A/N Hey guys, I tried to write a longer chapter this time and I'm honestly proud of some of the stuff in here. Please review and let me know what you think!

Veronica

Chapter 4

Alexina POV

My name was called not two people into the sorting process. I walked up to stool where Professor Potter put on the sorting hat, letting it cover my eyes.

"My my, Alexina. Protector is it not? I haven't sorted a mind like yours since about 50 years ago. Ambition and Cunning to rival the sliest of Slytherins, a mind so sharp, Rowena herself would be proud. Loyalty to your gang and anyone who you choose to protect. Hard work comes with the title of Blade, does it not? Oh, and bravery, your courage surpasses the best of Gryffindors. For the first time in years, I do not know where to put you."

"Thanks, I guess? I have no preference really, just put me wherever you believe I will be of most use"

"Most use, my dear, you will be a wonderful addition to any house, but I believe that Gryffindor is going to need your cunning, wit, and hard work sooner than you think."

"Okay…?"

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted, and before I could ask what he meant, I was being ushered off to the table applauding uproariously.

I sat down across from two red-headed twins, who seemed to be related to Ron. I turned back to watch the sorting and clapped as Ron, Harry, and a girl named Hermione were all sorted into Gryffindor along with a few other, like a boy named Neville, who seemed very shy. I also clapped as Draco was sorted into Slytherin, knowing full well that I could have also gone there.

The headmaster got to his feet once the last handful had been sorted and gave a great, beaming smile. "Welcome!" he said, arms held wide, "welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you! The Great Hall burst into applause, Alex not included. "Is he a bit mad?" She asked. "Mad? No! He's brilliant! But he is a bit wonky yes" Percy Weasley, one of Ron's older brothers replied. "Why aren't you eating?" asked, Harry. Confused she looked at the table and gasped when she saw the table was filled with food. More than she'd eaten in her whole life! She wasn't even exaggerating. "So, what's with the hair" Seamus Finnagin, a half-blood who was also in their year, asked. "Did your parents let you dye it?" "Uhh….no." she hesitated "it's natural, it's a genetic thing, I can't explain it."

"Genetic?" George Weasley, one of the Weasley twins, asked. "It's a muggleborn thing George" she replied he, Fred and a couple of others (Ron, Percy, and Harry included) gasped " What? What did I say?"

"How'd you do that?"

"Do what? I just called George by his name."

"That! How did you tell us apart? Mum can't even do that!" Ron and Percy nodded.

"It's not that hard. You don't actually look that similar. Fred, you're about an inch taller than George and George's hair is longer. You also sit differently. Fred, you lean on your left elbow and George keeps both elbows off the table George also sits straighter, Fred slouches more." They looked at themselves and noticed that they were doing exactly what she said.

" Wow"

"No one has"

"Ever noticed that"

"Before," the twins said. Flawlessly switching between each other. I just shrugged and kept eating.

"Hey Alexina - " George started before I cut him off

"Alex, please. Alexina is way too long. That goes for all of you."

"Right then, Alex" Fred continued "Are you the same Alex that saved ickle Harrikins and the rest of his family a couple of years ago?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ickle Harrikins?" I asked, still laughing at Harry's mortified face.

"Why of course, Ickle Harrikins and Ronnikins" Fred started

"are our dear little brothers" George continued

"we have to have nicknames"

"for them!" they finished together.

"but you still haven't answered our question"

"Yes, that was me, but I can't believe Harry told you about that. We were like nine." I said, through laughter.

Everyone's expressions changed to that of awe. "He didn't really tell us the entire story though, can you please!" I was going to say no but the pleading expressions on everyones faces made me given. "Alright, alright. I was eight or nine, I don't remember, and it was my shift for nightly patrols, so I was walking around the base and saw Harry's family walk in. Naturally, I thought that they were a ploy from the rivals, so I stayed hidden until a group of bloodlust cornered them. Thats when I realized that they were probably new to the area and didn't know to stay away. So I jumped down from my hide out and landed in between. Bloodlust knew that this was my base and if I called I could have reinforcements there in under five seconds, so they ran. That was pretty much it" I shrugged at the end because it wasn't really a big deal. The expressions on their faces when I finished the story were priceless. They also had a lot of questions about what Bloodlust and some of the other stuff I said meant, so I explained the whole gang thing. If it were possible, their jaws dropped even more.

After dinner Percy lead the first years to the common room and told us the password. "Okay, girls on the right and boys on the left. Off to bed now!" I went up to my dorm. It turned out to be only 5 of us in a dorm that looked like it could comfortably fit 10. My trunk was by the bed closest to the door, just how I liked it. I already new Hermione and Sally -Anne - both muggleborn- from the feast but had to be introduced to Parvati Patil (she was a pureblooded Indian girl and Lavender Brown (A half blood) we were all so exhausted from the feast and the train ride that we went to bed with a quick hello to each other. Alex was ecstatic that she would be going to bed with a full stomach, she hadn't had that in years! She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow -after warding her bed of course - she was tired not stupid.

When morning came around, Alex was the first one up in her dorm. She dressed quickly for the day. Putting her hair in a loose side braid, she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked nothing like herself. The skirt being entirely too long and modest for her taste and the white blouse way to constricting. The black shoes were clearly not made for fashion or fighting. In Hogwarts a history, it said that the only rule for shoes, was that they had to be black. She smirked. She put on her long, knee high boots that she wore when she was 'working'. Prostitution for someone my age was pretty common, since there weren't many other ways to get an income. She also put on some foundation to cover the worse scars on her hands and face. The ones that she didn't want anyone to see. At least, not yet.

