AN: First of all, I would like to thank Kira494 for the comment. I absolutely do plan to include more of both the Slytherins and the Weasley twins. I'm particularly glad that you seem to like how I've written the twins, because I was worried they came across as too antagonistic.

I would also like to thank everyone who has followed and favourited the story. Views are frozen on , so interactions are the only way I can gauge whether people are reading.

As I final important note, on December 24th, I made some minor edits to chapters 1 and 2. Mostly grammatical mistakes and punching up phrasing, so you won't miss much if you don't go back and read them again, but I'm committed to always telling you when I change something. A couple things that are potentially notable is that I changed it so that Ash is looking forward to advanced charms instead of ancient runes and Ollivander now points out that Ash's wand is good for duelling.

I went to sit with Millie and Daphne on the train home for the holidays, but their compartment was full, putting me in Draco's compartment with his other friends. I groaned inwardly at the thought of spending the day in a tiny room with Crabbe and Goyle. It didn't take long to become nearly unbearable.

"Why do you keep your hair that long anyway?" asked Goyle. He had this way of asking questions as though it was obvious there was no good answer that made me want to watch him bob for apples in piranha solution.

"I don't know, Greg," I said. "Why do you keep yours so short?"

"Because I'm a boy," he responded indignantly.

"I think you mean because that's how your mummy likes it," I said. "Y'know, some people do have whole personalities outside what their parents tell them to do."

"Okay, girls, calm down," said Draco. "We don't want to be fined for getting your period blood on the seats." Crabbe and Goyle laughed and made noises of disgust while I whipped my head around to look at him. The audacity of this child. But when I saw the smug look on his face, I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing. You are such a tryhard, I thought. Luckily, Draco didn't notice that I was laughing at him and not with him.

When the trolley came around, I bought a pumpkin juice with my remaining pocket change and the other three boys bought heaps of sweets. Draco tossed me a chocolate frog and I looked at him in surprise.

"What, like I'd let you starve?" Draco said, smirking. "I look out for my friends, especially when they're as pathetic as you." I thanked him unironically and ate.

"When we first met," I said thoughtfully. "You said you know a few hexes?" Draco grinned.

"More than a few," he bragged. "Why?"

"Do you have any books you'd lend me?" I asked. Though I didn't have any plans to curse anyone, I'd always been curious about what "dark arts" actually entailed. Draco eagerly agreed to bring me some books when he was in Diagon Alley, vigorously citing my abject poverty as the cause of his generosity.

x x x

Freddie Frank and Margaret had decorated the house very nicely for Christmas. Margaret was Freddie's friend who lived in the house and acted as the other foster parent. There were red and green ribbons and gold garlands on the bannisters and a glittering tree in the sitting room. The whole house smelled like baked goods and would continue to for the whole of the winter holiday.

From almost the second I got home, Abigale – one of the other children – began bombarding me with questions. She was nine and would be joining me at Hogwarts the year after next. Relentlessly curious, she interviewed me on every aspect of life at Hogwarts over mug after mug of hot cocoa. It left a bittersweet taste in my mouth, at once reminding me of the family I'd left behind and feeling like a realing sibling experience that I'd never had as an only child. I made a mental note to try to find a copy of the Christmas stories my mother would read to me every year.

Christmas in Diagon Alley was like all the best parts of a Dickens novel. Considering I was technically living in the modern equivalent of an orphanage, there was arguably a sprinkle of the bad stuff too. In any case, it was entirely picturesque. The carts that sold hot street food and warm butterbeer sent lovely smells all throughout the street. Boughs of holly and wreaths were displayed in every shop window and at night the town was alight with magical sparks that danced in the air.

One morning, I was awoken by a cold breeze and a sharp pecking at my face. I woke with a shout, startling the owl that was sitting on my chest.

"How- What?!" I shouted. The eagle owl was now perched on my desk, shuffling and staring innocently at me. I looked over at my window, wondering how the owl had managed to open the latch. After a moment, I just shrugged and went to take the letter the owl was holding.

