Chapter 1

"Tap,Tap,Tap"

Rose hit the bricks she needed to with her wand to open the doorway that led to Diagon Alley. The wall parted and suddenly they were hit by a crescendo of noise. Voices talking, calling to each other, laughter and even tears from a small boy who looked as if he didn't have exactly what he wanted. There was no proof of this though, his parents were hugging him, kissing him and buying him everything in sight to try and cheer him up. Everyone else on the other hand looked so happy, the children that could be seen were rushing from shop to shop trying to buy everything they needed for the new year at Hogwarts. Parents were hurrying after them, carrying loads of bags and of course the all important money, which jingled as they ran.

Suddenly the boy stopped crying and looked at Rose's companion behind her. She turned round to look at the figure. Alexis was always noticed. For some reason, that she didn't understand, she radiated with something, that people called her own little magic, that seemed to hit everyone in her path.

She pulled her hood down off her head and let her brown silky hair fall around her slim face. As soon as she did so, everyone near her ground to a halt and only a whisper of voices could be heard. Alexis searched the faces of her stunned watchers and saw someone she didn't expect to see. Scorpius Malfoy was smirking cheekily at them, and it was only when he turned his head to talk to someone that he was with his amazingly rich and precious father Draco Malfoy.

People started to disperse an get on with their shopping, but some still kept giving Alexis the odd interested glance.

Rose turned to her friend and whispered in her ear, "I bet Malfoy's dad leaves him to have fun with his friends while he does Scorpius' shopping!"

"Probably." Alexis answered.

Scorpius glanced at Alexis and Rose as if to make sure that they were still there. Rose gave him a disgusted look and Alexis copied her. Scorpius just turned back to his father, smiling and shaking his head as he did so.

Alexis looked on as Scorpius said goodbye to his father and then turned to look at them.

"Come on," she said, "we have to get money from Gringotts. Let's start there.

They began to walk down the street towards the big, white, pearly building.

"Maybe my Uncle Bill will be there," Rose said, "Auntie Ginny said he would be."

"I still can't believe your related to Harry Potter, THE Harry Potter!" Alexis exclaimed.

"He's not a blood relation, he's just married to my dad's sister."

They walked past the two goblins at the entrance of the magical bank and walked through the old wooden doors. She was used to Gringotts, but Alexis was still amazed when she walked in tot eh magnificent building. The pillars inside were made of white marble, there were about fifty goblins weighing money on golden scales, and even the tiled floor that they walked on glistened and sparkled in the sunlight, that flooded through the open doorway and the many glass windows.

The two witches walked up to one of the goblins and waited for him to notice them. He was muttering to himself, his beady, little, black eyes were following his fingers as they traced the lines embedded in one of the golden coins in front of him.

Suddenly Alexis heard a sound behind her like a small cough and she swiftly spun around. Right in front of her stood the most annoying group of wizards she knew, at Hogwarts.

Eric Bland stood there looking completely bewildered as if he had no idea how he had got there. His big, blue eyes searched Gringotts and rested on a big pile of sickles just on the next podium. He smiled slyly at it but stayed still.

Next to him was Merlin Blue. Most Slytherin girls found him very attractive…but not as attractive as Scorpius Malfoy…of course.

And talking about Malfoy, there he stood in the middle of them, not looking at anyone but the goblin in front of Alexis and Rose.

"Slightfinger." Said Scorpius.

The goblin jumped and the knut he had been stroking leapt from his hand and rolled onto the floor.

Alexis knelt down to pick it up but before she could even get near it a voice next to he ear growled,

"Don't you dare touch that you filthy Half-blood!"

Alexis looked up sharply into the eyes of the cruel goblin.

"Easy Slightfinger," she heard Scorpius say, "you don't want her to start on you."

She felt him kneel beside her but she didn't look at him, she kept her eyes fixed on the rude creature in front of her.

Scorpius picked up the coin and gave it back to him.

"Don' t touch money that doesn't belong to you." Slightfinger growled at Alexis.

She stood up to her full height, which wasn't much, but it was bigger than the goblin.

"Where did you get that nickname from?" She asked sarcastically.

"My mother gave it to me, why, do you have a problem with it?"

"No." Rose answered. She had caught on by now.

"It's just," Alexis began, "I was wondering whether your name described you? You know, I mean, it must be easy for you, with your "slight fingers", to just slip the odd knut into your pocket once in a while." She rose her eyebrows as if challenging him to answer back. But he couldn't, he was much to furious to say anything. His eyes showed a tint of red which is usual for most goblins when they are raging.

Alexis looked at Rose who smirked then looked at Scorpius who looked just slightly amused, though he was trying to hide it.

Alexis started to walk away with Rose in her wake. Then she heard Malfoy, in a raised voice, warn,

"Alexis!"

If other goblins had seen her they would have admired Alexis for her speed. She spun round and put her hand up as Slightfinger lunged at her, teeth bared and claws poised. He hit an invisible barrier and fell backwards off his feet. He looked up at the small witch in front of him, amazed.

"How did you..?"

"I'm not like every witch you meet. If I want something badly enough, I don't need a wand." She looked straight at Scorpius who wasn't smiling anymore. "Half-blood magic."

Slightfinger didn't have a grumbling voice anymore. When he spoke he squeaked.

"But…that doesn't exist."

"No," Alexis said calmly, "But it's better to say that, than to say I don't know how I make magic come out of my hand. Isn't it?"

With that she gave Scorpius and his cronies one last look, turned away and walked, with Rose by her side, to another goblin so that at last she could get some money out of her vault.