" Where is Merlin's name are they!" Ron exclaimed as he tapped his foot. Him and Hermione stood leaning on one of the last carriage's left.
" They'll be here soon," Hermione said. " They had to dress and er…finish what they were doing…don't worry, their probably on there way right…THERE THEY ARE! OVER HERE YOU GUYS!" Ron shoved his eyes in the direction that Hermione was point. Harry and Alice came running at them, still in the process of putting in their robes. Ron sighed and climbed into the carriage, soon followed by Hermione and a very out of breath Harry and Alice.
" Took you both long enough," Ron said in an aggravated voice. Hermione smacked him in the arm and looked over at Alice with a smile.
" So, Alice, tell me more about yourself,"
" Well, I'm from Texas, my mom and I moved here to be with my aunt, Nymphadora, after she called in tears one night. We couldn't really understand her, but she asked us to come here, and I got kicked out of my other school so…"
" You got kicked out of your other school! How?" Ron asked. Hermione smacked him again, but Alice laughed.
" Its not a big deal, I blew up my potions lab and so they didn't want me there anymore, so I needed a new school and this gave us an excuse,"
" But there's something I have to know," Harry said, catching everyone's attention. " Why did you move into a muggle neighborhood?"
" Well, my mother wanted to keep a low profile, so we decided to move into a place where no magical folk would be,"
" Makes since," Hermione said. "So have you seen your aunt yet?"
" Well, no, but that's actually why I'm going here, to this school, because she's meeting me in the castle,"
" Well, that won't be much longer, were here!" said Hermione. The carriage stopped very abruptly and the door popped open. Ron hopped out of the cart and held his hand out for Hermione. With great surprise, she took it and stepped out of the door. Harry hopped out next, but instead of holding out his hand, he took Alice by the hips and lifted her out of the carriage. She giggled and hugged him. He let her down and kissed her forehead. She smiled up at him and looked into his eyes. After a few minutes, Harry heard a familiar high pitched voice talking to a stern female voice. Harry turned around to see Ms. McGonagall talking to Tonks. Harry turned and smiled at Alice, as he moved to the left so she could she her aunt. Alice stopped smiling and let go of Harry. She moved a few feet forward.
" Auntie Tonks…" Alice whispered. Tonks stopped mid sentence and looked over at her niece. She smiled and Alice came running over to her aunt. Tonks jumped and pulled Alice into a large embrace. Alice began to laugh as tears ran from her eyes. Tonks let go Alice and put her at arms length.
" Dear lord, look at you, you've grown so much in the last 2 years…wow. I can't believe it…" Alice beamed at her aunt.
" Auntie Tonks, it feels like forever. How are you?" Alice asked.
" Oh, fine…fine," She said in a distant voice. " I see you've already met Harry, Hermione, and Ron! Come over here you three!" Ron and Hermione shuffled over with Harry.
" How are you three?" Tonks asked. Ron and Hermione shook their heads and mumbled the words 'fine', but Harry looked down at his feet. Seeing Tonks just reminded him of Sirius. He hadn't thought of his godfather in over 3 weeks. He suddenly felt a singe of guilt run through his body. He all of a sudden felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Alice looking at him with care in her eyes. Awkward silence was interrupted by Ms. McGonagall cough.
" Well, you four better get inside, Alice, you will be called up to be sorted after the first years," McGonagall said as she shooed the four of them inside. Harry, Alice, Ron, and Hermione followed the crowd inside the Great Hall. Harry felt a hand slid into his and knew that Alice was near. He walked through the doors and felt all eyes on him, but he didn't care. He walked over to the Gryffindor table to meet up with the rest of his friends. He took a seat with Alice next to Ron and Hermione. Ginny and Neville were in front of them, Ginny leaning her head on his shoulder. Ginny and Neville didn't notice Harry and Alice sitting down. Harry slipped his arm over Alice's shoulders. Alice looked up and smiled, but all soon quieted down as Dumbledore stood up.
" I'm glad to see so many familiar face, and even gladder to see so many new faces. Now before we can dig in to our meals, we must sort our new first years, Professor…?" He said as he looked over to McGonagall walked into the Great Hall, followed by a large line of scared looking first years. She walked over to the semi stage and pulled out a 3-legged stool and a tattered old wizards hat. After a few seconds, the hat tore open and sprouted into song. Harry was not listening to the song, he was looking at Alice. Her eyes were fixed onto the hat in awe. Her eyes were big and she looked like she has just been stabbed. When the song finished, she blinked and looked at Harry with sad eyes. Alice mouthed something but he couldn't understand it, then all of a sudden, Alice fell forward and hit the table with a soft thud. At first, Harry thought she was kidding, but after a while, when she didn't move, he began to worry. Harry lifted Alice's head off the table, but she was lifted out of his hands. Her head was thrower back and she let out a loud blood cuddling scream. Her eyes flared open and they glowed red. McGonagall stopped mid-action in putting the hat on a little blonde haired boy. Alice's screamed turned into a soft, deep mumble.
" The day will come when all of you will know his true power, he will come to get you ALL!" Alice said. After her breakout, she fell back and hit the ground. In less then a second, Professor McGonagall was at her side.
" Harry, pick Alice up and follow me," she said and swiftly walked towards the door. Harry bent down and picked Alice up and followed McGonagall.
5 hours later, Harry sat in the Hospital wing next to Alice's bed. Terrible thoughts ran though his head. What was going on? Why did Alice say all that? Was that really Alice? Professor McGonagall had been no help. He had to leave while Professor Dumbledore, Snape, and herself examined Alice with Madame Pomfrey. He was allowed back in a few hours later, but no one would answer his questions. He sat next to her with his head on Alice's arm. What happened…" He felt a stir under his head and looked up, Alice was slowly opening her eyes. She shifted in her bed and looked over at Harry.
" Harry, wha…what happened?" She asked. Harry jumped up and threw his arms around Alice. She hugged him back and after a few minutes pushed him away. " Harry, what happened…"
" Their…their not sure, you had an incident during dinner. Their not sure why, you…you started saying weird things, "
" Well, this was a great invitation to my new school," Alice said with a smile. Harry looked at her, and kissed her forehead.