Soul of the Enemy

By Willow Spirit

Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Everything else belongs to the wonderful J. K. Rowling.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 6 – What's In a Name?

About one week had passed since the 'library' incident. Luckily for Harry and Jane, Malfoy chose not to talk about what had happened…probably because he would have had to explain why he was so pissed off and embarrassed. Nonetheless, the incident wasn't without its consequences.

Once Jane and Harry had reached the hospital wing, it was like the past two weeks had never happened. Jane had reverted back to her old, reclusive self. She didn't go hiding underneath her sheets again, but she refused to make eye contact with Harry. All she did was read or stare out the window by her bed.

Harry tried everything he could think of to make her look at him. He read to her, spoke to her, told her clean jokes (not dirty jokes, thank you very much!), anything to get her attention again. Harry couldn't understand what had happened. Obviously it had something to do with the library incident but he couldn't figure out what it was. Apparently, Hermione and Ron were having similar problems, since she wouldn't acknowledge them either.

Whatever progress they had made with Jane was lost. She had retreated back into the recesses of her mind and she would not come out. It was like she was an empty shell. Soon Harry began to worry if there was anything left in her to save. For all he knew, she could be permanently out of their reach.

But Harry wasn't about to give up on Jane. No sir, not when he had been so close to seeing her talk again. He had spent three weeks watching her suffer with no one there to help her. That suffering had to come to an end.

So on a cold Saturday afternoon, Harry made his decision.

He arrived at the hospital wing and was hardly surprised to see Jane sitting on the edge of her bed, looking out the window. She was as still as a statue. He approached her until he was nearly in her line of sight.

"Look, Jane," Harry started softly, but with determination. "You can't keep doing this. It's not good for you. Why don't you let someone help you? What have you got to lose?

"I know that things must be tough for you right now. But you'd be amazed at what we can do for you. If you're in trouble, there are so many ways we can protect you. If someone's after you, there's no safer place to be than Hogwarts. You have so many people surrounding you who are willing to help. All you have to do is ask.

"We want to help you, but we can't until you let us. Please don't push us away! Nothing will get better and nothing can be fixed until we know what's going on. If you refuse our help, you'll stay exactly how you are. What kind of life is this, Jane? Hiding out in hospital wing? Pretending that you don't hear us? You're nearly a vegetable, Jane. I know you don't want to be. You have too much spirit. I've seen it myself.

"So the way I see it, you have two choices, Jane. You can stay in this hospital wing, hiding from whatever it is you're hiding from, or you can face that fear of yours and ask for help. The choice is yours, Jane, but I hope you choose us. We'll always be here for you, but you don't want to wait until something goes wrong. Not saying that something will go wrong but you know, some people just don't have good luck.

"And until you make your decision, I don't know if I'll be coming around as much. I know it may seem a little selfish to you, but hey, why should I try to help someone who doesn't want to be helped? So I guess I'll see you around. Let Madam Pomfrey know if you change your mind.

"Bye, Jane. I hope you'll be alright."

Harry turned around and started heading for the door. During his little speech, Jane hadn't moved a muscle. Nothing he said could make her move. But now it was different, now he was walking away. He was walking towards that door and he might not be coming back.

In that split second, Jane had to make her choice. She knew that everything could depend on it. For the first time in weeks, her body shuddered with emotion. She knew what she had to do.

"Alex."

Harry froze with his hand halfway to the doorknob. Was he hearing things? He turned around to see Jane twisted around on her bed, her eyes downcast.

"What did you say?" Harry couldn't quite believe it.

"My name is Alex," she spoke in a clear, rich voice. "It's not Jane. Obviously. It was a nice temporary name, though. Thank you for giving it to me."

Harry couldn't make his way to her bedside fast enough. He fell to his knees and propped himself up with arms on the edge of the bed. He was beyond excited.

"Oh, my God," Harry started rambling. "Jane! Uh…I mean, Alex. This is incredible. You're talking. I knew you could. Why haven't you said anything before? Who are you? Where do you come from…?"

