Harry pushed her all the way downstairs, his hands set firmly on her shoulders, before letting her go. By that time Ginny had spotted her, so she had no chance of going back upstairs without being introduced to the new girl.
"I hate you." Alexis muttered to Harry before saying hi to Ginny.
"Good morning to you too." the red-haired girl answered. "C'mon, you should go meet her."
Sandra Harrison was pretty – no doubt about that. She had long, sleek blonde hair which fell to her waist and beautiful chestnut coloured eyes. Her delicate-looking face was probably as close to perfect as a girl could get, as was her figure. Alexis could clearly see that almost any boy would drool over her. Luckily, none of the three that were currently in the room were doing that.
Alexis glanced anxiously over at Draco, hoping he wasn't embarrassing himself or suddenly becoming his cocky old self, but he was seated on the couch with a apple in one hand and a blank expression on his face.
Something definitely didn't feel right about Sandra. Alexis's initial opinion on the girl was that Sandra had much the same personality as Draco used to – full of herself, arrogant, and practically always with a smirk on her face.
Sure enough, that pretty face soon looked her way and smirked at her.
Scrap whatever I thought earlier, Alexis thought, She's worse than how Draco used to be.
Alexis tried to back towards the stairs, but Ginny, who was behind her, pushed her forward.
"Um, hi Sandra." said Alexis uncertainly, then put her hand out. "I'm Alexis."
Sandra stared with clear contempt at the offered hand.
"Um…no thanks Alexis. Sandra Harrison, as you know. You have a last name?"
"Well," she replied quietly, "Not really…it used to be Drake."
"Oh, really? Nice pureblood family you got there." Sandra commented, saying the last part in a whisper. "But they all died ages ago, didn't they?"
She checked her nails.
"Yeah…" Alexis trailed off.
There were screams. Alexis hid in a corner, praying to Merlin that whoever was currently storming through their house wouldn't find her.
She thought that she was going to pass out when two glinting black eyes pass by her hiding place, a hood over their head and their wand out.
More screams. Alexis felt like killing herself as she recognized her mother's anguished cry, which was cut off abruptly.
She did pass out then.
When she woke up, the house was deathly silent. Alexis had learnt that there was no such thing as real silence. If you put your head in your arms and closed your eyes and tried to hear silence, you never could. But this – this was probably the closest anyone could get.
She crept around the familiar halls of her house, searching from room to room, and threw up when she found her parents on the floor, still clasped in each other's arms. It was then that she knew that she had to leave. The Ministry would be arriving soon, and none of her family had ever wanted anything to do with them.
"I'm sorry." she whispered to the near-silence. "But you're happy now, wherever you are. Even if the Ministry comes they'll burn down the house and take over the land anyway…"
"Goodbye."
And with that, she ran out of the back door of the house which looked more like a mansion, running to the stable which was just visible nearby.
"Oh Merlin…" she said to nobody as she ran. "If they killed him, I'll get them back one day…"
To her relief, there was her black colt, only about a month old but very steady for a winged horse. He was already big enough to ride.
"I'm lucky you grow fast." she murmured soothingly to him, because he was nervous and trembling. "Good boy, Fury."
Fury, she thought. He was nearly all that she had left to her now, unless you could count a two very full and large bank vaults something to care for. There were also a few family heirlooms, such as a pendant with her family crest on it.
"Yep, it's just you and me now… don't worry boy, I won't leave, good boy…shh, Fury! They might still be out there, boy."
He nickered at her as if he could understand.
"Yeah boy, I've only been with you for one month, but I still love you." she crooned, trying to stop him from kicking something.
Oh man I sound so sane, don't I? she asked herself sarcastically, tears still rolling down her cheeks.
Fury's wings, which were folded at his side, spread expectantly as she got onto him, but she clicked her tongue.
"No, Fury. C'mon," she gulped. "Back to the house."
"Rox?" she called softly.
A house elf peered cautiously around the corner.
"Miss Drake!" she exclaimed.
"Hi." Alexis managed a tired smile, her tear stained cheeks still wet. "Um, Rox, take everything that you think I'll need and…and use your magic to shrink it. Here." she handed the house elf a Muggle saddle-bag. "Stick it in there. Go."
In five minutes the house elf was back.
"Here, Miss!" she squeaked.
"Thank you." replied Alexis softly. "Everything else, keep it for me. I'll come back someday. And by the way," Alexis handed her an old shirt, "You're free, Rox."
The house elf looked up at her gratefully.
"Thank you, Miss, but I will stay in your service anyway!"
"Well," Alexis this time managed a dry laugh. "Stay here and make sure the Ministry doesn't steal anything. It might be a decade before I come back, but I trust that you're fine with that."
"Oh, of course!"
"Thanks so much, Rox. Bye."
"Goodbye, Miss!"
Alexis, going back outside, struggled not to cry.
"Here, boy," she whispered to Fury, "Sorry about this." she hefted the saddle-bags onto him, causing Fury to snort in complaint. "Right, well now we can go for a good gallop."
She suddenly heard a pop.
"They're here." she hissed to Fury. "Ride, boy!"
"Shame." remarked Sandra. "Awfully good Death Eater fighters they were, too."
Alexis bristled at how casual the girl sounded.
"Nice meeting you then." finished Sandra, dislike flitting briefly across her perfect features.
