Chapter 3

Last Time:

"Alex, would you like to be in the same house as Justin or be in Gryffindor?" Alex looks up at Dumbledore with red puffy eyes. She was silently crying.

"Justin" Dumbledore nods and gently rubs her back.

"You will be in Ravenclaw too" Justin smiles at Dumbledore.

"Thank you Professor" Dumbledore smiles back.

"Not a problem" Dumbledore then turns to Harry and Ron, who watched the full thing take place, "now time to sort out these too" Justin and Alex stands up and slips out of the room, hand in hand. They are going to give them privacy but not disappear out of view.

Now:

Alex and Justin have been at Hogwarts for a full week. They have been struggling being away from each other, but know it has to be done. Alex has always been missing 3 out of 5 of her classes. That is because they are too far away from Justin's.

When she has Herbology, Justin has Flying, that's not the one she misses.

When she has Potions, Justin has Herbology, that's a struggle, but she doesn't miss it.

When she has Transfiguration, Justin has Potions, there's one she misses.

When she has Charms, Justin has a Defence Against the Dark Arts, there's the other one she misses.

When she has Defence Against the Dark Arts, Justin has Transfiguration, there's the next one.

Alex is currently sitting outside of Justin's last class, struggling not to run into his arms and cry. She hears footsteps walks down the hallway, and she ignores them.

"What are you doing here Ms. Russo?" Alex looks up to see Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick and Professor Lockhart.

"Ahh..." Alex begins to tremble and tries to make herself smaller. The classroom door opens and Alex sees McGonagall call out to Justin. Justin walks into the hallway and sees Alex as McGonagall closes the door. Justin kneels down next to Alex and hugs her.

"Ally, what's wrong?" Justin whispers.

"Big..." Alex whimpers trying to hide in Justin's arms. Justin looks up at the adults and sees exactly what she means. They look like they are giants and she's an ant.

"Do you mind backing up?" Justin asks them nicely. Dumbledore looks into the two siblings minds, and understands. Dumbledore sits down on the ground, with McGonagall and Flitwick following. Lockhart rolls his eyes and leads against the wall.

"Please sit down Gilderoy" Dumbledore tells him.

"I will not sit down on that disgusting floor Albus. I don't care about this one stupid girl. She has missed all my classes all week" Lockhart snaps. Dumbledore and McGonagall narrow their eyes at him as Flitwick rolls his eyes.

"Albus, what about I just give Mr. Russo his sister's homework and she does it in the library as Mr. Russo go to his classes?" Dumbledore thinks about it and looks at Alex.

"What do you say Alex? The classes that you have been missing, you can just go to the library and Justin can pick you up along the way? The library is right in the middle of the school" Justin looks at Alex, and sees her looking at Dumbledore as she thinks about it.

"I guess that can work..." Alex looks down, "I'm sorry for skipping those classes Professor. I just don't feel safe here" tears fill Alex's eyes as Justin rub her back.

"It's ok Alex. I know it will take you and your brother a while to get used to being here. I'm just happy that you have been going to 2 out of 5 classes"

"Really?" Alex looks up and sees Dumbledore smiling.

"Really. But once you are used to being here, I would like you to pick one other class to go to. By January I would like you to be going to all your classes. Is that a deal?" Alex nods.

"I promise sir" to everyone's, mostly Justin's shock, Alex moves over to Dumbledore and hugs him. Dumbledore hugs the young girl back. Alex lets go of the breath, she did not know she was holding in. McGonagall and Flitwick smiles.

Once the hug breaks, Alex gets to her feet and all the adults stands up with Justin.

Justin hugs Alex, once she hugged him first.

"Albus, are you really allowing that girl to walk all over you, and let her miss her classes?" Lockhart argues. Dumbledore rolls his eyes.

"Alex, Justin, go into the classroom please" Dumbledore tells the students. They both nod, and McGonagall walks into the classroom behind Justin and Alex. Flitwick heads back to his class leaving Dumbledore to get mad at Lockhart.

~A&H~

The weekend arrives, and Justin is helping Alex to catch up on her missed work. Ever since the deal between Alex and Dumbledore made, Alex has been trying to make herself be away from Justin instead of sticking to his side like glue. She still feels unsafe at the school, but a little bit more comfortable than before.

Alex is now able to last 2 classes without being close to Justin, but after that, all she wants to be is with Justin.

"And now you are caught up in Transfiguration" Justin smiles as Alex closes her book and rubs her forehead.

"Thank god that is over. It feels like my brain is going to explode" Alex mutters resting her head on the back of the couch. Justin chuckles happy Alex finished Transfiguration and Charms. They agreed that Defence Against the Dark Arts will be tomorrow's job.

"So how are you doing?" Justin asks his sister gently. Alex looks at Justin and sighs.

"I think I might go to Charms on Monday and see how I will do" Alex answers honestly. Justin smiles as Alex smiles back at him.

"That's good..."

Kill... kill... kill...

"What was that?" Alex asks sitting up hearing dripping and movement above her.

"What was what?" Justin asks. It is dinner time, and both the Russo siblings are not hungry, so they got a head start on the homework.

Kill... kill... kill...

"There it is again!" Alex jumps to her feet. Justin stares at him sister, but knows she is like their father. Their father was able to understand snakes, and Alex has always been able to hear them since she was 5 years old. Alex is Parseltongue.

"What is it going to do?" Justin asks standing up. Alex grabs his hand and they run out of the Ravenclaw common room.

Kill... kill... kill...

"It's going to kill" Alex tells him as they run down the stairs to the first floor corridor.

As they run down the corridor, they reach the corner and are shocked to see Harry, Ron and Hermione, and a cat hanging from a torch. Alex looks on the ground to see water.

The three 12 year olds look at Justin and Alex. Alex sees a black book and picks it up, hiding it in her pocket, since the others were more focus on each other than her.

Just then Alex hears the slithering leave.

"Let's go Justin" Alex whispers and starts to pull Justin away, "I think I know what is going on, but I need your help" as Alex and Justin leaves, Dumbledore and students and teachers arrive. Filch goes all panicky and Dumbledore tells him that Ms. Norris, the cat, will be perfectly fine since she is just petrified.

And that is the chapter. What do you think? Please review.