a/n don't own! That would be JK Rowling. SO this chapter is quite long! Hope you enjoy!

Sorry if you tried to read this before I have no idea what happened with the formatting! Thanks to everyone who pointed it out. Should be all fixed now!

September 1992

"Where the hell are they?" Ascella asked after she and Hermione had checked every compartment on the train. They'd been left by Padma when she went to find the other Ravenclaws and had been looking for Harry and Ron ever since. They hadn't seen them on the platform or with the rest of the Weasley's and they'd since passed the twins and Percy on the train but hadn't seen any sign of their friends and the train had left the station five minutes ago.

"I don't know," Hermione said nervously biting her lip. "Oh I do hope they didn't miss the train."

"Seems unlikely if Fred and George made it on, but who knows. Come on. Let's go ask them," Ascella said moving back down the train to where they'd seen the twins sitting with Ginny, who was starting school this year, Lee Jordan, and the other Gryffindor chasers.

Fred looked up when they entered.

"Aw look who's come to join us George!" he said. George looked up and grinned at them.

"Alright Black? Hermione?" he said to them.

"Yeah alright," Ascella replied. "Look have you seen Harry and your brother?" Fred shook his head.

"No," Fred said. "We were running late so we all jumped on the train as quick as we could."

"Barely got on with Ginny before the train started moving. Didn't ever see Ron or Harry though," George added looking mildly concerned.

"Hmm," Ascella pursed her lips in thought. "Right, well thanks anyway," she said closing the door and turning to Hermione. "Well it doesn't look like they've made it on so come on let's find somewhere to sit. Maybe they'll show up for the feast."

They ended up in a compartment with Padma, Terry Boot, Micheal Corner, and Anthony Goldstein, the later three of whom were looking very tan indeed.

"You lot disgust me," Ascella said to the boys. "Unashamedly wearing such tans in public while I'm still so pale."

Padma smiled at her, Terry looked up from his book pleasantly surprised. Corner and Goldstein greeted her grinning and asked her about her summer. After speaking with Padma briefly and explaining why they were joining the group, Hermione settled in reading from their new Charms book, incidentally the one book Ascella herself had already devoured of her school books. Ascella and Padma settled in to teasing Boot and laughing with the other boys as they regaled them with stories from their time in France.

About halfway through the journey the compartment door was opened to reveal Malfoy flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Ugh, I know you can stand the sight of them but really Malfoy can't you at least have the decency to not force your goonies ugliness on the rest of us innocents?" Ascella said grimacing at the sight of them.

"Clever Black. Where're Potty and the Weasel?" Malfoy sneered back, arms crossed. Ascella rolled her eyes. Of course he'd wanted to come heckle Harry and Ron.

"Cute names. Come up with them on your own? Mummy must be so proud!" Malfoy flushed. "As for where they are, clearly not here. Which is where I suggest you get to too."

Ascella pulled out her wand and was surprised to see Boot, Padma, Corner, and Goldstein with theirs all pointing at the three Slytherin's as well.

Malfoy's lip curled. "Whatever Black. You'd better watch your back this year. Just because we're family doesn't mean you'll be safe, cousin." And then he was gone.

Ascella's eyes narrowed in anger. The Ravenclaws and Hermione were all looking at her, the Ravenclaws with confusion and Hermione with concern.

"Cousin?" Corner repeated. "What did he mean cousin? You aren't seriously related to that git?" Ascella nodded darkly.

"Of course I am. All pureblood families are somewhere. We aren't really cousins exactly though. More like second cousins. My uh, my father," the word tasted bitter on her tongue, "was his mum's cousin. And I was raised by his mum's sister. They don't exactly get a long though, what with her marrying a muggleborn, so at least I didn't have to grow up seeing him at family functions."

"Merlin, Black," Goldstein said. "And I thought my family had issues." Padma hissed at him and Hermione glared but Ascella laughed instead.

"Yeah, they really are a piece of work. Exploding snap?" Talking about this was getting Ascella too close to thinking about her father and thinking about her father only ever put her in a bad mood so she changed the subject. Luckily, the boys agreed and soon the compartment was once again filled with laughter and joy. No one noticed that Ascella's was a little forced, no one except maybe Hermione, because Hermione was worried about the same thing, Harry and Ron.

