The Alexander Chronicles Year 4: The Return of Darkness

by the22nddoctor

Many things have changed in Alexander s life, his mother is in Azkaban and he have learned that he is the son of Sirius Black. This year Alex has to battle both his inner darkness that is growing stronger inside him, and the outside darkness that is returning stronger than ever, not even Hogwarts is safe. Beside that, he have to deal with being a teenager. Have been rewritten.

5. Chapter 5 Walking

The Alexander Chronicles Year 4: The Return of Darkness.

Chapter 5: Walking

First off a big thanks to those who have reviewed.

So there have been some reviewers that have pointed out that Hermione have been acting like a jerk in the last chapter. I didn´t realized that I made her that bad, but I have chosen to had Hermione act this way because she cares about her friends, but can´t really handle if they keeps things from her, it is a part of her nosy nature. It is an issue that I want Hermione to deal with. Anyway, enjoy this chapter

…

Alex didn´t knew where he was, all he knew that he was tied up to some kind of stone, was tired, and was in pain. Alex opened his eyes with some effort and tried getting himself free, but apparently the robes were magically and they tied Alex closer. Alex stopped and looked down at himself where he saw the reason for his pain, his right hand little finger was missing; not only missing it but also had been cut off. Why? Who had done that?

"Don´t you see Black? There is no point in fighting me."

Alex looked up. What he saw made him want to scream. It was a man. However, it also looked nothing like a human. The skin was pale white like a skull, the eyes were red and there were no nostrils. It was the face that was well known and feared. Alex was looking at Lord Voldemort.

"Let me go." Alex said in a timbering voice, trying to force himself to keep eye contact.

"Yes I will," Voldemort said, but then paused and smiled. "However I do require your allegiance. After all, why fight along with those who fear you, who hate you, who don´t care if you dies. Those who maybe even hope it will happen. You are more powerful than anyone of those weaklings are. They should fear you. They should respect you. Join me and I will make you into one of the most powerful wizards of all time. Don´t hold your anger and darkness back, let all flow and live up to your true potential."

Alex wanted to scream: I never join you. He hoped he did, but he never got to know. Since everything began to fade before he could give an answer. The only thing he could hear was a cold laughter.

Then everything changed and Alex found himself in a dark room, where all the furniture had been trashed.

There was none one else in the room besides another man that was cowering at his feet. The man was beaten up and had cuts all over his body. Alex looked down at himself he had dark robes on. He then looked at the man again as he began sobbing,

Alex sneered and produced a wand from his ropes, and pointed at the other man and whispered, "Crucio."

Screams started to fill the air as the man began rolling around in pain. The curse was held for minutes, and was only stopped as the man was about to faint from the pain. Alex smiled as he allowed the man a moment to recover before casting the same curse, once again filling the room with screams.

"Please stop," the man said, "I can´t take this anymore."

"Fine. I am getting bored anyway." Alex said in a cold voice

"So I-I c-can walk. I am free to go?" the man said, with his face looking at the ground.

"You will never leave." Alex said in cold voice and once again pointed his wand at the wand, "I am just done with you." Alex paused, and then yelled "Avada Kedavra."

The green light shot out of the wand and hit the man, who immediately fell limb. Alex walked over to the man, and turned the man´s heard with his foot. It was his stepfather; he had an empty look of pure terror on his face.

"You did well young Black," said a voice from a shadow.

"It felt so good."

"Yes, "the voice said again as it owner stepped forward revealing Voldemort. The dark wizard looked at Alex and smiled. "I told you, I could make you powerful, now that you have freed yourself from your chains."

"Yes, thank you for giving me that wisdom my master." Alex smiled and walked over a mirror. What he saw was terrific, it was his face, but it looked nothing like it used to. The skin was deathly paled, his eyes were demonic yellow, and had an animtaslic smile (the same smile Riddle had had, when Alex had faced him in the chamber.) Voldemort came over and laid his hands on his shoulder.

