A/N: I'm not making money from this. This is J.K's world, I'm just playing in it.
The next morning Alexandra lay in bed with her eyes firmly shut, ignoring the morning sun that was trying so hard to wake her up. Again.
After physical with Harry, she had dragged herself upstairs and collapsed on her bed, utterly wasted. After the boys had gone to bed, she and Narcissa had cracked open a bottle of wine and stayed up until the wee hours giggling and sharing secrets from their Hogwarts experiences. Alexandra had to admit, she was impressed by Narcissa.
The cold and icy front she put up when in company had come crashing down within moments of meeting her. The two had gotten along famously, and she had passed out on the sofa with her head on Narcissa's stomach. Honestly, she was the older sister the Potter had never had, and once again she was infinitely grateful for her new life.
Sunday, she had decided, was her favourite day. As much as she loved spending time with Harry, teaching material she had learned seven years ago was boring and not at all mentally stimulating, so with Andromeda coming for lessons at eleven and no meetings until two, she had decided to draw herself a bath. If she could get out of bed.
Hours later, she emerged from the rapidly cooling water, wrapping a fluffy towel around her and heading through her room to her walk in closet. After a short deliberation, she pulled out a white lace dress with triangle cutouts at the waist, and chose a pair of nude wedge heels and a golden necklace to accessorise.
For the first time since she had been 'reborn' as a witch, she sat down at her vanity and opened her drawer. The Muggle sales assistant she had worked with to buy clothes had discovered that she had no makeup, and practically dragged her over to the makeup counters and handed her over to a makeup artist, Sally. The artist had then spent two hours matching her skin tone to various foundations and powders, and selling her eye products and shades of lipstick. Her inner 'girl' had then come out and she had thoroughly enjoyed talking to Sally and discovering tips and tricks of the trade.
This time, she just ran the mascara wand over her eyelashes and applied a slick of lipstick that only enhanced their natural colour. A spritz of perfume later and she was heading out of her room and fixing her wand to the holster she had strapped to her arm, and disillusioning it. Sometimes being a witch was annoying, if only because she never had a good place to carry her wand.
Downstairs, she checked the time on the clock she had asked Jigs to purchase, and requested a light Caesar salad from Missy. The three boys were engaged in hushed conversation, heads bent over something Draco was holding, and the two Black sisters were talking about a Yule Ball that used to be held at Malfoy Manor every year. Alexandra dropped into a chair opposite Narcissa and poured herself a glass of water.
"It's a shame we can't do that anymore, it was always such fun to organise an event like that." said Narcissa wistfully, and Andromeda chuckled at her sister.
"Honestly, Cissy, could you be any more obvious?"
She raised an eyebrow and put down her glass after taking a sip. "Narcissa, would you please consider organising the Yule Ball Harry and I would like to hold?" Alexandra asked dryly, and both she and Andromeda giggled at Narcissa's look of glee.
"Really? A Yule Ball? Here or at Black Manor? How many people? What colour scheme? A string quartet or an orchestra?" Narcissa was firing on all cylinders, partly playing up to the joke but in part completely serious. She knew from experience that these things could take a long time to organise, but with the right amount of name-dropping it could be pulled together in two months.
"Woah, Cissy, calm down. It's barely July, the ball will be in December!"
The boys had been watching the youngest Black with some trepidation, and took the break in conversation to other things than balls and Christmas- namely Quidditch and houses.
Missy popped in with her salad a few moments later as well as burgers for the boys and grilled chicken for Narcissa and Andromeda, who had taken to chiming into the boys' conversation with the occasional "Slytherin rules, face it." Alexandra meanwhile ate her salad in silence, more than content to watch her new family. It was good to see Harry's face brighten and hear him laugh, a huge smile on his face that never faltered and warmed her heart.
Lunch was a friendly affair, and Andromeda excused herself and Draco, Harry and Neville to head back to the classroom for the continuation of their lesson. Harry had told her that they had been learning the proper way to address members of Ancient and Most Noble Houses- for example, a Head could address all members in any House by their first name, save the Heirs. They were addressed as 'Heir so-and-so' the first time in a conversation, and then first names. The Heir had the same privilege over all who were younger than them, otherwise it was 'Lord', 'Lady', 'Madame', 'Mr.' and 'Miss'. Also, Harry would address Draco as 'Heir Black' for the first time in a conversation, and then 'Draco' every time after.
Alexandra retired to her study to begin the work on the journals she had bought for herself and Harry. She set about working with the runework of the Gemini spell and lost herself in modifications for close to an hour before the grandfather clock outside in the hall (again, installed by Jigs) chimed for two o'clock.