Ascella had pretended earlier that it didn't bother her but she was concerned. She was holding out hope that they'd be at the feast. When it became apparent that they weren't at the feast Ascella exchanged worried looks with Hermione. She'd sat at the Gryffindor table with Hermione and there nerves only increased when they heard the rumors flying about. People were saying that Harry Potter and his friend Ron had flown to school in a magic car. And that the reason they weren't at the feast was because they were being talked to by McGonagall. Hermione was so nervous she hadn't said one thing about how Lockhart was their new Defense teacher.

"If that is even remotely true they are so expelled," Hermione said to Ascella. Ascella swallowed nervously.

"Nah," she tried to assure her friend. "They wouldn't expel them for something like that." Her words sounded fake even to her own ears. At the end of the feast Ascella hugged Hermione good bye and made her swear to send her word if the worst had happened. Ascella would have gone back to the Gryffindor common room with her but she felt an overwhelming desire for the comfort of her own four poster that night.

"Is it true?" Padma asked when Ascella had caught up and slipped her arm in hers. Boot looked at her expectantly from Padma's other side.

"I don't know," Ascella replied, knowing Padma was referring to the rumors about Harry and Ron. "If it is it'll be a miracle if they aren't already expelled," she said miserably. Padma gave her hand a squeeze.

"Don't worry. They can't expel The Boy Who Lived." Ascella grinned. Padma was right. Harry would be fine.

In the common room they bid Terry goodnight, and headed to bed but not before Kevin and Aaron found her and demanded to know if "Potter and Weasley had really gotten to school in a flying car!" Despite the nerves Ascella felt about it she could understand their awe and why they were impressed with this feat. She'd be impressed too if she only knew they weren't expelled.

In the dorm Ascella glared at Turpin but other than that she only briefly said hullo to the other girls before crawling into her blue fourposter. When Ascella hadn't heard anything from Hermione by midnight she decided that no news was good news and allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

When she made it down to the Great Hall the next morning for breakfast she was overjoyed to see a familiar red head and black messy haired boy sitting at the Gryffindor table. She left Padma and Sue Li at the Ravenclaw table and passed on to sit down across from Harry and Ron.

"So," she said fixing them both with a stare. "Flying car? Really?" Ron paled and Harry looked sheepish. "What possessed you to take a flying car to Hogwarts? I'm mildly impressed."

"Well when we went to get on the train, the barrier wouldn't let us through, so we missed the train and -"

"And naturally the only option was to fly a car to school?" Ascella finished for Ron dubious.

"Yeah well we realized last night it was maybe not our brightest idea," Harry said downcast. "Never seen McGonagall so angry. I thought for sure we were goners."

"Would have been if it'd been up to Snape," Ron added.

Ascella nodded and started buttering some toast. Owls were starting to filter in with the morning mail.

"Well I can't say I think it was smart but it was pretty amazing. You are both the talk of the school you know, not that I notice that overmuch. What are your punishments anyway?"

"Detentions, starting this Saturday," Harry replied as Ron was too busy looking horrified at the letter his family bird Errol had dropped off. Ascella and Harry both stared at it too.

"What's wrong Weasley?" Ascella asked, but then she saw the red parchment and she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. Ron had gotten a howler. Ascella would put money the next several minutes were going to be entertaining, especially when Neville Longbottom shoved his fingers into his ears upon sight of the smoking crimson envelope.

She was proved right when moments later Mrs. Weasley's magically enhanced voice rang out in the Great Hall.

"STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE - LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED - ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED - YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

When the letter finished it burst into flames. Harry and Ron had sunk as low in their seats as possible and looked mortified. Ascella took one look at them and burst into laughter, her laugh filling the silent hall. Harry glared at her but she couldn't stop. The one good thing about her laughter was that it broke the silent spell that everyone had seemed to be held under and got every one to go back to their own business.

Ascella opened her mouth to speak through giggles, when Harry said, "Not a word. Don't make it worse." His tone shut her up but she couldn't help the slight grin that sprang to her face whenever she thought about the howler.

