Eleven-year-old Alex Russo is the cousin of Draco Malfoy. They are so close and are protective of each other. Standing next to each other, Alex elbows Draco signalling to the boy with a lightning scar.
"It's Harry Potter." Alex whispers to Draco.
"Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Draco smirks making Alex roll her eyes, speaking up, "This is Crabbe, Goyle and Alex. I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Hearing the guy with the red hair snort, Alex looks to him.
"Think Draco's name is funny, huh? No need to ask your name. Red hair, passed down robe. You're a Weasley." Alex steps in.
"Back off." Harry snaps. Stepping over to Harry and the red hair boy, Alex glares at the unknown boy as Draco holds out his hand to Harry.
"You don't want to be friends with the wrong sort." Draco speaks to Harry as Alex tunes in. Seeing Harry not move, just staring at Draco, Alex smirks.
"Guess he doesn't want to be our friend, Draco. We don't need 'The Boy Who Lived' as a friend. Unless if he wants to think about it." Alex states.
"I can tell the wrong sort for myself." Harry speaks up.
"Impressive." Alex chuckles. Hearing a throat be cleared behind them, Draco and Alex turns to see their teacher. Professor McGonagall, Alex guesses, "You're Professor McGonagall, aren't you?"
"Yes," McGonagall nods slowly, "Anyways, it's time for the sorting ceremony and meeting your classmates. Follow me."
Leading the way, Alex and Draco walk side-by-side into the Great Hall.
"The ceiling shows what it is like outside." Alex whispers to Draco who chuckles.
"Know-It-All." Draco grins as Alex nods her head in agreement.
"Yeah." Alex agrees. Arriving to the front of the room, they all line up at the bottom of the steps.
"When I call your name," Alex tunes out on her teacher. Alex's family is pure blood and she has been raised around magic. But she went to Muggle School to keep up an appearance for where she lives. She lives in a muggle community and her uncle is in Azkaban Prison. Her father and mother are followers of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Her father does everything he can to get Alex to turn her like him, while her mother secretly tries to get Alex to have her back turned against Voldemort, "Hermione Granger."
Watching a girl with bushy brown hair, she nervously climbs the steps.
"Muggleborn." Draco whispers.
"Clearly." Alex agrees.
"Gryffindor!" The Sorting Hat calls out making the girl jump.
"Draco Malfoy."
"Slytherin." The hat states before it even touches Draco's head.
As McGonagall goes down the list, they land on Harry. Seeing Harry's lips move, Alex stares seeing the word 'Slytherin' form.
"Gryffindor." The hat finally decides.
"Ronald Weasley." Watching the Weasley boy get sorted into Gryffindor, finally Alex's name gets called, "Alex Russo."
"Slytherin." The hat calls out before it touches her hair. Smirking, Alex looks at Draco before getting up and walking over to her cousin and his friends.
At the end of the sorting ceremony, they dig into their food.
"Hey, I'm Pansy Parkinson." Pansy, the girl across from her greets, looking at Draco who is ignoring her and everyone. Elbowing her cousin, Draco looks to her with food in his mouth.
"When you are done chewing, say hi." Alex states. Watching Draco roll his eyes, Alex elbows him in the stomach. As the food goes flying, it lands all over Pansy. Laughing hysterically, Alex leans on Draco fighting her laughter as Draco laughs.
Seeing Pansy's shocked face and the food dripping off of her face, Alex giggles before laughing with Draco. As everyone laughs around them at their table, Pansy wipes the food off of her disgusted.
After dinner, they go underground to their Slytherin Common Room with their Head of House, Severus Snape. Heading up to her dorm after saying goodnight to her cousin, Alex finds her dorm and head inside.
Feeling a bucket of water land on her, Alex shrugs her shoulders.
"Thank you for a shower, Parkinson." Alex states looking at Pansy who is laughing with the other first year girls.
"No problem, Russo." Pansy smirks. With a flick of her wand, Alex is dry again.
Getting changed with the other girls, Alex crawls into her bed and lays there. Closing her eyes, Alex falls into a light sleep.
The next morning, Alex meets up with Draco in the common room. Telling him what happened the night before, Draco narrows his eyes spotting Pansy.
"Parkinson!" Draco shouts catching her attention. Storming over to her, Draco pulls out his wand and points it at her, "If I hear you attacking my cousin again, I will curse you. This is your only warning."
"This snitch is your cousin?" Pansy points to Alex laughing. Sending a curse at Pansy, she turns like a statue before falling to the ground. Looking at Pansy as Draco grabs Alex's hand and pulls her out with their bags on their backs, Crabbe and Goyle follows.
Arriving to the Great Hall, the four of them sit down together before beginning their breakfast. During their breakfast, Crabbe and Goyle talk with Draco as Alex plays with her food. Spotting the bushy hair girl, Hermione Granger, Alex gets up.
"What are you doing?" Draco asks as Alex starts to walk over.
"Going to talk to that Hermione girl." Alex shrugs her shoulders.
