Disclaimer thingy: Blah, blah…Rowling owns everything, and I've got no power…Oh, and a bit slashy…so don't like? I don't care. :p
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Chapter 3: The Truth isn't always easy
"Wake up!" Alexis was being shaken awake. "Would you get your arse out of bed?"
Alexis groaned and buried herself deeper into the bed. "Go 'way…" She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself.
"Potter, you are impossible in the morning!" Draco groaned. He made it his personal duty to make sure Alexis got her ass out of bed every morning. Alexis found this quite annoying.
"Fuck off."
"Such harsh language coming from such a sweet girl," Draco muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Get out off that damned bed before I rip you out of it."
"FUCK OFF!" Alexis yelled. She buried her face in her pillows. Two weeks into the school year and she managed to score more detentions with Snape than Harry and Ron, or so she'd been told, therefore she was being even more of a pain in the mornings. "Lemme sleep."
Draco growled and dragged the girl out of her bed. She hit the floor and groaned. "Must you do that?"
"Well, if you weren't such an arse in the morning I wouldn't have to drag you out of bed," Draco was breathing heavily sitting on Alexis' stomach.
"I didn't know you wanted to get on top of me that badly," Alexis smirked shoving Draco off her and walking to the bathroom. Soon she walked out, towel drying her hair and headed over to her wardrobe. She pulled out some clothes and put them on.
"You look good," Draco told her looking her over with a critical eye. For the first time he noticed her tattoo. "When'd you get that?"
Alexis shrugged. "Between 5th and 6th year. Do you like it?" Alexis pouted. "It took you so long to notice."
Draco shrugged. "Slytherin and Gryffindor colors? What were you thinking?"
"It's ironic isn't it?" Alexis' eyes showed sadness. "It represents my life perfectly in every way. Besides, changing the colors to the two house colors drove McGonagall and Snape crazy!"
"I bet it did," Draco smirked. "You always have had a twisted sense of humor."
Alexis pouted. "I thought you liked my sense of humor." Draco flashed her a smile. "Well, now that I'm awake, thank you very much, are we going to breakfast?"
Draco nodded and held his arm out for Alexis to take. The girl accepted and the two walked out into the Common Room. Alexis noticed Pansy and Vincent making out in the corner of the room.
"Uck," Alexis' face scrunched up as Blaise came walking up to the two. Draco laughed and Blaise smirked in amusement.
"Going to breakfast?" The two nodded. "Mind if I join you?"
"Of course, Blaise, dear," Alexis smirked at her friend.
"How's it going with your secret lover?" Draco asked smirking.
Blaise gasped and shot Alexis a look. "What?" She shrugged. "I have no clue what you're talking about."
Blaise glared at the redhead next to him and shrugged. "Fine."
"It's ok Alexis told me who he is," Draco told him looking serious.
"You did what?"
"I did no such thing," she shot Draco a death glare. "He should really talk, being in love with the Boy-Who-Lived."
"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH POTTER!" Draco yelled as they stepped into the Great Hall.
Blaise peeled over in laughter and Alexis bit her lip forcing the laugh down. Everyone turned to look at Harry, who by now was bright red and scowling at the trio. That was too much for Alexis and she, too, began to laugh.
By the time the two stopped laughing Draco was sulking at the Slytherin table. "Mr. Zabini and Miss Cadogan if you would kindly move to your table as to allow the other students access to the Great Hall," Dumbledore told them with a twinkle in his eyes.
The two Slytherins grinned at each other and walked over by Draco. The blond boy made a "humph" noise and focused at a point ahead of him. "What are you staring at?" Alexis looked and saw a certain raven-haired boy right in his line of vision. He was staring at Draco as well. Alexis nudged Blaise and gestured towards the boys. The pair began laughing again. "Oh, it's so obvious!"
Draco growled and broke his contact with the boy. He turned away from the girl next to him.
"Oh, come on Drake," Alexis tried to get his attention. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh."
"You embarrassed me!" Draco snarled at the girl.
"So do you want to punish me Master Draco?" Alexis' eyes narrowed dangerously. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Would it make you happy to tell Marcus so he can give me a fitting punishment?"
Draco's eyes softened for a moment. "I'll deal with this myself."
Alexis curled up next to the blond and kissed his neck. "Want me to make up for it?" Alexis purred. Draco pulled away and Alexis smirked.
"How?"
"I could make sure you get the boy of your dreams," Alexis whispered in his ear. "…Or girl, but we both know who you really want. I can be very persuasive when I have to be."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "I don't want that Muggle lover brother of yours."
"Ouch," Alexis pretended to be hurt. "You're different Dray, times are different. You need to get over it."
"Maybe I should tell him the truth," Draco mused.
"You wouldn't dare," Alexis sneered at the boy.
