In the morning Harry was awakened by Mrs. Weasley's shouts: "You lot come down here this instance, or I'll wake you up myself. And you won't like it!".
Harry and Ron crawled out of their bed with no real desire.
"Shish!" said Ron, "Why does she always have to scream and scare me half to death!"
"Forget it, mate," said Harry, his mind still on Hermione.
They all went down to the kitchen to have breakfast. In the hall somebody caught Harry's hand. He looked up. It was Alexandra.
"Hi! I'm sorry for last night."
"It's OK," he said, patting her on the shoulder. "You needn't apologize." She smiled. The smile made her look even more beautiful. They entered the kitchen together. He helped her reach her seat, withdrew the chair, brought her a plate and then went to his seat. She smiled to him over the table.
"I am no handicap. I could have done it myself."
"I know," he replied, "but it is a pleasure to take care of you."
"Thanks," she smiled again.
"Anything to see you smile." She laughed.
It was then that Hermione emerged into the room. She was wearing jeans that outlined her beautiful legs and a yellow T-shirt that passed so good to the color of her eyes. She was divine.
"Hi!" she said to the crowd of people sitting at the table.
"Morning, Hermione!" they all answered. The only free sit for her was near Harry. Harry held his breath. When she sat by his side, he could feel her beautiful perfume.
"Had a good sleep, Hermione?" he asked.
But she didn't get the chance to answer. Mrs. Weasley emerged into the kitchen.
"What! You lot still not finished? Wanna miss the train? Leave the breakfast to hell, or you will certainly reach Hogwarts by this time next year."
So they all, unwillingly, left the kitchen and went to get their bags. Ron was the one to bring Alexandra's (they all thought she couldn't do it herself). In about 15 minutes they were of to the station (of course, with half of members of the Order escorting them, much to Harry's annoyance).
They got to the King's Cross 4 minutes before the train left. They hurriedly said good-bye to everyone and jumped on the train. They found an empty compartment and soon were joined by Neville and Luna. Harry had noticed something strange about those two, but his thoughts were focused on Hermione. To everybody's surprise Alexandra took out a book. She then touched it with a wand and whispered an incantation. Then her fingers started gliding along the pages.
"Um... sorry, Alexandra, but how can you... um... read?" asked Harry hesitantly.
"It's a special charm I put on the book. And if I touch the word, it sort of appears in my mind. I have
found a way to read."
"What spell is it?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"It's called..."
Just then the compartment door slid open. They all fell silent and turned their heads. Draco Malfoy, Harry's worst enemy, was staying in the doorway. There was a smirk on his face.
"Well-well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter. And the Mudblood. And Weasels. Tell me, Potty, how's your scar feeling? Have found out all of the dark Lord's plans? Got mail from Black?"
Alexandra stood up. She was shaking with rage.
"Get out of here this instance!" she said in a furious tone.
"Well-well, and who do we have here?" Malfoy asked in a sarcastic voice, eyeing her up and down.
"Alexandra Blamez, not pleased to meet you."
"Oh, are you blind? Now I understand why you teamed up with the trio. You can't see their so ugly faces."
"Thanks God I'm blind and I can't see yours."
"You know, you'd be welcome in my company. You are pretty nice. I don't think Potter managed to spoil you too much. And even if he has, we can fix that," he said with a nasty smile.
"I'm blind, not mind congealed,...what is your name?"
"Malfoy, Draco for you."
"Good , Malfoy," she said, taking out her wand, "or you get out this instance, or I'll throw you out."
Malfoy took his wand out, but before he could even raise it, Alexandra screamed: "Rictusempra!" Malfoy flew out of the compartment. Crabbe and Goyle ran out by themselves, grabbed Draco and where out of sight. Alexandra slammed the door and went back to her seat. Even though she had to use a stick, Harry noticed how easy she orientated in space. The others were just sitting there, with their mouths open. The first one to break the silence was Ginny:
"Poor Malfoy! A girl hasn't turned him down since he started playing for the Slytherin quidditch team... but, I guess, he only asked slytherin girls out."
"Poor, poor boy. I can hardly sustain myself not to cry," Alexandra replied sarcastically. They all burst out laughing. The rest of their journey was uneventful and by the time the sun had set, they arrived at Hogwarts.
Harry helped Alexandra get down from the train, while Hermione was carrying her trunk with a Levitation Charm.
"Firs' yea', firs' yea', here please!" Harry heard Hagrid call the new students.
"C'mon," Harry said, "I'll introduce you to Hagrid." They approached the giant. "Hagrid, this is Alexandra. Alexandra, Hagrid."
"Nice to meet you." She stretched out her hand. There was a charming smile on her lips. He squeezed it lightly. "Should I go with Hagrid?" she asked Harry. "Dunno. I guess, yes. See you at the ceremony." And with those words he departed to join Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Ginny at the carriages.
They all entered the Great Hall and sat at the Griffindor table. 'I hope Alexandra gets sorted into Griffindor,' Harry thought. 'I'll keep my fingers crossed.'
"Haven't they found a new DADA teacher?" asked Hermione, noticing the empty chair.
