The next morning Alex walked down to the kitchen and found Mrs. Potter sitting alone on the counter. Alex had always been an earlier riser than the others, and hadn't seen any point in waking them all up. Alex popped up next to Mrs. Potter and sat cross legged. "Are you okay Mrs. Potter?"

"Call me mum dear, and yes, I'm just a little tired of hearing reports about attacks on muggleborns."

Alex nodded. "I know what you mean, but it will get better, Voldemort isn't going to win, I won't let him."

Mrs. Potter smiled at her. "You seem so sure."

"I am. I have faith that love will prevail, if I doubt that for even a second then I'm letting evil and hatred win."

"You're very wise for your age."

"I don't think age really matters, experience is what's important, and I have a lot of life experience." Alex replied with a smile.

Mrs. Potter just smiled and placed her hand on Alex's knee in a motherly manner.

"Mum, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead dear."

"Is it wrong of me to pity Voldemort?"

"Why do you pity him?"

"Because he'll never know love, and his mother died, leaving him abandoned and alone, his father didn't want him, and he's all alone. Can you imagine a life without love? It's so sad. I feel sorry for him, because maybe if he had known love things would have turned out differently for Tom Riddle."

"That's not wrong at all. That's incredibly true, and kind."

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "Good, because I've been feeling guilty for thinking that when I know he's killing innocents."

"The world isn't black and white Alex, there's a lot of grey, and the challenge is figuring out when the grey is too dark."

Alex smiled grimly and nodded. "Well, c'est la vie, je sais. I just wish that it could change, you know? I wish it could be easier."

"I think we all wish for that dear."

"Right, well thank you, but I think I'm going to go bother James."

Alex headed upstairs and walked into James's room, finding him sitting in a window seat across from the door.

"Hey James!"

"Hey Alex! Come join me."

Alex crossed the surprisingly clean room and sat down next to James, curling into his side to get warmer.

"You're really cold."

Alex laughed, "I'm always cold, that's why I learned warming charms, but I only use them when I need to."

James rubbed Alex's arms to help warm her up as she looked around his room. Like hers it was red and gold and decorated with Gryffindor Quidditch banners, Quidditch posters, and pictures. On the wall opposite his bed the wall had pictures over half of it and Alex could see pictures of her and Jessi with the boys up there, which made her smile.

"James, do you think I could come back again sometime after this break is over? It's so nice here, it feels like home."

James smiled at her. "Of course you can! You're one of us now, just like Jessi, so you'll always have a home here."

"Thanks James."

"No problem, besides, I'm pretty sure my mom wants to adopt you already."

Alex laughed, "Well, she did just tell me to call her Mum."

"See? You're already part of the family! Besides, you're already like a sister to me."

Alex smiled brightly at James before laughing. "I can live with joining this family, bro."

James smiled and stood up, pulling the blonde up with him.

"Come on sis, let's go get the others up and decorate the tree."