Chapter 13

Alli woke on the couch in her uncle's office; she didn't know how long she was asleep for or if her mother and Allen were still there. Her uncle sat behind his desk grading papers and didn't look up until she sat up to make her presence known. She had chosen a moment when her uncle was in the middle of a paper so he didn't look up but said, "Are you aware that you not only talk Parsletounge in your sleep but you also walk around?" When he finished reading he looked up and smiled at the sleepy-eyed, confused girl.

"Do I really?" Alli rubbed her eyes to wake herself up more.

"Mhm, that's why I brought you down here. You started pacing back and forth in a frenzy. We weren't sure what you were trying to do and Diane was getting worried so I guided you down here till you woke up. Diane and Allan are having tea with Professor Mcgonnagal." He stood and went to the door. "We'll talk more later this evening, but I think you should go spend some time with your parents." Snape walked with her to Mcgonnagal's office but then said he had to discuss a few things with Dumbledore and stalked down the staircase. Alli pulled open the large wooden door and was greeted by the soft laughter of three four adults and a teenage boy.

Fred stood beside Professor Mcgonnagal and there was only one vacant seat between Diane and Allan. All eight turned to Alli as she entered the room, Fred smiled wide at the sight of her and the adults smiled as well though there was an undertone of concern in their expressions. Fred came over and hugged Alli, he had been worried when she didn't come to lunch so he was asking the Professor if she was knew anything. Alli assured him that she was fine and that she would explain everything later. They had planned to meet in the Room of Requirements for their date that evening. Alli stood on her tip toes about to kiss him goodbye but could feel the adults watching them intently, so she settled for a hug and promised him more later.

When Alli took the empty seat between her parents, she gave them both a giggling smile so they would relax. Professor Mcgonnagal offered her a cup, but she declined but did nibble at a pastry.

"Do you know why Diane and Allan are having tea with me this afternoon, Alli?" the professor asked as she poured herself another cup.

"Because Professor Dumbledore hates tea" Alli replied jokingly before taking a bite of her bun.

Both Professor Mcgonnagal and Allan snickered but Diane wasn't as amused.

"Why does everything have to be a joke with you, Alli?" she said in a frustrated tone and spilled some tea when she placed it back in the table.

"Because it is how I cope with stressful situations or when I think I'm about to be presented with bad news. Which seems to happen quite often in my life." The sarcasm had left Alli's voice. Diane propped her elbows on her knees and buried her head in her hands.

"Alli, besides the incident with your cousin and the Patronus charm, has anything else happened?" Mcgonnagal moved on and ignored Diane's uneasiness.

Alli hesitated, trying to decide whether to risk upsetting her mother more. "There was one, the very first night here, I got a horrible headache during the feast and Fred escorted me to the common room. This was after I had told him I was the child of Death Eater and he had a bunch of questions and I was trying to make him understand how dangerous being around me could be. He seemed to understand but he didn't act scared of me like I expected him to which both confused and angered me. I could feel my temperament getting away from me and I went to leave but he followed me. I didn't want him to and I turned to tell him so but before I could, he went flying back onto the couch in front of the fireplace. I went to my uncle's office after that and he gave me potion of some sort that calmed me down. After that I have been very careful to avoid anything that may provoke me. Well until I was faced with my lovely Uncle Lucius." At that Diane looked up and a whispered laughed was just audible to Alli.

"Well from what I saw, Fred seemed to forgive you. And you haven't sought refuge in my office lately but the discovery that you are now sleepwalking concerns me. Do you know what might cause it or where you are trying to go?"

"I don't know, Professor. I wasn't having any significant dream or feeling anything strange, I don't even know if it has happened before. I mean I think mom or especially Hermione Granger would have noticed."

"Actually, honey, you are usually still awake when I go to bed, and whenever I found you on the couch downstairs the next morning I just assumed you fell asleep while watching television."

"I always thought the same, though I never remember actually going downstairs which kind of makes sense now, I guess." Diane reached over and took Alli's hand while she looked at the table confused.

"Well, I think we need more answers than that so I want to ask permission from all of you to set something up with Professor Dumbledore and your uncle so we could find out if it is anything we should be concerned about."

Diane and Alli agreed that they needed to do something. Then Alli looked to Allan, "Do you think it's a good idea, dad?"

Allan's eyes lit up and he seemed shocked, "You called me dad."

"Well, I figured I should start again since you'll be moving in soon. After the wedding of course."Alli took Allan's hand and swung their arms back and forth like she did when she was three. All the adults' mouths were open and they were staring at Alli. She looked at each one and laughed, "I still have happy premonitions you know. Plus you're not very discreet with wearing your engagement ring again, mum." Alli motioned to Diane left hand and the group burst into laughter.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with smiles and jokes and Diane retelling humiliating stories about Alli, and all she could think about was how thankful she was that Fred was practicing Quidditch with George all afternoon and not there to hear any of them. Her mom and dad had reservations for dinner so they left shortly after tea. Alli ran to meet Fred, George, Katie, and Hermione for dinner. Hermione was very quiet but Alli caught her glancing down the table to where Ron and his friend Harry were sitting; she made a note to ask her sister about that when they were alone. Then Alli made a list of everything she had planned to do after dinner: talk to Hermione, finishing the discussion with her uncle, meet Fred for hopefully a date that last a decent amount of time, and finish her essay on changing animals to goblets for Professor Mcgonnagal. Then maybe she could get some sleep around three in the morning; just another typical night for Allestra Jerrings.