This is quite a short chapter compared to the rest of the chapters, As requested with majority reviews that they will be returning to Hogwarts instead of what was going to be my very own orginal chapter, but then again I had no idea what bad things could happen, I just kept thinking of the funny things that happened to me when I went to France.
Chapter 11 – Abyssus-Daedalus
Late in the afternoon a few days after New Year, Harry, Ron and Ginny lined up beside the kitchen fire to return to Hogwarts. Harry stepped in to the emerald green fire and shouted.
"Hogwarts!" He had one last view of the Weasleys kitchen finally stopping squarely in the fireplace in Professor McGonagalls office. She barley glanced up from her work as they clambered out over the grate, all three trooped out of McGonagall's office and off towards Gyrffindor Tower.
"Baubles," Ron said confidently, when they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"No," She sniffed.
"What do you mean 'no'!" Ron asked irritated.
"There is a new password," she replied irriatbly.
"But we've been away, how're we supposed to-?" Ron argued, they heard the voices of two girls behind them.
"Harry! Ginny!" Hermione squealed hurrying towards them, with a very pink-faced Alex following just behind her, both were wearing their thick black cloaks, hats and gloves. "We got back a couple of hours ago, we've just been down to visit Hagrid," She said breathlessly. Harry smiled at Hermione happy to see her, he then glanced at Alex, and they caught each other eye for a few short seconds before Alex broke the connection, swiftly switching her gaze towards Ron and Ginny.
"How was your Christmas?" Alex asked Ron and Ginny inclining her gaze at the two red heads.
"Alright, yours?" Alex and Hermione exchanged looks, quite a lot had happened over the Christmas break, they had in fact retrieved the mysterious box that Hermione had found out about early during the holidays. Hermione had put a lot of research into the box when finally she had pin pointed it. Alex was glad that she had told Hermione about it, it was one less weight she carried on her shoulders and she was one step closer to keeping her family out of harms way. They had taken the box to the room of requirement placing it with all the other abandoned object, nobody would even notice it.
"It was great." The girls replied in unison both exchanging quick glances with nervous smiles. But Ron and Harry didn't seem to notice. Ron's eyes widened at the sight of Lavender Brown, he let out a groan, he would have ran off but it was too late she had already spotted him.
"Won-Won!" She shrieked excitedly, Ron let out and groan of frustration as Lavender bolted towards him, Alex let out a small snigger but quickly stopped when she saw the hurt that had just appeared on Hermione's face when Lavender enveloped Ron in a tight hug.
"Excuse me." Hermione said shakily, excusing herself from the group and running down the staircase, Alex rolled her eyes following after Hermione.
"Hermione." Alex spoke softly as she entered the girls bathroom, she could hear loud sobs from inside of the cubicles and she was pretty sure it wasn't Moaning Myrtle. "Hermione, are you ok?" Alex went on pushing one of the cubicle doors open where the sobs were loudest, she was confronted with Hermione's tear stained face, her swollen, puffy red eyes looking at her sadly.
"Do I look ok?" Hermione said weakly, Hermione did have a point, Alex didn't even have to answer, and of course she wasn't ok.
"No you don't." Came Moaning Myrtle's voice, Alex looked over her shoulder to find Myrtle floating just behind her. "She looks awful, look at her puffy red eyes." Myrtle giggled, she clearly enjoyed the fact of Hermione's misery, at this Hermione let out another loud sob burying her face in her hands away from view. Alex turned glaring at Myrtle who was still giggling uncontrollably.
"No wonder nobody liked you, even fifty years later no-one likes you." Alex said coldly, Moaning Myrtle instantly stopped laughing at Alex's words. Alex smiled. "Yes that's right nobody liked you because you're ugly and horrible and your glasses look stupid by the way." Alex went on, her harsh words obviously hurt Myrtle because she let out a wail before swooshing up and then down into the toilet she always went in.
"Alex, that wasn't a very nice thing to say." Came Hermione's croaky voice. Alex spun around facing Hermione frowning.
"But she was insulting you." Alex said defensively, Hermione gave her friend a small smile of gratitude.
"It's ok, she's just a ghost." Hermione said placing her hand on Alex's shoulder. "She's just a little sensitive that's all." Hermione went on. Alex nodded, she already knew that. Hermione's mood didn't lighten even after Alex had defended her. "It's not fair!" Hermione proclaimed loudly, her voice echoed around the bathroom. "She's no good for him, she hasn't been what we've been through together!" Hermione went on, Alex didn't know what to say. "The sight of them together makes me want to vomit!" Hermione blasted further. Alex listened to Hermione while she vented all her feelings out to her, it seemed to go on for hours but after the two friends made their way back up towards Gryffindor common room Hermione in a slightly better mood now that she had got what she wanted to say out of her system, someone had obviously given them the new password because Ron as expected when entwined with Lavender, but Alex could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't too happy about it and Harry was sat alone in one of the armchairs by the fire reading his copy of Advanced Potion Making. Alex and Hermione took seats opposite Harry who barely looked up.
