On Hogwarts Express, Again
On September the first, Mr Weasley turned up at Leaky Cauldron to give them their tickets. Harry was surprised to see Mr Weasley handing as extra one to him. He was even more surprised when Mr Weasley told him that it was for Alex.
"How did you know." Harry started. Mr Weasley pointed his thumb towards Ron and Hermione, who were packing their things.
"Just give it to her alright?" Harry nodded. As Ron and Hermione dragged their trunks downstairs, complaining about the weight, Harry stopped by Alex's room.
"Alex? Can I come in?" There was no reply. Harry knocked a few times before he decided to open the door. He pushed the door slightly, and peeped through. There was no sign of Alex on the bed or at the desk. Harry pushed the door wide open, and to his horror, saw Alex lying on the ground. He hurried to her side, and propped her against the side of her bed. Her hair was covering her pale face.
"Alex! Alex!" Harry shook her shoulders violently. After a few minutes of shaking, Alex opened her eyes.
"Good Lord! I thought something happened to you!" Harry exclaimed. Alex looked around with a dazed look in her eyes.
"Harry? What. Why." she muttered. Harry pulled out the ticket and gave it to her. Alex looked at the ticket for a long time before she realized what it was.
"Oh. thanks, Harry." Alex stood up unsteadily and walked towards her trunk. She keeled over again when she tried to lift the trunk. Harry jumped and held her steady.
"Here, let me." Alex mumbled her thanks, and grabbed an empty cage, which Harry guessed, belong to Alex's owl.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?" Harry grunted. His arms were tearing at the weight of two heavy trunks. His face was bright red with exertion.
"Can you not tell anyone about what happened? I don't want to worry the others." Alex said, reaching for her trunk. Her hands touched Harry's and it sent jolts down Harry's spine. He looked away, hoping that his face wasn't as red as he felt it was and nodded.
"But are you sure you are alright?" Alex nodded, but the lack of sparkle in her eyes told Harry otherwise. Harry made a mental note to keep a close watch on her on the train.
* * *
The group arrived at King Cross Station at half past ten that morning. Harry was telling Alex to sit with them when an unmistakable voice called out to him.
"So, Potter, you're still going to school! I thought you were going to transfer once you realized the Dark Lord has returned."
Harry turned and forced a smile at the smirking faces of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. "Malfoy! How are you? Haven't seen you since you were thrown out of the barrier last year."
Malfoy flushed. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Harry had cast a series of hexes on them a year before, rendering them unconscious; and they still remembered waking up last, and having themselves thrown out of the train and right past the barrier. It had been a painful touchdown, with their trunks landing on their back, and them landing on their front. Crabbe and Goyle aimed a punch at Harry and Alex. Harry dodged Crabbe easily, his past experiences with Dudley were much faster then them. Alex simply parried Goyle off with backhands. Alex distracted them by jumping off the ground, and using her legs, caught Goyle's wrist, and somersaulted, throwing Goyle towards the stonewall. She landed gracefully on her feet, and turned towards Crabbe. Harry stood still, dumbstruck at Alex's quick movements. In his few seconds of distraction, Crabbe had gotten his hands on Harry, and was about to lift aim a punch on Harry's nose. Alex placed her palm in between Crabbe's fist and Harry's face just in time. She grunted slightly, and pushed Crabbe aside. Crabbe stumbled slightly. When he regained his balance, he lunged at Alex. Harry and about every other student boarding the train stared open mouthed as Alex pushed Crabbe behind her, and with a sharp movement, flung him across her shoulder. Crabbe landed heavily on Goyle, who was groaning, and picking himself up. Malfoy's jaws dropped. Alex turned towards him, and he paled. Pulling Crabbe and Goyle to their feet, he hurried back to their carriage. An awkward silence hung over the atmosphere, before erupting to a deafening applause.
"Alex! Wow! Awesome!" Harry exclaimed. "How did you do that?"
"Chinese martial arts," Alex replied, her face blushing as students from Hogwarts cheered for her. Only a chorus of 'boos' can be heard from a group of Slytherins. Alex rubbed her palm slightly.
When all the students were seated comfortably in their seats, Ron and Hermione couldn't stop praising Alex for her skills.
"Will you teach us?" Hermione asked. Alex was surprised at the request.
"Me? Teach? I."
Harry and Ron nodded furiously. "We would love to learn that too! That way, we can defend ourselves even without wands!"