"Whoa. WHOA!" Alex held up both hands to stop Harry from continuing. "I am so getting a major headache here. This is why I didn't open up my mouth before. I didn't want to be bombarded with questions like this! And, yeah, Potter, I'm talking now. See my lips moving and that strange sound out of my mouth? That's called English. It comes in handy sometimes."

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I'm not usually this talkative. Believe me, you can ask Ron and Hermione. It's just that you surprised me."

"Yeah, suddenly breaking out into speech after three weeks will do that to people. Just be thankful I didn't break out into song."

"So your name is Alex?"

"Yeah, that would be me," Alex shook her head slightly. "Oh, well, this is probably all for the best. I mean, how long can a person go without talking to other people?"

"I don't know," Harry said. "But I sure am glad you're talking now."

"But now that I think about it," Alex continued her train of thought, ignoring Harry's comment. "Hermits go without talking to people for really long periods of time. They manage to survive. But then again, people generally think that hermits are a bit crazy anyway. Maybe that has something to do with their not talking and lack of human contact. So maybe it was a good thing that I started talking again. I wouldn't want to turn into some crazy hermit…"

"Uh…Alex?"

"Yeah, Potter?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Harry looked her carefully for any other signs of insanity. "And why do you keep calling me Potter?"

"That's your name, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but it's my last name," Harry explained. "I thought you would have picked that up? My first name is Harry."

"Yeah, I know," Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "I prefer Potter. That's what I want to call you. Is that okay?"

"Oh, absolutely okay!" Harry would've let her call him anything as far as he was concerned. "So…wow…there are just so many questions I have to ask you."

"Headache, Potter," Alex reminded him by tapping her head.

"I know, I know," Harry was close to begging. "I promise I won't ask too many. And you don't have to answer any questions that you don't want to."

"Good. Because there are some answers I'm not ready to give," Alex crossed her arms over her chest. She tried to glare at Harry, but he was looking too sweet and innocent. "Alright, alright. You can ask some questions, but I won't guarantee any answers."

"Thank you Alex!" Harry looked like he just won the lottery. "Okay…uh, first of all, what's your name?"

"I thought we established the fact that my name is Alex! Rewind our conversation a bit and you'll find it there."

"No, I mean I know your first name is Alex but what is your last name?"

"Reid," Alex said after a short pause. "My full name is Alex Reid."

"Do you have a middle name?"

"You're pushing it with this name thing, Potter."

"Okay, no more name questions," Harry could tell Alex was getting defensive. It didn't take a genius to figure that one out. "So where do you come from?"

"All around," Alex said. "My family moved around a lot. We never really stayed in one place too often."

"Fair enough. So do you normally live with you parents?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"What do they do?"

"Official business. You know, Ministry stuff and the like."

"I see," Harry didn't know if he was imagining it or not, but it seemed to him that Alex was being way too vague with her answers. Official business? There was a lot of business that could be considered official. And from what he saw of the Ministry two years ago, it was a huge place. It probably employed hundreds of people. Not to mention that there was more than one Ministry of Magic. For all Harry knew, Alex's parents could be working in the German or French Ministry. That would fit with all the moving around. But something just didn't feel right.

It was time to get to the serious questions. "So what are you doing here with us?"

"Potter, you know I can't answer that!" Alex shoved her face into her pillow.

"I know it's hard for you," Harry said. "But why can't you tell me?"

"Because it's complicated!" Alex felt like screaming in frustration.

"Life does get complicated sometimes," Harry had to agree with her there.

"I just can't tell you, okay," Alex said. "Everybody has secrets they don't share. Maybe I'll be able to tell you someday but not right now. It's just too soon."

"Too soon after what happened to you," Harry earned himself another glare from Alex. "Look, I can't pretend to ignore what happened. I pulled you out of the lake, for Pete's sake! I saw the condition you were in. You were pretty bad and I've seen bad before. But I do understand that it may be early for you to discuss it. I just hope that someday, you'll find a way to tell your story. It's not healthy to keep things bottled up inside."

"Really?" Alex asked in a shocked tone. "I'll make a mental note of that. It could come in handy someday."

