Harry Potter
And
The Daughter of the Dark Lord
By: Katie Vaughan
Theme By: J. K. Rowling
Part One:
The Daughter of Lord Voldemort
**Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters, settings, and essence belongs to JKR**
Lord Voldemort was sitting on his chair in a slightly angered mood.
"What do you mean, Wormtail?"
Wormtail was spluttering on the ground, next to him Bellatrix Lestrange who was looking terrified.
"I mean sir, that Alice has come out of hiding... P-please master, we don't know how she managed it, we had Macnair placed as her guardian!" Wormtail sobbed trying to crawl to the hems of his master's robes.
"She was there one moment master! And then she was gone! Please, have mercy master!" Bellatrix spluttered looking equally as terrified as Wormtail.
Voldemort looked from one to the other. "My two most faithful servants have yet again failed me. I do not like failure," he said looking as though he was filled with rage. He let a moment pass to fill his Death Eaters with more fear.
"Please, master, we could not control the girl! She escaped, please," Wormtail gasped as though he were pleading for his life.
"We deserve to be punished master," Bellatrix said letting go of her master's robes. She kneeled expectantly as though to die a soldier's death, brave and honored.
"Crucio! " Voldemort screamed at Bella. Bella shrieked horribly and collapsed onto the ground twitching. After a couple of seconds, Bella stopped, and came around looking as pale as a ghost and sweating uncontrollably.
"Thank you master, I deserve it," she said and a wide grin spread across her sunken face as though she was just been granted a wish.
"As for you Wormtail..." Voldemort hissed at the wriggling clump on the floor.
"M-m-master!" he spluttered, tears streaming down his face. "I d-deserve it t-too," he gasped. He looked up horrified as Voldemort raised his wand, and looking bored he muttered, "Avada Kedavra". Wormtail was not expecting this and his eyes widened in horror as a jet of green light him his square on the head. He fell to the floor instantly.
"B-b-but master," Bella said, transfixed on Wormtail's body. "What about Alice?"
"I have no doubt in my mind that she did not escape without help..." Voldemort said slowly, and rather calmly.
"She was... s-s-stolen, master?" Bella asked now scrambling across the floor to get closer. "By who?"
"Dumbledore," Voldemort hissed.
*******
Harry stirred in his sleep and suddenly awoke. "Lupin!" he whispered at his empty room. "LUPIN!!"
He heard something move in the empty chair near his dresser. He clambered out of bed and sprinted to the chair and shook it vigorously.
"Wha? What is it?" came a voice in the chair.
Harry grabbed at the chair and pulled off an Invisibility Cloak and a wizard emerged from under it looking extremely tired.
"Lupin! It's Voldemort!" Harry hissed as load as he could, if he woke Uncle Vernon up...
Lupin snapped awake and looked around wildly, as though expecting to see Voldemort in front of him.
"WHAT? Harry where?" he shouted.
"Ssh!" Harry said trying to shut him up. It surprised Harry that he was almost as afraid of Uncle Vernon as he was with Voldemort. Now that he HAD to stay with the Dursley's (under Dumbledore's orders was Harry never to leave the house where he could be protected) he couldn't say or do anything concerning HIS kind. Little did the Dursley's know, however, was that Harry had someone with him every day of the week, and each week was a different member from the Order of the Phoenix.
"Harry! What IS it?" Lupin said, lowering his voice a couple of notches, a confused and slightly sick look painted on his face.
"I had a dream..." Harry started nervously wondering how he should tell Lupin this.
Lupin looked relieved and slumped back into his chair and then looked up at Harry. "Another one Harry?"
"This one is important!" Harry stressed. Why didn't he care? Lupin was supposed to keep him safe.
"Alright Harry, is it about this 'Alice' person again?" Lupin asked.
"YES!" Harry said urgently. "She's escaped! A-and Voldemort, he killed Wormtail and he's going after Dumbledore!"
Lupin, in mid-yawn, paused. His face was full of glee. When he noticed Harry saw his face, he quickly frowned as if death dreams were of little or no importance.
"Harry, calm yourself. Alice, whoever that is, is alright, got me? It's probably Voldemort trying to lure you out again," Lupin explained slowly as if Harry was 5.
"This one's REAL!" Harry said. He wanted to shake Lupin and make him see that there was danger amidst.
"Go to sleep Harry," Lupin mumbled grabbing the cloak from Harry's hand and throwing it over himself.
Harry stood open-mouthed. He was not making anything up! This dream was real... it had to be! He could feel it!
He walked to his bed and fell back asleep.
*******
Harry woke again in the morning, his room flooded in gold sunshine from the dawn. He heard a scratching noise and saw Hedwig at his window, trying to get in. Harry crossed the room and passed the chair where Lupin sat to his window and he let Hedwig soar in and land on his bed. There was a letter tied to his leg and Harry seized it at once.
Harry,
How are you? I hope you're doing well. Hermione and I have some GREAT news to tell you. But, unfortunately, we can't. You know... the whole letters thing. But I have a feeling you'll hear about everything soon.
Thinking of you,
Ron and Hermione
Harry tossed the letter carelessly to a pile at the side of his bed.
He paced around the room and then suddenly looked suspiciously at Lupin's chair. He walked over and, taking a wild guess at where his arm was, Harry poked Lupin.
"Ow, what the-? Harry that was my face!" Lupin growled.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled listening as Lupin yawned and stretched and began walking around.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Harry suddenly demanded.
"You asked me that yesterday," Lupin said mischievously, and Harry was surprised to find that the voice came from behind him.
"Just tell me," Harry pleaded.
"I will tell you again that he is off to try and get people on our side," Lupin muttered.
"People or creatures?" Harry asked interestedly, staring stupidly at the spot where Lupin spoke.
"Oh all sorts. Mer-people, vampires... werewolves," he said and Harry could tell he was grinning. "I'm not the only one you know," Lupin said staring at Harry's expression of shock.
"Well, I know that but..." Harry started. "Take off that CLOAK!" he screamed because he could hear footsteps all over his room. Just as he said that, his door was smashed open.
"WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO BOY?" Uncle Vernon yelled trying to sniff the air.
"Hedwig," Harry said immediately and calmly as if talking to owls was an everyday thing.
"Talking to OWLS? Have you finally gone mad?" he roared and Harry heard a growl from his bed.
"Yes, indeed I have," said Harry grinning innocently.
"Keep your talking DOWN! If I hear one more word..." Uncle Vernon threatened slamming the door shut.
"Muggles," spat Lupin
"So," said Harry going to face where Lupin's voice had come from.
"If this is about your dream Harry..." Lupin warned.
"What if it is?" asked Harry looking mildly amused at annoying Lupin.
"DO NOT TRUST YOUR DREAMS!" Lupin yelled for the millionth time that summer.
"But..." Harry started. It was hard to tell whether Lupin wasn't bursting with rage at the moment because of the Invisibility Cloak.
"She's all right Har-" Lupin said and Harry immediately interrupted him.
"AHA!" Harry cried triumphantly. "So you do know what's going on!" he said pointing an accusing finger in Lupin's direction.
"Dumbledore does have her Harry," Lupin gave in.
"Why does he need her?" Harry asked curiously.
"Do you know who Alice is, Harry?" Lupin asked suspiciously.
"No..." Harry said. He didn't have a clue who Alice was and hadn't given it a moment of thought before. All he knew was that she was in danger.
"She's the daughter of Lord Voldemort."
**** Harry couldn't believe his ears. Lupin must've been joking with him... yeah that was it.
"Voldemort doesn't have a d-daughter," Harry protested.
"Oh yes he does. Alice Riddle. She's about your age now Harry. Recent discovery she was. Apparently being held captive by her own mother who was trying to protect her from Voldemort. Dumbledore knew there was something wrong when her mother wrote to Hogwarts telling them her daughter was being home-schooled. Voldemort sent Death Eaters to the house when he returned. They used the Imperius curse. She escaped though, with Dumbledore, "Lupin explained. He told the story like it was a bedtime tale, but Harry wanted to know more.
"She's evil though! What is Dumbledore doing helping the daughter of the most evil wizard of all time?" Harry asked incredulously. Dumbledore has lost it, he thought.
"Oh she's not evil Harry. Mighty powerful witch though. She does things you know, without a wand, and her mom taught her lots of things too. A great witch her mom was... went to Hogwarts with Lily in fact..." Lupin trailed off dreamily, then, realizing he had said too much, changed the subject. "Anyway Harry, we're leaving for Hogwarts in a week! You should start on that homework."
"I can't," Harry replied grumpily flopping onto his bed. He wanted to know what was going on that people weren't telling him. He wanted to ask Lupin more questions but he knew that he shouldn't push it.
"Oh yeah, the Muggles. Hmm, I'll see what I can do about that." Lupin's invisible self walked to the door, opened it slowly, and then closed it behind him.
Harry stared up at his ceiling as Lupin exited. He decided to write to Ron and Hermione.
Ron and Hermione,
At least I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express. I probably would have gone crazy this summer if it wasn't for you guys. Tell the rest I say hi.
Harry
He looked at his note, knowing that it was pitiful, but he definitely couldn't talk about anything having to do with him and how he found out about Alice in case the owl was intercepted.
He walked over to Hedwig, tied the note around her leg and watched her fly out of the window, happy to be on a job. Suddenly Lupin marched into his room.
"Here's your stuff Harry," Lupin said taking of the Invisibility Cloak for the first time that morning. He dumped stacks of books, rolls of parchment, some quills and bottles of ink all over Harry's bed.
"I don't need to do Homework. I've had to do work every day this summer," Harry said stubbornly looking at his schoolwork as if it was a pile of socks.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts taught to you by Aurors is not as important as your homework," Lupin said sharply. "You should get started with that Transfiguration essay."
"Lupin. How am I going to get my stuff from Diagon Alley?" Harry asked as he began the essay.
"Kingsley's on it," Lupin said simply putting his cloak back on.
Harry's shred of hope vanished. He wanted more than anything to leave the house and return to the wizarding world. After the announcement of Voldemort's return, it was simple to know why Harry was being put under such unfair guardianship.
"Tell me more about what's going on," Harry pleaded.
"There's nothing going on," Lupin said.
"About Alice I mean," Harry said quickly.
"There's nothing about Alice," Lupin shrugged.
"There must be if Dumbledore helped in her capture," Harry said grinning.
"What Dumbledore does is none of your business Harry," Lupin explained.
"But why did he take her?" Harry asked curiously.
"He didn't 'take her'. He, well, rescued her. But he couldn't have rescued her if she hadn't been fighting the Imperius curse and sending us owls," Lupin answered. He passed Harry his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework and another piece of parchment, but since he was still under the cloak, it seemed the book and parchment was floating in mid-air.
"Why did she write to Dumbledore? I would think that if she's Voldemort's daughter..." Harry trailed off.
"Oh no, not at all. She's the opposite of him. Doesn't look at all like him, though she's got his powers hidden deep in her. She'll be at Hogwarts this year, with you, Ron and Hermione," Lupin informed.
"What happened to her mom?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Killed... Death Eaters," Lupin said clearly.
"But wasn't she Voldemort's wife?" Harry asked earnestly.
"No, they never got married. He only just realized he'd had a daughter," Lupin said checking if Harry was still writing his essays. A moment of silence passed, but then Harry, not being able to stop himself, asked another question.
"What was he going to do to her?" Harry asked interestedly.
"That, I don't know. We think he was either going to turn her into one of him, or kill her," Lupin said, then he suddenly swallowed. "See Harry. She's got the blood of Voldemort in her, though she's not evil at all. It's a constant battle with being evil and good inside of her. And she's got some of Voldemort's powers. Like she can speak Parsletounge too, and she can do magic without wands, which is extraordinary, that's if she's angry or happy enough. But no more questions! Just do your homework."
Harry did as he was told, his mind racing with the questions he'd ask Lupin the next day.
****
Harry was practically jumping up and down with excitement. Today he was going back to Hogwarts! He would finally see Ron and Hermione and he would not need to be followed everywhere, every day.
"Here's the plan Harry," Kingsley instructed as they walked to a really long car full with people from the Order. "We're going to drive to London. Arthur here," he indicated Mr. Weasley in the drivers seat, "will drop us all off at King's Cross. We will escort you through the wall onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and see you on the Hogwarts express."
Harry looked. It was about 8 members from the Order. There was Lupin, Mrs. and Mr. Weasley, Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Mundungus, Bill, and then Kingsley. He was surprised he needed this much protection, but clambered into the back anyway.
"What if Voldemort comes on the train? Like that Dementor did?" Harry joked nervously looking at the serious and glum expressions on the people's faces.
"We already have someone on the train Harry," Lupin said softly.
"What? Who?" he demanded instantly.
"You'll see soon enough," Mr. Weasley promised as he drove towards London.
******
After a while's drive the car screeched to a halt in front of the King's Cross Station. Everyone but Mr. Weasley got out of the car.
They looked like a small gang as they trooped into the station and formed a protective wall around Harry. But Harry wasn't bothered by it this time, he was just extremely happy to be going back to Hogwarts.
"Alright, Molly and Bill, you go in first. Then Moody and I will escort Harry in and then Mundungus, Diggle and Lupin will come in last," Kingsley instructed. Mrs. Weasley and Bill hit the barrier at a run and vanished from sight. Moody and Kingsley (on either side of Harry) leaned against the wall and they too disappeared. Harry gazed at the gleaming scarlet steam engine he loved so much. He saw Bill and Mrs. Weasley there stuffing his trunk in an empty compartment on the train.
"Go on now Harry," Lupin said urging Harry to get on the train while the whistle sounded. "We'll see you soon."
Harry got onto the train and into the compartment where his stuff was. He headed towards the window and saw Lupin waving dramatically at him.
The compartment door slid open and Ron and Hermione, followed by Ginny all collapsed into the seats.
"It's hard traveling with Dumbledore," Ron announced. They didn't see Harry in the compartment.
"Yea... who... would... have thought... he would... be so..." Hermione panted.
"Hey Harry," Ginny interrupted and Hermione and Ron whipped around to see Harry staring at them curiously.
"Hi," Harry mumbled taking a seat next to Ron.
"Well at least you didn't blow up in our faces," Hermione said in an almost teasing voice.
Harry gave her a sharp look and the grin was wiped from Hermione's face instantly.
"Where'd you go with Dumbledore?" Harry asked as the train started up.
"Oh... yea... he's um..." Ginny started, but the door slid open once again and Neville bounded in looking quite scared.
"MALFOY!" he gasped as he sunk into an empty seat.
"What about Malfoy?" Ginny asked, glad that she didn't have to answer Harry.
