Sirius and I had to split up for the rest of the day we were in Diagon Alley because Lily refused to hang out around James. I knew that she loved him but he was still too immature for her. So when I finally got her to agree to get ice cream with all of us I was happy. She sat across from James and I sat next to Sirius. Emma and Drew hadn't turned up yet. We all had a sundae, I loved the sundaes here, and they tasted so good.
"Ash, will you please pass me the sprinkles." Lily said pointing to the bottle of sprinkles next to James. They were all the way across the table and I would have to reach across the table for it.
"Ok… James can you pass the sprinkles?" I asked him. Instead of handing the sprinkles to me he handed them to Lily.
"Now look who is being immature." He said and he really started to act mature and that surprised me. Although I had managed to see a change in his attitude when we were living with him. Lily didn't look at him and I knew she was biting her lip so she wouldn't start fighting again.
"You're right. That was immature of me." Lily said and I looked at her with surprise. I couldn't believe that she was admitting that. A small spark of hope ignited within me, could it be that she would talk him about her feelings? But she never said anything else.
"So, does anyone know who the new DADA teacher is?" I asked. I had heard that Professor Flasick was going to follow his dream of becoming a singer. But with his monotone voice that was very unlikely.
"No one knows." James said talking again. We talked for the rest of the time about Quidditch. James was now the captain of the Gryffindor team. Samuels had asked me if I wanted to be Captain but I knew that James or Sirius deserved it more.
"So you already have your eye on a keeper?" I said giggling.
"Yeah, don't worry Drew is already on the team. We need him, badly. The Slytherin team just got a new chaser from that school in Belgium and rumor is he is great. Pro material." James said getting serious and then him and Sirius started to talk about the English team and how they messed up in the Quidditch finals. I pulled the stick of peppermint candy out of my sundae and I started to suck on it. I loved peppermint candy. Lily looked sour as she licked her spoon.
"Lily do you want to leave? I'll go with you." I said to her.
"No, I don't want to leave… actually my parents are going to pick me up in a few minutes I better get to the Leaky Cauldron." She said getting up.
"I'll go with you." I said jumping up.
"No, you stay here. I'll see you tomorrow morning though." She said leaving without saying good-bye to anyway else. I felt like a bad friend but I couldn't do anything she was already half way down the road toward the Leaky Cauldron.
"She'll be fine." Sirius said reassuring.
"Yeah I know." I said.
"Why does she hate me so much?" James asked.
"Because you're immature." I said. James opened his mouth and then closed it looking surprised while glancing back and forth between Sirius and me.
"Are you kidding me? I was being really mature today. I didn't even play that stupid game she was." He said. I knew he was right but I had to stay on Lily's side.
"you weren't immature today, but you went at it all wrong last year. And especially trying to black mail her into going out with you." I said. I knew it was blackmail but I couldn't think of the actual word that would describe it.
"I was just trying to be funny. I like her a lot. I don't know what it is, she just… she's amazing. And I can't help but show off for her or in front of her." He said.
"Tone it down. Don't show off in front of her. Its not attractive." I said.
"What attracted you to me?" Sirius asked. I had to think about the first time I was attracted to him.
"It was that fact that I couldn't have you… that Amber had her claws in you." I said.
"Did you even like me?" He asked. I pretended to think really hard and he started to tickle me.
"Honestly? I was just attracted to you and then I got to actually know you and I started to like you." I told him. He pretended to look offended and then he kissed the tip of my nose.
"Well I was attracted to you from the second I saw you… no joke. When I first laid eyes on you I knew that I had to get to know you more." He said.
"Please Padfoot you know it was more like I cant wait to snog with this girl." Remus said who had just entered the scene.
"REMUS!" I said giving him a hug. We had been writing to each other all summer. He knew everything about me, even the fight Sirius and I had had. But he didn't have time to Owl me to give me some advice.
"Moony! Old pal" James said giving him a one armed manly hug. Sirius gave him a hug too and we sat back down.
"Here, have the rest of mine." I said giving him my sundae but taking my peppermint stick. He raised his eyebrow at me when he saw Sirius put his arm around me. I just rolled my eyes and smiled.
"So I see there is no longer trouble in paradise." Remus said and Sirius looked at me straight away.
"You told him?" He sounded a little peeved.
"Well, yeah, I asked his advice, I mean he does know you." I said giving him a sweet innocent look.
"I still can't believe you told one of my best mates." Sirius said taking my peppermint stick.
