1And so the summer months flew by, and the next fall came again with little of interest occurring in Alley's life. She had moved back into her original quarters and actually been given the option of staying there or in the dormitory with the other second year girls. Alley choose the later, she was a bit lonely and though her room was plush and lovely the dormitories were where all the real action went on. Truth be told, she felt often enough like she was an outsider and didn't wish to help it along any.Alley had a couple of invitations to visit people during the summer. Dumbledore's permission was generous and she spent some time at Angelina Johnson's home and a couple of other people including Clara. It always impressed everyone (and embarrassed Alley) when Dumbledore showed up to collect her, asking how she had enjoyed herself and the like.
. Fudge seemed to forget that Alley existed, for which she was very grateful. She met with Dumbledore for a bit every month and if she wanted to tell him anything he was always seemed pleased to hear. Alley understood the need for discretion though and did not make a big show of her relationship in front of anyone. As it was she was teased constantly (though not as bad as in the her first year) about being his favorite. Her lessons with McGonagall were progressing as well. They consisted mainly of the basics required to master her powers as an abstinimaige and Alley had more trouble with some of those tasks than anything that hit her in the classroom with her peers. This, of course, made the mastery of a new spell or control over some aspect much more memorable than a charm that she had learned how to do properly with a wand. Indeed, Alley was learning to separate her wand work from her abilities as an abstinimaige. Though she didn't really see the point, and no one gave her a satisfactory answer, she trusted her professors enough not to question too much.
So life went on. Indeed as Alley grew older she became more powerful than ever. She became increasingly grateful that Dumbledore and McGonagal and installed such a sense of control in her so young. Alley couldn't help but wonder about her parents and it seemed that no one had answers for her either. She often thought that Albus knew more than he was saying and that he deemed her too young for any real information. Though she had no proof of this and that was lucky for him because just the thought of it made her irritable.
The Ashfords had been an old wizarding family and Alley knew that she was a pureblood, though this really made little difference to her. She, having been raised by Dumbledore, saw the folly of putting too much emphasis on heritage. After all, living in the past sure didn't make for much of a life.
It was a pity that her curiousity couldn't be qeunched so easily. She remembered a great deal about Voldemort (Dumbledore had put a stopper to the You-Know-Who nonesense early after taking Alley) and his death eaters. Most of which really came back to her in dim and dreary memories during the day and vivid, lucid nightmares in her sleep. It was not uncommon for Minerva McGonagall to come flying into Alley's chambers in the early hours of dawn to shake the child from a nightmare. She always questioned Alley and Alley always told her she didnt' remember them.
Dark trees hung around them with vines or something draped everywhere so that it looked more like a tent with no top. The air was crisp and smelled of the mold and wetness of fall even though it was a midsummers night. Bellatrix walked in front of Alley holding the girls hand, moving so quickly that Alley had to make extra sure not to step on the older woman's cloak.
In the middle of the clearing, suspended by seven feet at least hung two figures. Alley could not make out exactly what it was. She saw something slide from behind them, a tall, lean figure in with a black cowl on. The hood hid the figures face but for the first time Alley pulled back from Bellatrix. She didn't have to see this person to know that she was in grave danger.
"My Lord," Bellatrix whispered still standing a few feet away. "I have brought her to you as you have commanded." The figure stepped nearer now. Bellatrix had bent over slightly in a bow that she had not raised out of.
"Yes Bella, she is young but as you said, strong. In her blood runs a great deal of raw, unfinished power." The voice from under the hood slide closer, his cloak shining in spots with what Alley was sure had to be blood. "She is the one I have been looking for." Bella seemed to almost sigh with relief, though she made no audible sound. "You have done well."
"Thank you My Lord."
Slowly the cowl was lowered to reveal those great red eyes glowing at Alley.
