Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the other characters. I only own the plot, Alex Walker and the other characters u haven't seen in the Harry Potter series.
AN: srry if i took so long, but this chapter took really long to do and i haven't even finished it, it's in 2 parts. and also, i'm really srry if i haven't mentioned it b4, but thanx to all those who reviewed, even if i only have 3
Chapter 8: - Trials and Tribulations pt.1
Stunned. It was the only word to describe the four youths sitting on the floor, in the boys' bedroom at Number Twelve. Immortality was one thing but Necromancy - what in the world was that? and what would Voldemort want with it, wasn't he dark enough? - sure, the name sounded evil, but the three questions still remained. They always seemed to know things that weren't meant for them to hear, it had become so natural for them, that it seemed that they couldn't help themselves. Both Snape and Dumbledore's words remained in their memories as if it was the happiest moment of each of their respective lives.
"This is no laughing matter, Walker."
"These books hold our entire futures."
What was it about the second book that has everyone worried? Hermione wondered. It was definately something she had to research. She still felt a little guilt about forcing her friends into easedropping on a conversation, which turned out to be more serious than she would have ever imagined. Not even Order members knew about it. She figured that she should've paid more attention to the muggle saying - curiosity killed the cat. What if they were caught? She could've only imagined the look on the face's of Snape and Dumbledore, and Alex, well, she would've been livid, knowing the people that she just met would want to invade her privacy. Hermione sighed and looked around at everyone else, both Harry and Ginny's faces were grim and Ron's was a sickly white. After a while, Harry regained his composure and broke the silence.
"What's necromancy?"
"I don't know." answered Hermione honestly, as the room went silent again. Everyone went back to their thoughts. Harry's had been the most troubling. These books were the answer to his defeat, he thought, so someone had to tell him about them sometime. A knock on the door broke the silence again as Alex poked her head through the door.
"Hey," she said smiling but seeing their grim expressions, she dropped her smile, "what's up with all these sad faces?"
"Nothing," said Hermione too quickly, "we were just thinking about Sirius."
Alex's eyes narrowed, she could spot a liar by a mile, she entered Hermione's mind and quickly retreated when she found a recent memory. Inwardly, she seethed with rage and yet, she was worried. It was bad enough they were growing up in a world with the likes of Voldemort and his ruthless Death Eaters, but now, they knew what he was after and they would no doubt want to know what certain things meant.
"Oh." she said sadly, "well, I just came to tell Harry that I'll be taking him to the trial tomorrow." But I guess they already know that, she thought.
"Ok, cool." said Harry, with a rather small grin.
"Right," she continued, "8.30 sharp, tomorrow morning, ok?" Harry nodded.
"Oh, yeah," she said, "before I forget, here are your Hogwarts letters, Professor Dumbledore gave them to me before he left."
"Alex?" asked Ginny, making her turn sharply, "Do you think it's possible that we could go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?"
She thought about it for a while, "Sure, but someone would have to go with you. I think it's Tonks' day off, so I guess she could take you."
With that, she closed the door and walked up the stairs with the bottle of firewhiskey in her hand, she wanted to continue the book she was reading - The Bourne Identity- it's really good. As the book dropped from her hand onto the floor, she immediately drifted off to sleep, she had a long day, which was full of too many surprises. She was in a dark tunnel, with an eerie atmosphere at the end of it and even though she sensed the oncoming danger, she couldn't resist going ahead to see what was there. There were many strange markings on the walls, probably of an ancient language. Soon she came to an arched doorway, as she opened the door, something told her to go back, she wasn't meant to be in this place - but what was it? - She was going to turn around, but curiousity got the better of her, the door creaked open and she found herself in a graveyard. She shuddered. She hated these places. As she turned to go, something called to her. A tombstone was surrounded by a misty grey fog. She saw the name Randall Grimm 1860 - 1945. It was as if she was being transported by a portkey back to where she came from and she fell with a rather painful bump, onto the floor.
"Oww." she groaned, as she picked herself up off the floor. Who in the bloodly hell was Randall Grimm?
One level down, in the second room on the left, a messy, raven haired boy was tossing and turning in his sleep and then, without warning, his scar seared with pain, it was as though his head would split open, then, he heard a maniacal laugh as he saw a name on the tombstone, he vision was blurred, so he couldn't see it properly. It was then, that he woke up screaming. Harry Potter keeled over and threw up on the floor. While Harry was moaning,Ron went to get his mum and Professor Lupin, but they were on their way up when they heard the screaming, actually, everyone was.
