a/n AHHH! Finally I've been building to this chappie for awhile now! You will finally get to learn some more about Ascella's mom assuming you haven't read my other story. Exciting. I feel like it was time, especially as I hope most of you have seen that Ascella is a lot like Sirius thus far so I am excited to show how she actually does have some of what my version of Marlene is like, aside from the way she looks. In general this whole chappie is all about Ascella so I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: nope not mine. All JKs
P.S. Sorry for the like 2 month hiatus! :( all on me.
January 1993
It had turned out that the hair Bulstrode had left on Hermione's robes had actually been a cat hair, not one of Bulstrodes as Hermione had hoped. Ascella had grimaced accordingly, knowing it was bad to use the Polyjuice Potion with animal DNA, and had then accompanied her now furry friend to the Hospital Wing, but not before she'd said a few choice words to Myrtle for laughing at Hermione's predicament. They were so choice in fact that Ascella almost got drenched again when Myrtle jumped into her toilet and with much venom Ascella once again resolutely resolved to never set foot in that lavatory again; making the Polyjuice Potion, had after all, been the only exception to her previous resolution.
Now the new term had begun and Hermione was still in the Hospital Wing. Ascella visited with Harry and Ron as often as she was able to but the first Saturday of the term found her trudging down to Filch's office for her first detention of the term, instead of visiting the Hopistal Wing with her other friends. To say she was less than enthused would be an understatement. She could have been walking to her execution and she would've probably looked more enthused.
Filch met her at his door at precisely 7 o'clock. Ascella tried not to grimace as he directed her to follow him. To Ascella's dismay he led her to the trophy room on the third floor. She knew what awaited her in there; Ron had had detention cleaning in there the previous term. Sure enough, Filch told her to start cleaning all the trophies, the cases, the plaques, and even the framed photos of the teams and people who'd won the awards. All by hand. Without magic.
Ascella suppressed the desire to groan, as Filch handed her a small bag of rags and a bottle of polish and a spray bottle of cleaner. The only saving grace was that he left the room shortly after, but not before threatening her that he'd be back to check in periodically. Sighing, Ascella looked around her and choosing the far corner she got started.
As annoying as cleaning everything was without magic, Ascella found she couldn't help but enjoy the photos that went along with the awards; anywhere from grinning nerds having just won some spell contest or potion contest to the old Quidditch Cup winners. Ascella almost dropped her rag and spray bottle when she found one with a young Gryffindor man in it proudly holding up a Quidditch Cup, surrounded by the rest of his team, who looked almost exactly like an older version of Harry. She did a double take, wondering how the hell Harry'd gotten in this photo, before realizing that this must be James, Harry's father. And sure enough Ascella noted that, not only was this man older than Harry, probably in his sixth or seventh year, but the eyes were a different color and the nose was maybe a little longer and there was no scar on his forehead. Other than those few differences though he was exactly the same; he had Harry's smile, Harry's rumbled jet black hair, and Harry's thin face. He was also rather attractive, Ascella couldn't help but think.
"Good on you Harry," she said aloud to herself, putting the photo back down. If Harry continued to look like his father, which Ascella had no reason to doubt, then he would have plenty of young ladies wanting to date him in the coming years. It was after she'd set the photo down and moved on to the Academic club awards in the case next to it that Ascella really did drop the rag and spray bottle, her mouth falling open into a small o.
She hesitantly stepped closer to the case, her fingertips brushing the cool glass, her eyes not quite believing what she was seeing. In the case for the Charms Club there was a photo, a photo of a smiling blond girl maybe 15 or 16, in a frame of gold. She was holding up an award to the camera, Charm's Club MPV her arm around a younger Professor Flitwick, who smiled proudly next to her. In the photo they were looking at each other and laughing before looking out at the camera as though they'd just shared a joke.
And just as James had looked like an older, more attractive version of Harry, the beautiful girl in this photo looked just like an older Ascella. Her left cheek even ever so slightly dimpled just the same when she smiled as Ascella's did, though Ascella's was usually more of a smirk, making it look like she had a secret. The only difference in fact that Ascella could see was that the girl in the photos eyes were the most beautiful shade of sapphire blue Ascella had ever seen and seemed to sparkle like the sea. Ascella didn't need to read the placard to know that this girl was her mother, Marlene McKinnon.
