Ashlynn Black: Secrets (Chapter 1) - Tills

**CHAPTER 1, NEW BEGINNINGS.**

"Eurgh. Why do mornings have to be so tiring," Ashlynn Black wondered, as her alarm went off at 5am, as it did everyday.

ASHLYNN POV, 5AM ON SEPTEMBER 1ST 1994, SPINNER'S END

"Ashlynn it's your first day at Hogwarts today," a slow, somewhat cold voice drawled from downstairs.

"\*\*\*\*! \*\*\*\*, \*\*\*\*, \*\*\*\*," I jumped out of bed and grabbed my wand, trying to neaten the untidy mess that was my trunk. I flicked it hopefully, but my clothes merely raised up as few inches and fell down again in a limp pile. The door banged, and in strode Severus Snape.

"Oh Ashlynn get over yourself." He swished his wand, and the clothes neatened, folding themselves in the process. "Now pack. I don't want you late on your first day."

"I don't give a \*\*\*\* whether I look neat or not," I muttered in an undertone.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." I knew he could read my mind but didn't care, there was more important things to do than pack. I rolled my eyes and heaved my broom, a Nimbus 2001, into the battered old trunk, and hastily grabbed my glasses slamming them onto my face. "Now what. Want me to magic myself there?" I said sarcastically.

"Ashlynn, you remind me of Lily sometimes."

"Lily? Whose she, your girlfriend?" Who was Lily, some weirdo partner of my wretched dad? I didn't ask to be adopted by some freak with an addiction to some girl.... I watched her dad's expression, it seemed to be a mixture of longing and remorse. "Dad... oh Dad I didn't mean to..." he walked out, I knew he would rather die than be seen crying. However I heard muffled sobs from the lounge, and felt a deep sense of regret inside boiling up. Why did I always have to ruin things? Why did I have to turn everyone against me?

SNAPE POV - DOWNSTAIRS IN HIS STUDY

I sat down on the tatty old chairs that adorned my study and the memories kept flooding back. Lily, in the play park when we first met aged 10, Lily and I on the Hogwarts Express - Potter and Black coming in and ruining everything, Lily getting sorted into Gryffindor, Lily lecturing me on my choice of friends, and Lily coming to help with that spiteful bully Potter but me pushing her away, me entering her house to her dead body...

I knelt down on the floor, my last picture of Lily in my hands. I could remember her exactly, her flaming hair, startling green eyes, but mostly; her trust for me, the fact that she knew I was an outsider and still stuck with me...

ASHLYNN POV - IN HER ROOM

I decided to go find him, tracking the crying noises until I reached the study. I slowly pushed the door ajar, and slid in. He was worse than I thought, kneeling on the ground staring at a crumpled picture. I didn't know this 'Lily' meant so much to him. I don't know whether it was just the moment but I noticed he seemed more of a weak figure than usual, no strength - no spite. I was shocked, I had never seen him break down like this before.

"I'm sorry Ashlynn, I should've educated you on the world, not locked you up here without socializing, I should'v-"

"Dad it's okay. Please, don't be sad, it's only natural for you to want to protect me!" I cut in.

"Ashlynn I think it's time you knew who your father really was." He stated.

I was shocked, he hadn't told me for so long, he had kept me up here, I had no idea what went on outside of the house; it was weird for him to tell me now. I suppose this 'Lily' did strange things to him.

"I'm ready when you are, Dad." I said. I made sure to put the emphasis on dad, I knew he had always longed for a real family.

"Well, have you heard of..."

"Who..?" I asked.

"The Dark Lord."

"Come again?" I said.

"He Who Must Not Be Named.... You-Know-Who...."

"Oh! You mean Voldemort!" As I said this he covered my mouth, I suppose I wasn't meant to say this You-Know-Who's name.

"Right. Now, the Dark Lord has an army. They're called Death Eaters."

SNAPE POV

I decided not to tell her I had  the dark mark, she had too much to take in without all this.

ASHLYNN POV

"So... one of his Death Eaters was called Regulus Black.  He was young, free, until he joined. His wife has died 2 years before, and he wanted a change. You see, the Dark Lord isn't exactly forgiving. Regulus realized only too late what he had signed up for, but in the Dark Lord's case, you don't just leave. You stay loyal or die. Regulus did many.. er... things that displeased the Dark Lord. He was killed. Just after, however, he had you. I took you in, but was worried. You see, the Dark lord didn't and still doesn't know Regulus had a daughter. If he knew, you'd be in as much danger as Harry Potter."

"Sorry, father, but who is Harry Potter?" I inquired.

"Harry Potter is Lily and James Potter's son."

I noticed he put much emphasis on Lily's name. I supposed this was the Lily he cried about. I didn't have to think much to work out what had happened.

"The Dark Lord tried to kill Harry Potter, when he was a baby, but he survived. Because Lily died to save him. You see, when he decided to kill someone, they never survived. But young Harry did, just with a lightning blot shaped scar. He is the Boy Who Lived."

I was shocked, scared. Was I like this Harry person? Was I at threat? I was worried, what if this Harry didn't like me?

He handed me a photo of my dad, he had a gaunt, pointed face and collarbone-length black hair. He looked rather handsome, i must say. I pocketed the photo in my jacket pocket for safekeeping.

