This is a sequel to Alexis Lestrange and the Boy Who Lived, which I recommend you read first.
What's mine is mine what isn't is Rowlings. If you can't tell which is which I pity da fool.
Chapter 1: Malfoy Manor
The first time she woke up in Malfoy Manor, Alexis had been utterly terrified. She had no idea where she was and if it wasn't for Draco, one of her best friends from school who had invited her to stay with his family over the summer, coming into her room she undoubtably would have begun to panic.
"I thought you'd be awake," he said climbing into the bed next to her. "Don't worry, I can't sleep either."
Alexis let out a sigh and hugged her friend.
"It's strange," she said. "With Tom, I could listen to him dream and at Hogwarts their was a dozen people around at least. Here, everything is just so-"
"Quiet?" finished Draco. Alexis had already told him about Tom McPherson, her late guardian, and her ability to read minds. He had been a little taken aback by it, her power anyway, but quickly used it as their secret way of communicating around his parents and houseguest. "It takes me some time too. If you want, I can stay here and let you listen to my dreams. Don't know what they'll be about though."
With a nodded of her head, the two friends snuggled up under the King sized silver comforter on Alexis's bed.
Alexis and Draco had become rather close over the school year, always spending Saturday afternoons talking to each other by the lake, but this summer had only brought them closer. They knew nearly everything about the other. Alexis had discovered Draco's greatest fear, werewolves after one by the name of Fenrir Greyback had tried to bite him on his eighth birthday over reasons still unknown to Draco, and Draco learned all Alexis knew about her family, from McPherson stealing her as a child so the Ministry couldn't kill her, to her parents being Deatheaters, to McPherson's death. He didn't judge her and Alexis was grateful for that, but he did seem drawn back by the tale as if he was expecting more of an explanation from her.
The two, of course, kept in contact with their other school friends as well by sending letters with the Malfoy family's owls. Draco was constantly sending letters to a certain Pansy Parkinson, whom Alexis always teased him about even when he gave the excuse that "Crabbe and Goyle are too thickheaded to reply to letters". Alexis, however, was routinely writing and replying to letters from Herminone Granger and Ron Weasley, much to Draco's displeasure.
Hermione was constantly telling her about her parents, both of whom were dentist making her a muggleborn and all the books she had read. She kept making sure Alexis was doing her homework and would remind her constantly, though it wasn't ever necessary, to keep up her studies. Every once in a while they would talk about the weather or trivial matters.
Ron, however, wrote only about his brothers and never once, to Alexis's great pleasure, mentioned a lick of homework their professors had assigned. Being a pureblood and the youngest in his family, Ron had five older brothers, Fred, George, Percy, Charlie, and Bill. Fred and George were twins, both of whom Alexis had met already at Hogwarts and shared third year classes with them, and very famous for being tricksters. Percy was the only Weasley that wore glasses and was a bit of a snob, who was easily embarrassed by his family but Alexis thought he was rather good as a prefect and would probably make Head Boy by his seventh year next year. Alexis had never met Charlie but already liked him, knowing that he was watching after her and Hagrid's little Norwegian Ridgeback, Norbert, in Romania. She had only seen Bill, Ron's oldest brother, once at the train station when they were returning from Hogwarts, but instantly knew Bill and Ron had a special brotherly connection. That, and the fact that a page of each of Ron's letters were dedicated to all the fun things Bill and him did or what Bill's job was like.
She had written her other best friend, and first friend, second only to Draco, she made at Hogwarts, Harry, everyday since summer began but he had yet to reply. This caused Alexis a great deal of worry. She did not like the way Harry's relatives had treated him at the train station and after two weeks of no reply she sent a letter to her uncle, the ex-Aruror Alastor Moody, asking him to check on him. Moody's reply was quick and very short: CAN'T.