Ascella didn't know how long she stared at the photo - it could have been five minutes or five hours - all she knew was that she never wanted to look away. She'd never seen a photo of her mother. Ted and Meda didn't have any and from what she knew of the story the McKinnon Manor had been destroyed the night her mother died, along with everything in it. In fact aside from that knowledge of how she'd died and that everyone had always told her how much she looked like her mother, a fact Ascella only now believed, she didn't know much of anything about the woman who'd given birth to her.
But she knew something now. Marlene had been in Charms Club, of all things. And if the photo was any indication, she'd been pretty good at it too. Just like Ascella.
Ascella felt her heart warm as that realization washed over her. She did have something in common with her mother, something other than looks. They both had a love, and a talent, for Charms. Ascella felt a watery smile alight on her face, her eyes swimming with moisture. She almost wanted to laugh. Who would have ever thought that a detention with Filch would have ever given her such a gift as this? Knowledge about her mother.
Two hours later Ascella crawled into Harry's bed, smelling of cleaning solution and silver polish and not caring one bit.
"Mmm, hullo Cells," Harry murmured rolling over and blinking awake, his green eyes coming in to focus on her.
She'd spent the time after her detention walking about the castle in a dream like state not coming to until she was outside the entrance to Gryffindor common room, her feet knowing before her heart that she needed to share this with her best friend and had taken her to him accordingly.
Now, she smiled sheepishly back at Harry, before biting her bottom lip and tugging on the overlong sleeves of a Gryffindor Quidditch sweater she'd stolen from Fred over the Christmas holidays.
Harry sat up higher at her reaction and grabbing his glasses asked her what was wrong.
So not looking at him Ascella replied, "I saw what my mother looked like for the first time." She felt Harry freeze before he reached out and took her hand in his.
"Oh Cella," he said, giving her hand a squeeze before waiting for her to continue in her own time. His support gave Ascella the courage to meet his concerned and empathetic eyes and tell him about how she'd stumbled upon the photo. She didn't tell him about seeing his father but then she suspected he'd already seen that photo in his scrapbook of photos given to him by Hagrid, but she did confess to him finally just how little she knew about her mother. She told him about not even knowing if she actually did look like her, only knowing that her personality was more like her father's, and she told him about how she'd worried she wasn't like her mother at all.
"But you are. You both like Charms," Harry said softly, when she'd finished getting all her worries out. Ascella smiled warmly at him and nodded.
"Yeah," she said, her gray eyes alight, "I am. Even if in the smallest way, at least I know I got something from her. You must think that's silly, though, to worry about that kind of thing." Harry was shaking his head in protestation before she'd even finished the sentence.
"Are you kidding me? Of course I don't think it's stupid," he said earnestly. "I think about those things almost everyday. I wonder what my parents would be like if they were alive, I wonder if they'd be proud of me, and most often I wonder if I'm anything like them at all. So no, I definitely don't think you are 'silly' for thinking about things like that."
Ascella grinned. Of course Harry would understand; he hadn't known his parents either. Ascella, though, didn't want to know anything more about her father, the way she saw it she already knew too much. But it was this knowledge of her father that had made Ascella so desperate over the years to know something of her mother, if only to assure herself that she wouldn't - couldn't - turn out like her murderous, Azkaban sentenced father. But she didn't tell Harry that; she didn't want him to know. It meant enough to her that he understood her desire to know her mother without the knowledge about her father.
"Thank you, Harry," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Harry smiled and squeezed her hand once more, before letting it go. Then leaning back, putting his arm behind his head on the pillow, he said, "So, Charms Club, eh?" a twinkle in his eye.
Ascella hit his arm and laid down next to him. "Shut up," she said in reply as Harry laughed. She knew Harry was just teasing her about how she'd always made fun of any and all of the school clubs, especially the academic ones, and the people in said clubs, only to find out now that her mother was one of those people.
They were silent a moment more before Ascella got up the nerve to say, "Did I tell you how Flitwick told me to consider joining Charms Club, beginning of last term?"
She felt Harry nod his head next to her, before he replied, "Yeah, I think you mentioned it, followed by a 'no way in hell' comment."