"We have more enemies to destroy my apprentice."

The evil Alex smiled again as he really was looking forward to it. "They are as good as dead - my master."

…

Alex woke up with a yelp, at first he didn´t knew where he was, then he remembered he was at the Weasley´s house since he were going to the world cup with them.

Alex closed his eyes, trying to get his breathing under control. Why had he dreamt this? He hadn´t had any nightmares about attacking his stepfather before. He had accepted that he shouldn't had attacked him with dark magic. It was only the fact he had tried to do just that bothered him. However, this dream that wasn´t the only thing that had scarred him. When Alex had seen his face in the mirror, it had looked just like the boggart he had faced last year. "It will not happen. I won't end up like this." Alex whispered to himself.

But hadn´t it already begun hadn´t it? A good guy wouldn´t attack a muggle no matter what he had done. Harry for example would never had attacked his family like that.

Alex signed as he sat up. He also wondered why Voldemort had appeared his dream sure Alex was scarred that he might end up like him. However, he was sure that he wouldn't join Voldemort. Alex was nothing like him. He hated Voldemort views, or did he? Alex was pretty sure that Voldemort hated muggles too, and he had begun wondering if he too hated them all. It sure felt like it sometimes, but no Voldemort also hated muggle-borns and that was something they disagreed on.

Alex didn´t know how long he sat still, listing to Bill´s faint snoring. Alex looked up as he heard that the door was being opened and saw that Mr. Weasley walking inside. He looked a bit surprised to see that Alex was awake.

"Ah good you are up, I was just about to wake you," he whispered, "We have to leave soon if we have to see the world cup."

Alex looked outside the window; it was still dark outside "really at this time?"

"Yeah we have to leave early since you kids isn´t old enough to Apparate."

Alex nodded, "okay I will get dressed then."

"Good take your time." Mr. Weasley said as he walked out.

Alex stood up, rubbing his eyes, stretched out, and yawned. He quickly got dressed, trying to keep as quit as possible so he wouldn't wake up Bill. The last thing Alex did was placing his wand in it hoister under his shirt, then leaving the room carefully closing the door behind him.

Alex then quickly went down the stairs down to the kitchen where only Mrs. Weasley was.

"Well you are quick to get up." She said as she saw Alex.

"Yeah, well wouldn't want to miss the fun Mrs. Weasley." Alex said and smiled as he was handed a cup of tea.

Five minutes later, Mrs. Weasley was stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr. Weasley was sitting at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as Harry, Ron, Fred and George entered. He spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing sweater and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt.

What d'you think?" he asked anxiously. "We're supposed to go incognito - do I look like a Muggle, Harry?"

"Yeah," said Harry, smiling while Alex stared at Mr. Weasley, trying not to laugh, as Mr. Weasely looked like someone a muggle would look more after then if he had his wizard robes on. "Very good."

"Where're Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn.

"Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?" said Mrs. Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. "So they can have a bit of a lie-in."

Alex knew that Apparating meant disappearing from one place and reappearing almost instantly in another, but had never known any Hogwarts student to do it, and understood that it was very difficult. He did, however, already experienced it, thanks to Sirius, and given that he was somewhat glad, that he shouldn't do that again anytime soon.

"So they are still in bed?" Fred said grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge toward him. "Why can't we Apparate too?"

"Do you even know how to do it?" Alex asked looking at Fred, "after all it is a bit complicated."

"I might," Fred huffed.

"But you are not of age and haven't passed the test." Mrs Weasley said, then look at the stairs," Now were are the girls?" She asked before she bustled out of the kitchen and they heard her climbing the stairs.

"You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done property it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves."

Everyone around the table winced, while Harry looked confused.

"Er - splinched?" Harry asked.

"It means that you leave some of yourself behind." Alex explained, "Sometimes it only an eyebrow, but other times it is bigger body parts and then they get stuck."

