Jason Ashford

**Jason Ashford** is a former student at Pendle Hill Academy and the former roommate of Cole Blake. Jason disappeared before graduating, but returns to the academy after the Dark Hunt. He is an antagonist of Book 1.

## Background

Little is known about Jason's background, except that his father is a high-ranking official at the Coven.

Jason was Shumi's ex-boyfriend, and an avid lover of foxes. He is close friends with his classmate Travis Ming.

## Story

### Book 1

After Bailey Ward discovers a surveillance photo of Rosie Perez and Lydia Summers arguing at the museum with a strange "fox man" in the background, she inquires Shumi and Janis Sullivan about Jason. She is led to one of Jason's campsites, where there is a photo of Jason and Shumi and a box with her name on it. Shumi reluctantly admits that she and Jason dated for a year before he left the academy.

In the woods Bailey chases him and discovers an invitation to the Dark Hunt, a dark magic ritual involving shapeshifting to pursue the chosen "prey" to celebrate the strength of witchkind. Jason appears as the leader of the Dark Hunt as the White Fox, which he claims to have been able to shapeshift into by finding an already deceased fox. After the hunt begins and Bailey is the first to find Lydia, the rabbit chosen for the hunt, Bailey is knocked unconscious by her and sees Lydia walking away with Jason as she awakens. At Choker's Lake, Jason pushes Lydia into the lake, but she is rescued by Bailey.

### Book 2

After Bailey rescues Lydia, Jason, Travis, and the other members of the Dark Hunt have disappeared. However, Jason returns to Pendle Hill thanks to his father's position in the Coven, and he, Travis, and Lydia begin campaigning for Mari Swan to be re-elected as chancellor after her dismissal. At the library, Jason inquires for books on witch burial rituals.

In the Faraway, Bailey discovers that Jason has been trapped and reverted to a child along with Travis and Lydia by her ancestor Annie McGregor, who is being manipulated by Justice Sommer, and tells Bailey that he has been possessed by a 17th century witch named Jonathan. To free Annie, Jason and Travis insist that Bailey must solve their riddles to gain the respective key parts to free them.

## Relationships

Jason and Shumi dated prior to his leaving. When Jason returns to the academy, he tells Shumi that he regrets ending things and wishes to reconcile. Although Shumi returns to the academy in hopes to be together with him, she suspects Lydia has a romantic relationship with him.

Upon returning to the academy, his closest supporters are Travis Ming and Lydia Summers whom he participated in the Dark Hunt with. With the exception of Bailey, Jason is seen favorably by other students.

Towards Bailey, Jason can be condescending and threatening. However, this is revealed to be Jonathan, the witch who possessed Jason's body for the duration of the Dark Hunt and after.

## Physical Appearance

Jason has light brown hair, green eyes, and light skin. He typically wears a varsity jacket over a red hoodie with blue jeans.

As the White Fox, he has amber eyes and gray to white fur.

## Personality

Jason is highly charismatic, as he was able to lead an entire group of anti-Coven witches through the Dark Hunt.

## Trivia

* Jason's favorite activity is camping (the answer to his riddle in Book 2, Chapter 23).