Alex continued rubbing her palm, while considering. "Alright. but I must have Professor Dumbledore's permission first."
Harry, Ron and Hermione cheered slightly. Then, Hermione looked at Alex's palm. "Is your hand alright?"
Alex nodded, but she didn't stop rubbing her palm. "It just feels slightly numb."
"Sorry Alex." Harry mumbled. "You didn't have to take that punch for me you know."
Alex grinned. "It's all right. Anyway, it would hurt a lot more if Crabbe hit your face."
Harry grinned slightly back. Just then, the train started moving. Harry, Ron and Hermione started telling Alex how Hogwarts looked like.
"It's huge! Even after four years in Hogwarts, we can still get lost!" Ron exclaimed. "There's about four or five towers in all; four dormitories and common rooms; one Great Hall; the staff's office; and some little passages here and there. Harry! Take out your map!"
Harry fumbled around in his robes and pulled out an old looking parchment. He mumbled, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Alex gasped slightly when ink magically appeared and form thin lines and criss-cross each other. A few seconds later, the entire map of Hogwarts was on the parchment.
"This is so cool!" Alex exclaimed. She peered earnestly at the map. The three of them started explaining the uses and how it worked.
"Anything off the trolley dears?" A short plumb witch pushed a trolley filled with wizards sweet. Harry asked for a dozen of each type of sweets, much to the delight of the others.
"Thanks for helping me just now," Harry gave Alex a quarter of his purchases. The four of them, ate their sweets in silent, only an occasional 'yuck' came from them while they were eating Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans. They finished the sweets in two hours time, and they began stirring the conversation to subjects.
"Wonder who will be our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Harry wondered out loud.
Ron ticked off his fingers. "Let see, in our first year, we had Professor Quirrell, who looked like a scaredy-cat, but was actually You-Know-Who's little leading dog. In our second year, we had this narcissist named Gilderoy Lockhart, who took others' work and pass it off as his. In third year, we had one of our best teachers yet, but he turned out to be a werewolf. Last year, we had another good teacher, only that he wasn't exactly who he looked. He was You-Know-Who's biggest helper in Hogwarts, and actually led Harry to him. What about this year?" The rest of the conversation suddenly sounded like it was under a well. What happened a year ago was replaying in Harry's mind.
Harry was selected for the Triwizard Tournament, but he didn't volunteered. Someone else had put his name in, and there was nothing the other professors could do, but to let Harry compete. He passed the first two tasks with flying colours, and tied in the first place with a fellow Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory. However, at the last task, Cedric and Harry had gotten to the championship Cup at the same time, only to find that it was a Portkey to where Voldemort was staying. With Harry's blood, Voldemort was resurrected, and he killed Cedric. He forced Harry to duel with him, but the Reverse Spell Charm had taken effect between Harry and Voldemort's wands. Ghostlike images began appearing from Voldemort's wand; images of Cedric, his parents and people whom Voldemort had killed. Harry managed to escape from Voldemort's clutches with Cedric's body, but the terror was yet finished. Harry's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad- Eye Moody, told Harry how he was the one who entered Harry's name, made sure Harry had pass his tasks, and also, turned the championship Cup into a Portkey. However, Mad-Eye Moody wasn't Mad-Eye Moody. He was Barty Crouch, under the disguise of the Polyjuice Potion. Barty Crouch confesses in helping Voldemort get to Harry, but before he could confess in front of the Minister, an Azkaban guard, the Dementor, had sucked his soul out of him. Although the incident happened a year ago, Harry could not forget the images of his parents coming out of the wand.
"Harry!" Harry jumped.
"Stop thinking of what happened," Ron whispered to him. Harry nodded. He noticed that Hermione had started reading her textbook, while Alex's eyes were closed. She appeared to be sleeping. Ron was looking at the card that came with of the Chocolate Frog box. Harry, with nothing to do, decide to do what Hermione is doing. He was halfway through the book, when the train reached Hogwarts. Harry shook Alex awake, who opened her eyes with the same dazed look on her face. It took her a few seconds to register what happened. Harry urged her to put on her Hogwarts robe.
"How are you going to be sorted?" Ron asked.
"After the first-years. Dumbledore asked me to sit somewhere first before being Sorted."
