A/N: I'm not making money from this. This is J.K.'s world, I'm just playing in it.
Quality Quidditch Supplies was comfortably crowded, so Alexandra and Harry squeezed their way over to where the broomstick models were displayed: Nimbus 2000, Nimbus 2001, the Thunderbolt and the Firebolt. The latter two were expensive- around one and a half thousand Galleons each, but both Potters knew that they could easily afford it.
"What do you think, Harry? The Thunderbolt or the Firebolt?" she asked, looking down at Harry, who gazed at the models in awe. He glanced up at her.
"Definitely the Firebolt." He stated firmly. "They're similar in price, but the Thunderbolt lacks the precision in turning and acceleration that the Firebolt has."
Alexandra raised her eyebrows. The kid knew his stuff when it came to brooms that much was clear, and she couldn't wait to see him play a game- he wasn't the youngest Seeker in a century for nothing. Turning back, she ran an eye over the broom. It was a beauty- well made, designed for speed: something that would come in handy as a Beater. It was a shame she wouldn't get to play on a team properly anymore, but with a few more players she could easily arrange a few pick-up matches. She nodded decisively. I'll buy the Firebolt for myself, and when Harry's broom gets tired out or broken, he'll have one too.
She felt a bit guilty having a top of the line broom compared to Harry's Nimbus, but she promised him that he could use hers whenever he wanted. Harry quickly selected a sleek set of Quidditch equipment that included Beaters bats, in a carved oak trunk, and she grabbed a pair of gloves for the two of them- Harry would need them in the winter months.
They paid quickly, Harry wincing at the total sum, but made their way out of the shop unnoticed with a great deal of luck and another light notice-me-not charm. The streets of the Alley were full of witches and wizards out shopping, so it took that pair more than a few minutes to reach Flourish and Blott's. The bookshop was blessedly more peaceful, and Alexandra left Harry to wander through the shelves as she headed straight for the 'writing' section. She quickly found what she was looking for: two thick, leather bound notebooks that she snatched up before heading back to the Potions section.
It had turned out that James Potter, who had grown up at the Manor, had left his journal in the Head library concealed in the master bedroom. The journal documented both the process of becoming an Animagus, which she had been working from, and the charms he had used on the pair of mirrors he and Sirius had shared. Both had been lost in the wreck of Godric's Hollow, but Alexandra was sure that she could modify them so that whatever was written in her book would appear in Harry's, providing them with a secure way to communicate while he was away at Hogwarts.
Armed with the journals and the Potions book that held the recipe for the Animagus potion, she wandered through the shelves looking for her cousin, whom she found in the DADA section, having selected the well-known elements of the third year booklist already.
"Got everything, Harry?" she quipped, looking over his selection, which included The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3, Intermediate Transfiguration, The Monster Book of Monsters, Spellman's Syllabary and The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts. The set would easily tide them through to September, when Harry would have access to the school library and she could ask the Professors to set him more advanced work if necessary.
"Yeah, I think so." He replied, standing up, and between the two of them they managed to haul the books over to the desk, where they paid and shrunk the books down.
Alexandra apparated herself and Harry back to the Manor, landing in her study. Over the past week she had come to adore her private room. Each wall was covered in bookcases filled with old and new tomes that she had yet to begin reading, and her desk was on the left of the door, with a cushioned red chair standing behind it. Opposite the desk was a large fireplace, with two cosy armchairs framing the fire and her desk had drawers which so far only contained the financial records of Houses Potter and Black for the past ten years, a whiteboard which held their plans and the journal that Dispater had given her.
Speaking of the Celtic god, she hadn't heard from him at all in the past week that she'd been in the Wizarding World, so she supposed that it was a good thing.
They dumped the books on her desk to sort out later and headed up to the family sitting room, where they found Draco and Narcissa sitting awkwardly. The two blondes rose as the Potters came in, and Alexandra beamed at them.
"Narcissa! Thank Merlin it went well- I was so worried that Lucius would find out and stop you!" she exclaimed, walking over to hug her.
"So was I- I didn't think we could get packed up in time to leave first thing!" she replied, stepping back and smoothing down her dress, while Alexandra turned to Draco. The thirteen year old was looking at the floor, and she glanced at his new ring.
"Hello, Heir Black." she said playfully, and he looked up with a small smile. "How are you liking the Manor so far?"
Draco's smile widened, and he looked briefly at Harry before replying. "I really like it, my Lady. Thank you for letting us stay here, and for helping Mother divorce Father."
Alexandra raised an eyebrow. "No need for titles, Draco. You're my Heir now, and we're sort of cousins now, aren't we?"
