Chapter 6 – Making a friend

Alex sat on the window ledge in the owl tower staring outside. One of the owls sat next to him. Alex frowned at the owl and it hooted before flapping away to one of the many nests perched on parallel shelves. He turned back to the rising sun and noticed some students walking back into the school. Hufflepuff students, as far as he could tell, going for a morning stroll. Alex had actually managed to sleep here all night without anyone finding him. And the owls didn't mind the curled up body on the floor. Alex heard footsteps behind him so he turned to face the noise. Albus walked in looking as his feet; hadn't noticed Alex yet. He was only a few feet away when he looked up and realized Alex was sitting there, staring at him. He stood there for a moment and the two boys stared at each other. Alex couldn't make out what Albus was looking at; Alex, his scales or the monster Albus had seen yesterday? And breathing fire was only a minor trick…

"You know that boy you burned?" Alex nodded, "They say he only did it so his father could get you in the Daily Prophet"

"Is that so?" Alex feigned disinterest and looked back out the window. Albus walked over to an owl and tied a scroll to its ankle. Although it didn't need his help, Albus picked the owl up and walked it over to the window. With his arm extended the owl flew off into the horizon. He didn't speak until the owl was out of sight.

"You really scared Rose, you know?" Alex knew.

"So what?" Alex shifted his head down just enough so his hair blocked Albus' face from view. His eyes stared to well up with tears.

"Maybe you should apologize. I know she'd appreciate it"

Alex got up to walk away and almost made it to the door before Albus called out to him.

"You don't have to you know. Just a suggestion…but I wanted to say…I'm sorry. I feel like I should've helped you but I just didn't know what to do."

Alex froze from shock. Felt cold but oddly his chest swelled. And he started to sob. Alex cursed himself under his breath.

"Hey…are you…alright?"

"Dammit…" Alex sniffled and wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his robe. Alex felt his face contort to something even worse than how it normally looked. He kept his sleeve against his face and tried to calm down so he didn't hear Albus walk up behind him. Albus patted him on the back.

"You really impressed Liam by the way. He keeps saying how that Slytherin had it coming for trying to piss you off"

Alex was surprised when he began to laugh. And once he started laughing he couldn't stop. His body shook between sobs and cackles. Even Albus started to chuckle from seeing Alex laugh so hard. When he finally calmed down Alex removed his sleeve from his face.

"You wanna get something to eat Dragon Boy?" Alex frowned, "Too soon?"

"Little bit" Albus laughed and shrugged.

"I feel like you deserve a cool nickname. We'll come up with something"

"Is it still breakfast? I'm starving"

They talked all the way to the Great Hall. Few students were still there and they all looked at the Dragon Boy. Alex didn't really care though. He was enjoying time with his new friend.

It had only been yesterday since Alex attacked that Flint boy from Slytherin but it was as if everything had gone back to like it was before. Well not quite like before. Instead of being an odd outcast, Alex had become famous amongst Hogwarts students. Rose even heard someone say his actions were heroic. How? How is hurting someone heroic? Not just hurting them but setting them on fire? That they breathe? This whole thing just seemed a little backwards to Rose. She hadn't talked to Alex all day despite his greetings. Albus even tried to get them talking but Rose just had to walk away. He scared her. He isn't a hero.

Rose was sitting in the library with a book in front of her but not reading it since her mind was so caught up in the aftermath from yesterday. Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them, the only book she'd been able to find in this library regarding dragons; more specifically the Chinese fireball. But of course there was nothing in here about human-dragon half-breeds. Alex is one of a kind. Rose thought that maybe her mother would want to write a book on him…

"Rose?" She peeked her head up at the sound of her name, from feign reading and looked around; "Behind you" Rose was startled to hear that; even though Alex spoke in a meek tone.

"Don't sneak up on me Alex!" Rose said with a huff. He apologised quietly, his head hung low. He reminded Rose of a puppy she once saw; which is odd given his bestial features.

"I know you might not want to talk to me but I came to apologise…" Alex said, still staring at his feet, "I realised I never did apologise for scaring you yesterday…So I'm sorry…"

Now all Rose could see was that puppy, and he wasn't even looking up at her. Such a sweet innocent thing…that could breathe fire.

"I guess - since you said it so nicely – that I can accept your apology"

Rose could see a smile creep onto the part of his face she could see.

"Maybe…" Then he paused, looked around the empty library, "Umm…"

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe I could explain…what I am…so you're not as scared maybe…My…Someone once told me that people are afraid of what they don't understand…" Alex spoke, no longer staring at his feet but still not looking directly at Rose.

Rose found it to be an intriguing offer, since she couldn't find a book that could tell her anything.

"I thought Uncle Charlie didn't want you to tell anyone?" Rose wondered why she would ask that if she wanted to know.

"I don't think he'll mind if I share a little bit of information" Alex walked over to the chair across from Rose and sat down. Rose stared at him waiting for him to start his story, but he remained silent.

"Well…"

"Hmm?" He looked up at her, "Oh sorry I thought you were going to ask questions"

"Alright let's do it that way. How'd you get those scales?" Rose only realised she should probably ease in with other questions when she saw the horrified look on Alex's face. She thought she saw some of his scales begin to pale.

"So-Someone gave them to me" Alex whole body cringed as he spoke. Rose knew she probably should have stopped there but her thirst for knowledge knocked another question out of her mouth.

"How?" Rose spoke in a hush tone; starting to feel the fear.

"Some-some sort of magic. With sharp cold wands. I'm not entirely sure. Charlie keeps telling me it must have been some form of dark magic" Alex voice was shaky; it made Rose feel even more scared then him mentioning dark magic.

"I've never heard of that kind of dark magic, not even in the stories of…You Know Who"

"You mean Voldemort?" Rose didn't know why hearing that name made her startle. Most likely because she was already scared and was now thinking of the horror stories she had read about that old dark wizard.

"Yes. I just got into the habit of calling him that after reading so much about him" Someone wrote a book about him, and the Battle of Hogwarts, someone Rose knew her mother didn't like, what was her name…?

"Your parents knew him right? I mean they helped Mr. Potter kill him right?" Rose nodded but her parents never really told her much about their experience with the dark wizard which is why she turned to the books. They got mad at Rose a few times for persistently asking them questions about it.

"Hey guys!" Albus said a little too loudly and his voice echoed. Somewhere they heard someone shush. Albus sat down and Rose knew her question time was over. Probably for the best.

"I need help with the homework for History of Magic. I can't find the right page in the book"

Rose pointed out the page on Albus Dumbledore, who was the subject of their first essay. Despite having his name, Albus Severus Potter knew nothing of his name sake other than he was a great wizard and headmaster. They continued on homework until dinner and sat together until Alex had to go to detention.

Rose still had that image in the back of her head, of Alex breathing fire, but it was no longer associated with fear. Instead she found it fascinating. Next time she'll have to ask how he can do that.

A/N: Edited and cleaned 26/10/2011. Details on my profile.