other kids let out disappointed moans, but they started to get out. I told Dwayne to take the kids inside once we were all out, and to start helping the little ones get dressed. Once they were inside, I looked around before I called for the owl to come down. The owl flew close to the edge of the pool. I untied the letter from its leg and gave it a pat on its head before I went inside. I didn't recognize it, so I wasn't sure who would have written to me. I'd recently gotten letters from my friends, so I wasn't expecting them to write me back since I hadn't responded to any of my friends letters.
I threw the letter on the table inside, and helped Dwayne get the kids dressed and we gave them a snack while we let them watch some afternoon cartoons.
"So mum told me last night that when you go away to your friends for a week, I can baby-sit Louie by myself," he told me once we sat down on the couch.
"Well that's good then," I told him. "I told her that you're doing fine as a baby-sitter. You're really good with these kids, so I think once I go back to school you'll become your brother's regular sitter. Maybe other people will let you baby-sit too. Jaime said she'd baby-sit the others while I am gone."
"Where is Jaime?" Dwayne asked. "She is never around anymore."
"She spends a lot of time at her friends places," I said. "She sleeps over a lot, but sometimes she works too. She's trying to find a full time job at the moment, but it hasn't been too easy for her. She's been doing a lot of odd jobs."
"Why did she quit school? You mum was really angry when she did," Dwayne said.
"I don't know, I guess she didn't feel it was for her. She's never been happy with school though, not even when we were kids. I really think she should finish, but I don't think she will. She should be in her last year, but she says she has what she need for her education," I said. "I am not sure what she is going to do. I think my mum is giving her this summer to decide."
Soon the parents began to arrive, first Kyleigh and Kelsey's mum arrived. The girls ran to their mother excitedly and told her what they did for the day, next Martin and Phoebe's father came. The twins both burst into tears as soon as they saw their father, but that was normal. They always cried as soon as one of their parents showed up because they were tired and happy to go home. Their father thanked me. I had Louie and Dwayne for a little while longer before Pat arrived.
"Mum, Ashley makes me wear water wings in the pool, and I don't think I should have to," Louie said the moment he saw his mother. "You know I am a very good swimmer. I don't see why I should have to wear them, I won't drown and I've been in pools bigger than that one in the back yard."
"As long as there are other kids in the pool and no adults around, I'd be more comfortable with you wearing something," Pat told him. "It's just for this summer, and it's just when I am not around."
"But mum-" Louie started to protest.
"Louie, either you do as she says, or you won't go into the pool at all. You know what the rules are for when you have a baby-sitter. It's only for a few hours Louie," Pat answered in an irritated tired voice before she turned to me. "How were the boys?"
Dwayne scowled at his feet.
"They were good, except for the water wings argument," I said. "Dwayne is very helpful as my fellow baby-sitter."
"That's good, thank you so much," she said. "Well boys, let's get going. We're going out for supper tonight."
After they left, I went into the kitchen to get my letter. I opened it up to find that it was a letter from Michael. I was shocked, because he never wrote me during the summers unless it was when I asked him if he wanted to come over. The two of us simply weren't that close. He kept in close contact with Ellen and Ben, but it was very rare I got random letters from him.
Ashley, Ben and Ellen
I just wanted to let you know I am not staying at my house this summer. My parents are just out of hand now, even my mother. After I got off the train, I didn't go home right away because I wanted to buy a few things in London. When I got home, it was to find that the house was in even worse condition then it had ever been. Both my parents were very angry too, and arguing. I think it's all they ever do anymore if they're not stoned or drunk off something. It was like that last summer too. I couldn't stand another moment there. So I gathered anything that is really mine, and believe me I don't have much. I've basically lived in my trunk for the past four year's. I said good-bye to them and took off. The thing is, I don't even think they noticed me leave but they are probably so used to be not being at home. I've spent the last three years living at Hogwarts year round. I had money, so I went into my town and stayed at the hotel at first. I wasn't sure what I was going to do since I don't have that much money left over. So I decided to get the Knight Bus one night. I am now in Diagon Alley in the Leaky Cauldron for now. I might write McGonagall to see if she'll let me stay at Hogwarts, but I really can't see it happening. I don't think students have ever stayed at Hogwarts year round. So I've been working as a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron. The land lady here is very nice. She didn't ask too many questions, she just gave me a job on the spot. I don't know if I can stay here long though. I get the feeling that sometimes she might tell the school or someone from the Ministry since I am underage. I really hope not though. I just wanted to let you know in case one of you writes me. I know I am not supposed to do magic, but they won't ever know with all the magic in Diagon Alley, so I am going to duplicate these letters and send them off at the post office. I hope your summers are so far going well. If you want to get together, let me know.
Michael
"Well this isn't good," I muttered as I read through the letter.
"What isn't good?"
I looked up to see that my mother was home. I hadn't heard her enter the house. I handed her the letter rather than explaining it. She read through it twice before she shook her head.
"Write to that boy right now, and tell him that he come stay with us if he has to," my mum said. "We have an extra bedroom for him. I don't want him staying in some hotel all by himself. He's only fifteen."
"I get the feeling Ben will offer him the same thing," I said. "So at least he has more than one letter. Mum, I also got a letter from Ellen too. Her mum isn't going to be able to take me home from school anymore. She doesn't mind taking me if I go from her place, but she said she can't pick me up anymore. Ellen says I should be able to take the Knight Bus though."
"What is the Knight Bus," my mum asked.
"It's like a normal bus but magical. I'd have to just take it night or really early in the morning I think. I just hold up my wand and it comes," I said. "It disappears and reappears at different places throughout the UK. I just tell them the address and it takes me. It's faster than the normal bus or a cab."
"I suppose if that's what you have to do, but is it really safe?" She asked not looking convinced.
"I'll get her to write to you to tell you about the bus, and Ben's parents too if you want," I said. "It's actually easier if I want to go to my friends place though. I am going to be sixteen in September after all."
"I suppose so, it's probably more convenient because Pat can't either, and with Terry's hours, he can't. Write to that boy and tell him he can come here though on that Knight Bus if he has to though," my mother sighed. "We have the extra money and room and a growing boy doesn't need to be on the streets. Honestly, I've been wanting to take him since the moment I met him. I could tell he didn't have a good home life."
"I think Ben's parents feel the same way, but Michael is so stubborn," I said. "He's like us where he doesn't like charity, but multiply that by ten."
I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote telling Michael that my mother wanted him to stay with us. I also added that even though I was baby-sitting, he could probably find a job too if he wanted money for school. There were plenty of places I knew of around our town that hired teen boys. I also told him that he could also do his odd jobs as well. I wanted to add that he could help me baby-sit but I didn't want to take Dwayne's position away from him. However, I knew that plenty of people hired people to mow their lawns or do other yard work.