"Tell who what?" Blaise interrupted. "Tell me."
"Never mind Blaise," Draco smirked at the horrified look on Alexis' face. "We have Transfiguration now. Do you have your wand?"
Alexis nodded and pulled it out of her bag and twirled the wand in her fingers. It was a beautiful wand, 11 inches, Sycamore, with a female unicorn hair. Alexis didn't really see the point of owning it, but she liked it.
The three of them walked into the class and sat in the back. Draco sat between the other two. They looked at him. "I can't have you two plotting my downfall," Draco told them as the Dream Team walked into the room.
"Whatever you say ferret," Alexis grinned at the look Draco shot her. He shoved her. "Oh, come on! I was just joking!"
Blaise quivered with laughter as Seamus walked by. Alexis flashed him a smile and he blushed.
"Flirting with the Gryffindors?" Draco asked.
Alexis rolled her eyes. "He's dating someone for your information."
"How do you know all this?" Alexis looked pointedly at him. "Oh, right. The mind thing."
Alexis nudged him. "Keep your mouth shut."
"Why?"
"I think Red's catching on," Alexis said as Ron glanced over to them. Alexis flashed her most charming smile at him. He quickly looked away.
"Alright class," Professor McGonagall began her lecture. "Today we will be studying Animagus in more detail. Can someone tell me what determines the animal an Animagus turns into?"
Hermione and Alexis raised their hands at the same time, much to McGonagall's amusement. "Yes Miss Cadogan?"
Alexis smirked at the frustrated look on Granger's face. "Everyone has an animal spirit. You could say that your Animagus form is in fact your inner beast."
"Very good," McGonagall beamed. "Ten points to Slytherin." The Slytherins grinned and the Gryffindors growled.
"Cheat," Draco said with a grin as McGonagall continued with her lecture.
After the class was over the new Slytherin Trio ran into the Gryffindor Dream Team. The two groups glared at each other before Alexis spoke up. "Hi!" she said cheerfully watching the raven-haired boy and the blond boy stare at each other. Alexis nudged Blaise and nodded in the boys' direction. He choked down a laugh.
"Malfoy, we need to talk," Harry spoke. "Alone."
"Woo!" Alexis and Blaise cheered. "I bet you do."
"Cadogan, so do we," Ron told her.
Hermione looked at Ron. "What? You're not going alone!"
"Oh, relax Granger," Alexis told her. "I'm not going to split up a relationship I created. That's stupid." With that, she began walking and stopped when she heard Ron call for her.
Blaise shifted. "Why don't we walk to Charms together?"
Hermione looked at him as if he sprouted a tail. "Alright," she said hesitantly.
"I'll join you!" Seamus said much to Hermione's relief.
"Wanted to talk to me Red?" Alexis asked when the two were out of earshot of the rest of the students.
"Yes," Ron shifted. "What's with you and Zabini?"
"He's dating a Gryffie, which is probably why he's walking your girlfriend to Charms," Alexis told him. "I'm sure I can tell you now."
"Really? A Slytherin and a Gryffindor?" Ron looked shocked. "Who?"
"Seamus," Alexis told him. Ron looked shocked. "We're trying to get Draco and Raven together now."
"You and Seamus?"
"No," Alexis shook her head. "Blaise and myself."
"Malfoy's an evil little ferret."
Alexis nodded her agreement. "But they go well together. Light and dark, good and evil, pure and not. They are two halves of a whole."
Ron sputtered. "But he's a Death Eater."
"Not yet," Alexis shook her head. "And if the prophecy comes true, he won't ever be."
"What prophecy?" Ron narrowed his eyes and sighed. "Well, Harry does fancy the git."
Alexis looked revolted. "Please, spare me the details."
Ron laughed. "That's not really why I wanted to talk to you."
"I know," Alexis looked at him. "So talk."
"Well Potter," Ron began with a smirk that would have challenged Draco's. "It seems you have a little secret now doesn't it?"
"Yes," Alexis told him not batting an eye. "And it's gonna stay that way. You aren't going to tell my brother."
"And why not?"
Alexis looked at him, brow furrowed. "How's Raven going to feel if I die so soon after he finds out that he has more family left? He's my only family and no matter how hard I try to hate him, I can't."
"Why would you want to hate him?"
"Look, we can't talk about this now," Alexis said quickly. "We have class. If you want to talk about this, meet me in Dumbledore's office after lunch. Ok?"
Ron looked confused but nodded anyways. The pair ran to their Charms class and received several confused glances before everyone went back to staring at Blaise and Seamus. Alexis grinned as Draco and Harry ran in after them. She began to laugh.
"What? What is so funny?" Draco asked panicking. Harry looked nervous.
"Your hair is a mess and your lips are all swollen, yours too Raven!" Alexis giggled as everyone but Blaise, Seamus, and Ron gasped.