"A Gryffindork?"
"I think I will get along with her." Alex states.
"Want me to come?" Draco offers.
"No. I'll be right back." Walking away, Alex approaches Hermione, "Hi." Alex greets sitting down next to Hermione.
"Hi. Why are you talking to me?" Hermione asks nervously, "I know Slytherin and Gryffindor have a feud going back centuries."
"I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Alex Russo." Holding out her hand, Hermione shyly accepts it and they shake hands.
"Hermione Granger."
"It's nice to meet you. If anyone hurts you, tell me okay. My cousin and I will deal with them."
"Why are you trying to help me?"
"No one hurts the people I like and become friends with."
"We don't know each other."
"I don't care. We have the next seven years to get to know each other." Seeing Alex's friendly smile, Hermione can't help but smile back.
"Alex!" Looking up together, Alex rolls her eyes to see Draco signalling her to go with him to their first class. Looking at her schedule, Alex notices that Slytherin and Gryffindor have their first class together.
"Would you like to join me to go to our first class?" Alex offers Hermione.
"I would like to, but," Hermione starts.
"Do you not want to be seen with a Slytherin student?"
"It's just," Hermione sighs, "I'm scared."
"I promise you not to let anyone hurt you or my cousin. I won't hurt you. Please give me a chance?" Watching Hermione nod, the brunette girl grabs her toast and bag before getting up with Alex.
Walking with Alex and the blonde boy, Hermione is introduced to him, Draco. Hermione isn't that good with names even though she is a bookworm. Walking with them and Crabbe and Goyle to their first class, Transfiguration, Alex and Hermione sit together with Draco behind them with Crabbe and Goyle.
Seeing a cat when they walk in, Alex grins turning to Draco.
"It's probably our teacher." Alex whispers to him.
"That would be really cool." Draco chuckles. Hearing running feet, Hermione, Alex and Draco turn to see Harry and Ron panting and walking quickly into the room.
"Thank gosh that our professor isn't here yet." Alex hears Ron whisper to Harry.
Suddenly their teacher comes into Alex's sight. Turning to see the cat missing, Alex looks at Draco with a grin.
"That's so cool." Alex whispers to Draco who nods looking at his cousin. Turning back around, Alex pulls out parchment and ink before copying the note on the board. Hearing Harry and Ron take their seats, Alex relaxes.
During the class after copying down the note, the class tries their first spell. To turn their ink into a snake.
Succeeding, Alex grins before petting her snake while holding it in place. Watching Hermione nail the spell right after her, Alex turns to Draco who turns his ink into a snake a couple of tries later.
Turning them back to ink, Alex is excited.
"I love this class." Alex states as Hermione looks at her with a smile.
"I agree with you." Hermione nods.
After class, Hermione and Alex go their separate ways, sadly. Hermione honestly likes Alex, she's very kind and not like the other Slytherin students. Arriving to her Charms class, Hermione takes a seat and takes notes on the board.
Arriving to Herbology, Alex walks in to see Hermione. Walking over to her, Alex stands next to her with Draco on her other side.
"How was class?" Hermione asks Alex.
"It wasn't so bad. Boring but not bad." Alex answers.
"What class did you have?"
"History of Magic. I have Charms after this then we have Potions together."
"Hermione, why are you talking to a Slytherin?" Ron asks glaring at Alex.
"Back off, Weasley." Alex snaps narrowing her own eyes at him, "Hermione can talk to and be friends with whoever she wants to. You're not the boss of her."
"Ron, stop." Harry whispers.
"Yeah, Ron, listen to your owner." Hearing Draco, Crabbe and Goyle chuckle next to her, Alex looks to Hermione to see her looking down, fighting a smile.
"At least I have a good family, not mixed up with dark magic." Ron fires back.
"At least I have true friends. And for the record, my family isn't mixed up with dark magic."
"Story goes that your family are followers of You-Know-Who."
"So? It's their choice."
"Aren't you going to be like your parents?" Ron asks no longer fighting. Just curious. Seeing Alex's brown eyes soften, the girl rolls her eyes as their teacher walks in.
After class it is lunch hour. Hermione is walking alone because Alex stayed behind to speak with their teacher.
"Hermione!" Stopping, Hermione turns to see Ron and Harry, "Why were you talking with Russo earlier?" Ron questions.
"That's none of your business." Hermione states.
"Is she paying you to be her friend?"
"No. Why do you want to know?"
"I'd be careful around her."
"Be careful around who?" Turning, Ron and Harry see Alex looking at them knowingly, "Me? What did I do?"
"Your family is evil. The darkest and loyal followers of You-Know-Who." Ron answers.
"Stop talking about my family." Alex snaps defensively.
"What are you going to do about it?"
Stunning Ron, the red-haired boy lands on the grass frozen.
"Reverse it!" Harry growls.
"Why should I?" Alex taunts.
"Alex, please?" Hermione whispers. Sighing, Alex reverses the spell.
