I hope you like this chapter, I thought I might add a bit of humor into this chapter because so far the story has been quite serious and sad. So I decided to lighten the mood just a bit, this chapter is based on Chapter 18 of the Sixth Book Birthday Surprises but I changed it up so enjoy.
Chapter 14 – A Fight For Affection
"Alex I told to specifically not to talk to people, it could change history!" Justin bellowed fuming at Alex, attracting attention to them from early morning risers in the small city. Alex ignored him without saying a word. "Alex I'm talking to you!" Justin growled taking hold of her shoulder and making her face him, Alex looked into his green eyes, jerking her shoulders away roughly.
"And I'm ignoring you." Alex sniffed, they reached Uncle Celbo who was waiting for them patiently, Alex could tell by his expression that he really disliked being here, Alex couldn't stay here any longer either, the stench was starting to get to her.
"Ready to go home boys and girls?" Celbo asked holding out his hands for both Alex and Justin to clutch onto. They were home in no time at all, Alex had about ten minutes to get back to Hogwarts in time before the apparition lesson would end and people would begin to wonder where she had disappeared to. Celbo soon left after dropping off his niece and nephew, this was when Justin rounded on Alex again.
"Why were you with Mason, do you know how much that can effect what happened now, now he knows who you are and when he meets you in the future he'll know you!" Justin said his voice more high pitched than usual. Alex rolled her eyes at her brother. "Alex I don't think you realize the seriousness of this situation." Justin nagged on and on it didn't take Alex long before she snapped.
"Justin, if you had one last chance to be with Juliet, would you take it?" Alex asked shakily, Justin stared at his little sister for a moment, he couldn't answer that, of course he would take it. "Besides I erased his memory of it, he doesn't know who I am." Alex went on stiffly. Justin saw the hurt in her face, she was about to cry again, she was still so devastated about Mason's death. Justin took a seat next to his sister placing his arm around her as comfort. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but you're a great older brother." Alex said resting her head upon Justin's broad, muscular shoulder. Justin didn't say anything, smiling, his sister really did have feelings and did care about him. The two siblings stayed this way for a few moments, enjoying each others comfort until Alex jumped up, catching Justin by surprise.
"I have to get back to Hogwarts!" Alex said scrambling around the room. "I'll see you later Justin." Alex smiled waving to her brother and in a flash she was gone.
"Be good!" Justin shouted, but it was too late, Alex had gone.
Alex landed in square in the middle of her hoop, next to Harry, who jumped back in shock, Alex gave him a large grin.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked straightening himself and looking at Alex up and down. Alex simply shrugged.
"We've been learning to apparate remember Harry?" Alex said giggling ruffling up his already messy black hair.
"Oh, congratulations! Well done, well done." Alex turned to come face to face with Twycross their apparition instructor smiling wide at her. Alex frowned, why was he congratulating her? She hadn't done anything. "You've successfully apparated in one piece!" He said excitedly, Alex frowned looking down at her feet where she stood in the middle of her hoop.
"Oh, um right, yeah." Alex said in a confused voice, staring around the hall, Ron came strolling towards them, strangely enough without Lavender on his arm.
"Did you see it? Susan Bones splinched off her leg!" Ron said in amusement,Alex stifled a laugh, Alex looked over the crowds of students hoping to see Hermione or even maybe if she was lucky to catch a glimpse of Susan Bones. "I think I almost apparated, I felt something." Ron said with excitement. "Did any of you feel anything?" He asked he seemed to be really chuffed with himself. "I felt a tingling in my feet." Ron explained, Harry and Alex tried as best as they could to act happy and enthisastic for Ron.
"I suspect your trainers are too small Won-Won." Hermione's cold voice came from behind them, she stalked past the three of them smirking as she passed. Alex couldn't help feeling slightly irritated at Hermione's hostility towards Ron it was just getting old, she wanted them to all be friends again, she had sorted out her differences with Harry, why couldn't Ron and Hermione do the same? She was aware the Lavender made it extremely hard but she could still cut poor Ron some slack.