"HARRY!" Hermione gasped. "What happened?"
"Nothing!" Harry's eyes were focused on the ground as he sat down.
Draco sat down next to Alexis and growled quietly. "Nothing? I'll show him nothing! That's the last time I let him kiss me."
Alexis laughed loudly and fell off her chair clutching her sides. Everyone looked at her in confusion.
Professor Flitwick walked in and called the class to attention. Alexis spent the class giggling at the frustrated look on Draco's face and the embarrassed look on Harry's face.
"What's so funny?" Blaise and Seamus whispered while the class was practicing the charm that they had just learned.
Alexis dropped her voice to a quiet whisper. "Harry and Draco kissed. And now Drake is mad at Raven for saying it was nothing, even though Drake would never admit it."
The two boys began shaking with laughter. Thankfully, Flitwick dismissed the class before the three of them were laughing hysterically.
"Draco, what happened with Raven?" Alexis asked when she finally regained control over herself.
"NOTHING!" With that Blaise snorted, clearly amused.
"Come on Drake," Alexis pouted. "You can tell me."
The three of them walked into her room and made themselves comfortable. "No I can't."
"Oh, really?" Blaise asked in amusement. "Just tell us. Hell, I'm dating a Gryffindor, so I understand what you see in Potter." Draco scowled at Blaise. "He's good looking, brave, smart, has a great body, and is great at Quidditch. He's a great catch."
Draco laughed when he caught Alexis' disgusted look. Blaise looked confused but didn't say anything.
"Dray, tell us!" Alexis' voice was all most pleading.
"Fine!" Draco groaned. "He just talked to me. He asked me about my outburst this morning and why Vince and Greg aren't following me around anymore. He asked if I was ok."
"And?" The other two asked.
"What do you think?" Draco groaned. "I can't believe I let him kiss me! And I kissed him back!"
"Well?" Blaise asked. "How's the Wonder Boy?"
Alexis paled and Draco blushed unwillingly. "He's a surprisingly great kisser…" Draco smirked, watching Alexis gag. "He knows how to use his tongue that's for sure. But it won't happen again."
"Yeah, whatever you say," Alexis said. "I think I'll go for a prowl tonight."
"Why?" Draco asked, knowing what she meant.
"Why not? I haven't got to explore the castle yet," Alexis grinned. "I'm going to go after my detention tonight."
"How do you end up with a detention every night?"
"Ask Snape," Alexis muttered bitterly. "He's an evil fucker that's for sure."
The two boys laughed. "Well, I want details Draco!" Blaise said suddenly.
Alexis shuddered as Draco shook his head. "Forget it."
"Come on," Blaise pleaded.
"He doesn't want to talk about it," Alexis said clearly disgusted. "So forget it."
"You know you want details Alexis," Blaise grinned. "Even you can't deny that Potter's a babe."
"Yuck!" Alexis retched. "I can and I will!" She shuddered. "I'm going to lunch, that's assuming I can eat." She walked out of the room.
She walked quietly to the Great Hall and sat at the Slytherin table when Blaise and Draco bounced in talking excitedly. "He did what with his tongue?"
"Rolled it," Draco smirked as Alexis stuck out her tongue, looking disgusted and pushed her plate away. "I didn't even know he knew how to kiss, and he rolled his tongue!"
"Wow," Blaise looked hungrily at Seamus. "I'm going to try that later."
Alexis shuddered. "I thought you didn't want to talk about it."
"I didn't," Draco shrugged. "Blaise convinced me too. You know what else he did?"
"What?" Blaise asked looking at Draco.
"He got hard off-" Alexis broke Draco off with a look.
"I'm leaving. Thank you so much for ruining my appetite," Alexis stood and walked out of the Great Hall. She walked up to Dumbledore's office and waited for him to arrive.
"Hi you," Alexis smiled at the phoenix as it flew over and landed on her leg. "What's your name?" Alexis laughed when the bird cocked its head to the side. "I guess I'll just have to ask, won't I?" She smiled down at the phoenix. "You're so beautiful." Alexis was absentmindedly stroking the bird on her leg. "You know that, don't you? I don't know what to do. Red knows about me, and I don't know how I'm supposed to hate the one person I want to. How do I protect the one person I'm jealous of? How do I?" Tears ran down her cheeks as thoughts of the last 16 years ran through her mind. "I can't believe he forgot me. I never forgot him," Alexis whispered to herself. She wiped her eyes dry and smiled weakly at the phoenix. "It could hurt him…I could get hurt. He won't believe me anyways. There's no reason too…he doesn't even know he has a sister."
Ron and Dumbledore looked at each other in the doorway. They entered slowly.
"I see you've met Fawkes," Dumbledore smiled as he sat at his desk. Fawkes flew over to his owner. "Mr. Weasley says that you asked him to join us. What, may I ask, is this about?"
