Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable.

A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted. Thank-you. Constructive criticism is welcome.

2nd A/N: This is an AU story. Given that the twins are actually triplets.

Chapter Three – Third Year

"Ron, stop pushing!" Fred snapped as he got out of the car at the train station. Alex rolled her eyes at George, who nodded in return. Fred and Ron had gotten in a fight this morning and it hadn't stopped since. They all loaded their trunks onto trolleys and began their journey towards the platform. The boys all travelled in twos behind Percy, with Alex by herself behind them. Their mother began prattling on and on about Muggle train stations.

"It's the same every year," she said, "packed with Muggles of course! Come on Platform Nine and three quarters this way." Alex paused behind her brothers and out of the corner of her eyes saw a boy with jet black hair, about Ron's age, watch them from about two paces behind Alex. He seemed to be intrigued by how they were getting on the platform. Where were his parents? She kept a close eye on this boy, and hardly noticed when Ron was ready to go through.

"You follow him Mum. I'm right behind you." Alex said, Molly nodded and followed her son through to the platform.

"You want to know a secret?" She said turning to look at the boy. He nodded, "I felt the same way my first year. Come on. I'll take you through." She held out her hand to him, he took it and Alex led him through the barrier to the platform. He thanked her as she hurried off to find her brothers.

"Guys, everywhere else is full." Alex said as they paused outside a compartment with the boy from the station in it.

"Do you mind if we join you?" She asked, he shook his head and let them sit down opposite him, "I didn't introduce myself did I? Alex Weasley. These are my brothers, Fred and George and Ron." The boy smiled at each before introducing himself.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." Alex vaguely saw Ron, Fred and George's jaws drop.

"Cool. Boys…" they turned their gazes to her, "shut your mouths, you'll catch flies." Fred and George's mouths closed.

"Uh, we're gonna go and see Lee. He's got a tarantula down a few carriages." George said grabbing Fred's arm and pulling him forcefully out of the compartment.

"Sorry about that Harry. Anything you'd like to know about Hogwarts?" Alex asked kindly. Harry shrugged.

"Everything." He said. Alex smiled.

"Well it's not a very long train ride. I'll fit as much as I can in though. First year is kind of scary at first but the teachers try to nurture you through it. Most of them anyway. Professor Snape the potions master – he's not one you want to cross. Always pay attention in his class or you'll be singled out. Most of this you can pick up along the way. Look, Harry, you'll be great. All first years are nervous."

"I don't know any magic." Alex almost scoffed at him.

"Not one first year will know magic, not one. We're all new to magic in first year. Even us Weasley's are." She told him, Ron nodded.

Alex taught them some basic spells. But it was when Hermione Granger turned up that Alex ate her words.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" When Ron tried a spell that Fred had given him, that was suoposed to change Scabbers yellow "Well it's not very good is it?" Alex fought the urge to roll her eyes, "of course I've only tried a few simple ones myself. But they've all worked for me." She entered the compartment and sat down opposite Harry. She held out her wand pointed at his nose.

"For example: Oculos Reparo." Alex didn't flinch with the spell that was cast. But found that she'd been wrong. Some first years did know magic.

The whole year was interesting for Alex. Katie tried out for the Quidditch team and Alex strongly thought this had something to do with the terribly handsome twins that were on the team. Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head as she watched Fred and George bask in the attention they got from Katie, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. She went up to her room and listened from behind her curtains to the giggling of Angelina and Alicia. Alex resisted the urge to say anything. But it was the words that spilled from Alicia's mouth that let her know the girls didn't know she was there.

"The things I could do to that George Weasley, Ange. Aren't they just delicious?" Alicia said, Alex sat up.

"Speak for yourself Leesh. Fred's mine." Angelina giggled, Alex had heard enough she threw her curtains apart making both girls jump.

"My brothers are not possessions! They are people! They do not belong to anyone. Especially not giggling 13-year-olds!" Alex snapped. Angelina stood about two inches taller than Alex and Alicia was at least three inches taller. But they didn't scare Alex.

"You don't scare us Alexandra," Angelina drawled, "your brothers happen to love the attention we give them. Haven't you noticed that they don't look at you anymore? You don't matter to them. Baggage, that's all you are to them now. You don't play Quidditch, you're not smarter than Hermione Granger. Why would they ask you for help when Hermione's the smartest witch in Gryffindor? Did you notice that this evening? Fred asked Hermione for help and didn't even look at you." Angelina said, Alex had heard enough.

"It was George who asked her help and I DON'T CARE! My brothers are quite capable of doing their own homework and I'm really surprised that you can't tell them apart all the attention you give them!" Having no more patience for the two girls Alex stormed out of the Dorm down the stairs and out of the portrait hole. Ignoring Fred and George's calls of her name.

"Alex!" She stopped and turned fiercely to face Harry. She softened.

"Sorry Harry. I'm just a little confused right now." Alex said. She'd been on her way to the Astronomy tower for some quiet time.

"Fred and George are looking for you." He said quietly putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure they are. Why don't you go on back to the Common Room, I'm sure they'll find me." She said and gently shoved him back in the direction of the Common Room. Harry nodded.

"If you're sure," He said.

She nodded, "I'm sure. Goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Alex." He said and walked away.

"Alex? Alex, are you up here?" Fred's voice floated up the stairs to her and Alex felt herself wipe the tears off her cheeks and waited until both boys came through the door. Her face shone with the moonlight and the twins could clearly see that she'd been crying.

"Lexi…what's wrong?"

"Do you boys not see me anymore? Not need me? Am I just baggage to you?" Angelina's words had been ringing in her ears all night.

"Lexi…we love you so much. We will always see you. Always need you. You're never just baggage to us. Who told you that?"

"Angelina. Alicia did nothing to quell them." Alex said her tears falling now as she buried her face in George's robes. Fred ran his hand over her long hair and kissed her head softly.

"Lexi, we will never not need you in our lives in any way. You are always needed. Always." He whispered, "we enjoy the attention sure and the reason George asked Hermione for help instead of you was because he didn't want to disturb you and Hermione was just playing exploding snap with Ron and Harry." Fred told her, he pulled her into his chest and she clung to his robes as if she was just a small child needing comfort.

Usually words like what she'd been told never got to her this bad. But then in a house with 7 siblings and an overly observant mother you never got peace and quiet. That is why she was so scared. She'd discovered that at Hogwarts she could be alone. She didn't like it. She never wanted to be alone or liked being alone. It was far too frightening for her to be alone. She clung to her brother's robes until she fell asleep. They carried her as gently as they could back to the Common Room and put her on the couch, however she didn't loosen her hold on Fred's robes and taking them off wasn't an option, so George helped Fred slide under Alex and Fred had no option but to sleep on the couch with Alex that night.