Ch. 4 - Tell Me The Truth
Sleep tended to evade Lily that night. So much, actually, that when the first rays of the suns light poured through the window in the sixth years Gryffindor girls dormitory, she was almost instantly awakened. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed and sitting up, she was able to see that everyone other then Ashlyn had woken up by now and left with their curtains open and tied back. Ashlyn on the other hand was sitting up, dressed in a gray running tank and matching gray sweats. These, too, had a tall yet slender pocket on the outside of her right thigh. Her hair was pulled back into a low lose ponytail that hug over her shoulder as she looked on in Lily's direction.
Waving in acknowledgement, Lily stood and began to ready herself for her first day back, which just happened to be a Saturday. She grabbed a stack of clothes and such out of her trunk before walking straight into the bathroom. She returned about fifteen minutes later to see Ashlyn standing in front of a floor length mirror completely changed out of her sweats into a whole knew outfit. She now wore a pair of white slacks and a soft navy blue hoodie, with her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. The end of her dark colored redwood wand sticking out of the pocket that Lily had now assumed was on every pair of slacks she owned. She was just finishing up attaching the leather belt that held her sword and its sheath around her waist when Lily noticed.
"Leave it." She said.
"What? I can't just leave it. This is a family air loom." Ashlyn said as if Lily were crazy.
Lily looked around and spotted the window seat. Pointing over to it she spoke up. "Leave it in there, behind the loose panel."
Ashlyn froze in shock as she stared long and hard at Lily. After a minute she raced over a knelt in front of the center panel. She lightly pressed on it before pulling at the corners where a small dent was, and the panel popped right out. She lightly set her sword inside of it, laying it sideways, before sticking her head inside and peering around. Inside this opening was a long thin yet soft cushion along the ground, with an assortment of various ingredients, spices, herbs and powders. All of these had been placed in all sorts of separate wooden racks and different shapes of bottles. Ashlyn began tearing through them. She tossed bottle after bottle past her or even over her head into the air or across the ground. Lily raced frantically around the room chasing down the majority of the bottles, trying to catch the airborne ones before they crashed into the hard wooden floor and smashed. As the seconds passed, Ashlyn's franticness increased and she began to search quicker and quicker through the stash of hidden items. Then, suddenly, she stopped and bolted to a standing position. Lily quickly shoved what surviving bottles there were back into the space before turning to find Ashlyn practically breathing down her neck, causing her to jump.
"How did you know that was there, Lily?" she asked quickly yet clearly.
Lily froze for a second at the tone in Ashlyn's voice. "I - that is to say - Bailey and I found it near the end of last year. I was leaning against the panel and it sot of fell through backwards and I went with it. We just found a bunch of stuff, that's all."
"Lily, where is the book?" Ashlyn asked, sounding somewhat dangerous.
"Book?" Lily asked sounding bewildered.
"DAMNIT LILY!" she shouted, before lowering her voice again. "I. Want. My. Book." She growled.
Just then the door opened and Bailey stood there with a confused expression. "Am I. interrupting anything? We came into the Common Room after breakfast, only to hear someone shout."
Ashlyn quickly rounded on Bailey. "Where is my book?"
Shooting a questioning glance at Lily, she reached behind her back towards her trunk which happened to be awfully close and pulled out the large, dark, leather-bound photo album book that she and Lily had found the year before. "Here." Se said, before turning to face Lily. "How did she find out we knew?"
Lily sighed and pointed at the open space and wooden panel lying on the floor. Bailey shook her head and flopped on her bed. Both girls turned to look at Ashlyn to find her looking slightly pale as she flipped through the pages. Repeatedly going back over some. Finally she looked up, though reluctantly, to meet her friends' gazes.
She sighed. "So I suppose this where I explain my self then."
Lily wanted to listen, she really did, but something inside told her not too. Something that felt as though it was eating at her very soul and mind. "No." Lily whispered.
"What?" Bailey asked.
"You don't want me to explain?" Ashlyn said, sounding horridly confused and distraught.
Lily swallowed. "Ashlyn, just pack up and go. You can't stay here. For your safety, but mostly for everyone else's."
"What are you on about?" Ashlyn asked. "What is so dangerous?"
"Don't play dumb with me Ashlyn!" Lily shouted.
"I'm not, Lil!" Ashlyn shouted back. "What the bloody hell, are you on about?"
"YOU!" Lily shouted. "You're the danger. To Bailey and I. To James and Remus. To Willow and the staff. To the whole of Hogwarts!"
Bailey looked confused. "Lily, what are you talking about? How could Ashlyn- "
"You didn't read everything I read. A few measly pictures and a family tree with her name nowhere on it and you were done. You'd had enough, Bailey, but I hadn't, and so I read more and more. I leafed through it night and day every chance I got until I'd read it front to back nearly four times. I though that maybe, just maybe I would be able to learn enough to find her, to find a way to bring her back to school and know she was all right." At this, Lily stopped and turned to face Ashlyn. "To find you. To make sure you, as my best friend, were okay."
"No." Ashlyn whispered. "No, that's not it. It's not just the fact that I left and you were worried about me. That wouldn't make you consider me a threat. It's the stories, isn't it?"
Lily looked up sharply. "Stories? STORIES! What 'stories'?" she asked. "You mean. do you mean the facts? Because for five months I looked up information on your family and did you know that you yourself are mentioned in two of them?"
"No she wasn't." Bailey said. "I searched with you. No where did they mention Ashlyn."
"Oh well of course not!" Lily exclaimed swing her arms up into the air. "And do you know why, Bailey? Do you know?"
Ashlyn looked near to a nervous breakdown. "Please Lily, don't. Please."
"Come on Lily. calm down. You're only making partial sense. Two of them what? You meant books, right?" Bailey asked.
Stopping for a sec, Lily took time to remember what she had meant. It only took her a few moments. "Yes, books; Two of the library books. There's actually a whole book on her and her family and the things that they're known for."