A short while later Flitwick found her at the Gryffindor table and handed her her second year timetable. She was glad he didn't seem surprised to find her there. Ascella wasn't known for being predictable in where she could be found, having spent most of first year split equally between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor (well probably more skewed towards Gryffindor if she was honest). She surveyed her timetable and compared it with Hermione's as she was sitting next to her.

"Lovely. Same classes as last year together. Looks like I'll be seeing you later in Transfiguration. And Defense. With Lockhart," Ascella teased Hermione. She was pleased to see her blush as she mumbled a "you are ridiculous" before going back to look at the rest of her classes.

"Well I'll see you lot later today. I'm off to History of Magic. I've a bet to win!" Ascella said rising.

"A bet?" Harry asked, momentarily broken out of his silent mortification.

"Yeah Morag and I have an ongoing bet pool for every History of Magic class about how long it'll take before Entwhistle falls asleep. I'm ahead by three galleons. Ta ta!" And with that she left a laughing Harry and Ron and a disapproving Hermione.

Ascella quickly caught up with the Ravenclaw second years and she slipped her arm into Aaron Morag's.

"Oh hullo," he said flashing her a smile. "Long time no see."

Ascella tutted at him. "Cut the small talk Morag. What are the odds looking like today?" Aaron laughed at her and they both turned to survey the half-Asian boy sleepily walking along zombie-like just ahead of them.

"Well, he didn't sleep well last night," Morag whispered to her. "Personally, I think he hasn't gotten used to the wind through the turrets yet, so I'd say odds are low he makes it much past halfway through class before falling asleep the first time, but he doesn't stay asleep for long." Ascella nodded taking in the facts and looking at Entwhistle.

"Hmm. So your bet?" Ascella whispered back.

"Falls asleep in first ten minutes and wakes up periodically throughout the lesson."

"Alright I say he stays awake for the first twenty but after that he falls asleep until the end of class." Morag raised a blonde eyebrow at her, silently asking for an explanation.

"It's the first day of classes. Yes he may not have slept well because of it but I bet he's resolved himself to paying better attention in this class this year, he is a Ravenclaw after all, and will want to start the year off right, so he'll fight to stay awake in the beginning but it will eventually become too much for him and he will fall asleep and when he does he'll be out."

"You're on," Aaron whispered as they settled in their seats in the back, to watch Kevin and wait for the Slytherins to trickle in. Ascella managed to only slightly curl her lip at the sight of them; she'd been mildly disappointed they'd been exchanged for the Hufflepuffs for History of Magic this year but at least she still had the bet to keep her entertained.

At the end of class Ascella had been proven correct. Morag grudgingly slipped her her winnings for the day and they exited the classroom dragging a still half asleep Entwhistle.

"How do you do it?" he whispered in awe. Ascella grinned evilly. This year was starting out quite nicely.

"It's a gift," she said pocketing the money.

"What's a gift?" Kevin yawned, blinking at her. "Oh hullo Ascella. Good summer?" Ascella laughed at him.

"Yes lovely. You should know I only saw you at least once a week," she replied. At the end of last term they'd learned that he'd grown up in the muggle side of the same village as she had. As such Ascella had spent much of the summer with Kevin exploring the magical parts of the village he'd never known about.

Entiwhistle blinked at her. "Oh of course," he said. "Just a bit sleepy. Binns always takes it out of me." Ascella laughed and Morag glared still upset he'd lost the bet. Again. He took off walking in front of them.

"What's with him?" Kevin asked her. He didn't know about their betting pool.

"No idea," Ascella said breezily. "Shall we?" She asked hooking arms with him and heading to Transfiguration. Ascella made a face at Harry as they joined the second year Gryffindor's on their way to Transfiguration together.

They claimed the same seats as last year again. As always McGonagall sent them a suspicious glance. Ascella smiled demurely back. McGonagall had even gone so far as to threaten to separate them last term but Ascella wouldn't have any of that.

"Why does she always do that?" Harry asked Ascella.

"I haven't the foggiest," she replied. Then the lesson began. They were going to be transfiguring beetles into buttons. Ascella managed to refrain from rolling her eyes. She'd mastered this ages ago. She quickly completed all of her transformations while Harry filled her in on what Lockhart had said to him outside of Herbology.

"He thinks what?" Ascella asked incredulous, casually correcting Harry's beetle transformation; he was too distracted to do it properly.