"Come and sit with us!" Alex nodded nervously at Hermione's suggestion. They made their way to the horseless carriages and once the four of them were seated on them, the carriages moved towards the castle. Alex was astounded by the size of the castle, and was even more when she saw the Great Hall. She was immensely welcomed at the Gryffindor table, where most of the students praised her for beating Crabbe and Goyle up. Some, like Harry and the others, asked her to teach them martial arts as well. Alex nodded nervously, and sat down next to Harry. The Sorting Ceremony began and ended quickly. When the first-years had settled down, Dumbledore stood up.
"This year, we had two new comers joining us this year. Let me introduce you your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Sabrina Hugh!"
A tall and long-haired woman stood up. Even from the middle of the table, Harry could tell that her eyes are sky-blue. She looked so young, only a few years older than Harry.
"Miss Hugh was a Hogwarts student here three years ago. I believe some of the Ravenclaws remember her, don't you?"
Some Ravenclaws nodded, and Harry saw Cho waving to the new teacher.
" Well now, we have a new student from the Chinese Institution of Magic in China! She would be here for the next three years, and thus, we need to Sort her into a house. Miss Alexandra, will you step up here please?"
Alex walked towards the front slowly, and sat down on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Alex jumped slightly when she heard the voice echoing throughout the room.
"Hm. Not bad. Plenty of courage, and wits. There's also a strong determination and a natural at magical arts. Where should I put you?"
Harry crossed his fingers, praying hard that she would be in Gryffindor.
"Alright. Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted. A loud applause was heard from the Gryffindor, and Alex walked back to the table grinning happily.
Dumbledore waited till the commotion is over and started the feast. Alex accepted repeated requests from some of the Quidditch team members, namely Harry, Fred, George, Angelina Johnson, to try out for the Quidditch team. Ron was also asked to try out, much to his surprise. The feast ended an hour later, with the second to seventh years going back to the dormitories first, followed by the first years, who were lead by Prefects. Harry and Ron talked excitedly about Quidditch while Alex and Hermione talked about their lessons tomorrow.
"Oh, we won't have lessons tomorrow. We have yet gotten our timetables, thus tomorrow is actually a free day. It was also a day for the first years to get around this place."
"That's great! Alex! I'll tell Fred and George to have Quidditch practice tomorrow. Hermione, can you tell Angelina and Alicia?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded and the four of them parted.
On September the first, Mr Weasley turned up at Leaky Cauldron to give them their tickets. Harry was surprised to see Mr Weasley handing as extra one to him. He was even more surprised when Mr Weasley told him that it was for Alex.
"How did you know." Harry started. Mr Weasley pointed his thumb towards Ron and Hermione, who were packing their things.
"Just give it to her alright?" Harry nodded. As Ron and Hermione dragged their trunks downstairs, complaining about the weight, Harry stopped by Alex's room.
"Alex? Can I come in?" There was no reply. Harry knocked a few times before he decided to open the door. He pushed the door slightly, and peeped through. There was no sign of Alex on the bed or at the desk. Harry pushed the door wide open, and to his horror, saw Alex lying on the ground. He hurried to her side, and propped her against the side of her bed. Her hair was covering her pale face.
"Alex! Alex!" Harry shook her shoulders violently. After a few minutes of shaking, Alex opened her eyes.
"Good Lord! I thought something happened to you!" Harry exclaimed. Alex looked around with a dazed look in her eyes.
"Harry? What. Why." she muttered. Harry pulled out the ticket and gave it to her. Alex looked at the ticket for a long time before she realized what it was.
"Oh. thanks, Harry." Alex stood up unsteadily and walked towards her trunk. She keeled over again when she tried to lift the trunk. Harry jumped and held her steady.
"Here, let me." Alex mumbled her thanks, and grabbed an empty cage, which Harry guessed, belong to Alex's owl.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?" Harry grunted. His arms were tearing at the weight of two heavy trunks. His face was bright red with exertion.
"Can you not tell anyone about what happened? I don't want to worry the others." Alex said, reaching for her trunk. Her hands touched Harry's and it sent jolts down Harry's spine. He looked away, hoping that his face wasn't as red as he felt it was and nodded.
"But are you sure you are alright?" Alex nodded, but the lack of sparkle in her eyes told Harry otherwise. Harry made a mental note to keep a close watch on her on the train.
* * *
The group arrived at King Cross Station at half past ten that morning. Harry was telling Alex to sit with them when an unmistakable voice called out to him.
"So, Potter, you're still going to school! I thought you were going to transfer once you realized the Dark Lord has returned."