"He cornered me just now. Asked where you were Harry," Neville said, clutching at a stitch in his side.
Harry didn't care about Malfoy at the second but rounded on Ginny.
"Where were you going with Dumbledore?" he demanded, quite angrily.
"He escorted us here," Ginny said softly, as though if she said it any louder Harry would explode.
"He's here on the train, with Alice," Ron said as though it was common knowledge.
"You know about Alice?" Harry asked impressed. Now he could ask Ron and Hermione questions without making them mad like Lupin.
"Of course. She stayed with us for a week," Hermione said shrugging.
"Is she, you know..." Harry trailed off. Ron answered straight away.
"No. But she did take the last of the pumpkin tarts last night..." he said.
Neville, who was feeling quite left out interrupted.
"Who's Alice?" he asked at once.
"Voldemort's daughter," replied Ron stretching in his chair.
Neville's eyes widened in horror. "Wh-what?" he asked.
"Voldemort's daughter, Neville," Hermione repeated slowly.
Neville shrieked at the name but then recovered and opened his mouth to speak.
"No Neville, she's not evil," Ron said with a hint of boredom in his voice.
The compartment door burst open and Malfoy, followed by Crabbe and Goyle entered smugly. They strutted around the room and came to a halt where Harry sat.
"So Potter. Thought it was funny what your little friends did on the train back?" Malfoy asked as his eyes narrowed.
Harry suddenly remembered turning Malfoy and his goons into gigantic slugs.
"I hope you know that I had to go to St. Mungos," Malfoy said. "Now you're going to pay," he said maliciously. He reached into his robes and was about to produce a wand, but Harry was faster.
" xpelliarmus " Harry said pointing his wand at Malfoy. Malfoy's wand rose into the air and Ginny grabbed it grinning.
"What's going on here?" came a voice at the door. Everyone whipped around and there was Albus Dumbledore, looking quite unnerved. "Draco, Vincent and Gregory, get out of this compartment and back to your own," ordered Dumbledore.
Malfoy stood open-mouthed and was about to ask why Dumbledore was here, but thought better of it. He snatched his wand back from Ginny and walked out of the room, his head high in the air, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle.
Dumbledore walked into the compartment, and was followed closely by a girl.
"All right there, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Yes," Harry said, staring bewildered at Dumbledore. He still couldn't believe that Dumbledore was here. He was pretty sure Headmasters did not come on trains so much.
"Well, as you may already know, this is Alice Riddle. I can trust you to look after her? I need to go and speak to the driver about something... Bye," Dumbledore said exiting the compartment.
Alice looked around nervously, as though thinking whether she should sit or stand. She had long strawberry-blonde hair and great blue eyes. Harry was surprised at how little she looked like her father. If he had to guess which was the only feature that looked like her fathers it was her eyes. Even though they were not red, they did look like cat eyes.
"Hello Alice," Ron said. He kicked Neville who was staring at her as though he was being hypnotized and he gave a small whimper of fear when she looked in his direction.
"Hi," she said and took a seat next to Ginny. She glanced over at Harry, who was still staring at her as though she were scum and looked away quickly.
Harry knew it was probably hard for her to see the boy who her father wanted to kill. So he forced himself to smile, but he was still thinking what if...
There was a moment of awkward silence while everyone stared at her.
"I know what you're thinking," she said quietly looking at her feet to avoid everyone's eyes. "You think that just because just because I'm Voldemort's daughter, it means that just as equally likely to kill you all right now." She looked up and Harry was surprised to see she was smiling.
"No we don't," Ron started but Alice just smiled wider.
"If I wanted to, I would've already done so," Alice said. "And don't worry boy," she added to Neville who looked as if he was about to cry when being addressed by her. "I'm not going to suddenly attack you."
Neville whimpered and then said. "B-but..." and was kicked again by Ron.
"NOW YOU'VE GOT ME ANGRY!" she screamed, her grin replaced by a frown. Her eyes rolled into the top of her head and she pointed a finger at Neville.
Neville screamed and clambered up and out of the compartment. Harry stood shocked at what he was seeing and Ron jumped back in horror.
But then Alice's eyes rolled back down and she began laughing loudly. "I'm just kidding," she said now looking positively full of glee.
Harry smiled nervously and he could see Ron take his hands out of the chair, which he gripped when Alice went psycho. Hermione however looked as if she was going to have a heart attack. She laughed faintly.
"Oh come on. I was kidding," Alice explained looking from one face to another. "Just trying to scare you. Since you think I'm going to kill you when you least expect it."
"Yes of course. Funny," Hermione said, though she eyed Alice suspiciously.
Alice looked around the compartment. "So..." she said trying to change the topic.
"Are you really Voldemort's daughter?" Harry found himself asking.
Alice looked up and smiled again. "Yes, I really am his daughter," Alice replied.
"But how do you know?" asked Ron who looked rather relieved that Alice hadn't yet killed them.
"Mom told me. I believe her. And why else would Voldemort send Death Eaters to control me? Or maybe he just has a really bad grudge on my family, but I would think he would've killed me in the two years he held me captive," she said.
"Right, of course," mumbled Ron.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Alice asked, now admiring Harry.
Harry was surprised by this question.
"Yes," he said nervously. He didn't like Alice watching him.
"I salute you," she said simply.
"For what?" asked Harry surprised at what she had just said.
"Defeating my father. It gave me 14 years without him," she explained.
"How are you getting sorted?" Hermione asked trying to change the subject.
"Oh I was already sorted. Dumbledore brought that hat with him," she shrugged. She obviously didn't care what house she was in.
"And...?" Hermione prompted.
"It must've malfunctioned. It said I was suited for Slytherin and Gryffindor," she informed.
"What? You can't be in two houses!" Ron practically shouted.
"I know. Dumbledore said it was up to me which house I could be in," Alice said. She looked out of the window as the scenery turned to green fields and farms.
"Which one did you pick?" Ginny asked.
"Haven't decided. Dumbledore said the hat only wanted to put me in Slytherin because, you know, I'm Voldemort's daughter and he was the heir of Slytherin, but that it also wanted to put me in Gryffindor because I had so much 'good' in me," she said rolling her eyes. "They think I have all this 'good' in me as if I have evil in me also. I don't have any evil in me, or else I would feel the urge to kill and to harm others. But I don't, how come people say I do when I know I don't?" she asked sharply. "
This question stumped everyone in the compartment.
"What house are you guys in?" Alice asked suddenly as if snapping out of a sleep. She smiled again.
"Gryffindor," Ginny replied weakly, still staring at Alice as if she were on show in a museum.
"Then I'll be in Gryffindor. I really didn't want to be in Slytherin. I heard my father was in that house, and he was the heir... I don't want to be known as the heir's daughter. I want to be known as Alice Riddle, the girl in Gryffindor," she said dreamily. Harry knew how she felt. He didn't want to be known as 'Harry Potter, the boy who lived', he wanted to be known as normal Harry Potter, son of James and Lily. But he knew that would never happen, not in a million years, because Voldemort had returned and many people were looking back at Harry, expecting him to defeat the Dark Lord again.
****
The rest of the trip to Hogwarts was the worst that Harry had ever had, including the one in his third year where the Dementor had come aboard.
An awkward silence filled the compartment for minutes until someone made a pathetic attempt to restart the conversation. There would be a few mumbles about the topic and then another long tension filled silence.
When the witch with the trolley came around, Harry bought some Chocolate Frogs.
"Why don't you buy anything Alice?" Hermione asked taking a small bite out of the chocolate frog.
"Not hungry," she replied watching everyone eat.
Dumbledore poked his head into the compartment and gave a contented nod of approval. "Everything okay in here?" he asked staring at Harry and Alice who were on opposite ends of the compartment.
"Yes Professor," Harry said. He watched Dumbledore go back out of the compartment and started munching on the frogs again.
After Dumbledore did this every hour on the trip, Alice got annoyed. When the compartment door slid open for the fourth time Alice lost her patience.
"Dumbledore, we're fine! If we need you we'll-" she started, but turned to look who was at the door and a look of glee replaced the boredom in her face. "Hello," she said cheerfully as Neville stepped timidly into the compartment followed by Luna.
Neville closed his eyes and gulped hard, as though forcing himself to do something particularly nasty. He sat down next to Ron, his eyes still closed and then opened them and saw that Alice was watching his every move in pure enjoyment. It seemed to Harry that it took every bit of Neville's nerves to come back into the compartment and eyed Luna suspiciously. She didn't seem to notice Harry but instead sat down next to Ginny and got a glazed look in her eyes as if she were day dreaming once more.
"I said hello," she repeated still looking happily at Neville.
But instead of Neville returning the greeting his eyes narrowed and he said coldly, "I'm not scared of you."
"Good!" Alice said enthusiastically. "Then we can have a GREAT time. You don't mind if we practice a few spells on you before school. You know, for a bit of extra wand-time before classes?" she said whipping out her wand. Harry knew that she was determined to scare Neville again and he heard a slight whimper from him but was amazed when Neville didn't get up again.
"No th-thanks," he said gulping again.
"Oh, this won't hurt one bit. Promise," she whispered. She pointed her wand in-between Neville's eyes.
Neville was about to get up and scream but Ron held him back down.
"Duel her Neville," Ron urged and took Neville's wand from Neville's pocket and gave it to him.
"B-but-" Neville started as Ron thrust his wand in his hand.
"C'mon Neville ," Alice said sweetly, her wand still glued to the spot on Neville's head.
Neville suddenly felt a burst of anger and he whipped his wand in the air, pointed it at Alice and screamed "Expelliar- "
Alice was to fast and she yelled "STUPEFY! " A jet of green light shot at Neville and he collapsed to the floor quickly. Alice grinned mischievously.
"ALICE!" Hermione said, her eyes wide in terror. "Why did you do that to Neville? We're not supposed to use magic until we're at Hogwarts."
"Oh come on. I just wanted to tease him. He's obviously scared of me because I'm Voldemort's daughter. Don't want to disappoint him do I?" she said, still smiling at her work.
Ginny was looking entertained and was about to mumble the counter-curse when Alice stopped her.
"Let me do it," she said and pointed her wand at Neville who was on the floor. " Enervate " she said and Neville woke slowly.
He was looking as though he had just been killed and was staring at one person to another in the compartment.
"Sorry mate," Alice said.
"Y-y-you... You," Neville spluttered pointing a finger at Alice.
"I said sorry. I didn't know you'd be so easy to curse," she said rudely.
Neville's eyes were as wide as an owl's and he was lost for words.
"I'm really not evil," Alice explained. "I thought it would be funny to tease you for a bit. I really am sorry, but I have a reputation to protect you know. Everyone expects me to be some evil little witch, so I just pretend I am." She smiled again.
Neville got to his feet and sat back down.
"You're Voldemort's daughter?" Luna asked, snapping back from her dream world.
"Why, yes... yes I am," Alice frowned. Alice looked different when she wasn't smiling. All the life looked as if it was sucked out of her, and more a moment, for a spilt second, he thought he saw a young Voldemort flicker in her face. She sort of looked like the sixteen year old Tom Riddle, which Harry had the misfortune to meet in his second year at Hogwarts.
"Oh, that's nice," Luna said and she stared back into space.
****
They finally arrived in the Hogsmeade Station. Dumbledore walked them outside and entered the first carriage, driven by the Thestrals.
Harry watched as Alice scooted towards the Thestrals and started admiring them magnificently and began stroking the skeleton like beast.
"You can see them?" Harry asked looking bewildered.
"Of course I can. What... are we not supposed to or something?" Alice asked looking suspiciously at the creature.
"Well..." Harry said looking for the right words while also wondering who Alice had seen die. "You can only see them if you've seen someone die."
Alice quickly pulled back her hand as if the Thestral burnt her and she stormed into the carriage after Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Luna and Neville.
Harry squeezed in after her. The carriage was only meant to fit 4 or 5 people but not 7.
The carriage clambered off down the road anyway and made it's way towards the Hogwarts castle. Harry had almost forgotten what it looked like and gazed admiringly at it's many towers and turrets. They passed the winged boar statues at the gate entrance.
Finally they squeezed their way out of the small carriage and began walking up the front steps.
"Potter!" came a cold voice behind them all that Harry knew to well.
"What is it Malfoy?" Harry asked looking at Malfoy, a look of annoyance on his face.
"I'm not finished with you yet," Malfoy said in a voice filled with purest loathing.
"I think you are," Alice stepped in beside Harry, her wand held tightly in her hand.
"Who are you ?" snapped Malfoy coldly.
"That is not important. The important thing is that I know who you are," Alice said acidly, a look of hate in her eyes. Harry again saw the flicker of Voldemort on her face.
"Really? I don't care. If you're friends with Weasley you're obviously a poor, mud-blood lover," Malfoy said, his eyes narrowing.
"Malfoy. You do know that when you get angry, you look like your father, don't you?" Alice asked sweetly. "Yes, it's true. You both look like ugly crows whenever you're ticked. Except, the only difference is that you look like someone pissed on your face in the mean time and you swallowed some of it. Does it taste bitter?"
Harry was shocked and looked at Ron who was now laughing hysterically. He looked back at Malfoy who was looking like someone had slapped royalty.
"How dare you?! Wait till my father hears you and your filthy comments," Malfoy snarled.
"Oh I'm not worried, dear Draco. Wait till my father hears how you treated me on my first day," Alice grinned wickedly.
"And WHO is your father?" Malfoy demanded.
"Let's just say... he's your father's boss," Alice said. She turned on her heel and walked back up the steps.
"Wait. My father doesn't have a-" Malfoy started. Then it hit him. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville all turned also and followed Alice up the stairs.
They entered the Entrance Hall and were about to set off to the Great Hall when a voice shouted "Potter! I need a word with you in my office. Hmm, and you too Alice."
Harry and Alice turned to see Professor McGonagall on the Marble staircase. They watched as she turned and walked back up the stairs.
"What does she want?" Ron asked Harry.
"Don't know," Harry shrugged and he and Alice walked up the Marble staircase after McGonagall. ****
Alice walked slowly up the steps, and Harry knew that she was looking at everything in the castle as though they were all miraculous. He knew what she was feeling, because he thought that too, in his first year at Hogwarts. Being secluded from the Wizarding world for 11 years and having some whole new world being sprung upon him was a wondrous feeling.
They followed McGonagall slowly to her office. They reached the door and she opened it and let them in.
"Please, Potter, Riddle, have a seat," she said pointing suggestively at two armchairs at the corner of the room. Professor McGonagall took a seat behind her desk on her own armchair and studied them carefully.
