Chapter Fourteen Nightmares

The attack rocked the New World. Killing the headmaster was shocking. But underneath, taking the balls stripped the castle of more than its protection. It meant that someone else was in charge.

A week later, a triumphant Cragmont returned with the balls. He was proclaimed a hero. He took over the school. Nothing had prepared Max for his worst nightmares: Cragmont in charge, his family crushed, and his worst enemy turn out to be his own brother.

The look on Alex's face had been crushing. She never really cried as a kid, not when it would not have served her purposes.

Now she was crying regularly. Justin had done this. In a way, Max was angry at his brother. Lord Lovemire had struck down a hero. Why was Justin running from the Russo family? If he had just stuck with them…

Alex was listening to the sea in her shell when Max found her. She spoke as if to herself, "Justin is such a nerd. He scoured the beach until he found one that had a heart shape on it."

Max leaned against the door. What was he supposed to tell her? Alex turned with eyes full of fear and hope. She was looking at Max with hunger. He knew what she wanted, "Alex… he didn't say much."
That was enough to set her off, "He didn't say anything about me, are you sure? Or why he left, or why he never came back?"

Max had his own theories, "I think that we have to accept the fact that the Justin we knew was overrun by Lord Lovemire. I am afraid of what we'll find."

Alex took a breath, "I'm not. I know my Justin is out there. And nothing, nothing will keep us apart."
And that is what worried Max the most.

A.N. Well, that's the story. If you want a sequel, read and review. And most questions will be answered in the next portion of 'Wizards of 'Warts'!

Preview

Alex Russo sat in her class. Her brother Max had disappeared. She looked over at Hugh Normous, her current best friend. It was likely only a matter of time before he disappeared too.

In all fairness, Max had showed up again. Apparently he had been cursed into a gust of wind. "That's a new one," was all he really said about it. At least now she knew that Justin was alive.

Presently, she was being shipped back across seas to Hogarts. Why, oh why had her parents registered her to finish school there? It was like they knew how to annoy her.

Killer dark wizard on the loose in England? Let's send Alex, she'll scare him off!

Still, seeing her friends again would be nice. It was then that Draco Malfoy made his presence known. For all the friends she had, she also had to deal with enemies as well. In this case, the blond was mocking her.

"Well, then, now that Justin's gone, are you going to start dating your other brother?"

Alex knew she should ignore him, but that was not her style, "Well, at least they're men. Sorry Mal-fool, you're not my type."
And so they bickered back and forth for a few moments. Then the train came to a stop.

"What's that?" Asked some random student Alex did not recognize. Everyone buzzed with worry. The American pushed her nose to the window, which promptly frosted up, "I didn't do that." She stated dumbly.

Dark figures in robes made their way down the aisle, stopping by each apartment. They filled the Russo girl with fear. They seemed to bring her worst memories to the front of her consciousness. Losing Justin, failing her parents, winning the competition against Justin, losing Justin again, the memories started to blur as her worst fears popped into her mind. It was a type of crushing hopelessness. Anything or anyone that meant something to her always abandoned her. What was it that Justin used to say?

"Using your wizard powers requires concentration and focus. You can't be 90% spell, ten percent 'oh what's that?' Focus Alex." His eyes bored into hers. It felt like he was really there.

"Expecto Patronum!" A thin wisp of white came out. Alex was expecting a wolf, but the wolf lost its legs. She figured it was because it was not strong enough. Still, she registered the fact in her mind and drove the dementors off.

"Is everyone okay? What was that?"

Alex sat back into her seat. Today would be a loooong day.