Wish Upon A Star

Back to Hogwarts 2

It was incredible how the chatter became excited as the tables, as the plates magically filled themselves with food. It was a bittersweet feeling as they looked at the tables.

Hermione and Ron got up to chivy the students along with the other prefects after McGonagall dismissed the school.

Ashlyn had other places to go to. She was one of the firsts to leave the table, and she sprinted up to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Susurrus," she said to the Fat Lady, who swung open.

"Good to see you," she said as she climbed into the Common Room.

"Good to see you too, dear," the Fat Lady swung shut.

Ashlyn took a few seconds to admire the common room, with its red-carpeted floor, the fireplaces with calmly flickering flames. Then she ran up to the girls' dormitory and threw her trunk open.

She took the two, securely wrapped paintings and took off outside again. 

The walk was long, and she preferred it that way. Taking in every bit of the castle. She had missed this place. It was just one year, but still...

"Professor McGonagall!" she called hurrying after the older witch, whose robes had just swished up a flight of stairs.

McGonagall turned around.

"Miss Clarke," she said. "What are—"

"Professor," Ashlyn panted skidding to a halt in front of her. "I've got something here. And I need your permission for it,"

McGonagall eyed the canvases Ashlyn was holding, then beckoned her.

"Follow me," she said, leading them to the Headmaster's office.

"Sherbet lemon," McGonagall told the gargoyle, which sprung to life and jumped out of the way. Ashlyn couldn't suppress the little smile. 

"In remembrance," McGonagall said with a soft look as they went up the spiralling staircase.

The room looked almost similar, but it didn't have Dumbeldore's charm, the fragile objects that lined the room, was placed safely in a glass cabinet.

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore," Ashlyn said smiling back at Dumbeldore's portrait as McGonagall went and sat in the high backed chair behind the desk.

"Good evening, my dear," Dumbledore said kindly.

"Good evening, to you too, Professor Black," she said to the wizard far up. Phineas Nigellus Black sniffed and coughed out a lazy 'Good Evening,'

McGonagall motioned her to sit down. 

"What is it that you need your permission for?" she asked.

"This, professor," Ashlyn said placing the portraits side by side on the mahogany desk. She tapped the silk wrappings of the first painting with her finger, and they fluttered away and landed in a neat pile on the corner of the desk.

"The First Order," McGonagall said softly, as she picked the painting gingerly. 

"I was thinking I could hang these in Hogwarts," Ashlyn said as McGonagall's eyes travelled across the faces smiling back at her.

Ashlyn tapped the second painting, as McGonagall put it down.

"Minnie!" 

"Aw, look Minnie! Did you miss us?"