First, to all of those who have reviewed and sent constructive criticism and positive feedback, and even those who just quietly keep reading you are all amazing and you are why I keep writing! This story now has over 50k reads!
Sakura Lisel - the reason that Alya is in Draco's classes was explained in Chapter 6. She was advanced a year due to her abilty to memorize everything she reads.
As to Alya being a brunette that little grid they give you in high school to show genetics and who can produce what is meant to give you a VERY rudimentary understanding of genetics. Once you have taken more advanced classes you will realize you literally got the equivalent of learning your ABC's before learning to read. Geneticists have confirmed this is pure myth that two red heads cannot produce a brunette (as my family of red heads and brunettes could have told you without an advanced degree. It depends on the saturation of the gene as in CANON, meaning JK Rowling has stated Cedrella Weasley nee Black was a brunette, clearly Arthur's genes contain a fair amount of the genetic material necessary to produce brunettes.
udelDOTedu/~mcdonald/mythintroDOThtml for more reading.
Alya is absolutely NOT adopted, knowingly or otherwise. But how about this? Relax and enjoy the story without turning it in to homework, eh? No one should be taking this as an opportunity to study. Except Hermione, of course ; But your review style made it pretty clear who you are. I am glad you are reading again and hope to put our little spat behind us.
The next two months were brutal.
I finally knew the sinister thing that was going on. Professor Snape was trying to kill me or drive me mad. I really wasn't sure which I would prefer.
The lessons were hard. Harder than anything I had ever done, even the animagus ritual could not compare.
Night after night he would test me trying to pry in to my mind. He would yell at me to test my emotional strength and then attempt to study my mind. He would suddenly appear in an empty corridor to surprise test me.
I did get good at working the dramatic swirl of my cloak. I was teased mercilessly by Fred and George when they caught me practicing! I swirled away from them with a glare, causing even more laughter to trail behind me. I wished I had ever learned how to sigh dramatically. I settled for a good glare at both of them.
I was getting to be OK at legilimens, but nowhere near what anyone would refer to as a "skilled" practitioner. Professor Snape said I was a natural occlumens. Probably from all of the practice I had shutting my family and snots like Pansy Parkinson down. He was finding it harder and harder to get past my defenses. He still managed because he was so skilled at it, but the first time I pushed him from my mind I suddenly knew what made those who really loved playing Quidditch so excited about winning a game. I thought nothing except the feeling of a new investment and watching my portfolio grow would ever give me that feeling.
It made some things a little awkward. I always knew when Draco wanted to go further and had to pull himself away for instance. Or when Pansy wanted to go further.
Usually with Draco, the bitch.
And it made James' puppy dog eyes so much harder to bear.
But I also knew when my friends were feeling down or upset about something. It was a far cry from being able to really see their thoughts or any images. And I was a thousand leagues from being able to influence anyone, but it was progress and I was pleased.
I knew for instance that Harry was absolutely terrified about the last challenge.
I saw him sitting alone one night in the library one night when everyone else had left and I had special permission to stay late because there was no way I was going to finish my essay for Ancient Runes. Professor Babbling had assigned four feet on the "unknown" rune representing the number seven. If it was unknown how in the name of Salazar Slytherin was I going to come up with four feet?! I was tempted to talk about the seven small migraines the assignment had cost me. Something told me Professor Babbling did not have the kind of sense of humor required to appreciate in depth details about my trials and tribulations with the essay itself.
Finally, tossing the thing aside hoping I could get Frank to writ it for me, he is a wiz at runes, I went over to sit next to Harry. "Hi Harry." I said quietly causing him to jump slightly.
"Oh, hi Alya." He sounded positively miserable.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I didn't bother to elaborate, what else could I mean but the final challenge?
He looked surprised by my offer "No…I …. Thank you, but I don't think anyone can help me now, I don't even really know what the final challenge will be. But thank you for offering."
"You sound surprised that I would." Had no one else been helping? Surely Hermione had been?
"No... I mean, well, yes, it is just that you are…" he hesitated.
"An evil Slytherin who you would expect to kick you when you were down?" I smiled gently at him.
"No, not exactly that you are… but you are the Slytherin girlfriend of Draco Malfoy and he has not exactly been silent about his hopes that I fail." He seemed a bit embarrassed to have said anything.
Ah yes, that incident. I still wanted to murder Moody for that. He was… oh… competent enough, but for some reason he really hated Draco. "Just because Draco and I are together doesn't mean I want you to fail, Harry Potter." I said sternly sounding just like my mother for a moment "I have a perfectly good mind and I use it."
Harry nodded at me "Right… ermm… thanks Alya."