"Thanks. Yeah, he thinks I just did the whole car thing to get attention. And he thinks its his fault for letting me be photographed with him. Didn't mean to give me a 'big head' as it were," Harry replied annoyed, finally successfully transfiguring his beetle.

"What a presumptuous prat," Ascella said darkly. Harry nodded and opened his mouth to reply but they were both distracted by Ron once again being engulfed in a thick gray smoke that smelled oddly like rotten eggs. It happened every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle. It had become a reflex for Ascella to dispel the smoke with her wand when it happened. McGonagall wasn't very pleased though.

"He needs a new wand," Ascella said lowly to Harry. Harry had told her earlier that Ron had broken his wand when they'd landed in the Whomping Willow.

"I know," he whispered back. "But he doesn't want to write his family for a new one because he doesn't want to get in more trouble for having broken the one he had." Ascella nodded glumly. She wouldn't want to either but she also made a mental note to stay away from Ron whenever he was trying to use magic and to definitely, never let him try magic on her. Ascella also suspected that what Harry hadn't said was that he doubted Ron's family would be able to afford a new wand anyhow.

That afternoon Ascella had found Harry sitting in the back of the Defense classroom glaring behind a stack of Lockhart's books, arms crossed angrily, while Ron chortled next to him. Ascella sat in front of Ron next to Hermione.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Ron replied laughing, while Harry continued to glare.

"I was just telling Harry that my sister and Colin Creevey are going to start a fan club for him," he said. Harry flushed faintly and continued glaring at the back of his books. Ascella's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Wait, who's Colin Creevey? And why are he and Ginny starting a fan club?" she asked.

"Colin is a new Gryffindor. He's muggleborn and just found out about Harry," Hermione answered, her eyes still glued to the front waiting for Lockhart no doubt. "He was a little... overeager, at lunch today."

"Overeager?" Ron gave a shout of laughter. "He looked like he might wet himself he was so excited. Wanted a photo, then Lockhart got involved and made him take a photo with the two of them! Lockhart must think Harry is a right fame hound!" Ascella might have laughed, but she saw the look on Harry's face. Ascella wasn't always the nicest person, in fact she could be quite cruel at times and she wasn't known for noticing other people and their feelings, but her exception had always been Harry. He was her best friend and she'd do anything for him. And so when she noticed Harry's face and how the stack of books was strategically placed so as to block any view of Lockhart when he arrived to teach, Ascella came to his defense.

"Well Lockhart's a twit so who cares. And as for the fan club you could be president Ron," she said back. That shut Ron up real quick. Harry met her eyes for the first time since she'd arrived, grateful. She smiled at him and turned around as Lockhart swept into the classroom.

All the girls in the room swooned. Ascella almost vomited. She could see Padma sitting in the front row next to her sister and Sue Li. She was acting just as ridiculous as the rest of them. Ascella made a mental note to knock some sense back into the girl at a later date.

Then Lockhart announced a pop quiz. Most of the class groaned, Ascella included. When she looked down at her paper and read some of the questions though she was appalled.

'What's his favorite color?' she turned and mouthed to Harry. He choked on a laugh and hide it with a cough and bent over his own quiz. All the rest of the questions were along the same lines. Hermione was busy scratching away next to her but Ascella decided to have some fun with this quiz instead. To all of the ridiculous questions she put equally ridiculous answers. Next to favorite color she put 'well it really depends on the day and his mood; pink when he's happy, blue when he's sad, and red when he's feeling... well let's just say frisky' for Gilderoy enjoys in his free time she put 'dressing up as a woman and going out for a night on the town. Karaoke is a must' and for Gilderoy's secret ambition she put 'to be as famous as Harry Potter'.

Ascella almost died with laughter when she told Harry what she'd done. Soon they were both laughing in the back while Hermione shot them glares, her attention rapt on Lockhart. Ascella knew the exact moment Lockhart got to her paper because his eyes widened in shock. This, of course, sent her and Harry into more silent laughter. They had to look away from each other both of their eyes shinning. Unfortunately, Lockhart looked up then and looking at Ascella told her she would be serving detention with him that evening after dinner.

