Chapter 3
The next morning came quickly. Hermione and Ginny were cooking breakfast while Eric and Ron got the children up. They came down, blinking blearily.
"Sit down, breakfast is almost done," Hermione said.
Hugo groaned tiredly and slumped in his chair, his head hitting the table with a thud.
"Hugo, you'll get a red mark on your forehead," Rose said.
Eric got out plates and set them out. Ginny began dishing out food to everyone.
"What are we doing today?" Mark asked.
"We're going to meet up with Alex again," Ginny said.
"Are you sure about that? He didn't look very happy when he saw us yesterday," Rose said, taking a bite of her food.
"He never does," Ron muttered.
Hermione whacked him on the arm.
"Don't be like that, Ron," she scolded.
She turned to the three children.
"Alex doesn't show emotion very easily. He is a very stoic person, but I can tell you he was a little happy to see us, just surprised to see us there so suddenly," Hermione said. "But I don't think he ever got my letter about our visit."
She frowned thoughtfully.
"I'll ask him again when we see him later today," she said. "Eat up, you three."
"Mum, what's a Curse Breaker?" Hugo asked. "Is it a cool job? Is it hard?"
"Well...Curse Breakers work for Gringotts," Hermione said. "They travel around the world and break curses places on objects or places. It is a rather dangerous job since Curse Breakers work with dark magic. One slip-up and it means death."
"Alex's job is so cool! He gets to travel wherever he wants!" Hugo exclaimed. "Can I be a Curse Breaker?"
"If that's what you want, but there are many other professions to consider. Not to mention, you need an O.W.L. in Arithmancy and N.E.W.T.'s in various other subjects. It is an incredibly serious profession. You'd be constantly working with dark magic," Eric said.
"Alex makes it seem so easy," Rose said. "That guy with him yesterday said he was one of the best."
"Well...it actually doesn't surprise me that Alex chose to be a Curse Breaker...considering his...you know," Ron said hesitantly.
"Considering his what?" Mark asked, frowning in suspicion. "What are you guys hiding from us?"
"We'll tell you later," Ron said quickly.
"Why not now?" Rose asked, narrowing her eyes at her father.
"Not now, you three," Ginny said. "If you want, you can ask Alex about his job when we meet him. But for now, eat your food."
Alex finished his last job and walked out of the room. He nodded to the Aurors and client. It was noon now. He walked out of the bank.
"Alex!" he heard Ginny call.
Alex looked over to see the group of seven. He sighed inwardly and went over.
"Hello," he said.
"Hello," Hermione said, smiling and nodding in greeting.
"Why are you here again?" Alex asked.
"Getting tired of us already? You always did like your alone time," Eric said, chuckling. "Sorry pal, but you're going to be seeing a lot of us for the next few weeks."
"Yes, you told me that yesterday," Alex said.
He felt a tug on his sleeve. Alex looked down to see Hugo looking back up at him.
"Hey, what's it like being a Curse Breaker?" Hugo asked.
"It is a dangerous job," Alex said.
"But you make it look so easy," Hugo exclaimed.
"It takes practice," Alex said.
"Why'd you decide to be a Curse Breaker if it's so dangerous?" Rose asked.
"It always interested me," Alex said.
"Do you think I would make a good Curse Breaker?" Hugo asked, tugging on Alex's sleeve again.
"I wouldn't know," Alex said. "Do good in school, take Arithmancy, and then you'll see. But perhaps there are other occupations that will interest you as you progress in school. You are about to go into second year, yes?"
"Yep!" Hugo exclaimed. "Mark and Rose too!"
"Well...pray your second year does not go as it did for your parents and I," Alex said. "It was quite eventful, to say the least."
"What happened?" Mark asked.
"The school was almost shut down due to an attack," Alex said.
"Oh no! What happened!" Hugo exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Alex cracked a smile.
"Ever hear of the Chamber of Secrets?"
The three children blinked in confusion.
"What's that?" Rose asked.
"It's a hidden chamber deep within Hogwarts," Hermione said. "It was built by one of the Four Founders, Salazar Slytherin."
"Yes, and the only way to get in is if you are a direct descendant of Slytherin himself, no exceptions," Alex said.
Eric's eyes widened suddenly in realization. He narrowed his eyes at Alex.
"What do you mean by that?" Rose asked.
"Salazar Slytherin had one thing different from everyone else that is extremely rare and can only come from his bloodline. He had the ability to speak Parseltongue," Alex said.
"You mean the language of snakes?" Hugo asked.
"Indeed," Alex said. "It was rumored a great monster laid in the Chamber of Secrets. More than 50 years ago, it was released and attacked the school. When your parents and I were in our second year, it was released again and it attacked the school again."
"What's the beast? Is it dead?!" Hugo asked eagerly.
"The beast was a basilisk and yes, it is dead. Eric killed it himself," Alex said.
"Wow dad! So cool!" Mark exclaimed excitedly.
"I almost died in the process," Eric muttered.
"So did I," Ginny said. "I was the one being possessed by that evil diary."
"And I was the one petrified," Hermione added.
"I was just along for the ride," Ron said, raising his hand.
"Possessed? What do you mean by that, mum?" Mark asked, frowning.
"The diary she talks about, it was a dark artifact. It possessed her and forced her to open the Chamber," Alex said. "But it was destroyed with a fang from the basilisk."