"I didn't feel anything." Harry said ignoring the comment from Hermione, he would have to do this often, Hermione often made snied remarks around Ron and Harry too was becoming sick of it.
"I didn't either." Alex admitted, trying to continue the conversation she wanted to say anything that would make Ron feel better about himself. Harry stared at her.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked confused. "You landed in the middle of your hoop, like we have been trying to do for the past hour." Harry said, Alex let out a laugh.
"You seriously think I'm going to learn to apparate?" Alex asked in a highly amused tone raising her eyebrow at Harry. "When flashing in and out is so much easier." Alex said with a smile. Harry shrugged, he supposed she had a point, why bother to learn something she could already do?
"I guess you're right, I myself prefer flying." Harry admitted as the three friends exited the Great Hall, it wasn't long before Ron was taken away from his friends into the clutches of Lavender. Alex followed Harry back to Gryffindor tower. On their way back they were forced to change their route with one of Harry's trusty short-cuts, this was all thanks to Peeves who had jammed one of the doors on the fourth floor shut and was refusing to let anyone pass until they set their underwear on fire. Within five minutes they were climbing through the portrait hole, Alex followed Harry upto the boys dormitory, Harry flung open his trunk slinging old text books and random pieces of parchment across the room, while Alex waited impaitently.
"Harry I don't' think…" Alex started, but Harry inturrupted.
"Malfoy was arguing with Crabbe earlier this morning." Harry said. "I think he's using them as look outs." Harry said, Alex rolled her eyes, of course he was, Alex wasn't going to try and defend Malfoy anymore, she didn't want a repeat of what had happened earlier in the year. Harry pulled out the Marauders Map triumphantly. "I have to start hiding this, I think someone had been taking it and using it." Harry said a look of confusion on his face. Alex tried to put on surprised expression on her face, knowing full well that it was her all along.
"That's a great place to hide it." Alex smiled. "Nobody would ever think of looking amist that junk." Alex laughed, Harry gave Alex a smile, tapping the parchment with the tip of his wand murmuring the words. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." At once the Marauders Map appeard on the surface. "Quick, help me try and find Malfoy." Harry gestured beckoning her over, Alex rolled her eyes truging over and kneeling beside Harry staring down at the map.
"There!" Alex said pointing at the dot that was Malfoy. "He's in the Slytherin common room with all his other Slytherin friends." Alex laughed, Harry looked down at the map an feeling of disappointment flooding him.
"Well I'm going to keep an eye on him." Harry said bitterly, Alex nodded, she was going to have to be a lot more sneaky if Harry was going to be looking at the map more often, Harry would know that Alex and Malfoy had been meeting still and yet again become suspicious. They were inturrupted when Neville entered the dormitory a strong smell of burnt material emenating from his trousers.
"Oh, Harry, I didn't realise you had company." Neville said blushing as he strolled over to his trunk, rummaging through it in desperate search of a fresh new pair of underwear.
"Neville, you didn't." Alex sighed in disbelief heading out of the dormitory to give him some privacy, but she couldn't help but laugh. Poor Neville, those things always seemed to happen to him.
Over the next week Harry was unable to spot anything suspicious from Malfoy only that Malfoy would sometimes disappear off the map completely , he noticed that the same thing seemed to happen with Alex, but both at different times, Harry assumed that Alex would just flash some place else, forgetting that she was unable to.
"Morning boys." Alex announced cheerily opening the curtains to the boys dormitory and dropping a package on the groaning lump that was Ron and going to sit on the end of Harry's bed.
"Happy Birthday, Ron." Harry grumbled sleepily, reaching for his glasses. Harry threw his package at Ron which joined the small pile beside his bed.
