Another chapter for my lovelies

Short, I know, but I wanted to keep the next chapter separate.

Enjoy!


Chapter 8: Fine!

"This is so exciting!" squealed Alexis, earning her several looks from her teammates.

It was the first game of the season, Gryffindor verses Slytherin, and everyone, including Wood, could not see how Alexis could be so hyper. She wasn't really, of course. She hadn't had a good nights sleep since the night Mrs. Norris was attacked and that was nearly a week ago. No, Alexis was running on pure adrenal and would probably crash after the game. At least she hoped it would be after the game.

"Slytherin has better brooms than us," Wood began, ignoring the raised eyebrow of Alexis. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -"

"Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August."

"-and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team. Sorry, Hex."

Alexis shrugged her shoulders. She and Draco had long since made up over the Mudblood incident but she said, "If it inspires them, go ahead."

Glad he had gotten approval, Wood turned to Harry.

"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Harry" said Fred, winking at him.

"Um, if you die Harry James Potter," said Alexis, "I will kill you. Understand?"

Harry nodded his head rapidly. "Yes, Hex."

The team made their way onto the field together. Their was a great clamor of noise, mainly cheering from The Gryffindor house, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also cheering, but the hisses and boos of the Slytherin house could be heard too. Alexis caught Draco's eye when Madam Hooch was making Wood and Flint shake hands and she smiled at him. Draco sent her a smile in return.

'Good luck, Alexis,' he thought. Alexis mouthed the same, ignoring the looks she got from both teams.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..."

Perhaps it was first game jitters or perhaps it was a perfect kickoff but whatever the case was Alexis had the Quaffle in her hand before half the players had even kicked off the ground and had scored before Flint even had a chance to curse.

The game announcer and the Weasley twins best friend, Lee Jordan, voice boomed throughout the arena, "And Gryffindor second year Alexis McPherson makes the first point of the game! Amazing! And it's her first game too! Take that, Flint you-"

"Jordan!" reprimanded Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry, Professor."

The game continued on and soon Alexis had a new reason to hate Marcus Flint. The boy was quite literally trying to kill her. Fortunately for Alexis, Flint wasn't light enough to keep up with her and she was able to watch the one Bludger out the corner of her eye. Wait a minute. One Bludger?

Alexis nearly dropped the Quaffle when she caught sight of Harry flying as fast as he possible could, a rogue Bludger right on his tail.

"And McPherson scores AGAIN!" announced Lee. "That's six out of the ten points made this game, eight belonging to Gryffindor. I hope the Slytherins aren't crying too-"

"Jordan!"

"Oh, Professor, alright. Hex skill is clearly better then that of the Slytherin Chasers-"

"Mr. Jordan!"

"But with a lot of practice-"

"One more insult and you're done," hissed McGonagall.

"But... Oh, fine. Go Hex!"

By the time a timeout was called, the field was drenched and it was raining heavily. Alexis looked at Harry with a puzzled expression.

"Why won't that Bludger leave you alone, Prongs?" she whispered while Wood and the twins argued about forfeiting the game.

"We think it's bewitched," said Harry. He then turned his attention to the boys. "We're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell the twins to leave me alone!"

"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "`Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell him-"

Madam Hooch had joined them.

"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.

Wood looked at the determined look on Harry's face. And then at the threatening look on Alexis's face. He had a tough choice to make...

"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Harry- leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."

The game resumed and Alexis continued doing her part as a Chaser. She had just scored for the eighth time when she saw the rogue Bludger crash into Harry's arm.

"Harry!" Alexis screamed, carelessly tossing the Quaffle at Fred.

She nose dived towards Harry, who had caught the Snitch but was now rolling in the mud, trying to dodge the still very active Bludger. She dismounted five feet in the air and landed a foot from Harry.

Alexis shot her hand up at the Bludger.

"Protego Duo!"

A shield of blue light appeared above the two friends. When the rogue Bludger had the misfortune of hitting it, it shattered like glass.

"Amazing," said Harry, astonished. He, however, gulped when he saw how angry Alexis looked.

"What did I tell you- gah!" Alexis pulled her friend into a tight hug. "I swear to fucking Merlin, Harry."

Harry's eyes widened, "Language."

Alexis rolled her eyes, "Shut up."

"We won!" cried Wood. He immediately joined their hug only to remember hoe unprofessional that looked and pulled away. "Um right, good job you two. Best performance I've seen yet."

"Bloody hell, Harry," said Fred.

"You're arm!" A finished George.

Just then the last person Alexis or Harry wanted to see coming to help them appeared. Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Don't worry," Lockhart said with a gleaming smile, "I know just the spell to fix this."

"Um, Professor," said Alexis. "He should really go to the hospital wi-"

But Lockhart wasn't listening, twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Harry's arm. Alexis's eyes widened in horror.

"What did you- I going to- oh my god!"

"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing - ah, the Weasleys, would you escort him? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."

Alexis couldn't believe what she was looking at. Harry's entire right arm didn't have any bones in it at all! What was Lockhart thinking!