"Thanks, Dad." I smiled.

"Now, get ready. The train leaves in four hours. And remember to keep your father a secret."

TIME SKIP, ASHLYNN POV, KINGS CROSS

Me and Dad walked up into King's Cross, and he showed me how to get into the platform. He left me, saying he had to go meet some teachers somewhere I didn't really care. I didn't really understand how to make the wall let me in to 9 3/4, and just stood there dumbly.

"You okay there sweet?" Called out a warm, motherly voice. It, I found, came from a pudgy, ginger-haired, slightly aging woman, with four school-age, black-robed children behind her. There was a tall, lanky, younger-looking boy with large ears, two very tall identical red-haired grinning twins, and a young, freckly girl who looked about a year younger than me. I supposed they were witches and wizards, because the robes they wore had gold and scarlet Gryffindor logos on. That was one of the only things Dad had educated me on, Hogwarts. There was also a girl with curly brown hair and a bulging school bag, and a black-haired boys with glasses. I traced my eyes from his glasses to the scar on his forehead. So this was the famous Harry Potter, then.

"I was just wondering-"

"How to get onto the platform? Its very easy. Just run straight at the wall, and you'll be through."

I hadn't noticed, but one of the ginger-haired twins was looking at me as if I was the only thing that mattered. I suppose I was flattered.

"Fred, you first!" Said the woman, "I'm Mrs Weasley by the way, call me Molly." The other ginger-haired twin ran straight at the barrier and I watched, amazed. So magic was pretty cool actually.

"I'm Ashlynn Bl- Snape. Don't worry I'm not like my father!" I said, looking at the flabbergasted look on the younger boy's face. I laughed, and so did he.

"Georgie, you next. George!?" She snapped her fingers in front of his face and he blushed. Her looked at me in the eye, and I smiled. He was pretty cute I guess.

"I think you've got a *crush* George," said the girl, trying to hide giggles. I gave her the signature Snape death stare, and she shut up. George looked thankful and pleased. His cheeks were now dark red, I winked at him though, and his confidence was restored.

"Earth to George!?" I said, then he snapped out of it and ran at the wall embarrassed.

"B\*\*\*\*\* h\*\*l! What an idiot!" Said the young boy. I stared at him, his ears went red and he looked down at his shoes.

"Ron, your turn now, go on..." Ordered the woman, and Ron ran at the wall and wasn't to be seen. I was still shocked at how this wall thing worked, to be honest.

"Ginny, now you.." The girl sprinted towards the wall, and was through in an instant.

"Oh Harry, you've broken your glasses again! *Occulus Reparo."* I was amazed, this girl was clever. Harry looked pleased, and the girl satisfied.

"Thanks Hermione your a legend," He complimented, touching his glasses. The pair and I ran through the wall at the same time. I was completely struck when we got through. My tawny owl screeched at Harry's snowy, and I then looked around myself. A scarlet steam engine was ready to go, huffing and puffing as other black-robed students jumped into the train. I saw other families, and was amazed this even existed.

"Hey, Ashlynn, wanna share a compartment with us?" Asked Hermione. I spotted the sorrowful look on George's face, and decided what to do. Fred seemed to have found his friend, a boy with dark hair and dreadlocks, so there was no harm in doing it.

"I'll pass on it this time, but I'll see you guys when we get to school. I think I want to- um- share with.. George..."

His face was beautiful to see, how it uplifted. I flashed him a wink and we jumped into the train together.

"Hey um- Ashlynn um- d'ya want me to um- take that for you?" He asked, pointing at my trunk, which I was struggling to carry along with my owl cage and school bag. His trunk was smaller, and even more tatty.

"Sure," I replied, happy.

He picked it up with ease, and we found an empty compartment to sit in. We sat down opposite each other, chatting.

"So, who are you then?" He asked. I suppose I hadn't really properly introduced myself.

"My name is Ashlynn, I'm 14. This is my first year at Hogwarts, I've had er.. family things to deal with first. And this is Albert, my owl. I play chaser in quidditch. What about you Georgie?" I sniggered.

"Aw shut it you!*"*  He added, laughing as well. "Mum's a right old pain in the \*\*\*\* half the time anyway." He said, rolling his eyes. I giggled and just thought how lucky I was to be joining Hogwarts this year.

"So what do you position do you and Fred play then?" I asked, politely.

"Other than troublemakers, we're both Beaters. I'm the younger twin by the way, and Fred wont stop taking the mickey..."

"I'm sure you're great really," I added, then reached out and squeezed his hand. He grinned, I liked seeing him grin.

"So you're a Gryffindor?"

"Yup. Whole family are. Boy it's hard with so many people when we-" He added, embarrassed.

"Open up, its okay!" I said expectantly.

"Well. We have- um- money- er- strug-"

"Struggles? GOD I know the feeling. Don't spread rumors about Dad or anything, he's not THAT bad or be honest. He can be stern but he has the best intentions, remember that. And he's a total different persons when he's not teaching." I said, then realized how quick that had come out of my mouth. I covered it with my hand, but he pulled it down.

"Don't worry, its okay." He said. I felt so happy there, like the world was at peace. Little did I know, however, it sadly wasn't.