"Cheers." Ron said drowsily, ripping off some of the paper. "Nice one Harry!" Ron said enthusiastcially as he pulled out a new pair of keeper gloves, Alex smiled, it was good to see Ron is such a happy mood.
"No problem." Harry replied absent mindedly pulling out the the Marauders Map and once again searching for Malfoy. Ron reached for Alex's gift unwrapping a box of chocolate cauldrons. "I don't think he's in bed." Harry announced but Alex and Ron weren't listening, they were both too interested in Ron's presents.
"Seriously good, haul this year." Ron announced happliy holding up a gold watch that he had received from his parents.
"Cool." Harry muttered sparing the watch a glance, he searched for any sign of Malfoy who yet again had disappeared completely off the map.
"Want one?" Said Ron thickly holding out the box of chocolate cauldrons that Alex had given him offering them to Harry and Alex. Harry politely declined turning to face the map once more. Ron shrugged stuffing a second cauldron into his mouth, Alex took a cauldron slipping it into her mouth.
"Ready?" Harry asked Alex and Ron he was half-way towards the dormitory door when he realised that the pair had not moved. "Guys breakfast?" Harry urged impaitently, but both stared out of the rain washed window.
"I'm not hungry." Ron said "I can't stop thinking about her." Ron said hoarsely, Harry gapped at him was, Ron talking about Lavender?
"Why does that stop you having breakfast?" Harry asked confused, he wasn't sure what was wrong with Ron, but something defiantly wasn't right.
"I don't think she knows I exist." Ron said with a desperate gesture. Harry frowned where had Ron been?
"Of course she knows you exist, she keeps snogging you hasn't she?" Harry asked, Ron blinked with a confused expression on his face. "Who are you talking about?" Ron asked finally.
"Who are you talking about?" Harry asked, because if clearly wans't Lavender.
"Romilda Vane." Ron said softly, his whole face seemed to eluminate as he said it. Alex got up joining Ron her to wearing the same dreamy expression.
"Yes, Romila Vane." She said dreamily. "Have you seen her hair?" Alex asked she was staring into space "It's all black an shiney, and her eyes? Her big dark eyes?" Alex spoke dreamily, Ron nodded his head enthusastically. Harry stared at his two friends for a moment was this some sort of joke?
"Ok, very funny you two, is this some sort of stupid joke?" Harry laughed, he turned to leave when a crashing blow hit the side of his ear. Harry staggered clutching the side of his head, Ron's fist had just collided with the side of Harry's head. Alex came storming visciously towards him, a glass bottle raised in her hand, Harry had to act quickly grasping Alex's arms and pinning them to the wall."What did you do that for?" Harry bellowed turning to glare at Ron, his face was heated from the blow he had just received and he was trying with all his might to restrain Alex.
"You insulted her!" Alex retrorted, struggling against Harry's grasp, Harry turned to see the box lying open on Ron's bed the truth had just hit him.
"Where did you get those chocolate cauldrons?" Harry asked still fighting Alex, she was increadibly strong for someone her size.
"I got them for my birthday didn't I." Ron replied "A birthday present from Alex, she gave them to me." Ron admitted. Harry turned to face Alex, who had now stopped struggling, Harry released her arms, he was panting.
"Where did you get them from?" Harry asked Alex breathlessly. Alex shrugged in response.
"I got them off the floor from under your bed last night, I forgot to get Ron a present and when I found them I thought they'd be fine." Alex admitted honestly. Harry thought for a moment, how was he going to deal with his two friends when both had, had a love potion on them for the same person.
"Well. I've got a idea." Harry said. "I'll invite you two to meet Romilda Vane, she'll be in Slughorn's office." Harry said confidently leading the way out of the dormitory. All the way down to Slughorn's office Alex and Ron both bickered with one another furiously over who Romilda would pick out of the two of them.