Minerva McGonagall had spent the better part of ten minutes trying to wake Alley up from her nightmare. The child was screaming. Her dark hair thrown everywhere and her arms thrashing. Several things had shattered from her throwing her magic random and unknowingly at them and it was a testiment to Minerva's courage that she didn't cower from the wreckage. Minerva had just managed to get Alley's other arm to her, hoping that she could prevent the girl from throwing anymore magic out when her door opened with a bang. Albus had arrived with a rather large hot chocolate stain on the front of his robes.
He took one look and joined Minerva and while she held the child he sat and began to attempt to wake her. Talking to her calmly at first and then taking her face in both his hands. She was sobbing in her sleep and something was scaring her greatly and eventually she did wake. Albus nor Minerva believed that it had anything to do with them being there that woke the girl for she had shown no signs of even knowing they were. Even once she was awake she spent a long moment thrashing trying to find out what was binding her so tightly for Minerva still had a tight grip on her. Albus finally turned her face to his and in the candlelight saw the girl recognize him and the relief in her eyes. Minerva was white as a ghost and when Albus gave her a slight shake with his head she let go of the girl though didn't withdrawl from the bed where she was half kneeling.
Alley was still sobbing and gently Albus pulled her into a hug. Ever so slightly he rocked her until her sobs started to give way. She pulled away a bit and in a watery voice whispered, "You smell like hot chocolate." Albus smiled but Minerva did not. She offered the girl her tartan handkerchief and watched as Alley wiped her face with it.
"How about a drink of water?" Albus said, conjuring a crystal glass with water in it from thin air. Alley looked more composed but when she reached for the water she was still shaking rather badly and Albus actually held the glass with her for her first drink.
"Alley," Dumbledore said finally, and the girl looked up at him slowly, "I think it is about time you tell us what these nightmares are about."
"I've n-never had one like th that before..." Alley's voice kept break and she looked like she would start to cry at any moment again.
"Minerva if I could ask you to wake Poppy and get a calming draft for Alleyne." Albus had not wanted to send Minerva McGonagall away since he knew she cared for Alley a great deal as well but he also knew that if they were to have any answers that night Alley would need the potion. The girl was already curled into a ball and crying again into Albus's front. Minerva saw this too and tried not to look to upset at having to leave as she went quickly to the matron's room and woke her.
When the two women returned not much had changed besides Albus was now sitting completely on the bed, Alley wrapped in his arms still sobbing, a bit less hysterically. Poppy moved quickly forward but Alley cried out when she was touched by the matron and began to cry even more hysterically. Albus motioned for Madame Pomfrey to give him the potion and he uncorked it and gently urged Alley to take a sip.
It took a long time before the girl was composed enough to drink any of the potion but slowly Albus was able to get her to drink about half of it and when it began to work a bit more. He stopped when the girl seemed to be able to compose herself, he did not want her getting too tired to answer and set the potion bottle down on her bedside table next to the crystal goblet that held the remnants of her water.
"Alley, please tell me about your dream." Albus asked directly but not unkindly. Poppy was shifting anxiously and he knew that the matron would only have so much paitence before she began demanding to examine the girl
Alley, however shook her head no. She had never told Dumbledore no before and for a moment he felt taken aback. The girl was staring at her hands which were no longer shaking thanks to the potion but bedewwed with tears that were still dripping from Alley's eyes.
"Alley," he began again, "whatever it is cannot hurt you here. Your safe with us. If you tell us about it we may be able to help you." he saw no response for the girl and he added, "We love you." Very slowly the girl looked up at Albus she truly looked like she wanted to tell him her eyes shone with fear but there was also something else there. Something that encouraged Albus to stay silent hold her gaze. And because he was watching her so intently he saw her eyes flick to where Madame Pomfrey and Minerva where standing watching.
"My dear ladies, if you could let us speak alone for awhile I promise that I will alert you when we are done and you can check Alleyne over to make sure she is well and fit." His voice was gentle but firm. At these words Minerva pursed her lips. She cared about Alley as much as anyone but she saw how scared the girl was, curled in Albus's lap like a child half her age and knew that Albus was right. Alley wasn't ready to talk to more than one person and the person she trusted the most was him.