She walked down to the common room to wait for Harry and Ron so that they could go down to the great Hall together. When Harry and Ron saw her outfit their jaws dropped. She just laughed and told them that they should get down to the great Hall for breakfast before it was over. That got them going.

Besides the fact that everyone was staring at her throughout the meal, the only interesting thing to happen at breakfast was them getting their schedules. They left for class a couple of minutes early so that they could find the transfiguration classroom, which is what they had first. It was a Gryffindor - Slytherin class and so Alex sat with Draco in the the second row while Harry and Ron sat behind them. Professor Mcggonagall started class right on time. It was interesting but all they did was change needles to matchsticks. Alex managed hers on the first try. It wasn't really hard. She could do it wandlessly. The week was pretty normal. She sat with Harry and Ron at meals and in classes, she did her work fast and on time. The only hiccup this week was at the end of the week.

Friday morning they had potions with the Slytherins and professor Snape. He seemed like the alright sort when she met him briefly but clearly, he was not. She, Harry and her dorm mate Hermione were sat at one table for this lesson, Ron opting to sit with Draco and Neville.. The lesson started out fine but quickly turned for the worst. Snape seemed to hate Harry with a passion, for a reason that she could not fathom at the moment, he asked Harry material that was supposed to be covered earliest at the end of our second year. Hermione, of course, knew all the answers and went to raise her hand but I restrained her. When she looked at me questioningly, I explained that he wasn't actually looking for an answer and just wanted to torment Harry.

When he started to make jabs at Harry's family I couldn't take it anymore. I had to say something. "Are you such a bastard to everyone or are we Gryffindors special?" I interrupted him. The silence in the room was deafining. Everyone was gaping at me. "Well? I asked you a question. Or are you one of those dunderheads you claim to hate so much, who can't even answer a simple question?"

"Why you - " he started, stumbling over his words. "Why me what? Are you incapable of finishing sentences?"

"100 POINTS FRO-"

"Finish that sentence I fucking dare you." My voice was chilling. I was on my feet in a flash, my pocketknife already in my hand, it was positioned in such a way that only Snape could see it. He paled. I got real close, so close that the tip of my knife was pressing against his stomach. "Listen to me, and listen good because I hate repeating myself. I don't know what your deal is and I don't care. I don't give a damn about what Harry or his family did to you but you will treat him - and all students, not just your Slytherins - fairly or I swear I will make you wish for death. I hate bastards. I had one for a father and I'm done dealing with them. My father's dead now and I have no qualms about seeing you in that same state. The only reason you aren't on the floor right now is that I don't want to corrupt their innocent minds with murder. Got it?" When he remained still I barked "I asked you a question!" He nodded.

"Now here's what you're going to do. You're going to start teaching us what you're supposed to be and not pick on anyone this lesson - or any other lesson - if I hear anyone complain that you harassed them during a lesson I will personally see to your disposal." He nodded shakily and I calmly turned and walked back to my seat beside Harry. Everyone was watching me as I leaned forward on my desk. "Well," I asked a still frozen Snape "what are you waiting for?!" After that everything ran smoothly. He didn't pick on Harry or anyone else for that matter.

After potions, many of the people in our class came running up to me and thanking me for making him shut up. There were a couple of people who were pissed I spoke to the bastard the way I did, but I told them to kindly fuck off. After potions, we had defence, which was a joke. Quirrell smelt like garlic and he was a stuttering mess. Years of experience told me that the stutter was fake but I couldn't figure out why he would do that. After defence. We had charms. It was a fairly easy class as they were just revising the lumos and nox spells they had learned last class.

Before she knew it, her calender showed October first and then 5th and then 15th and it was finally time for Halloween. She'd heard from all the upper years that the Halloween feast was supposed to be absolutely stunning. So, sat in charms, 3rd block that day, she was not paying attention until they were told to practice the levitation spell on the feather. Hermione, I noticed, was trying to be a good person and help Ron but he would have none of it. She rolled her eyes and did the spell, the same time Hermione did. They earned 5 points each for Gryffindor before the bell rang and Flitwick dismissed them for lunch.

While they were walking out of the classroom Ron was complaining about how Hermione was a show off or something. I stopped listening until Hermione ran by us. It was clear that she had heard whatever it was that Ron said. She whirled on Ron. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?! She was trying to help you, you absolute moron!" Furiously Alex pulled her hand back and slapped him, vaguely noting him falling to the floor before running after Hermione. God knows that teenage girls were especially sensitive around puberty and bullying did little to help their self esteem. She knew Hermione had been bullied for having bushy hair and bucked teeth at her muggle school. She had also comforted many times when the taunts from kids here at Hogwarts became too cruel for her to bare on her own.

She eventually found Hermione in the second floor girls bathroom. As soon as Hermione heard her voice she unlocked the stall door and hugged her, holding onto her as if she was the only thing keeping her from falling to the floor. Gently, she persuaded the girl to let go.

"Talk to me Hermione, I want to help" that seemed to break any barriers she may have had as she cried and told me about all the cruel things and how she couldn't do this anymore. " 'Mione look at me" when she looked up at me all innocent and child like, I wondered who would want to hurt someone like her. She was the first person I'd ever met to be so kind and forgive people without an ulterior motive. "You are beautiful, inside and out. And if people can't see that, then they're blind." I said firmly. Noting the time, I said "now, why don't we clean you up and go join everyone at the Halloween feast.