"She's not lesbian!" Ron intergected furiously, Alex looked at Ron livid and looked as if she was about to smack Ron as hard as she could with the bottle she was still clutching. The faster Harry got them to Slughorns office the better. Harry had been slightly worried that Slughorn might be down at breakfast with the rest of the teachers, but as soon as Harry knocked on the door it was answered immediately by Slughorn dressed in a large green velvet dressing gown and matching night cap, he looked at Harry blurry eye'd.
"Oh, Harry this is a surprise, I don't usually get calls this early, I'm never up early on Saturdays." Slughorn said sleepliy rubbing his eyes.
"Professor, I'm terribly sorry." Harry said quietly looking back at his two friends who were both squwabbling with one another trying to see past Slughorn into the office. "My friends have swallowed a love potion by mistake." Harry explained. "I would take them to Madam Pomfrey, but seeing as we're not allowed any Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, it would just raise awkward questions." Harry explained further, Slughorn peered over Harry at the two love sick friends Alex trying to clamber over Ron who was trying with all his might to block Alex's path to get to Romilda first.
"Was the potion within date?" Slughorn asked eyeing the two again with professional interest. "They strengthen you know? The longer they're kept." Harry panted trying to stop both Ron and Alex barging past him and into Slughorn's office.
"That would explain a lot." Harry said breathlessly. "Please sir, it's Ron's birthday." Harry said pleading with Slughorn. Slughorn finally reluctantly obliged allowing them into his study. Both Alex and Ron elbowed Harry out of the way storming into Slughorns over heated study, Ron in his rush to get to Romilda first tripped over a tasselled footstool, he regained his balance through Alex who had laughed at Ron's clumsiness by seizing her around the neck.
"She didn't see that did she?" Ron said glancing around the room nervously, Alex shoved Ron away from her, a look of irritatation on her face.
"Where is she?" Alex demanded stamping her foot like a childish toddler.
"She's not here yet." Harry said watching as Slughorn opened his potions kit and adding pinches of this and that to a small crystal bottle.
"That's good." Ron said fervently. "How do I look?", Alex was stood in a corner admiring her reflection in a mirror, playing with her hair.
"Very handsome." Slughorn replied handing Ron the antidote.
"Not nearly as pretty as me." Alex retorted coldly battering her eyelashes, butterflies filled Harry's stomach when she did this, she was so cute when she did this.
"Natrually, Miss Russo." Slughorn laughed handing Alex an antidote aswell. "Drink up now you two, don't want to be nervous when she arrives do we?" Slughorn said hurmouring the two Gryffindors. Harry and Slughorn watched them for a moment the beams on their faces sagged and were replaced by expressions of complete horror.
"Back to normal then?" Harry said grinning at his two friends. "Thank you so much Professor." Harry said full of gratitude.
"Oh no problem m'boy." Slughorn replied with a chuckle. "Don't mention it, they need a pick me up." Slughorn said switching the subject and focusing on Ron and Alex. "What's this you have here?" Slughorn asked taking the bottle that Alex had been holding all morning.
"Ahhh." Slughorn said examining the bottle. "Oak matured mead, I haven't had this in awhile, why don't we open it to celebrate young Mr. Weasley's birthday, nothing like a good spirit to chase away the pangs of disappointed love." Slughorn chortled opening the bottle.
"I don't think that's a good idea." Alex started but Slughorn ignored her protests pouring each of them a glass.
"There you go then." Slughorn said handing Harry, Ron and Alex a glass of mead before raising his own. Alex shot Harry and Ron a warning glance pouring hers into the plant beside her. "Well very happy birthday Ralph." Slughorn said holding up his glass, Alex was too late to stop Ron before he downed the contense of his glass is one large gulp. It took less than a second for Harry to realise there was something wrong, but Slughorn continued with his speech. "And may you have many more to-"
"Ron!" Ron had dropped his glass and collapsed on the floor, his body jerking and twitching uncontrollably as he choked, foam dribbling from his mouth and his eyes were bludging from their sockets.