"Lily." Ashlyn warned.
Lily ignored her in return while walking backwards around the room and waving her arms to express herself at times. "All of those special talents. All of the gifts that her family holds in their blood."
"Ashlyn, what is she talking about?" Bailey asked.
"Oh come now Bailey!" Lily exclaimed. "Don't tell me you never even took a peek at the bottles in there; that you didn't notice the initials on the sword; that you didn't notice even the smallest resemblance between Ashlyn and Lu-"
"LILY! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Ashlyn yelled, yet she felt horrid afterwards. "I'm sorry, but I want you to. no, you need to stop filling her head with all these lies."
Lily felt as if her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Lies?"
Bailey held her now aching head in frustration. She opened her mouth to speak but the other two cut her off.
"NOT! NOW!" they both yelled in unison.
"I am Ashlyn Kateri Sephre, period, end of discussion." Ashlyn said coldly.
"You may be Ashlyn by common Knowledge and acknowledgement. but you and I both know you are and always will be by blood and heritage." Lily said, before sitting down crossed legged on the floor.
Ashlyn followed suit so that the girls' backs were facing each other's, and the two remained in silence. Finally after a near hour of silence, Bailey's headache had disappeared and she was beginning to get sick of the quiet. She stood up and immediately spoke her mind, which by now, was filled with quite a bit of anger.
"I have no idea what the two of you are on about, but I am not going to just disown either of you because of a problem. Now get up and straighten out this argument." She waited and neither girl moved. "NOW!"
"Well if she'd just accept the truth of it all." Ashlyn muttered. Unfortunately though, Lily heard.
"I have accepted the truth, and it isn't any good." Lily muttered rather loudly.
"Alright. Common Room. NOW!" Ashlyn yelled, before pulling Lily up with herself and shoving her down into the Common Room.
Lily went reluctantly, and felt Ashlyn push her down onto the nearest sofa. Ashlyn then moved over to the boys' dormitory staircase and pulled her wand out of the side pocket on her pants, pointing up the stairs. "Arceo." She said clearly. Lily watched as a thin wisp of silver smoke protruded from the end of her wand and floated quickly up the stairs. She repeated this six more times before walking back over to Lily.
"Just stay here. Okay?" she asked.
Lily sighed. "Fine, but where has Bailey gone off to?"
Ashlyn looked up and groaned. She then walked over to the girls' dormitory stairs and looked up them. "Bailey Marie Jordan! Hurry up and get down here! What are you doing anyway?"
"Just a second, Ashlyn!" Lily heard Bailey yell back. "Sheesh! Can't a girl take her time?"
"NO!" Lily and Ashlyn yelled.
"Alright! Alright!" she replied as she came running into the room with a rather bulky pillowcase. "You'd think this was actually important." She said as she rolled her eyes at the two girls.
"But that's just it Bailey." Ashlyn said in a sweet voice. Next second though, her eyes and voice were dark. "It is important."
Bailey dismissed the part about it being important with a wave of her hand before she replied. "Well anyways, get on with that fight of yours. I just have a few things to do while I listen in."
Lily was personally getting tired of all this. Ashlyn didn't get it and apparently neither had Bailey. She simply just stood up and proceeded to walk over to the portrait hole. Unfortunately though, Ashlyn beat her there and shoved her back. She then went and prepared the same spell seven times at the foot of the girls' dormitory stairs, before walking over to Lily and sitting down in the couch across from her.
"Could you just hear me out? Please?" Ashlyn asked.
Lily sighed. "I owe you that much."
Lily was surprised by the look of seriousness on Ashlyn's face. "Okay." She exhaled a large breath. "Okay. Now nod if you understand not to interrupt me, because once I get going it'll be easier not to stop."
Lily simply nodded and Ashlyn opened her mouth to begin.
Bailey stood. "Oh, could you hold that thought for one sec? I'll be right back." She said. She then walked out the portrait hole, shutting it with a quiet slam. After a good ten minutes, she returned and sat on the floor again. Ashlyn looked at her with a raised eyebrow when she turned around. "What? Oh! Go on, continue." She said with a wave of her hand.
"Okay, it all started like this." Ashlyn's voice filled with bitterness immediately and her face darkened. "My bother, Cash, he died when I was five. He was only seven at the time actually. He was kidnapped, we don't know why, but he was found dead two weeks later outside of our village in the early morning. He had been killed that night after two weeks of torture and his body had the scars to show. Then two weeks later a strange man entered to village. He had black hair and deep blue eyes like the sea that was to the north of our village, which I often visited on my own time. I remember him so well. He strode in so tall and proud. My people seemed afraid. They refused to leave their homes until my father, head of the clan, saw and spoke to him. The only problem was that my father wasn't due to return for another three days from the trip he had left on, so I went out. My mother never noticed. She was still grieving for Cash. You could say that she picked up my slack I guess. I never cried for him those days, no, it wasn't for years after that until I finally grieved. Even if I never cried it doesn't mean I couldn't grieve, and so I did. Never mind that though, you'll be more interested in the man.
"I went outside. With my father gone, it left me in charge, and I hated it. I was afraid of this man. He was so different from all of us. He wore robes while we wore smaller more revealing clothing. Or at least the majority of us all did. My cousin Maura especially, but she's not important till later. And so as I said, I was afraid. Here I am, five years of age, with my seven- year-old brother dead, left in charge when a strange man suddenly walks into our village. Our village being a place that is supposed to be hidden from all outside the clan. Yet I alone approached him. I asked him who he was and why he had come. His exact reply was 'I am Harold James Potter. A friend to a man named Xander MacLinthraul. Would you happen to know him, little one?' I laughed on the inside. Know him? Oh I knew him all right. This man knew nothing. He was a fool to have come there, and with what? A stick. A stupid, thin, wooden stick. At least that's what I thought then."