I am sure Ben is writing to tell you that you can stay with him as well. So you have options Michael. You should have told us in the first place. You know we would have helped you out. Let us know right away what you are doing. Also, don't try and lie and tell Ben that you're staying at my place and then write to me and tell me you're staying at Ben's. Swallow your pride and stay with one of us. I have permission to use the Knight Bus now, and I will come and find you if I have to.
-Ashley
I didn't have an owl, but I did have an owl call. I'd bought it from the Weasley's joke shop after my second year. My mother didn't want me to buy and owl, and I didn't want to only rely on my friends owls. Sometimes I couldn't get an owl to come right away, but other times one would automatically show up. I ran up to my room and grabbed the owl call from my dresser. I opened my window and blew into it. Fortunately, it didn't take long for one to show up. I kept owl treats in my room, so I fed a brown owl some and then tied my letter to its leg. It took off a few minutes later, but I didn't go back downstairs, instead I wrote two quick letters to both Ellen and Ben and waited for more owls to come for me to send their letters.
Once I was done, I headed downstairs and told my mother that I had sent a letter out to him. She nodded and I went over and helped her start our supper. As we worked on supper, I asked her some questions about my sister, but that was still a sore topic with her so she didn't say much about it. After a while, she told me to go do something else and that she could do it herself.
Michael didn't respond back to me write away. It wasn't until Friday night when I was working on a Transfiguration essay when an owl flew through my open window. I hurried over to take the letter from it. I hadn't heard from Ben or Ellen, so I wasn't sure what their opinions about Michael were. I knew it was from him because I recognised my other two friend's family owls.
Ashley
Ben and his family are going on vacation until the beginning of August. Mrs. and Mr. Hoofer both showed up at the Leaky Cauldron as soon as Ben got my letter. They want me to stay with them for August, but they want me to go to your place for the rest of July, so I will be there tomorrow afternoon. I showed them your letter, and they told me that I had to go to your place then. They are leaving Sunday but they are dropping me off tomorrow. I would like to keep my job at the Leaky Cauldron though. I've arranged with Hannah, she is the Land Lady there, to work there for the rest of the summer. So every day I am just going to take the Knight Bus there and back. She is paying me some decent money, not only am I dishwasher but she wants me to clean the other rooms and to help her out during the day. It's decent job I think for a fifteen year old. I am at Ben's right now. There really isn't any point in you sending Lorne back because I might not get your message. Lorne is my owl; I bought him in Diagon Alley. I know your mum said she doesn't want owls to stay at your place and so he won't. He can stay outside, or even go on to Hogwarts if that makes you comfortable. It's only for a few weeks anyway. See you tomorrow and thanks a lot for letting me stay.
-Michael
Ashley
Sorry I didn't get back to you right away. I did plan to write back, but my family wanted to make sure we got to Michael as soon as possible. As soon as I showed my parents Michael's letter, that both apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and demanded Hannah Abbott show them which room he was staying in. He certainly got a telling off from them, I think he almost felt ashamed. They forced him to pack his things and to come to our place right away. I have to admit, I knew something was wrong, even when he took off on us at the train station. I honestly thought that he was actually planning to stay in London right there and then, and then when I wrote him he never got back. So I was already worried and then I finally got his letter. So I know it's short notice but as your mother said that he can stay there, they are going to apparate him there tomorrow. Not exactly at your house, but in that wood area you showed us two years ago. They'll then walk him to your house, and talk to your parents. I hope you're having a good summer, and I will see you in August. I wanted to come tomorrow too, but my parents said no. They said we have too much to do, and they only plan to stay at your place long enough to talk to your mum.
-Ben
Ben and Michael had both written on the same piece of parchment. I got up and ran downstairs where my mother and my step father were watching television.
"Michael said he is coming tomorrow," I said and I handed my mother the letter.
"I still don't understand how you get these letters," my step father said.
"It's not had hard as it sounds," I answered. "Anyway, they said their sorry for the short notice and everything."
"That's fine," my mother said. "I knew he might be coming, I've already set up the spare room for him in case he does and we'll be around tomorrow. This should work out fine though. His parents really should be ashamed of themselves."
The next afternoon, we were waiting for Michael in the kitchen. We heard a knock on the door, so my mum went to answer it, and moments later Mr. and Mrs. Hoofer entered our kitchen with Michael following them, he was dragging his trunk. My mother followed them and offered them a seat at the table.
"No thank you, we don't plan to stay long," Mrs. Hoofer said. "Now, we talked to Michael's parents yesterday. They have agreed to let him stay with you for the beginning of the summer, and us for the rest. They didn't have much of a choice though. We told them that next summer he will not returning and if he wants he can stay at our place for the Christmas or Easter holidays. Although if you want to take him, let us know. We just want to make sure he never returns to that place again."
"Michael is welcome here anytime he wants," my mother told her. "We can even take it in turns if you'd prefer it. I've wanted him to stay here since the moment I met him. As long as he never has to return to that place ever again, he is welcome to stay here for as long as he wants," and she turned to Michael who had sat down at our table. He was eyeing my step father warily who he'd only met a couple times. "Michael, you're fifteen years old. You are not old enough to be out on your own. I told you last summer that if you needed a place to stay, that you could stay with us. You're more than welcome to show up anytime you need to."
"We've been telling him the same thing for years," Mr. Hoofer sighed as he shot a stern look over at Michael who flinched.
"I just didn't want to impose on people," Michael replied. "All of you have done enough for me over the years, and I don't deserve it."
"You don't deserve to live the way you have been just because of your parents poor choices," Mrs. Hoofer told him.
"And it's not an imposition," my mother added. "We have the extra room for you."
"Well thanks," Michael said and he stared down at the table.
"So we can discuss Michael when we return from our vacation," Mr. Hoofer said to my mother and step-father. "We plan to write to the school and inform them of the situation. We'll let them know that we are taking it in turns to take care of him."
"Thanks for bringing him over," my mother said.
They talked a few more minutes before the Hoofer's said good-bye to us. After they left, I took Michael up to the spare bedroom.
"My mother just made up the bed for you and cleaned this room. You can do whatever you want with it while you stay here. Just think of it as your room whenever you come over," I said. "Although sometimes Denver might join you, and of course Ben if he comes over."
"Thanks a lot for letting me stay here," Michael said as he sat down on the bed.
"You already knew you could stay here," I told him. "You should have told us right away. There was no reason for you to go off on your own. I think the Hoofers want to adopt you, and you know my mother wants you here as well."
"I'm surprised after everything I put you through that she still likes me," Michael said.
"It was two years ago, and she didn't know too much about it, she knows we were fighting but only Jaime really knew anything about it," I said.
