Sitting on the grass waiting for Hermione, Alex moves so she is laying down watching the clouds. It has been a month since school started and Alex and Hermione have gotten so close that they consider each other as best friends.
Hearing shouting, Alex sits back up and turns to see Ron and Hermione.
"Bloody hell." Alex murmurs before getting on her feet. Watching in shock as Ron gets into Hermione's face, he screams horrible words at her.
Running over, Alex reaches Hermione and Ron. Pulling Hermione behind her, Alex glares balling her hands into fists.
"Get out of here." Alex snaps.
"What are you going about it?" Ron taunts.
"You don't want to know."
"Looks like you have a slimy filthy snake as a body guard, Granger." Ron smirks.
"At least she has someone who is always behind her."
Insulting each other back and forth, Ron's friends approach them. Having their wands pointed at Alex, Harry is the only one who doesn't have his out.
"Oh come on, harassing an unarmed girl? That's just wrong." Alex states. Looking through the crowd, Alex spots Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Seeing them walk toward them, Alex looks away, "You better watch your backs."
"You are not in the place to make threats." A guy from Gryffindor, Dean Thomas, chuckles.
"I'm just stating that." Alex rolls her eyes.
"Why aren't you trying to escape?" Ron wonders.
"And have to curse me behind my back? No thanks."
"Get away from them, Gryffindorks." Draco growls darkly forcing him and Crabbe and Goyle through the crowd.
"Five against seven, we will win." Dean smirks. With a flick of his wand, Draco stuns Dean. As the spells fly, Alex guards Hermione, blocking her from the spells.
"Enough!" Alex hears blocking a stunner. Getting knocked off her feet; Alex hits the ground hitting her head off the ground, "Russo!" Alex hears before blacking out.
Hearing sobbing, Alex groans turning her head to the sound. Opening her eyes, she blinks a few times to clear her vision. Seeing Hermione sobbing into her hands, Alex reaches out and rubs Hermione's arm.
"Alex." Hermione breathes looking up from her hands. Wiping her tears away, Hermione leans forward and hugs Alex tightly.
"I'm okay." Alex promises, "I promise."
"Draco challenged Harry and Ron to a midnight duel tonight." Hermione whispers.
"I'm not surprised." Alex admits, "It's most likely to get revenge."
"You know your cousin well." Hermione cracks a tiny smile.
"I know. It's creepy."
"Does he know you very well?"
"A bit. He reads me well, but not as good as me reading him."
"I wish my cousins and I were close." Hermione speaks softly and shyly.
"Sometimes Draco and I are too close. So when is the duel?"
"Tonight."
"Alex!" Looking at the door, there is Draco rushing over, "We're up late tonight."
"I know. Hermione told me." Alex smiles.
"You coming tonight?" Draco asks looking at Hermione.
"Uh," Hermione starts.
"You don't have to." Alex steps in, "You can if you want, but you don't have to."
"Thank you." Hermione whispers, "I'll just follow Harry and Ron."
"You're so brave, Hermione." Seeing her friend blush, Alex takes her hand and yawns.
"You should go to sleep, cousin." Draco sighs sitting down on her bed.
"I know." Starting to fall asleep, Alex smiles at Hermione, "Thank you."
"What for?" Hermione asks quietly.
"Being my friend." Alex admits, "Crabbe and Goyle are Draco's friends. I don't have anyone but you. I'm not good at making friends."
"Neither am I."
"We will make some as the year goes on. Well, you will, not me." Alex frowns.
"Why do you say that?"
"No one would want to be friends with someone who only knows darkness."
"What do you mean?"
"My parents were, still are and always will be, followers of the Dark Lord. I admit, my father wants me to follow in their footsteps, but my mother doesn't want me to."
"I don't understand." Hermione sighs.
"Pretty much, my father wants me to follow his and my mother's way, while my mother wants me to be my own person."
"My parents want me to follow them." Draco agrees.
"So to be good or evil?" Hermione questions trying to understand.
"Exactly." Alex and Draco nod.
"Wow." Hermione whispers.
"Miss Russo, you're awake." Madame Pomfrey walks over smiling, "You are free to go."
"YES!" Alex sits up slowly before slipping off the bed. Leading Draco and Hermione out, Draco looks are his watch.
"Dinner then wait a few hours until the duel." Draco whispers in his cousin's ear as Hermione feels Alex take her hand.
"Perfect. Food." Gently pulling Hermione after her, Draco chuckles and follows.
At the Great Hall, Alex sits down with Draco sad that Hermione can't join them. Hermione looks so scared and awkward sitting alone.
"Who cares." Alex whispers before getting up. Walking over to Hermione, Alex sits down next to her as Draco, Crabbe and Goyle joins them as well.
"What are you guys doing?" Hermione asks worried and confused.