"What happened here, Ron?" asked Lupin as they lifted Harry back onto the bed.
"I don't know," said Ron, "he was fine when he went to sleep but then, he just started to moan and shake as though he were having a fit, then he started to say a name."
"What was the name?" asked Alex who had parted her way through the crowd.
"I dunno, it sounded weird." Ron shrugged.
"It doesn't matter," she said impatiently, "just say it."
"Grimm." said Ron, "at least that's what it sounded like."
Alex froze. Could it be possible that they had the same dream? If that was the case, she needed to talk to Harry tomorrow about it and she needed to start the Occulemency as soon as possible. A loud retching interrupted her thoughts, as Harry sprayed vomit onto those who were tending to him.
"I think we should get him to St. Mungo's." said Mrs. Weasley as she wiped Harry's head.
"That won't be necessary, Molly." said Dumbledore, as he swept through the door and pressing two long fingers onto Harry's forehead. Soon, Harry came to but he was very weak. He struggled to talk but someone shushed him.
"Alex," said Dumbledore, "go to Professor Snape and he will give you a potion for Harry."
"Where is he, Professor?"
"3rd level library." said Dumbledore as he turned back to Harry. "Now, what is it that you saw in your dream?"
"I don't- I don't know," Harry murmured, "All I could remember was seeing this eerie fog around a tombstone and hearing an evil laugh."
"Did you see the name on the tombstone?"
"No, it was all a blur." Dumbledore looked puzzled for a while, then he said, "Ron?"
"Yes sir?"
"You mentioned that Harry was mumbling a name," he said, "what was it?"
"Grimm, sir."
"That's it?" he nodded. Professor Dumbledore returned to his in depth brooding, not coming out of it until Alex came back with the potion.
He was so in depth in his reading that he didn't hear the door open. He too was wondering what the Dark Lord would want with a book on Necromancy. All he and his fellow Death Eaters knew, was that he wanted the book, but for what reason, no one knew, Sneering, he doubted if half of them knew what it meant.
"Severus?" she called, making him fly several feet into the air.
"How about giving a warning first, Alex." he grunted, as she helped him off of the floor.
"Sorry," she murmured, "Dumbledore sent me for a potion for Harry"
Taking it from him, she looked at the book he was reading, raising an eyebrow, she said, "Found anything?"
"No, these books don't give very much information." he said.
"That's because the books on that stuff were burnt."
"Burnt?"
"Yup, burnt couple of centuries ago, when it was banned," she explained, "the only families that actually kept some information were the Malfoys and I think that the book was destroyed a few years ago when the Ministry raided Malfoy Manor."
"Oh, yes, I remember now."
"Speaking of which," she said, turning to look at him, "how did my darling cousin get out of jail?"
"I don't know," he shrugged, "by the way, don't you have a potion to deliver?"
"Oh!" with that, she disappear with a crack, reappearing in Harry's room and almost falling over and spilling the potion on Professor Dumbledore.
"Sorry Professor," she said quietly, ignoring the sniggering.
"Honestly, Alex, you're becoming like Tonks." said Harry, grinning.
"I take it you're feeling better then?" he nodded, "Well, I'll see you in the morning. G'night everyone." she said before apparating upstairs.
"There you are dear," said Mrs. Weasley, handing the potion to Harry, "have a good night's rest."
With that, everyone followed Mrs. Weasley downstairs, leaving Harry alone with Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
"Hey," said Harry quietly to his 3 friends, "why don't you sleep in me and Ron's room tonight?"
"Sure," said Hermione, "whatever makes you more comfortable."
"What are we going to sleep on?"
"They're sleeping bags under the beds." said Ron, taking them out and handing one each to Ginny and Hermione.
They sat in silence for a while, thinking about what Harry's dream was about. This silent brooding was a deja vu. It was in this same atmosphere, that they were recovering from the shock of easedropping in Alex's conversation with Dumbledore and Snape. It was Ginny who eventually spoke first.
"Did you see her face when Ron was talking about the name Harry mumbled?"
"Yeah," agreed Hermione, "she literally froze."
"I think she knows alot more than she's saying." making Ron rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Please tell me you don't plan to go easedropping again."
"Nope," said Hermione, with a sly smile, "we're going to search her room."