"I know, but still," Michael said. "I'll be at the Leaky Cauldron a lot though, even on weekends sometimes. This will be the most money I've ever made during a summer. I'm a year younger than they normally would hire, but I think she really felt sorry for me. What about your step father? He barely knows me?"
"He's a nice guy, and he doesn't mind," I said. "He still gets confused about the magic, but he's fine with it. We should go in the pool. It's different from the one we used to have. It has a wooden platform built around it. It's a fair size too. They keep it out year round, but they just cover it up. It's not as big as Ben's but it's still better than our old one and fairly deep. They bought it before I came home from school. The kids have been playing in it a lot."
"Okay sure," Michael said with a small smile.
I left his room to change into my bathing suit, and then headed downstairs. Michael was already downstairs talking to my mother and step-father, he was in a pair of swimming and trunks and holding a towel over his shoulder.
"You don't have to thank us," my mother was saying. "For the next few weeks I would like you to consider this as your home. Actually, you can consider this your home at any time. So go out and enjoy the pool."
"Come on Michael," I said. "Let's go in the pool."
We headed out the back door and to the pool. I climbed the ladder to get on the wooden platform and then jumped in, a few moments later, Michael joined me as well. We swam back and forth without talking at first.
"So how is your summer so far?" Michael asked.
"Busy," I answered. "Normally I feel kind of bored by now, and I end up missing you guys and Hogwarts but with all the kids, and all our homework I haven't had time to feel bored. I want to get all the homework out of the way and they assigned an insane amount this year. It's ridiculous."
"It's only going to get worse isn't it?" Michael asked as he leaned up against the wall of the pool.
"Oh I know, that's one thing I am not looking forward to. I don't know how Ben will do it. We all know he is going to be prefect, and put Quidditch practice on top of that," I said.
"I don't even think about how Ben does homework anymore," Michael said. "If anyone can do it though, he can. Have you heard from Ellen at all?"
"She wrote to me before I got your letter, she is very bored. Maybe I'll invite her over for a few days. Too bad Ben will be gone for a month, he could come over too," I said. "My mum said I can invite anyone over at any time this summer, even Denver."
"Invite them over then," Michael said. "It will be nice to see the others. I saw a few people when I was hanging out in Diagon Alley. I saw Anne, Jess and Erica."
"Did you talk to Anne?" I asked.
At that moment, my mother came out with two glasses of orange juice, she handed us each the glass from the side and asked if we wanted anything else.
"No thanks," I said.
"Well let us know, and your sister might be around later," my mother said.
"We talked for a few minutes, but she seemed to make it very clear that we definitely won't be getting back together," Michael said sadly. "I don't know what to do with myself honestly. We've been together for almost three years. She was my first for everything."
"Well maybe you should be single for a while, but you probably won't have trouble finding anyone when you are ready to date again," I said. "There are plenty of girls who have been interested for a while now."
"I don't know after what happened at the last party," Michael said.
"People will forget about it," I said. "But I hope you are careful the next time you drink."
"Believe me, I will be," he said. "When I got home, I kind of saw my future if I kept up what I was doing at Hogwarts. So this year if I drink at parties I am going to be a lot more careful. The last thing I want is to end up like them. I am the same age they were when they had a kid. I don't want that kind of life. Anne and I were always careful, but you never know what can happen when you drink. That's why I was so against you and Jared. You're doing so well with your life; you don't want to screw that up."
"Well we were always careful, and Denver and I have been careful every time too. Besides, before I go back to school I am going to ask my mother if I can get permission to go on the birth control potion. You take it once a month. I'll be allowed when I am seventeen but my mother used to say that she'd want my sister and me to go on birth control when we're sixteen. So I don't think it will hard to get her permission for it," I said.
"Where do you get that?" Michael asked. "Do they actually give it to you at Hogwarts?"
I nodded. "You just go to the hospital wing, I asked Brianne about it once. You have to get written permission from you parents, but they always write home anyway to double check. They don't want to take any chances. I think they'd rather students take it though, that way there are no unwanted pregnancies. I think the school is aware that things do end up happening when underage witches and wizards live together. They aren't idiots, so they are well prepared. It's one of the reasons why boys aren't allowed in the girls dormitories."
"I doubt that's the only reason," Michael said with a smirk.
"So do you think you're going to be okay?" I asked. "You seemed so down at the end of the school year."
"I'm better now," Michael said. "When we left though, Anne had just broken up with me, my marks had gone down a lot from the beginning of the term and a lot of the Hufflepuff's hated me. Not only that, but I was going home and you know I hate going home to all that. I think things will be easier though now that I know I don't have to go back home if I don't want to. If I can stay at your house or the Hoofers, I'll be happy."
"I just still don't understand why you didn't tell us," I said. "You could have asked at any time and we would have let you. The moment you left your parents place you should have told us. I mean, the Hoofers have taken responsibility to take you to and from school. You should have realized you could stay with them."
"Honestly, it just doesn't feel like we are that close," Michael said. "I mean, the four of us seem to be a group of friends but to me, I feel left out. You, Ellen and Ben are close group and I feel like an outsider even if the four of us do a lot together. You and I just don't even feel like we're friends. You have a close friendship with Ellen, and a closer one to Ben. Ben has told us all that you're his best friend on a number of occasions. I don't feel like I am close to anyone, well except Anne and now I've lost that even."
"You and I probably aren't close," I admitted. "But you still could have come over, and you know it."
"No I don't know it. We don't hang out as much by ourselves; I mean I think this is the first time we have since last year. This year you seemed to have pulled yourself away from our group but when you did hang out with us, it was mainly Ben and then Ellen but never me," Michael said.
"I only pulled away because you were always off with Anne and Ellen was always off with Stan. Ben was always off with whatever girl he was trying to date. I got sick of being the only single one of the group. So I decided I needed to meet new people- well actually I decided to meet new people back in second year, and so I did. This year was the year when I really needed everyone else. It was either hang out with the others, or by myself or put up with all of you constantly making out. If I hadn't gotten friendly with the others, I would have been lonely this year and even last year as well," I answered. "When we got in that huge fight in second year, I had nobody in Hufflepuff to talk to. I only had Denver outside of our house to talk to, and maybe Morgan and Claire. I never wanted to feel that lonely ever again."
"I guess it makes sense, but I don't think that you, Ellen and Ben realize how much I feel left out all the time. I felt like that all through first year but it got worse in second year after we got in that fight, especially when I was on probation. When Anne and me started to date, I felt like I actually had something close with someone. You guys invite me to social events, and we study together, and we call ourselves a group, but I am always left out," Michael said.
"You should have just told us," I told him. "I trust you now, but I have to admit that most of second year I didn't trust you, and so maybe that's why I've never tried to get close to you since. In third year is when we kind of started going our own ways, and well you know what this year was like."