I got an image just for a second. Moody, he was looking very intently at Harry. Frighteningly so. I mean the man is a terror but this…
Harry, about Professor Moody… I think you should…" I was stopped by a shadow over me.
"Listen to what he says and get some sleep?" It was Moody himself.
"Umm.. yes, alright then." Harry looked between the two of us sensing the tension.
"And you need to go off to bed too, Weasley." Moody glared down at me.
"I have permission to be here, Professor. To finish my essay for Ancient Runes." I told him stubbornly.
"Which you are not doing, so off to bed." There was no way around it.
Over the next few days I had almost managed to convince myself that what I saw was a figment of my imagination. But I could not quite manage to shake the uneasiness.
The day of the final challenge loomed and it seemed the entirety of Hogsmeade was filled with visitors and would be spectators. Even the Hogs Head tavern was crowded.
The Vipers and I had even taken to going down to the deep dungeons to play exploding snaps or just hang out
The night before the challenge Draco had joined us and I sat on the floor between his knees while he played with my hair. Pria, ever the sensitive one, was fretting over the challenge.
"I am just saying, Frank… what if it actually kills one of them?" she was worrying her lip between her teeth.
Frank lifted his head from Esme's lap. The two kept pretending they didn't "like" like each other, but it was pretty obvious they did. I never had MY head in his lap. Of course Draco would not have appreciated that anyway, but still.
"Pria… they have made it much safer. No one is going to get killed." He laid back down and let Esme stroke his hair.
"But just saying…" she continued.
"DON'T say. That is the trick." Mora chimed in "Don't speak it in to existence."
We all went back to our own thoughts, James and Mora were playing chess and Draco and I were just enjoying being together.
The next day the place was absolute chaos. All of the stands were filled, strangers were tromping all over the grounds and anyone who was anyone was taking up residence at the castle. I hated it. I wanted nothing more than to stay in my rooms, but Fred and George had roped me in to playing book keeper for their little betting operation since I would remember who bet what and on whom. No matter how many times I told them I was no good with numbers they kept wanting me to set odds. Money I can do, numbers not so much.
It was announced the final challenge would be a maze. A horrifying, dangerous, potentially lethal maze.
I refused to stay all day and eat whatever grubby thing was passing as food at this event. Absolutely not. I had an evil Slytherin image to uphold. I would eat like a civilized person with a knife and fork at a proper table.
Plus it got me away from the bugs. I have no idea what mosquitoes and other nasty flying bugs eat when they are not feasting on tender Weasley witch flesh. They starve I suppose.
I came back in time to see sparks sent up from Fleur's wand. She was out then. Some time later Viktor Krum's wand sent up sparks. So it was just Harry and Cedric now. No matter what Hogwarts would take home the prize!
We all waited on pins and needles to see who would return. There was an incredible amount of excitement when BOTH did!
Until the screaming started.
Until Harry was shouting Voldemort had returned.
Until we all realized Cedric was dead.
Pria became hysterical believing she had accidentally wished it in to existence.
I went looking for my family. For Draco. For anyone who could make sense of this.
I found Draco first and threw myself in to his arms. He comforted and soothed me.
It was some time before I remembered my manners and turned to say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. I was very surprised to see only Mrs. Malfoy. "I am so sorry, Mrs. Malfoy. I did not mean to be rude…"
She smiled down at me indulgently. "That is quite alright my dear, I am certain this has been very upsetting for you."
"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy, it has. I am still in a bit of shock. Has Mr. Malfoy gone to see what he can do to help?" I ignored Draco rolling his eyes as I immediately asked after his father.
"Oh yes Alya, he most certainly has." She smiled down at me.
Something in that smile sent chills down my spine.
Why was it these people who I admired above all others were the ones who could also make me feel so uneasy at the same time?
I did admire them above all others… didn't I?
It was just as I was thinking that when my father finally found me. Just like when I was a frightened little girl I threw myself in to my Daddy's arms, certain he would make everything alright.
He stroked my back and hair just like when I was a little girl.
"shhhhh now, it will be alright." Just his voice made me feel safe again. In that moment it did not matter how much we had fought. It did not matter that we did not see eye to eye financially. This was my Daddy and I desperately needed him to make me feel like it was all going to be OK.
Draco politely shook his hand as Daddy held my trembling form.
Soon after Mrs. Malfoy and Draco left, with Draco giving me a kiss on top of my head before leaving with his Mum.
I knew things were going to get bad. At the time I had no idea our years of peace were going to be interrupted by years of war. At the time all I could really see was how it would affect me personally and profoundly
I had no idea at the time that when Draco kissed me goodbye it would be the l would see him for a year.