"Everything, ok?" Harry asked glancing up at Hermione for a moment, Hermione gave Harry a small smile and a nod. There wasn't a great deal of talk between the friends until Harry told them about what had happened over Christmas and what Mr. Weasley and Lupin had said about Snape.
"Harry, perhaps Snape is just doing it to find out what Malfoy is up to." Hermione suggested, Alex could tell that Harry's temper was building, yet another person was disagreeing with him.
"That's what Lupin and Mr. Weasley said." Harry muttered in annoyance, Hermione exchanged glances with Alex who shrugged. "Alex you must know something about it, you've been getting to know him." Harry piped up, Alex froze for a moment, that was something she had planned on keeping from Hermione.
"Oh so now you're talking to me now you want to know something?" Alex sniffed trying hard to avoid the question, but she couldn't help noticing the shock that was plastered over Hermione's face. "I've just been getting to know Malfoy, just to see what he's up to." Alex said. Hermione still looked shocked.
"Have you found out anything, what is he up to?" Harry demanded, Alex shrugged, she couldn't tell Harry that. "Alex, you do know what Malfoy is up to don't you?" Alex shook her head quickly.
"Alex, if you know something about Malfoy, you need to tell us." Hermione urged, Alex looked into Hermione's sincere eyes for a moment.
"I don't know anything, he hasn't told me anything." Alex said quickly. She wanted to get up and leave but she felt that doing so would make it too obvious, she had to stand her ground and lie her way out as she always did. But it was true she didn't know full well what Malfoy was up to, she only knew for sure that he was a Death Eater and there was some sort of task that he had to complete. "There is nothing I can tell you, because everything I can tell you, you already know about." Alex admitted forcefully.
"Well if that's all." Hermione started. "Then it's ok, you should try and find out more." Hermione went on, Alex nodded her head, which was her original plan. Silence fell between the three friends once more. "Oh Harry!" Hermione said loudly it had taken both Harry and Alex by surprise making them jump. "Dumbledore gave me this, to give to you." Hermione said handing Harry a letter, Harry immediately opened it reading it quickly.
"I have another lesson with Dumbledore tomorrow evening." Harry said after he had read the letter, this was his chance to tell Dumbledore about his suspicions about Malfoy and Snape.
The following morning everything went down as usual, Alex had found it hard to get up that morning, she had been so used to waking up late during the holidays she would once more have to kick the habit and get back into her early morning routine.
"I really hate early mornings." Alex groaned, Hermione giggled taking hold of her friend's shoulder.
"I'm sure you'll survive." Hermione laughed, Alex smiled at her looking at her sleepily. They made their way slowly down to the Gryffindor common room where there was a crowd of people surrounding the notice board.
"What's all the fuss about?" Alex asked trying to see over the sea of heads from the sixth years surrounding the board. Ron emerged from the crowd with an excited look on his face.
"Apparition lessons start soon." Ron said excitedly, Hermione's face lit up, it was the first time she'd ever seen her react this way around Ron in a while, but it seemed she soon became aware of it and her face turned stony again, especially at the sight of Lavender Brown. Alex couldn't understand all the excitement, maybe it was because she could flash out and in when ever she wanted, it didn't make much of a difference to her, apparition was something she didn't have to learn.
"This is going to be so exciting." Hermione gushed over breakfast with Harry sitting opposite them, Alex rolled her eyes. "Well it might not be for you, but for us it is Alex." Hermione went on, it didn't appear to effect her excitement.
"Well I'd rather just sit back and watch all of you mess up." Alex smirked in amusement. Hermione stared at her with a hurt expression on her face. "I mean I'd rather sit back an watch everyone a part from you, Hermione, mess up." Alex giggled; Hermione gave her a big grin turning back to her breakfast. After they had finished breakfast Hermione and Alex both discussed apparition on their way to potions, Hermione explained how it required a lot of focus and that if the wizard or witch wasn't focused they would become 'splinched'. "Well that sounds lovely." Alex said sarcastically with a disgusted look on her face. "Not to mention painful…"Alex went on, she didn't like the sound of apparition it sounded if it were to go disastrously wrong that being splinched could be extremely painful. "I think I'll stick to flashing in and out, my own way." Alex concluded, Hermione gave Alex a small smile as they entered the dungeons and took their seats in Professor Slughorn's classroom. Alex was disappointed to find that they wouldn't be brewing any potions that day, but they would be heading to the library and doing some research. Slughorn had put them into pairs to do their research, Alex was partnered with Ron and Harry was partnered with Hermione, Alex was disappointed because this meant that she would be doing all the hard work herself, she knew Ron had no interest in potions and that he wasn't very good at it anyway. At least with Hermione they both knew what they were doing and Hermione would do most of the harder work for her. Alex and Hermione looked through the book shelves together both Ron and Harry taking a back seat in the task.