"Bloody wankers," said Ron angrily, "the lot of ya."
Sighing, Harry said, "When did you lot decide this?"
"Well, when everyone else was hovering around you, Ginny and I decided."
"I think that the two of you are getting to nosy for your own good." said Ron.
"So do I," Harry agreed, "but when do you plan to do this anyway?"
"Well, when she takes you to the hearing tomorrow morning." said Ginny.
"Buy don't you have to go into Diagon Alley?"
"Yes, but we're going just after your hearing," she explained, "Tonks said she has something to do first."
"Oh, well, good luck then, g'night." yawned Harry.
He was at Hogwarts, in the Astronomy Tower, waiting for someone. It was rather windy as he brought his cloak tighter around him.
"Harry?" came a voice out of nowhere. He turned to face her and immediately pulled her into a kiss. She had long, straight, black hair but strange enough, he couldn't see her face. It was as though she was wearing a mask but still he could see himself doing all these things with her. Suddenly she faded away, leaving him to the dreary silence of the night again. He retreated to his thoughts but then, he heard a voice, but this time, someone was shaking him. Did she come back to him?
"Harry?" it said.
"Harry wake up, we have to go." it said again with more persistence.
Suddenly, he felt a very cold substance on him, making him jump. Opening his eyes, he saw Alex standing over him with a wand in her hand, smiling besides herself.
"What did you do that for?" he asked, rather flustered.
"To wake you up," she said, "you have a trial to get to remember?"
"Oh," he said, stretching, "what time is it?"
"'Bout 5.30."
"5.30!" he half-yelled, but Alex shushed him.
"Sorry, but what time's the trial?"
"It's at 8," she whispered, "now go get changed and meet me downstairs, please."
Hastily, Harry dressed and made his way downstairs, where he found Alex sitting at the table with Tonks, Remus and Mrs. Weasley.
"What are all of you doing up?" he asked, zipping up his jacket.
"Well," said Mrs. Weasley setting a dish of sausages on the table, "someone had to make breakfast."
"Not really, " said Tonks, "she insisted, actually."
"You know, Molly," added Alex, reheating her tea with her wand, "we are quite capable of making breakfast."
"Well, that doesn't explain you two." said Harry, looking at Tonks and Remus.
"I just got in from doing my shifts at the Ministry." explained Tonks.
"And I was up listening to my old phonograph." said Remus.
"The Sex Pistols, right?" asked Tonks, he nodded.
"What made you think that he was listening to The Sex Pistols?" asked Harry.
"Cuz it's either them or the Beatles," she said simply, "and all his Beatles records are at his house." But as she said this, she immediately blushed, realising that she'd said too much.
"How d'you know that?" asked Harry curiously.
"Come on, Harry," said Alex, quickly shoving a muffin into his hands, "we have to get going." She dared a glance back at Tonks, who mouthed a thanks. She dragged a hesitant Harry through the door, leaving Mrs. Weasley to deal with Tonks and Remus.
"Got your wand?" she asked, he nodded.
"How are we getting there, anyway?" asked Harry.
"Same way you here." she answered, shortly, fishing in her pocket for her keys. Harry stared at her for a while, before getting into the car. He could admit it, he liked her, but she's his teacher and she couldn't be the girl in the dream, even though they were both the same height and with the same body type, curves included. The girl in the Astronomy Tower couldn't be teacher, she had to be a student, but still, the thought remains. He saw how she looked at him when they first met at his aunt's and uncle's house, could she like him too?
"Aren't you getting in?" she asked.
As soon as she heard the front door close, Hermione woke up both of her friends.
"It's almost 6 in the morning, 'Mione," grumbled Ron, "did you have to wake us up this early?"
"That's because they left, earlier than we expected."
"How do you know that?" asked Ginny, rubbing her eyes.
"Cuz I saw when she woke up Harry," she explained, "now come on!"
Hermione walked as quietly as possible up the stairs, with the half asleep, grumpy, siblings in her wake.
"Which one is her room?" she asked Ginny.
"Third door on the left." she pointed, sleepily.
Hermione tested the door, it was unlocked. She opened the door and smiled, it was rather interesting how muggle-like a pureblood witch could be, especially if she was part 'Black'. She looked around the room, staring at the posters on the walls. The room was covered with them - posters of rock groups like Yellowcard, Maroon 5 and 3 Doors Down - their lead singers made her drool. "Ahh, Brad Arnold and Adam Levine." she thought, staring at the posters as though she was entraced. It seemed as thought Ginny shared her thoughts, she too stared up at the posters.
