How To Deal ((Ashley))

[Angel Sheridan R6]

Angel raised her eyebrow at her stepbrother Andrew. She couldn’t believe how much of a jerk he could be sometimes. When he was at school, he barely even talked to Angel as if in fear of people knowing who his stepsister was. When they were alone in the Lounge or just happened to pass each other in the corridors, all Andrew did was annoy the living daylights out of her. She hated the new circumstances she was put in. She hated the fact that her father had gotten over the death of his wife Noelle so quickly. It had barely even been three years, and already he was happily married again, taking on the responsibility of two extra sons in addition to his two sons and daughter. Angel lived in madness back in London, and she wasn’t looking forward to going back for winter holidays, even though her seventeenth birthday fell within those days. Her house was a constant wreck and she was always cleaning up after her brothers and even her father and stepmother. She and her stepmother Emily were the only two women out of the seven people that lived in the Sheridan/Murphy house. Emily wasn’t much of a woman though, and it was obvious she had spent far too much time with her sons. Emily enjoyed watching sports, hated going shopping, and almost never wore dresses. She wasn’t very organized either. It wasn’t that Angel had anything against her family, because she didn’t. She just felt it would be a bit hard to adjust to her new environment. She just had to deal with sharing a bathroom with three teenage boys and she had to live with the way all of them ate during dinner. She had to deal with the insults and pranks that Andrew gave her and she had to live life acting like she was happy for her father. She sighed as she took a seat down in the Lounge, where she and Andrew occupied alone.

“You know, I don’t get you Angel. You act like you’re eight even though you’re sixteen. I mean, have you ever even had a boyfriend? But I guess they’ve all learned to stay away by now, what with you’re attitude.” He said smugly. Andrew got on Angel’s nerves so much, it was a miracle she hadn’t punched him in the face yet. Angel almost laughed at her own thought. She knew perfectly well she would never do such a thing. Angel was a pacifist, and she completely opposed violence. She would never lay a hand on Andrew Murphy, and he knew it. Why else would he be taunting her so much?

“Ha, ha. You slay me with your humor Andrew. Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m just too busy to have a boyfriend at the moment. Unlike you, I actually care about my studies. I actually want to do well at Hogwarts, instead of strutting about the castle doing nothing all day. But then again, that’s kind of what you do at home as well, isn’t it?” She said bitterly. Angel had a massive headache and she just didn’t feel up to arguing with Andrew about why she was still single. Even she herself still didn’t know. No one had taken any specific interest in her, and she didn’t like anyone at school. There was no way she could date anyone anyway. She merely shrugged off the thought and turned to glare at her stepbrother. “Shouldn’t you be out cheating on your girlfriend or hanging out with your followers? Don’t you have better things to do than to annoy your stepsister?” She said with her eyebrows raised.

“Nah, everyone’s in class.”

“And why aren’t you in class?”

“I’m cutting. Care of Magical Creatures isn’t worth my time.”

“That’s what you think. I can’t wait until the day McGonagall gives you a month’s detention for cutting class. You definitely deserve it.”

“Aw, you’re such a nice stepsister. What about you? Shouldn’t you be out polishing Snape’s shoes or something?” Andrew mocked.

“Just because I respect my professors doesn’t mean I’m in love with them. You should try a little respect sometime. Maybe your mother wouldn’t have to ground you so much if you actually listened to her for a change.” Angel knew Andrew was going to find some witty remark to fire back, but just then, someone else entered the room and Andrew fled to the corner of the room and pretended Angel didn’t exist again. Andrew was such a jerk. She was so glad they were only related by marriage. Otherwise, Angel would probably disown herself. Andrew walked out of the room without a side glance in Angel’s direction and Angel approached the girl who had walked in.

“Hey, thanks for coming in when you did. Another second and I probably would have walked out of here with a massive migraine. I’m Angelie Sheridan by the way. You can call me Angel though, everyone else does.” She smiled brightly.