She helped Fred and George lead her shocked friend back to the school fighting the urge to attack her Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"You should have come straight to me!" Madam Pomfrey raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back-"

"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night..."

Alexis let out a rather loud yawn while Ron helped Harry change.

"You should go to bed, Padfoot," said Harry.

"Yeah," added Ron, "you've been up since Merlin knows when."

"What? And miss all the fun? You got to be joking, Tails," said Alexis. She, however yawned once more. "Fine, but only because Moony won't admit she was wrong about Goldilocks."

"That's not his name!" hissed Hermione while Harry chuckled and Ron looked confused. "Besides, he just made a mistake."

Alexis rolled her eyes before heading off towards the Gryffindor Tower. She was so tired, she didn't even realized she had reached it already or that she had pulled out her journal until after she dipped her quill in ink.

Are you there Tom?

'Always. Remember, I'm a memory imprint. I can't very well leave.

Alexis rolled her eyes.

I played in my first Quidditch Match today, Gryffindor verse Slytherin. We won.

'And by we, you mean?'

Gryffindor.

Alexis continued explaining to him the details of the match until finally she was too tired to go on.

'Sleep, Alexis. I'll still be here when you wake up.'

Alexis happily complied.

"You might as well start leaving a spare robe in here," said Moaning Myrtle, waking Alexis from her stupor. She let out a groan.

'Sleepwalking again?' Alexis thought. She couldn't remember anything except some weird hissing nose. It was probably just one of the pipes when she was sleeping.

Alexis decided not to worry about it.

"So how's your day been, Myrtle?"

Alexis had never seen that ghost so excited to talk to someone, and wow, could Myrtle talk. By the time Alexis was able to leave without being rude, Moaning Myrtle had chewed her ear off for a good two hours.

Briskly, Alexis made her way to the hospital wing to see if Harry was any better. She strolled right up to the tall curtains Harry had changed behind.

"Harry, I- Colin!"

Alexis let out a gasp. Lying motionless and stiff as a rock was Colin Creevey, undoubtably petrified. Just for good measure, Alexis felt for his pulse. She sighed when she heard it, however, Madam Pomfrey heard her.

"What are you doing!" yelled the hospital wing matron.

Alexis stumbled for an answer, "I thought- Harry- I'm sorry!"

Alexis ran as fast as she could to the Gryffindor Tower. The moment she stumbled into the Common Room, she was bombarded by Hermione and Ron.

"Where have you been!" cried the two friends.

"We've been worried sick!" said Hermione.

"Bloody hell, Hex, we spent half the morning searching for you," added Ron. "Even Fred and George looked."

"I..." Alexis started. "I was sleep walking again. When I woke up I went to the hospital wing. Guys, Colin-"

"We know," said Ron. "McGonagall told us this morning."

"Harry was there when they brought him in," said Hermione. "He's up in his dorm, if you want to talk to him. I'm sure he'd be happy to know you're okay."

Alexis only nodded her head before scrambling up the stairs. She slipped into Harry's room unnoticed.

"You're not mopping, Prongs, are you?" asked Alexis with a grin.

Unfortunately for Alexis, when Harry turned around she found out that was exactly what he was doing. Alexis quickly rushed to his side.

"What's wrong, Harry?" said Alexis. "It's not Colin, is it?"

"No," said Harry, shaking his head. "I told Moony and Tails already, that house elf, Dobby, he came to the hospital wing last night. He was the reason we couldn't get to the platform and he bewitched the Bludger. He said it wasn't safe for me at Hogwarts, now that the Chamber has been open again."

"Again?" said Alexis, surprised. "Wait a minute. Did you say Dobby?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Yes. Why?"

"That's Draco's house elf!" exclaimed Alexis but she quickly regretted it.

"See!" Ron cried, entering the room. "That proves Draco is the Heir! Bet his dad opened the Chamber when he was at school too."

"It fits," added Hermione. "I mean why else would Dobby help you if he didn't think his masters were responsible?"

"Guys!" Alexis shouted. "This is one of my best friends we're talking about. He's not the Heir!"

"How would you know though?" said Ron. "It's not like he'd brag about it to you. You're a Gryffindor!"

"Draco doesn't brag," snapped Alexis. "He just likes people knowing he's proud of certain things. Besides, I asked him already and he's as clueless as we are."

"He might be trying not to hurt your feelings," suggested Hermione.

"Look, guys," said Alexis, trying very hard to calm down. "I have a good...judgment when it comes to people," he eyes flashed towards Harry who knew exactly what she was talking about, "and I've been being extra judgmental these last few weeks. Draco is not the Heir. Trust me."

"Oh, come on, Padfoot," said Ron. "You can't be sure. We need-"

"Fine!" shouted Alexis. "Don't trust me! Don't take my word for it! Just figure it out yourself and when you're done proving me right, I'll accept your apologizes."

Baffled, the trio watched as Alexis stormed out of the room.


Yes, the f-bomb was completely necessary

Sam- yes, Ginny Weasley DOES NOT exist. I originally planned to make her a squib but I found that this worked better

Nathaliie- this was for you, your constant reviews inspire me! Thank you!

DCF