Chapter 3

Alex and Harry stared at each other for a few moments before Harry broke the ice. " So, how old are you?" he asked her.

" Well, I would have to be 14 if I was almost two years younger than you. DUH!" she said giggling.

" Oh, yes." he said, laughing slightly too. " I was just wondering because you're so...so..."

" So short?" she finished for him. He nodded. " Well, when I was really young, I crawled in front of a Shrinking Charm dad was placing on a chair. I was 2 years old and shrunk a whole foot before he got me out of the way. But, I don't think I was exactly a tall child either. I was always picked on about my height at school." she said sadly. " Sometimes the teachers would make a joke about it too, but I ignored it."

" Did you ever tell Snape about it?" he asked her. He noticed how her smile faltered and she paled slightly.

" No, and I'm glad I never did." she replied. " Dad has a temper and was always so over-protective of me. One time, these kids put me in a basketball hoop and when he found out, he turned them into basketballs and got them stuck in a tree." she shuddered at the memory.

" That's another thing, why do you call him 'dad' if he isn't you biological father?" he asked.

" Well, if you grew up with someone who treated you like his own flesh and blood, you'd call him dad too." she said simply.

Just then Ron and Hermione came back, their arms full of bags from Honeydukes and Zonko's and other various stores.

" Oh Harry," Hermione began, setting the bags down near the door. " It's so nice out, you really should-oh!" she then saw Alex sitting on their couch.

" Harry, who is this?" Ron asked, staring at the girl. " Is she perhaps, your girlfriend?" he asked his friend, grinning mischieviously.

"No, she isn't my girlfriend." Harry said hotly. "She's my...well...she's-"

" I'm his sister!" Alex cut in, grinning at Ron and Hermione. " Nice to meet ya, friends of my brother."

Okay folks! That's it for this chapter. I'm sorry if this one and the other two suck. -- They get better! I promise! Well...I think they get better...

Anyways, it would be nice if people review. I swear I will write nice things about you.