Lily waited as she trailed off and pulled out her own wand, rolling it across her palms and frowning all the while. An emotion filled her eyes that Lily couldn't quite figure out. She didn't push Ashlyn into continuing though, she knew she would continue in time, and so she did only mere moments later.
"Then I beckoned the man, this Harold Potter to come forward. He did so and knelt before me. After a few moments of silence, he laughed a hearty laugh and ruffled my hair. He smiled at me and began to speak again.
"'So what's your name, little one? Where are your mummy and daddy? Your siblings?' he asked.
"'Lunaya' I replied. 'My mother is home, still grieving the death of my older brother, whom was murdered on the night of the previous moon. My father, leader of this clan and the village, has gone on a trip and is due to return in three days time. I have been left as leader of our clan until his return incase a situation such as this were to occur. Any more questions, Sir?'
"The man couldn't believe I was so literate. I was only five after all. Yet, all shock ends eventually and his did only after a mere few moments. He looked down on me and asked if I was the daughter of Xander. I answered in the positive feeling proud, no longer scared of this man. He had done no harm to me so far and he was a good man as far as I could tell. From there it went on. Mr. Potter became the father I hardly ever had, and James became the only other child I ever saw other then my family, and even them I couldn't associate with. It was a known fear, that because I was so young, if I took my mind off the task of leading my people when Xander wasn't around I could easily lose interest or something of the sort. Xander was always away doing one thing or another, leaving me to run our home and our people. Me, a five year-old-girl, was left to take care of everyone and everything. I had never learned how. That was what my brother had been taught. Not me. Yet I did it. I managed. Xander stopped in every so often during the years to check up on me. To give me a break off for about two or three weeks so I could look into my studies harder; Astronomy, Sword Lessons, Languages, and so much more. That was when I saw James. I would leave the village, something no one other then Xander and a select few over the years ever did. Certainly no women other then me had. I would stay with his family for the time my father chose to remain. It was by a horrid accident that I met the Lupin's and Remus.
"Whenever I came around, people were under the assumption that the Potter's were once again traveling, so that I would not be found out. The ministry, as I'm sure you have heard, is not too fond of my people. Especially me. So there I was. James was teaching me how to play quidditch. We were eight, and it was the end of February. We walked inside when we were finished to find Mr. Potter sitting with a man about his age and a young boy who was about ours. In an instant everything went wrong. That man knew who I was immediately. It didn't take genius to recognize who I had to be as long as they were with the ministry. They knew all about me. All about what I looked like right down to what I was cape able of. The man had is stick out in a second. That stupid piece of wood cost him a slice of flesh which holds a scar to this day."
Lily felt horrible. She wanted to cry, but knew she shouldn't. So far Ashlyn's story was so sad and heart wrenching. Her friend spoke with bitterness nearly every moment of the story other then when she talked about James and Remus. They, the only friends she ever had, seemed to make her happy. She opened her mouth but Ashlyn quickly hushed her with a glare before continuing.
"It was my first instinct to protect. Those sticks were what killed my brother. Maybe not his, but one of those sticks all the same. My right hand was out in a second. James knew what was going on. I'd done something before like this but not exactly the same. It was out of caring and goodness before. Not out of anger or fear, and he knew. He hid behind me just as it started, knowing I would protect him, and he pulled the strange boy with him. The boy was an innocent to me, and no harm could come to him because of that. My eyes clouded over and when the haze vanished my eyes were black as coal. They were so dark that you didn't have a chance in telling them apart from my pupil. My hair color began to slowly change. The blonde began to darken as time past, eventually turning into a deep black. The spell I did was not to harm, only to disarm, but even when Mr. Potter tried to quickly explain, the man didn't understand. He attempted one of his magic spells anyways just as my magick began to pull the wand from his hand, causing the spell, whatever it was, to blast a large glass dish into several large pieces. My second hand was up in a flash, all the while circling in front of me as I turned to face the direction of the blasted bowl. The glass that came at me merely hit the barrier I had created and dropped like stones. I'm sorry to say that it didn't go as well for the man. A large piece of glass made a slice on his arm nearly six inches long and deep enough to gush blood. Yet during all the confusion and fear, I had succeeded my main goal: To retrieve the wand, and there it was in my own hand.
"I turned around to face James and the boy. 'Name?' I remember asking him immediately. James had answered for him, having met him once before, and the boy being too shocked and most likely scared to reply himself. I shoved the stick in his hand telling him to give it back to his father once they left. I despised the item and had no wish to keep it. And so I met Remus Jerold Lupin and his father Seth Robert Lupin. Of course Xander arrived moments later. He knew I'd done magick, and lets say he wasn't all too happy. Having to inform a new outsider was hard for him. I was sent to my room on the top floor. James to his, which was right beneath my own, and then Remus went along with him. Next thing I know, Xander, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Potter all left. I went home to the usual and the boys just stayed home. Three months later it's the annual camping trip that lasts a month. The most I got to see of Xander each year. Surprisingly the Lupins were there with smiles. Apparently Xander showed him some things that made him understand, and I was glad. Remus and James got to know each other after that.
"So time went by. I finished Sword Lessons and completed most of my studies as I was far ahead. My initials were inscribed on the hilt of the sword, on the hilt of Jenova. Then I received my letter to Hogwarts. I didn't want to go, but something Xander said made me want to go. 'Think of it as an adventure.' He had said, and so I went. I changed my name and removed the chain I wore around my forehead. It was customary so to wear it if I was Xander's daughter, and, as I was now no longer so, I removed it. Then a problem arose. While I was gone, my people chose to exile me. As long as I went to the school and chose to change my identity, I was no longer welcome home. Xander could do nothing as he was away, and I settled for the year. I met you and Bailey and Willow and Sirius and many others. I practiced my magick's every alone chance I got. Then Willow caught me, and I found she had some power herself. That book. I looked at it. I turned page after page until I found what I had been looking for and I read it to her. 'Willow Zenn Harrison: the daughter of Albert Colin Harrison and Tara Leanna McTills Harrison. Tara is the daughter of Shay Leanne MacLeo McTills and Oran Lester McTills. Shay is the daughter of Onyx Lars MacLeo and Alva Leigh MacLeo. Alva being the daughter of Macon Laird MacLeo and Kelby Lane MacLinthraul MacLeo.' So I knew she was related to my family, however distant. I taught her the magic. Of course she can't really do any of the hand stuff, but when it comes down to it she's pretty good at languages and the potions.