"I don't see the point in this." Ron groaned out on boredom, Harry nodded his head, but it was the first time that all four of them had spent time together since before Christmas, so Harry didn't think it was all bad. Hermione still didn't talk to Ron sitting opposite him she didn't even look up when he spoke. "Hermione, did you really go to that party with Cormac?" Ron asked, but Hermione didn't answer she acted as if she hadn't heard him at all continuing to scan through the book she was holding.
"Harry, I don't think there is anything in this book that will help us." Hermione announced getting up from her seat. "Come with me and help me pick another one, I don't want you getting all the credit for my work." Hermione said stiffly, snatching at Harry's robes and pulling him out of his seat.
"Ouch, that hurt Hermione." Harry grumbled rubbing his shoulder and re-positioning his robes. Hermione glared at him as she started putting some of the books back.
"Harry, I want to tell you something." Hermione said in a low voice, her eyes scanning the library before fixing on Harry once more, Harry's interest grew when she said this. "Someone has been trying to slip you a love potion." Hermione whispered, Harry's face lit up, looking around.
"Is it Alex?" Harry asked excitedly, Hermione frowned and shook her head.
"I don't think she needs to put a love potion on you to make you like her, that boat has already sailed." Hermione affirmed, Harry nodded his head. "I didn't want to say it in front of Alex, I thought…maybe she would get upset or jealous." Hermione admitted. Harry's head was spinning, first Hermione had told him that someone was interested in him and now she confirmed that Alex liked him. "Wipe that grin off your face!" Hermione snapped hitting him hard with a book, Harry winced as the hard book squashed his hand.
"Just out of curiosity, who is the girl that has been trying to slip me a love potion?" Harry asked, Hermione sighed.
"Romilda Vane." Hermione told him, Harry looked around the library hoping to catch sight of her; he'd never seen or spoken to her before. "She's only interested in you because you're the chosen one!" Hermione hissed in annoyance, Hermione didn't want Harry to get some sort of big ego because of two girls liking him.
"But Hermione, I am the chosen one." Harry admitted, Hermione glared at him, she slammed the books she was meant to be putting away down onto the table, leaving Harry stood alone.
That evening Harry went off to Dumbledore's lesson, Ron and Lavender were cuddled up in the corner of the common room and Hermione was sat in the opposite corner of the room, furthest away from Ron and Lavender studying as she always did. Nothing seemed to be different, Alex would be going off to the room of requirement to meet Malfoy as she had done so many times, now she didn't have to lie to Hermione, she simply slipped out of the Gryffindor common room and to the room of requirement without notice.
"How was your Christmas?" Alex asked cheerily as she saw Draco enter the room, he looked just as scared and nervous as he always did.
"What does it matter to you?" Draco said through gritted teeth, Alex shrugged, she assumed from Draco's demeanour that it hadn't been a good Christmas for him at all, she sat and watched Draco repairing the vanishing cabinet trying to make conversation.
"Draco, what made you become a Death Eater?" Alex asked out of curiosity, Alex watched, the question clearly pained Draco, and he took a while before he gave her and answer, it was forced as if he didn't want to talk about it at all.
"Because of my father and my family." Draco answered weakly unable to make eye contact with Alex at all. "It's what they expect of me." Draco went on, it seemed to be paining him more and more. "My father is a Death Eater and my aunt is a Death Eater, Bellatrix said that because of my father's failure that I should be put up to the task and if I should fail, the Dark Lord would kill me." Draco's voice shook as he spoke, both from anger and from fear. He turned to Alex, his eyes filled with tears, she had never seen him that way, he was genuinely scared. "I don't want him to kill me." He sobbed breaking down into tears. "I don't want him to kill my family." Draco went on, Alex felt a lump forming in her throat, her sympathy lay with Draco, she understood how he was feeling because she too was in it for the same reason. "He chose me on purpose, he wants to kill me." Draco croaked. Draco quickly left the room before Alex could say anymore. Alex sighed picking up the silver box that she and Hermione had collected during the winter break. It was quite heavy with a metal case, Alex traced her fingers over the strange markings peering at it intently. The box clicked open.
Do you feel sympathy for Draco? Would you like to see a Draco/Alex relationship and What do you think will come out of the box?