Storm Clouds Always Roll In On A Wednesday

Chapter One: Beginnings at an End

She looked down at the pair of grave markers in front of her. The smell of newly churned earth filled the air. The day was overcast and cloudy, perfect for her parent's funeral and for reflecting her feelings. She couldn't help the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes. Then she heard the soft tread footsteps behind her; she didn't bother to turn around. A soft voice reached her ears, winding around her like a fog.

"Alex, it's time for the eulogy." Alex took a deep breath.

"I know." Her voice was quiet, calm, detached. She turned and looked at her grandmother before glancing at the platform she would be speaking at in a moment. "I'll be there in a second Grams."

"Alright." Alex's grandmother turned and walked back to where the benches were set up and people were waiting. Alex watched her walk back to the procession before turning her gaze to the people milling around. Do I even know half of the people here? She thought bitterly. Why are they here? To pay their respects? Her voice sounded bitter and accusing even in her own head.

She started walking toward the procession where her parent's funeral was being held, only a few yards away from their grave. Here goes nothing. Grams give me strength. I can't do this on my own. She slowly walked past the crowd of people who had started sitting down on the benches, watching her expectantly. She climbed the steps of the platform, each one she had to struggle with. Her feet felt like they were made of lead. She finally made it to the top, she stood at the podium and looked at the people sitting before her. She picked out the people she knew.

Well, there's Grams, and there's Lucas, Milo, and Dechie; mom and dad's co-workers. There's Jacob Moville, mom and dad's boss. A.K.A. Minister of the American Ministry of Magic. There's Marie, mom's friend, and Jack, dad's friend. And… Alex furrowed her brows together in confusion. What are Seline and Cleo doing here? Shouldn't they be at the school? Alex was bemused but she wasn't about to go looking at the gift too hard. They ARE the closest people I have to companions…not to mention they're my teachers. Alex decided she'd been staring into the audience long enough. She cleared her throat. Time to get this show on the road, she thought, and she began.

"My parents" she began, "were good honest people. They worked hard for what they wanted and believed in, and they believed in making a difference. They were happily married for what would have been 17 years this past week. They had a beautiful daughter one year into their marriage, which proved to be me. They raised me as well as they could, being two working aurors for the Ministry. And somehow, they managed to find that precarious balance between family and profession and did well in both. They made sure I got a good education, that I had a thirst for learning, and that I knew the difference between right and wrong. They were well loved by family and friends alike and they both worked for what they had, harder than some people would. They were some of the best aurors in the business and good partners. They worked well in teams and they made sure that everyone who went on a mission came back."

At this point Lucas, Milo and Dechie interrupted. All three agreeing with Alex's statement and with Milo adding a "Yeh got tha' right" in his deep gruff voice. Dechie was wiping tears from her face. Alex paused until they had quieted down before continuing.

"They've saved lives more than once and put themselves in danger in the process every time, but somehow, they always managed to come back. My father was a good son to my grandparents and made sure that his wife, his father, his mother, his friends and I were always proud of him. He was a proud man, but he put others in front of himself always. My mother always did her best to look out for others and keep a cheerful disposition around her. She could curse worse than a sailor when she had a mind to and she could probably hex them worse too." Some chuckling followed this statement, and Alex gave a weak smile that never reached her eyes to follow this comment.

"My mother never did anything halfway, not at her job, her education, or her decisions. She was fair and tried not to be too biased too often. They were good people, loved, cherished and appreciated. They had a good life, and they lived it well. They died too soon, leaving people behind, and dying before people who should never have had to see them go into the ground. The way they died was murder, plain and simple."

Alex's eyes got cold and the air seemed to get more frigid around her. "They were killed in cold blood. And though it hasn't been proven yet, it's suspected Death Eaters killed them. My parents believed in the threat of Voldemort-" There were gasps and muttering of the name being uttered but Alex didn't care, and she continued, raising her voice louder to be heard over the crowd.

"My parents believed in the threat of VOLDEMORT, and they also tried to do things about it. They went to Europe to offer the help of our American Ministry to the European Ministry this last summer, and they fought in the war before. They believe that HE is back and they believed that nobody will be safe until Voldemort is dead and his minions destroyed." Alex closed her eyes briefly, her face etched with pain, when she opened her eyes again, her face was hard, and her eyes showed her determination.

"They DIED for freedom. I don't believe that their deaths were accidents and I don't believe that the people who killed them didn't want their deaths. I may not be as old as people here today, but I know enough. Voldemort may only be in Europe now, but so was Hitler, and he affected the entire WORLD. Hitler almost won and he was a muggle. Voldemort is one of the strongest wizards in the world and he will do whatever he can to try and take over this world. I… I don't want my parents to have died in vain. Voldemort may have done this as a warning, he may have done this as a threat, but I refuse to back down. I won't be cowed. I hope… I want, for all the ministry officials here to not let my parent's death be all for nothing. Jacob and my parents have been trying to convince the council to offer their assistance to the European Ministry, and this proves it all the more. Voldemort's fingers are stretching far, and I for one don't want him to clutch America's heart and squeeze. I look through the crowd here today and I see ministry people, people from the Golden Galleon (National American Wizarding Newspaper), people in high places, and I say to you, fight. Help; prove how wrong Voldemort is to try to suppress us. He wants a war, I say give him one."