"Having dinner." Alex smirks looking at her friend. Seeing Hermione crack a smile, Alex leans into her and kisses her cheek, "Relax." Alex whispers.
During dinner, Alex sees the furious looks from the Gryffindor and Slytherin students. Alex honestly gave up caring. After dinner, Alex walks Hermione to the library for they can get their homework finished.
Twenty to midnight, Alex and Draco head to the Trophy Room for the midnight duel. Crabbe and Goyle are following them for support. Arriving to the Trophy Room, Alex unlocks the door and the light at the tip of her wand guides them into the room.
Seeing Harry, Ron, the boy who has rotten luck and Hermione standing there, Draco gets Alex to lock the door as he leads them forward. Joining them, Draco speaks furiously before Crabbe, Goyle and Alex back off to the side.
"Draco, go easy on him." Alex teases, "After all, he does live with muggles."
"Back off, Russo." Ron growls.
"Want to duel me, Weasley?" Alex smirks.
"Bring it."
Moving further into the room, Hermione follows worried. Leaning against the wall, Hermione watches Alex's and Ron's duel begins.
A good twenty minutes later, Hermione notices that Alex is slowing down.
"Ron, give up." Hermione begs, "Do this another day when Alex hasn't been in the hospital wing."
"No." Ron snaps sending a stunner at Alex. Watching Alex dodge it in time, Alex fires another one back at him.
As Harry's stunner flies passed Draco, Alex tries to block Ron's but gets hit with Harry's. Flying into the air, Alex smashes through trophy cases and hits the brick wall. Landing on the floor in a heap, Hermione and the others rush over, forgetting about the rivalry.
"Alex!" Hermione whispers shaking Alex's shoulder, "Alex, wake up. Please." Hermione begs.
Gulping, Harry knows he needs to get help, even if it costs them detentions and losing points for the House Cup.
"I'll go get help." Harry speaks gently.
"Please do, Potter." Draco agrees. Getting up, Harry runs as fast as he can to Gryffindor Tower.
As Harry is gone, Hermione sits on the floor as Alex's head and slips her head into her lap after Draco rolls her over onto her back.
Hearing the door open, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Ron and Hermione look up to see Harry and McGonagall.
"Move." McGonagall orders forcing Crabbe, Goyle and Ron out of the way. Harry looks to Neville Longbottom to see his face pale and stays back out of the way.
Watching a blanket appear, Harry watches Draco and Hermione help the still knocked out Alex, up and McGonagall wraps her in the blanket.
Draco and Hermione have their arms around Alex and each one of Alex's arms over their shoulders. Leading the kids out, McGonagall leads them to the hospital wing.
At the corner, dividing the Slytherins, Gryffindors and the teacher their different ways, McGonagall sends them all to bed besides Draco and Hermione.
Arriving to the hospital wing, McGonagall walks quickly to wake Madame Pomfrey as Hermione and Draco carefully lays Alex on one of the beds. Removing Alex's shoes, Hermione carefully pulls the blankets back with Draco's help. Covering the eleven-year-old, Hermione lets a tear slip down her cheek.
"She's going to be okay." Draco speaks to Hermione softly, looking at her, "Alex is a fighter and nothing will stop her from making it to her goals."
"How do you know?" Hermione sniffles.
"I know my cousin." Nodding, Hermione strokes Alex's black hair back out of her face.
Sitting down on Alex's bed, Hermione holds one of Alex's hands, gently stroking her hair with the other.
Watching Hermione care for his cousin, Draco can't help but relax knowing Hermione will always be behind Alex.
Two days later, Hermione and Draco would always go to the hospital wing to check up on Alex. Walking into the hospital wing, Crabbe, Goyle, Draco and Hermione head in the direction of Alex's bed. Noticing that the bed is empty, Hermione begins to panic.
"Alex?" Hermione calls out softly. Alex has been knocked out and today is day three.
Hearing footsteps behind them, Hermione immediately turns to see Alex on her feet.
"Hey, guys." Alex greets gently. Feeling Hermione hug her tightly, Alex hugs her back, "I'm okay." Alex promises. Pulling back a little, Hermione could see bruises and cuts from her accident.
"You scared me." Hermione whispers with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry." Alex apologizes. Hugging Hermione to her tightly, Alex and Hermione refuse to let go, "I'm allowed out now."
"Really?" Draco smiles.
"Yeah. Just take it easy though."
"We have Flying Lessons now." Crabbe grins, "You coming, Alex?"
"Yeah." Pulling away slowly, Alex takes Hermione's hand into her's, "Let's go."
Arriving to the class, Madame Hooch is surprised to see Alex.
"Are you well enough to fly, Miss Russo?" Hooch asks.
"Not really." Alex admits, "I'm going to sit out."
"Okay. Here is your broom just in case." Accepting the broom that Hooch passed her, Alex sits down on the grass next to Hermione, who is standing and looking around nervously.