"Professor, do something!" Alex bellowed,kneeling beside Ron's writhing body. But Slughorn seemed paralyzed, Harry sprang into action jumping over the table and sprinting to Slughorn's open potions kit pulling out pouches of ingridients until he found it. The beazoar that Slughorn had taken from him that lesson they had done about antidotes. He hurtled back to Ron's side shoving the beazoar down Ron's throat. Ron gave a shudder, a rattling gasp and his body became limp and still.
It was eveing the hospital wing was quiet, the windows curtained, the lamps lit. Ron's was the only occupied bed. Harry, Hermione and Ginny, had spent all day outside the double doors waiting to see if anyone went in or out. They hadn't seen Alex all day, she had gotten into a great deal of trouble for being in poccession of a common poision, as of yet it was unclear what was going to happen.
"You mean Alex gave him poisioned mead?" Hermione asked in disbelief, she couldn't believe what she had heard from the teachers.
"No." Harry said immediately letting out a fustrated sigh, he head repeated his story to Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. "Slughorn took the mead from her, she tried to tell him to stop, but you know Slughorn, he just ignored her." Harry explained, that was one of the many things he hated about Slughorn, his inability to listen to others. Hermione had been very quiet all day, that was near enough the only thing she had said since she had hurtled white faced up to Harry outside the hospital wing demanding to know what had happened, otherwise sitting white faced and scared looking until they were allowed in to see Ron. "Do your mum and dad know?" Harry asked Ginny.
"They've already seen him." Ginny said. "They arrived an hour ago, they're in Dumbledore's office with Alex." Ginny explained, Harry thought for a moment, would Alex be expelled? She couldn't be, she had tried to warn them.
"Er-my-nee." Croaked Ron unexpectantly, Harry, Ginny and Hermione fell silent, listening to Ron mutter incomprehensively until he finally just started snoring.
Dumbledore sat quitely behind his desk, his sparkling blue eyes fixed on Alex, who could do nothing but stare at her feet. Professor McGonagall stood beside her, a worried expression upon her face. While Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stared at Alex, they couldn't believe that a friend of Ron would do such a thing, someone who they had willingly invited into their home.
"So tell us Miss. Russo, how did you come to obtain, the poisioned beverage?" Dumbledore asked softly, it made it seem that she wasn't in trouble at all. Alex cleared her throat what could she say? She couldn't tell them it was Malfoy. Alex shuffled her feet.
"I found it." Alex replied confidently, she got the feeling she always did when she was with Dumbledore, always that he knew if she was lying or not, his blue eyes stayed transfixed on her.
"Found it?" McGonagall asked "Found it where?" She urged. Alex looked up when she answered this time looking Professor McGonagall in the face as she spoke.
"We were making antidotes in potions." Alex began. "And I was going to try and make and antidote for this posion and I realised that I didn't have the ingridents for the antidote, so I was going to get rid of it." Alex said part of this was true, she had planned on getting rid of it and telling Malfoy that she had lost the bottle.
"Miss. Russo, you should know better than to play around with poisions." McGonagall breathed. "Fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor for your foolish behaviour and you will serve detention with Madam Sprout, she needs help in the green houses next Saturday." McGonagall said, Alex nodded her head, giving her a small smile.
"As you can see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I do not believe that Miss. Russo had any intention of harming young Mr. Weasley, infact from my own knowledge I am aware they are very good friends." Dumbledore said, Alex nodded her head, giving Dumbledore a gratful smile.
The next chapter is actually finished for once and its quite tense so if you're a fan of Harry/Alex then you will like it i'm sure and if you're a fan of Alex/Draco you will also like the next chapter, You must be thinking is that even possible! My answer YES! But not in the way you expect...any predictions? Looking in the Sixth Book will not help you *evil grin* The next chapter is called The Kiss Of Life, I'll let your minds wander on that, tell me what you think the next chapter maybe about?