"Then life moved on still. I had made a new home here and then I took off. I traveled. Visiting home every chance that I knew my father would be there. Those were the only times I could be let in. I visited other schools for a few months each. I visited the schools in Egypt, Brazil, America and Australia. Though I traveled the rest of the time. And then I returned home, the only place I knew I could ever call a home. I returned to my village and my people. They welcomed me, knowing that I had left the school, but not knowing I only learned at others and had not snapped that infernal stick of mine. So I stayed. I stayed until late May last year when the inevitable happened. Xander died. Mr. Potter died. I returned here at the expense of the one punishment once again, but I needed to get away for a while to a place where no one would bother me. I needed to be at Hogwarts.
"More stories were made about me and my people after those two deaths. I'm sure you've heard plenty of them. Our people are known for their dark magick, but in reality, it isn't that dark. Not compared to the spells that your kind has created. The killing spell is the perfect example. There is no such record of our people using our magick's to kill. Not yet at least. That's why we're shunned and hated. We were shunned because of all those stupid theories about one of my people killing muggles and witches and wizards with their magick. It's ludicrous. My people don't harm unless they have reason to. The feelings of threat or of danger are such reasons and yet even then we do not attack just yet. We are peaceful. These stories are made up by the M.O.M. because they fear us, and because they want to make sure we don't overtake them. They shouldn't bother. As long as a MacLinthraul is head of the clan, nothing of the sort will ever happen. I'm sure of it."
Lily watched as Ashlyn sat down. She didn't move after that. Just remained sitting with her arms crossed for some time. Bailey began to hum a random tune as she worked. Lily looked at Ashlyn's face. It was so full of emotions. Silence reined through out the room. At least until Bailey's voice echoed around the room.
"So how did they die?" She asked offhandedly as she walked past them to the other side of the room, dragging a once-again bulky pillowcase behind her.
"Err, you know. I know you've heard the stories, Bailey. We've both read them." Lily answered sadly with an uneasy glance at Ashlyn who appeared to be in deep thought.
"Well yeah. Xander secretly meet's Harold. blah blah. Xander ends up being a traitor to get info out of Harold. blah blah. Xander puts old sword found on plaque on wall through Harold's gut. blah blah. sudden death to Harold. blah blah. Xander disappears. blah blah. second unidentified body found not long after. blah blah. only marking on body is a small symbol on his forehead in the shape of an ancient symbol. blah blah." she finished, and with that, Bailey once again set up the things she was messing with in front of her and began to measure and mix ingredients together. After a few minutes of silence she looked up at Ashlyn. "Well?"
Surprisingly, Ashlyn let out a laugh. "Well that's the bloodied up M.O.M. version of the story without deep details to put it bluntly." She said, before going into a fit of laughter.
Personally, Lily thought the poor girl had gone insane from the stress. Once second she's all gloomy and the next she was cracking up in laughter. This wasn't a laughing matter to Lily. Or was it? She wasn't quite sure now. Her friend, whom had lived the whole experience and felt the pain Lily felt for her, was laughing. Bailey herself had a small smile on her face, and it was evident that she was trying to keep from doing so seeing as how the right corner kept twitching slightly. Lily couldn't help but let a small smile slip and Ashlyn noticed immediately. She sat up from her fallen position and looked up at Lily and then over at Bailey.
"I'm afraid that, as much as I would like to feed you two the information, this story is not mine to tell. Not yet at least. A few people still need to take the time to work out the details and understand what really happened that night." Ashlyn smiled as she said this, but Lily saw the sadness that filled her eyes and her smile itself fell to form a frown of her own.
Lily's mind felt muddled with all of this new information. It was filled with all of this new information that she could research as much she pleased. She felt as though a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders to float up high above in the sky only to fall once again upon the next troubled soul that came along. There was only one real way to explain it. She was happy! Utterly and completely happy! She smiled as she stood up.
"And so I guess that's how it ends.for now." Ashlyn concluded as she wrung her hands together in a nervous gesture, while looking at the two who smiled back. They each reached out a hand and grasped one of hers. Lily pulled Ashlyn up, who, in turn, pulled Bailey up at the same moment. They stood in a circle just looking at each other before suddenly hugging each other at the exact same moment, confirming the fact that Lily had forgiven Ashlyn. and the trio was back.
The three pulled away from each other quickly and they all smiled.
"So everything is okay now is it?" A strange voice said.
The three of them turned to see Professor Dumbledore sitting in the corner with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. Lily and Bailey looked and felt startled, whereas Ashlyn looked horrified. Reality dawned on Lily's mind as she realized the Headmaster must have heard every word said. She watched as Ashlyn opened her mouth to try and explain, but the Headmaster spoke first as he rose from his seat with his long silver-gray hair and beard swinging.
He held up his hand. "Do not try and explain, Miss Sephre." He said.
Ashlyn, of course, did not listen. "I'm sorry! I intended to tell you over time, but Lily and Bailey beat me to it. I didn't want to lie about coming back with my soul purpose being for the education, but those were the only conditions that you said you could accept me under. I never intended to lie, but it just sort of happened over time. I really didn't mean anything by it! I-"
"Miss Sephre!" Dumbledore exclaimed with a chuckle. "I understand. You have no reason to worry. In any matter, it was probably best that I heard the story this way rather then by your knowledge. I'm under the impression you might have left a few more things out if it were to your knowledge that I was listening."