"Hello!" came the annoyed voice of Ron, snapping them out of their trances, "did we come here to drool or look for something?"
"Sorry." the two girls mutterred.
"What are we looking for anyway?"
"I'm not sure, exactly."
"Not sure?" said an almost bellowing Ron, "Not sure! Then why in the bloody hell are we up here then?"
"Keep your voice down, Ron." scolded Ginny, "let's just search through different parts of the room, to make it easier."
Ginny went over to the neatly stacked shoeboxes in the corner, Hermione went over to the closet and Ron looked through the desk drawers. After a while, discoveries were made.
"Hey, I think I found something." Ginny called, from the corner.
"What?" said Hermione and Ron.
Ginny showed them a shoebox full of letters.
"So what?" said Ron, "they're just letters, Gin."
"No," said Ginny, "there more than that?"
"She's right," said Hermione, thoroughly reading through the letter, "read this."
#6 Fulham Drive
West London
August 23rd, 1994
Dear Alex,
How are you luv? I'm sorry about yesterday, but mum wanted me to take my little brother for his books. I'll make it up to you though. How about dinner and a movie tomorrow? We'll meet at our usual spot and take it from there. Please send your reply ASAP. By the way, I'm beginning to think that our parents suspect something, haha, go figure, huh, two of the greatest enemies' children are going out with each other, but till tomorrow, be careful.
Love Jay.
After reading the letter once more, Ron looked up at his two companions.
"So," he asked, "who's Jay?"
Ginny sighed while Hermione rolled her eyes, the same thought going through both of their minds.
"Could you be any more dense?" said Ginny irritably.
"Ron," said Hermione impatiently, "think about it, the person who wrote the letter said something about two of the greatest enemies' children dating each other, right?" he nodded. "Good, now, who does that remind you of?" she asked, "think back to the encounter last night."
Ron stared stupidly at the wall for a while, then it finally clicked.
"You're saying, that Angie Walker and Katarina MacCartney's kids dated?"
"Ding ding ding ding ding!" said Ginny sarcastically, "we have a winner."
Ron scowled at his younger sister, while Hermione sniggered at him. "You didn't have to put it that way, Gin, I mean, I'm not stupid." That last comment made Hermione and Ginny snigger uncontrollably, making Ron turn bright red.
"Stop laughing at me." he whined, making them laugh even more.
"Ok, but let's take this with us." said Ginny, still grinning slightly.
"Why?"
"To show it to Harry," said Hermione going to the door, but unfortunately, she heard a slight humming outside. They all froze.
"Mum!" Ron breathed.
"What do we do?"
"HIDE!" whispered Ron frantically as they dove under the bed, with the letter in tow. As they did this, Mrs. Weasley opened the door and walked in with an apron on, her wand in one hand and a broom in the other.
"She's cleaning?" Hermione said to herself in disbelief.
"Apparently." said Ginny.
"But this room is already clean, why does it want anymore cleaning?"
"I totally agree, but I think she's doing something more."
"Like what?"
Ginny nodded towards her mother, who was now waving her wand over the broom, making it disappear. She then looked up and waked towards the boxes in the corner, taking out a bunch of letters and began to read them.
"What is she doing?" asked a anxious voice of Ron.
"She's reading the letters," said Ginny, "Apparently she doesn't trust Alex, either."
"We can't stay under the bed forever." whispered Hermione.
"So how are going to get out of here, then?" asked Ron.
"With this." said Ginny, holding up Harry's Invisibility Cloak.
"How'd you get that?" asked Ron.
"I nicked it from his trunk." she answered, smiling slightly.
With Mrs. Weasley's backed turned, they came out from under the bed and put on the cloak. Gasping loudly, she turned around, her face turning redder than her hair, making the 3 teenagers scuttle hastily outside under the cloak. When they reached the boys' bedroom, they threw off the cloak and fell onto the bed, completely winded.
"Why was she blushing like that?" asked Ron.
"Because of that letter she read." said Ginny, a bit flushed.
"The letter?"
Laughing, she nodded, "The things they wrote to each other, that's enough to make you blush."
"Oh."