Alex took a deep sigh as she finished, her head lifted high as she came off the podium. She looked at the small

bit of chaos she had just started. Ministry officials, reporters, and other people were all in disorder. Reporters were taking pictures of anyone from the Ministry, as well as pictures of her. She held her head high as she stood near her grandmother. She watched everyone, people discussing what she had said, what they should do, and so forth. They look like someone just rammed a very large stick up their—

"Alex!" Alex turned to who called her name. Many people were leaving now that the ceremony was over, her eulogy was the last one. Alex saw her Potions teacher and her Divination teacher walking towards her and her grandmother.

"Miss Seline and Miss Cleo, what are you doing here?" Alex went forward and gave each of them a hug.

"Hey Shug. Seline and I decided that Salem could wait and that we needed to be here." Cleo gave Alex a big hug back. "Also, Cassandra thought we might like to come and see you. She pulled a few strings." Seline added in her slight accent.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You would have seen me when I came back to school." Suddenly the two teachers looked uncomfortable. Alex narrowed her eyes. "What?" What's going on? What do you know that I don't? Alex thought. Neither of the pair said anything but looked at each other and then at Alex's grandmother, Cassandra. Alex narrowed her eyes at her grandmother. Cleo and Seline murmured excuses about helping the Minister escort all the rest of the guests out. They hurried off leaving Alex and her grandmother in a staring contest.

"What's…going…on???" Alex spit the words through her teeth. Her eyes narrowed as Alex scrutinized her grandmother. "Why are Miss Cleo and Miss Seline so nervous?"

"Alex, it's nothing to worry about." Cassandra tried to calm her granddaughter down. She watched Alex for a moment, and when Alex said nothing continued. "Many people would understand if you didn't want to go back to school right away, there's no reason to think that I have some hidden agenda. Really! You ought to know me better than that!" Alex's grandmother's last words were soft and chastising. Alex didn't feel guilty, but she did feel a little bad for suspecting something.

"I'm sorry Grams. I suppose the funeral has me just a little worked up." Alex paused for a moment and moved to sit on one of the benches, her grandmother followed suit. "It hurts Grams. I feel inside, it's more than I've felt in a while. I wish I could just feel dead, you know?" She looked up at her grandmother. Her grandmother wrapped her arm around Alex and pulled her in close. Alex closed her eyes and just breathed in her grandmother's scent. Lavender and Cinnamon, like always, she thought.

"I know it hurts Alex." Cassandra spoke softly and gently, like the time she had to explain to 7-year-old Alex why Grumpy, her grandfather, wasn't coming back. "You need to understand that sometimes, we feel because we need to feel. The pain tells us that it's going to be okay. We can't hurt forever you know."

Alex sighed. "How can you be sure of that? The pain will never completely go away."

"Oh Alex…" her grandmother murmured. Alex interrupted.

"Don't worry Grams, I'm not about to have a nervous breakdown." Alex took a deep breath and stood up. "I'll be fine, like I said, the funeral had me a bit stressed out." Alex stood with her back to her grandmother; her hands were in her pockets and her shoulders were hunched and defensive. She walked towards her parent's graves without a look back to her grandmother. Oh Alex, how can anyone help you if you won't let anyone come close enough to? Alex's grandmother watched her retreating back with worried thoughts.

Alex hugged Miss Seline and Miss Cleo good-bye once more and thanked them for their gifts.

"Thanks Miss Cleo for the divination books, they look really interesting and I'm sure they'll be helpful." She hugged Cleo tightly before embracing her Potions Professor. "Miss Seline, these books are wonderful too, some of these aren't even allowed to be published anymore." Cleo spoke up first.

"Shug, you're worth it. We absolutely love you like family."

"Besides," Seline added, "We both know you wouldn't do anything too dangerous." Everyone chuckled. "You just get everything together, got it, Bre?" (AN: Bre is pronounced Brett without the T sound on the end) Alex let a small smile creep onto her face. Bre had been Seline's nickname for her since her second year. It was short for 'Potions Brewer' and it had been shorted to Bre over the years.

"Yes Seline." Alex used her most abashed voice. "I promise to get my shit straightened." Everyone laughed at this. Alex suddenly darted to her teachers and gave them both a big hug one more time. "Don't forget me, Okay?" she mumbled.

"As if we would ever forget our favorite Shugah!" Cleo cried, accidently slipping into her Creole accent. "It doesn't matter if you never come back, we'd still write you and NEVER EVER fah-ghet our Shugah!"

Seline also added her quiet, "Never ever" to Cleo's statement.

Alex, Cassandra, Seline and Cleo all said their goodbyes before Cleo and Seline apparated back to Salem. Alex gave a small sigh as she watched them go.

"Shall we go Alex? We have lots to do tomorrow."

"Hm? Sorry. Yeah, lets go." Cassandra put her hand on her granddaughter's shoulder. And led her towards home.