"This year we have to make sure that doesn't happen," Michael said. "Even if we are in relationships."
"We really should, especially with us starting OWL year," I replied. "We'll talk to Ben and Ellen about that later."
"This is nice though," Michael said. "It's been so long since you and I have really talked. I guess we can you this time to get to know each other better, we've both changed so much."
We spent the rest of the evening talking and swimming. It was a pleasant night, and I was glad that I could have the time to spend with Michael.
July went by quickly. I couldn't believe how fast the time went but with spending all my time baby-sitting and hanging out with Michael, I was kept busy. Ellen and Denver came over one weekend in July as well. I had a feeling my mother knew that Denver and me were more serious than we had been in the second year because she made him sleep downstairs on the couch. She never let the two of alone together, even if Michael and Ellen tried to let us be.
My mother never minded if Michael and I went out at night for a night swim, but one night while Ellen and Michael stayed inside to watch TV while Denver and I went outside. My mother was out in an instant and she sat outside smoking and talking to us the entire time. It was very frustrating. We would never have sex with her and my step-father in the house anyway, but we still wanted time to just hang out. We didn't get that time until the four of us decided to go for a walk one afternoon. Ellen and Michael took off one way, while Denver and I went the other.
"So in August my parents are going away with Pat and her kids for a weekend to go camping," I told Denver while we went to the park. We sat down on a bench together. "Michael will be back at the Hoofer's by then, so I will have the house to myself. Jaime is never around."
"Oh really?" Denver asked. "So what are you suggesting?"
"You know what I am suggesting," I said. "My parents don't care if I invite friends over, so maybe I'll invite the others too for the day so we can go outside but you can stay over for the entire weekend, if you can get away anyway."
"My parents won't care," Denver said. "I am constantly going over to Morgan's or someones house on the weekend. They don't watch over me as much now that I am sixteen. I am sure I can manage to get here for that weekend."
"I can't wait until we're older," I said. "When we don't have to sneak around."
"Yeah I know, although I am pretty sure my parents won't care what we do when you come over," Denver said. "They won't be watching our every move like your mum does."
"I don't know why she does," I sighed. "I do plan to tell her I want to go on the birth control potion this year though. I need her permission for it."
"You think she'll let you," Denver asked.
"Well she knows it's the better option," I said. "If she asks if I've been having sex, I will tell her that I have been. I probably should tell her."
"I miss having sex with you," Denver murmured. "It's been so long. Summer vacation hasn't been easy. I've been missing you so much."
"They'll be going camping the weekend after next," I said.
Ellen and Michael soon joined us. They knew my town really well since I'd taken them on tour of it so many times. They knew we'd be at the park.
"Done shagging yet?" Michael asked as they approached us.
"Unfortunately no," Denver said. "I doubt we'll get the chance."
"But we were just talking about the weekend when my parents go away," I said. "You guys should come over. Not overnight, unless you want to. My mum doesn't mind. But Ellen, I was thinking maybe you could invite Stan if you wanted. I don't want a party though, just a small group to hang out with during the day."
"And then you and Denver can shag at night?" Ellen asked. "If Stan and I can stay the night, sure. We'll stay downstairs and you two upstairs."
"I don't know if Ben and I are going to want to be around for this love fest," Michael joked with a smile.
"Well it would be nice if you guys came over during the day," I said. "Especially you Michael, if you don't then Denver and me will have to stay inside all day. The neighbours won't care if they see a bunch of us hanging out but just Denver and me? Everyone knows you are staying with us now."
"Fine, whatever," Michael said. "I guess we can come over."
"So has Ben gotten a list together of who he is inviting to his party?" Denver asked as he put an arm around me.
"I don't know," I said. "He's been away. I think he's sent out a lot of invites though. We know all of the Hufflepuff's are going, except Melanie and Sarah of course. You, Claire and Morgan. I told him to invite Rory, Alana and Derek as well, and I think they are going with some of their first or I mean second year friends. He asked a few of the younger years he knows. I just don't know who is coming from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."
"It's going to be a big party," Denver said.
"He has a huge house, and his pool makes this one look tiny," Ellen said. "There will be enough room for everyone."
"His parents are excited about it," Michael said. "They were talking about it while I was there. I think they said they are going to do it every year and they thought it was ridiculous that they had never of it before."
"They only really have two years left," Ellen said.
"They can have pool parties when we're done too though, not all of us will make it but I'm sure they'll have enough people," I said. "Anyway, we should get back before my mother wonders what's keeping us. I can't remember the last time she's been this protective."
It seemed strange when Michael left, I'd gotten used to him being there in the extra room. I felt almost lonely when he left because all I really had were little kids to keep me company. I had only seen my sister twice so far that summer. She would only come home long enough to get clothes, and then leave to spend the night at a friend's place. Most of the time I wasn't even home when she was around.
"How can you be okay without her being around?" I asked my mother one night while we did the dishes together.
"Unfortunately I've gotten used to the two of you not being home," my mother answered. "She's barely spent time at home over the last year. If she does come home, we fight. As long as I know she is okay at her friend's places, and their parents call me often then I am okay with it. She's also stayed at Rachel's house as well. They aren't doing anything they aren't supposed to be doing. I think she would be very unhappy here."
"Is she still unhappy about your marriage?" I asked. "Is that why she quit school?"
Jaime had taken my mother's quick marriage very hard. After they'd gotten married the previous summer, I had barely seen her. Although she seemed to have accepted the marriage after a while, and she even admitted she liked Terry, she still was unhappy about something.
"No, I think she's fine with the marriage, she talks to Terry more than me," my mother answered. "And you know that she's never been happy in school, not even when she was a little girl. I honestly don't know what she is unhappy about. Sometimes I wish the two of you were young again. Are you sure you don't want to go camping with us?"
"No mum, I don't want to go camping; besides Ellen said she might want to come by that weekend. She's feeling lonely at home. All she has is her brother to keep her company. Now that Ben is back, he might want to come visit too, and so Michael probably will as well."
"Well just don't make a mess," my mother answered.
Rachel stopped by to visit with me a few days before the camping trip. I was sitting in my room after a day of baby-sitting and I was reading a book. She entered my room looking very heavily pregnant and I felt shocked. I hadn't known that she was pregnant.
"Rachel!" I exclaimed. "How many months are you?"
"I'll be due at any time," she said as she ran a hand down her belly. "It's the reason why I didn't drink New Year's eve you know."
"I hadn't noticed," I admitted. "But I can't believe you're pregnant! You're going to be a wonderful mother!"
"I hope so," she smiled as she sat down on the edge of my bed. "I can never get over how big you and your sister are. I can't believe you're going to be sixteen."