Watching her classmates fly and land, Hermione's turn arrives. Hearing the laughter as Hermione stares at the broom, Alex gets to her feet.
"Mount your broom." Alex whispers standing next to Hermione. Doing what she is told, Hermione copies Alex's demonstration, "Now push off." Going up in the air a little, Hermione follows behind Alex. As Hermione lands on her own, Alex lands next to her, "Excellent work." Alex smiles. Smiling back, the class gasps.
Looking away from Hermione, Neville is struggling on his broom, which is swinging him back and forth and up and down like a bull.
Flying up to him, Alex speeds through the air to Neville. Reaching Neville in time, Alex catches him just as he falls off the broom. Holding his wrist tightly as Alex hangs in the air with one hand gripping her broom; Alex barely keeps them balanced in the air.
Zooming up, Draco grabs Alex's wrist just as she loses her grip on the broom. Arriving next to them, Harry grabs Neville's hand and Draco and Harry work together to get them all to the ground safely.
Touching the ground, Alex feels dizzy. Sitting down on the grass, Draco sits down next to her and holds her to him.
"Remind me to never fly when you just get out of the hospital wing." Alex murmurs as Hermione rushes over.
Over the next few weeks, Alex has been getting suspicious of Professor Quirrell. He would always talk to himself out loud and constantly keeps his eyes on Harry.
Following Quirrell down the hallway a good distance away but enough to hear him talk and argue with himself.
"Someone is following us." Alex hears a different voice speak. Ducking behind a statue, Alex listens closely.
"I don't see anyone." Quirrell's voice is heard.
"Behind the statue." Hearing Quirrell's footsteps, Alex leans against the wall to only fall back. Landing on the ground, Alex immediately backs up to be completely out of sight.
Feeling hands on her and over covers her mouth, Alex starts to squirm. Biting the hand, the hand pulls back cursing. Turning around, the light from the wand, Alex notices Ron's twin brothers.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" One of them asks, glaring at her.
"Escaping Quirrell?" Alex offers before turning back to the wall to find Quirrell gone, "Freaking hell."
"What?"
"Something is not right with that guy." Alex states.
"He's just a stuttering old idiot."
"I know, but he was talking to someone, and they replied. No one was with him." Alex explains.
"Hmm, maybe he's possessed." One of the twins jokes.
"This doesn't add up." Alex stares at the wall thinking hard.
"Don't hurt yourself, Russo." The other twin comments.
"I'm going to go search for him," Alex starts.
"And get caught?"
"Who cares?" Alex shrugs her shoulders, getting to her feet.
"I'm starting to like you, Russo. I'm Fred, by the way. This is George." Fred smiles.
Getting out of their hiding place, Fred and George head out with Alex. Pulling out a map, George uses it and directs them to Quirrell.
Arriving to the third floor, Fred and George wish Alex good luck before leaving. Sneaking into the third floor corridor, Alex sees a door partway open. Tiptoeing her way over, Alex kneels down and peeks through the crack.
Seeing a three-headed giant dog and Quirrell playing the harp, Alex watching the dog start to fall asleep.
"Someone is outside the door." Alex hears the strange voice.
"My Lord, I swear no one is here but us." Quirrell answers stuttering.
"Take a look for yourself." Getting up, Alex watches Quirrell stand, taking his harp with him. Backing up, Alex goes to run but the door opens quickly before she gets the chance.
"Russo." Quirrell gasps.
"Russo? A Russo kid?" The strange voice questions, "Theresa and Jerry Russo's kid?"
"Russo, answer to him." Quirrell orders.
"Yes." Alex answers in fear.
"Let me talk to her." The voice speaks strictly.
"Are you strong enough, My Lord?"
"I am for this." Watching Quirrell nod before turning around. Stunned as Quirrell removes his turban, there is a face at the back of Quirrell's head.
"Hello, Alex Russo." The face grins, "Your parents are my most trusted and loyal Death Eaters."
"You're the Dark Lord." Alex gasps, "I heard all the great things you have done."
"I trust you have. It was you who have been following us."
"I'm sorry, but yes. I'm the one."
"Hmm, maybe you can help us."
"To do what, exactly?"
"There is something down the trapdoor that, that creature is guarding. There will be tasks blocking your way, but you have to pass them to get to that object I'm after."
"What is it, Sir?"
"It's the Philosopher's stone."
"A rock? What is the big deal about a rock?"
"It can bring me back to life." Stunned, Alex can't help but feel terrified. Terrified for her best friend and cousin. She hasn't decided if she is following in her parents footsteps or not.
"So," Alex starts breaking out of the shock, "You want me to get it?"
"Yes. This idiot is too scared."
Nodding, Alex mentally curses herself for spying, "Okay. I'll do it. Just give me time and I'll figure out how to get down there and get it."
"Good." Voldemort smiles. His smile freaks her out but Alex smiles back.