"The armchairs are quite clean you know," she said when they didn't sit down.
Harry ignored her and was instead watching a shadow in the corner of the room.
Alice, taking Harry's lead not to sit down, looked at him and then stared instinctively at where he was staring. The shadow got up and strode towards the middle of the room and the cold, pale face of Snape came into view.
"Manners, Potter," Snape said coldly. "Professor McGonagall said to sit." Harry, still staring at Snape took his seat obediently. Alice sat next to him and glared from teacher to teacher.
"Now Potter... As you probably know, Fred and George Weasley's last year of school has passed. So has Alicia's, Katie's and Angelina's. That leaves you and Mr. Weasley on the Gryffindor Quidditch team," McGonagall started. Harry suddenly clued in. He wanted to smack himself for not being able to think about it over the summer. Who was going to be Quidditch captain? She continued. "Angelina chose you to be Quidditch Captain," she said looking at Harry's face, which was full of shock. She smiled now. "I trust you to find some good replacements on the team?" she asked.
"Yes, of course Professor," Harry replied still bewildered by this news.
"As for you Riddle..." McGonagall said sharply turning to Alice. "Professor Dumbledore has told me all about your encounter with the Sorting Hat. I have called Professor Snape here so that you can make an informative decision."
"Um..." Alice started staring at McGonagall stupidly. "Gryffindor?" she asked. She, no doubt, was scared of making a wrong decision.
"Excellent!" McGonagall said happily. "Now, let's go down to the feast shall we?" She got up and walked briskly to the door. Snape followed her, scowling at Harry.
"Who was THAT?" Alice asked staring after Snape with great dislike.
"Snape," Harry said getting up.
"And he was here... why?" she asked, still confused.
"Head of Slytherin," Harry said sharply. He was still trying to get the memory of Snape throwing him out of his office last year.
"Well he sure looks... angry," Alice laughed as they made their way back down towards the Great Hall.
"He doesn't like me very much," Harry explained.
"Why?" Alice asked interestedly.
"Because my father made fun of him," he said. He Strangely felt like he didn't want to explain about his father to a girl who was the daughter of Voldemort.
"Really? I heard from the Death Eaters that Snape was one of the best wizards of their little group. Why would he let someone bully him?" she asked.
"I have no idea," Harry shrugged. "My father was quite good at it too. Knew which hexes to use and when."
Alice gazed off in the distant. She wondered what it would be like to have a father like that... a father to be PROUD of.
They walked down the Marble Staircase into the Entrance Hall and then went into the Great Hall.
The roof looked pitch black and cloudy, as if threatening to rain any moment. The four long house tables in their original places along with the Staff Table at the head of them. They spotted the first-years and Harry knew that they had missed the Sorting Hat's song yet again.
Heads turned to look at them as they entered. The room erupted in immediate whispers and gasps. Had Malfoy told the whole school already that Alice was Voldemort's daughter. And then Harry suddenly knew why everyone was looking at them wide-eyed. Him and ALICE? They were looking at him as though betrayed.
What had they expected? Harry thought as he took a seat at the Gryffindor Table. Alice sat beside him, looking awkwardly around the room. Did they expect him to curse Alice the minute he saw her just on Voldemort's behalf? Was he expected to protect them all from the slightest of harm? Well I'm NOT Hogwarts' Hero! Harry thought angrily.
Harry could see Professor Flitwick holding a large scroll. He had stopped reading out names when Harry and Alice came in but he gathered himself and continued reading.
"Nex, William," he squeaked. A boy with wide, blue eyes and a small head topped with shaggy, brown hair stepped forward and put the hat on his head.
"Slytherin!" shouted the hat almost immediately.
"Olive, Lucille,"...."Hufflepuff!
"
"Patil, Payten,"... "Gryffindor!" A girl with long, brown hair and gray eyes walked towards the Gryffindor table. Pavarti screamed with joy and embraced the girl. It hit Harry that this must be Pavarti's other sister.
This went on for about five minutes. Until "Zindle, Leslie" was sorted into Hufflepuff
"That was boring," Ron sighed. He rested his head on his chin and was staring expectantly at his plate. He looked over at Harry, who seemed to look angry at something. Ron ignored his facial expression and instead turned to look at Alice. He still couldn't believe that Voldemort had a daughter... it boggled the mind.
"Well it's not supposed to be entertaining Ron," Hermione reminded. She was sitting opposite of them, beside Pavarti and Lavender.
"Well, it's not supposed to make you want to sleep, is it?" Ron snorted. Hermione opened her mouth to say something but then stopped and closed it.
Dumbledore had stood up and raised his hand, asking for silence. Everyone in the hall shut up and waited for him to begin. No doubt everyone would want to hear what was going on with Voldemort.
Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "Two words for now. Tuck in!" He waved his wand cheerfully and the plates and goblets on every house table filled instantly.
Harry watched Dumbledore sit down. He glanced along the staff table, trying to find out who would be the next defense against the dark arts teacher. "Sprout, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid," Harry muttered counting everyone in the staff table until he saw an unfamiliar face.
A witch with gray hair and a sour look on her face was watching everyone in the hall eat. She looked disgusted at the very thought of being here and then her eyes flickered to her plate. She pushed it away defiantly.
Harry could see Dumbledore say something to her from down the table, and she pulled the plate back to her and stuck her fork in some salad.
"What's her problem?" Ron asked. He had looked to see what Harry was looking at and had seen the little show the witch put up.
"Who is she?" Harry answered with his own question. But Ron had already started eating his own food, and was shoving a pork chop in his mouth, determined to chew it all in one mouthful.
"She's obviously the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione said rudely. She was watching Ron in disgust and pulled her eyes away and began to eat her own food. She was eating rather slowly, as if to show Ron how a normal person eats.
After everyone had seconds and dessert, Dumbledore stood up again and with another wave of his wand, the plates were wiped clean.
"Now is the time to discuss some matters," he said calmly and stood beaming at them all. "Filch has asked me to remind everyone that the Forest is out of bounds to everyone and that anything sold from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is banned."
Everyone burst into applaud at Fred and George's shop. No doubt, everyone had visited it while shopping for school in Diagon Alley.
"On a little more cheerful note," he continued over the booming cheers from Ron and Ginny. "I am pleased to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he said turning to the witch. "Please welcome Professor... Tonks!"
Harry was taken aback. Tonks? Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Never... she had a job at the ministry! Harry turned to look at Ron and Hermione. Ron seemed almost as surprised as Harry but Hermione just smiled and clapped with the rest of the students in the school.
Tonks flushed and screwed up her eyes. Next moment her gray hair had turned to navy blue and her sour expression was fixed to a cheerful one. The color of her eyes had changed along with the shape of her lips, but Harry could still tell that it was Tonks.
Everyone in the Great Hall applauded in amusement.
"I have no doubt that many of you are tired from your long trip, and the feast only made you even more so. You should rest up for your first day of classes tomorrow. Goodnight," he said and he sat back down. Everyone flooded out of the Great Hall.
"Tonks?" Ron said, still bewildered.
"Yes, Ron, Tonks," Hermione said. She couldn't help but talk to Ron in a slow voice.
"But she can't be our new teacher," Harry protested as he made his way back up to the Gryffindor Tower.
"Why not?" Alice asked. Harry just realized she had been behind them the whole time. He was just about to ask what she was doing eavesdropping when he remembered she didn't know where the Gryffindor Tower was.
"Because she's an Auror!" Harry informed. Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Maybe she's just doing Dumbledore a favor. Everyone thinks the job's cursed, and he knows no one wants another Ministry appointed teacher, so he asked if someone in the Ord.." she stopped, and turned to Alice.
"The Order?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes. Well, he could've asked everyone in the Order who wanted the job. And Tonks must've volunteered," Hermione guessed.
They climbed a staircase and walked through a passage before Ron spoke up.
"Lupin probably would've," Ron mumbled. Lupin had been Ron's favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"Not after what happened in the third year," Harry reminded.
"What if someone MADE him take that potion every day..." Ron started and Hermione stopped him.
"The Defense Against the Dark Arts spot has already been filled Ron. Maybe next year," she said hopefully.
"I think Nymphadora would be a good teacher," Alice said. Harry was about to ask who Nymphadora was and remembered that it was Tonks.
"You know Tonks?" Harry asked.
"Of course I do," Alice said suddenly frowning. "She's my cousin." She looked at everyone's faces. "Second cousin I think. She was my mom's cousin... Anyway," she said snapping back to reality after going into a kind of trance. "She used to visit me all the time when I was little, she gave me this when I was 11 and wasn't going to Hogwarts," She reached in her pocket and produced her wand. "I wasn't aloud to go to Diagon Alley and to school so she bought me this wand and convinced my mom to home school me..." she trailed off again.
Harry suddenly remembered Sirius saying that Tonks was his cousin also.
"Soo, that would make you Sirius's cousin also!" Harry said excitedly. He felt his heart give a great lurch downwards, but ignored it and stared at Alice.
"Yes..." she started. "But he was like my third cousin, twice removed. Something like that..." she said.
Harry remembered how many burn holes were in the tapestry at Sirius' house and wondered how many people had been removed from the family.
"My mom was a first cousin to Andromeda, Bellatrix and Narcissa. When Andromeda married Ted, she was removed, but since she was my mom's favorite cousin, they always kept in touch. Then my mom went and had a fling with my half-blood father, and was removed. But she was welcomed back in open arms when they realized he was Lord Voldemort. Then she had me," she said. After frowning and looking on the verge of tears for a couple of moments, she suddenly smiled.
Ron, Hermione and Harry were all lost for words. How confusing this family was, Harry thought. He actually liked being the only Potter for a half a second.
"How can you remember all those names?" Harry asked.
"We have some sort of tapestry in our house and I used to stare at it when I was bored. I don't know ALL the names, just the most recent ones," she said.
"Wait a moment," Hermione said and then her eyes widened. "You're related to Malfoy?" she asked.
"Yes..." Alice smiled. "By marriage of course, but that's how I knew it was him. I had seen pictures of Narcissa from Nymphadora and knew too well who those pale eyes and hair could've belonged to."
"But Lucius has them too," Ron reminded, and seemed to fight back the urge of punching his hand.
"Yes, maybe that's why Narcissa was drawn to him. A man that looked like her... quite disturbing..." she smiled again.
They stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Hermione and Ron, who were still prefects, said the password, which was "Codswallop".
Harry and Ron departed to one side of the room where the door to the boy's dormitories stood and Hermione and Alice went into the girl's dormitories.
Harry found his trunk on his bed along with Hedwig's cage and put them onto the floor. He drew the curtains of his four-poster and started to think about what Alice had said.
He was even more fascinated by her than he had been when she first entered the compartment of the Hogwarts Express. She had to live with being Voldemort's daughter and being intertwined against her will with a family full of arrogant purebloods. His earlier thoughts of suspiciousness and uncertainty had long since vanished. He know felt... sorry for her.
****
"Harry, it's almost breakfast... wake up!" Ron said, poking Harry awake.
"Dun wanna..." mumbled Harry. He turned over so that his face was buried in his pillow but then his stomach grumbled and he decided to get ready.
"I wonder what Defense Against the Dark Arts will be like with Tonks teaching," Ron wondered as they made their way to the common room.
"Alice! Come on! We're going to be late " Hermione hissed. She was dragging Alice by the arm towards the back of the Fat Lady portrait.
"But look outside!" Alice said pointing towards the window. Harry turned to see what she was looking at.
It was completely foggy outside. Not normal for September. Harry shrugged.
"Come on Alice," Hermione said again opening the portrait hole. Alice obediently climbed through the hole but looked back before the portrait slammed shut.
Ron and Hermione began walking ahead, discussing something that Harry tried to overhear but was interrupted by Alice who tugged on his robes.
"What?" Harry asked, still watching Hermione and Ron.
"Is she always that bossy?" Alice whispered, pointing to Hermione.
"Yes..." Harry started.
"I wanted to go and explore the castle last night. I heard you have an Invisibility Cloak," she hinted mischievously.
"Uh... that's right... I do," Harry said nervously.
"But... she stopped me. And then she went on about being expelled and junk," she continued.
"Yea, Hermione's not one for adventures," Harry said staring at the back of Hermione.
"So... do you want to?" Alice asked grinning widely.
"Want to what?" Harry asked confused.
"Give me a tour of Hogwarts," Alice said.
Harry looked at her, bewildered. He wasn't used to anyone asking him to go explore Hogwarts at night. They only did it when they needed to. She's completely different from Hermione, Harry thought.
"Uh... sure," Harry agreed.
"Great!" Alice said and she started walking faster to catch up with Ron and Hermione. Harry caught up also.
They entered the Great Hall and quickly ate their breakfast. Harry was watching Hermione. She sure is acting strange, he thought suspiciously.
Hermione was indeed acting strange. She was playing with her bacon and toast and looked deep in thought about something.
"Hermione... are you alright?" Ron asked suddenly after watching Hermione for a couple of minutes.
"Yes... alright..." Hermione mumbled still staring at her plate.
Ron glanced at Harry and Harry looked equally confused.
"You probably didn't get enough sleep," said Alice smiling. Hermione looked at Alice sharply. "You know, because you were reading that book... Dreams: What They Mean By: Shianna White ..." Alice started but was cut off by a particular nasty look from Hermione.
"Having nightmares eh Hermione?" Ron asked cheerfully shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.
"No," Hermione said fiercely. She got up from the table, grabbed her book bag and stormed out of the Great Hall.
"Wonder where 'Mione went," Ron said as they exited the Great Hall after breakfast.
"Class?" Harry suggested taking out his timetable. He glanced at it. Defense Against the Dark Arts followed by Double Potions and then lunch.
"I know where she went," Alice spoke up dreamily.
Ron turned around to see that Alice was following them.
"Where?" Harry asked, ignoring the fact that Alice followed them everywhere.
"Back to the dormitories," she replied.
"Why?" Ron asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing.
"Never you mind," Alice said turning to Ron. "She'll be back soon, don't worry."
"How do you know she went there?" Harry asked.
"She forgot that book on her bed. I saw it when she was dragging me out of the room," Alice shrugged while following Ron and Harry to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
They walked into the classroom and saw it completely deserted.
"Let's grab a seat at the front..." Harry suggested looking around the room. There wasn't a trace of anyone being in this room since last year. The floor was covered in thick dust and the teacher's desk, which was usually full of parchment and quills and neat items, was empty.
Slowly the room started filling up with more Gryffindors. All of them stared at Alice who was busying herself in cleaning her desk. "Scourgio!" she said and the thick dust vanished and a clean lemony scent filled the air.