"That's so scary!" Hugo exclaimed.
"Hey, I'm all right," Ginny said. "Everything's all right."
"We shouldn't talk about this anymore," Hermione said.
"But mum, you never talk about when you were at Hogwarts," Rose said.
"She's right," Alex said. "And it doesn't end there; every year was fairly exciting."
"Can you tell us?" Rose asked eagerly.
"Perhaps later," Alex said.
"Come on, let's go walk around for a little bit. We didn't get to see much yesterday since we were too tired," Ginny said.
The three kids pouted but soon cheered up as Ron pointed out a few candy shops. Ginny and Eric and Hermione rounded on Alex.
"Why are you telling them this?" Eric demanded. "Our time at Hogwarts isn't just something you can tell children their age."
"And yet you lived through it. We all lived through it despite only being children." Alex said. "Besides, they would've found out about it sooner or later."
"You said the Chamber of Secrets could only be opened with Parseltongue," Ginny said lowly. "How the hell did I open it?"
"You were possessed by the diary, weren't you? The soul within that diary was my father's Horcrux," Alex hissed. "Of course you would be able to speak Parseltongue if he were possessing you."
"And when Ron and I went to the Chamber? That was you all along, wasn't it?" Eric stated.
"Of course, you really think that idiot moron Lockhart's silly wand waving opened it?" Alex hissed, sneering at the mere thought of the man.
"And what about the diary? You never said I destroyed it, just that it was destroyed by a basilisk fang." Eric said.
"You four were so naïve back then," Alex said quietly and coldly. "You should be able to put it together by now."
"It was Harry's doing. He let himself get petrified on purpose with me," Hermione muttered. "He probably knew along what the monster was and just waited for me to approach him about it."
"Correct," Alex said. "As for the diary, you actually did destroy it, Eric."
"What?!" Eric exclaimed. "Wait...you're the one who tossed the diary to me! Are you saying you let me destroy it on purpose?"
There was no emotion on Alex's face; he was unreadable, indifferent.
"You were originally supposed to destroy a replica that Harry created," Alex said.
"Did you make a mistake then?" Ron asked, frowning in confusion.
"No, you would never make a mistake like that," Eric said, his eyes hard, glaring at Alex.
"No, I wouldn't," Alex agreed. "I switched the diaries because that Horcrux made a mistake. In order not to jeopardize anything else, he had to be taken out."
"What happened?" Hermione demanded.
"Why does it matter? It is in the past now," Alex said. "I suggest all of you forget about this and move on. There's nothing you can do anymore."
"Just how much did you toy with us each year?" Ginny asked.
"Well, it wasn't me who toyed with you. It was mainly Harry," Alex said. "But I'm sure you already knew that."
Alex brushed past them.
"If you wish to visit my house, you can do it this evening," he said, not even turning back. "I'm sure those three kids are eager to learn more about our time at Hogwarts. You should join in the fun."
Hermione sighed.
"I won't tell them everything, if that's what you're worried about." Alex said, glancing back at them.
"Despite all you've done to us, you are still a friend...even if you don't count us as friends," Hermione said. "You're a prick, you know that, right?"
Alex chuckled slightly.
"Are you going to reveal your true appearance to them?" Eric asked as they caught up to Alex.
"Sure, as long as they don't tattle," Alex said.
"They wouldn't do that," Ginny said.
"You never know," Alex said, staring intensely at them. "If they intend on telling anyone, I will wipe their memories."
"You can't do that!" Hermione exclaimed. "They're only children! If they accidently blurt out they know you, that doesn't give you the right to wipe their memories!"
"I am still being hunted worldwide. I have to take precautions." Alex said. "Surely you understand that much."
Alex stopped abruptly, causing the other three to halt in their tracks before they bumped into him. Alex turned towards them, his eyes cold and dark.
"It's better to wipe their memories of me. Back then, if anyone found out my true identity before it was revealed intentionally, I killed them," Alex said in a low lethal tone. "Be thankful I don't do that anymore."
Alex smirked slightly.
"Besides, you don't have to worry about me shattering their minds apart. My Legilimency skills are far neater than Harry's ever were," he said. "They won't notice anything if I wipe their memories."
"You mean you would actually shatter the memories if they saw your true appearance?" Eric asked. "How is that even possible?"
"It takes a lot of practice to get that good. There are very few people that can block their minds from me," Alex replied. "In a way, I was better than Harry. He preferred a more violent and destructive way when it came to breaking a mind. I do it more carefully. Harry's way always left his victims...unfunctional and...well, you saw that with Lockhart, didn't you?"
"That was Harry's doing?" Hermione asked.
"Indeed," Alex said. "Let's just say I didn't like Lockhart, but didn't want to waste the time of torturing him to insanity. Harry's Legilimency skills are the equivalent to dozens of the Cruciatus Curse."
Alex walked forward again.
"But that's all in the past now," he said. "I need to stop talking about it, but talking about it lets me remember..."
"It lets you remember Harry," Hermione said. "They're the only memories you have of him now."
"Indeed; I apologize for making the mood so dark," Alex said. "Sometimes I can't help it."
Alex took a deep breath.
"We should catch up to the others," he said. "Do you wish to visit my place this evening?"
"It sounds great," Ginny said. "Just don't be so morbid."
Alex chuckled lightly.
"I can't guarantee that."