"About Cadogan being a Potter," Ron said firmly.
Dumbledore nodded and looked at Alexis who was staring at the wall behind him. "I see. Mr. Weasley, do you care to explain?"
Ron sighed. "First she already admitted to it," Ron glanced at her. Her eyes were glazed. "Besides, I never trusted her, so I began to pay close attention to what she was doing. It helped that Snape kept pairing us up in Potions." Alexis gave a weak grin. "She pisses Snape off more than Harry does, and I thought that was odd. Why would Snape hate a Slytherin? So, on a hunch, I looked up the Cadogans in that book that she lent me and there was no Alexis Cadogan. There were three boys listed as children, and if Alexis was telling the truth, she should have been listed too." Alexis shifted under Ron's gaze. "Alexis also looked incredibly familiar; I couldn't put my finger on it. About a week ago, Harry was going through his album and I glanced at a picture and noticed that Harry's mum looked exactly like Alexis. So, I looked up the Potters in the book. Not surprisingly, Harry was listed as the only surviving Potter. However, next to Alexis' name was her date of birth and date of death with a question mark. So I did research and found that the body of Alexis Potter was never found."
"Very good, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore grinned. "It didn't take long for you to figure it out, and before Miss Granger."
Ron grinned. "She's been glad I've been spending so much time with my nose in a book."
"I'm sure," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "What else, may I ask, do you know?"
"Alexis must be the youngest of the two," Ron's eyes glazed as if he were in deep thought. "Harry can use wand magic and very minimal wandless magic. So, the two being fertile twins, Alexis must be the one who can't use a wand. Which brings up the question, why does she appear to use one in class? But, if you pay attention to her during class, you'd notice that she isn't really using the wand. Other than wandless magic, Alexis should be able to receive some visions, somewhat like a Seer, and hear some thoughts, depending on how hard or how much emotion is placed on that thought." Ron bit his lip thinking he forgot something. "Ah, yes…her powers are also affected by her emotions and because they can not be focused through a wand, her magic tends to be dangerous depending on the emotion. Oh, and she should heal exceptionally fast."
Ron finished with a smile and looked at the other two in the room. Alexis was staring at him with a grin on her face. "I knew you would figure it out."
Dumbledore smiled. "Before we continue, Mr. Weasley, do you have any questions?"
"Why hasn't Harry figured it out?" Ron asked seriously. "You would think that Harry would notice someone who looks like his mum."
Alexis took a deep breath and began before Dumbledore could. "He's not looking for me. He doesn't know I exist. He probably notices obvious similarities, such as the red hair and green eyes, but other than that, he's not putting two and two together. He has no reason to."
Ron nodded. "You mentioned a prophecy before. Is this the same one that Harry has?"
Alexis shook her head. "It deals with Draco and myself. It basically says that he and I will join forces or something and that he will have to choose love or life."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that he will decide to keep his love or become a Death Eater, and I will…well you'll soon find out," Alexis smirked. "Dray will choose either his father or Harry."
Ron looked confused. "Do you care to expand, Miss Potter?"
"Not really, but ok," Alexis sighed. "We grew up thinking that it was his love for me that would keep him from being a Death Eater. But, we were never in love so the two of us did research. We found that it was Draco's love for 'The Prince of Light' not me. The prophecy mentions me as 'The Princess of Light' and Drake as 'The Prince of Darkness'. I don't think Drake realized that the only one who could be called 'The Prince of Light' was Harry, but I did. And that made me furious."
"Why?"
"Drake was my best friend, my savior, my protector. Harry's the savior of the whole fucking world and he has the heart of the one person in the world that can save me." Alexis looked sad. "I was raised by Death Eaters. Do you have any clue what that means?"
Ron shook his head.
"The Cadogans hated me. The only reason I was living with them was because Lucius ordered Marcus to take me in. Voldemort needs my power and that's why they need me alive. Everyday I was beaten, tortured, starved, and most recently raped." Alexis didn't even realize she was crying. "Most Death Eaters have too much pride to raise a hand to their children, which is why it was perfect to take out frustration out on me. And, when they saw my powers evolve to the point where I began to heal the way I do now, Marcus and his sons made it a sport to abuse me. I remember Crucio and the hits until I blacked out, only to wake up in a pool of my own blood," Alexis sighed and wiped her face. "Harry was lucky. He wasn't beaten or anything to the extent that I was. I hated him for being so lucky…but it's not his fault and it's not my fault. I was jealous, I admit it. I still am. And now I'm getting these dreams and visions of his next encounter with Voldie and they all end the same, with me either dead or asleep, I can't tell which."
Dumbledore nodded. "Has Mr. Potter been having dreams?"