Ashlyn nodded, seemingly speechless.
Sleep tended to evade Lily that night. So much, actually, that when the first rays of the suns light poured through the window in the sixth years Gryffindor girls dormitory, she was almost instantly awakened. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed and sitting up, she was able to see that everyone other then Ashlyn had woken up by now and left with their curtains open and tied back. Ashlyn on the other hand was sitting up, dressed in a gray running tank and matching gray sweats. These, too, had a tall yet slender pocket on the outside of her right thigh. Her hair was pulled back into a low lose ponytail that hug over her shoulder as she looked on in Lily's direction.
Waving in acknowledgement, Lily stood and began to ready herself for her first day back, which just happened to be a Saturday. She grabbed a stack of clothes and such out of her trunk before walking straight into the bathroom. She returned about fifteen minutes later to see Ashlyn standing in front of a floor length mirror completely changed out of her sweats into a whole knew outfit. She now wore a pair of white slacks and a soft navy blue hoodie, with her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. The end of her dark colored redwood wand sticking out of the pocket that Lily had now assumed was on every pair of slacks she owned. She was just finishing up attaching the leather belt that held her sword and its sheath around her waist when Lily noticed.
"Leave it." She said.
"What? I can't just leave it. This is a family air loom." Ashlyn said as if Lily were crazy.
Lily looked around and spotted the window seat. Pointing over to it she spoke up. "Leave it in there, behind the loose panel."
Ashlyn froze in shock as she stared long and hard at Lily. After a minute she raced over a knelt in front of the center panel. She lightly pressed on it before pulling at the corners where a small dent was, and the panel popped right out. She lightly set her sword inside of it, laying it sideways, before sticking her head inside and peering around. Inside this opening was a long thin yet soft cushion along the ground, with an assortment of various ingredients, spices, herbs and powders. All of these had been placed in all sorts of separate wooden racks and different shapes of bottles. Ashlyn began tearing through them. She tossed bottle after bottle past her or even over her head into the air or across the ground. Lily raced frantically around the room chasing down the majority of the bottles, trying to catch the airborne ones before they crashed into the hard wooden floor and smashed. As the seconds passed, Ashlyn's franticness increased and she began to search quicker and quicker through the stash of hidden items. Then, suddenly, she stopped and bolted to a standing position. Lily quickly shoved what surviving bottles there were back into the space before turning to find Ashlyn practically breathing down her neck, causing her to jump.
"How did you know that was there, Lily?" she asked quickly yet clearly.
Lily froze for a second at the tone in Ashlyn's voice. "I - that is to say - Bailey and I found it near the end of last year. I was leaning against the panel and it sot of fell through backwards and I went with it. We just found a bunch of stuff, that's all."
"Lily, where is the book?" Ashlyn asked, sounding somewhat dangerous.
"Book?" Lily asked sounding bewildered.
"DAMNIT LILY!" she shouted, before lowering her voice again. "I. Want. My. Book." She growled.
Just then the door opened and Bailey stood there with a confused expression. "Am I. interrupting anything? We came into the Common Room after breakfast, only to hear someone shout."
Ashlyn quickly rounded on Bailey. "Where is my book?"
Shooting a questioning glance at Lily, she reached behind her back towards her trunk which happened to be awfully close and pulled out the large, dark, leather-bound photo album book that she and Lily had found the year before. "Here." Se said, before turning to face Lily. "How did she find out we knew?"
Lily sighed and pointed at the open space and wooden panel lying on the floor. Bailey shook her head and flopped on her bed. Both girls turned to look at Ashlyn to find her looking slightly pale as she flipped through the pages. Repeatedly going back over some. Finally she looked up, though reluctantly, to meet her friends' gazes.
She sighed. "So I suppose this where I explain my self then."
Lily wanted to listen, she really did, but something inside told her not too. Something that felt as though it was eating at her very soul and mind. "No." Lily whispered.
"What?" Bailey asked.
"You don't want me to explain?" Ashlyn said, sounding horridly confused and distraught.
Lily swallowed. "Ashlyn, just pack up and go. You can't stay here. For your safety, but mostly for everyone else's."
"What are you on about?" Ashlyn asked. "What is so dangerous?"
"Don't play dumb with me Ashlyn!" Lily shouted.
"I'm not, Lil!" Ashlyn shouted back. "What the bloody hell, are you on about?"
"YOU!" Lily shouted. "You're the danger. To Bailey and I. To James and Remus. To Willow and the staff. To the whole of Hogwarts!"
Bailey looked confused. "Lily, what are you talking about? How could Ashlyn- "
"You didn't read everything I read. A few measly pictures and a family tree with her name nowhere on it and you were done. You'd had enough, Bailey, but I hadn't, and so I read more and more. I leafed through it night and day every chance I got until I'd read it front to back nearly four times. I though that maybe, just maybe I would be able to learn enough to find her, to find a way to bring her back to school and know she was all right." At this, Lily stopped and turned to face Ashlyn. "To find you. To make sure you, as my best friend, were okay."
"No." Ashlyn whispered. "No, that's not it. It's not just the fact that I left and you were worried about me. That wouldn't make you consider me a threat. It's the stories, isn't it?"
Lily looked up sharply. "Stories? STORIES! What 'stories'?" she asked. "You mean. do you mean the facts? Because for five months I looked up information on your family and did you know that you yourself are mentioned in two of them?"
"No she wasn't." Bailey said. "I searched with you. No where did they mention Ashlyn."
"Oh well of course not!" Lily exclaimed swing her arms up into the air. "And do you know why, Bailey? Do you know?"
Ashlyn looked near to a nervous breakdown. "Please Lily, don't. Please."
"Come on Lily. calm down. You're only making partial sense. Two of them what? You meant books, right?" Bailey asked.
Stopping for a sec, Lily took time to remember what she had meant. It only took her a few moments. "Yes, books; Two of the library books. There's actually a whole book on her and her family and the things that they're known for."