"You're always surprised when you see that I've gotten older Rachel," I said. "I'm sure you'll be shocked when I am in my fifties."
"I'm sure I will be," she replied. "You'd be lying if you didn't say you felt the same way about Dwayne and Louie. I mean, this is going to be the last year you'll probably baby-sit them since Dwayne is the age you were when you went away to school."
"That is true," and I told her how I let him be my helper this year since he felt too old to be baby-sat.
"That was nice of you, I am sure you really built of his self-esteem," she said.
"So is there a reason you're visiting me? I mean, not that I am not happy to see you, but I just kind of feel like we're making small talk to the reason you're really here," I said.
"Your mother suspects that you're having sex," Rachel answered.
"And so she sent you over to find out from me if I am, and then you can tell her what we said? Why didn't she just ask me herself?" I asked feeling irritated.
"Nothing we talk about leaves this room, but I would advise you to tell her if you are or not," Rachel replied. "No, I just want to make sure you're being careful because-" and she ran her hand down her belly again "-as happy as I am to be a mother, and I can't for my baby to finally be here I am going to be doing this alone. The father doesn't want anything to do with either one of us. This was the result of a moment of pleasure. You're only fifteen years old, and I know you want to finish school. I just wish I'd been more careful is all."
"I've always been careful," I said. "But you're twenty-six; I thought you would know better Rachel. I thought adults were more careful."
"You're naïve if you believe that kiddo, think of all the single parents you know. I'm just lucky enough to be well off enough financially. As you well know, not everyone is that lucky. Besides, I was in a relationship with the father but he didn't want kids," Rachel told me. "So I've heard from your mother that you are back with Denver. So I am correct in assuming that you two are having sex?"
I nodded. "Not just him though, there was someone else before him," I admitted. "It was just casual though, and that's over. It was a drunk thing, and then it led more to that for a few weeks until Denver and me got back together."
"And you were always safe?" Rachel asked and I nodded. "What made you decided to be casual? I am just surprised you would do that. I thought you'd be relationship only. I thought maybe Jaime… but never you."
I explained how I'd felt lonely and I knew some others were having sex, and I just wanted to get it over with.
"Denver is the only person I've ever been in a relationship with, and I just felt like I was never going to be with anyone again, so when Jared asked, I agreed," I explained. I wasn't sure if I should tell her that I regretted it though.
"You're only fifteen. How could you have thought that? No offense honey, but even if you and Denver are dating now, it doesn't mean you will be together ten years from now. Not too many people stay in the relationships they were in at your age. I had a serious boyfriend when I was your age, but we aren't together now. You're going to meet a lot of people in your life," Rachel said.
I shrugged. "I don't know, it's just the way I felt, especially knowing everyone else was having sex or having some kind of intimacy."
"You can't tell me every fourth year has had sex," Rachel said. "I am surprised if even a few of you have."
"My friends all did and I know a few other Hufflepuff's did and some people in the other houses like the Andrew twins," I answered. "May not all of us, but enough have."
"You kids are growing up to quick," Rachel sighed.
"You lost your virginity when you were sixteen," I said. "It probably happened more than you thought it did. Just like I saw a couple first years kissing and I was shocked, but I remembered it happened when I was in the first year too."
"I suppose so, but I really hope you're careful. I know you want to finish school. I know you don't want to end up a single teen mum," Rachel said.
"We're careful, and we always will be," I said. "We use condoms and a spell. Sometimes the spell isn't always effective so that's why a lot of people use condoms as well. Also, there is the potion too. I'm going to tell mum I've been having sex, and I am going to ask her permission to go on the birth control potion."
"That's a relief than," Rachel said. "And next summer, perhaps I'll even let you baby-sit. We should keep tradition going after all."
Rachel left shortly after that. I guessed it made sense why my mother had watched every movement Denver and me had made when he'd been over. She'd been bad when he'd come over in my second year, but this time I'd felt like a little kid again. I wondered if she was going to try and get information from Rachel, and if she would actually keep her word.
I decided then and there I was going to talk to my mother. I had a feeling that was her plan anyway, she figured if she sent Rachel first I would confess if I was having sex. I decided I wasn't going to tell her about Rachel though. So I headed downstairs and found my mother in the living-room watching her television.
"So Rachel talked to me," I said as I sat down. "Why didn't you just ask me if I was having sex or not?"
"I didn't know if you'd tell me," my mother said. "It's just feeling I get that you are."
"I was going to talk to you," I answered. "I just didn't know when, but it was going to be this summer. I wanted to ask if I could get permission to go on the birth control potion."
My mother sighed. "I was going to suggest we put you on birth control anyway. I always said we would when you sixteen. I did with Jaime, although I don't believe she's had sex yet. If they have a potion for it though, I do want you on it. I know I can't tell you that you can't have sex, because you will anyway. I would feel better if you were on the potion. Is that something you take every day?"
"Once a month," I answered. "It's effective for a month, but you have to make sure you take it every month to the day. Also there is a spell you can use before you have sex, but a lot of people use condoms as well. Condoms used to just be for muggles, but witches and wizards started to realise that the spell wasn't always effective. Someone can pronounce it wrong or something. So muggleborns started to use condoms and other witches and wizards caught on. I think Ben said that they're even looking at making magical condoms."
"Are your friends having sex too then?" My mum asked.
I nodded and she shook her head. "You're all so young. I worry because one of Jaime's friends Renee is now pregnant and so is that girl down the street. What's her name? Madeline? The one who used to come over here all the time when you and Jaime were really little until she stopped hanging out with you."
"Yes Madeline," I said knowing exactly who she was talking about.
Madeline, my sister and me were very good friends when we were very little. I think my sister had been about five or six. We'd hung out even when my father was still alive. It was strange I never thought much about how our friendship had ended because it was the magic that had ended it. I'd had a temper-tantrum when she was over because she stole my red finger paint. Somehow, the paint managed to get all over her face even though I hadn't touched it. Obviously Madeline had been freaked out by it. I couldn't remember if she was older than me or the same age since she was home schooled. It had ended the friendship right then and there though. I suppose at the time since I was probably four or so, I hadn't given it much thought.
"Well she hasn't been out much, but I saw her recently and I believe she is just as pregnant as Rachel is," my mother answered. "So yes, if you have to have sex with that boy than I want you to take the potion and take the other precautions as well. I want you to finish school and have a decent job. Have you even decided what you want to do yet?"
I explained what Denver and me had talked about. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to, but I really hoped I could. I'd been thinking a lot about my childhood lately, and I didn't want other muggleborn children to go through what I had. If I could teach children from a young age, I would do it. The problem I ran into was that of course they aged. It wouldn't easy for me to teach children between the ages of four to eleven on my own. I would need more people to do it. It could take years. If I could though, I wanted to open a magical day school for all younger witches and wizards instead of just muggleborns. I wanted them to learn the basics that every child learned, but also to learn about Hogwarts as well. If kids could be prepped before they started Hogwarts, the transition might be easier for them.