[Ashley Hill]

Ashley tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she turned a page. She wiggled her numb fingers slightly wishing she had brought out gloves. Normally Ashley would be found in the library during her free period. Well, she was there for a short while until a group of chatty girls decided to sit close to the table she was working at. Sighing Ashley looked up from the tan pages. The tree’s leaves were beginning to change into autumn colors, leaves falling to the ground in the wind. Fall was her favorite season besides summer. She loved the cool, crisp air with all the colorful leaves scattered across the grounds. Smiling at her thoughts, Ashley stared at a huge pile of apple red leaves in the far corner of the courtyard. Some students were probably making a large pile of leaves to jump into for fun. That sounded more enjoyable than reading a book about the diverse departments in the Ministry of Magic. It was Ashley’s last year at Hogwarts, which meant she needed to buckle down and think about the future. She already knew what she desired as a profession after Hogwarts. It didn’t follow the path her parents wanted her on. At first Ashley was terrified to tell her parents. She didn’t want to the disappointment on their faces, mostly her mothers. They would get over for a while, but Ashley tried hard to please her parents. Maybe it was competition to be just as good as her older sister.

Running her fingers tiredly through her hair, Ashley closed the book on her lap. It was almost time for classes to end, which meant there was going to be large crowds in the hallway. Zipping the zipper of her bag open, she threw the book in closing it back up. She sat there for a second with her hands on her knees. Her legs were covered with black tights to stay warmer in the castle. Slowly standing up, Ashley quickly headed out of the courtyard and into the castle. Maybe Bryce would be in the student lounge. Ashley didn’t know if he had a free period, but it was worth looking for. She hadn’t talked to him recently. They didn’t take the same courses, and he had his prefect duties. Blushing barely at the thought, Ashley rounded the corner of the hall. When she finally reached the student lounge she pushed the door open. The hinges squeaked silently as her brown eyes searched the room. There actually weren’t many people. Well, there was a boy and girl standing until the boy bolted across the room. Ashley’s eyebrow rose at the sight. Shaking it of she noticed the girl walk up to her introducing herself. Ashley smiled watching as the younger teenager ran away.

“I’m Ashley Hill….” She greeted looking over her shoulder as the door closed shut. “That was kind of rude….do you know that kid?” Glancing back at Angel, Ashley grinned back brightly. Heading toward the couch, she plopped herself in front of the fire. “So how has your year been so far? You’re in your sixth year, right?” Ashley asked staring back at the girl hoping to start some conversation.

((OOC- Sorry that its weak. I haven't posted Ash in a while.))

[Angel Sheridan R6]

Angel rolled her eyes at the mention of Andrew. He was indeed a very rude boy. He didn’t bother to even speak to her when he was around other people, as if for some reason he was ashamed of his family. To be perfectly honest, Angel didn’t like her step brother much either, but she still put up with him. She still spoke to him and said hello to him in the corridors (even though he completely ignored her whenever she did this.) Somehow though, Andrew managed to find the time and energy to sabotage everything that Angel did and somehow he managed to sneak into the girl’s dormitories in at least once a week to be sure that Angel woke up without her clothes or with a red face. (for Gryffindor of course. Whenever Andrew pranked Angel, he always had to leave his Gryffindor mark.). Andrew somehow managed to make Angel’s life a living hell knowing full well that she wasn’t very happy with their situation in the first place. Andrew had no sensitivity toward Angel. He treated her like a test dummy for all his stupid tricks and games. He knew full well Angel was only just getting over her mother’s death. He knew full well Angel didn’t like the idea of three strangers living in the house she grew up in. She hated the fact that this Emily Murphy (whose name is now Emily Sheridan) was sleeping where her mother Noelle slept just three small years prior. Angel stopped herself in the middle of her bitter thoughts. Emily Sheridan was a nice woman, no matter how odd and un lady like she was. She raised her children the best she could, and at least one of them turned out semi-normal-in the beginning at least. Tyler Murphy was a thirteen-year-old boy who used to be a very sweet kid. Unfortunatley, the rat named Andrew had infected him and now he was starting to walk, talk, and act just like his big brother Andrew.