Ascella shrugged unconcerned. It had made Harry smile and that would always be worth it for her. Then he announced that only one of them had gotten all of them right (*cough, cough* Hermione) and then he let a bunch of Cornish Pixies loose on them.

Ascella swore colorfully and dove beneath her desk as the pixies began destroying the classroom. They were tossing books around, breaking ink bottles and throwing bits of parchment about, not to mention dragging poor Neville by his ears and attaching him to a chandelier. After Lockhart tried and failed to contain the Pixies he left Ascella, Harry, Ron, and Hermione to clear up the brutes as they are the only students still left in the classroom.

"Absolutely useless!" Ascella said to Harry and Ron from where they were barricaded behind an overturned desk in the back. The boys nodded in agreement as Hermione took care of the Pixies. Ascella had refused to help because "I'm not going to clean up that idiots mess. Maybe it'll get him fired and we won't have to deal with him any longer". Harry had agreed with her.

How Hermione came away from that experience still thinking Lockhart was impressive was any of their guesses, because they really didn't understand it.

At dinner, Ascella looked up from her Shepard's pie to see Harry looking at her thoughtfully.

"Yes?" she asked worried there was something on her face.

"When is your birthday Ascella?" he asked. Ascella was taken aback.

"Um, random. But its September 5th," she replied. Harry's eyes widened.

"How come you never mentioned this?" he asked incredulous.

"Er, I don't know, " Ascella shrugged. "Last year we didn't know each other well yet. I didn't tell anybody."

"And were you going to tell us this year?" he continued to question her. Ascella shifted uncomfortably. At this point both Ron and Hermione were now staring at her.

"Well probably. I don't know. My birthday has never been that big of a deal to me I guess."

"Oh nonsense," Hermione waved her off. "Everybody loves their birthday." Ascella shrugged. Harry was shaking his head at her.

"What?" she demanded upon seeing the cheeky grin on his face.

"I just can't believe you weren't going to tell us and pass up on making us get you presents," he said.

"Maybe I was hoping you wouldn't know so I could make you feel guilty about it after for not knowing," Ascella said primly. Harry froze his fork halfway to his mouth. Ascella laughed.

"I'm kidding. But I am glad you know me well enough to know that that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility of something I would do." Harry shook his head again, finishing his food.

"I'm curious though. What made you ask?" Ascella asked.

"On Lockhart's quiz he asked when his birthday was and it made me realize I didn't know yours."

"Oh." Ascella took a bite of food and then turned excitedly to Harry. "So what are you going to get me?"

Harry grinned at her. "You'll see," he said cheekily. "Coming back to Gryffindor tonight?" he then abruptly asked.

"No, I don't think so. I told Padma I'd help her go over Charms before tomorrow. You know how she is. Oh! But that's only after my detention with Lockhart. Why?' Harry tried to look casual but Ascella could tell he was disappointed.

"Oh," he said eyes on his food. "No reason. Just thought you might want to hang out." He shrugged casually, his green eyes briefly meeting hers before he turned to join a conversation with Ron and Neville about Quidditch. Ascella frowned, but finished her dinner without questioning further.

Hours later Ascella crawled into Harry's bed.

"What - Ascella? What are you doing here?" a groggy Harry asked.

"Went to go get a book from the library before curfew and got locked out, then it took awhile to convince a fifth year to let me in because someone forgot to tell me the password," Ascella replied nestling into his pillow, curled up on her side facing away from him. She felt more than saw him grin at her, before laying back down next to her.

"Hmm, did you get the book?" he asked yawning.

"Yeah," Ascella replied, closing her gray eyes. They both knew she was lying. There'd been no book. She'd just wanted to see him as much as he'd wanted to see her. They'd both needed reassurance that the summer apart had changed nothing in their relationship, that being back at Hogwarts meant being with each other, that they were still best friends.

"How was detention?"

"Ugh. He made me do lines. 'I will not write rude things about Professor Lockhart on my quiz papers and pass them off as answers'. Git." Harry chuckled. They continued to chat intermittently until Ascella started to drift off.

Ascella was almost asleep when Harry spoke again.

"Ascella? Keep Friday night free, okay?"

"Sure sure," she said, as she slipped into dream land, not a care in the world and not once realizing that Friday was her birthday.