Harry turned and forced a smile at the smirking faces of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. "Malfoy! How are you? Haven't seen you since you were thrown out of the barrier last year."
Malfoy flushed. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Harry had cast a series of hexes on them a year before, rendering them unconscious; and they still remembered waking up last, and having themselves thrown out of the train and right past the barrier. It had been a painful touchdown, with their trunks landing on their back, and them landing on their front. Crabbe and Goyle aimed a punch at Harry and Alex. Harry dodged Crabbe easily, his past experiences with Dudley were much faster then them. Alex simply parried Goyle off with backhands. Alex distracted them by jumping off the ground, and using her legs, caught Goyle's wrist, and somersaulted, throwing Goyle towards the stonewall. She landed gracefully on her feet, and turned towards Crabbe. Harry stood still, dumbstruck at Alex's quick movements. In his few seconds of distraction, Crabbe had gotten his hands on Harry, and was about to lift aim a punch on Harry's nose. Alex placed her palm in between Crabbe's fist and Harry's face just in time. She grunted slightly, and pushed Crabbe aside. Crabbe stumbled slightly. When he regained his balance, he lunged at Alex. Harry and about every other student boarding the train stared open mouthed as Alex pushed Crabbe behind her, and with a sharp movement, flung him across her shoulder. Crabbe landed heavily on Goyle, who was groaning, and picking himself up. Malfoy's jaws dropped. Alex turned towards him, and he paled. Pulling Crabbe and Goyle to their feet, he hurried back to their carriage. An awkward silence hung over the atmosphere, before erupting to a deafening applause.
"Alex! Wow! Awesome!" Harry exclaimed. "How did you do that?"
"Chinese martial arts," Alex replied, her face blushing as students from Hogwarts cheered for her. Only a chorus of 'boos' can be heard from a group of Slytherins. Alex rubbed her palm slightly.
When all the students were seated comfortably in their seats, Ron and Hermione couldn't stop praising Alex for her skills.
"Will you teach us?" Hermione asked. Alex was surprised at the request.
"Me? Teach? I."
Harry and Ron nodded furiously. "We would love to learn that too! That way, we can defend ourselves even without wands!"
Alex continued rubbing her palm, while considering. "Alright. but I must have Professor Dumbledore's permission first."
Harry, Ron and Hermione cheered slightly. Then, Hermione looked at Alex's palm. "Is your hand alright?"
Alex nodded, but she didn't stop rubbing her palm. "It just feels slightly numb."
"Sorry Alex." Harry mumbled. "You didn't have to take that punch for me you know."
Alex grinned. "It's all right. Anyway, it would hurt a lot more if Crabbe hit your face."
Harry grinned slightly back. Just then, the train started moving. Harry, Ron and Hermione started telling Alex how Hogwarts looked like.
"It's huge! Even after four years in Hogwarts, we can still get lost!" Ron exclaimed. "There's about four or five towers in all; four dormitories and common rooms; one Great Hall; the staff's office; and some little passages here and there. Harry! Take out your map!"
Harry fumbled around in his robes and pulled out an old looking parchment. He mumbled, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." Alex gasped slightly when ink magically appeared and form thin lines and criss-cross each other. A few seconds later, the entire map of Hogwarts was on the parchment.
"This is so cool!" Alex exclaimed. She peered earnestly at the map. The three of them started explaining the uses and how it worked.
"Anything off the trolley dears?" A short plumb witch pushed a trolley filled with wizards sweet. Harry asked for a dozen of each type of sweets, much to the delight of the others.
"Thanks for helping me just now," Harry gave Alex a quarter of his purchases. The four of them, ate their sweets in silent, only an occasional 'yuck' came from them while they were eating Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans. They finished the sweets in two hours time, and they began stirring the conversation to subjects.
"Wonder who will be our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Harry wondered out loud.
Ron ticked off his fingers. "Let see, in our first year, we had Professor Quirrell, who looked like a scaredy-cat, but was actually You-Know-Who's little leading dog. In our second year, we had this narcissist named Gilderoy Lockhart, who took others' work and pass it off as his. In third year, we had one of our best teachers yet, but he turned out to be a werewolf. Last year, we had another good teacher, only that he wasn't exactly who he looked. He was You-Know-Who's biggest helper in Hogwarts, and actually led Harry to him. What about this year?" The rest of the conversation suddenly sounded like it was under a well. What happened a year ago was replaying in Harry's mind.