"Hey! Give that back!" I said yanking it out of his mouth and I put it in mine. He bite off the other end.
"You git, you suck." I said putting the rest in my mouth. We talked and laughed and just sat there until Drew and Emma came and then it was time to leave and go pack.
On the train Remus and Lily had to sit with the other Prefects. I sat in the compartment with Sirius, James and Peter. Drew had gone with Emma to the compartment where all her friends were. I think she has him wrapped around her little finger. I yawned and placed my head on Sirius' shoulder, I was so tired. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night. After a while I felt myself drift to sleep.
"Ashleigh, you have to believe me… I didn't want it to end this way…" the voice of a girl said.
"You WILL obey me!" A separate voice that sounded so evil and made me shiver spoke this time.
"Ash! NO!" I recognized this voice, it was Sirius'.
"Please… don't do anything…. I'll do whatever." I heard my own voice say.
"Of course you will." I heard before I felt the most excruciating pain in my life. I was screaming because it was so painful.
Sirius who was looking at me with worry in his eyes shook me awake. I was sweating and I was panting hard. I didn't know what that was and what had happened but my bones were still shaking from the pain I had felt in my dream.
"Are you ok?" He asked touching my arm. I looked around to see James and Peter looking a little scared. And my head was pounding and I felt like I wanted to throw up. What had happened? Who was that and why was I mixed up in that situation. It had to have been Voldermort, I realized after a while.
"Ash?" Sirius said when I didn't answer him. I nodded really quick and got up. I needed to go to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. Take some aspirin or something. I shakily got up and left the compartment. Sirius followed me.
"Ash? Hey what's wrong?" He asked.
"I just got a head ache. I need to go to a bathroom." I said looking around me, I couldn't remember where the bathroom was. Sirius pointed to a sign down the hall. I waved thanks and walked toward it. No one was in the bathroom. I went to the sink and splashed water on my face. I didn't see anything in my dream, it was blackness and I could hear everything. The girls voice sounded very familiar but I couldn't place it. Was it someone from Hogwarts? My thoughts were interrupted when a few girls entered the bathroom. One of them was Bellatrix. I was not in the mood to deal with her right now. I made a move to leave but she jumped in front of me.
"Awww, is the little blood traitor scared?" She said in a baby voice.
"I am not in the mood to deal with you now. Get the fuck out of my face." I didn't usually resort to swear words but I wanted to make an impression on her.
"Or what?" She said in a menacing tone.
"Or I will hex you into the next generation. I hate you and you hate me… lets leave each other alone. You don't want to mess with me. Now MOVE!" I said through gritted teeth.
"Make me." She said with a smile on her face. I pushed her out of the way and went past her. I was halfway down the isle when I heard her say a jinx. I turned and I froze everything around me. A jet of magic was an inch from my nose. Thank god I had quick reflexes. I jumped to the ground and I unfroze everything, the jet kept going until it hit Malfoy square in the chest. He grunted and doubled over sprouting boils all over his hands and face. I got up and escaped into the compartment where the guys were.
"What's going on out there?" Peter asked eagerly looking out the window. There was an all out war between Malfoy and Bellatrix now. I snickered when I saw the jets of light pass our door over and over.
"What did you do?" James asked looking at the victims.
"Bellatrix challenged me, but it…. It hit Malfoy instead…" I said laughing all out now. Sirius looked to see if it was true and he started to laugh with James.
"How did you get the war to go between Bellatrix and Malfoy?" I wanted to tell them that I had used my special powers but I didn't want Peter to know about them.
"I, uh… I ducked just in TIME to miss the jet and it hit Malfoy, I was lucky too because it was a hex to cause boils pop up all over. That would be real attractive…huh?" I said. Sirius and James knew what I was talking about when I emphasized on the word time.
"Knock that off right now!" I heard Lily's voice and we stopped laughing. Then we heard her yell in pain and James ran out there in the crossfire to see her. We went out there too, by this time the Head Boy and Head Girl had everything under control.
"Lily? Lily… wake up… please… oh God, I can't lose you Lil. I love you and I promise I will be there for you all the time and I wont play any more pranks on the Slytherins if you don't want me too. I promise, just wake up." I heard James say. Then I saw Lily open her eyes and she was smiling and blushing.
"You just heard all that?" He said and now he looked embarrassed. I bit my lip from laughing. Sirius steered Peter and me back into the compartment to give them privacy. But I wanted to make sure that Lily didn't screw it up this time.