"Would you think I was a hypocrite if I was now seriously considering it?" Harry allowed himself one small laugh, no doubt thinking, as she was, of her earlier resolve to never join a school club, especially an academic one, before he gave his honest opinion, a warm smile splitting his face.
"I wouldn't dream of it. In fact, I think you should join."
"Really?" Ascella asked her voice cracking a little on the word.
"Really. You love Charms. And now you know your Mum did too. And she obviously found something to enjoy in the club, so why not see if you do too? Let me tell a secret Ascella: it's okay to let yourself be passionate about something and to show others that passion. Besides, from what you've told me, it looks like she and Flitwick were close and if you join the club you'd be close to Flitwick..." Harry trailed off, letting this information sink in. It took her a moment before -
"Oh! Harry you're a genius! He would be able to tell me more about my mother. And you know, he might even be able to get me a copy of that photo! I am definitely joining Charms Club now!" she said throwing her arms around Harry.
Harry laughed and held her back. After that the two of them fell into easy conversation, where she told Harry about his father's photo, which Harry in turn told her he did indeed already have the photo, followed by Ascella raving about how weird it was that he looked so much like his dad, to which Harry rolled his eyes, even though Ascella knew he was secretly proud he looked like his dad. It did prompt Harry to remind her that apparently she looked just like her mother too, though he'd have to check out the photo before he believed it, which in turn made Ascella remember the photo with fondness.
"She was truly beautiful, Harry," she said her eyes glazing over in memory.
Harry snorted.
"What?" Ascella asked. Harry caught her eye, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"You must not look as much like her as people say then."
Ascella hit him.
Harry only cackled.
Shortly after that they finally fell asleep, Ascella with a smile on her face, and a bubble of warmth in her chest.
Monday morning, not even Aaron and Padma's teasing, could prevent her from marching up to Flitwicks' desk at the beginning of Charms and telling him that if the offer was still on the table, then she'd love to join the Charms Club. She'd been nervous but she'd hid her nerves well behind her usual mask of bravado. She needn't have worried though. Poor Professor Flitwick gave her such a big smile and was so excited that she swore his voice went up another octave (a feat she wouldn't have even thought possible) and she had to catch him before he'd accidentally toppled off the stack of books he used to teach on, before he settled on just nodding a lot and telling her he would be delighted to have her join. She was informed the next meeting would be taking place at the beginning of the next month, but she needn't worry about remembering when as he would add her to the owl mailing list he kept to inform members of the happenings in the club.
Ascella had then taken her books and bag and slipped into her seat next to Terry Boot, trying and failing to prevent a happy smile from alighting her features. Ascella settled in at her desk before turning to Boot, to see a matching smile of happiness on his face.
"What?" she asked, feeling herself blush a little. "Are you going to tease me too like the others?" Boot's smile widened but he shook his head no.
"No," he said. "I was just going to say how happy I am that you decided to join. You'll love it! We get to really learn a lot more about Charms and get a chance to work ahead more. We also hold little competitions to see who can perform the best spells or recognize and reverse the most spells already placed on objects. And with you being so good at Charms and all I'm sure you'll be great!" Boot said the last with a bit of a blush but Ascella only had the time to respond with a warm smile at his support and enthusiasm before Flitwick was drawing their attention to the front of the room for the start of the lesson on engorgement charms.
It was about this time that Ascella's happiness began to dim. But not because of the lesson or the teasing she was still getting from Aaron and Padma (Kevin and Terry defended her at least to their friends; they were both in Charms Club as well), no it was because of a nasty cramping feeling she was getting in her gut. Or was it just lower than her gut? She wasn't sure, all she knew for sure was that it hurt and made her feel like she wanted to be sick. Or curl up in a ball on her bed and never move again. One of the two. Maybe even both.
"Are you alright?" Terry asked her concerned while they practiced the engorgement charm on small stones. She'd just had a particularly painful cramp and hadn't been able to stop the slight grimace that wrinkled her forehead.
She nodded at him, not trusting herself to speak in a normal voice. It was clear Boot didn't believe her but he let it slide.
Perhaps he'd noted Ascella's 'I don't want to talk about it face' or perhaps he just knew she wouldn't tell him the real reason. At the bell singling the end of the lesson, Ascella made for the nearest toilet as fast as she could. Upon locking herself in one of the toilets she retched up her breakfast. Unfortunately, she didn't feel much better after.
