Prefects' Bathroom

These rps take place in the prefects' bathroom at Hogwarts.

## Lily & Ashley

*August 9, 2012*

Ashley had just finished washing her face, and she was looking in the mirror, trying to make herself look composed and under control.

Lily would walk in, still in her PJ's holding clothers, and stuff to get ready for the day. She looked ragged, her hair was a mess, and she had dark circles under her eyes. She would see Ashley and head for her. "Hey...sorry about yesterday..."

"It's okay." Ashley would take a deep breath, then turn and look at Lily. "I didn't expect you to agree with me... but I didn't expect you to yell like that either."

Lily would sigh. "I jus' haven't been sleepin' well...and I had a little too much t'ah drink...and then the cheering charm...last night jus' wasn't a good night alright? I didn't mean t'ah yall at ya'...I jus' lost it. I'm sorry."

"Like I said, it's okay." Ashley looked Lily in the eye. "I'm sorry if I seemed insensitive last night... I guess we just don't look at battle in the same way. I understand what you meant... it wasn't easy seeing people die... but I guess it's easier for me to focus on all the good we accomplished by fighting. In the battle, we were able to save some people on our side, out-fight people from the other side, and really make a difference in the protection of the others. I've never felt this-" She stopped. Professor Kinsel might understand how much Ashley enjoyed battle, but she wasn't sure how Lily would take it.

Lily would nod, listening, but only really be taking in about half. Ashley would notice her blinking a lot. "I know Ash...I understand. ...an' don't get me wrong...I would rather be there makin' a difference than standin' by tha' side, but I jus' lost it last night. I know you don't really enjoy fightin' like that, but I wasn't thinking clearly." She would move over to a mirror and start brushing her hair. "Ugh...I look hideous this mornin'..."

Ashley narrowed her eyes. "You haven't been sleeping much the past few nights, have you? If at all."

Lily would shrug. Then looking excited she would bend down, and ruffle around in her bag. "Oh, that reminds me...I've been workin' on somthing'..." She would pull out two handheld silver mirrors, both beautifully decorated. She wou;d hold one out to Ashley. "Here, this is for you."

Ashley look the mirror curiously. "Thanks. What's this for?"

She would smile. "I found a spell scribbled in a book in tha' library about how t'ah make 'em. If ya look at em, and say tha' other's name, then you'll be able t'ah hear what the other's sayin' as long as they're within about fifty miles of each other. that way we'll be able t'ah talk, and not always hafta' be meetin' in here. ...jus' be careful who's around when you're talkin' into it."

"This is brilliant! Thanks!"

Lily would smile and nod. "No problem. So...what was so important that tha' Headmaster wanted t'ah wit' us about yesterday?"

"First, he wanted to praise us for fighting so well and bringing back useful information from the WHPS meeting. I was so shocked; I thought he'd called us in to yell at us."

Lily would frown. "Wait...he didn't yell at you?"

"No, he didn't! He did say that we made some novice mistakes when we were at the meeting, but that we would get some extra training so we wouldn't use those mistakes again next time. He's going to allow us to keep going to the WHPS meetings! Truth be told, he didn't like it, but he said, 'Unfortunately, at this point you'll have to.'"

She would continue to frown. She seemed to be processing.

Ashley waited for Lily to say something as she struggled to keep her excitement in check, remembering Kinsel's words: *Lily isn't the same as you. She doesn't have that battlelust and the detachment you do.*

She would finally smile. "Sorry...I'm just tired...brains running slow this morning. ...and I guess I'm just shoecked that we didn't get into trouble. ...I wonder what he means that we HAVE to keep going...but as long as we can keep doing important things, It'll be worth the risk."

Ashley purposely faltered her smile a little. "That's right. Kinsel wanted us to make sure how absolutely dangerous it was, but he thinks we can handle it. Our trainers are going to teach us spying techniques, escape techniques, and Occlumency. Sounds interesting, huh?"

Lily would nod. "I've been intrested in learnin' Occlemency for a while. Should be interestin'..." She would yawn. "Well, thanks for lettin' me know. Sorry I missed tha' meetin' yesterday."

"No problem. Sometimes you've just got to let yourself lose it, or you go crazy. Oh, and Kinsel also wanted to make sure we were okay after seeing the battle. Judging by yesterday, and the fact that you haven't got much sleep lately..." Ashley trailed off, waiting for her reaction.

She would frown. "I'm..." She would begin to snap, then close her eyes, and take a deep breath. Letting it back out, she would force herself to smile. "Sorry...I've been gettin' that question a lot lately... "I'm jus' tired. Bein stayin' up t'ah catch up on homework, and makin' tha' mirrors. Maybe I'll go talk ta'h Prof Seraph about a Dreamless Sleep potion for tonight."

"That's a good idea. No offense, but you look like you need it."

She would pout. "Surely I don't look..." She would glance in the mirror. "Alright...so maybe I DO look that bad. I just need some sleep." She didn't dare let Ashley know would close she felt to falling apart. She would frown, and change the topic. "So...I don't really see you hanging out with the other snakes much anymore. Jus' wonderin' why."

shley frowned, realizing that Lily was right. She didn't hang out with other Slytherins much anymore, except for Quidditch practice. "I guess I could care less what the latest gossip is around here. That's one thing I've been noticing about being in the Order; it changes your perspective on things. Makes you a bit... different... from everyone else."

She would nod. "Mary was upset with me for not bein' around, or bein' a good friend recently...and she's right. I have been a little obsessed with trainin', and tha' Order...I haven't really been doin' tha' things around here...bein' a prefect and all ya'know?"

Ashley nodded, Lyndsay's image suddenly fresh in her mind. It was like the old friendship triangle, but with new roles. Ashley had taken Lyndsay's place, Lily had taken Ashley's, and Mary had taken Lily's. "I know what you mean. But honestly, I don't mind too much how much time training's been taking. I never really had any close Slytherin friends anyway."

Lily would nod. "Yeah...and other than classes, there hasn't been much goin' on here has there. ...I mean mosta' that teachers are in tha' Order anyway."

"No, there hasn't been much," Ashley agreed. "Oh, and before I forget, Kinsel said that we need to come to his office right before the next WHPS meeting so he can tell us what we can say. And I also asked his what happened after we left. They set the mansion on fire, with cursed fire. No one else died but the Order has to relocate. And there was at least 1 death on the WHPS side, but probably two, Kinsel said."

Lily would stare. "They burned the whole House down? Everyone was ok?"

"He said that some people got injured, but that everyone made it. I wish-" She stopped talking and looked at herself in the mirror for a moment before looking back at Lily.

She would look curious. "What?"

"Nothing. I just wish we could have stayed longer. Help the Order members out of the fire."

She would nod. "Yeah...but I guess since everyone got out oko, we might have just been in the way. Still..." She would trail off. After a moment, "It would have been nice to be able to help. I don't know...I just feel like there's so much...more out there, that we're not allowed to do...you know?"

"Yeah... but we can't do everything, unfortunately." She suddenly thought of a way to put her feelings out more subtly. "But I really, really like this kind of work. I'm thinking that I could go on like this for a living. Be an Auror or something like that. I've never had this kind of passion for anything else."

Lily would smile, and nod. "I think you'd be good at that Ash...assumin' you don't mind putting other snakes in jail." She would give Ashley a smile, to let her know she was joking. "Well, we should get down t'ah breakfast before they stop servin' it."

"Good point." Ashley wasn't really hungry. Suddenly she was struck with inspiration. "Actually, I'm going to skip breakfast. Save me some toast or something, would you? I'll see you in Potions!" Ashley whisked out of the room.