On the weekend, just after Halloween, when the third year students and above are allowed to visit the Hogsmead, it was when he caught Ashika at empty corner in the library, busy translating a book to Japanese on her journal while eating foods that she ask house-elf to sneaked it in library without alerting the Hogwarts librarian.

Ashika didn't see him approached her.

"You don't seems doing your homework."

Ashika surprised, her dango stick fall from her mouth to her journal, fortunately the bamboo stick is already empty from the dango. She glanced up to see a pale skin boy, slight wavy brown hair with blue eyes staring curiously at her Japanese journal.

Damien Parkinson.

Her another Slytherin yearmate, younger brother to the heir Parkinson in third year.

It was the first time someone talk to her outside classes. Not greetings, not sneer or snubbed at every corner by Rosier and the gang or by the racist muggleborns; yes, there are some racist muggleborns, hate her Japanese background, probably something related to WW2, plus Slytherin background; not even Lestrange who only talked about their mentoring. But Parkinson comes and really talk about something to her.

"You don't seems want to attack me or something, not one of Rosier's buddies are you?"

Parkinson's face morphed to disgust. "I'm not socialising myself with that troll's dirt."

Ashika snorted in amusement, she knew Parkinson was not in friendly terms with Rosier, but doesn't mean he didn't want to attack her too.

Ashika tilting her head. "So what do you want Parkinson?" she asked curiously.

Parkinson shrugged with as much elegance as he could muster, and sit down in front of her.

Ashika raised her eyebrow.

As far as she know, Slytherin not socialising themselves to anyone willingly unless they're scheming something, want something, greetings or talking to someone to get their good graces, or simply curious.

"You're good at practical...I'm not good at it. But I'm really good at theories portion..." he trailed off.

"So you want me to help with you with practical spells?"

"Yes."

"What happened to your mentoring group?"

Parkinson shifted in his chair then sighed. "Avery is a joke, he is too dumb to be a mentor. Rowle is busy being Rosier's lap dog, and why do I want to seek about something to Dolohov of all people? The gargoyle is smarter than him."

Ashika chuckled at his face as if he was swallowed a sour lemon when he mentioned about Dolohov. "So what will you give me in return?"

"I can help you with theories or homework in exchange for practical spells?"

Ashika snorted. "Do you think I'm dumb at theories?"

"But I'm smarter than you at that," he replied back, not believing her words. It seems he know about her half-assed homeworks.

"Yes but doesn't mean I'm dumb, Parkinson. I'm just lazy," she snark at him.

Parkinson just raised his eyebrow then nudge at the book on the table. "You come to library everyday, to read book or write something in your language."

She comes to library everyday to read something useful to save her life from her own housemates when they found out she is actually just filthy mudblood and for upcoming war.

And also to earn money.

Ashika is lazy person, if Hogwarts allowed the students to bring muggle technology or electronic, she will be busy playing her games, and if there is no upcoming war, she will just reading some books that amuse her, lazing around not doing anything. She is that lazy even the sorting hat opposed her to put her in Hufflepuff.

So, she's not translating the books in her journal for herself but for the other wizard.

A Japanese wizard that she met long ago when she was eight years old, wandering alone in Diagon Alley. She met him at Flourish and Blotts. A Middle age Japanese man who take interest in other cultures, he is not fluent in English. Ashika offered herself to become his translator in exchange to tell her about Japanese magical culture.

And later, he asked her to translate the English magical books to Japanese, and he give her some money in exchange. Perhaps it is out of pity of her background or something.

Even now, he still asked her to translate some books from Hogwarts library.

"...My cousin ask me to translate some books to Japanese."

"I think there is translation spell," Parkinson said.

"Yes, but not always accurate," like a Google translate actually.

Ashika hummed, take another stick of dango. "You want some dango?"

Parkinson didn't ask what dango is, but take one dango stick from the plate, he eyed it curiously then eat it slowly. "...This is good."

"It's my favorite dumpling," she says easily as if she eat it everyday in her entire life here.

Ashika eyed him for a moment then says, "you're from dark old family right Parkinson?"

Parkinson paused to chew another dango from his stick and narrows his eyes at her. "What about it?"

Ashika smirked at him, chewing another dango, then leaning closer to him. "I'm sure there are some books about curses from your library at your lovely home..."