Chapter 2: - Realisations

The next few hours were kinda silent as Alex sat watching Harry devour three full plates of food without hesitating once.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked between bites.

"Nah." she said.

Lately she begain to lose her appetite. Since her mother died, she hasn't been herself. She suddenly remembered that couple
days before her mother died, until now, she didn't notice that her mother was acting strange, as though afraid of something and
her mum was never afraid.

She was awaken from her reverie by a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a familiar face, someone who she only pretened to hate,
her ex-fiance, Jay.

"Hi." she said quietly.

"I need to talk to you." he said.

She turned to look at Harry, he was still finishing off the plate of pancakes.

"I'll be right back, ok?"

"Where're you going?" Harray asked.

"To talk to a friend." she answered.

He seemed satisfied with that answer as he went back to his breakfast. Alex walked over to Jay standing at the window.

"What is it?" she said coldly.

"Well, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about your mum," he said apologetically.

"Thanks," she said, "but that's not all is it?"

"Well no, I'm kinda getting married," he said.

Alex stared at him as if telling him to continue.

"To Melissa." he finished.

Sighing, she turned away from him, glancing at her car, she noticed a black clad figure inspecting it and now turning to enter the
restaurant.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go." she said running towards Harry.

"But..." he started.

"We'll talk later." she said rushing out of the restaurant, grabbing Harry as she did.

"Where are we going?" demanded a quite flustered Harry.

"Away!" was all she said.

Before getting into the car, she transfigured a tin on the sidewalk into a replica of her car. When speeding off, Harr caught a glimpse
and breathed in deeply.

"Lucius Malfoy, what was he doing there?" he asked.

"Looking for you." she answered while checking the rearview mirrors.

"Oh," he said, "who was that guy you were talking to?"

"My ex-fiance." she said abruptly.

At the tone of her voice, Harry fell silent.

"We have to make another stop." she said a few minutes later.

"Where?" asked Harry.

"My house." she stated calmy.

Harry watched her, she looked tired, frustrated and depressed. She looked like someone who didn't know what to do aboout life anymore, it seemed as though she's lost someone close to her. He felt as though he knew what she was going through, simply because that was how he felt right now, empty and alone.

It was now 5.30 in the morning as Alex pulled up in her garage. She awoke Harry and took him inside the house.

"I'll only be a few minutes," she said, " I just have to get some things."

Harry nodded and looked around. There were many pictures on the wall, most were of the wizarding world. Then something caught his eye.
The Walker Family Tree Tapestry on the wall, but this seemed to lead into another one. He knelt down, tracing a finger along the 'branches'
of it.
'So that's her name.' he thought as he traced 'Alexandra Helena Walker.'

Continuing up the tree, his eyes suddenly widened as he saw the name 'Dimitrius Eirian Malfoy' . Now he realised what other family trees it lead into.
Scanning across, he sighted Lucius Malfoy, his son Draco, his wife Narcissa Black-Malfoy, Bellatrix Black - Lestrange and his finger coming to rest
at Sirius Black. As if that was the key, the whole tapestry lit up, revealing the different family trees of Walker, Malfoy and Black.
Suddenly realising the other two families' dark history, Harry's mind went into full gear and told him to run, but his feet didn't go anywhere. As he was frozen
in time, Alex came back from whereever she went, carrying a rather large trunk.

"What are you looking at?" she asked looking oddly at Harry, but no answer came, he just stared. Turning to see what he was looking at, she turned rigid.

"Oh," she whispered, "look, why don't you sit down."

Apparently, he didn't hear her, he just continued staring.

"You're related to all of them?" he finally said.

Sighing, she sat down, "Yes, but they don't take my family into regard at all."

"Why?"

"I don't know," she said, "Come on, let's go."

"Wait, so if you're a pure blood, do you think of yourself as better than us half-bloods and muggles?" he asked curiously, with his eyebrows raised.

"If I did, then would I be driving a car like that, or even driving a car?" she said with a slight grin.

Meanwhile, in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, the occupants were preparing for Harry Potter's anticipated arrival.

"Do you think he's gonna like this?" asked a worried voice.

"'Course he will." said another voice.

"But suppose he doesn't?" squeaked a voice.

"Come off it will you!" said the now irritated voice of Ron, "stop worrying!"

Muttering under their breaths, Ginny and Hermione stalkd out of the room, leaving Ron Weasley and Remus Lupin behind.

"Crazy those two." said Ron.

"They're not crazy, just worried." came the calm voice of Lupin.

Without argument, Ron went back to his cleaning. He wondered how Harry would react to coming back to this place, looking up at the clock, he decided to get ready too. Excusing himself, he went in search of his sister and his crush.
Remus Lupin was looking even more disheveled than before, first James, now Sirius, he didn't konw how much more
of this he could take, he sat holding his head in his hands as he remembered that night in the Department of Ministries.

Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red
light, he was laughing at her.

'Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of light hit him squarely in the chest. The laughter not quite dying from his face-

He was awoken from his thoughts by a thunderous crash followed by a long line of swearing afterwards. Chuckling
to himself, he lifted a very disgruntled Nymphadora Tonks off of the floor.

"Wotcher Remus." she said cheerily as she dusted off her clothes.

"Hello Nymphadora." said Remus quietly.

Tonks flushed at this, usually, when being called by her first name, she would hex whoever had done it into oblivion,
but since it's Remus, she would let it slide.

"Molly says that it's time for breakfast," she said warmly, "are you coming?"

"In a minute," he answered, " I just have to change first."

Things have gotten a little tense between them since Tonks came back from St. Mungo's. Both of them, obviously
still grieving over the loss of Sirius, got drunk and ended up in each other's arms, naked. After that, they tried to distance themselves from each other but unfortunately for them, it didn't work.

As she watched him, she couldn't help but gawk at his well-toned body and muscles, in spite of all the scratches, he still looked good. His sandy brown hair wit ha few grey streaks made him look even more handsome than he already was, even sexy but his face, made him look older than he already was, even if he was only 36. How could she love him?

"Well, I'm done," he said, "let's go."

With Tonks leading him downstairs, Remus couldn't help but notice her shapely figure, even if she changes it all the time, but for the past few weeks, she wore her natural appearance, showing how much she looked like her cousin Sirius and her Aunt Bellatrix. To him, she was way out of his league. How could a lowly werewolf love a woman like her?

"Oh, Remus, there you are dear." said a trying to be cheerful Molly Weasley as Remus and Tonks entered the kitchen.

Looking around the table, he saw the Weasleys, all 8 of them except Percy, Hermione, with Tonks seated next to her, Moody, Mundungus Fletcher, Hestia Jones and Kingsley Shakelbolt, two Ministry Aurors along with Tonks and Dumbledore. Dinner was usually quiet now, no more quarrels between 'Dung and Molly or the jokes of Fred and George. Just the occasional 'pass the salt' or 'pass the bread'.

"So," said the ever-chewing Ron, interupting everyone's brooding, "how's Harry getting here?"

Everyone turned to look at Dumbledore.

"The muggle-way." he said, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Walking?" Ron asked in a mid-bite, making everyone turn to look at him.

"No you twit!" said Ginny irritably, " a car."

"Oh." said Ron quietly.

"Honestly." sighed Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Wake up Harry," she said nudging him, " we're here."

"What time is it?" he asked while rubbing his eyes.

"7.30," she replied, "now come on, help me with these."

When they finally carried everything up the steps, as though being sensed, the door opened revealing a tall man with very long hair and a white beard reaching his belt, wearing midnight blue robes which matched his eyes.

"Hello Harry," said Dumbledore, "you were treated well I trust?"

"Yes, thank you Professor, listen, I'm really so-" he began but Dumbledore cut him off.

"There is no need to explain, I understand." he said quietly as he ushered them inside. Unfortunately, on their way to the kitchen, they met Tonks on the way, who tripped over her feet and fell down the stairs, waking up Mrs. Black.

"I'm so sorry." said Tonks repeatedly

"Oh no." Harry groaned as he blocked his ears.

On seeing them, Mrs. Black started her customary screeching.

"ABOMINATION, FLITHLY HALF-BREEDS, BLOOD TRAITORS!" she screamed.

Dumbledore and Harry tried desparately to close the curtains but they just won't move.

"Please, let me." said Alex putting down Hedwig's cage.

With a small grin on his face, Dumbledore obliged while Harry just looked confused.

"Hello Auntie." she said smiling.

Mrs. Black looked as if she saw a ghost and ran screaming out of the picture, leaving Harry and Tonks gawking
at what had just happened.

"Why did she run away?" asked Harry.

"Dunno." shrugged Alex, leaving Harry and Tonks in a state of confusion.

"Come, let's go down to the kitchen, so I can explain why our young mistress is here." said Dumbledore, ushering them all to the kitchen. Alex got some rather odd stares as she entered.

"Everyone, this is Alexandra Walker." said Dumbledore.

"Walker?" hissed Mrs Weasley, "what is she doing here, Albus?"

"I came to help," said Alex coldly, "if that's a problem for you."

"If you came to help," said one of the older wizards acidly, "then I might as well kill myself right now, just to save you the trouble."

"Apparently Professor, this was a bad idea to begin with, they'll never understand." said Alex sadly as she got up to leave.

"Stay where you are Miss Walker," said Dumbledore, "we'll tell them now."