Disclaimer: We all know Harry Potter and its characters belong J.K. Rowling.

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'New at Hogwarts' Chapeter 9

No worse than the Weasley Twins!

The next morning, Alex sat at Gryffindoor's table with Hermione plus Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter who, as Hermione had explained to her the night before, was very famous since it was thanks to him that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had died. However, both of his parents had died, his mother, trying to save him. So he now spent his holidays with his uncle, aunt and cousin, who were the worst kind of people there were.

The three of them had welcomed her very warmly and they had stayed up late getting to know each other.

Making sure she had a bit of everything on her plate, Alex started eating.

"Sho, whut choo you fink but Dumpfeldof?" Ron asked, his mouth full of toast. Alex looked at him with a puzzled expresion on her face. Hermione, however, was glaring so he swallowed and asked again.

"So, what do you think about Dumbledore?"

"Dumbledore's great!" Alex replied glancing up at the teacher's table and then added "But he's not!" seeing that immediately after professor McGonagall, sat someone she'd rather not have to face. "I hate Snape!" Alexandra said, shooting daggers through her eyes at him.

"Ohh-hoo! Did we hear someone say they hate Snape?" Two boys about Alex's age, both with red hair and both identical to one another jumped from behind, startling her and making her spill pumpkin juice on her robes.

"Yes, I hate Snape, but right now, he's not the only one in my top ten list!" Alex said irritated.

"We're sorry for the inconvenients we've caused my lady! I'd like to apologize in the name of my brother." One of them said.

"Oh, no,no! Please allow me to apologize for my brother!" The other exclaimed.

Alex started laughing "You two really are silly, you know?" She asked, a smirk playing on her face.

"Touché, my lovely lady!" Alex simply rolled her eyes.

"Fred, George, do you always have to act like that?" Ron asked.

Ignoring Ron, the two red heads sat next to Alex, one at each side.

"I'm Fred", the one on the right said.

"And I'm George. We're Ron's brothers."

"Older brothers", Fred added.

"I'm Alexandra Kevingston, but you can just call me Alex."

"Okay." George said. "So, just Alex, why are you joining us now?"

"Hmm, long story." It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them. It was more than she feared to bore them. Jo, Sammy and Eliza were great friends, but before she met them, she had been very lonely and people would just ask her questions to laugh when she droned on and on as if they were really interested.

"We've got time" George replied.

". . . And if not, we can skip class. We've got double potions first so we won't be missing much . . ." Fred added.

". . .Just Snape's ugly face and greasy hair!" his twin finished.

"Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you!" And she set off to explain all she knew. When she had finished, she herself had some doubts. The moment she said that the first letter hadn't reached her, Harry interrupted and said it was odd, since he had received tons of them as his uncle wouldn't allow him to read them. She had simply said that maybe since he was put under the Dursley's care by Dumbledore and knowing how they were, he wanted to make sure Harry knew he was a wizard and that in her case, the decisión was up to her parents. However, Hermione pointed out that if that were the case, Dumbledore wouldn't have bothered in reaching her now.

The first class was Herbology. That had turned out well. They'd watered some strange looking plants and took some funny-shapped bulbs from another one that had to be squashed and mixed with a white powder. According to the Herbology teacher, proffesor Sprout, the mixture obtained was very effective for healing dragon burns. Alex's eyes had lit up with the mere mention of dragons.

"There are dragons?" She had asked awed, little stars twinkling in her eyes.

Harry had laughed and answered her there were dragons, unicorns and a bunch more of other creatures, not before he made a mental note to introduce the crazy girl to Hagrid . . .they were bound to get along well.

Now, however, Herbology had ended and the group of four headed towards the dungeons for what were bound to be the longest, most boring and less awaited two hours of the day.

'Maybe I juged him wrong. Maybe professor Snape was merely having a bad day. . .Maybe he's a really nice guy once you get to know him!' Alex thought as they reached the door where a smirking Snape stood.

"Potter, Weasley, Granger!" he bellowed "You're late again", he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

'Okay, intimidating' Alex thought. But just then, the little part of her that had spoken up the other day simply said in her head 'melodramatic much?'

"Get in!" he barked.

"As for you, Miss Kevingston,try not to be late anymore or you'll regret it." He said, his voice barely audible again. "Now, get in!"

For some reason, the image of a dog appeared on Alex's mind; bark, growl, show teeth . . .but no biting.

Hurrying to the back of the dungeon that served as a classroom, she sat next to Hermione, in front of Harry.

"Open your books in page 57. You will be making the mad man's potion. Can anybody tell me what this potion does?"

Nobody raised theri hands. Not even Hermione, whose hand had been in the aur practically the whole previous lesson.

"Kevingston!" He barked.

Alexandra stood up. "I'm sorry sir, I have no idea of what the potion does". She said and sat down again.

"So, you come one month after the term has started and you decide that you will not read any book? Let me tell you I'm not surprised in the least." Some of the Slytherins laughed.

"Don't worry," Harry said. "He did that to me on my first day too."

"Potter! What does the mad man's potion do?"