Mr. Weasley sighed, "yeah and those we had to fine left half of themselves behind. So as Alex said they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind."

"Were they okay?" Harry asked, startled.

"Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley matter-of-factly. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms - slower, but safer."

"But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?"

"Charlie had to take the test twice," said Fred, grinning. "He failed the first time. Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?" Alex grinned that would have looked funny.

"Yes, well, he passed the second time," said Mrs. Weasley, marching back into the kitchen amid hearty sniggers.

"Percy only passed two weeks ago," said George. "He's been Apparating downstairs every morning since, just to prove he can."

There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy.

"Why do we have to be up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table.

"We've got a bit of a walk," said Mr. Weasley, as Alex ears looked up, surely he didn´t mean-

"Walk?" Harry asked. "What, are we walking to the World Cup?"

"No, no, that's miles away," said Mr. Weasley, smiling. "We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup…"

"George!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and they all jumped.

"What?" said George; in an innocent tone, that didn´t deceived anybody.

"What is that in your pocket?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't you lie to me!"

Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "Accio!"

Several small, brightly coloured objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand.

"We told you to destroy them!" Mrs. Weasley said furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. "We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets; go on, both of you!"

It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all.

"Accio! Accio! Accio!" she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans.

"We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away.

"Oh a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!" Alex looked away, knowing it wasn´t his business. It was sad that Mrs. Weasley did not appreciate brilliance of the twins' ideas, and the fact that the magic behind it was absolutely fantastic.

Overall, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they took their departure. Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her.

"Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs. Weasley, "and behave yourselves," she called after the twin's retreating backs, but they didn't look back or answer.

"I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday," Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Alex, Hermione, and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George.

It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Fred and George led the way with Mr. Weasley behind them, Ron and Harry behind him, Hermione and Ginny behind them, with Alex pulling up the rear. Now that he was awake, he thought the scenery was magnificent. He smiled to himself and watched his companions in front of him, he saw that Harry and Mr. Weasley were talking with each other, the twins were still in the front scowling, Ron and Ginny were just looking tried, and Hermione was – At Alex side, he blinked in surprise as he hadn´t seen her walk back to him.

"Hey," she said smiling at him, "what were you looking at?

"Hey Mione, I was just looking at the view."

Hermione looked the way Alex was pointing, "Wow that is beautiful."

"But that is not why you came?"

No," Hermione said, "I just wanted to ask; how many knows about Sirius being your father?"

"You, Harry, my family, Blaise and I suppose some of the Ministry."

"How did Blaise knew?"

"I told him, and he was with me when I checked out my personal file in the Ministry."

"Oh you did that with him?"

"Yeah," Alex smiled, "he is one of my best friends."

"But why didn´t you say anything to me sooner? I mean we are supposed to be friends."

"We are Hermione," Alex said, looking at her sideways. "Look you don´t get it. There isn´t many that knows that Sirius is innocent, most think he is murderer. So I am not sure how people will react when they know about it."

"But I know the truth about Sirius´ innocence!"

"Yeah, but I didn´t wanted to talk about it." Alex said, "Please accept that."

"But I-"

"No Hermione! Look you don´t have to know anything. Sometimes people want to keep things to themselves without it have anything to do with you."

Hermione paused and looked down, "I just wanted to help."

"Sometimes people need to have time, or just don´t want to talk at all."

Hermione sighed, "Well I should have seen it. Now that I know the truth, I can see the resemblance between you and Padfoot."

"So I have been told, but I still say I look like more like my mother then father – sure there is the eyes and nose, but there isn´t much more."

"Yeah but you can see Sirius in you, but do you plan to tell Ron about this? He knows the truth about Sirius."

Alex looked at Hermione, "No offence, but I won´t. Ron and I isn´t friends. He actually thinks I will turn on Harry, because my mother was a Slytherin and because I am friends with the Slytherins."

"I thought you guys made up."

"No we didn´t, he thinks I am evil, and I am sick of hearing stuff like that."

