Alexa woke up alone in the deserted hallway. She couldn't remember anything except that she was needed.  As she stood, she realized that wherever she was, it looked vaguely familiar. She turned around and strode down the hallway. Surprisingly, she knew exactly where she was going. In a matter of minutes she was down the cold stone steps of Hogwarts and was on her way to the darkness that was the Forbidden Forest.

*****

"She was here I swear!"

Draco turned around to search the spot where he had left the unconscious Alexa just minutes before.

"Draco what the hell are you trying to pull?"

Harry's voice was clear and strong yet still harbored a certain amount of fear.

"First you tell us that Alexa was here to kill me but also to protect me. Then you claim she spoke to you in some weird language, passed out, and now you're going to tell me she just all of sudden got up and went on her way?!"

Draco looked incredulously at Harry and Ron, shaking his head.

"Malfoy if this is some kind of joke you and Alexa are trying to pull then it's not funny."

Ron's eyes were burning holes into Draco and if looks could kill, he'd be dead. Draco took no notice of the two boys glaring at him. In his mind he was replaying the scene of Alexa fainting over and over in his mind. She had to be here!

"You guys I swear she was here! Why would I lie to you like this?"

Ron crossed his arms and smirked.

"Do you honestly want me to answer that Malfoy? First off you no good piece of s-"

"I know what's going on," came a voice.

The three boys turned to see Hermione running full speed down the hallway towards them.

"She's been chosen hasn't she Draco? She's going to bring him back! He's coming isn't he?!"

Harry reached out to put an arm around Hermione who was trembling and near tears.

"Slow down Herm. What have you found out?"

Hermione let out a breath and continued.

"When Malfoy came to tell you guys that Alexa was hurt, I was going to follow until I noticed a book on the table near where we had been standing. It was a book about Voldemort. I opened it and a page fell out. I read it and that's when I knew."

Ron shook his head and stared at Hermione bewildered.

"Knew what?"

Hermione looked directly at Malfoy.

"I knew that she was going to bring back Voldemort."

Harry could hardly believe his ears. Alexa linked to Voldemort? How could that be?

"Whoa Hermione, that's a really big accusation! Are you sure?"

Draco nervously smoothed his hair back.

"She's right. Alexa told me right before you blokes walked into the library. She said something about being sent here to protect Potter and to kill him. She said that Voldemort is invested in her and that she didn't know when he would come but that he was coming…through her."

Ron had gone pale and stepped back.

"VOLDEMORT! She's VOLDEMORT! She's going to try and KILL Harry! We have to find her!"

Harry looked intently at Draco. He was staring at the ground and for a second Harry thought that just maybe he was a tear escape from the boy's eye. Harry shook his head, 'not possible,' he thought, 'Malfoy cry?' He cleared his throat before speaking.

"I think we should go to Dumbledore. He will know what to do."

Hermione looked up at Harry with fearful eyes.

"You're right let's go."

Ron just stood there white as a sheet.

"Hey Weasley! You heard what Potter here said now let's go."

Hearing Malfoy's usual drawl must have snapped Ron out of his mood because he and the others quickly took off running in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

******

 As she entered the Forbidden Forest, Alexa was enshrouded by darkness. Even though it was only mid-afternoon the forest was gloomy and sinister. Alexa heard some twigs snap behind her and turned around. There was nothing there. As her heart began to beat faster, Alexa started to run. As she ran, it became harder for her to keep her balance. She tripped and fell, hitting her head on one of the logs that littered the forest floor.

******

As Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco came to the gold statue of the phoenix that hid the doorway to Dumbledore's office they were surprised to see Snape approaching. His facial expression turned to one of utmost loathing as he spotted them running in his direction.

"Running in the halls are we? I think that this calls for detention don't you think?"

Draco came to a stop in front of Snape, gasping for air.

"Professor it's Alexa! She's gone…her mark…she said that she had to die! You need to help her!"

Severus, what is Mr. Malfoy talking about?"

The group turned to see Dumbledore coming down the steps that led to his office.

"Do I hear that Ms. Williams is having trouble?"

He looked one by one to the five concerned faces.

"Please if you all would come up and explain to me what is going on."

He motioned with his hand to the staircase and the six trudged up to his cluttered yet cozy office.

******

As Alexa came to, she realized that she had been tied to a large tree. With a wave of her hand the ropes were on the floor and just as she was about to make a run for it she felt a force pulling her back. She turned around to see a tall man with silver-blonde hair approaching her. She immediately recognized him as the one who had plagued her dreams as a little girl. The one who had caused someone she cared for immeasurable pain.

"Mr. Malfoy."

The man stopped and bowed out of mock courtesy.

"Alexa," he crooned in an almost sing-song voice, "we meet again."

******

"So you knew what she was and still let her come here? That's has to be the stupidest thing that I have ever heard!"

Hermione looked at Ron is shock.

"Ron I'm sure Dumbledore has an explanation for it all. You shouldn't go around calling the headmaster stupid. You know this is a perfect reason for why I would never-"

"Ms. Granger thank you for sticking up for me but, I must agree with Mr. Weasley when he said that my decision was not a very smart one."

For the past half hour, Draco had told his side of what had happened and then Dumbledore let them in on a secret of his own. A week before classes were to start Snape had approached him about letting a new student into Hogwarts. She was a risk to the school and Snape knew it but he also knew she was better off working on her magical abilities than wasting away in the world of the muggles. She had the ability to do wand less magic but she also had the capability of bringing about Voldemort. This student was of course, Alexa. Dumbledore had thought that by bringing Alexa into Hogwarts he might be able to help her. Dumbledore shifted in his seat.

"Obviously I was mistaken in thinking that I could help Ms. Williams. Judging by the unsettling facts that Mr. Malfoy here has told us I think that he has already started to overtake her."

Harry sat on the couch near Dumbledore's desk not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

"Is the only way to kill Voldemort to kill Alexa?"

Dumbledore looked over a Harry, the usual glint in his eye gone.

"I am afraid that is the only way I know I'm sorry Harry."

Harry wouldn't…couldn't accept that. He jumped to his feet, startling Hermione who was sitting next to him.

"There's got to be some other way! I can't kill anyone! She doesn't deserve this!"

Snape, who had not spoken yet, slowly stood.

"Potter's right. There must he something we can do. We need to find her and see if she's been taken over. Maybe there's someway we can stop it. If she was also sent to protect Potter then there has to be a way to reverse Voldemort's hold on her."

Dumbledore nodded, his eyes reflecting that he was deep in thought.

"Very well, but we must work quickly and diligently. Ms. Granger, you and Mr.'s Malfoy and Weasley go to the library and find out all about the curse of the chosen one while Professor Snape, Mr. Potter, and I try to find Ms. Williams. Oh yes, do not mention this to anyone. Meet us back here in two hours. The password is flobberworms. Is this all understood."

The three mumbled their agreement in unison and headed out the door.

As soon as Draco, Ron, and Hermione were gone, Dumbledore got up from his desk and looked at Harry and Snape.

"Shall we?"

The three silently walked out of Dumbledore's office. Somehow Harry knew where they were supposed to go.

"She's in the Forbidden Forest."