Finally the door to the classroom burst open and Tonks stumbled in. She had a scratched up face and there was a rip in her robes.
"Sorry... sorry..." she said running to her desk and setting a suitcase down on top. "Peeves..." she said as she began to unpack some things onto her desk. Harry noticed there was a brilliant green orb that was hovering inches over her desk and immediately wondered what it was.
"Okay... today we'll be practicing the Unforgivable Curses," she said briskly taking out her wand.
Everyone gasped and Tonks rolled her eyes. "I know that you are only supposed to learn about them at a 6th year level, but with the return of Voldemort," everyone flinched at the name, "you will all be expected to know how to use each one. Wands out! Yes boy?"
Seamus Finnigan had slowly raised his hand. When Tonks had spoken to him he blushed and began talking. "How do you make your face different?" he asked curiously. Everyone nodded their heads and Tonks rolled her eyes.
"I'm a Metamorphagus," she explained in exasperation. "Anyway, on to the Unforgivable Curses..." but she was interrupted by a couple more hands shooting into the air.
"What is it?" she asked everyone, looking annoyed.
Lavender Brown looked around the class and then took it upon herself to speak for everyone. "Can you change how you look again?" she asked earnestly.
Tonks tried her hardest to look strict but gave in and smiled. "Sure, but just this once!" she agreed. She closed her eyes tight and her hair (which was chestnut brown that day) turned Red and then switched to Orange, and then Yellow and then back to Red. It alternated over and over again like Christmas lights and she smiled again.
"Anyway, back to the Unforgivable Curses. I'm sure you all know what they are by now. There's the Imperius curse, the Cruciatus curse and Avada Kedavra," she began. Everyone nodded silently, they already knew this.
"Today, we'll be practicing the Imperius curse. It takes total control of the mind to make someone else do something against their will. Of course you won't be practicing on each other... I've brought some spiders to practice on. Their minds are easily accessed. Now remember. If you do decide to use the Imperius curse later in life... much later and only against the DARK wizards... remember that it can be blocked and it can kill you also. If you lose control of your mind while doing the Imperius curse, the magic will literally destroy your brain... fry it to smithereens... any who, I'll get the spiders," she said digging around in her suitcase again.
She took out a bag of spiders and placed one on each desk and then returned to the front. "Alright, wands out. Point it directly at the spider. Make sure it doesn't get away! Okay now concentrate. The key to this curse is to tell yourself you WANT to or NEED to place the spider under the curse."
Harry stared at his spider intently.
I need to know how to do this! I need to protect myself against Voldemort and the Death Eaters...
"Alright, now think of something you want your spider to do. Wait, never mind I'll just tell you what to make it do. Uh... make it jump, yea, jump," Tonks said. "Remember to concentrate. And do not lose eye contact with the spider. You won't need to keep eye contact all the time but for your first try you should. Alright, so by now you should've convinced yourself you want to do the curse, next you have to convince yourself you're speaking to the spider. Go on."
Harry looked at his spider again. I can talk to the spider. The spider is listening to me. All I have to do is talk to it.
"Next, you say "Imperio" then you should tell the spider to jump. If you did it right, it will jump. Alright, start now!" Tonks said.
"Imperio!" Harry said to his spider. Jump! Jump jump jump jump jump! He looked at his spider, which wasn't moving at all. JUMP! he thought and the spider jumped. Harry grinned widely and stopped looking at his spider to look at everyone else. They were all staring at their spider. Harry saw Hermione's spider jump a couple inches out of the air. He saw Neville's spider scampering away and he saw Ron looking completely terrified as the spider was trying to crawl across his desk to him.
"Get away get away!" Ron yelled.
Harry looked over at Alice who was looking bored. She was the only one not looking intensely at her spider. Then Harry glanced at it. She was making it jump, high, but she was also making it do flips while it jumped. She was making it flip and twirl and leap, and she wasn't even making an effort.
Soon the end of class buzzer sounded and everyone collected their books. Harry overheard Pavarti and Lavender up ahead.
"Did you see her spider? She's obviously done it before. No doubt her dad taught her how to do it. Why did Dumbledore let her come to Hogwarts?" Pavarti asked.
"He's gone mad," Lavender answered. Then they started talking about the boys in Hufflepuff and Harry lost interest.
Why had Alice been able to do the Imperius curse so well and with ease? Had she really done it before? Harry thought hard.
"Double Potions," Ron reminded as they made their way down to the dungeons, but Harry wasn't listening. He was staring at Alice who was walking a bit ahead of them, following Dean and Seamus to Potions. Maybe she was on her dad's side... ****
They walked into the potions classroom, and it was completely opposite of Tonks'.
The shelves were covered with bottles of all different shapes and sizes, each containing a different colored liquid or gas. The room smelled musty, as usual, since there were no windows in the room. Snape had perched himself on his desk and eyed each student that came in.
Harry and Hermione took a table at the back, beside Ron and Neville. Alice took a seat at the front and Draco took the place beside her. Harry could see that Alice wanted to switch desks, but had no choice but to stay with Draco because the other desks were taken.
"For this whole month we will be making the ever-so-popular-with-Voldemort- potion, Veritaserum. This is worth a quarter of your final grade so I suggest you follow the instructions carefully. The instructions for today's class are on the board. You may begin," he said simply.
Neville gasped and Ron groaned.
"Harry, trade me partners!" Ron pleaded.
"No way Ron," Harry smiled as Hermione began adding the ingredients carefully.
"It says to add three drops of Dragon Oil, and stir counterclockwise twice," she read after setting the cauldron temperature to the perfect heat. "And then we need to add..."
Harry stopped listening and he stared at the front of the class where Draco and Alice were fighting over how to add the Dragon Oil.
"You're not supposed to just let it drop in! You're supposed to put a drop on either side of the cauldron, so it's perfectly balanced. Not just in the middle," Alice practically screamed. "Let me do the other drop, you're going to mess it all up Draco!" She made to grab the eyedropper from Malfoy but he turned just in time, squirting more than two drops of Dragon Oil into the cauldron.
"Now look what you've made me do!" Malfoy growled. "Professor!"
Snape rolled his eyes and made his way to Malfoy and Alice's desk.
"What is it?" he snapped. He looked down at their potion and sighed.
"Professor, Draco put all the Dragon Oil into the potion! He messed it all up!" Alice whined.
"I did not! She attacked me sir, she's crazy!" he said pointing at Alice, not daring to touch her in case he went crazy also.
Snape's eyes narrowed and with a whip of his wand the now useless potion vanished. "10 points from Slytherin," he said coldly and he turned on his heel to his cupboard and returned with more Dragon Oil. "Start over," he ordered and walked back to his desk.
"...And after the Worm's blood is added we have to let it sit overnight. Got that Harry?" Hermione asked.
Harry stopped looking at the front of the class and nodded.
Snape sure is acting strange. Why did he take 10 points from Slytherin? He favors his own house. He would take 50 from Gryffindor if it was me...
Harry helped Hermione add the ingredients but kept risking glances at Malfoy and Alice's table.
"Let me do it! You're going to screw it up," Alice said angrily.
"You don't know how to do it!" Malfoy snapped adding some Worm's Blood.
The arguing continued until the end of class where they pushed their cauldron's to the side of the room.
"Never again Draco!" Alice yelled at Malfoy while walking out of the class.
"Don't count on it Riddle!" Malfoy yelled back.
****
Harry was sitting in History of Magic. He was extremely bored as Professor Binns rambled tonelessly about Merpeople Conventions and Bannings.
He felt his eyelids drooping as the bright sun shone down upon his desk. Suddenly something hit him in the back of his head and he snapped awake. He turned around and saw Alice mouthing the words "Open it". He looked at what had hit him, and found that it was a piece of parchment.
He unfolded it and then read what it said.
Meet me at midnight in the common room. Bring the cloak and the map
Harry looked around to see if anyone had seen him open his note, but everyone was asleep on their desks and Professor Binns was writing dates on the boards, along with famous Mermen.
He turned back to Alice and nodded, stuffing the note in his robes pockets.
****
Harry lay awake in his four-poster bed listening to Ron's snoring. He wanted to curl up and fall asleep but knew that Alice would probably never forgive him.
Stay awake , he told himself. His Invisibility Cloak along with the Marauders map lay beside him. He looked over at his bedside clock. 11:30 . He decided to get ready to go downstairs. He changed out of his pajamas and into some robes and gathered the Invisibility Cloak and map in his hands. He opened the door to the spiral staircase outside and closed it quietly, careful not to disturb anyone in his dormitory.
He entered the common room to see Alice asleep in the armchair next to the fire. He hesitated for a moment.
Should I wake her? Nah... she probably needs the sleep. Wait, no! She made me stay awake so I will make her too. She planned this thing, it's her fault if she falls asleep.
Harry shook Alice awake and she woke instantly.
"Harry? Oh... oh dear! What time is it? I must've dozed off!" Alice said jumping out of the armchair.
"It's almost midnight," Harry said.
"Is that the Invisibility Cloak?" Alice asked smiling evilly.
"Yes, and here's the map," Harry said handing her the map.
"It doesn't look like a map," Alice said disappointed.
"You tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'" Harry explained.
Alice followed his instructions and then gasped when she saw the map.
"Are there supposed to be this many dots?" she asked, staring intensely at the map.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked snatching the map away from her. Harry's eyes widened also. There was a big circle of dots just down the corridor, making their way towards the portrait hole.
"Quick! Alice go back to sleep in the armchair!" Harry hissed taking his cloak and wrapping it over the map. He threw the bundle across the room and it landed in the corner under a desk. He plunged himself into the nearest armchair just in time.
"Honestly Albus. Do we have to check every common room each night?" came the crisp voice of McGonagall.
"Yes Minerva. We must check that these kids are in bed and not roaming around the school mindlessly," Dumbledore said.
"Potter... Riddle?" came a cold voice that could only belong to Snape.
"Awww... should we wake them Albus?" McGonagall asked sweetly.
"Hmmm... no leave them," Albus said. Harry could feel their gaze locked on him.
"Were they studying?" came a high voice. Professor Flitwick's here too? Harry asked surprised. Then he realized it must be every Head of House and the Headmaster.
"No, there are no books," Professor Sprout said matter-of-factly.
"They're up to something Headmaster! If you just let me do a simple Behavior Adjustment charm..." Snape started.
"No Severus! This was probably not a business meeting regarding mischief, but a social call," Dumbledore explained.
It took Harry a couple of seconds to realize Dumbledore said this and he tried his hardest not to blush furiously or grip the end of the chair in anger. I'm not with Alice! She's not my girlfriend! How dare you Dumbledore? Harry thought angrily.
"Let's leave now. We still have Hufflepuff's common room to inspect," Dumbledore ordered. He heard a bunch of footsteps clambering out of the portrait hole and heard the portrait slam shut. He risked a glance at where he heard the voices and saw it was completely empty.
He looked over at Alice who was smiling widely. She was looking at the map.
"Want to leave now?" she asked sweetly.
"You still want to go with the Headmaster and four Head of Houses roaming around the school? They know I have an Invisibility Cloak. They're going to be suspicious," Harry warned seriously.
Alice stopped smiling. "Fine, be a goody-goody. I still want to go, and I will," she said crossing her arms. She got up and walked over to where the cloak and map landed and started to feel where it was.
"Fine, I'll go," Harry gave in. He had to admit, his heart was racing hard from pure thrill of being caught.
Alice threw him the Invisibility Cloak and took the map. Harry unfolded it and threw it over the both of them.
They began to walk to the portrait hole.
"You have to get closer or we'll never walk un-noticed," Alice stated sharply. Harry was trying to get as far from Alice as possible while still staying under the Invisibility Cloak. "I won't bite you," she prompted.
Harry moved closer and felt himself go red when their arms touched.
"This way," he mumbled after they went through the portrait hole. They began walking slowly down the corridor.
"Where are we going first?" Alice asked after awhile.
Harry thought for a second and then smiled. "Want to go to the kitchens?" he asked.
****
They walked quickly and quietly through the school. Alice stopped occasionally checking the map, until they finally stopped in front of the fruit bowl portrait.
"This is just a picture, Harry," Alice snorted.
Harry ignored her and tickled the pear in the fruit bowl. The portrait giggled and then opened up. Alice's eyes widened and a grin spread across her face.
"Excellent!" she said whipping off the Invisibility Cloak and clambering into the Kitchen.
All of the house elves looked up and all of them gathered around Alice.
"Would you like anything from our kitchens?" one house elf asked.
"Oh my," Alice said as even more house elves surrounded her.
Harry went by her side and looked around at all the house elves, looking for Dobby.
"Yes. Do you mind if I ask for a chocolate cake?" Harry asked politely. The house elves nodded and rushed to work on the chocolate cake.
"Harry Potter! Dobby is so glad to see you!" came a squeaky voice behind Alice and Harry. Harry turned around to see his favorite house elf, Dobby, come flying at them.
"Hullo Dobby," Harry greeted.
"Dobby is so glad you visited him, sir," Dobby said excitedly.
"Who are you?" Alice asked in pure interest.
"Dobby the house elf pretty lady!" Dobby answered looking at Alice. Alice blushed.
"We can't stay long Dobby," Harry informed.
"Yes we can Harry. Stop being such a spoil sport," Alice advised.
Harry rolled his eyes. Even though it was fun being in the kitchens at midnight, he didn't like the way Alice was acting, though he couldn't blame her.
"Dobby has something for Harry Potter," Dobby said importantly. Harry watched as Dobby took off one sock and pulled out a shiny green orb.
"Dobby... that's Professor Tonks'!" Harry said shocked.
"No. Tonks lady said Dobby could keep the Green Orb," Dobby said.
"What does it do?" Alice asked taking the orb and running it through her fingers. It was as small as a marble and trying to hover but Alice had a firm grip on it.
"It's a Green Orb. Dobby does not know how it works or what it does, pretty lady," Dobby explained.
"Here is your chocolate cake," said a house elf, turning up at Alice's side. Alice took the cake and gave Harry the orb.
"Thank you," Alice said.
"Now you must be going. Go on, get out of the kitchens," said the house elf, shooing them out through the portrait hole.
"Harry Potter will visit Dobby again yes?" Dobby asked as Alice and Harry put on their Invisibility Cloak.
"Yes, Dobby. We won't forget," Alice promised kissing the house elf on the forehead.
Dobby smiled and started playing with his socks.
"Kissing house elves?" Harry teased as they got out of the portrait hole.
"He called me pretty lady," Alice said dreamily.
If that's all it takes...Harry thought.