“Yea, Andrew is a pretty rude kid. He’s my stepbrother by the way, although for some reason he doesn’t want anyone to know that. I’ll never even begin to understand Andrew Murphy.” Angel shook her head. Her stepbrother was a real piece of work.

“I’m a sixth year now, in Ravenclaw. What about you? You must be a seventh year, but I’m not quite sure of which house. She smiled a bit and took the seat opposite of the girl. This seat was facing the large fireplace, where a roaring fire was warming Angel’s feet. She couldn’t help but space out to a time where Angel was sitting in this very seat, and she received a letter from none other than Leo Sheridan, Angel’s father. She was sitting just by the fire doing her homework when the letter arrived. It was quick and simple. I’m picking you up tomorrow morning in Hogsmeade. Something terrible has happened. I need you home. Angel didn’t sleep that night. She just racked her brain for every horrible thing that could possibly happen to her family. No amount of thinking could prepare her for the truth though. Nothing could prepare her for the death of Noelle Sheridan, Angel’s beloved mother. Angel still hadn’t gotten over her death, and she was surprised her father had done so quite so quickly. Angel was afraid she’d never get over her mother’s death. Angel tried to snap out of her trance and return to her conversation with the older girl.

“I can’t believe how quite it is around here this year. It seems like this place is never as crowded as it used to be.” She glanced back at the roaring fire, trying not to think about the horrible memories of her deceased mother. She tried very hard to smile and forget.

((Eh, mine isn’t so great either.))

[Ashley Hill]

“He’s your step-brother?” Ashley asked disbelief ringing in her voice. She watched the door slam shut before turning her full attention on Angel. “Boys are just confusing, especially the ones that you are related to. Does he always treat you like that?” she questioned, her brown eyes searching the girl’s face. Ashley didn’t understand exactly what it was like to have a male sibling. Maybe that was a good thing? But she did have her fair share of fights with Elina. In particular the time when Ashley had borrowed her older sister’s silk blouse for the evening. Ashley had accidentally washed it in the washer inside of dry cleaning, which made the shirt shrink in size. Now Elina used the shirt as guilt trip whenever Ashley did something wrong. “I have an older sister, so I really wouldn’t understand about having an older brother even though I went through my tomboy years.” Shaking her head at the thought, Ashley sat down in front of the fire, her chocolate eyes watching the flames dance. She remembered those years. Ashley’s hair was always in pig tails, her clothes containing of stained overalls or even boy clothes. Now Ashley had grown up, changed completely, but to the point she wasn’t her self. She still loved to be active, and wasn’t afraid of getting dirty. “Then again, I guess all siblings could be annoying at some point, but you step-brother shouldn’t ignore you like he is. Maybe you should embarrass him in front of his friends? That’s what I would do.”

As Angle spoke again, Ashley thoughts seized as she turned her full attention on the girl next to her. “Yeah…seventh year Hufflepuff…” Ashley answered softly, gazing at the roaring flames. She still couldn’t believe seven years had gone by this fast. Ashley was still confused on what she wanted after Hogwarts, but she was too worried about real life drama. “I think I’ve seen you around….Are you in my Ancient Runes class?” she asked hoping she was getting the right girl correct. Ashley wasn’t good with names. She still didn’t even know all the seventh year girls her year. “It feels like these years just went by in a blink of an eye you know…don’t you feel the same?” Ashley looked over at Angel, a small smile curling on her lips. “Then again…I’m excited about my future even though I still don’t know what it will consist of. That’s the beauty of it, though.” It was true. Ashley liked surprises, but only pleasant ones. Ashley was still the kind of person who didn’t deal well with obstacles. Especially the one with Ryan….