Ash, it read.

I thought I should tell you that I will be in Diagon Alley with my parents two days after Christmas. You don't have a family, so I doubt you'll be busy, but I thought I'd demonstrate how a proper wizard makes plans for your future reference.

Try to make yourself presentable.

- D. Malfoy

I wrote a quick note back.

Draco Malfoy,

Thank you for telling me when you'll be in town. I look forward to seeing you. Since you feel the need to demonstrate how "proper" you are, I can only assume that you're planning to give me a very expensive gift, which I am eager to accept.

- B. Ash

P.S. I'm sure muggles also make plans in advance.

P.P.S. Only joking about the gift. Please don't buy me anything.

The thought of a rich boy heaping loads of expensive junk on me – his emotional support poor – made me cringe as much as it delighted me. I tied the letter to the owl's leg and sent him off through the window.

x x x

On Christmas Eve, I stayed up until midnight as always, even though I knew I wouln't see my mom walk through the door this time. It just felt wrong to go to bed earlier. When midnight came, I snuck down into the kitchen to fix myself a cup of tea. When I got there, Freddie was already sitting at the table.

"You better not be trying to sneak a peek at Father Christmas," she said playfully.

"I'm too old to believe in him," I responded, not much in the mood to play along. In truth, I never had. My mum made sure I understood from an early age that he wasn't real, not wanting me to think that I was naughty because I didn't get as many Christmas presents as other kids.

"Feelin' alright?" she asked. Clearly, I wasn't as good at hiding my emotions as I thought. I looked at her, trying to decide if it would be okay. Finally, something about her eyes – green, like mine – made me crack. I shook my head.

"Sit tight," she said with a compassionate smile. "I'll get you a cuppa."

I sat at the table and soon, Freddie was back with another cup of tea, which I took gratefully.

"Feel like talking?" she asked. I sipped the tea.

"I just," I started. "With Christmas and all… I can't help wondering if I have any family somewhere and- and if they're missing me." I felt my voice crack and I cursed the tears that were threatening to pour down my cheeks. What must it be like for my mom all alone on Christmas Eve without anyone to share her cinnamon bun with? Freddie took my hand.

"I think it's admirable that you're worried about them," she said kindly. "And I want you to know that it's completely normal to miss them, even though you don't know who they are." I finally broke down and Freddie held me in her arms until I was ready to go back to bed.

Draco's presumptuous owl turned out to not be the last source of rude awakening that holiday. On Christmas morning I was awoken - before the sun had even reason - by three squealing little voices and three sets of hands shaking me awake. I opened my eyes to see big round eyes behind big round glasses just inches away from my face and it took all my strength not to scream. Shaun - who was eight - scrambled away from me when he saw I was awake.

"Get up, Bonkus!" Cried Sophie (five). I was certain she could say my name normally and called me "Bonkus" because she thought it was funny. And maybe it was. Just a little bit. "It's Christmas!"

I grumbled and tried to pull the blanket over my head, but it was yanked off me. Despite the protests of my exhausted body, I dragged myself out of bed, causing a chorus of cheers from the other kids. Soon, we were bounding into the living room and Freddie and Margaret were shushing us from the kitchen table.

"No opening presents until after coffee," Margaret said, nursing a large mug. Freddie got the children cups of hot chocolate and we sat at the kitchen table as the sun began to peak over the horizon, the children squeaking excitedly the whole time. When we did go and sit around the pile of presents, I was pleasantly surprised that I had a few of my own. I opened the largest first.

"It's just my old one," Margaret was saying, "but I remembered you saying that you missed listening to music."

It was a record player.

"We can go out tomorrow to get a couple records," Freddie said. "I have a feeling you won't be interested in Maggie's old opera recordings."

"Wow," I said, thinking of all the great industrial records I would buy. "Thank you so much."

I also got a new set of cranberry coloured robes that would fit me better and a handful of chocolate frogs. Then there was one remaining package with my name on it.

"This came for you last night," Freddie explained. "From one of your school friends."