When Draco's twelfth birthday came around, Malfoy Manor seemed to become rather lively, helping Alexis's worries slip away. Mrs. Malfoy had the whole ball room decorated luxuriously in green and silver banners, curtains, clothes, and chairs. Everything was very elegant and very formal, something Alexis had not been prepared for. Luckily, both Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had thought about this, and were able to prepare their son's best friend for what they saw as a normal family gathering. Mrs. Malfoy even gave Alexis a dress to wear.
"It belonged to my sister," she said, "she wore it on her twelfth birthday, but I'm sure she would want you to have it."
Alexis couldn't stop herself from doing a twirl in the mirror giggling softly. The dress, a solid raven black like her hair, fell elegantly to her feet leaving a small tail behind her as she moved, with long, nearly spiderweb like sleeves that had thumb holes to wear it properly. It fit Alexis like a glove.
"Thank you Mrs. Malfoy."
"Please," laughed Draco's mother, "call me Narcissa. Mrs. Malfoy makes me sound old. Now come, we mustn't keep our birthday boy waiting on this exciting day."
The only problem Alexis had with the exciting day was Draco's guest: more specifically his relatives. Draco's aunts, uncles, and cousins gave her one of two looks. On Narcissa Malfoy's side, Draco's relatives were beyond friendly, going out of their way to make Alexis feel welcome as if she had just returned from a long trip somewhere and this was her welcoming party. On Lucius Malfoy's side, however, Alexis was met with fearful looks and, in the case of Draco's Great Aunt Darianna, cowering in the corner.
The strangest guest, however, was Draco's cousin Octanius Lestrange. He approached Alexis late into the party. Approach might not be the best word- sneak up on works better.
"So it's true," said Octanius making Alexis slap a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't scream in surprise. "I didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled.
'Yeah, right,' Alexis thought but held her tongue.
"It's alright, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings," Alexis mumbled off as politely as she could. "Alexis McPherson, I'm in Draco's class at Hogwarts. And you are?"
The man grinned, "Octanius Lestrange."
Alexis's eyes widened. 'Lestrange?'
"You look like you've heard of me, Alexis McPherson," teased Octanius, dragging out her last name as if it amused him. "Hope Draco hasn't spilt any of my secrets."
"Oh no, sir," said Alexis, hastily composing herself. "I just remember hearing your last name before."
Octanius raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Really?"
"Yes, someone, well two people- if you count the sorting hat and a centaur as people- thought I was a Lestrange."
"I don't," he replied quite bluntly. "But it's no surprise they did. You have my family's eyes, the perfect shade of green."
"And what shade is that?" Alexis teased.
"Death," Octanius replied bluntly but grinned as Alexis's smile disappeared and a confused look covered her face. "But you don't look like a Lestrange. No, your cheekbones are too high, your hair too black. You don't look like a McPherson either. They're famous for their eyes too, crystal blue, if I recall correctly. No you don't look like one of them at all. In fact, you look exactly like-"
"There you are Miss Alexis," said Lucius Malfoy, his famous cane, or 'pimp stick' to Alexis, resting rather roughly on Octanius's shoulder. "I believe Draco is looking for you. Run along. I need to have a little chat with cousin Octanius."
Like that, the most uncomfortable thing about that night, not including the random hugs from Narcissa's family members, was over. Soon Alexis found herself tossing in her bed, too tired to sleep. She thought about sneaking over to Draco's room but decided against it.
'He must be exhausted from running away from all his aunts,' thought Alexis with a giggle.
Finally, with a rather overdone sigh, Alexis climbed out of her massive bed, her bare feet landing on the cold stone floor.
"Dobby," whispered Alexis.
With a popping noise, a little creature with large bat-like ears, bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls and a long, thin nose appeared in front of Alexis wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes. It bowed when it saw Alexis.
"What can Dobby do for you Misses Alexis?" said Dobby, the Malfoy Family house-elf.
"Can you please meet me in the study with two cups of hot chocolate?"
"Anything for Master Draco's kind friend," said Dobby with a low bow causing his long nose to touch the floor. He disappeared with another pop.