"Yeah, but maybe he accept you more if he knew you had a Gryffindor as a father."

"What? Do you think I care about his acceptance? I have no problems about myself; I have friends who care about me, no matter who my parents are. And trust me, I don´t care about Ron´s friendship, and I won´t want to tell him this just so he likes me." Alex said hardly, "Because if he was a friend, he would accept that some my best friends are from the Slytherin house and that my family too is from that house."

Hermione looked at the ground, "I am sorry, it came out the wrong way. It is just - well I really hoped that things could get back to the way they were."

Alex shocked his head, "I am sorry, but I don´t think it can do that. I mean I hope that Ron change his mind about the Slytherins, but even if he does. He still have said all that stuff about my mother."

"Yeah, but that is just who he is, you know how Ron gets when he is upset. I bet he feels bad about it deep down."

"Hermione that isn´t good enough. I hope he apologises about it, but I won´t forgive him like that. I am sorry, but I am not on the wrong side in this."

Hermione looked at Alex, "no I guess I would be angry too if he had insulted my family like that."

Alex smiled, "thanks for understanding."

"So do you known why we had to get up so early?" Hermione asked.

"Well do you know what a portkey is?" Hermione nodded, "we have to take one of these, but since there is so many wizards that that have brought tickets, they have to let people in at certain times. Otherwise the muggles will know that something is wrong. So the ministry have placed portkeys all over the county. "

"But what does they look like?"

"They can be any object really –like an old boot or a can."

The two of them walked in silence, then Hermione looked at Alex, "Hey Alex," she began, "can I ask you something personal?"

"Haven´t you already?" Alex said grinning, making Hermione slap his arm. "I mean sure you can."

"Well," Hermione said blushing slightly, "I was just wondering if you liked someone?"

"Huh," Alex said as an image of Daphne popped into his mind, "do you mean someone at school? And do you mean like like? "

Hermione nodded and Alex gulped, as he realized that she was asking him if he had feelings for her. Because he didn´t, or at least not in any romantic way. Sure Hermione was beautiful, and he did like her more than he liked his other friends. However he didn´t had those kinds of feelings for her. Not like those he had for Daphne.

Should he just say to her that he didn´t like her that way? It seemed cruel to do so; especially since she hadn´t asked him directly. Alex knew that he had to confront Hermione about it, but maybe he should just brush it off and hint that he wasn´t interested in her in that way, and maybe Hermione would and abandon her crush.

"Oh actually I haven't really thought about it." He lied.

"But if you did like someone, then who would it be?"

"Well uh I mean there is Lisa Turpin is nice, so is Mandy Brocklehurst. Susan Bones is cute too. Uh then there is Parvati – and uh Daphne." Alex said the last name without even thinking.

"You mean Daphne Greengrass?"

Alex noticed that Hermione sounded upset, but still if he hinted he liked someone else then she would start to like someone else. "Yeah she a good friend too, but looks isn´t everything. I mean if I liked a girl; then she would be smart, funny, caring and cunning." He said thinking that Daphne fitted all those criteria. "So looks isn´t everything I mean Parkinson is pretty, but I wouldn't want to date her, not even if she was the last girl on earth."

Hermione laughed, "But uh to go back to Sirius," she said making Alex look at her, "you never mentioned Daphne as one of them who knew the truth."

Alex looked at the ground, "No I haven't told her," he said slowly, "we haven't been talking much lately. She is sort of mad at me."

"Oh that is too bad," Hermione, said, "Why is she mad?"

"Well I kind of ignored her last term." Alex said scratching his cheek. "I didn´t mean too, things were just weird."

"Yeah, but you also didn't talk that much to me and I am still speaking to you. Maybe it is Daphne who is wrong." Hermione said, making Alex sigh.

"No I did talk to you, granted it wasn´t much, but with Daphne it was none. She have every right to be mad at me."