Harry stood up, hatred visible in every inch of his face. "I don't know sir."

"Yet you were talking. As arrogant and bad mannered as your father, always thinking rules adapted to him-"

Harry's fists were balled and becoming whiter each second. He would have answered something equally nasty if it hadn't been for a voice behind him that beat him to it.

"You should talk about manners!" Alex snapped. "How dare you speak like that of his parents knowing what happened to them? If there's someone arrogant in here, it's you!. . . . sir" She added almost mockingly at the end.

Snape's face had gone white, his fists clenched by his sides.

"You will apologize immediately!" He said in a very dangerous voice.

Realising she'd already screwed up badly, she answered the first thing that came to your mind. "I don't think I will, sir."

"OUT!" he roared, throwing Alex's books and schoolbag out of the classroom.

Watching her hurriedly leave the classroom before Snape could murder her, Harry couldn't help but think that he was really going to like this girl.

Getting the hell out of there before he thought it twice Alex rushed past a couple of suits of armor, turned down a corridor, took a flight of stairs stopped in front of a tall, dark door and realised she was lost.

'Great! I've screwed my first class in this school and I'm lost!'

"It seems to me like someone is lost, don't you think so George?"

Turning around so fast it almost made her dizzy, she came face to face with the twins.

"What are you doing here? Don't you two have classes?" She asked.

"Classes? What are those?" Fred asked while George took a hand to his forehead in a dramatic position. "Please don't tell me you think we skipped classes!"

"So you did!" Alex chirped.

"Well really, what else was there to do?" Fred asked.

"You could have supported me in my battle against the evil monster with greasy hair." She suggested.

"Snape? What about him?" Fred inquired once more.

"Oh, let's just say he gave me one of his extra special welcomes."

"Meaning he tried to humilliate you in front of everyone" George deducted.

". . .and if you're out here, that can only mean he kicked you out!"

"What did you do?" The twins were walking by her side, Fred looking at her oddly.

"According to this little paper here, 'Disregarded the authority in class, Used inapropiate language and spoke without being called to do so.' " She read. "I'm supposed to go and see Dumbledore but I guess I got a bit lost".

The twins were looking at her with a mixture of adoration and awe.

"First day at Hogwarts and you've already crossed Snape?"

" . . .got detention?"

" . . .and been told to see Dumbledore?"

After a quick exchange of looks and taking you by surprise, the two red heads lifted you on their shoulders as they sang:

New at Hogwarts, the very first day

And has so far managed to set a trend.

Got kicked out from her first potion's class

We can't help but wonder 'how long will she last?'

Not truly satisfied with the twins first version, Alex glomped each of them on the head.

"Ouch!" They complained, but got the message.

New at Hogwarts, the very first day

And has so far managed to set a trend.

Got kicked out from her first potion's class

We can't help but wonder

'how long before Snape goes mad?'

"Here we are!" Fred said putting you down. "Well, we'd better leave, we don't want to miss defence against the dark arts . . .that guy, Lupin, he's the best! . . .Oh and by the way, the password's licorice wands!"

"Thanks!" Alex said watching them turn down a corridor and out of sight. She sighed. "Mum's going to be really dissapointed!' She thought.

"Licorice wands!" and the gargoyle sprang to life, allowing her to ascend the spiraling staircase that led to Dumbledore's office.

She knocked on the door and waited. What would Dumbledore say? What if he decided to expell her from Hogwarts? Back at her own countr, she was a very good student. Great behaviour, no detentions, no confrontations with teachers . . . well, except one old, stupid hag that couldn't really count as a teacher; she had no authority and Alex doubted the woman even knew her own subject. But this was different Severus Snape seemed to have control and authority as well as respect from the students –most of them by fear or because they found him intimidating- and Alex was sure he might even have the power to persuade Dumbledore.

The door was opened by a very surprised Albus Dumbledore.

"Alexandra, what are you doing here? Is there any problem I can help you with?" He asked kindly.

Alex couldn't look at him. She had the distinct impression that professor Dumbledore would be let down by her behaviour. "Actually sir, I was sent to see you." There an unconfortable silence shortly followed by Dumbledore's words. "By who?"

"Professor Snape, sir." Alex said in a low voice, clearly wishing not to be heard. She didn't regret what she had done. But she wouldn't mind to have some sort of remote control with which she could speed up time.

"Ah, I see. Come in please, Miss Kevingston."

"He. . . he told me to give you this", Alex said motioning to the piece of folded parchment on her hand

"Hmm. . . very well." He said reaching for the paper and reading it. "It says here that you er, used 'inapropiate language'?"

"Yes, sir. I ah, lost my temper, sir. I am sorry." Alex said looking at the floor once more.

"Professor Snape will be teaching you up to the end of fifth year, when you will consider if you wish to continue taking potions or not. Until then, I suggest you try to control yourself, unless you are looking forward to breaking Mr Fred and George Weasley's record for getting the most detentions in a year." He finished with a hint of a smile creeping through his long silver beard. "Now, off you go!"

"Yes, sir." She said now smiling relieved.

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