Smiling to herself, Alexis tiptoed out of her room and down the hallway to the study, careful as not to wake the sleeping portraits of Draco's deceased relatives. When she reached the study, Dobby was already there holding two large mugs of steaming hot chocolate.
"Your hot chocolates, misses," said Dobby, bowing another low bow. How he managed not to spill a single drip of chocolate was a mystery to Alexis.
"Thank you, Dobby," Alexis said, taking one mug from his hands and blowing on it. "Will you stay and hold my second one?"
"If it is what Misses Alexis wants, Dobby shall," replied the house-elf. He was beside himself with happiness though he tried very hard to hide it.
"It is," said Alexis. "Will you also sit in that chair across from me? I want it to be warm incase I decide to change my seat."
"Anything for the Master's guest."
Alexis couldn't fight the grin that crawled on her face. She liked Dobby but the poor creature wasn't one that allowed himself any comfort. She had to order him to rest in such a way that it seemed like it benefited herself and not the weak elf. Alexis had even asked him to make her two cups of hot chocolate so she could trick him into drinking one, which she did once the two of them were seated.
"You drink it. I'm too full with one and I will not have you waste any food."
"Yes, misses."
Dobby downed the delicious drink, incapable of hiding how much pleasure he took in the chocolate treat. The house-elf was good at hiding his fear and disappointment because of practice but the feeling of joy was so rare to the creature he couldn't even come close to hiding the smile that slipped on his face.
"Dobby?" asked Alexis as the elf finished his mug.
"Yes, Misses Alexis?"
"I want to speak to you on a private matter. My best friend, well my best friend besides Draco, he hasn't been replying to any of my letters. Do you know why he wouldn't?"
There was a long pause, something Alexis was not expecting, before Dobby spoke.
"Well misses, if Dobby were to answer truthfully, perhaps Harry Potter does not miss his friends. Perhaps he wishes not to return to Hogwarts."
"No, Harry hates it there-" Alexis stopped mid-thought and turned a surprised eye to Dobby. "I never said Harry, Dobby."
The poor house-elf looked as if he was about to punish himself when someone coughed behind them.
"Return to your quarters at once, Dobby," order Lucius Malfoy, his grey eyes stern.
"Yes, master," replied Dobby quickly. He bowed and disappeared with a familiar pop.
Now Lucius's eye fell on Alexis. They weren't stern as they had been when looking at the elf but instead were a calm almost fatherly look in them.
"A little late to be out walking about isn't it?" he asked in a joking manner.
"Sorry, sir. Couldn't sleep," replied Alexis, sheepishly. Lucius swept his wand over the seat Dobby had been sitting it, cleaning it, before taking a seat.
"Oh? Nightmares?"
Alexis shrugged her shoulders. "No, just not use to the silence. Makes me think to much."
Lucius let out a soft chuckle, "Yes, I can see how dreadful that must be my dear. Fortunately, I might have something that could help."
"You do?" said Alexis rather excited.
"Yes, but you must promise not to abuse it." Alexis nodded in agreement. "Very well. Wait here and I will go get it."
Lucius disappeared into the private office of the study but returned with a small black journal. He handed it to Alexis as if it was a very delicate artifact.
"I know, not what you were expecting, but you would be surprised how tired and at peace someone gets while writing down their thoughts."
Alexis looked the journal over with a grin. It was small and never used before. Although the outside of it was slightly weatherworn, pages on the inside were a creamy white, completely ink less.
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."
Lucius replied with a soft smile and bow of his head.
"You know, for someone that works for the Ministry, you aren't that bad."
Alexis's comment caused the usually well composed man to let out a genuine laugh, triggering a giggle from Alexis as well.
"That, Miss McPherson, I shall take as a compliment, seeing I know how you feel about those who work for the Ministry," said Lucius still smiling. "But know I must ask you to go back to bed."
Alexis nodded politely before returning to her room. She was planning on using her new journal right away but suddenly found herself very tired. She fell asleep the moment she laid down on her bed, her journal pressed tightly to her chest as if it was the most precious thing she owned.
Please review and give me some feedback.
D.C.F.