"You are lucky she asked, or I would have left you here." Alex informs Ron and Harry.
Starting to walk away, Hermione joins Alex.
"You okay?" Alex asks Hermione as they arrive to the courtyard.
"Yeah. Just normal drama." Hermione rolls her eyes.
"I know the feeling. Would you like to join me for lunch or would you like to sit at your table with your other friends?"
"I don't have any friends… besides you." Hermione blushes sadly.
"Hey, you will make friends as the year passes. It's only the first day."
"I guess." Hermione whispers looking down as they stop walking.
"Hermione, please look at me." Looking up, Hermione stares straight into Alex's brown eyes, "I promise you will make more friends. Don't listen to the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Be friends with who you want. It doesn't matter."
"Really?"
"Of course. Heck, we are friends and are on both sides of the forever lasting feud. I don't care what other Gryffindor and Slytherin students think because the only opinion that matters is yours and mine." Seeing Hermione crack a tiny smile, Alex smiles back, "There's the smile I like."
Holding out her hand, Hermione accepts Alex's hand before the two of them walk into the school together.
It is the last class of the day, Flying Lessons. Excited, Alex and Draco walk out together with Crabbe and Goyle following like dogs on leashes.
Hyped for the class, Alex rushes over to Hermione and takes the only free space next to her. Ron and Harry are next to her with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle across from her.
"I hate heights." Hermione whispers catching Alex's attention.
"I don't mind them. Though I'm weird." Alex comments.
"That's not weird."
"All right class. Welcome to your last class of the day, Flying Lessons." Their teacher speaks earning herself everyone's attention. Ignoring her, Alex copies everyone and immediately gets her broom in her hand. Seeing Hermione struggle, Alex softly walks her through it. Harry and Draco are the only two who got their brooms on the first try.
Watching everyone mount their brooms, Alex's takes her up high before landing again. Watching Hermione get a little off the ground, Alex could see her turn green. As the broom goes higher and higher, Alex immediately mounts and goes up to join Hermione.
"Breathe." Alex speaks gently next to Hermione.
"Help me." Hermione whimpers.
"Okay, get on mine." Looking at Alex like she lost her head, Alex nods moving closer. Holding onto Alex, Hermione moves onto Alex's broom. Feeling Alex's arms wrap around her after snatching the other broom out of the air, Alex slowly heads to the ground.
Hearing laughter, Alex and Hermione hop off the broom. Noticing Hermione is in tears, Alex glares at her classmates.
"Shut the bloody hell up!" Alex roars furiously. Rushing over, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle surround Alex seeing if she's okay. Alex is too focused on Hermione. Stroking her hair out of her face, Alex searches Hermione's eyes before pulling her into a hug, "Ignore them."
Feeling Hermione shake, Alex knows Hermione is crying. Holding her closer, Alex runs her fingers through Hermione's hair soothingly.
After dinner, Alex and Draco are walking around the school with Crabbe and Goyle.
"It's just like what my parents described." Alex smiles looking at the moving pictures.
"I know." Draco agrees.
"Crabbe, Goyle, what do you think of the school?" Alex turns to the taller and bigger guys.
"Not so bad. It sounded cooler from my parents." Crabbe answers.
"Exactly." Goyle agrees. Arriving to the sixth floor, Alex hears crying.
"Guys, stay here." Alex orders before walking up to the seventh floor. Arriving there, Alex is surprised to see Hermione in tears with a forming bruise on her jaw and a busted lip. Running over to her, Alex kneels down next to her, "Shh, you're okay now. I'm here." Alex whispers.
Feeling Hermione hug her, Alex holds her back.
"I don't care what anybody says, but you are going to take me in there and show me who did this to you." Feeling Hermione nod, Alex pecks the top of her head.
Once Hermione is finished crying, Alex helps her up and calls Draco, Crabbe and Goyle up. As the five of them head inside, Hermione points to the girl who punched her. Storming over to her, Alex punches her hard in the nose. Punching her in the jaw then the eye, Draco pulls his cousin back before she gets carried away.
"Let me go, Draco." Alex growls furiously as the Common Room for Gryffindor go silent.
"You should listen to her." The girl smirks. Pulling out her wand behind the girl's back, Alex shoots a spell at her which gets blocked by another spell. Turning to the owner, it's McGonagall.
"What is going on here?" McGonagall snaps angrily.
"That bloody idiot attacked me." The girl points to Alex.
"You attacked Hermione first." Alex fires back.
"I did not."
"Liar."
"Go make out with your cousin."
"You should go into the Dark Forest and get eaten alive."
"Enough!" McGonagall roars, "You go to your dorm. And you Russo get out of here."
Staying silent, Alex turns to Hermione.
"I'll see you in the morning. Any more trouble, you just tell me tomorrow and I will deal with it." Alex speaks gently to Hermione.
"I will." Hermione nods.
"Good night."
"Good night, Alex, and thank you… for everything."
"What are friends for?" Alex smiles earning a smile from Hermione.