Harry Potter stared out of the window at the passers-by, still thinking about his "dream" girl. Occasionally, he glanced over at Alex, wondering if she was that girl. On the other hand, Alex was too, thinking, but not about her dream guy, no, she was past that stage- she had bigger fish to fry at this point. What would happen, she wondered, when she arrived at the home of Katarina MacCartney-Zabini? Would he be there? Would that-excuse the expression- witch, be there with him? Thises things she couldn't be bothered with right now, she had to concentrate on getting Harry to the trial without incident. She swung into the nearby parking lot and woke up Harry, who had fallen asleep soon after their journey had begun.
"Are we there already?" he asked groggily.
"Not yet, luv," she answered, putting on different shoes, "we have some walking to do."
Groaning, he cleanded his glasses and took the flask of tea that she handed to him.
"You'll need it," she said, looking at him closely, "trust me."
"No, what I need, is a couple more hours of sleep." he corrected, closing his eyes, once more. Sighing to herself and looking down at her watch, she decided to take matters into her own hands, as desperate times call for desperate measures. She opened the door, wrung Harry's ear and dragged him out of the car, making him cry out in pain. It was cruel but it worked.
"Ouch!" he yelled, "what was that for?"
"To get you out." she replied, rather annoyed, "you do remember what happened the last time you were late, right?". He nodded, while still rubbing his throbbing ear. She locked the car and started to walk, not waiting for Harry, as he struggled to keep up with her, walking in strides as she did. They soon came to the familial telephone box. It seemed rather awkward but still quite amusing for the passers-by, who's minds were really far down in the gutter to see these two young people. She was pulling him to the the booth in haste, as though she couldn't wait to get to a secluded place for a quick shag.
"Some people could be so sick." she scoffed as she dialed the number.
"You should've seen it last year," said Harry, smirking, "it was 6 of us in here."
Alex raised her eyebrow, but said nothing as she waited for the 'operator's voice' to come on. It then did.
"Ministry of Magic, please state your name and your business.
"Umm, Alexandra Walker, here to escort Harry Potter to a trial." she said, warily, then out of nowhere, a tray came out of the wall, holding the badges, Alex shoved one into Harry's hand as the booth descended below ground, shaking as it went. It finally stopped with a bump on the ground floor of the Ministry of Magic. It had definately changed in the past few weeks. The water fountain with the golden statutes, had been repaired and there were certainly, may aurors patrolling the corridors and hallways. It seemed as though everyone had been pulled off their regular jobs to work as temporary aurors and guards- as they'd liked to think - even if their weren't qualified for it. The security had been tightened like the security in a muggle airport. They headed straight towards the guard desk, where your wand was measured, completely ignoring everyone in the line behind them.
"Sorry, miss," said the young guard, "but you have to wait in line."
"You can't be bloody serious!" said Alex, turning to look at the line, "he has a trial to get to!"
"I'm sorry, miss." repeated the guard, 'but rules are rules."
Alex stared at him, sizing him up. He looked like a reasonably good-looking, well-built and nicely toned. There was an extremely sexy young man under those robes, she thought evily.
"Excuse me, uh, Sid, is it?" the guard nodded. She leaned over rather seductively and whispered something in his ear, making him turn redder than blood.
"There you go miss," he said, still a little flushed, letting them through and ignoring the protests of the other patrons in the line. Alex winked at him, making sure that she swayed and moved her hips in a seductive manner, making the guard loosen his necktie. Harry hurried after her.
"What did you say to him?" he laughed.
Grinning, she answered, "Never you mind."
"You didn't threaten him did you?"
"No, no, nothing of the sort." she said, smirking, "now come on."
Without objection, he followed her into the elevator and she pressed the button to get to the Auror Department, where they met a very flustered Kingsley Shakelbolt.
"What's up with you?" she asked him, as she and Harry stepped off the elevator.
"You'd be like this too, if you were working in here," he said rather hotly, "especially if you were working for him."
"Who's 'him'?" asked Harry, but he soon got his answer as he heard the gruff voice of Mad-Eye Moody, sound from behind the closed door, making Kingsley roll his eyes. Dissatisfied when he received no answer, he shuffled out of his office, his face bearing his customary bad attitude and annoyed expression.
"Didn't you hear me calling you?" he barked, barely acknowledging the others' presence.
"Yes," he answered coldly, "but we have visitors, Mad-Eye."
His electric blue eye swirled in its socket, to see Harry and Alex staring at him, with amused expressions.