And
The Daughter of the Dark Lord
By: Katie Vaughan
Theme By: J. K. Rowling
Part One:
The Daughter of Lord Voldemort
**Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters, settings, and essence belongs to JKR**
Lord Voldemort was sitting on his chair in a slightly angered mood.
"What do you mean, Wormtail?"
Wormtail was spluttering on the ground, next to him Bellatrix Lestrange who was looking terrified.
"I mean sir, that Alice has come out of hiding... P-please master, we don't know how she managed it, we had Macnair placed as her guardian!" Wormtail sobbed trying to crawl to the hems of his master's robes.
"She was there one moment master! And then she was gone! Please, have mercy master!" Bellatrix spluttered looking equally as terrified as Wormtail.
Voldemort looked from one to the other. "My two most faithful servants have yet again failed me. I do not like failure," he said looking as though he was filled with rage. He let a moment pass to fill his Death Eaters with more fear.
"Please, master, we could not control the girl! She escaped, please," Wormtail gasped as though he were pleading for his life.
"We deserve to be punished master," Bellatrix said letting go of her master's robes. She kneeled expectantly as though to die a soldier's death, brave and honored.
"Crucio! " Voldemort screamed at Bella. Bella shrieked horribly and collapsed onto the ground twitching. After a couple of seconds, Bella stopped, and came around looking as pale as a ghost and sweating uncontrollably.
"Thank you master, I deserve it," she said and a wide grin spread across her sunken face as though she was just been granted a wish.
"As for you Wormtail..." Voldemort hissed at the wriggling clump on the floor.
"M-m-master!" he spluttered, tears streaming down his face. "I d-deserve it t-too," he gasped. He looked up horrified as Voldemort raised his wand, and looking bored he muttered, "Avada Kedavra". Wormtail was not expecting this and his eyes widened in horror as a jet of green light him his square on the head. He fell to the floor instantly.
"B-b-but master," Bella said, transfixed on Wormtail's body. "What about Alice?"
"I have no doubt in my mind that she did not escape without help..." Voldemort said slowly, and rather calmly.
"She was... s-s-stolen, master?" Bella asked now scrambling across the floor to get closer. "By who?"
"Dumbledore," Voldemort hissed.
*******
Harry stirred in his sleep and suddenly awoke. "Lupin!" he whispered at his empty room. "LUPIN!!"
He heard something move in the empty chair near his dresser. He clambered out of bed and sprinted to the chair and shook it vigorously.
"Wha? What is it?" came a voice in the chair.
Harry grabbed at the chair and pulled off an Invisibility Cloak and a wizard emerged from under it looking extremely tired.
"Lupin! It's Voldemort!" Harry hissed as load as he could, if he woke Uncle Vernon up...
Lupin snapped awake and looked around wildly, as though expecting to see Voldemort in front of him.
"WHAT? Harry where?" he shouted.
"Ssh!" Harry said trying to shut him up. It surprised Harry that he was almost as afraid of Uncle Vernon as he was with Voldemort. Now that he HAD to stay with the Dursley's (under Dumbledore's orders was Harry never to leave the house where he could be protected) he couldn't say or do anything concerning HIS kind. Little did the Dursley's know, however, was that Harry had someone with him every day of the week, and each week was a different member from the Order of the Phoenix.
"Harry! What IS it?" Lupin said, lowering his voice a couple of notches, a confused and slightly sick look painted on his face.
"I had a dream..." Harry started nervously wondering how he should tell Lupin this.
Lupin looked relieved and slumped back into his chair and then looked up at Harry. "Another one Harry?"
"This one is important!" Harry stressed. Why didn't he care? Lupin was supposed to keep him safe.
"Alright Harry, is it about this 'Alice' person again?" Lupin asked.
"YES!" Harry said urgently. "She's escaped! A-and Voldemort, he killed Wormtail and he's going after Dumbledore!"
Lupin, in mid-yawn, paused. His face was full of glee. When he noticed Harry saw his face, he quickly frowned as if death dreams were of little or no importance.
"Harry, calm yourself. Alice, whoever that is, is alright, got me? It's probably Voldemort trying to lure you out again," Lupin explained slowly as if Harry was 5.
"This one's REAL!" Harry said. He wanted to shake Lupin and make him see that there was danger amidst.
"Go to sleep Harry," Lupin mumbled grabbing the cloak from Harry's hand and throwing it over himself.
Harry stood open-mouthed. He was not making anything up! This dream was real... it had to be! He could feel it!
He walked to his bed and fell back asleep.
*******
Harry woke again in the morning, his room flooded in gold sunshine from the dawn. He heard a scratching noise and saw Hedwig at his window, trying to get in. Harry crossed the room and passed the chair where Lupin sat to his window and he let Hedwig soar in and land on his bed. There was a letter tied to his leg and Harry seized it at once.
Harry,
How are you? I hope you're doing well. Hermione and I have some GREAT news to tell you. But, unfortunately, we can't. You know... the whole letters thing. But I have a feeling you'll hear about everything soon.
Thinking of you,
Ron and Hermione
Harry tossed the letter carelessly to a pile at the side of his bed.
He paced around the room and then suddenly looked suspiciously at Lupin's chair. He walked over and, taking a wild guess at where his arm was, Harry poked Lupin.
"Ow, what the-? Harry that was my face!" Lupin growled.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled listening as Lupin yawned and stretched and began walking around.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Harry suddenly demanded.
"You asked me that yesterday," Lupin said mischievously, and Harry was surprised to find that the voice came from behind him.
"Just tell me," Harry pleaded.
"I will tell you again that he is off to try and get people on our side," Lupin muttered.
"People or creatures?" Harry asked interestedly, staring stupidly at the spot where Lupin spoke.
"Oh all sorts. Mer-people, vampires... werewolves," he said and Harry could tell he was grinning. "I'm not the only one you know," Lupin said staring at Harry's expression of shock.
"Well, I know that but..." Harry started. "Take off that CLOAK!" he screamed because he could hear footsteps all over his room. Just as he said that, his door was smashed open.
"WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO BOY?" Uncle Vernon yelled trying to sniff the air.
"Hedwig," Harry said immediately and calmly as if talking to owls was an everyday thing.
"Talking to OWLS? Have you finally gone mad?" he roared and Harry heard a growl from his bed.
"Yes, indeed I have," said Harry grinning innocently.
"Keep your talking DOWN! If I hear one more word..." Uncle Vernon threatened slamming the door shut.
"Muggles," spat Lupin
"So," said Harry going to face where Lupin's voice had come from.
"If this is about your dream Harry..." Lupin warned.
"What if it is?" asked Harry looking mildly amused at annoying Lupin.
"DO NOT TRUST YOUR DREAMS!" Lupin yelled for the millionth time that summer.
"But..." Harry started. It was hard to tell whether Lupin wasn't bursting with rage at the moment because of the Invisibility Cloak.
"She's all right Har-" Lupin said and Harry immediately interrupted him.
"AHA!" Harry cried triumphantly. "So you do know what's going on!" he said pointing an accusing finger in Lupin's direction.
"Dumbledore does have her Harry," Lupin gave in.
"Why does he need her?" Harry asked curiously.
"Do you know who Alice is, Harry?" Lupin asked suspiciously.
"No..." Harry said. He didn't have a clue who Alice was and hadn't given it a moment of thought before. All he knew was that she was in danger.
"She's the daughter of Lord Voldemort."
**** Harry couldn't believe his ears. Lupin must've been joking with him... yeah that was it.
"Voldemort doesn't have a d-daughter," Harry protested.
"Oh yes he does. Alice Riddle. She's about your age now Harry. Recent discovery she was. Apparently being held captive by her own mother who was trying to protect her from Voldemort. Dumbledore knew there was something wrong when her mother wrote to Hogwarts telling them her daughter was being home-schooled. Voldemort sent Death Eaters to the house when he returned. They used the Imperius curse. She escaped though, with Dumbledore, "Lupin explained. He told the story like it was a bedtime tale, but Harry wanted to know more.
"She's evil though! What is Dumbledore doing helping the daughter of the most evil wizard of all time?" Harry asked incredulously. Dumbledore has lost it, he thought.
"Oh she's not evil Harry. Mighty powerful witch though. She does things you know, without a wand, and her mom taught her lots of things too. A great witch her mom was... went to Hogwarts with Lily in fact..." Lupin trailed off dreamily, then, realizing he had said too much, changed the subject. "Anyway Harry, we're leaving for Hogwarts in a week! You should start on that homework."
"I can't," Harry replied grumpily flopping onto his bed. He wanted to know what was going on that people weren't telling him. He wanted to ask Lupin more questions but he knew that he shouldn't push it.
"Oh yeah, the Muggles. Hmm, I'll see what I can do about that." Lupin's invisible self walked to the door, opened it slowly, and then closed it behind him.
Harry stared up at his ceiling as Lupin exited. He decided to write to Ron and Hermione.
Ron and Hermione,
At least I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express. I probably would have gone crazy this summer if it wasn't for you guys. Tell the rest I say hi.
Harry
He looked at his note, knowing that it was pitiful, but he definitely couldn't talk about anything having to do with him and how he found out about Alice in case the owl was intercepted.
He walked over to Hedwig, tied the note around her leg and watched her fly out of the window, happy to be on a job. Suddenly Lupin marched into his room.
"Here's your stuff Harry," Lupin said taking of the Invisibility Cloak for the first time that morning. He dumped stacks of books, rolls of parchment, some quills and bottles of ink all over Harry's bed.
"I don't need to do Homework. I've had to do work every day this summer," Harry said stubbornly looking at his schoolwork as if it was a pile of socks.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts taught to you by Aurors is not as important as your homework," Lupin said sharply. "You should get started with that Transfiguration essay."
"Lupin. How am I going to get my stuff from Diagon Alley?" Harry asked as he began the essay.
"Kingsley's on it," Lupin said simply putting his cloak back on.
Harry's shred of hope vanished. He wanted more than anything to leave the house and return to the wizarding world. After the announcement of Voldemort's return, it was simple to know why Harry was being put under such unfair guardianship.
"Tell me more about what's going on," Harry pleaded.
"There's nothing going on," Lupin said.
"About Alice I mean," Harry said quickly.
"There's nothing about Alice," Lupin shrugged.
"There must be if Dumbledore helped in her capture," Harry said grinning.
"What Dumbledore does is none of your business Harry," Lupin explained.
"But why did he take her?" Harry asked curiously.
"He didn't 'take her'. He, well, rescued her. But he couldn't have rescued her if she hadn't been fighting the Imperius curse and sending us owls," Lupin answered. He passed Harry his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework and another piece of parchment, but since he was still under the cloak, it seemed the book and parchment was floating in mid-air.
"Why did she write to Dumbledore? I would think that if she's Voldemort's daughter..." Harry trailed off.
"Oh no, not at all. She's the opposite of him. Doesn't look at all like him, though she's got his powers hidden deep in her. She'll be at Hogwarts this year, with you, Ron and Hermione," Lupin informed.
"What happened to her mom?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Killed... Death Eaters," Lupin said clearly.
"But wasn't she Voldemort's wife?" Harry asked earnestly.
"No, they never got married. He only just realized he'd had a daughter," Lupin said checking if Harry was still writing his essays. A moment of silence passed, but then Harry, not being able to stop himself, asked another question.
"What was he going to do to her?" Harry asked interestedly.
"That, I don't know. We think he was either going to turn her into one of him, or kill her," Lupin said, then he suddenly swallowed. "See Harry. She's got the blood of Voldemort in her, though she's not evil at all. It's a constant battle with being evil and good inside of her. And she's got some of Voldemort's powers. Like she can speak Parsletounge too, and she can do magic without wands, which is extraordinary, that's if she's angry or happy enough. But no more questions! Just do your homework."
Harry did as he was told, his mind racing with the questions he'd ask Lupin the next day.
****
Harry was practically jumping up and down with excitement. Today he was going back to Hogwarts! He would finally see Ron and Hermione and he would not need to be followed everywhere, every day.
"Here's the plan Harry," Kingsley instructed as they walked to a really long car full with people from the Order. "We're going to drive to London. Arthur here," he indicated Mr. Weasley in the drivers seat, "will drop us all off at King's Cross. We will escort you through the wall onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and see you on the Hogwarts express."
Harry looked. It was about 8 members from the Order. There was Lupin, Mrs. and Mr. Weasley, Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Mundungus, Bill, and then Kingsley. He was surprised he needed this much protection, but clambered into the back anyway.
"What if Voldemort comes on the train? Like that Dementor did?" Harry joked nervously looking at the serious and glum expressions on the people's faces.
"We already have someone on the train Harry," Lupin said softly.
"What? Who?" he demanded instantly.
"You'll see soon enough," Mr. Weasley promised as he drove towards London.
******
After a while's drive the car screeched to a halt in front of the King's Cross Station. Everyone but Mr. Weasley got out of the car.
They looked like a small gang as they trooped into the station and formed a protective wall around Harry. But Harry wasn't bothered by it this time, he was just extremely happy to be going back to Hogwarts.
"Alright, Molly and Bill, you go in first. Then Moody and I will escort Harry in and then Mundungus, Diggle and Lupin will come in last," Kingsley instructed. Mrs. Weasley and Bill hit the barrier at a run and vanished from sight. Moody and Kingsley (on either side of Harry) leaned against the wall and they too disappeared. Harry gazed at the gleaming scarlet steam engine he loved so much. He saw Bill and Mrs. Weasley there stuffing his trunk in an empty compartment on the train.
"Go on now Harry," Lupin said urging Harry to get on the train while the whistle sounded. "We'll see you soon."
Harry got onto the train and into the compartment where his stuff was. He headed towards the window and saw Lupin waving dramatically at him.
The compartment door slid open and Ron and Hermione, followed by Ginny all collapsed into the seats.
"It's hard traveling with Dumbledore," Ron announced. They didn't see Harry in the compartment.
"Yea... who... would... have thought... he would... be so..." Hermione panted.
"Hey Harry," Ginny interrupted and Hermione and Ron whipped around to see Harry staring at them curiously.
"Hi," Harry mumbled taking a seat next to Ron.
"Well at least you didn't blow up in our faces," Hermione said in an almost teasing voice.
Harry gave her a sharp look and the grin was wiped from Hermione's face instantly.
"Where'd you go with Dumbledore?" Harry asked as the train started up.
"Oh... yea... he's um..." Ginny started, but the door slid open once again and Neville bounded in looking quite scared.
"MALFOY!" he gasped as he sunk into an empty seat.
"What about Malfoy?" Ginny asked, glad that she didn't have to answer Harry.