Ron nodded. "He doesn't remember them though. And they seem to be getting worse." Ron paused. "Who knows about Alexis?"
Dumbledore looked at Alexis to answer. She sighed and began counting her fingers. "The house heads, Dumbledore, Drake, and now you." Alexis grinned when Ron opened his mouth.
"That must be why Snape hates you!" Alexis said mimicking Ron. Ron shot her a look.
"That's annoying you know," Ron told her.
"I know that's why I do it!" Alexis grinned. "You should see Draco when I do it. It pisses him off." She snickered. "It also pisses him off when I call him ferret, but that's just fun."
Ron looked amused. "So how come you ended up in Slytherin?"
"The hat said something about me having to much anger and hate in my heart," Alexis shrugged. "Actually, it makes it easier to fulfill my end of the prophecy."
"And that is?"
"It's a surprise," Alexis grinned evilly. "You'll find out soon enough."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "But you and Harry are the heirs to Gryffindor."
"True," Alexis told him, pulling her knees up to her chest. "The Gryffindors and the Slytherins need to join forces to overcome a common evil."
Ron looked confused. 'Are you going to bloody elaborate?'
"Alright…" Alexis looked at Dumbledore. He smiled looking quite amused. "The majority of Slytherins will become Death Eaters. Everyone knows that. Something's going to happen to bring the two groups together, before the 7th years have the chance to join their parents. The first step was Blaise and Seamus getting together and Blaise denying his father for Seamus." Alexis paused thinking what to say next. "The next step was them coming out, although I must admit, it came sooner than it probably should. Raven and Draco realizing their feelings is the next step. Once they do that, it's my turn."
"How do you know this?"
"I hate to say this, but your Divination classes suck," Alexis looked at the two men. "We studied the stars and learned to decode them at my old school. I suppose because we all got little visions they needed us to learn to decode them and find out our destinies and such. We had a Centaur as a teacher."
"I thought Centaurs don't like to work with Wizards," Ron sounded puzzled.
"The American Department of Magic has many Centaurs and Werewolves and a half giant or two as workers. A Centaur is actually in charge of the school I attended. It seems the American society is more lenient about some things, but I think it's just because the Ludus Occultus Magus is located there. They have to be more lenient."
Ron nodded his understanding. "So you decode the stars to find this out?"
"Yes," Alexis nodded. "Remember when I said that the stars contain many secrets? Well, the secrets are of the past, present and future."
"Hmmm…" Ron looked like he was thinking hard about what he just heard.
"Mr. Weasley?" Ron's head shot up towards Dumbledore. "I'm entrusting you to help protect Miss Potter during her stay. She will tell him soon enough." Ron nodded. "Miss Potter, is there anything you wish to tell us?"
"Well…" Alexis shifted uncomfortably. "I'm an unregistered Animagus."
"Your father would be pleased," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "May I ask what your form is?"
"I'm a Burmilla cat," Alexis smiled. "Antonio named me Padfoot."
"Padfoot? Antonio?"
"Antonio and Zachary were my friends," Alexis looked distant. "They died during spring break during an attack."
"When?" Ron asked softly edging closer to the girl.
"5th year…" She smiled weakly. "I grieved…there's no point in dwelling on it now…"
"Alexis, look at me," Ron whispered gently, as Alexis looked at him. He could see the tears in her eyes. "It's ok to cry."
"I won't cry anymore," Alexis' eyes hardened. "I won't let Him hurt me any longer."
"Do you know who else was called Padfoot?" Ron questioned tenderly, eyes showing warmth. Alexis shook her head. "Do you know who Sirius Black was?" Alexis nodded slowly. "He was Harry's godfather, his friends called him Padfoot."
Alexis swallowed. "I had no idea…"
"I thought you should know," Ron murmured. "Was he your godfather too?"
"No, Remus was…is," Alexis whispered. "He can't know I'm alive, not yet."
Ron nodded hesitantly. "Ok, I'll help you as much as I can."
Alexis' eyes widened. "Really?" The boy nodded. "Then get me in the Gryffindor tower."
"WHAT?" Ron stood up. "I can't do that!"
"I just want to see how far Harry has gotten on his feelings," Alexis muttered looking disappointed. "I'll go as Padfoot. Really! Drake even got a collar for me…damn thing…I can't transform back unless I take it off. Please!"
"Is that what the handkerchief is?" Ron asked pointing to the green fabric around her neck.
"No," Alexis took it off to show the boy he scar, her only scar. Ron gasped. "The collar is actually a collar. Its green, like this, but it has a tag that says 'Padfoot'."
"Seamus told me you had a scar like Harry's, but I didn't believe it! Bloody hell!" Ron slapped his head. "You must have got hit by the bloody Killing curse too!"
"Nothing gets by you Red," Alexis rolled her eyes and smiled. "So? Can I come? I have Detention with Snape tonight, but after that?"