"Alright, Potter?" he asked Harry, "Walker, what are you doing here?" he spat.
"Top of the morning to you too, Alastor." said Alex, evenly, "but we came here to see Kingsley, not you."
Glaring at her, he retreated to his office in a huff, making sure he slammed the door behind him.
"What's got his knickers in a twist?" asked Alex, as she looked at the poster of the Death Eaters on the wall.
"He's got loads of work to do," explained Kingsley, "he's the head of the department now."
"What happened to Scrimgeour?"
"He got promoted."
"To what?" he shrugged.
"Whatever, look, I want you to do me a favour."
"Name it."
"K, I want you to take Harry to the trial," she said, "I have an important errand to run."
Looking at her watch, she said, "It's about 7 now and the trial is at 8, so you'll have some time to kill."
Harry looked up, rather disappointed, "Where are you going?"
"I have to pick up something, but as I said before, I'll be back before it's over." she said and with a 'pop', she was gone, leaving Harry and Kingsley alone. Both of them stared at each other for a while before speaking.
"So," said Kingsley, breaking the silence, "how've you been?"
"I'm alright, I guess." said Harry, "I think I'm supposed to go and look at my parents' house tomorrow."
"Are you excited?"
"A little, mostly nervous though."
"Ok, then." he said, looking at the clock on the wall, "we should get going."
"Where's the trial going to be?" asked Harry, as they walked to the elevators.
"I think, Courtroom Ten." said Kingsley. Harry gulped.
"Department of Mysteries." came the cool, female voice in the elevator. Since he heard the name, he felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach. He didn't think that he could go back to this place. The place where his godfather died to save his life. Everyone seemed to be doing that lately. First his dad, his mum, now Sirius. Who would be taken from him next? Sighing quietly, he forced himself to follow Kingsley out of the elevator and down the hall.
Alex pulled up in front of a brown cobblestone house. She sat in the car for a while, thinking of what to say and what to do, if she meant someone that she really didn't want to see. After praying to the Lord, to give her strength to get through this encounter, she got out of the car and walked up the path, towards the house. After ringing the doorbell many times in the last five minutes, she figured no one was home, so she turned to leave; but as she did, the door creaked open, revealing a rather tall aristocratic woman, who looked exactly like her teenaged self, from the pictures in the yearbook She had long, shiny chesnut coloured hair, which was done up in a tight knot at the back of her head, and a face that revealed that she didn't look a day over 21, even though she was 14 years older. The woman stared at her for a moment as though searching for recognition, then smiled sweetly. "I was wondering when you would come, Alexandra." Alex stood frozen to the spot, surveying the woman and fingering the wand in her pocket, waiting for the woman to strike.
"Please, Alex," said the woman, "please come inside."
Still surveying the woman for signs of deceit, she followed her into the house and into the living room. Alex sat in the armchair, closest to the door, while the woman chose a cosy little settee by the fireplace.
"As I was saying before, Alexandra," began the woman, "I was wondering when you would come."
"I've been busy, Ms. MacCartney."
"Mrs. Zabini, please," insisted the woman, with a warm smile. She still had that irish accent.
"Yes, of course, Mrs. Zabini," continued Alex, as though she'd never been interrupted, "I was busy sorting out mother's estate and it was only last night that I heard of these, shall I say, arrangements."
"So, I guess that there's nothing to explain in full." said Katarina. Alex shook her head slowly, as she watched the older woman get up and reach for her wand. At that, Alex's reflexes kicked into full gear, as she too, took out her wand.
"What do you think you're doing?" asked Alex, eyeing the wand in the woman's hand.
"Relax, Walker," said the woman calmly, "I just have to summon the book, that's all." Alex looked at the closely and silently dropped her wand hand, but she could still do wandless magic, and the Avada Kedavra wasn't a hard task either. Katarina smiled again and muttered a charm. Suddenly, she heard a rumbling coming from the middle of the floor, which opened up and emitted a blue light. It was like a reversible whirlpool. Instead of the substance going down, it was doing the complete opposite. The room was shaking vigorously now, as pictures were tumbling to the floor and and breaking with a loud crash. Katarina MacCartney-Zabini was standing perfectly still, with her eyes keenly watching the crater in the floor. Alex, on the other hand, was struggling to hold her ground but she kept her eyes on the woman standing across from her. Just because they seemed to ba talking well, Alex still didn't trust her. As quickly as the rumbling came, it ceased and the hole in the floor had been resealed. In its place, was a rather large black and gold book. It didn't look old nor did it looked new, it just looked well kept. Alex looked up at the womna and she nodded as though she read her mind, she bent down and picked it up, inspecting it like a fussy 5 year old would inspect his christmas present. She slowly sat on the chair and stared at the book in her lap. She immediately tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. She tried every spell and charm she could think of to open it, for the paat 10 minutes, but it still wouldn't open. Katarina smiled inwardly at this but she looked on with amusement to see what other things she would do to the book. Completely frustrated, Alex looked up and scowled at the woman, who chuckled beside herself.