Pushing her sadness aside, Ashley stared back at Angel who had a distant look in her eyes. Ashley’s eyebrow rose curiously, as she turned her attention back to the fire. Should she ask if anything was wrong? But it wasn’t any of Ashley’s business. Sighing, she heard Angel speak again talking about how quiet Hogwarts had been lately. Nodding, Ashley slipped her feet out of her shoes wiggling her toes under the warmth of the fire. “I agree. It is strangely quiet this year…” Glancing around the room she noticed that it was empty expect for the two girls. Classes must still be going on then. “Is there anything wrong….you looked worried a while ago…” Ashley finally asked casually looking back over at the girl with an encouraging smile.

[Angel Sheridan R6]

Angel almost laughed at Ashley’s look of surprise. That was the look on most people’s faces when they heard that Angel and Andrew were at least remotely related. They were complete opposites. Andrew was reckless and rebellious, and never did what he was told. He skipped classes often and he never did his homework. He got detentions often, and most of his housemates hated him at times because he had been the reason so many points were docked from his house. Angel was just what her name said she was. Angel was an angel in a manner of speaking. She attended each and every one of her classes and received top marks on all her exams. She always did her homework and at times she even handed it in early. She was organized and structured and she knew how to behave herself in front of those older than she. Never in her entire five (almost six) years of attending Hogwarts has has she gotten a detention or even gotten points taken away from her house. Angel knew how to conduct herself, and Andrew just strutted about the castle like he owned it or something. In her opinion, Angel and Andrew differed in the way that she had respect. She respected herself and those around her. Andrew just didn’t care. Ashley asked her if he always treated her like that. If only she knew. Ashley had no idea what dealing with Andrew Murphy could be like. “Well, when we’re around other people, he completely ignores me. But trust me, I’d rather he ignore me all the time than just ignore me around others and play random pranks on me when no one is looking. Thank god he’s only my stepbrother. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to live with him for my entire life. I’ve just got these last two years at Hogwarts and then I go off and do my own thing. Andrew can live with his mother for the next twenty years. It’s all fine with me.” Angel said, almost bitterly. “But I suppose there are random times when he’s nice.” Angel shrugged. Angel stopped complaining about Andrew and listened t Ashley’s story about her older sister. How she wished Andrew was even just a year older than her. Maybe he’d be more mature. At least he wouldn’t be in every one of her classes.

Ashley made an interesting suggestion. Angel smiled. She had tried to get him back, and it had worked splendidly. Almost too splendidly in fact. Just yesterday, after Andrew had bewitched her favorite photograph to make fun of her, Angel had ruined his chances with a girl by pretending to be his ex girlfriend. The girl ran away in anger and Andrew gave Angel his classic “I’ll get you back for this” look. “Yeah, I have, and I’m still feeling good about it. I’ll probably feel guilty a bit later, but for now I’m happy he got what was coming to him.” Angel merely sighed. “I think so, I’ve seen you before.” Angel just shrugged when Ashley asked if she was alright. She wasn’t feeling as happy as she would have liked, but she was definitely okay. She was just a bit annoyed after that small talk she had with Andrew. His talks did tend to drain all the energy out of her. “No, I guess I’m fine. Just a little headache. Andrew didn’t help it much.” She said, letting her eyes rest bitterly on the door he had just disappeared into.

[Peeves the Poltergeist]

How awfully frightfully desperately dull the students' lives would be without good ol' Peevsey, reflected the mischievously intentioned poltergeist as he zoomed away from one scene of crime with a faintly disturbing cackle and towards his next destination, as of yet unknown to those around him as well as, to be perfectly honest, himself. He went where the mood took him. Where the draughts of the corridors wafted him. Where the mischief and angst of the castle fuelled him. He might be drawn in by someone strumming a guitar, so as to accompany them in his raucous voice. He might be attracted by shouting, so as to proclaim new enmities or soppy reconciliations a little further than the immediate vicinity. Then again, sometimes he might descend upon a deathly stillness, so as to break it up and inject some sort of life into the stagnant air of the quietest parts of the castle - at least, as much life as a poltergeist could claim to have. Wherever Peeves went though, one thing was for sure - trouble went with him.

