Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking down a long road in silence. It was a cool, Grey, foggy morning and there was an odd sense of despair in the air as if the earth itself knew of the terrible tragedy that had just occurred. Suddenly a dark figure emerged from the fog ahead of them, and was walking closer every second. They, stopped, took out their wands and stood as silently as they had been walking. Then Hermione broke the silence by calling, "Alex!" The girl looked up and smiled, quickening her steps until she was standing right in front of them. The feeling of dread was lost for a moment.

"Hermione, hey! I was wondering when I'd see you." Alex said.

"Er, do you know her?" Ron asked Hermione in amazement. "How do you know her?"

"Yes Ron I know her. We met on the Hogwarts express, first year. We were sitting in the same compartment, with Neville, remember?" she replied and then asked Alex, who nodded.

Ron gaped at her.

"Am I missing something?" asked Harry, confused. "Sorry, but who are you?"

Now Ron gaped at him. "You don't know who she is?"

Ignoring Ron's comment Alex answered, "My name is Alexandra Whittenshire, but nearly everyone calls me Alex." She held out her hand and he shook it, saying "Harry Potter…"

She smiled and said, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Harry noticed that she was the first person in the magical world to not even glance at his scar upon meeting him. She turned to Ron; "You're a Weasley aren't you? I know your brothers."

His eyes went wide, "Which ones?"

"All of them, really. I know the twins personally and the older ones, um, Bill and Charlie, right? He was a friend of my brother's. My father used to work with the other one, Percy I think, so he has been 'round for dinner."

"So what are you three doing out here in the open? What would Mad-Eye Moody say?" She continued.

"It felt as if a block of ice had dropped into their stomachs when they remembered why they had been walking in the first place.

"Um, Alex I'm really sorry to have to tell you this but," Hermione stopped for a second and then whispered, "Mad-Eye Moody is…he's…dead."

The smile quickly slipped from Alex's face and her purple eyes filled with tears, though she didn't shed any. She tucked her chestnut brown hair behind her ears and said quietly "no…"

"How did you know him," Harry questioned gently.

"I…" Alex tried.

Hermione quickly answered for her; "Alex is in the Order, filling in for her father, who was a friend of Moody."

There was silence, then," What's wrong with your dad?" Ron asked quietly.

"He's sick." Alex answered a little too quickly. She glanced at Hermione who smiled encouragingly.

"I'm really sorry, but I must be going now. I'll see you at Hogwarts?" Alex inquired.

"Maybe," said Hermione.

Alex turned and continued down the street. "Ok, what's really wrong with her father?" Harry looked at Hermione.

She looked a little bit sad for some reason. "He's in a coma. Her mother is too. A Death Eater attacked Alex's father but her mother tried to save him. The Death Eater didn't want to hurt Alex's mother for some reason, probably because of whom she is, but anyway he cast some strange curse to knock her out but it missed and hit Alex's dad instead. Her mom freaked, she started attacking the Death Eater who did the curse again and then he ran."

"Why'd he run?" Ron wondered.

"Because he saw Alex standing in the corner about to blow his head off." Hermione replied.

"Oh,"

They all looked down the street at Alex's retreating back. They saw her raise the hood of her cloak, turn on the spot and they heard a faint "pop" as she disapperated.

"Who are her parents?" Harry asked.

Hermione responded, "Richard Whittenshire, he's a big name at the Ministry, and Iris Whittenshire, maiden name Malfoy."

"Malfoy!" Ron asked incredulously.

"Wow, Ron I thought you knew everything about her?" Hermione smiled at their faces. "Yes, Malfoy. Iris is the sister of Lucius Malfoy, which is part of the reason I didn't want you guys to start anything with their family," Harry thought this was a bit rich coming from the girl who had punched Draco Malfoy in the face. "Alex tells Malfoy to leave you alone all the time." She continued.

"Wait, that means their…cousins? And they are close?" Harry had such a funny look on his face Hermione almost started laughing.

"Close? Yea, mate their close. They are always together at school, but I didn't know they were related. I'm surprised she's not in Slytherin, but then again she's nothing like Malfoy."

"What house is she in?" Harry wondered.

"Gryffindor"

"How do you know so much about her, Ron?"

Ron went red, "Well she's got to be the most popular girl currently at Hogwarts, I mean she knows everybody! She's been popular since like the second week of first year, ever since she met her brother's friends. Not that she wouldn't be popular on her own, I mean you saw her, bloody gorgeous! And an excellent witch to boot. Beaten only by Hermione in school.

"Speaking of Hermione, where is she?"

They looked around, and found a scrap of parchment on the ground that clearly said,

'I couldn't get your attention so this will have to do. When you notice I'm gone hopefully you'll find this and remember that we have a curfew now! You should probably come back!'

They both shrugged their shoulders and disapperated to a point just outside the Burrow's boundaries.