"I am sure she won´t stay mad at you," Hermione paused, "have you heard from Sirius in the summer, I mean Harry got letters?"

"Well he visited me." Alex said, thinking about when Sirius stopping him from torturing Daniel stopped him from killing him. Alex looked at the ground thinking what would had happen if Sirius hadn´t come. He was sure he would had tortured Daniel, and at the time, he had wanted to kill. However could he really had done it? Would he had been brave enough or was it braver not to do it. Alex sometimes felt like a failure for not punishing the muggle properly. And he knew it was wrong to feel that way, and he was ashamed of almost having used the torture curse, but at the same time, he felt as Daniel had gotten off to easy.

"Alex!"

Alex blinked and turned towards Hermione. "What?"

"Are you okay? You spaced out for a second."

"I'm fine," Alex, answered, blinking and turning away from Hermione's prying eyes. "But he dropped by for a quick visit, just wanted to say hey."

Alex remained silent as they trudged down the dark, dank lane towards the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Alex rubbed his hands together as they were freezing, as well as his feet. Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch.

They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass. Each breath Alex took was sharp in his chest and his legs were starting to seize up when, at last, his feet found level ground.

"Whew," panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. "Well, we've made good time - we've got ten minutes."

Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side. Alex smiled at her, thinking she look somewhat cute like that. He offered her hand to help Hermione the rest of the way. "Need a hand?"

Hermione smiled and accepted it, and allowed Alex to pull her to the top.

"Now we just need the Portkey," said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. "It won't be big… Come on…"

They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air.

"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it."

Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.

"Amos!" said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.

Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr. Weasley. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"

Alex only knew Cedric Diggory by name and rumour. He was known as an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts. He seemed nice enough, but since Alex hadn´t talked to him, he had no opinion.

"Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all, his eyes flashing at Alex who noticed, and was quit confused by Cedric´s gaze, wondering if he had done anything to offend the Hufflepuff.

Everybody said hi back except Fred, and George, who merely nodded. Fred and George had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year.

"Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked.

"Not too bad," said Mr. Weasley. "We live just on the other side of the village there. You?"

"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still… not complaining… Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons - and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy…" Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Alex, Hermione, and Ginny. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads," said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Alexander a friend of Fred and George," He said pointing at Alex. "And this is Hermione, friend of Ron's - and Harry, another friend -"

"Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Er - yeah," said Harry.

"Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory. "Told us all about playing against Harry last year… I said to him, I said - Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren that will…you beat Harry Potter!"

Cedric looked slightly embarrassed. "Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered. "I told you… it was an accident…"

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman… but the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!"

"Must be nearly time," said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again, but Amos stopped him.

"Who is the brown haired boy, he looks familiar."

"Alexander Bl – Bonteri. His mother is Cyrina Bonteri." Mr. Weasley then cleared his throat. Alex´s annoyance of being addressed as a third person quickly disappeared as he realized that Mr. Weasley knew that he was a Black. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?" Mr. Weasley continued as Mr. Diggory looked at Alex.

"No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets," said Mr. Diggory. "There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?"

Not that I know of," said Mr. Weasley. "Yes, it's a minute off… We'd better get ready…"

He looked around at Harry and Hermione. "You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -"

Alex nodded having traveled with portkey before and with difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the eleven of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory. They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop.

Nobody spoke. It suddenly occurred to Alex how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here now… nine people, two of them grown men, clutching this manky old boot in the semidarkness, waiting. Then again the muggle would just think of them as weird and continue his day none the wiser.

"Three…" muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, "two… one…"

It happened immediately: Alex felt as though a hook just behind his navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. Their feet left the ground. Alex could feel Harry and Hermione on either side of him; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling colour; their forefingers were stuck to the boot as though it was pulling them magnetically onward and then - their feet slammed into the ground with a heavy thud. Alex and Hermione collided, Hermione falling on top of Alex.

Alex looked up and over Hermione. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice from above.

…

Chapter end.

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