Right! Enough. Peeves broke off the violins in his head. Enough romanticising the life... not life, not death... existence of a blooming poltergeist! There was mischief to be made somewhere, anywhere in the castle. Perhaps the student lounge for starters, since all he had to do to get into there was blast a small hole through the floor and ride down on the falling chandelier. Peeves extracted a small stick of dynamite from up his left nostril and began drilling a hole in the floor, making a delicious amount of noise. He cackled in delight as he slotted the dynamite into its purpose made hole and lit the fuse, backing off from the explosion rather quickly with a somersault in the air. What he found when he fulfilled his wish of riding a falling lighting fixture was wonderful, perfect mayhem. Just the sort of thing Peeves loved. The slightly shellshocked looks on the faces of the remaining students (he suspected quite a few had scattered previously, the more sensible ones no doubt) were the only rewards that Peeves needed for his hard work.

He swooped down upon two older girls still left in the Student Lounge, feeling them good targets to distract from the work of cleaning up the mess and getting a teacher, initiative that usually older students took (that was why he had more fun picking on the younger ones). He showered glass from the broken chandelier as he went, picking it off his puffy trousers as he cackled with his usual glee. He leered in at the two girls as he mimicked, "Just a little headache!" and then started circling them, singing: "We're having a blast! We're having a BLAST! WE'RE HAVING A BLAST!"

[Ashley Hill]

Ashley smiled softly at Angel’s slight laugh. This must have been the kind of reaction most people gave off when they heard the news. Staring off into the fire, Ashley tried to recall anything she knew about Angel or Andrew. Even though Ashley knew a lot of students from other houses, she was quiet awful with remembering names. Ashley also wasn’t into the whole gossip that found its way through the caste. All Ashley could recall was that Andrew Murphy had a trouble making side. Maybe Bryce had told her about him? Or was it either Ivy or Lenora? Smiling at the thought of Bryce a content happiness warmed the lines in her face. It amazed Ashley how fast she had fallen for Bryce. After the drama with Ryan, she didn’t know if she could trust anyone else with her heart. It was human nature to block themselves from the world, which was exactly what Ashley did. Even though it wasn’t obvious, deep down she could feel it. Angel spoke again breaking through Ashley’s racing thoughts. Staring back at the girl, she listened trying to make up from day dreaming before. “Normally the youngest sibling is the most annoying,” she finally added, nodding her head at the thought. Ashley was the youngest in her family, and it was quit obvious that she got on Elina’s nerves. “I know for a fact!” Laughing softly at the idea, she leaned further back into the couch. “You can hate your family sometimes, but deep down you know you love them; unless your step-brother is a complete jerk, and has hurt you to a point where you can’t ever forgive him. Other than that, he might get better when he gets older. Most boys do.”

When Angel answered her question, Ashley dug deep into her bag for some aspirin. “Do you want some aspirin? I like to take these pills than go to Madam Promfrey for some nasty tasting potion.” Moving everything aside, Ashley sighed as she couldn’t find the bottle. Maybe she left it in the dorm room. Glancing back at Angel, Ashley frowned as she zipped the bag shut. “Sorry. I think I left it back in the dorm room.” She was about to say more when the wall caved in, followed by Peeves shrieks of delight. Quickly jumping up from the ground, Ashley tugged on Angel’s hand as small bits of glass flew to different corners of the room. “I don’t think this is going to help much with you head ache,” she added moving her hand around to wave the dust away. Ashley’s brown eyes narrowed at Peeve’s transparent body. He was continuing to shriek loudly that almost the whole blasted school could hear! “Shut up Peeve’s!” she screamed over his laughter rolling her eyes at the immature ghost.

“Don’t make me get The Bloody Baron in here!” she later warned running her fingers through her hair. How were they going to clean this mess up? The whole blasted ceiling was blown to pieces and the chandelier. Pulling out her wand from her bag, she looked over her shoulder at Angel. “I think we should get the Bloody Baron…don’t you think Angel?”