Harry walked into Franklin's office expecting to see the new professor. Instead, he found Lily Evans sitting at one of the chairs before Franklin's desk. When she turned and saw him, Harry tried to speak but all that came out was, "Uh... um..."
Lily sat still in her seat unsure of what to do. She had not expected Franklin to make them meet so soon. Neither had Franklin given her any kind of warning. "Hello, Harry," was all she could say.
"Hello, Professor Evans," Harry responded. It felt weird saying it just then even though Harry had addressed Lily like that over the course of five years in her potions class. "Um... Is Professor Prince here?" He asked uncomfortably which Lily could see.
Lily, too, was uncomfortable with this situation. Nervous as well. The fifteen year old boy who stood before her was her son that she had never spoken to since her divorce with James shortly after Harry's birth. James remarried a year later and had several more children, but Harry was her son. "Well, he isn't here at the moment. I'm not sure where he is."
"Uh... well I'm suppose to have detention with him..." Harry responded as he took a seat next to Lily. He knew she was his mother. Harry's father, James, had always told him so, although they had opted to keep that fact between their own family. Sirius Black, his godfather, knew, but not many others did.
Suddenly, a flash sparked on the desk and a piece of paper fell. They turned to look at the paper and read, "Please forgive me. An urgent matter with Asher came up so I will not be able to have a chat with you before Harry came for detention. And as for the matter of detention, Harry, you will be assigned to help Professor Evans for the rest of the day. I'm sure she won't mind an extra hand."
"Um... so..." Harry began, breaking a long silence.
"Right," Lily said as she put down the note. "Well, since Professor Prince assigned you as my helping hand, we could start with putting away the potion ingredients left in the dungeons by my last class..."
"Sure..." Harry agreed. It was not that he did not want to go with his mother, it was... Harry could not figure out what was causing him to be so nervous. He always wanted to speak to his mother, but their time apart had made an invisible barrier between them.
Lily was nervous as well. She nearly fell over when she stood up from her seat. Luckily Harry had not seen her stumble back down into the chair. Then she stood up again and this time her legs were not as shaky. Together, they left Franklin's office and headed to the Dungeon.
In the shadows around the corner, Franklin peaked his head around to see Lily walk off with her son. "You are one slick bastard, you know that?" a voice said from behind. Franklin smiled knowing full well who the voice belonged to. "I've been blowing my brains apart trying to figure out a way to get those two together for the better part of the last five years and you did it in less than a day!"
"Comes with practice," Franklin replied as he followed the pair of mother and son down just to make sure things did not go sour. "Coming, Sirius?"
"Well, I've got nothing else to do," Sirius replied as he followed Franklin down to the Dungeon. When they reached the dungeon, the two stood near the door to eavesdrop onto the ongoing conversation. "It seems they are finally talking," Sirius noted quietly.
"Yeah, but they're still uncomfortable. Still talking about class."
"Well, you can't expect too much in the first meeting."
"I am hoping to get them a bit more comfortable," Franklin told Sirius. However, this was the first meeting. At least things did not go sour. "I don't suppose you can watch over the pair, can you? I have a little surprise for my younger son."
"Sure. It's not like I have anything better to do at the moment," Sirius replied, agreeing to Franklin's request. And then Franklin was off to lay one hell of a surprise on Asher, the Prince of Mischief.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Asher screamed as he read a piece of paper his adoptive father had passed to him. "This can't be right, old man! Why am I repeating my fifth year when Ben gets an apprenticeship for Dueling?!" Asher asked as he shock the piece of paper at Franklin.
"Well, you don't have the qualifications to work at the Ministry or can I have you running around in the outside world alone. Who knows what kind of chaos you would cause." Franklin said with a straight face. It had taken much practice to not laugh at Asher. He almost burst out during Asher's initial reaction. It felt good to get back at the Prince of Mischief. "And you are not repeating. You are starting at your fifth year, which means you will have Owls to take and pass." Asher groaned to this knowledge. Of course, no one at Hogwarts with the exception of Franklin, Benicio and Skylar knew about Asher's first Owls.
"Wait, have I been sorted yet?" Asher asked with renewed life. Franklin slapped his hand onto his face. How could he have forgotten about the sorting? Placing Asher into Slytherin would have even furthered Asher's misery, but it seems this flaw was one that would cost Franklin a quite supper tonight.
"Unfortunately, you have not been sorted," Franklin responded, but Asher was jumping and howling before Franklin got past the first word.