"Dunno. I just hope Snape isn't teaching," Ron replied.
The three of them grinned: Snape has been wanting that job for centuries.
The Sorting Ceremony began, but Harry wasn't watching it. He was staring at Hermione. She was so beautiful, smiling, talking to people. God, how could he love anyone like that?
He was snatched out of his thoughts when Dumbledore stood up and addressed to the pupils:
"This year we have an abnormal event at the ceremony." 'Yeah,' thought Harry, 'as abnormal as Alexandra.' Dumbledore continued: "We will be joined by a girl who comes from the USA. She is 16, therefore she will attend the classes with the sixth years. Now she will be sorted into one of the Houses. Miss Blamez, would you please come here."
When she emerged into the Great Hall with the walking stick, there was a murmur along the tables. "What's wrong with her? Is she blind?" Alexandra carefully sat on the chair and professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on the girl's head. The Hat fell silent for a minute, then shouted: "Griffindor!"
"YEEES!" screamed Harry, while the rest were applauding loudly. She came to the Griffindor table, where Harry, Ron and Hermione where waiting for her. Alexandra sat near Harry. At his other side was sitting Hermione, and Ron near her. They all congratulated her. Dumbledore rose:
"Let the feast begin!" he proclaimed, and immediately the tables were filled with food. Harry put on Alexandra's place some potatoes and bacon. And later a piece of chocolate pie. He took care of her. She needed him.
When everybody had their stomachs full, Dumbledore rose again: "Welcome to our new students, welcome back to the old ones. I wish to inform the newcomers that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden! I'd ask our old students to remember that too... Now, Mr. Filch asked me to remind you that there is no magic aloud in the corridors, as well as no dungbombs. The complete list of the prohibited objects can be viewed at Mr. Filch's office. And now to the events of Ju..."
Just then the door burst opened. A beautiful young lady entered the Hall. She was dressed in black robes. She had long-straight black hair that was gathered in a pony-tail. Her eyes were green: green, as emeralds, as green as Harry's eyes. The face was oval-shaped. Her lips had the color of rose petals. Her body was hid by the robes, but even so Harry realized that she had a very beautiful body. She was extremely gorgeous. She reminded him of somebody. Suddenly, he realized of whom: Alexandra.
"Sorry for being late, Dumbledore," she said with a smile.
"It's all right, Ivy. I would like to introduce you our new DADA teacher, miss Ivy Crystal."
The Great Hall exploded with applauses. Ivy smiled to them and proceeded to her place at the Professor's table.
Dumbledore continued: "This June we lost a very good man, Sirius Black, who we – the magical community – have haunted so much. He died dueling a Death Eater. The Ministry didn't believe Harry Potter at the end of his third year that Black was innocent, and the consequences of this was the death of a great man. Let us never forget that a person is innocent until his guilt has been proven. Now, I would ask the prefects to lead the students to their dormitories."
Everyone stood up. Everyone, except Harry. He was still gazing at the floor. Sirius... he has found him just to loose him again, he...
"Harry..." somebody lightly touched his shoulder. He looked up. It was Alexandra. "Let's go." He looked into her eyes. He realized that she knew that he was thinking of Sirius. He took her hand.
"C'mon," he said, "I'll show you the way to your dormitory."
"Thanks," she said, and they silently walked out of the Great Hall.
He left Alexandra at the door of her dormitories, and then went to his own. He saw that Ron was still not there, but the truth was that he has seen neither Ron, nor Hermione since he left the feast. They both had evaporated from the Great Hall. 'Maybe they just remained to talk to some friends,' Harry thought.
He was thinking of Sirius when he went to bed. Dumbledore's speech brought back so many memories. Here Sirius was fighting one hundred dementors, then he remembered studying the family tree together...
"Oh, Sirius," Harry whispered through tears, "I miss you so much..."
He then fell asleep, his pillow wet of tears...
When the next morning he descended the stairs, he saw Ron and Hermione, laughing in the Common Room.
"What are you guys so happy about anyway?" Harry asked.
They both blushed and looked at the floor, then Hermione rose her eyes and said with a happy smile:
"Oh, Harry, Ron asked me out yesterday, and I accepted..." She was grinning happily.
Harry felt his inner world turn upside down. He felt jealous, but knew it was his fault: he should have asked her out earlier.
"Oh, great guys," he tried to pretend being happy, "I knew that was coming. Sorry, but I'll go get Alexandra, she might need help."
And ignoring Hermione's protest that he could go into the Girl's Dormitories, he flew up the stairs and busted into the room. Luckily, there was only Alexandra. She was combing her hair.
"Who is there?" she asked in a slightly alarmed voice.
"Alex..." he started, and then broke of. He ran to her, flung his arms around her waist and put his head on her belly. He was crying. She petted him on the head, caressed his hair and then asked mildly:
"Hermione?" He nodded, unable to speak through tears. She felt him nod.
First he lost Sirius, now Hermione. He had so many plans, so many illusions. And now all that was ruined. He wanted not to cry, but couldn't. He was too disappointed.
Life disappointed him too much.