Chapter 5

Alex felt the pitch forward, caught her heel in something as she landed, and rolled very ungracefully towards a solid object that she promptly crashed into as she came out of her spiral.

Her perfectly done hair that she'd spent hours on was now in a tangle around her head. She had felt a snap in her ankle and was afraid to find out if it was her bone or her shoe.

"Please be my ankle." She whispered as she grabbed the fence she had rolled into to pull herself up. When she stood up, and there was a three inch difference in her stance, she moaned loudly and looked down at the heel that was still stuck in the ground a few yards away. She was now covered in dust, her dress was ripped slightly at the bottom, and her hair was still wildly flying around her as the wind picked up.

She bent down and yanked the heel out of the ground and stared at it mournfully in her hand.

"The ONE day I needed things to go right." She said tearfully. Alex rubbed her arm and winced. When she lifted her hand to see blood on her, she threw up her hands, simultaneously throwing the heel behind her, groaning menacingly.

Taking a deep breath, she looked toward the Burrow. She was about a mile away, and even from there on the top of the hill she could see it dressed for the festivities. She couldn't help but smile thinking Mrs. Weasley had a lot to do with the streamers coming out of the windows and she was almost certain the white birds flying around the house were doves charmed to stay within a certain area.

Trying to dust herself off, she concluded that it was already too late for her to go back and try and patch herself up. She'd have to drag herself in looking like she'd had a fight, and make the best of it. Looking down at her arm she realized it could probably use a bandage to stop the bleeding too.

"Oh hi everyone," Alex mumbled ironically to herself. "Oh yes, I haven't seen any of you in a year, how lovely to see you. Oh this? It's nothing! Bleeding everywhere you say? How wonderful."

She rolled her eyes at herself and began hobbling down the hill. Half way down she heard a tell-tale 'pop' and whirled around.

"Miss! Are you alright? Can I help you!" A voice called out to her. She recognized the face immediately and she tried to swallow the sandpaper feeling in her throat down so she could actually speak.

"Hi George." She managed to get out.

George Weasley stopped mid stride and stared at her completely awe-stricken. Another 'pop' sounded behind him and she saw Summer dusting off her dress.

"What in bloody hell happened to you?" He asked, trying to assess her injuries.

Summer's head snapped up and realized the gravity of the situation. She saw Alex and bit her lip to keep from screaming at her. Very poised, she walked toward them and acknowledged the bedraggled mess in front of her.

"Alex." She said tightly.

Alex awkwardly waved at her. "I seem to be in a situation."

George was still staring at her like she had grown horns. "Again…what in bloody hell did you do?"

Alex sighed. "I landed wrong and fell into the fence." She said, pointing to the offending object. "I almost went all the way down the hill."

"Why are you even here?" Summer snapped.

"I was invited." Alex said calmly. Summer had every right to be angry with her. Everyone did.

Summer rolled her eyes and brushed past her, walking toward the house. George looked at Alex sympathetically.

"Look I know this is a little awkward for you, but you really should come inside and get cleaned up. You look like you were in a bar fight." George smiled and leaned forward to pick a stick out of her hair.

Alex moaned. "I can't do anything right."

George shrugged. "No, but usually it turns out alright in the end."

Alex smiled and started back down the hill.

"You broke your shoe." George said behind her.

Alex sighed again. "I know, and then I threw it behind me and lost it. I didn't have any glue to fix it anyways." She shrugged.

George stared at her, confused. "Have you forgotten how to use magic?"

Alex stopped and looked at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't think of anything that made sense.

George laughed. "Really Alex, has it been that long? All you have to do is summon the shoe part over and then fix it. Good as new."

Alex stared off into the distance for a moment. He was absolutely right, why hadn't she thought of that? It was a quick simple fix and she acted as if she'd never heard of magic before. Why couldn't everything be that quick and simple to fix.

"I haven't got my wand." She said quietly. "I put it away a long time ago. I haven't used it since."

George whistled. "You've gone this long without magic? No wonder you gave me that look." He pulled out his wand and remedied the situation. He couldn't fix the gash in her arm, or shake out all of the sticks in her hair, but he fixed her shoe and that alone made Alex significantly happier.

"You ready for this?" He asked as they neared the house.

Alex shrugged. "I'm going to have to be."

They walked through the door and the crowd that greeted them was overwhelming. Every single person that could have fit in the house, was there circling the front door waiting for Alex to come in.

She stared at all the silent faces.

George looked over at Summer who had been standing in the corner brooding.

"I may have mentioned she was here." She said to him quietly.

There was an uproar of welcomes and scattered comments, a flurry of arms and bodies as they all pulled Alex into the house, asking her everything to how she had been to why in bloody hell her hair was pink, and were those twigs sticking out of it? She heard a comment about London fashion being strange, and then a new wave came and Alex was plunged into another torrent of people.

When she was suddenly face to face with Harry the room went deadly quiet and she smiled awkwardly.

"You made it." He said with a shaky voice.

Alex nodded and thought to herself, if a pin were to drop it would break everyone's ear drums.

He smiled and pulled her into a hug, which she accepted with a lot of wincing as he squeezed the wound on her arm.

"Careful!" She cried. "I don't want to bleed all over you on your wedding day."

Harry pulled away from her, concerned. "Bleeding? What did you do?"

"Fell." She said with a frown.

Harry broke into laughter and pulled her up the stairs. When they stopped in front of Ginny's bedroom, he gingerly knocked on the door. "I have a present for you ladies."

He opened the door slightly so he wouldn't see inside in fear of Mrs. Weasley beating him with a blunt object, and he shoved Alex through the door with a quiet, "Good luck."

Alex steadied herself as she heard the door shut. Staring at the room, there were piles of dresses, ribbons and lacey things everywhere. Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Fleur were all staring back at her.

Ginny smiled triumphantly at Hermione. "I told you she'd make it."