Ashten stepped onto platform 9-3/4 pushing a trolley with her trunk on it. All around her parents and children were saying their goodbyes to one another or searching for their friends. A few were already boarding the train looking for an empty compartment for themselves and their friends. Ashten sighed. The only people here who knew who she even was were the Malfoys- a horrible, cruel family.

She clambered onto the train quickly remembering that they would doubtless be at the station. They were the last people she wanted to run into. Of course not seeing any of the Malfoys was unlikely with her luck. As she started looking for a place to sit she heard the youngest Malfoy, Draco, speak. His high arrogant voice was recognizable anywhere.

Ashten paled and ducked into the nearest compartment. The closest one turned out to have two first year boys in it. One was a freckled faced ginger with blue eyes. The other boy, however, almost made Ashten pass out. He had messy jet black hair, green eyes, and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. It was Harry Potter, the boy who lived. One of the only people to ever escape Lord Voldemort.

Ashten quickly covered her shock before either of the two boys had time to notice it. She did the polite thing and introduced herself nervously, "Er… Hi. I'm Ashten. Mind if I join you?"

Harry shook his head politely, "Of course. There's plenty of room. I'm Harry," he extended his hand.

Ashten shook it shyly as the redhead introduced himself, "I'm Ron." Ashten shook his hand too. Introductions made they began to chat about what Hogwarts would be like. Harry and Ashten knew next to nothing about the school because of their individual upbringings. Ron was more than happy to tell them what he knew about the school- he had heard about it from his older brothers.

Ashten felt a little sorry for Harry who looked completely overwhelmed by everything Ron was saying. Ashten herself was a little overwhelmed even though she, unlike Harry, had had a fair amount of contact with the wizarding world. Of course she had only had a few months of good experience with wizards. Before that wizards had meant a whole hell of a lot of pain and suffering.

The compartment door slid open while Ron started talking about the forbidden forest. It was, to Ashten's horror, Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was wearing his tell tale smirk with his oversized friends trailing behind him. When he saw Harry Malfoy smirk widened, that is, until he saw Ashten. When he saw Ashten the smirk was replaced with anger. Unfortunately the anger didn't last long and was soon replaced with a malicious smile.

"Hello Ashten Black," Draco said in a way that filled Ashten with forboding. "Why are you sitting with Harry Potter? Planning to finish what your father started? Get Potter killed like your father did his parents?"

Harry was shocked. Was he accusing this girl of planning to murder him? That was ridiculous… wasn't it? He glanced at Ashten who looked murderous (which was not at all reassuring). Ashton glared at Malfoy, "You know as well as I, Draco, that my father was set up. You also know that I hate voldemort" (everyone but Harry flinched) "more than anyone else on this planet. And you would do well to remember that I know things about your family that would certainly interest the ministry. Also why would I plot my own God-brother's death?"

Ron looked terrified, "Black… As in Sirius Black? The murderer?"

Ashten looked Ron in the eye, "He was falsely convicted. And even if you don't believe me on that I've never met him. He was arrested when I was a few weeks old."

Harry still looked mystified, "What are you all on about? My parents were murdered by Voldemort, weren't they?"

Ashten nodded halfheartedly, "He was the one that killed them but my father was accused of giving out their location to Voldemort" (more flinches) "and murdering thirteen people. My father was thought to be the Potters' secret keeper but it was really Peter Pettigrew. He framed Sirius and faked his death."

Malfoy looked nervous now and made the mistake of speaking aloud, "How did you know that? I wouldn't have thought my father would have…" he trailed off realizing what he had said.

Ron's face became angry, "You knew an innocent man was lying in a cell in Azkaban?"

Harry had followed as best he could considering he didn't know anything about any of this. He knew beyond a doubt who he trusted more in this… situation. "Get out," he said harshly to Malfoy.

Malfoy was stunned. No one ever spoke to him like that except Ashten and Ashten spoke like that because she had nothing left to lose. He turned on his heel and stalked out followed by his big friends.

Once he was gone Ron slammed the door shut and they sat in silence, reflecting upon what had been said. Finally Harry broke the silence, "Why was your father set up?"

Ashten sighed, "Our parents were best friends and your parents supposedly wanted Sirius to be their secret keeper. Sirius said it was too obvious and convinced your parents to use another of their best friends, Peter Petigrew. Well it turned out that Petigrew was a spy and he betrayed your parents. Since everyone thought Sirius was the Secret Keeper he wasn't hard to frame."

Harry nodded, "Alright. I believe you." He turned to Ron, "So what are the houses exactly?" they rest of the train ride was spent talking about anything to do with wizardry. Ashten smiled more than she had in her life on that train ride. They had been interrupted a couple of times by a group of kids looking for a toad named Trevor. One of the kids, Hermione, had managed to convince Ron and Harry that she has a stick in the mud. Ashten found that she instinctively liked the girl. She might be a bit too much of an Idealist and a bit of a know-it-all but beneath that she seemed quite nice. Ashten made a mental note to befriend the girl.

When they finally pulled up to the station Harry, Ron and Ashten stared in awe.