"You don't have detention," Ron smirked. "Harry told us you were taking Occlumency with him and Snape. He feels better about taking it with you because Snape dislikes you more."
"Don't I feel special," Alexis muttered sarcastically. Ron grinned. "May I? Please!!" Alexis pouted.
"Ok, ok…But if you don't behave I'll hex you," Ron told her, receiving a mock frightened look. "And don't give me that 'You're a Gryffindor, would you hurt someone who's wandless?' thing. Because I know you can take care of yourself without one."
The girl hugged him. "Thank you!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Ron grinned. "Do you need help getting them together?"
"Well, having two Gryffindors and two Slytherins can make this a bit more easier," Alexis smiled at the boy. "I thought you hate Draco."
"Oh, I despise the git," Ron looked reproachful. "But you said that Malfoy's love for Harry will help defeat Voldemort." Ron's eyes popped open.
'I said it! I said his name! I can't believe it!'
Alexis grinned. "Fear of the name, increases fear of the thing itself."
Dumbledore smiled at the sound of his own words coming from such a young girl. "So we have heard Miss Potter."
Ron laughed. "So if that's true, we have to get them together, don't we?"
"I like you," Alexis pointed at him. "You are quick on the uptake. Welcome to the team."
"It appears you have missed your afternoon classes," Dumbledore interrupted the two. "I will inform Professor Sprout and Professor Snape the reason of your absents. You will be excused for those classes today and not penalized for your absents. Dinner is being served shortly, you may want to head down to the Great Hall."
"Yes sir," Alexis stood to leave and turned to Ron. "That's his subtle way of kicking us out."
"I noticed," Ron grinned. "Goodbye, Professor."
"Goodbye," Dumbledore watched the two leave his room.
The two stopped in the corridor outside the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office. "I'll come down to the Entrance Hall and wait for you there. What do you look like?"
"White…a tint of red, and green eyes," Alexis told him. "Thank you."
Ron nodded to show it was fine. The two walked slowly to the Great Hall. "You know? Draco loves Harry, he's just scared."
"That may be the same problem with Harry," Ron sighed. "Harry's lost so much."
Alexis nodded and the two walked into the Great Hall and towards their respective tables without a second glance.
"Where have you been for 4 hours?" Draco asked harshly, eyes narrowing.
"I was with Professor Dumbledore if you must know," Alexis looked at the food. "I'm starving."
"Why?" Blaise asked loading his plate.
"Well, you did gross me out during lunch taking about…" Alexis shuddered. "Never mind." She dug into her food. "Miss me this afternoon?"
"Yes, actually," Blaise said seriously. "I'm beginning to regret telling people that Seamus and I are together."
Alexis nodded. "It'll get worse before it gets any better. But I promise, it will get better."
Blaise smiled and Draco rolled his eyes. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Well…I can't do anything until you admit your feelings for Har-bear," Alexis grinned.
Draco scowled and continued eating. "What feelings are those?"
"You loooooooove him," Alexis said simply with a smile on her face. "You don't have to be a baby about it."
Draco ignored her and Blaise tapped her shoulder. "Hmmm?"
"How are you going to get them together?" Blaise whispered.
"Oh, I recruited another Gryffindor," Alexis whispered back. "Red's going to help now."
"Oh, really?" Alexis nodded.
"What are you two whispering about?" Draco sounded agitated.
"I thought you were ignoring me," Alexis looked up and saw Harry and Snape leaving. "Anyways…I have to go to detention. Talk to you boys later!"
Alexis walked out of the Great Hall and towards the dungeons. Harry was waiting for her.
"Hello, Lexie," Harry looked shocked at the name coming out of his mouth.
"Did you just call me Lexie?" Alexis asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Harry shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts. "Is that ok?"
"Yeah…It's just someone used to call me that," Alexis said sadly.
Harry nodded. "Someone used to call me Raven," Harry's eyes glazed. "I like it when you call me that."
"Then I'll keep calling you that," Alexis told him.
"You aren't like most Slytherins."
"I know," Alexis grinned and hopped on a table in the Potions classroom.
"Cadogan! Get your arse off that table!" Snape snapped walking in the class. Alexis jumped off and grinned sheepishly at Harry who grinned back. "I trust you two can act like 7th years?" That was more of a rhetorical question. "I have to supervise some 1st years detention, and because this cannot be rescheduled, you two can practice on each other." With that he strode out of the room.
"We could ditch," Alexis said excitedly.
Harry shook his head. "He'll know."
Alexis sighed and got ready. "You're right. I'll start and you try to prevent me from getting into your head."
Harry nodded and the two took a deep breath.
'BOY! Get over here!'
'Yes, Uncle Vernon?'
'Do you know what this is?' the pig man glared at the small boy.