"I think I'll open this on my own," I said, not including that I thought the book shaped present might be a book of curses from a Malfoy.

x x x

I was waiting in the Leaky Cauldron for Draco, where we had agreed to meet. My hair was perfectly washed and brushed and I was wearing my new robes. My stomach was doing flips at the thought of meeting Malfoy's parents. I felt very much like I was about to act in a play for which I had not memorized my lines for a crowd of hungry tigers.

I had flipped through the book of curses Draco had given me and was feeling a little squirmish. Not that the curses in there were really that bad, but the thought that these curses were on the milder end gave me a strange feeling I couldn't quite place. It was just making body parts grow in ways they shouldn't or attracting vermin and illness. It was hardly turning a person into a fountain of blood à la Nightmare on Elm Street, but I still couldn't quite see the utility in setting bot flies on people.

Just as I was considering this, I saw them enter. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy didn't look how they did in the movies, but I recognized them instantly. I steeled myself and put on a faux shy smile. That's right, make nice with the fascists for now.

Draco led his parents to the table where I was sitting.

"Mother, father," he said. "This is Branchus Ash."

"It's nice to meet you," I said.

"A pleasure," said Lucius, looking down his nose at me.

"We've heard lots about you," Narcissa said. She wore a smile of which I could not decipher the meaning.

"Good things I hope," I said, feeling it was the appropriate canned response.

"Draco tells us you've been struggling with your magic signature," she replied.

"Oh," I said, having absolutely no idea how to respond politely. "Yeah. Er, yes, I suppose so."

"You know, there are some excellent books you can get on the subject," she said. Oh, god, someone end this conversation. I want to die.

"Thank you, I'll look into that," I said. "So, what brings the three of you to Diagon Alley?" I glanced at Lucius, who appeared perfectly content letting his wife lead the conversation.

"We're here so I can be fitted for a spring wardrobe," said Draco, holding up his head in what I assumed was meant to be an imitation of his elegant parents. I smiled, a slight concession to stop myself from laughing.

"Wow, you must be really on top of fashion," I said.

"The very top," said Lucius in a final sort of way that made it even harder to not laugh at them. I couldn't imagine being so rich that I would be buying an entirely new wardrobe for spring at the beginning of winter.

I stayed with the Malfoys for most of the day, which was exactly as natural and relaxing as it sounds. I spent most of the time trying to think of an excuse to extract myself from the situation and hold back snarky comments. In the tailor's, I admired some intricately embroidered fabric, which Draco informed me was tacky. I informed him under my breath that I would rather be tacky than boring. This caused him to drag me off to some restaurant so I would be forced to have lunch with his parents as well. "It's torture and education," he said.

By the time I got back to the foster house, I was exhausted and bristling. I sat at my desk, reading the book of hexes Draco gave me and feeling a bit like I was understanding their purpose better. I sighed as I closed it, feeling very much like I needed a more concrete plan for converting Draco. For one thing, I knew I needed to broaden my scope. If I could find out which Slytherins were open to my purposes, I could use peer pressure to my advantage. I started writing a list of the events that I might want to interfere with for the next few years, but I found myself hitting a snag. If only there were someone I could talk to about this, I thought. Someone who wouldn't question that I know about things that haven't happened yet or that I otherwise shouldn't know about. And that's when I realized that there is someone exactly like that. Someone I could find as soon as I got back to Hogwarts at the very top of the North Tower.

AN: Thank you for reading! This chapter took me a really long time to write. I especially struggled writing Mafloy's parents. I put it off for ages.

Now what to ask you in the comment prompts...

In this chapter we see an interaction between Goyle and Ash. I get antsy when I write minor characters because I'm worried I don't distinguish their personalities enough. Let me know if you've got any voice tips for getting personality across in short interactions.

And, of course, there's the Malfoys and Freddie Frank. Really the theme of these questions is character voice. I've been trying out some Britishisms and I'm always worried it comes across like a caricature.

And no, I did not realize when I chose Freddie Frank's name that there is already a character named Fred. My mom had to point it out to me. -_-