"Lily." Ashlyn warned.
Lily ignored her in return while walking backwards around the room and waving her arms to express herself at times. "All of those special talents. All of the gifts that her family holds in their blood."
"Ashlyn, what is she talking about?" Bailey asked.
"Oh come now Bailey!" Lily exclaimed. "Don't tell me you never even took a peek at the bottles in there; that you didn't notice the initials on the sword; that you didn't notice even the smallest resemblance between Ashlyn and Lu-"
"LILY! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Ashlyn yelled, yet she felt horrid afterwards. "I'm sorry, but I want you to. no, you need to stop filling her head with all these lies."
Lily felt as if her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Lies?"
Bailey held her now aching head in frustration. She opened her mouth to speak but the other two cut her off.
"NOT! NOW!" they both yelled in unison.
"I am Ashlyn Kateri Sephre, period, end of discussion." Ashlyn said coldly.
"You may be Ashlyn by common Knowledge and acknowledgement. but you and I both know you are and always will be by blood and heritage." Lily said, before sitting down crossed legged on the floor.
Ashlyn followed suit so that the girls' backs were facing each other's, and the two remained in silence. Finally after a near hour of silence, Bailey's headache had disappeared and she was beginning to get sick of the quiet. She stood up and immediately spoke her mind, which by now, was filled with quite a bit of anger.
"I have no idea what the two of you are on about, but I am not going to just disown either of you because of a problem. Now get up and straighten out this argument." She waited and neither girl moved. "NOW!"
"Well if she'd just accept the truth of it all." Ashlyn muttered. Unfortunately though, Lily heard.
"I have accepted the truth, and it isn't any good." Lily muttered rather loudly.
"Alright. Common Room. NOW!" Ashlyn yelled, before pulling Lily up with herself and shoving her down into the Common Room.
Lily went reluctantly, and felt Ashlyn push her down onto the nearest sofa. Ashlyn then moved over to the boys' dormitory staircase and pulled her wand out of the side pocket on her pants, pointing up the stairs. "Arceo." She said clearly. Lily watched as a thin wisp of silver smoke protruded from the end of her wand and floated quickly up the stairs. She repeated this six more times before walking back over to Lily.
"Just stay here. Okay?" she asked.
Lily sighed. "Fine, but where has Bailey gone off to?"
Ashlyn looked up and groaned. She then walked over to the girls' dormitory stairs and looked up them. "Bailey Marie Jordan! Hurry up and get down here! What are you doing anyway?"
"Just a second, Ashlyn!" Lily heard Bailey yell back. "Sheesh! Can't a girl take her time?"
"NO!" Lily and Ashlyn yelled.
"Alright! Alright!" she replied as she came running into the room with a rather bulky pillowcase. "You'd think this was actually important." She said as she rolled her eyes at the two girls.
"But that's just it Bailey." Ashlyn said in a sweet voice. Next second though, her eyes and voice were dark. "It is important."
Bailey dismissed the part about it being important with a wave of her hand before she replied. "Well anyways, get on with that fight of yours. I just have a few things to do while I listen in."
Lily was personally getting tired of all this. Ashlyn didn't get it and apparently neither had Bailey. She simply just stood up and proceeded to walk over to the portrait hole. Unfortunately though, Ashlyn beat her there and shoved her back. She then went and prepared the same spell seven times at the foot of the girls' dormitory stairs, before walking over to Lily and sitting down in the couch across from her.
"Could you just hear me out? Please?" Ashlyn asked.
Lily sighed. "I owe you that much."
Lily was surprised by the look of seriousness on Ashlyn's face. "Okay." She exhaled a large breath. "Okay. Now nod if you understand not to interrupt me, because once I get going it'll be easier not to stop."
Lily simply nodded and Ashlyn opened her mouth to begin.
Bailey stood. "Oh, could you hold that thought for one sec? I'll be right back." She said. She then walked out the portrait hole, shutting it with a quiet slam. After a good ten minutes, she returned and sat on the floor again. Ashlyn looked at her with a raised eyebrow when she turned around. "What? Oh! Go on, continue." She said with a wave of her hand.
"Okay, it all started like this." Ashlyn's voice filled with bitterness immediately and her face darkened. "My bother, Cash, he died when I was five. He was only seven at the time actually. He was kidnapped, we don't know why, but he was found dead two weeks later outside of our village in the early morning. He had been killed that night after two weeks of torture and his body had the scars to show. Then two weeks later a strange man entered to village. He had black hair and deep blue eyes like the sea that was to the north of our village, which I often visited on my own time. I remember him so well. He strode in so tall and proud. My people seemed afraid. They refused to leave their homes until my father, head of the clan, saw and spoke to him. The only problem was that my father wasn't due to return for another three days from the trip he had left on, so I went out. My mother never noticed. She was still grieving for Cash. You could say that she picked up my slack I guess. I never cried for him those days, no, it wasn't for years after that until I finally grieved. Even if I never cried it doesn't mean I couldn't grieve, and so I did. Never mind that though, you'll be more interested in the man.
"I went outside. With my father gone, it left me in charge, and I hated it. I was afraid of this man. He was so different from all of us. He wore robes while we wore smaller more revealing clothing. Or at least the majority of us all did. My cousin Maura especially, but she's not important till later. And so as I said, I was afraid. Here I am, five years of age, with my seven- year-old brother dead, left in charge when a strange man suddenly walks into our village. Our village being a place that is supposed to be hidden from all outside the clan. Yet I alone approached him. I asked him who he was and why he had come. His exact reply was 'I am Harold James Potter. A friend to a man named Xander MacLinthraul. Would you happen to know him, little one?' I laughed on the inside. Know him? Oh I knew him all right. This man knew nothing. He was a fool to have come there, and with what? A stick. A stupid, thin, wooden stick. At least that's what I thought then."