"That actually sounds like a really good idea," my mother said. "It would have been easier for all of us if would have understood when you were younger. I'm sure a lot of parents would like that."
"I just have to talk to Professor Sprout first. I don't even know if it's possible or not, I hope it is. If not, maybe I could just be a daycare teacher. We have a careers consultant later in fifth year."
A few days later, I had the house to myself. I waved good-bye to my family and Pat as well. Once they were gone, I raced upstairs to get ready. Denver would be there at any moment, and so would Ellen and Stan. Ben and Michael had agreed to come for the weekend as well. My mum knew they were all coming over, even Denver. After our talk, she had been okay with him coming over which really surprised me. I expected a lecture about how I was fifteen and I shouldn't be inviting my boyfriend over when she was gone, but all she and my step-father told me was not to have a party. I assured her it was only them coming over, and no one else.
I had a quick shower and applied the waterproof makeup I'd bought from the Weasley's joke shop a year ago. I was getting low, so I would have to add it to my list of things to buy that year for school. As I was getting ready, Jaime surprisingly appeared at the bathroom door. I looked up in shock and nearly smudged it. It wouldn't have been a big deal since magical makeup instantly fixes itself.
"Jaime!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here," she said.
"I know, but I've barely seen you all summer. This is only the third time you've been home in over a month," I replied. "How do I look?"
"Fine," she answered. "Do you think you could buy me some more of that makeup? I have money if you can."
In the past I had bought Jaime witches makeup. It wasn't a big deal because no one would ever know it from muggle make up. The only difference was the application was always perfect. With muggle makeup you could make mistakes, but with the magical stuff you couldn't.
"Sure, I'll be in Diagon Alley the week after next. I am going to Ben's for a few days before we go back to school. I'll be back here before we go though. Ben is having a pool party, hey maybe he'll let you go there as well," I said.
"No, that's okay," she said. "Besides, I thought was baby-sitting for you after you leave."
"The pool party is on a Saturday. Anyway, why are you here? Mum and Terry went away camping for the weekend you know," I said.
"I know. I am not staying for too long. I am just picking up some clothes but I thought I would visit with you for a while too," she answered. "If you don't want to that's fine."
"Of course I want to," I said realizing I must have sounded rude. "I'm sorry, I was just surprised to see you. You're barely home anymore. When was the last time you actually spent a night here?"
Jaime shrugged. "I don't know. I just know mum is really disappointed with me and I am having a hard time finding a full time job. I know she wants me to either be working or going to school. So I just haven't been home much. School is just so hard, but I think I will go back this year."
"You really should," I said. "My friends will be later today. You should stay and hang out with us a bit. It will Ellen, Stan, Ben, Michael and Denver."
"Mum is letting you have Denver here with her gone?" Jaime asked with surprise. "That's definitely shocking. I suppose I can stay for a little bit."
"I think she figured I would just do it anyway," I said. "She said as long as I don't have a huge party they can stay over."
"Still, she's changed a lot," Jaime sighed. "I mean, she's never been strict but still."
I finished straightening my hair, and then turned to leave the bathroom.
"They should all be arriving any time," I informed her.
We headed down the steps and outside to the front porch. My friends would be taking the Knight Bus to get here. So I figured they would be all coming around the same time. I'd told them to have it drop them off in the parking lot behind the primary school if they could, it would be less noticeable since that area was surrounded by a lot of trees. No one would be there since it was summer.
"I can't believe Rachel is pregnant," I said to Jaime as we sat down on the porch and I told her all about her visit.
"Wait, you're having sex?" Jaime asked ignoring everything else I'd said. "Ashley, you're fifteen!"
"I'll be sixteen soon," I said.
"So, you're still young. You don't want to end up being a teen mum you know."
"So you haven't yet?" I asked feeling surprised since she was so beautiful.
"No, but I haven't found someone I want to with yet. I want to be sure, I don't want to end up pregnant like Renee or Kelly," Jaime said.
"We're always careful," I said. "And I will be going on the birth control potion when I go back to school."
"Well I hope so. I'm not going to lecture you though, but now I am surprised even more that mum is letting Denver come over. I'm surprised she didn't force you to go on the camping trip to be honest," she said.
"I am going back to school soon," I said. "I think she knows it would have caused a fight if she tried, and since you and her haven't gotten along lately I don't think she wanted to fight with me as well. And in any case, I explained to her all of the precautions we take. Maybe she thinks if the others are here nothing will happen. She and I had a long talk though."
"Well I plan to make it up with her. I just needed a summer away, and I should talk to Terry too. I hope he doesn't think it's him," Jaime replied. "He's really good for mum, and he's probably the only person who would be understanding about you. Not too many men would accept it I don't think."
"No he knows it's not him," I said. "And I know he's been wonderful. I am glad mum found him. At least she won't be lonely when we move out. We're barely around as it is."
I glanced down the street, and I could see my friends walked towards my house from a distance. They were all together carrying overnight bags over their shoulders. Ben and Ellen appeared to be arguing while Michael, Stan and Denver appeared to be in deep discussion. Jaime and I watched them until they were crossing our yard a few minutes later.
"Ooh are you hanging out with us too?" Ellen asked Jaime happily when she spotted her.
The two girls got along with each other really well. In the past, I used to feel some jealousy but now I knew that Ellen would always see me as her best friend first. In fact, she got along with all of my friends and I was glad about that considering how things were in my first and second year. Everything had been forgotten. Although Ben had gotten over Jaime years ago, I still couldn't help but watch his reactions to her when they saw each other. His face was expressionless when he saw her.
"For a little while," Jaime answered. "I am staying at a friend's place but I haven't seen much of Ashley this summer."
The weekend was off to a great start. Michael, Ben and Stan showed us how they had managed to get some alcohol and had brought it over. I reminded them that they had to make sure to have everything cleaned up before my parents got back. I wanted my mother to continue to trust me.
"There's a game that muggles sometimes play," Michael told me. "I don't know if you two have heard of it, but it's called: Never Have I Never, basically someone says: 'Never have I never, and they say something they've never done. If you have done it, you take a drink."
"I've played it," Jaime said.
"I've never heard of it," I said. "It sounds like fun though."
"I was telling everyone about it and I thought we could play it later," Michael said.
First we swam around the pool first, and then afterward when it started to get dark the seven of us sat around in a circle in the backyard. The boys had brought firewhiskey. I knew this was going to get us in trouble. Jaime had never tried it obviously but she assured us she'd drank whiskey and looking back I realized she was right.