Harry was selected for the Triwizard Tournament, but he didn't volunteered. Someone else had put his name in, and there was nothing the other professors could do, but to let Harry compete. He passed the first two tasks with flying colours, and tied in the first place with a fellow Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory. However, at the last task, Cedric and Harry had gotten to the championship Cup at the same time, only to find that it was a Portkey to where Voldemort was staying. With Harry's blood, Voldemort was resurrected, and he killed Cedric. He forced Harry to duel with him, but the Reverse Spell Charm had taken effect between Harry and Voldemort's wands. Ghostlike images began appearing from Voldemort's wand; images of Cedric, his parents and people whom Voldemort had killed. Harry managed to escape from Voldemort's clutches with Cedric's body, but the terror was yet finished. Harry's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad- Eye Moody, told Harry how he was the one who entered Harry's name, made sure Harry had pass his tasks, and also, turned the championship Cup into a Portkey. However, Mad-Eye Moody wasn't Mad-Eye Moody. He was Barty Crouch, under the disguise of the Polyjuice Potion. Barty Crouch confesses in helping Voldemort get to Harry, but before he could confess in front of the Minister, an Azkaban guard, the Dementor, had sucked his soul out of him. Although the incident happened a year ago, Harry could not forget the images of his parents coming out of the wand.
"Harry!" Harry jumped.
"Stop thinking of what happened," Ron whispered to him. Harry nodded. He noticed that Hermione had started reading her textbook, while Alex's eyes were closed. She appeared to be sleeping. Ron was looking at the card that came with of the Chocolate Frog box. Harry, with nothing to do, decide to do what Hermione is doing. He was halfway through the book, when the train reached Hogwarts. Harry shook Alex awake, who opened her eyes with the same dazed look on her face. It took her a few seconds to register what happened. Harry urged her to put on her Hogwarts robe.
"How are you going to be sorted?" Ron asked.
"After the first-years. Dumbledore asked me to sit somewhere first before being Sorted."
"Come and sit with us!" Alex nodded nervously at Hermione's suggestion. They made their way to the horseless carriages and once the four of them were seated on them, the carriages moved towards the castle. Alex was astounded by the size of the castle, and was even more when she saw the Great Hall. She was immensely welcomed at the Gryffindor table, where most of the students praised her for beating Crabbe and Goyle up. Some, like Harry and the others, asked her to teach them martial arts as well. Alex nodded nervously, and sat down next to Harry. The Sorting Ceremony began and ended quickly. When the first-years had settled down, Dumbledore stood up.
"This year, we had two new comers joining us this year. Let me introduce you your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Sabrina Hugh!"
A tall and long-haired woman stood up. Even from the middle of the table, Harry could tell that her eyes are sky-blue. She looked so young, only a few years older than Harry.
"Miss Hugh was a Hogwarts student here three years ago. I believe some of the Ravenclaws remember her, don't you?"
Some Ravenclaws nodded, and Harry saw Cho waving to the new teacher.
" Well now, we have a new student from the Chinese Institution of Magic in China! She would be here for the next three years, and thus, we need to Sort her into a house. Miss Alexandra, will you step up here please?"
Alex walked towards the front slowly, and sat down on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Alex jumped slightly when she heard the voice echoing throughout the room.
"Hm. Not bad. Plenty of courage, and wits. There's also a strong determination and a natural at magical arts. Where should I put you?"
Harry crossed his fingers, praying hard that she would be in Gryffindor.
"Alright. Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted. A loud applause was heard from the Gryffindor, and Alex walked back to the table grinning happily.
Dumbledore waited till the commotion is over and started the feast. Alex accepted repeated requests from some of the Quidditch team members, namely Harry, Fred, George, Angelina Johnson, to try out for the Quidditch team. Ron was also asked to try out, much to his surprise. The feast ended an hour later, with the second to seventh years going back to the dormitories first, followed by the first years, who were lead by Prefects. Harry and Ron talked excitedly about Quidditch while Alex and Hermione talked about their lessons tomorrow.
"Oh, we won't have lessons tomorrow. We have yet gotten our timetables, thus tomorrow is actually a free day. It was also a day for the first years to get around this place."
"That's great! Alex! I'll tell Fred and George to have Quidditch practice tomorrow. Hermione, can you tell Angelina and Alicia?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded and the four of them parted.