'No, sir.'
'It's a notice from your headmistress!' the man grabbed the boy's ear and dragged him to a cupboard. 'You'll stay here until you learn to behave!'
The memory switched over to a more resent one.
'What did you want, Potter?' the blond teen tried to sound mad.
'Are you ok, Malfoy?'
'Fine.'
'Why aren't you being followed by the lard twins?'
Draco smiled at that. 'They're not worth it.'
'Who is?' Harry moved closer to Draco.
'You are,' Draco gasped and Harry closed his mouth over the blond's.
"No!" Harry's voice rang out. He obviously wanted to keep that memory his, his and Draco's.
"Good job, Raven!" Alexis praised him. "Your turn."
Harry nodded and began.
'Bitch! When I call you, you come running, you hear me!?'
A slap towards the young girl. 'Yes sir,' she whimpered.
'I don't think you do,' the man in front of her drawled. He raised his wand and the girl coward. 'Crucio!'
The girl withered in pain on the ground begging him to stop.
The memory faded and blended into another one.
'Oh Merlin!' a blond boy gasped and picked up the bloodied girl in his arms. He washed her clean as she cried.
'Why does he have to do that to me, Dray?'
'Lex,' the blond boy started uncertainly. 'Marcus is a bastard, you know that. I wish I could take you away from him.'
She threw herself in his arms and kissed him. 'Dray, I need you.'
He carried her over to his bed and laid her down. 'What do you want me to do?'
She looked pleadingly at him. 'Anything.'
He looked into her eyes and saw fear. He kissed her thoroughly.
Harry cringed not wanting to see this as the memory faded.
'We're not in love,' the girl said.
'I know,' Draco smiled at her. 'But I do love you.'
'I love you too,' her smile faded.
The memory faded again.
'Get away from me!' the girl shouted as the man in front of her ripped her clothes off. 'Please, Jacob, please.'
'You only get what you deserve,' Jacob sneered.
'Please stop!' the girl struggled under the man's weight as he undid his pants.
"NO!!" Alexis panted trying to shake that last memory. That was the first time Jacob raped her. She slid to the ground and clutched her knees to her chest.
"Who was that?" Harry asked putting his arm around the shaking girl.
"That was Jacob," she paused. "My, er, brother, I suppose."
"You suppose?"
"Well, I don't consider him my brother after that," Alexis barked. "Would you?"
"No, I suppose not," Harry said. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Alexis could sense there was something else Harry wanted to ask. "Dray and I only slept together that once."
"I-I don't want to know," Harry said quickly.
"You deserve too," Alexis told him. "We weren't in love, but it was something I needed. I needed to know how it felt to be cared for. And I wouldn't take it back, because otherwise, Jacob would have been my first. Better my best friend, then an evil fucker, huh?" Alexis smiled weakly.
"I guess you're right," Harry smiled encouragingly at the girl. "Come on, we're calling it a night." He helped the girl up.
"Thank you," Alexis said quietly walking out. She ran to her room and met Draco waiting for her.
"Hello," Draco drawled.
"I don't have time for this," Alexis told him.
"Where are you going?"
"I told you," Alexis growled. "A prowl!"
Draco sighed. "Fine."
She changed into the cat and Draco slipped on the collar. "Don't do anything stupid."
Alexis rubbed against his legs and jet through the open door. She walked up the stairs to the Entrance Hall where she heard voices.
"I was just going to drop this book off with Alexis," Ron said. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing…" Harry's voice trailed off. "You should wait until tomorrow, I don't think she's feeling real well."
"What happened?"
"Well…I saw her get raped by her brother," Harry said sadly.
"Today?"
"No, it was a memory."
"Jacob?"
"How did you know?"
"She told me," Ron said seriously. "I was in a meeting with her and Dumbledore this afternoon."
"Oh," Harry muttered. "I wish I could help her."
"Not everyone needs your help Harry," Ron patted his friend's shoulder. "Let her come to you."
Harry jumped when a cat rubbed against his ankles. He looked down and saw a white cat. "Hello."
The cat purred and looked up at the two boys. "Come on Har," Ron said and the boys walked to the Fat Lady's portrait. "Snidget." The boys walked through the opening and into the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Meow!"
The boys looked down. "Who's cat is this?"
Ron shrugged and picked her up. "What's your name sweetie?" He looked at her collar. "Padfoot?"
Harry's head shot in direction of the cat. "Padfoot?"
"Yeah," Ron smiled. "This is Alexis' cat."
Hermione's head shot in the direction of the boys and the cat. "A Slytherin's cat is in our dorms!?"
"She's just a cat, Mione."
"Ron, she's Cadogan's cat!" Hermione's eyes flashed. "I thought you didn't trust her."