It wasn't until after lunch when she went to the toilet to relieve herself that she figured out why. She'd started her period. Ascella had promptly sprinted to the Owlery, ignoring Harry's calls as she raced by him on his way to History of Magic.
Upon arrival she pulled a sheet of parchment from her bag, along with a quill and some ink. She had the ink uncorked, the quill dipped and poised over the parchment before she realized she didn't know who to write to. She supposed she could write to Meda but Meda was terrified of conversations that she didn't deem "appropriate to talk about in public"; her pure-blood upbringing had stuck in some ways. Besides, Dora had told her about how Meda had tried to explain the birds and the bees to her and Dora's advice to Ascella had been to not ask Meda. Apparently Meda'd clammed up and said "well" a lot, while she tried to think of what to say, before attempting to draw it out with terrible, disproportionate stick figures. No, Meda would not be the one to write to.
Ted would normally be the one Ascella went to for personal kinds of advice but somehow she didn't think this particular issue would go over well. It was moments like this when Ascella felt the pang and desire to have a mother; someone she could go to when things like this happened. Ascella had almost given up on writing a letter at all until she remembered; Dora! She could write to her cousin. She was surprised she hadn't thought of it sooner. Ascella soon had scribbled out a frantic letter to her cousin.
Dora!
It's happened! My first crimson tidal monster has arrived! What do I do?! Please send word immediately! I don't know how long I can stand running to the bathroom every hour to magic away the damage!
Ascella
She spotted her elegant barn owl, Esmeralda, huddled up next to Harry's owl, Hedwig, on a rafter above her. Ezzy was pretending she hadn't seen Ascella and that she was sleeping but Ascella knew better so she poked her with a stick. Unfortunately, she rustled up the other owls around her own, including Hedwig, who gave her an indignant hoot before settling herself on a higher branch, but fortunately it worked to get Esmeralda down to her.
Ezzy liked to pretend she was too good for Ascella, but she loved Ascella really and prided herself on a job well done, so when Ascella tied the letter to her leg and told her to get it to Dora as soon as possible, she knew it would happen that way. And with an affectionate nip Ezzy was off to London.
She returned to her the following day at the end of breakfast. Ascella had been sitting with Harry but when she received the letter she promptly exclaimed and ran off without answering any of Harry's inquiries.
She waited until she was in an empty classroom on the fifth floor before she tore open the envelope and furiously read, her eyes zipping back and forth across the paper.
Dear Cells,
It's okay love! You'll be alright, I promise everything is normal. But can I at least say: Welcome to Womanhood! (Ascella might have gagged, like she wanted to deal with that, buying training bras over the last summer had been bad enough, if she wasn't so in need of what Dora was going to say). I know you are probably trying not to gag right now, (Dora knew her too well) but all I can really tell you is that you should go to Madam Pomfrey. She'll go through all you need to know, in a way that doesn't embarrass you both, like anything mum would say would do, and she'll give you the most amazing potion ever to help with any cramping and stomach discomfort. She can also provide you with any sanitary items you might need. In fact you are lucky this happened to you while at school. I had to go to mum over Christmas break my third year; it was a nightmare. Luckily I was still on it when I went back to school and I had a friend who suggested I go to Madam Pomfrey. She was honestly really great. But I know you are a Ravenclaw so maybe you'd prefer to read about it in a book. I asked Dad ("She did not ask Ted," Ascella muttered) and he said he'd send you up some books. ("She did it. Traitor," Ascella said her stomach knotting as her cheeks grew very hot.) Should be along with the family owl soon! Before that though the scouring spells work well for any stains, as well as Mrs Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover.
But don't be too freaked out Cella! It's all normal! As much as it sucks, it is still normal. Let me know how it goes and write again soon. I always love hearing from you!
Wotcher,
Tonks (Dora)
Ascella crumpled up the letter. 'Well that was helpful' she thought sarcastically, her cheeks still flaming hot. Somehow she couldn't imagine that Meda's response could have been more embarrassing than that one. And what was with the comment about "I know you are a Ravenclaw so maybe you'd prefer to read about it" all about? No! Just because she was a Ravenclaw didn't mean she couldn't be social and ask for help about this. And so Ascella marched herself down to the Hospital Wing, the letter crumpled up in her hand and submitted herself to Madam Pomfrey's expert advice.