"He cornered me just now. Asked where you were Harry," Neville said, clutching at a stitch in his side.
Harry didn't care about Malfoy at the second but rounded on Ginny.
"Where were you going with Dumbledore?" he demanded, quite angrily.
"He escorted us here," Ginny said softly, as though if she said it any louder Harry would explode.
"He's here on the train, with Alice," Ron said as though it was common knowledge.
"You know about Alice?" Harry asked impressed. Now he could ask Ron and Hermione questions without making them mad like Lupin.
"Of course. She stayed with us for a week," Hermione said shrugging.
"Is she, you know..." Harry trailed off. Ron answered straight away.
"No. But she did take the last of the pumpkin tarts last night..." he said.
Neville, who was feeling quite left out interrupted.
"Who's Alice?" he asked at once.
"Voldemort's daughter," replied Ron stretching in his chair.
Neville's eyes widened in horror. "Wh-what?" he asked.
"Voldemort's daughter, Neville," Hermione repeated slowly.
Neville shrieked at the name but then recovered and opened his mouth to speak.
"No Neville, she's not evil," Ron said with a hint of boredom in his voice.
The compartment door burst open and Malfoy, followed by Crabbe and Goyle entered smugly. They strutted around the room and came to a halt where Harry sat.
"So Potter. Thought it was funny what your little friends did on the train back?" Malfoy asked as his eyes narrowed.
Harry suddenly remembered turning Malfoy and his goons into gigantic slugs.
"I hope you know that I had to go to St. Mungos," Malfoy said. "Now you're going to pay," he said maliciously. He reached into his robes and was about to produce a wand, but Harry was faster.
" xpelliarmus " Harry said pointing his wand at Malfoy. Malfoy's wand rose into the air and Ginny grabbed it grinning.
"What's going on here?" came a voice at the door. Everyone whipped around and there was Albus Dumbledore, looking quite unnerved. "Draco, Vincent and Gregory, get out of this compartment and back to your own," ordered Dumbledore.
Malfoy stood open-mouthed and was about to ask why Dumbledore was here, but thought better of it. He snatched his wand back from Ginny and walked out of the room, his head high in the air, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle.
Dumbledore walked into the compartment, and was followed closely by a girl.
"All right there, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Yes," Harry said, staring bewildered at Dumbledore. He still couldn't believe that Dumbledore was here. He was pretty sure Headmasters did not come on trains so much.
"Well, as you may already know, this is Alice Riddle. I can trust you to look after her? I need to go and speak to the driver about something... Bye," Dumbledore said exiting the compartment.
Alice looked around nervously, as though thinking whether she should sit or stand. She had long strawberry-blonde hair and great blue eyes. Harry was surprised at how little she looked like her father. If he had to guess which was the only feature that looked like her fathers it was her eyes. Even though they were not red, they did look like cat eyes.
"Hello Alice," Ron said. He kicked Neville who was staring at her as though he was being hypnotized and he gave a small whimper of fear when she looked in his direction.
"Hi," she said and took a seat next to Ginny. She glanced over at Harry, who was still staring at her as though she were scum and looked away quickly.
Harry knew it was probably hard for her to see the boy who her father wanted to kill. So he forced himself to smile, but he was still thinking what if...
There was a moment of awkward silence while everyone stared at her.
"I know what you're thinking," she said quietly looking at her feet to avoid everyone's eyes. "You think that just because just because I'm Voldemort's daughter, it means that just as equally likely to kill you all right now." She looked up and Harry was surprised to see she was smiling.
"No we don't," Ron started but Alice just smiled wider.
"If I wanted to, I would've already done so," Alice said. "And don't worry boy," she added to Neville who looked as if he was about to cry when being addressed by her. "I'm not going to suddenly attack you."
Neville whimpered and then said. "B-but..." and was kicked again by Ron.
"NOW YOU'VE GOT ME ANGRY!" she screamed, her grin replaced by a frown. Her eyes rolled into the top of her head and she pointed a finger at Neville.
Neville screamed and clambered up and out of the compartment. Harry stood shocked at what he was seeing and Ron jumped back in horror.
But then Alice's eyes rolled back down and she began laughing loudly. "I'm just kidding," she said now looking positively full of glee.
Harry smiled nervously and he could see Ron take his hands out of the chair, which he gripped when Alice went psycho. Hermione however looked as if she was going to have a heart attack. She laughed faintly.
"Oh come on. I was kidding," Alice explained looking from one face to another. "Just trying to scare you. Since you think I'm going to kill you when you least expect it."
"Yes of course. Funny," Hermione said, though she eyed Alice suspiciously.
Alice looked around the compartment. "So..." she said trying to change the topic.
"Are you really Voldemort's daughter?" Harry found himself asking.
Alice looked up and smiled again. "Yes, I really am his daughter," Alice replied.
"But how do you know?" asked Ron who looked rather relieved that Alice hadn't yet killed them.
"Mom told me. I believe her. And why else would Voldemort send Death Eaters to control me? Or maybe he just has a really bad grudge on my family, but I would think he would've killed me in the two years he held me captive," she said.
"Right, of course," mumbled Ron.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Alice asked, now admiring Harry.
Harry was surprised by this question.
"Yes," he said nervously. He didn't like Alice watching him.
"I salute you," she said simply.
"For what?" asked Harry surprised at what she had just said.
"Defeating my father. It gave me 14 years without him," she explained.
"How are you getting sorted?" Hermione asked trying to change the subject.
"Oh I was already sorted. Dumbledore brought that hat with him," she shrugged. She obviously didn't care what house she was in.
"And...?" Hermione prompted.
"It must've malfunctioned. It said I was suited for Slytherin and Gryffindor," she informed.
"What? You can't be in two houses!" Ron practically shouted.
"I know. Dumbledore said it was up to me which house I could be in," Alice said. She looked out of the window as the scenery turned to green fields and farms.
"Which one did you pick?" Ginny asked.
"Haven't decided. Dumbledore said the hat only wanted to put me in Slytherin because, you know, I'm Voldemort's daughter and he was the heir of Slytherin, but that it also wanted to put me in Gryffindor because I had so much 'good' in me," she said rolling her eyes. "They think I have all this 'good' in me as if I have evil in me also. I don't have any evil in me, or else I would feel the urge to kill and to harm others. But I don't, how come people say I do when I know I don't?" she asked sharply. "
This question stumped everyone in the compartment.
"What house are you guys in?" Alice asked suddenly as if snapping out of a sleep. She smiled again.
"Gryffindor," Ginny replied weakly, still staring at Alice as if she were on show in a museum.
"Then I'll be in Gryffindor. I really didn't want to be in Slytherin. I heard my father was in that house, and he was the heir... I don't want to be known as the heir's daughter. I want to be known as Alice Riddle, the girl in Gryffindor," she said dreamily. Harry knew how she felt. He didn't want to be known as 'Harry Potter, the boy who lived', he wanted to be known as normal Harry Potter, son of James and Lily. But he knew that would never happen, not in a million years, because Voldemort had returned and many people were looking back at Harry, expecting him to defeat the Dark Lord again.
****
The rest of the trip to Hogwarts was the worst that Harry had ever had, including the one in his third year where the Dementor had come aboard.
An awkward silence filled the compartment for minutes until someone made a pathetic attempt to restart the conversation. There would be a few mumbles about the topic and then another long tension filled silence.
When the witch with the trolley came around, Harry bought some Chocolate Frogs.
"Why don't you buy anything Alice?" Hermione asked taking a small bite out of the chocolate frog.
"Not hungry," she replied watching everyone eat.
Dumbledore poked his head into the compartment and gave a contented nod of approval. "Everything okay in here?" he asked staring at Harry and Alice who were on opposite ends of the compartment.
"Yes Professor," Harry said. He watched Dumbledore go back out of the compartment and started munching on the frogs again.
After Dumbledore did this every hour on the trip, Alice got annoyed. When the compartment door slid open for the fourth time Alice lost her patience.
"Dumbledore, we're fine! If we need you we'll-" she started, but turned to look who was at the door and a look of glee replaced the boredom in her face. "Hello," she said cheerfully as Neville stepped timidly into the compartment followed by Luna.
Neville closed his eyes and gulped hard, as though forcing himself to do something particularly nasty. He sat down next to Ron, his eyes still closed and then opened them and saw that Alice was watching his every move in pure enjoyment. It seemed to Harry that it took every bit of Neville's nerves to come back into the compartment and eyed Luna suspiciously. She didn't seem to notice Harry but instead sat down next to Ginny and got a glazed look in her eyes as if she were day dreaming once more.
"I said hello," she repeated still looking happily at Neville.
But instead of Neville returning the greeting his eyes narrowed and he said coldly, "I'm not scared of you."
"Good!" Alice said enthusiastically. "Then we can have a GREAT time. You don't mind if we practice a few spells on you before school. You know, for a bit of extra wand-time before classes?" she said whipping out her wand. Harry knew that she was determined to scare Neville again and he heard a slight whimper from him but was amazed when Neville didn't get up again.
"No th-thanks," he said gulping again.
"Oh, this won't hurt one bit. Promise," she whispered. She pointed her wand in-between Neville's eyes.
Neville was about to get up and scream but Ron held him back down.
"Duel her Neville," Ron urged and took Neville's wand from Neville's pocket and gave it to him.
"B-but-" Neville started as Ron thrust his wand in his hand.
"C'mon Neville ," Alice said sweetly, her wand still glued to the spot on Neville's head.
Neville suddenly felt a burst of anger and he whipped his wand in the air, pointed it at Alice and screamed "Expelliar- "
Alice was to fast and she yelled "STUPEFY! " A jet of green light shot at Neville and he collapsed to the floor quickly. Alice grinned mischievously.
"ALICE!" Hermione said, her eyes wide in terror. "Why did you do that to Neville? We're not supposed to use magic until we're at Hogwarts."
"Oh come on. I just wanted to tease him. He's obviously scared of me because I'm Voldemort's daughter. Don't want to disappoint him do I?" she said, still smiling at her work.
Ginny was looking entertained and was about to mumble the counter-curse when Alice stopped her.
"Let me do it," she said and pointed her wand at Neville who was on the floor. " Enervate " she said and Neville woke slowly.
He was looking as though he had just been killed and was staring at one person to another in the compartment.
"Sorry mate," Alice said.
"Y-y-you... You," Neville spluttered pointing a finger at Alice.
"I said sorry. I didn't know you'd be so easy to curse," she said rudely.
Neville's eyes were as wide as an owl's and he was lost for words.
"I'm really not evil," Alice explained. "I thought it would be funny to tease you for a bit. I really am sorry, but I have a reputation to protect you know. Everyone expects me to be some evil little witch, so I just pretend I am." She smiled again.
Neville got to his feet and sat back down.
"You're Voldemort's daughter?" Luna asked, snapping back from her dream world.
"Why, yes... yes I am," Alice frowned. Alice looked different when she wasn't smiling. All the life looked as if it was sucked out of her, and more a moment, for a spilt second, he thought he saw a young Voldemort flicker in her face. She sort of looked like the sixteen year old Tom Riddle, which Harry had the misfortune to meet in his second year at Hogwarts.
"Oh, that's nice," Luna said and she stared back into space.
****
They finally arrived in the Hogsmeade Station. Dumbledore walked them outside and entered the first carriage, driven by the Thestrals.
Harry watched as Alice scooted towards the Thestrals and started admiring them magnificently and began stroking the skeleton like beast.
"You can see them?" Harry asked looking bewildered.
"Of course I can. What... are we not supposed to or something?" Alice asked looking suspiciously at the creature.
"Well..." Harry said looking for the right words while also wondering who Alice had seen die. "You can only see them if you've seen someone die."
Alice quickly pulled back her hand as if the Thestral burnt her and she stormed into the carriage after Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Luna and Neville.
Harry squeezed in after her. The carriage was only meant to fit 4 or 5 people but not 7.
The carriage clambered off down the road anyway and made it's way towards the Hogwarts castle. Harry had almost forgotten what it looked like and gazed admiringly at it's many towers and turrets. They passed the winged boar statues at the gate entrance.
Finally they squeezed their way out of the small carriage and began walking up the front steps.
"Potter!" came a cold voice behind them all that Harry knew to well.
"What is it Malfoy?" Harry asked looking at Malfoy, a look of annoyance on his face.
"I'm not finished with you yet," Malfoy said in a voice filled with purest loathing.
"I think you are," Alice stepped in beside Harry, her wand held tightly in her hand.
"Who are you ?" snapped Malfoy coldly.
"That is not important. The important thing is that I know who you are," Alice said acidly, a look of hate in her eyes. Harry again saw the flicker of Voldemort on her face.
"Really? I don't care. If you're friends with Weasley you're obviously a poor, mud-blood lover," Malfoy said, his eyes narrowing.
"Malfoy. You do know that when you get angry, you look like your father, don't you?" Alice asked sweetly. "Yes, it's true. You both look like ugly crows whenever you're ticked. Except, the only difference is that you look like someone pissed on your face in the mean time and you swallowed some of it. Does it taste bitter?"
Harry was shocked and looked at Ron who was now laughing hysterically. He looked back at Malfoy who was looking like someone had slapped royalty.
"How dare you?! Wait till my father hears you and your filthy comments," Malfoy snarled.
"Oh I'm not worried, dear Draco. Wait till my father hears how you treated me on my first day," Alice grinned wickedly.
"And WHO is your father?" Malfoy demanded.
"Let's just say... he's your father's boss," Alice said. She turned on her heel and walked back up the steps.
"Wait. My father doesn't have a-" Malfoy started. Then it hit him. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville all turned also and followed Alice up the stairs.
They entered the Entrance Hall and were about to set off to the Great Hall when a voice shouted "Potter! I need a word with you in my office. Hmm, and you too Alice."
Harry and Alice turned to see Professor McGonagall on the Marble staircase. They watched as she turned and walked back up the stairs.
"What does she want?" Ron asked Harry.
"Don't know," Harry shrugged and he and Alice walked up the Marble staircase after McGonagall. ****
Alice walked slowly up the steps, and Harry knew that she was looking at everything in the castle as though they were all miraculous. He knew what she was feeling, because he thought that too, in his first year at Hogwarts. Being secluded from the Wizarding world for 11 years and having some whole new world being sprung upon him was a wondrous feeling.
They followed McGonagall slowly to her office. They reached the door and she opened it and let them in.
"Please, Potter, Riddle, have a seat," she said pointing suggestively at two armchairs at the corner of the room. Professor McGonagall took a seat behind her desk on her own armchair and studied them carefully.