"Remember when you got into Grandpa's whiskey?" I asked "You couldn't have been more than twelve! I can't believe you were drinking that young."
"Well remember I did hang out with older teenagers," she said. "But yes, I did start drinking at a young age."
"Ashley didn't start until a couple months ago," Michael said. "She's always been a buzzkill when it comes to drinking."
"Michael, don't start getting maggoty again," Ben said and he turned to Jaime. "We have to watch him when he starts to drink. Something about alcohol turns him into a prat."
"We will cut you off," Ellen said. "You can sit back and watch us drink."
Michael sighed. "Sorry."
"When did you drink?" Stan asked.
"Upstairs when I put my stuff in my room," he said.
"Anyway," I said feeling annoyed with him either way. "It was last year I started drinking. It was a couple months ago when I first got drunk."
"Remember you're a guest here," Jaime said. "I know my mum has said you can stay here anytime you want to. So remember that before you start insulting my sister. I remember she told me that two years ago you were being a prat. Don't start that again. If you can't handle your alcohol then you shouldn't be playing a drinking game."
"I am sorry," Michael said. "It's something I have to work on."
"That's for sure," Stan said. "I don't get why you were drinking already."
"I'll start," Ellen said. "Never have I ever failed a class."
Jaime was the only one to drink. We went around a few times where each of us had to have a drink eventually.
"Never have I ever had sex," Jaime said.
Every single one of except for her had to have a drink.
"Really?" She asked. "All of you have had sex already?"
"I'm surprised you haven't," Michael slurred. "You're so pretty." Jaime raised her eyebrows at him and Ben and I exchanged glances. "Alright so, Never have I ever had a one night stand!"
"Ben, Denver and I had to take a shot and Jaime stared at me in shock.
"Ashley! Who else have you had sex with besides Denver? I thought he was the only one."
"Jared," I admitted.
"And you two as well? You're all fifteen," Jaime said.
"Sixteen," Denver corrected.
"You know if you're wanting it the offer is open," Michael said to Jaime.
"I don't think so," Jaime said. "I think I've had enough with this game. Ashley, you and I are going to have a talk later. I am going to Krissy's now though. I hope all of you are careful."
She got up from her chair and headed inside. I didn't think she would, but I really hoped she wasn't going to tell my mother about Jared. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes and then I rounded on Michael.
"Did you really just hit on my sister?" I asked.
"What? She's hot! I'd have sex with her," he said. "I can't help that I am attracted to her, but not you. I still can't because she's your sister considering you're so ugly."
"Michael!" Ellen and Ben shouted at the same time.
"Oh come on, you know it's true," Michael said.
"You're lucky I can't hex you right now, otherwise I would," Denver said angrily. "You're cut off buddy."
"Michael, you're never going to be able to drink if you keep this up," I said. "Don't you remember what we told you on the train."
Michael sighed. "Sorry, I can't help it at times."
"You need to learn to help it," Stan said angrily. "We're just trying to have fun, and you're ruining it."
The game broke up shortly after that and we all went to bed. Stan and Ellen stayed downstairs while Michael and Ben took the spare room and Denver and I went to my room. It would be the first time we had ever stayed in the same bed overnight. I couldn't remember the last time I had actually shared a bed with someone.
Michael behaved for the rest of the weekend. He drank again Saturday night but he was very careful to keep his rude comments to himself. Sunday morning, I woke up early and began making everyone breakfast. My mother had taught me how to make bacon and eggs the year before. The smell of the food woke everyone up. Denver walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek.
"Good to know you can cook," he said.
I saw Ben scowl at him, and I had to wonder if the comment bothered him for some reason. After I served everyone breakfast, we all sat down at the kitchen table. We were all shocked as owls began flying through the open kitchen window. Of course we were all used to owls but not in my house.
"It's our Hogwarts letters," Stan said with surprise. "I guess they all knew we were here."
I opened my letter and felt some disappointment that I hadn't made prefect. I had really hoped all summer that I would be getting a badge. I glanced over at Ben who was examining a badge.
"I made prefect!" He said.
"Are you really surprised?" Ellen asked.
"I didn't," I said sadly.
"I did!" Denver said shocked as he looked over his own badge. "I thought for sure Morgan or even Howard would get it. I can't believe they picked me."
"I hope that doesn't mean Melanie is prefect," Stan said.
"That's going to be a nightmare if she does," Michael sighed. "I was really hoping you would be Ashley."
"Well maybe it's Sarah," Ellen said hopefully. "She would make a really good prefect, but I would take Erica, Anne or Jess too. I can't really see it being them though. I can't believe Professor Sprout didn't pick you, Ashley. You showed you were a prefect just by helping out the first years every year. What has Melanie done?"
"Sarah has good leadership too though," I said. "She's been nice to the first years too. It has to be her. It can't be Melanie. The only thing she has going for her is the fact that she has really good grades. I've had detentions, so maybe that's why."
Denver smiled. "Maybe I shouldn't have made you disarm Professor Fraymen in first year."
I sighed but I smiled at him. "Maybe it's for the best anyway. Fifth year is going to be so hard. Maybe Professor Sprout knew I'd struggle this year. So she didn't want to put that pressure on me."
Ellen let out a groan. "Thanks for reminding us. I'm really not looking forward to this. My parents expect me to get at least an A in every class, even if it's not my best."
"What are the OWL grades anyway?" Michael asked.
"O is Outstanding, E is Exceeds Expectations and A is Acceptable," Ben answered. "Those are the passing grades. P is Poor, D is Dreadful and T is Troll."
"I can't believe they really mark your grades with Troll," I said. "That seems really insulting. I bet I get that in Arithmancy."
"You won't get a Troll in any of your classes, that's only for the students who really don't try. I bet it's rare that people actually get that," Ben said.
"Maisie might get a Troll in her classes," Denver said. "That girl is dumb. I really can't figure out how she managed to get to fifth year. She's always the lowest in our year. I really can't see her passing her OWLs this year."
"I've got to try and get all O's at least," Ben said. "It is going to be rough."
After we ate breakfast, my friends began to leave. Denver outlasted everyone so that we could have some time alone but he left before my parents were due to come. I checked over the house to make sure everything was clean. My friends had helped me clean up, but I wanted to make sure that no alcohol bottles had been left behind. Thankfully we had done a good job.
The rest of the summer went by quickly. Soon I was at Ben's. We spent the time at his place preparing for the pool party. We went to Diagon Alley to get our school supplies the day before his party. That summer I had made a lot of money through baby-sitting, even if I had paid Dwayne part of my money. The parents had all been very generous to me. It also helped that my parents had given me some money as well. We really didn't need any new textbooks but I did need new school robes.
