It's the end of February now, and the Quidditch match season resuming again. Ashika enjoyed watch the Quidditch match but not very enthusiastic like the others, she doesn't care much about the sport. Ashika will be alone for a while too because Damien will go to watch the Quidditch match. He actually like Quidditch but seems doesn't want to play because his brother also play it. Plus it's the match between Slytherin vs Ravenclaw.
Also the Quidditch match day meaning is the day that Ashika will sneak in to Room of Requirement.
She went to there before, filtering through the piles of junk, collecting small fortune of coins and nice pile of jewels and hide it to her trunk. There were so many books. From useless books to ancient books about spells, curses, runes and battles. Some were even banned and illegal, tossed in the room by students escaping the punishment. There were even a few that looked like they might have belonged in a family library. But Ashika didn't dared to touch it.
Right now she bring dragonhide gloves, her christmas gift from Damien, to handled those books. Wouldn't want to get cursed by some of the purebloods through their books against people like her.
It was when she arrived in seventh floor near the grand staircase, near the Gryffindor Tower location, when she saw Sirius Black talking to Catreus Wilkes.
It is not weird to see Slytherins students interact with other dark pureblood students from another houses.
But it is weird to see Sirius Black, yes a pureblood from dark family, who disagreed in blood purity unlike most of Slytherins interact with Slytherin student. Not sneering or insults. But they seems to have a civil conversation.
It is so weird and Ashika do not like it.
Not that she dislike the infamous marauders, she never have conversations with them, perhaps they didn't even know about her or her name. She's Slytherin, but they're never pranking her before, most of their pranks target goes to Snape, and Ashika herself don't even try to talk to Snape. He also seems never bothered tried to talk to her, what will they talking about anyway? They're not in friendly terms neither in hostile to each other.
Ashika do not like it because it's Catreus Wilkes. He's quiet and soft spoken boy, Ashika never saw he talking to other peoples other than Rookwood, his friend. She can't even remember how his voice sound like. And why did Black and Wilkes talking civilly?
Are they friends?
Then she saw it in the behind large suit of armour. She saw James Potter and Peter Pettigrew who bring small cauldron of something.
James Potter levitate the cauldron using the levitation spell. He levitate it and move it towards Catreus Wilkes.
Oh boy, they're planning to pranking the quiet boy Wilkes.
Should she help him?
Pettigrew saw her and then whispered to Potter as he pointed his finger to her direction. Potter muttered something but still determined to levitate the cauldron.
Damn.
Damn, she should just leave and ignore them.
No.
Wilkes can repay her back for helping him.
Instead throwing curses to Potter and Pettigrew, she levitate Black quickly using the same spell until he collided with the cauldron. It's cauldron of stinksap, all of green fluid cover up Black from head to toes.
"EW!"
And the smells is like rancid manure.
"What in the name of Merlin, James!" Black cried, trying to vanish the green fluid from his body.
Potter freezes and Pettigrew seems panicked.
"Come Wilkes," Ashika running to him and pulled his hand.
"What is going on here?"
Ashika let out some curses in Japanese under her breath.
It's the Head of Hufflepuff house, Proffesor Sprout.
Potter opened his mouth and answered. "That little slimy sna-"
Ashika cut him quickly. "The Gryffindors wanted to pranking Catreus Wilkes here, they wanted to threw the stinksap on him, probably they got it from herbology green house, Proffesor."
Potter protesting. "But-!"
"Is that true Mr. Pettigrew?"
"Um...ah y-yeah we-we planning to prank-"
"See Proffesor?" Ashika cut him before he explain more.
"I mean that's true we are planning to pranking him but that girly slimy snake levitate Sirius to collide with the cauldron!" Potter says with loud quavering voice.
Ashika want to glared at him but she remains to trying to act pensive and guilty. "I admit I want levitate the cauldron Proffesor, I just want to levitate it to take control of Potter so he can't drop it to my friend!" Ashika sniffle pitifully, bring her hand to cover up her mouth, to cover up her laughter. Potter gaped at her, Pettigrew seems confused, Black busy with the green fluid, and Ashika can see Wilkes radiate in amusement.
Ashika paused to sniffle again and then continue, "but I accidentally levitate Black because he was so close to it. I just want to save my dear friend, Proffesor!"
Sprout give her and Wilkes pitiful glances, then asked. "Is that true they're planning to attack you Mr. Wilkes?"
Wilkes grimaced slightly. Uncomfortable when the attentions turn to him.
"Yes Proffesor," he answered quietly.
Sprout seems to believe him and then turn to the marauders. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Pettigrew, and Mr. Black, detention with me for a week, and another week with Proffesor McGonagall."
Potter and Pettigrew seems want to protest but Sprout's glares shut them up.
"I got detention too Professor?" Black cried. "But I'm the victim!"
"And you three are planning to attack Mr. Wilkes here and stolen my stinksap from the green house. So yes Mr. Black, no exception," Sprout says strictly then waved her wand to clean up Black.
"I will report this to Proffesor McGonagall and 20 points from Gryffindor. I recommend to take a bath at least ninety minutes to remove the stench, Mr. Black."
And then Sprout leaving.
"You lie to her! You're clearly levitate Sirius!" Potter glowered, his fists clenched and glared at her.
Ashika just raised her eyebrow. "Yes obviously Potter, because I'm a Hufflepuff," She says sarcastically.
Black groaned. "Ugh slimy snake! Next time we will got you instead!"
"Sure sure I will make sure I'm prepared for your silly pranks," Ashika drawled and waved her hand.
"Come on Sirius, Peter! We will late for the Quidditch match!"
"But I'm stink James!"
The three Gryffindor finally left.
Ashika sighed. She just want to have normal school life. This is the first time she had interactions with the most canon characters. And that's make her tired already.
"Thank you for saving me," Wilkes said softly. "I will repay you next time."
Ashika glanced at Wilkes. The brunette boy seems so uncomfortable.
Ashika nodded. "No problem. Are you okay?"
Wilkes blinked. "Yes I'm fine."
"Oh. Okay," Ashika said and waved her hand. "See you then."
Then Ashika walking away and turn to the left corridor. Aware that Wilkes still standing there, watching her back.
Author's Note :
Here's The Marauders minus Lupin haha! Noooo I'm not trying to bash them okay? I actually don't like bashing a character. Ashika is a Slytherin student, that's why they're quite aggressive toward her. I promise they're actually just like in the canon!