Lily waited as she trailed off and pulled out her own wand, rolling it across her palms and frowning all the while. An emotion filled her eyes that Lily couldn't quite figure out. She didn't push Ashlyn into continuing though, she knew she would continue in time, and so she did only mere moments later.
"Then I beckoned the man, this Harold Potter to come forward. He did so and knelt before me. After a few moments of silence, he laughed a hearty laugh and ruffled my hair. He smiled at me and began to speak again.
"'So what's your name, little one? Where are your mummy and daddy? Your siblings?' he asked.
"'Lunaya' I replied. 'My mother is home, still grieving the death of my older brother, whom was murdered on the night of the previous moon. My father, leader of this clan and the village, has gone on a trip and is due to return in three days time. I have been left as leader of our clan until his return incase a situation such as this were to occur. Any more questions, Sir?'
"The man couldn't believe I was so literate. I was only five after all. Yet, all shock ends eventually and his did only after a mere few moments. He looked down on me and asked if I was the daughter of Xander. I answered in the positive feeling proud, no longer scared of this man. He had done no harm to me so far and he was a good man as far as I could tell. From there it went on. Mr. Potter became the father I hardly ever had, and James became the only other child I ever saw other then my family, and even them I couldn't associate with. It was a known fear, that because I was so young, if I took my mind off the task of leading my people when Xander wasn't around I could easily lose interest or something of the sort. Xander was always away doing one thing or another, leaving me to run our home and our people. Me, a five year-old-girl, was left to take care of everyone and everything. I had never learned how. That was what my brother had been taught. Not me. Yet I did it. I managed. Xander stopped in every so often during the years to check up on me. To give me a break off for about two or three weeks so I could look into my studies harder; Astronomy, Sword Lessons, Languages, and so much more. That was when I saw James. I would leave the village, something no one other then Xander and a select few over the years ever did. Certainly no women other then me had. I would stay with his family for the time my father chose to remain. It was by a horrid accident that I met the Lupin's and Remus.
"Whenever I came around, people were under the assumption that the Potter's were once again traveling, so that I would not be found out. The ministry, as I'm sure you have heard, is not too fond of my people. Especially me. So there I was. James was teaching me how to play quidditch. We were eight, and it was the end of February. We walked inside when we were finished to find Mr. Potter sitting with a man about his age and a young boy who was about ours. In an instant everything went wrong. That man knew who I was immediately. It didn't take genius to recognize who I had to be as long as they were with the ministry. They knew all about me. All about what I looked like right down to what I was cape able of. The man had is stick out in a second. That stupid piece of wood cost him a slice of flesh which holds a scar to this day."
Lily felt horrible. She wanted to cry, but knew she shouldn't. So far Ashlyn's story was so sad and heart wrenching. Her friend spoke with bitterness nearly every moment of the story other then when she talked about James and Remus. They, the only friends she ever had, seemed to make her happy. She opened her mouth but Ashlyn quickly hushed her with a glare before continuing.
"It was my first instinct to protect. Those sticks were what killed my brother. Maybe not his, but one of those sticks all the same. My right hand was out in a second. James knew what was going on. I'd done something before like this but not exactly the same. It was out of caring and goodness before. Not out of anger or fear, and he knew. He hid behind me just as it started, knowing I would protect him, and he pulled the strange boy with him. The boy was an innocent to me, and no harm could come to him because of that. My eyes clouded over and when the haze vanished my eyes were black as coal. They were so dark that you didn't have a chance in telling them apart from my pupil. My hair color began to slowly change. The blonde began to darken as time past, eventually turning into a deep black. The spell I did was not to harm, only to disarm, but even when Mr. Potter tried to quickly explain, the man didn't understand. He attempted one of his magic spells anyways just as my magick began to pull the wand from his hand, causing the spell, whatever it was, to blast a large glass dish into several large pieces. My second hand was up in a flash, all the while circling in front of me as I turned to face the direction of the blasted bowl. The glass that came at me merely hit the barrier I had created and dropped like stones. I'm sorry to say that it didn't go as well for the man. A large piece of glass made a slice on his arm nearly six inches long and deep enough to gush blood. Yet during all the confusion and fear, I had succeeded my main goal: To retrieve the wand, and there it was in my own hand.
"I turned around to face James and the boy. 'Name?' I remember asking him immediately. James had answered for him, having met him once before, and the boy being too shocked and most likely scared to reply himself. I shoved the stick in his hand telling him to give it back to his father once they left. I despised the item and had no wish to keep it. And so I met Remus Jerold Lupin and his father Seth Robert Lupin. Of course Xander arrived moments later. He knew I'd done magick, and lets say he wasn't all too happy. Having to inform a new outsider was hard for him. I was sent to my room on the top floor. James to his, which was right beneath my own, and then Remus went along with him. Next thing I know, Xander, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Potter all left. I went home to the usual and the boys just stayed home. Three months later it's the annual camping trip that lasts a month. The most I got to see of Xander each year. Surprisingly the Lupins were there with smiles. Apparently Xander showed him some things that made him understand, and I was glad. Remus and James got to know each other after that.
"So time went by. I finished Sword Lessons and completed most of my studies as I was far ahead. My initials were inscribed on the hilt of the sword, on the hilt of Jenova. Then I received my letter to Hogwarts. I didn't want to go, but something Xander said made me want to go. 'Think of it as an adventure.' He had said, and so I went. I changed my name and removed the chain I wore around my forehead. It was customary so to wear it if I was Xander's daughter, and, as I was now no longer so, I removed it. Then a problem arose. While I was gone, my people chose to exile me. As long as I went to the school and chose to change my identity, I was no longer welcome home. Xander could do nothing as he was away, and I settled for the year. I met you and Bailey and Willow and Sirius and many others. I practiced my magick's every alone chance I got. Then Willow caught me, and I found she had some power herself. That book. I looked at it. I turned page after page until I found what I had been looking for and I read it to her. 'Willow Zenn Harrison: the daughter of Albert Colin Harrison and Tara Leanna McTills Harrison. Tara is the daughter of Shay Leanne MacLeo McTills and Oran Lester McTills. Shay is the daughter of Onyx Lars MacLeo and Alva Leigh MacLeo. Alva being the daughter of Macon Laird MacLeo and Kelby Lane MacLinthraul MacLeo.' So I knew she was related to my family, however distant. I taught her the magic. Of course she can't really do any of the hand stuff, but when it comes down to it she's pretty good at languages and the potions.
