"I hope you all have had a lovely winter break." Dumbledore said from his gleaming golden podium. "But with the return of previous students, we have two new ones. They are transfer students from our fellow wizarding school in the United States, Ilvermorny. Please join me in welcoming Raya and Adrien Elrod."
"No way! Ray's at Hogwarts?" Aspen's mouth dropped. "I haven't seen her in so long!"
"You know her?" Lillian asked jealously as Aspen nodded.
"Yeah, she's a childhood friend. I knew her for quite some time. Her, ...Draco, and I used to always hang out over the summer when she'd come to England to visit." She responded, watching the massive doors of the Great Hall open.
Professor McGonagall waited patiently at the front of the hall, holding the Sorting Hat by the tip of the fabric. Two formal-looking people walked swiftly into the Great Hall. One of them - a tall girl with long, strait midnight blue hair and light-set sky blue eyes, and the other - a boy around the same age with short, ruffled blonde hair and piercing green eyes. The girl looked over at Aspen, who gave a big smile and wave in which the girl returned. Aspen's glance dashed over to Draco as she caught him give one of his heart-warming smiles.
"You first; Elrod, Adrien." McGonagall said as the tall boy stepped forward, sliding onto the stool as the Sorting Hat rested on his head.
"Hm... you are quite ambitious, alike the rest of your family - cunning and determined too. You belong in SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat exclaimed as the Slytherin table applauded happily.
"Now for Elrod, Raya."
The girl stepped forward nervously, taking a seat on the stool before the Hat was placed on her head. It froze for a moment.
"A very interesting case. You, indeed, have the leadership-qualities of your family, but your cleverness and wit are great as well. But where to place you... I know... RAVENCLAW!" Raya's face lit up with pride, hiding the fear of what her family would do to her if they found out she wasn't in Slytherin.
Her brother sighed and shook his head, giving her a look of disgust when they exchanged glances. After the feast, all students retreated to their dorms for the night.
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The next morning, surprisingly, Aspen was up earlier than everyone else, yet not too early for classes. Keeping quiet as not to wake anyone up, she snuck out of the dorm and into the common room.
"What are you doing up so early?" An all too familiar voice asked as she turned to find a head of bleached blonde hair on one of the Slytherin black leather couches.
"Draco..." She muttered under her breath.
After a moment of no response, he got up from the couch and walked quickly over to her. "I asked you... a question."
The intimidation in his voice skyrocketed as Aspen felt her legs shake from under her. "I- uh just wanted to get an early breakfast is all..."
Draco snarled and began to walk closer to her, causing her to back up until she hit the wall hard with her back. He smirked as he towered over her.
"I can tell you're lying." He said as Aspen began to search the room for anything that might help her.
"Why- why are you doing this?" Aspen's eyes grew big as he moved his hand to her neck, wrapping it around her throat tightly.
Aspen's arm flailed to the side as she snatched an emerald geode on display in the room, smashing it against Draco's forehead and dashing out of the room, coughing desperately.
She didn't stop running until she reached the Great Hall, being the first one there. Tears brimmed her eyes as she sat down at the Slytherin table, crying into her arms.
"Aspen? Are you alright?" Raya's soothing voice came from above her.
"Raya! There you are! I - I was looking for you!" Aspen quickly exchanged her distressed expression for a happy one, embracing her childhood friend.
"You were crying seconds ago... are you sure everything is okay?" Raya responded, hugging back, but pulling away quickly to give her a frown.
She wanted to say so many things - about how much pain she was going through, about Draco, about everything. "I'm fine."
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"Welcome to another Inquisitorial Squad meeting!" Umbridge's peppy voice sang from her desk.
Aspen glanced around, spotting Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Ember, Draco, and a few other Slytherins. Umbridge looked directly at her as she swallowed a nervous bulb in her throat.
"We have a new member, Miss Hale? Would you please introduce yourself." She asked.
'What is this? A mental health meeting? Why do I need an introduction?' Aspen sighed as she thought, rolling her eyes and standing up. "Uhm... hello..." She could have sworn she heard crickets chirping in the background during the awkward silence. "My name is Aspen Hale..."
"Splendid! Now shall we begin?" Umbridge asked as Aspen sat down, wide-eyed next to Ember, who was silently cracking up.
"That was funny!" She snorted as Aspen glared at her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Why isn't Dove here?" Harry asked, looking around and finding no Dove around whatsoever.
"Why do you think?" Hermione asked, rolling her eyes.
"No reason, I did nothing wrong!" He protested as Hermione facepalmed.
"What an idiot..."
YOU ARE READING
Youngblood: Retrieval {Year 5, Book 3}
Fanfiction"Aspen? Could I talk to you for a second?" Harry asked, verbally dragging her away from her conversation with Mya. "Yeah Harry?" Aspen asked, raising a brow curiously. "What's up?" "We need someone to spy on the Inquisitorial Squad, but only to know...