"The armchairs are quite clean you know," she said when they didn't sit down.
Harry ignored her and was instead watching a shadow in the corner of the room.
Alice, taking Harry's lead not to sit down, looked at him and then stared instinctively at where he was staring. The shadow got up and strode towards the middle of the room and the cold, pale face of Snape came into view.
"Manners, Potter," Snape said coldly. "Professor McGonagall said to sit." Harry, still staring at Snape took his seat obediently. Alice sat next to him and glared from teacher to teacher.
"Now Potter... As you probably know, Fred and George Weasley's last year of school has passed. So has Alicia's, Katie's and Angelina's. That leaves you and Mr. Weasley on the Gryffindor Quidditch team," McGonagall started. Harry suddenly clued in. He wanted to smack himself for not being able to think about it over the summer. Who was going to be Quidditch captain? She continued. "Angelina chose you to be Quidditch Captain," she said looking at Harry's face, which was full of shock. She smiled now. "I trust you to find some good replacements on the team?" she asked.
"Yes, of course Professor," Harry replied still bewildered by this news.
"As for you Riddle..." McGonagall said sharply turning to Alice. "Professor Dumbledore has told me all about your encounter with the Sorting Hat. I have called Professor Snape here so that you can make an informative decision."
"Um..." Alice started staring at McGonagall stupidly. "Gryffindor?" she asked. She, no doubt, was scared of making a wrong decision.
"Excellent!" McGonagall said happily. "Now, let's go down to the feast shall we?" She got up and walked briskly to the door. Snape followed her, scowling at Harry.
"Who was THAT?" Alice asked staring after Snape with great dislike.
"Snape," Harry said getting up.
"And he was here... why?" she asked, still confused.
"Head of Slytherin," Harry said sharply. He was still trying to get the memory of Snape throwing him out of his office last year.
"Well he sure looks... angry," Alice laughed as they made their way back down towards the Great Hall.
"He doesn't like me very much," Harry explained.
"Why?" Alice asked interestedly.
"Because my father made fun of him," he said. He Strangely felt like he didn't want to explain about his father to a girl who was the daughter of Voldemort.
"Really? I heard from the Death Eaters that Snape was one of the best wizards of their little group. Why would he let someone bully him?" she asked.
"I have no idea," Harry shrugged. "My father was quite good at it too. Knew which hexes to use and when."
Alice gazed off in the distant. She wondered what it would be like to have a father like that... a father to be PROUD of.
They walked down the Marble Staircase into the Entrance Hall and then went into the Great Hall.
The roof looked pitch black and cloudy, as if threatening to rain any moment. The four long house tables in their original places along with the Staff Table at the head of them. They spotted the first-years and Harry knew that they had missed the Sorting Hat's song yet again.
Heads turned to look at them as they entered. The room erupted in immediate whispers and gasps. Had Malfoy told the whole school already that Alice was Voldemort's daughter. And then Harry suddenly knew why everyone was looking at them wide-eyed. Him and ALICE? They were looking at him as though betrayed.
What had they expected? Harry thought as he took a seat at the Gryffindor Table. Alice sat beside him, looking awkwardly around the room. Did they expect him to curse Alice the minute he saw her just on Voldemort's behalf? Was he expected to protect them all from the slightest of harm? Well I'm NOT Hogwarts' Hero! Harry thought angrily.
Harry could see Professor Flitwick holding a large scroll. He had stopped reading out names when Harry and Alice came in but he gathered himself and continued reading.
"Nex, William," he squeaked. A boy with wide, blue eyes and a small head topped with shaggy, brown hair stepped forward and put the hat on his head.
"Slytherin!" shouted the hat almost immediately.
"Olive, Lucille,"...."Hufflepuff!
"
"Patil, Payten,"... "Gryffindor!" A girl with long, brown hair and gray eyes walked towards the Gryffindor table. Pavarti screamed with joy and embraced the girl. It hit Harry that this must be Pavarti's other sister.
This went on for about five minutes. Until "Zindle, Leslie" was sorted into Hufflepuff
"That was boring," Ron sighed. He rested his head on his chin and was staring expectantly at his plate. He looked over at Harry, who seemed to look angry at something. Ron ignored his facial expression and instead turned to look at Alice. He still couldn't believe that Voldemort had a daughter... it boggled the mind.
"Well it's not supposed to be entertaining Ron," Hermione reminded. She was sitting opposite of them, beside Pavarti and Lavender.
"Well, it's not supposed to make you want to sleep, is it?" Ron snorted. Hermione opened her mouth to say something but then stopped and closed it.
Dumbledore had stood up and raised his hand, asking for silence. Everyone in the hall shut up and waited for him to begin. No doubt everyone would want to hear what was going on with Voldemort.
Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "Two words for now. Tuck in!" He waved his wand cheerfully and the plates and goblets on every house table filled instantly.
Harry watched Dumbledore sit down. He glanced along the staff table, trying to find out who would be the next defense against the dark arts teacher. "Sprout, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid," Harry muttered counting everyone in the staff table until he saw an unfamiliar face.
A witch with gray hair and a sour look on her face was watching everyone in the hall eat. She looked disgusted at the very thought of being here and then her eyes flickered to her plate. She pushed it away defiantly.
Harry could see Dumbledore say something to her from down the table, and she pulled the plate back to her and stuck her fork in some salad.
"What's her problem?" Ron asked. He had looked to see what Harry was looking at and had seen the little show the witch put up.
"Who is she?" Harry answered with his own question. But Ron had already started eating his own food, and was shoving a pork chop in his mouth, determined to chew it all in one mouthful.
"She's obviously the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione said rudely. She was watching Ron in disgust and pulled her eyes away and began to eat her own food. She was eating rather slowly, as if to show Ron how a normal person eats.
After everyone had seconds and dessert, Dumbledore stood up again and with another wave of his wand, the plates were wiped clean.
"Now is the time to discuss some matters," he said calmly and stood beaming at them all. "Filch has asked me to remind everyone that the Forest is out of bounds to everyone and that anything sold from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is banned."
Everyone burst into applaud at Fred and George's shop. No doubt, everyone had visited it while shopping for school in Diagon Alley.
"On a little more cheerful note," he continued over the booming cheers from Ron and Ginny. "I am pleased to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he said turning to the witch. "Please welcome Professor... Tonks!"
Harry was taken aback. Tonks? Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Never... she had a job at the ministry! Harry turned to look at Ron and Hermione. Ron seemed almost as surprised as Harry but Hermione just smiled and clapped with the rest of the students in the school.
Tonks flushed and screwed up her eyes. Next moment her gray hair had turned to navy blue and her sour expression was fixed to a cheerful one. The color of her eyes had changed along with the shape of her lips, but Harry could still tell that it was Tonks.
Everyone in the Great Hall applauded in amusement.
"I have no doubt that many of you are tired from your long trip, and the feast only made you even more so. You should rest up for your first day of classes tomorrow. Goodnight," he said and he sat back down. Everyone flooded out of the Great Hall.
"Tonks?" Ron said, still bewildered.
"Yes, Ron, Tonks," Hermione said. She couldn't help but talk to Ron in a slow voice.
"But she can't be our new teacher," Harry protested as he made his way back up to the Gryffindor Tower.
"Why not?" Alice asked. Harry just realized she had been behind them the whole time. He was just about to ask what she was doing eavesdropping when he remembered she didn't know where the Gryffindor Tower was.
"Because she's an Auror!" Harry informed. Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Maybe she's just doing Dumbledore a favor. Everyone thinks the job's cursed, and he knows no one wants another Ministry appointed teacher, so he asked if someone in the Ord.." she stopped, and turned to Alice.
"The Order?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes. Well, he could've asked everyone in the Order who wanted the job. And Tonks must've volunteered," Hermione guessed.
They climbed a staircase and walked through a passage before Ron spoke up.
"Lupin probably would've," Ron mumbled. Lupin had been Ron's favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"Not after what happened in the third year," Harry reminded.
"What if someone MADE him take that potion every day..." Ron started and Hermione stopped him.
"The Defense Against the Dark Arts spot has already been filled Ron. Maybe next year," she said hopefully.
"I think Nymphadora would be a good teacher," Alice said. Harry was about to ask who Nymphadora was and remembered that it was Tonks.
"You know Tonks?" Harry asked.
"Of course I do," Alice said suddenly frowning. "She's my cousin." She looked at everyone's faces. "Second cousin I think. She was my mom's cousin... Anyway," she said snapping back to reality after going into a kind of trance. "She used to visit me all the time when I was little, she gave me this when I was 11 and wasn't going to Hogwarts," She reached in her pocket and produced her wand. "I wasn't aloud to go to Diagon Alley and to school so she bought me this wand and convinced my mom to home school me..." she trailed off again.
Harry suddenly remembered Sirius saying that Tonks was his cousin also.
"Soo, that would make you Sirius's cousin also!" Harry said excitedly. He felt his heart give a great lurch downwards, but ignored it and stared at Alice.
"Yes..." she started. "But he was like my third cousin, twice removed. Something like that..." she said.
Harry remembered how many burn holes were in the tapestry at Sirius' house and wondered how many people had been removed from the family.
"My mom was a first cousin to Andromeda, Bellatrix and Narcissa. When Andromeda married Ted, she was removed, but since she was my mom's favorite cousin, they always kept in touch. Then my mom went and had a fling with my half-blood father, and was removed. But she was welcomed back in open arms when they realized he was Lord Voldemort. Then she had me," she said. After frowning and looking on the verge of tears for a couple of moments, she suddenly smiled.
Ron, Hermione and Harry were all lost for words. How confusing this family was, Harry thought. He actually liked being the only Potter for a half a second.
"How can you remember all those names?" Harry asked.
"We have some sort of tapestry in our house and I used to stare at it when I was bored. I don't know ALL the names, just the most recent ones," she said.
"Wait a moment," Hermione said and then her eyes widened. "You're related to Malfoy?" she asked.
"Yes..." Alice smiled. "By marriage of course, but that's how I knew it was him. I had seen pictures of Narcissa from Nymphadora and knew too well who those pale eyes and hair could've belonged to."
"But Lucius has them too," Ron reminded, and seemed to fight back the urge of punching his hand.
"Yes, maybe that's why Narcissa was drawn to him. A man that looked like her... quite disturbing..." she smiled again.
They stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Hermione and Ron, who were still prefects, said the password, which was "Codswallop".
Harry and Ron departed to one side of the room where the door to the boy's dormitories stood and Hermione and Alice went into the girl's dormitories.
Harry found his trunk on his bed along with Hedwig's cage and put them onto the floor. He drew the curtains of his four-poster and started to think about what Alice had said.
He was even more fascinated by her than he had been when she first entered the compartment of the Hogwarts Express. She had to live with being Voldemort's daughter and being intertwined against her will with a family full of arrogant purebloods. His earlier thoughts of suspiciousness and uncertainty had long since vanished. He know felt... sorry for her.
****
"Harry, it's almost breakfast... wake up!" Ron said, poking Harry awake.
"Dun wanna..." mumbled Harry. He turned over so that his face was buried in his pillow but then his stomach grumbled and he decided to get ready.
"I wonder what Defense Against the Dark Arts will be like with Tonks teaching," Ron wondered as they made their way to the common room.
"Alice! Come on! We're going to be late " Hermione hissed. She was dragging Alice by the arm towards the back of the Fat Lady portrait.
"But look outside!" Alice said pointing towards the window. Harry turned to see what she was looking at.
It was completely foggy outside. Not normal for September. Harry shrugged.
"Come on Alice," Hermione said again opening the portrait hole. Alice obediently climbed through the hole but looked back before the portrait slammed shut.
Ron and Hermione began walking ahead, discussing something that Harry tried to overhear but was interrupted by Alice who tugged on his robes.
"What?" Harry asked, still watching Hermione and Ron.
"Is she always that bossy?" Alice whispered, pointing to Hermione.
"Yes..." Harry started.
"I wanted to go and explore the castle last night. I heard you have an Invisibility Cloak," she hinted mischievously.
"Uh... that's right... I do," Harry said nervously.
"But... she stopped me. And then she went on about being expelled and junk," she continued.
"Yea, Hermione's not one for adventures," Harry said staring at the back of Hermione.
"So... do you want to?" Alice asked grinning widely.
"Want to what?" Harry asked confused.
"Give me a tour of Hogwarts," Alice said.
Harry looked at her, bewildered. He wasn't used to anyone asking him to go explore Hogwarts at night. They only did it when they needed to. She's completely different from Hermione, Harry thought.
"Uh... sure," Harry agreed.
"Great!" Alice said and she started walking faster to catch up with Ron and Hermione. Harry caught up also.
They entered the Great Hall and quickly ate their breakfast. Harry was watching Hermione. She sure is acting strange, he thought suspiciously.
Hermione was indeed acting strange. She was playing with her bacon and toast and looked deep in thought about something.
"Hermione... are you alright?" Ron asked suddenly after watching Hermione for a couple of minutes.
"Yes... alright..." Hermione mumbled still staring at her plate.
Ron glanced at Harry and Harry looked equally confused.
"You probably didn't get enough sleep," said Alice smiling. Hermione looked at Alice sharply. "You know, because you were reading that book... Dreams: What They Mean By: Shianna White ..." Alice started but was cut off by a particular nasty look from Hermione.
"Having nightmares eh Hermione?" Ron asked cheerfully shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.
"No," Hermione said fiercely. She got up from the table, grabbed her book bag and stormed out of the Great Hall.
"Wonder where 'Mione went," Ron said as they exited the Great Hall after breakfast.
"Class?" Harry suggested taking out his timetable. He glanced at it. Defense Against the Dark Arts followed by Double Potions and then lunch.
"I know where she went," Alice spoke up dreamily.
Ron turned around to see that Alice was following them.
"Where?" Harry asked, ignoring the fact that Alice followed them everywhere.
"Back to the dormitories," she replied.
"Why?" Ron asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing.
"Never you mind," Alice said turning to Ron. "She'll be back soon, don't worry."
"How do you know she went there?" Harry asked.
"She forgot that book on her bed. I saw it when she was dragging me out of the room," Alice shrugged while following Ron and Harry to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
They walked into the classroom and saw it completely deserted.
"Let's grab a seat at the front..." Harry suggested looking around the room. There wasn't a trace of anyone being in this room since last year. The floor was covered in thick dust and the teacher's desk, which was usually full of parchment and quills and neat items, was empty.
Slowly the room started filling up with more Gryffindors. All of them stared at Alice who was busying herself in cleaning her desk. "Scourgio!" she said and the thick dust vanished and a clean lemony scent filled the air.
