"What?" Alexandra said.
"I'll tell you why you can see the Thestrals when you haven't seen death yet, why you're attracted the dementors, why you can do magic so powerful some can only dream about it."
Alexandra thought back to her unconscious attack on Tiffany last year…
"But only ," Wretermoust said. "If you help me."
Alexandra took a step back. How she wanted those answers. To know why she felt so…different. But help him? That would literally be embracing her mother's darkness.
"So what do you say?" Wretermoust asked, stepping closer to her. "Can I count on your help?"
"N-No," Alexandra said shakily.
"You don't want to know why-"
"Not if I have to help you do something evil and Dark to find out, no," Alexandra said firmly. "Maybe I can't help being related to you or your mother, but I'm not about to be like you as well."
"But I've already told you so many times. We are alike."
"I'm not helping you," Alexandra said, ignoring what her just told her. She turned on heel and stormed out.
"We'll see," Wretermoust muttered after her.
…..
As the year progressed and the weather began showing signs of winter, Alexandra tried to put Wretermoust out of her mind; distracting herself with classes and Fred and Alanna and the others.
"James," Fred said one morning at breakfast. "Just heard from Savannah; Quidditch tryouts are this Saturday."
"You're trying out are you?" Alexandra asked.
"Yeah; Michela Adams left last year, so I figured I'd try my luck as a Beater," James said. "When Colman leaves in two years I'll try out for his spot as a Chaser."
"You're not trying out Louis?" Alanna asked. Alanna and Fred played Chasers for the Gryffindor team.
"Next year when Savannah leaves," Louis said. "I'll try out for Keeper."
"At least matches will be staring off soon," Fred said, taking a bite of a strip of bacon. "It's been dead boring without them. With any luck we can win the Cup like we did last year."
"We should get over to Herbology," Alanna said, pushing her plate away. "Professor Longbottom said we'd be starting as soon as the bell rings."
"Yeah, we should head over to Charms as well," James nodded. "Last week we were late and Flitwick made us stay after and do extra work."
Alexandra, Alanna and Fred hurried across the grounds to the greenhouse, where Neville and a few other students were waiting.
"Morning," Neville greeted them cheerfully. "Gather around one of those potting trays, please. We'll be working to repot Mandrakes today."
"Mandrakes? What are those?" Fred frowned.
"Well you did do your assigned reading last night, didn't you?" Neville said, his eyes twinkling.
"Um, yes," Fred said quickly. "I just forgot."
"They're plants that sort of resemble human babies," Alanna whispered as they found a potting tray. "They're cries can kill you if they're mature enough, but I doubt we'll be working with any that are old enough to do that."
"Very good, Ms. Brooklyn," Neville said. "You're quite lucky to have her as a friend, Fred."
"Er," Fred muttered, looking embarrassed.
"Don't worry," Neville said, lowering his voice so just him and the girls could hear. "Between you and me, without your Aunt Hermione helping me out in Potions class I might have failed miserably. Or rather, more miserably than I did."
Fred grinned.
Once the bell had rung, Neville instructed the students to put on the earmuffs that were sitting by the trays.
"You'll watch me first," Neville said. "And then you'll work in your groups to repot those at you tray. Make sure your earmuffs are on securely! These mandrakes aren't old enough to kill anyone yet, but they can knock you out."
After making sure everyone had his or her earmuffs on, Neville picked up the pot in front of him, grabbed onto the plant firmly and pulled. Out came the most disgusting creature Alexandra could imagine. It looked like a deformed baby; fat and wrinkled. Neville quickly put it in a new pot, much to the Mandrake's dislike and began spooning soil and fertilizer onto it. Neville signaled for everyone else to begin his or her Mandrakes.
Alexandra, Alanna and Fred looked at the plant in front of them, and then after a tentative glance at each other, Fred pulled it up from its pot. Alexandra and Alanna had to help him wrestle the Mandrake into its pot, a surprisingly lengthy process. Once they managed to get it in, Alexandra and Alanna quickly covered it with dirt.
Neville walked around the greenroom, checking everyone's plant. When he reached Alexandra, Alanna's and Fred's he gave them a thumbs up. When he walked back to the front of the class he signaled for everyone to remove the earmuffs.
"Excellent work," Neville said. "Now, these Mandrakes will probably fully mature by the end of the school year in June; just as soon as they try to move into each others pots they are able to be used in a wide variety of potions. Their most notable trait is their ability to heal those who have been petrified. Now, since everyone did such a good job with his or her Mandrakes, there will be no homework tonight. Kindly clean up your stations and then you're dismissed."
"Little bastard bit me," Fred said, peeling off his dragon hide gloves.
"I know they're really useful," Alanna said, brushing off some fertilizer from her robes. "But I do not like them."
"Neither do I," Alexandra nodded in agreement.
"Hey, look at Wretermoust," Fred whispered. "He looks like he hasn't slept in days."
Alexandra looked over towards Wretermoust. Fred was right; he had bags under his eyes and he looked like he was losing weight.
"Wonder what's up with him," Alanna said.
"Who cares?" Fred shrugged. "Maybe he's getting nervous his old mum's going to be caught soon."
Alexandra didn't say anything. Wretermoust must be tired from working on the plan he had tried to recruit her for. She pondered whether or not to tell anyone that Wretermoust was planning something. But then again, if she did, she'd have to admit to associating with him, and then it may soon come out that they were related, and Alexandra didn't think she could live with the shame of that.
Besides, she told herself, if he looks this distraught, it can't be going that well anyway.