"Are you even planning to tell me how to open this book?" she asked irritably.
The woman shook her head, "Not even I know how to open it, my dear." she said, "I assume you have to use advanced black magic to open it, the only two people who knew how to open it, are dead."
"And who are they?"
"Lily Evans-Potter and your mother."
"I thought mum was against all that?"
"Well, obviously she wasn't."
"Are you sure?" said the young girl, coldly.
She sat down and thought about where she would find such a spell. It was interesting to see how her eyebrows furrowed, when she was deep in thought. Katarina looked at the girl in front of her. There was something about her that would make your blood run cold with fear. Maybe it was her eyes, those deep, penetrating dark brown eyes.
"Yes," she continued, "I'm sure."
Smirking, Alex got up and walked around the chair, leaning on its back, staring at the woman, making her squirm uncomfortably in the chair. Shaking her head, Alex smiled a cold twisted smile at the woman. "I know you're lying, Mrs. Zabini, so this is how I figure it." said Alex, softly as she took out her wand. "You either tell me the truth, or I won't use this against you." she finished, twirling the wand in her hand.
"You forget, Miss. Walker," sneered the woman, "I too have a wand, Expelliarmus!"
But Alex was too quick for her, she hated to do it, but she did, "Crucio!" Katarina fell back and started screaming in pain. Despite the fact that her face showed no emotion, she was shocked at what she did. Shaking the guilt out of her head, she walked over to the fallen woman and knelt down beside her.
"Never underestimate a Black, Mrs. Zabini," she whispered to the woman's twitching face, "Now are you ready to tell me where I can find the spell?"
She nodded, inwardly seething.
"You can find it in one of your mother's memoirs," she said, in between breaths, "Don't ask me which one, cuz, I don't know."
Alex got up and smiled, "Thank you."
"Listen to me, Walker," said the woman, making Alex turn, "You have to do the spell alone. This piece of magic is very advanced and you can't trust many people these days." Alex nodded and walked towards the door.
"You really do have your mother's temper," said the woman quietly, and as an afterthought, she said, "and your father's arrogance."Alex smiled but continued walking but a familiar voice stopped her.
"Hey, mum." came a voice from the corridor, "whose car is that out front?
"Bloody hell." groaned Alex, closing her eyes, "not here, not now."
"Mum? are you -" he began, but his words seemed to stop flowing when he saw his ex-fiancée the living room with his mother. Their eyes met for a second, they both blushed and looked away. Mrs. Zabini looked on with with curiousity, while Mel, Jay's present fiancée glowered at the two of them.
"Well, hello Alex, what a plesant surprise." he said, looking into her eyes again, bringing back very tense and passionate memories. She looked at him and bit her lip, he was very tall, 6'4 to be exact, with a strong build, muscular everything that you could even imagine. He had sexy grey eyes and black hair, which wasn't very long. Mel, on the other hand, was a blonde bimbo, with the perfect measurements but a zero IQ. She was clinging onto him and glaring at any female who even looked his way.
"It's a surprise for me too." she mumbled, finally finding her tongue.
"How've you been?" he said smiling a smile which he knew that would make her melt. He knew that she still loved him after all that had happened. He looked closely at her, his eyes moving up and down her body. She wore a white pinstripped shirt, black jeans and black leather boots. Her black hair flowing down her back. She had a nice shape too, he thought to himself, but not as good as Mel's. A part of him too, still loved her.
"Well enough," she said quietly as she turned to face his mother, "I think I should leave, thanks alot Mrs. Zabini."
Alex walked quickly past them, ignoring the alluring scent of he ex-fiancé and practically sprinting out to her car. She drove for a few minutes before she broke down, crying. She stayed there for more than 15 minutes.