"You are a completely different person when you speak, you know," Harry chuckled at her antics. This Alex certainly was a character.

"So…" Alex sobered up a bit as she bit her lip. "I guess we really need a plan now."

"A plan?"

"Yeah, like what are we going to do, now that I'm going with the talking bit again?"

Harry thought about it for a moment. Everything had happened so quickly, he hadn't had any time to think of a plan. "Well, I'm not quite sure. You caught me by surprise, today."

"How about you take me to your leader and we'll go from there?" Harry just looked at her blankly. "Oh come on! 'Take me to your leader'? You seriously don't know that! Oh, you are so deprived Potter."

"I wasn't exposed to a lot of pop culture when I was younger," Harry shrugged. "But I think your suggestion is a good idea. Dumbledore will know exactly what to do. Maybe he'll even get you out of the hospital wing. You could get a more private room for your stay here at Hogwarts."

"Really!" Alex perked right up and nearly fell out of her bed. "Oh my God, Potter, thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how awful it is to be in here for nearly three weeks. It's a bloody hospital, for crying out loud! It is so boring in here, it's disgusting!"

"Really?" Harry faked a surprised look. "It's that bad? I supposed I never noticed that during my many stays here. You sure you're up to the challenge of living beyond these walls?"

"Of course!" Alex exclaimed. "Are you mad or something?"

"Seriously," Harry said. "Are you really read for this? Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Hell yes," Alex looked like she was getting very impatient. "I want out of here, Potter. So enough talking and make with the planning already. We have a lot to do."

"I agree," Harry nodded in return. "Wait right here while I go talk to Madam Pomfrey. It may take a while. She's a tough negotiator and it'll take a lot of convincing for her to let you leave. But don't worry, I'll tell her we're going to see Dumbledore. She'll have no problem with that."

Or maybe not. Madam Pomfrey insisted that Alex stay in the hospital wing. In her opinion, Alex was still very sick. In fact, Pomfrey didn't believe Harry at first when he told her that the girl's real name was Alex and that she was finally talking. Pomfrey had to hear it for herself ("Thanks Ms Nurse for looking after me but I want the Hell out of this place. No offence.")

Some final tests had to be done, but in the end Pomfrey grudgingly concluded that Alex was perfectly healthy. Her wounds were completely healed and there were no signs of permanent damage. So Pomfrey eventually gave in and agreed to release Alex from the hospital wing, but not without many warnings and threats.

"Now don't you go doing anything dangerous, Potter."

"You go straight to Dumbledore, understand?"

"If I hear later on that you didn't arrive at his office on time, I'll…" And so on, and so forth.

Alex and Harry returned to her bed, where Alex pulled out the box from beneath her bed. She instantly grabbed something that was bundled up in a raggedy cloth. She kept it hidden in her hand while she stuffed it into a pocket in her cloak. The only other item left in the box was a wand. Alex's hand went to grab it, but she hesitated instead. Harry was surprised when she held the box out to him.

"Here," Alex said. "You take it for me. It'd be better if we went to see Dumbledore and I was unarmed."

"Is this your wand?" Harry carefully took it out of the box.

"It sure is."

"But don't you want to carry it?" Harry looked puzzled.

"No," Alex said simply. "I don't. Think about it, Potter. How would your Headmaster feel if some strange girl showed up in his office, armed with a wand? You people don't know me and so you have no reason to trust me. Why should I be allowed to carry a wand?"

"Because I trust you," Harry held out the wand for her to take. It was such a simple gesture but it had enormous meaning. Alex stared at Harry for a second, then shook her head and smiled.

"No, Potter, you keep it. Believe me, you should not be giving me my wand now."

Harry blinked. He didn't understand. What did Alex mean by that? "Alright," Harry slowly put her wand into his robe pocket. "I'll hold onto it for now. So is there anything else you need?"

"Just this," Alex grabbed her broom and tossed away the empty box.

"Now I'm all set. Let's go knock the socks off your Headmaster."

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A/N: And so she speaks! Please review!

Next Chapter: Harry and Alex hit Dumbledore's office…what will be decided…will Alex be staying at Hogwarts?