"Then life moved on still. I had made a new home here and then I took off. I traveled. Visiting home every chance that I knew my father would be there. Those were the only times I could be let in. I visited other schools for a few months each. I visited the schools in Egypt, Brazil, America and Australia. Though I traveled the rest of the time. And then I returned home, the only place I knew I could ever call a home. I returned to my village and my people. They welcomed me, knowing that I had left the school, but not knowing I only learned at others and had not snapped that infernal stick of mine. So I stayed. I stayed until late May last year when the inevitable happened. Xander died. Mr. Potter died. I returned here at the expense of the one punishment once again, but I needed to get away for a while to a place where no one would bother me. I needed to be at Hogwarts.
"More stories were made about me and my people after those two deaths. I'm sure you've heard plenty of them. Our people are known for their dark magick, but in reality, it isn't that dark. Not compared to the spells that your kind has created. The killing spell is the perfect example. There is no such record of our people using our magick's to kill. Not yet at least. That's why we're shunned and hated. We were shunned because of all those stupid theories about one of my people killing muggles and witches and wizards with their magick. It's ludicrous. My people don't harm unless they have reason to. The feelings of threat or of danger are such reasons and yet even then we do not attack just yet. We are peaceful. These stories are made up by the M.O.M. because they fear us, and because they want to make sure we don't overtake them. They shouldn't bother. As long as a MacLinthraul is head of the clan, nothing of the sort will ever happen. I'm sure of it."
Lily watched as Ashlyn sat down. She didn't move after that. Just remained sitting with her arms crossed for some time. Bailey began to hum a random tune as she worked. Lily looked at Ashlyn's face. It was so full of emotions. Silence reined through out the room. At least until Bailey's voice echoed around the room.
"So how did they die?" She asked offhandedly as she walked past them to the other side of the room, dragging a once-again bulky pillowcase behind her.
"Err, you know. I know you've heard the stories, Bailey. We've both read them." Lily answered sadly with an uneasy glance at Ashlyn who appeared to be in deep thought.
"Well yeah. Xander secretly meet's Harold. blah blah. Xander ends up being a traitor to get info out of Harold. blah blah. Xander puts old sword found on plaque on wall through Harold's gut. blah blah. sudden death to Harold. blah blah. Xander disappears. blah blah. second unidentified body found not long after. blah blah. only marking on body is a small symbol on his forehead in the shape of an ancient symbol. blah blah." she finished, and with that, Bailey once again set up the things she was messing with in front of her and began to measure and mix ingredients together. After a few minutes of silence she looked up at Ashlyn. "Well?"
Surprisingly, Ashlyn let out a laugh. "Well that's the bloodied up M.O.M. version of the story without deep details to put it bluntly." She said, before going into a fit of laughter.
Personally, Lily thought the poor girl had gone insane from the stress. Once second she's all gloomy and the next she was cracking up in laughter. This wasn't a laughing matter to Lily. Or was it? She wasn't quite sure now. Her friend, whom had lived the whole experience and felt the pain Lily felt for her, was laughing. Bailey herself had a small smile on her face, and it was evident that she was trying to keep from doing so seeing as how the right corner kept twitching slightly. Lily couldn't help but let a small smile slip and Ashlyn noticed immediately. She sat up from her fallen position and looked up at Lily and then over at Bailey.
"I'm afraid that, as much as I would like to feed you two the information, this story is not mine to tell. Not yet at least. A few people still need to take the time to work out the details and understand what really happened that night." Ashlyn smiled as she said this, but Lily saw the sadness that filled her eyes and her smile itself fell to form a frown of her own.
Lily's mind felt muddled with all of this new information. It was filled with all of this new information that she could research as much she pleased. She felt as though a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders to float up high above in the sky only to fall once again upon the next troubled soul that came along. There was only one real way to explain it. She was happy! Utterly and completely happy! She smiled as she stood up.
"And so I guess that's how it ends.for now." Ashlyn concluded as she wrung her hands together in a nervous gesture, while looking at the two who smiled back. They each reached out a hand and grasped one of hers. Lily pulled Ashlyn up, who, in turn, pulled Bailey up at the same moment. They stood in a circle just looking at each other before suddenly hugging each other at the exact same moment, confirming the fact that Lily had forgiven Ashlyn. and the trio was back.
The three pulled away from each other quickly and they all smiled.
"So everything is okay now is it?" A strange voice said.
The three of them turned to see Professor Dumbledore sitting in the corner with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. Lily and Bailey looked and felt startled, whereas Ashlyn looked horrified. Reality dawned on Lily's mind as she realized the Headmaster must have heard every word said. She watched as Ashlyn opened her mouth to try and explain, but the Headmaster spoke first as he rose from his seat with his long silver-gray hair and beard swinging.
He held up his hand. "Do not try and explain, Miss Sephre." He said.
Ashlyn, of course, did not listen. "I'm sorry! I intended to tell you over time, but Lily and Bailey beat me to it. I didn't want to lie about coming back with my soul purpose being for the education, but those were the only conditions that you said you could accept me under. I never intended to lie, but it just sort of happened over time. I really didn't mean anything by it! I-"
"Miss Sephre!" Dumbledore exclaimed with a chuckle. "I understand. You have no reason to worry. In any matter, it was probably best that I heard the story this way rather then by your knowledge. I'm under the impression you might have left a few more things out if it were to your knowledge that I was listening."
Ashlyn nodded, seemingly speechless.