The boy nodded happily, and she winked at him, before pulling Narcissa over to sit on the sofa and the older witch caught on to what she was doing, and pretended to engage her in conversation, while they both kept one eye on Draco and Harry. The older of the two had approached Harry and stretched out his hand.
"I'd like to apologise for what I've done to you and your friends the past couple of years. I was thinking maybe we could start again?" he said nervously, shifting his weight from side to side. The Draco Harry had told her about was much more confident than this, and she was pleased that Dispater had popped her into the timeline at this point- any longer with Draco being a bully and she might not have been able to save him from what was almost certainly a Death Eater future.
She was pleased to see Harry smile at his new friend, and shake his hand. "I'd like that. Draco."
The blonde's smile widened as he tightened his grip. "Harry."
Alexandra caught Narcissa's eye, and they both dissolved into silent giggles, and tried in vain to compose themselves when the boys looked at them incredulously.
She cleared her throat, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and grinning at Harry. "Toker!" she called, and the elf appeared.
"Yes, Mistress?"
"Could you have Missy fix us all some lunch, please? I think we'll take it on the balcony, if you don't mind."
"Of course Mistress."
Alexandra twisted in her seat and beamed at the boys. "Anyone up for some flying?"
She mounted the Firebolt in trepidation, she was practically trembling with excitement. The fastest broom ever made, and I'm sitting on it!
"Come on, Lex, we're not getting any younger!" yelled Harry, and she stuck her tongue out at him, before summoning her Gryffindor courage, and kicked off the ground.
She shot into the air, the wind whipping her hair around her face, despite it being tied back and she whooped in excitement. Potter Manor whizzed past her as she headed for the Quidditch pitch, covering the ground in seconds, at 150 mph. Shooting past the Quidditch posts, she could hear Harry and Draco behind her, pushing their Nimbus' harder and faster to try to catch to her, so she pulled the broom up and looped over them, and then brought her body closer to the wood to push it faster, lapping the boys easily.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Narcissa sitting elegantly on the balcony, watching her family fly. Over lunch, the Slytherin had explained her dislike of heights, although she admitted to being a great fan of Quidditch and very excited for the World Cup Finals which would be held in Britain next summer.
Pulling up again, Alexandra climbed higher and higher above her home, pushing through the clouds until she caught sight of the blue and amber haze of the wards that she knew extended a couple of kilometres above the ground, to protect from airborne attacks. Pulling the Firebolt to a comfortable hover, she gazed at the sight before her. The afternoon sun was bright and lit the clouds around her, turning them a brilliant white.
Merlin, how did I get so lucky? I've got Harry, a wonderful home, the Blacks, Augusta and Neville…finally things are looking up! And they told me I'd never walk again… I don't even miss the Muggles, not even my family- they don't feel like mine anymore. Plus, all I can remember is what it was like to live without magic, and how to fit in with Muggles and work Muggle appliances, but I think that was something to do with Dispater. Handy things to remember, I guess, but oh… I love my Potter life so much more…
With that last thought running out of her mind, she leaned forward again and pushed the Firebolt into a steep dive, heading straight for the ground. The wind was whistling in her ears, eyes streaming and hair flying about her face but Alexandra had never felt more alive.
They were congregated on the balcony once more: Alexandra at her desk and the ex-Malfoys teaching Harry to play Gobstones, a rather messy wizarding game. Every now and again, one of them would start laughing and she'd look over to see one of them covered in a foul-smelling liquid. Meanwhile at her desk, she was left staring at a blank piece of parchment. She had already written to Andromeda about politics lessons for Neville, Harry and now Draco, and had sent the letter off with Sirius, who was more than pleased to run an errand.
All she had left to do was write to Charlie and Sienna, asking them to meet her at the Three Broomsticks at two the next day. Alexandra was dreading the meeting, but she knew that it was inevitable and also one of the only dates that she knew Charlie would be in the country.
The three had decided on mandatory regular Floo calls and letter writing, so over the two years that Alexandra had travelled with Sebastien she had kept in contact with both of her childhood best friends, who were working with dragons in Romania and studying to become a Healer. The part she was worried about, however, was revealing to them that she was such a prominent member of society and that she had been lying to them on some level for nine years.
In the end, she just scribbled out a quick note which read:
Dear Charlie/Sienna,
Seeing as we're all in the same country for once, how about we meet at the Three Broomsticks at two tomorrow? I have something pretty big to tell you, and I'm sure there'll be a lot to talk about.
I can't wait to see you!
Love, Alexandra.
Hedwig graciously agreed to take the notes and soon she was winging her way towards the Burrow and Sienna's flat in London.
Alexandra sighed, leaning back on her chair and watching Narcissa, Draco and Harry with a fond smile, chuckling as Narcissa was hit with a burst of green goo. Harry looked up and caught her eye and her smile widened. It was worth it if it was for him.