And it really had turned out to be not so bad. Pomfrey was incredibly helpful and it wasn't once embarrassing. In fact the way Madam Pomfrey brushed off her concerns and immediately sought to her needs and talked about it so casually made Ascella feel more embarrassed that she'd felt embarrassed at all. The best part though was when she gave Ascella a potion for cramping to be taken as needed, until they figured out what the correct level of dosage would be for her; Pomfrey had a feeling it would be higher than usual as it seemed Ascella's pain was higher than the average, especially as it had caused her to vomit.
Pomfrey also asked her if she needed any help with bras and such. Ascella had been worried she was going to tell her she needed new ones, but Madam Pomfrey waved off her concerns telling her that what she currently had (the training bras) were most likely just fine, but then explained how when a girls period starts, she should expect other parts of her body to change as well, and Pomfrey only wanted to make sure she knew what to get when the time came. Ascella had raised her eyebrows and might have declined before she thought of how awkward it had been to buy the training bras with Meda last summer and decided she'd rather hear it from Pomfrey, and so Pomfrey gave her the low down on how they should fit and everything.
All in all Ascella was glad to have gone and seen the head healer of Hogwarts, and not just because the meeting had taken all of Herbology and gotten her excused (a fact Aaron and Kevin were not happy about later, apparently Zabini had been more talkative and disdainful than usual, in fact he had been the whole term. Ascella suspected he'd figured out about the Polyjuice-Potion-impersonating-him-thing Ascella had done; he'd yet to actually confront her about it but he had made comments suggesting he suspected. Ascella had ignored such comments and deflected them with small secretive smiles instead, as if to say 'wouldn't you like to know').
And so it was that Ascella walked into her Transfiguration lesson five minutes late, waving her pass to McG as if "whatever" when in actuality Ascella was a little worried Minnie would make some sort of comment about her being late. Luckily McG read the note and gave her what Ascella could only describe as a sympathetic, if brief, smile before gesturing her to her seat. Harry, on the other hand wasn't as easily appeased.
"Ascella," he said, his eyebrows heavily furrowed as he looked at her. " What the hell as been going on with you?"
Ascella refused to meet his eye, her face flushing, as she pulled her book out and set it heavily on the desk and replied, "Nothing!"
Harry very clearly didn't believe her and looked about ready to respond but Ascella shot him a look and he shut up.
Padma cornered her later a knowing look in her eye.
"What?" Ascella asked, a little startled by her sudden appearance at the foot of her bed, where she had holed up in comfortable sleepwear and her favorite book, the potion Madam Pomfrey had given her on her side table.
"It's happened, hasn't it?" Padma said.
"Er - what's happened?" Ascella asked more than a little confused.
Padma shot a significant look at the potion. Ascella glanced at it. Her eyes widened in understanding. She looked back at Padma excited.
"You mean it's happened already to you?"
Padma grimaced before smiling back at her friend, nodding and crawling up onto the foot of Ascella's bed.
"Over Christmas break. I thought I was dying for sure," Padma said. "My mum gave me a potion similar to that over break." She pointed to the one on Ascella's side table. "I was still on it when we got back so I had to go get the same one from Pomfrey when we got back. Besides I also recognized the symptoms," she added smirking at Ascella.
Ascella fell back on her bed with a groan. "It's awful," she moaned.
"Yeah, it is," Padma agreed. "It sucks royally. But at least I'm not the only one anymore," she added brightly.
Ascella's only response was to glare and throw a pillow at her friend. Padma cackled and darted out of the way. The pillow slide off the side of the bed and Ascella was left in pain wondering why she'd stupidly thrown the pillow she'd charmed with a warming spell and had laid over her abdomen, a pillow she was in too much pain to go and get.
"You suck!" she called to Padma. The girl stuck her tongue out in response but did toss the pillow back at her.
"Don't say I never did anything for you!" she called primly over her shoulder, walking into the bathroom.
Ascella grinned and placing the pillow back on her abdomen, couldn't help but think that maybe misery really did like company.