Asher charged down the hall, carefully dodging every student that walked by. He was head directly to the old lion's office to retrieve the sorting hat. Boy would he make Franklin pay for forgetting to presort Asher. But when he reached the end of the hall, a giant black sword stopped him. "Sorry, Ben! Kinda in a hurry!"
Benicio walked out from around the corner and tossed Asher a bag and stack of books. "Well, whatever has got you in a hurry can wait. Hermione left this behind after a row with Draco."
Asher caught it quickly and his excitement faded. "Did you hear the exchange?"
"No. Sky and I got there just as she took off in tears," his brother replied as he sheathed his sword and sent it back to his room. "I sent Sky to talk with Hermione. I think things have calmed down, but return her stuff before the pranking quintets come about."
Without another word, Asher dashed off in search of Hermione. He found her sitting alone by the lake. "Hey," he greeted as he sat down beside her. "Here's your stuff you dropped earlier."
"Thanks," Hermione said as she took her belongings back from Asher. "Asher, why is it that you smile all the time?"
"Because it's better than a frown," Asher replied jokingly which Hermione chuckled to.
"I wish my life could be as happy as yours."
Asher looked at Hermione as she stared off towards the lake with her deep brown eyes. "My life wasn't always this happy. I had my sad times too, but my friends helped me stand up. They showed me happiness can come in the darkest hours of your life. They taught me to smile every chance I can."
"Asher, am I your friend?"
"Of course," Asher responded with a smile. "You were my friend from the moment I met you at Hog's Head."
"Thank you, Asher," Hermione said as she leaned her head against Asher's shoulder.
"There's no need to thank me for anything," Asher said as he brushed his hand against her hair. "This is what friends do for each other." Asher looked out towards the lake and saw two figures flying. "Have you ever flown on the back of a Hippogriff." Asher asked out of the blue.
Hermione looked up as saw a grin across Asher's face. It made her wonder what he was up to, so she answered, "No. They're dangerous creatures."
"Actually, they are just misunderstood," Asher quoted Hagrid's saying from his world. He then let out a cry which called both of the figures across the lack over. Two creatures with a head of an eagle, body of a horse, taloned feet and great feather wings landed before Asher and Hermione. As Asher stood, Hermione gripped his arm tightly and hid behind him afraid of the great creatures. "Hippogriffs are proud creatures and the slightest movement can anger them. But if you bow your head down low," Asher said as he lowered his head down. Hermione did the same fearing the creatures would attack if she did not. "And wait until they acknowledged you," Asher continued before the Hippogriffs bowed down as well, "then they will let you pet them."
Asher walked forward with a very scared Hermione at his side. He had done this once before. The entire class had volunteered Asher by stepping back in unison making Hagrid believe he had stepped forward. It was not bad after the Hippogriff acknowledged you. Asher petted one of the Hippogriffs with his free hand. "Don't be scared, Hermione. It won't bite." Asher pulled Hermione up next to the Hippogriff and pulled up one of her arms to make her pet it. After a few strokes, Hermione's fear subsided a bit, but she was beginning to feel comfortable around the great creatures.
"I told you it won't bite! Right Buckbeak?" Asher said to the Hippogriff they were petting.
"Buckbeak?" Hermione asked turning to look at Asher.
"Yeah, Buckbeak. I just named him. The girl to the left is Witherwings!" Asher said with a grin. These had been the names of a Hippogriff Asher and Skylar had rescued in their third year back in their world and time. "Hop on, Buckbeak will let us ride!" Asher said as the Hippogriff lowered to let Asher and Hermione mount it's back. Hermione looked at Asher skeptically wondering if the great creatures would let them on.
When Asher noticed the doubt in Hermione's eyes, he pulled her close and mounted the Hippogriff with her in his arms. "Do you trust me?" He asked.
"Yes!" Hermione shouted with her eyes shut.
"Here we go!" Asher said as he patted the Hippogriff on its neck signaling it to fly. And up they flew. "Open your eyes Hermione! I won't drop you!" Asher shouted as they flew over the lake. It took him a few tried before Hermione finally agreed to open her eyes. When she did, she never let it close; not even to blink. "This is the beauty of flying!" Asher shouted as they crossed the lake and flew above the forest on Buckbeak's back. Witherwings was not far behind them as they circled back to pick up Hermione's bag and books before heading over to Hogwarts.