"I don't," Ron muttered. "If it'll make you happy I'll cast a charm to see if this cat is concealing anything." Ron muttered the charm under his breath and nothing happened. "Satisfied?"
Hermione grunted and turned back to the book she was reading.
"Did you say the cat's name is Padfoot?" Harry asked tentatively
"Yeah," Ron looked at Harry. "Do you want me to take her back to Cadogan?"
Harry shook his head. "It's not her fault. It's just weird."
The cat curled up in Ron's lap with him stroking her. "What happened with you and Malfoy this afternoon?" Ron asked as Seamus sat down next to him. Hermione joined them, obviously interested.
"I already told you," Harry groaned loudly. "Nothing happened."
"That's not what I heard," Seamus smiled. "Just tell us."
"I can't," Harry moaned.
Padfoot groaned and Ron smiled at the cat. "Come on," Ron said. "We're your friends, Harry. You can tell us."
Harry shifted. "Promise you won't get mad?"
"Promise!" Seamus said while Ron and Hermione nodded. The cat's eyes fixed themselves on Harry's face.
"I kissed him," Harry swallowed while Seamus grinned.
"Well?"
"He kissed me back," Harry told them looking distant. "He said I was worth it." Harry smiled.
Ron looked at the cat, who purred encouragingly. "Maybe you should tell him how you feel."
"What?" Hermione shrieked. "Ron, are you insane? This is Malfoy we're talking about! Soon to be Death Eater, evil ferret and all that!"
"Mione," Ron began slowly. "People change. We can't keep judging Malfoy for behaving like he's expected too. He hasn't really been a pain in the arse since 5th year. If Zabini can change, why not Malfoy? Besides, one of your best friends fancy the git, why I don't know, but we could at least be supportive!"
The girl slumped back onto the couch as Seamus began to talk. "Harry do you fancy him?"
Harry shrugged. "A bit, maybe. I don't know…"
"How did you react to the kiss?" Hermione asked.
The cat jumped up and only Ron noticed. He looked at the cat, who was trying to cover her ears. Ron took pity and put his hands over Alexis' ears and felt her relax.
"I, er, Merlin this is embarrassing," Harry looked around the room and dropped his voice. "I-I got, um, hard off…uh, Malfoy…" Harry was blushing a violent shade of red and Seamus looked amused.
"You fancy him Harry?"
Harry sighed as Ron removed his hands. "Yes."
"Why don't you tell him?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"Why are you guys being supportive?"
"Harry," the bushy haired girl began. "If anyone in this world deserves to be happy, it's you. You've lost so much and haven't asked for it. If Malfoy's the one to make you happy then maybe you should tell him."
"I don't know…" Harry's voice trailed off. "What if he doesn't like me? I did put his father in Azkaban."
"He's been acting strangely lately," Seamus spoke up looking serious. "Blaise told me that Alexis says he's fancied you for years."
Harry's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes," Seamus nodded. "Besides, where's you Gryffindor bravery. If he doesn't feel the same way then you'll be able to move on."
Ron finally spoke. "I don't like him Harry. But you do, and you deserve to find out if you're wasting your time on him. Who knows…maybe it'll work out."
"I suppose," Harry stood. "I'm going to bed, I need to think."
Everyone nodded and said goodnight to the boy as he climbed the stairs to the rooms.
"Ron," Hermione spoke. "That cat's creeping me out. Can you take her back to the Slytherins?"
Ron nodded and stood carrying Padfoot out of the portrait opening. Seamus appeared next to him. The two walked in silence until they were out of earshot of the Fat Lady.
"What now Alexis?" Seamus asked the cat. Ron looked at him in surprise. "Don't tell me you didn't know. Blaise told me."
Ron sighed, put the cat down and took off her collar. Alexis returned to her normal body.
"Thanks," Alexis said taking the collar. "I'll kill Blaise." She sighed. "You two keep working on Raven. Blaise and I will take the blond." Alexis looked thoughtful. "Things are moving more quickly then they should…But I suppose that's a good thing." Seamus looked confused and Ron shrugged while Alexis bit her lip. "Raven's about ready to tell Dray and Dray just needs a push in the right direction." She smiled. "They have that detention together right? Well that's their only chance. Saturday…That gives us three days to convince them to admit their feelings. Alright…you know what to do…Talk to you guys later, and thank you."
With that Alexis walked down to the dungeons and crawled into her bed. This was easier than she thought, but the two boys are stubborn…hopefully they won't do anything they'll regret…especially Draco.
For the first time in months, the missing Potter fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Wanna know what a Burmilla cat is? Go to i-love-cats.com its listed under cat breeds.
Once again, thank you to those of you that reviewed, keep it up! I love to hear from you. Any suggestions or ideas would be noted! J
Question for you, are my chapters to long? Would you rather I shortened them, or is this fine? Well let me know! J
Thank you all!!!