Finally the door to the classroom burst open and Tonks stumbled in. She had a scratched up face and there was a rip in her robes.
"Sorry... sorry..." she said running to her desk and setting a suitcase down on top. "Peeves..." she said as she began to unpack some things onto her desk. Harry noticed there was a brilliant green orb that was hovering inches over her desk and immediately wondered what it was.
"Okay... today we'll be practicing the Unforgivable Curses," she said briskly taking out her wand.
Everyone gasped and Tonks rolled her eyes. "I know that you are only supposed to learn about them at a 6th year level, but with the return of Voldemort," everyone flinched at the name, "you will all be expected to know how to use each one. Wands out! Yes boy?"
Seamus Finnigan had slowly raised his hand. When Tonks had spoken to him he blushed and began talking. "How do you make your face different?" he asked curiously. Everyone nodded their heads and Tonks rolled her eyes.
"I'm a Metamorphagus," she explained in exasperation. "Anyway, on to the Unforgivable Curses..." but she was interrupted by a couple more hands shooting into the air.
"What is it?" she asked everyone, looking annoyed.
Lavender Brown looked around the class and then took it upon herself to speak for everyone. "Can you change how you look again?" she asked earnestly.
Tonks tried her hardest to look strict but gave in and smiled. "Sure, but just this once!" she agreed. She closed her eyes tight and her hair (which was chestnut brown that day) turned Red and then switched to Orange, and then Yellow and then back to Red. It alternated over and over again like Christmas lights and she smiled again.
"Anyway, back to the Unforgivable Curses. I'm sure you all know what they are by now. There's the Imperius curse, the Cruciatus curse and Avada Kedavra," she began. Everyone nodded silently, they already knew this.
"Today, we'll be practicing the Imperius curse. It takes total control of the mind to make someone else do something against their will. Of course you won't be practicing on each other... I've brought some spiders to practice on. Their minds are easily accessed. Now remember. If you do decide to use the Imperius curse later in life... much later and only against the DARK wizards... remember that it can be blocked and it can kill you also. If you lose control of your mind while doing the Imperius curse, the magic will literally destroy your brain... fry it to smithereens... any who, I'll get the spiders," she said digging around in her suitcase again.
She took out a bag of spiders and placed one on each desk and then returned to the front. "Alright, wands out. Point it directly at the spider. Make sure it doesn't get away! Okay now concentrate. The key to this curse is to tell yourself you WANT to or NEED to place the spider under the curse."
Harry stared at his spider intently.
I need to know how to do this! I need to protect myself against Voldemort and the Death Eaters...
"Alright, now think of something you want your spider to do. Wait, never mind I'll just tell you what to make it do. Uh... make it jump, yea, jump," Tonks said. "Remember to concentrate. And do not lose eye contact with the spider. You won't need to keep eye contact all the time but for your first try you should. Alright, so by now you should've convinced yourself you want to do the curse, next you have to convince yourself you're speaking to the spider. Go on."
Harry looked at his spider again. I can talk to the spider. The spider is listening to me. All I have to do is talk to it.
"Next, you say "Imperio" then you should tell the spider to jump. If you did it right, it will jump. Alright, start now!" Tonks said.
"Imperio!" Harry said to his spider. Jump! Jump jump jump jump jump! He looked at his spider, which wasn't moving at all. JUMP! he thought and the spider jumped. Harry grinned widely and stopped looking at his spider to look at everyone else. They were all staring at their spider. Harry saw Hermione's spider jump a couple inches out of the air. He saw Neville's spider scampering away and he saw Ron looking completely terrified as the spider was trying to crawl across his desk to him.
"Get away get away!" Ron yelled.
Harry looked over at Alice who was looking bored. She was the only one not looking intensely at her spider. Then Harry glanced at it. She was making it jump, high, but she was also making it do flips while it jumped. She was making it flip and twirl and leap, and she wasn't even making an effort.
Soon the end of class buzzer sounded and everyone collected their books. Harry overheard Pavarti and Lavender up ahead.
"Did you see her spider? She's obviously done it before. No doubt her dad taught her how to do it. Why did Dumbledore let her come to Hogwarts?" Pavarti asked.
"He's gone mad," Lavender answered. Then they started talking about the boys in Hufflepuff and Harry lost interest.
Why had Alice been able to do the Imperius curse so well and with ease? Had she really done it before? Harry thought hard.
"Double Potions," Ron reminded as they made their way down to the dungeons, but Harry wasn't listening. He was staring at Alice who was walking a bit ahead of them, following Dean and Seamus to Potions. Maybe she was on her dad's side... ****
They walked into the potions classroom, and it was completely opposite of Tonks'.
The shelves were covered with bottles of all different shapes and sizes, each containing a different colored liquid or gas. The room smelled musty, as usual, since there were no windows in the room. Snape had perched himself on his desk and eyed each student that came in.
Harry and Hermione took a table at the back, beside Ron and Neville. Alice took a seat at the front and Draco took the place beside her. Harry could see that Alice wanted to switch desks, but had no choice but to stay with Draco because the other desks were taken.
"For this whole month we will be making the ever-so-popular-with-Voldemort- potion, Veritaserum. This is worth a quarter of your final grade so I suggest you follow the instructions carefully. The instructions for today's class are on the board. You may begin," he said simply.
Neville gasped and Ron groaned.
"Harry, trade me partners!" Ron pleaded.
"No way Ron," Harry smiled as Hermione began adding the ingredients carefully.
"It says to add three drops of Dragon Oil, and stir counterclockwise twice," she read after setting the cauldron temperature to the perfect heat. "And then we need to add..."
Harry stopped listening and he stared at the front of the class where Draco and Alice were fighting over how to add the Dragon Oil.
"You're not supposed to just let it drop in! You're supposed to put a drop on either side of the cauldron, so it's perfectly balanced. Not just in the middle," Alice practically screamed. "Let me do the other drop, you're going to mess it all up Draco!" She made to grab the eyedropper from Malfoy but he turned just in time, squirting more than two drops of Dragon Oil into the cauldron.
"Now look what you've made me do!" Malfoy growled. "Professor!"
Snape rolled his eyes and made his way to Malfoy and Alice's desk.
"What is it?" he snapped. He looked down at their potion and sighed.
"Professor, Draco put all the Dragon Oil into the potion! He messed it all up!" Alice whined.
"I did not! She attacked me sir, she's crazy!" he said pointing at Alice, not daring to touch her in case he went crazy also.
Snape's eyes narrowed and with a whip of his wand the now useless potion vanished. "10 points from Slytherin," he said coldly and he turned on his heel to his cupboard and returned with more Dragon Oil. "Start over," he ordered and walked back to his desk.
"...And after the Worm's blood is added we have to let it sit overnight. Got that Harry?" Hermione asked.
Harry stopped looking at the front of the class and nodded.
Snape sure is acting strange. Why did he take 10 points from Slytherin? He favors his own house. He would take 50 from Gryffindor if it was me...
Harry helped Hermione add the ingredients but kept risking glances at Malfoy and Alice's table.
"Let me do it! You're going to screw it up," Alice said angrily.
"You don't know how to do it!" Malfoy snapped adding some Worm's Blood.
The arguing continued until the end of class where they pushed their cauldron's to the side of the room.
"Never again Draco!" Alice yelled at Malfoy while walking out of the class.
"Don't count on it Riddle!" Malfoy yelled back.
****
Harry was sitting in History of Magic. He was extremely bored as Professor Binns rambled tonelessly about Merpeople Conventions and Bannings.
He felt his eyelids drooping as the bright sun shone down upon his desk. Suddenly something hit him in the back of his head and he snapped awake. He turned around and saw Alice mouthing the words "Open it". He looked at what had hit him, and found that it was a piece of parchment.
He unfolded it and then read what it said.
Meet me at midnight in the common room. Bring the cloak and the map
Harry looked around to see if anyone had seen him open his note, but everyone was asleep on their desks and Professor Binns was writing dates on the boards, along with famous Mermen.
He turned back to Alice and nodded, stuffing the note in his robes pockets.
****
Harry lay awake in his four-poster bed listening to Ron's snoring. He wanted to curl up and fall asleep but knew that Alice would probably never forgive him.
Stay awake , he told himself. His Invisibility Cloak along with the Marauders map lay beside him. He looked over at his bedside clock. 11:30 . He decided to get ready to go downstairs. He changed out of his pajamas and into some robes and gathered the Invisibility Cloak and map in his hands. He opened the door to the spiral staircase outside and closed it quietly, careful not to disturb anyone in his dormitory.
He entered the common room to see Alice asleep in the armchair next to the fire. He hesitated for a moment.
Should I wake her? Nah... she probably needs the sleep. Wait, no! She made me stay awake so I will make her too. She planned this thing, it's her fault if she falls asleep.
Harry shook Alice awake and she woke instantly.
"Harry? Oh... oh dear! What time is it? I must've dozed off!" Alice said jumping out of the armchair.
"It's almost midnight," Harry said.
"Is that the Invisibility Cloak?" Alice asked smiling evilly.
"Yes, and here's the map," Harry said handing her the map.
"It doesn't look like a map," Alice said disappointed.
"You tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'" Harry explained.
Alice followed his instructions and then gasped when she saw the map.
"Are there supposed to be this many dots?" she asked, staring intensely at the map.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked snatching the map away from her. Harry's eyes widened also. There was a big circle of dots just down the corridor, making their way towards the portrait hole.
"Quick! Alice go back to sleep in the armchair!" Harry hissed taking his cloak and wrapping it over the map. He threw the bundle across the room and it landed in the corner under a desk. He plunged himself into the nearest armchair just in time.
"Honestly Albus. Do we have to check every common room each night?" came the crisp voice of McGonagall.
"Yes Minerva. We must check that these kids are in bed and not roaming around the school mindlessly," Dumbledore said.
"Potter... Riddle?" came a cold voice that could only belong to Snape.
"Awww... should we wake them Albus?" McGonagall asked sweetly.
"Hmmm... no leave them," Albus said. Harry could feel their gaze locked on him.
"Were they studying?" came a high voice. Professor Flitwick's here too? Harry asked surprised. Then he realized it must be every Head of House and the Headmaster.
"No, there are no books," Professor Sprout said matter-of-factly.
"They're up to something Headmaster! If you just let me do a simple Behavior Adjustment charm..." Snape started.
"No Severus! This was probably not a business meeting regarding mischief, but a social call," Dumbledore explained.
It took Harry a couple of seconds to realize Dumbledore said this and he tried his hardest not to blush furiously or grip the end of the chair in anger. I'm not with Alice! She's not my girlfriend! How dare you Dumbledore? Harry thought angrily.
"Let's leave now. We still have Hufflepuff's common room to inspect," Dumbledore ordered. He heard a bunch of footsteps clambering out of the portrait hole and heard the portrait slam shut. He risked a glance at where he heard the voices and saw it was completely empty.
He looked over at Alice who was smiling widely. She was looking at the map.
"Want to leave now?" she asked sweetly.
"You still want to go with the Headmaster and four Head of Houses roaming around the school? They know I have an Invisibility Cloak. They're going to be suspicious," Harry warned seriously.
Alice stopped smiling. "Fine, be a goody-goody. I still want to go, and I will," she said crossing her arms. She got up and walked over to where the cloak and map landed and started to feel where it was.
"Fine, I'll go," Harry gave in. He had to admit, his heart was racing hard from pure thrill of being caught.
Alice threw him the Invisibility Cloak and took the map. Harry unfolded it and threw it over the both of them.
They began to walk to the portrait hole.
"You have to get closer or we'll never walk un-noticed," Alice stated sharply. Harry was trying to get as far from Alice as possible while still staying under the Invisibility Cloak. "I won't bite you," she prompted.
Harry moved closer and felt himself go red when their arms touched.
"This way," he mumbled after they went through the portrait hole. They began walking slowly down the corridor.
"Where are we going first?" Alice asked after awhile.
Harry thought for a second and then smiled. "Want to go to the kitchens?" he asked.
****
They walked quickly and quietly through the school. Alice stopped occasionally checking the map, until they finally stopped in front of the fruit bowl portrait.
"This is just a picture, Harry," Alice snorted.
Harry ignored her and tickled the pear in the fruit bowl. The portrait giggled and then opened up. Alice's eyes widened and a grin spread across her face.
"Excellent!" she said whipping off the Invisibility Cloak and clambering into the Kitchen.
All of the house elves looked up and all of them gathered around Alice.
"Would you like anything from our kitchens?" one house elf asked.
"Oh my," Alice said as even more house elves surrounded her.
Harry went by her side and looked around at all the house elves, looking for Dobby.
"Yes. Do you mind if I ask for a chocolate cake?" Harry asked politely. The house elves nodded and rushed to work on the chocolate cake.
"Harry Potter! Dobby is so glad to see you!" came a squeaky voice behind Alice and Harry. Harry turned around to see his favorite house elf, Dobby, come flying at them.
"Hullo Dobby," Harry greeted.
"Dobby is so glad you visited him, sir," Dobby said excitedly.
"Who are you?" Alice asked in pure interest.
"Dobby the house elf pretty lady!" Dobby answered looking at Alice. Alice blushed.
"We can't stay long Dobby," Harry informed.
"Yes we can Harry. Stop being such a spoil sport," Alice advised.
Harry rolled his eyes. Even though it was fun being in the kitchens at midnight, he didn't like the way Alice was acting, though he couldn't blame her.
"Dobby has something for Harry Potter," Dobby said importantly. Harry watched as Dobby took off one sock and pulled out a shiny green orb.
"Dobby... that's Professor Tonks'!" Harry said shocked.
"No. Tonks lady said Dobby could keep the Green Orb," Dobby said.
"What does it do?" Alice asked taking the orb and running it through her fingers. It was as small as a marble and trying to hover but Alice had a firm grip on it.
"It's a Green Orb. Dobby does not know how it works or what it does, pretty lady," Dobby explained.
"Here is your chocolate cake," said a house elf, turning up at Alice's side. Alice took the cake and gave Harry the orb.
"Thank you," Alice said.
"Now you must be going. Go on, get out of the kitchens," said the house elf, shooing them out through the portrait hole.
"Harry Potter will visit Dobby again yes?" Dobby asked as Alice and Harry put on their Invisibility Cloak.
"Yes, Dobby. We won't forget," Alice promised kissing the house elf on the forehead.
Dobby smiled and started playing with his socks.
"Kissing house elves?" Harry teased as they got out of the portrait hole.
"He called me pretty lady," Alice said dreamily.
If that's all it takes...Harry thought.