We also stopped by the joke shop. I was surprised to see that Ellen and Michael stocked up on the snackboxes again. They usually did every year, but I didn't think they would in fifth year. Ellen automatically snapped at us not to lecture her, and even Michael told us to mind our own business. I shook my head, but I didn't say anything. Instead, I went over to the WonderWitch products. I grabbed a bunch of the makeup and a pimple vanisher.
I found something called the Daydream Charm. It apparently gave you a very realistic daydream and I couldn't help but be curious. It said it wasn't sold to under sixteens but I would be sixteen in less than two weeks, so I grabbed it. I could only hope that the cashiers wouldn't question it too much. Another product caught my eye. Apparently you drank the potion and it would show you someone who was meant to be in your life. It didn't necessarily mean for love, but just for good friends. I thought it seemed neat as well, so I grabbed it too.
Ellen joined me moments later to stock up on stuff. She didn't seem to be in a very good mood at all.
"I am so sick of Ben," she said. "He'd better not get on my case too much this year."
"You know he is only concerned," I said.
"I don't care, I've had enough," she said. "I always manage to pass every year with average marks. I've never failed a class. So I want him to stop bugging me about it."
We joined the boys at the counter where Ron Weasley was checking them out. Michael appeared to be star struck. He was almost as fascinated with Ron as much as he was with Harry. He seemed lost for words when while he paid for his stuff.
"Are you sixteen?" Ron asked me as he glanced at the Daydream charm.
"I will be in two weeks," I said.
"I don't think I can sell this to you-" he began but George stepped in.
"It's fine Ron," George said. "It's on the house, Happy Birthday."
"Thanks!" I exclaimed.
"No problem, what year are you starting?" George asked me.
"Fifth year," I answered.
"Ah, good luck with that. Fifth year is one of the hardest years you have to go through," George answered. "I'm sure you'll be fine though."
"I've seen you from somewhere before," Ron said as stared at me. "Are you a regular here?"
"Just every summer," I answered even though Ron had never worked when I'd been there in the past. "But you met me when I was in my first year. You and your friends were going to see Hagrid."
Ron nodded, but I didn't think he really remembered. He just bagged my stuff and wished me a Happy Birthday as well, and then turned to Ellen who was next. Once she'd finished, we headed down to the ice cream shop before we headed back to Ben's.
The next day was Ben's pool party. He'd invited the majority of Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's, all of the Hufflepuff's except Melanie and Sarah, and some of the Slytherin's in our year. He'd also invited Rory, Alana, Derek and some of their friends, and other people in the other years he knew. Brianne had invited some of her friends, and Barry was visiting with Tasha and Nick. The house was full of teenagers, but Mr. and Mrs. Hoofer seemed very pleased about this.
We spent most of the day in the pool, but some of us hung out on the edge and some girls even lay down to get a tan. Some others had decided to start up a Quidditch game as well. I found myself with a group of girls from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I learned that Sarah had been made the girl prefect for Hufflepuff, which was a relief. Tara and Ted were the Ravenclaw prefects, Denver and Claire were the Slytherin prefects and Nicole and Darren were Gryffindor prefects. Of course Tara and Sarah weren't there, but they did talk to other people in their houses.
"Can I have everyone's attention please!" Ben called as he walked out onto his deck.
Following him was Barry who was levitating a huge cake that had two lit candles on it that were shaped as a one and six. I stared feeling shocked as Barry put the cake onto the patio table. I knew that the cake had to be for me.
"In a week or so it will be my best friend Ashley's birthday. So I decided to use this pool party to celebrate her birthday as well," he shouted. "She'll be sweet sixteen."
After his announcement, everyone started to sing Happy Birthday to me. I felt touched and overwhelmed and very surprised that he would actually do this for me. After they sang, I went over and blew out the candles.
"I can't believe this," I said.
"We planned this all along," Ben said as he nodded to Ellen, Michael and Denver.
"It was hard keeping it a surprise," Ellen added. "I almost told you a couple of times."
"I thought we should wait until we got back to school," Michael said with a wink. "We could party hard then."
"But I thought it would be better this way, so that the other people you knew outside of Hufflepuff could celebrate with you as well," Ben said.
"I appreciate it, thanks so much."
For the rest of the day, I had people wishing me a Happy Birthday. I had not suspected at all that Ben would decide to turn the pool party into my birthday party as well. It made me realize just how lucky I was. Ellen admitted to me later that she was jealous because her birthday had been at the beginning of August and he hadn't thought to at do a double birthday for us.
"This is why I still believe he secretly likes you," she said.
"We kind of celebrated it at my house," I said. We'd given her our presents the Saturday at my house. "But you'd even said you didn't want a party. If you'd wanted one, I would have done more for you. It's why I was glad my parents picked that weekend. It was kind of the reason I let you have Stan over."
"I know that," Ellen said. "But still, Ben didn't really acknowledge it. The gift he gave me was nice, but look at all this Ashley. He went to so much effort for you."
"Well it's convenient," I said. "Besides, I still think it's Lindsay who is the mysterious girl."
Everyone stayed until late into the evening. When they all left, it was just Ellen, Me and Michael. We went up to Ben's room to discuss everyone at the party. The three second years had seemed to have forgiven Michael because they'd spent the day following him around, and asking him questions. I'd barely even talked to them and they were my friends. They'd only talked to be long enough to wish me a Happy Birthday.
"I still can't believe you did that for me," I said. "Remember in our first year when you guys got that cake for me?"
"And we'd decided just to have the party for the three of us even though we gave all the Hufflepuff's cake," Ellen added.
"You were so shy then, there was no way I could have ever given you a huge party back then," Ben said smiling. "I thought about it though when we started to talk about the pool party. It's why I decided to have it now. The look on your face was funny."
"I came so close to telling you when I was at your house," Michael said. "By the way, I want to apologize again for that weekend. I really am going to be more careful when I drink. I'm just going to try and take it slowly instead of getting drunk fast."
"That's what we've been telling you since you started drinking," Ellen said. "I'm sure it will make a difference if you don't try and drink so fast. Just have a few drinks."
"Especially this year, I know you don't want a lecture but it is our fifth year, you have to be careful," Ben added. "You don't want to be too hung-over to study. You do want good marks to be an Auror."
"I know," Michael muttered.
Shortly afterward we went to bed, but I lay awake for a very long time after that. I had strange thoughts in my head that I was trying to push away because I was with Denver. I couldn't get Ben off my mind. I told myself that it was only because he'd thrown the party for me and not because I was falling for him. I couldn't be. There was no way he liked me, even Ellen insisted he might. I remembered back in first year when he would get angry if people mentioned us dating. Although we'd gotten really close over the years, it didn't mean he could change his mind. He only dated beautiful girls, not plain jane girls like me. I sighed as I rolled over feeling guilty because of Denver.