"Merlin's beard! I'm late!" she hissed furiously, springing to her feet and hastily waved her wand over the desk, watching as her books put themselves away and the journals return themselves to her drawer. She tapped the edge of the desk with the wand, re-setting the wards she had immediately placed around it on her first day. She smirked, as she turned to snatch up a handful of Floo powder. Every day she could feel her power growing- she had known that she would be quite powerful thanks to the fact that she had completed a Curse Breaker Mastery in only two years, something quite unheard of- but, the rate at which she was moving sometimes shocked her. Nonverbal magic came as easily to her as swinging a Beater's bat, and she was excited to try wandless magic once her core had stopped expanding.
Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she cast a quick Incendio at the fireplace and tossed the powder in. "The Three Broomsticks!" she called, stepping into the green flames, and tucking her elbows in as she was moved up into Scotland in the matter of about 10 seconds.
Alexandra emerged from the Floo coughing and dusting off her dress, while she looked around for her two best friends, whom she found laughing at her in a corner booth. A wide grin broke out on her face as she hurried towards them. Merlin, it's been much too long!
Sienna was the first to stand and greet her friend, and her green eyes shone in exactly the same way Alexandra remembered from their Hogwarts days- every time they pulled a prank successfully, when they found the entrance to the kitchens, that day when she and Alexandra beat Charlie to every question in COMC, much to the redhead's annoyance.
Alexandra launched herself into Sienna's arms, and the two swayed on the spot as Sienna began talking a mind a minute, as usual, and she grinned at Charlie over her shoulder, who rolled his eyes playfully and reached out to grasp her hand. He, however, had changed, become more muscular and there were more burn scars on his exposed arms than she remembered there being, but his roguish grin was the same, and no sooner than she was released by Sienna than Charlie had scooped her up in one smooth move, his large hands easily grabbing her waits and spinning her around in true Charlie fashion.
"Char! Put me down this instant!" she scolded playfully, and he pouted before setting her down on the floor again.
"I've missed you two too much! We're never going that long without seeing each other again, understood!" declared Sienna, grabbing their wrists and sliding the trio into the booth.
"Agreed." Replied the other two, and Alexandra settled back into her seat.
"Alright, Alex, what's this 'big news' you wanted to talk about?" asked Charlie, crossing his tanned arms over his wrists, while Sienna motioned to Madam Rosmerta for three butterbeers. The eldest Bell, however, had keen eyes and had spotted the rings on Alexandra's fingers before Charlie had even finished speaking. Her face paled and she sat forward, leaning her elbow on the table and supporting her chin with her hand.
"Merlin's beard. Alex, do you want to tell us why you're wearing the Head rings of Potter and Black?" she shrieked, and Charlie shot onto his feet in an instant, his height at an even six foot giving him a menacing appearance.
"Yeah, Alex. Something you're not telling us?" he asked, his voice dangerously serious and Alexandra gulped, looking between the faces of two angry friends. Panicking, she covered her eyes with her hands and sighed. Okay, if I say it quickly and I don't look, maybe they won't be angry?
"My name's not Henderson, its Potter. My parents moved us to France as soon as we found out about James and Lily's murders. They were well aware that there would be Voldemort sympathisers, and our last name alone was enough to get us killed. However, they had no idea that Sirius and Remus, James' best friends, had also died, and we assumed Harry was with them. They died of their wounds after they were injured trying to prevent a kidnapping in Paris, so I lived with my mother's family. I came to Hogwarts under Henderson, my aunt put a glamour on my eyes so that I wouldn't be recognised, and now I have to take up the Potter title. I should have had it when I left Hogwarts, but I left almost immediately with Sebastien, and I guess the owls never caught up with us. Then it turns out that Sirius didn't want to pass the Headship of Black to anyone in his own family, because they were either too Dark or disinherited. He wanted to give it to Harry, but the pressure would be too much, so I guess he figured that a different Potter, who he actually knew, would still be a better option than his messed up family."
When she finally finished speaking, she peeked out of her hands and hid a smile. Both Sienna and Charlie looked completely blown away, and the shock had drained all the anger right out of them.
"So…what I'm hearing from all this is…you're a Lady?" said Charlie, his blue eyes focused on the wall behind her.
"Yep! Lady Potter-Black, actually," she grinned, winking at him good-naturedly.
And with that single wink, the balance between them was restored and Sienna jumped back into the conversation, asking about the week she'd been back in Britain, and in turn they each gave a brief overview of their lives since Hogwarts, despite the fact that the other two knew everything already.
"There's something I've been wanting to tell you two as well, but it can't be said here. Fancy a trip back to the Manor?" asked Alexandra, standing up for the first time in three hours and stretching. Sienna jumped up eagerly and then winced at the slight ache in her muscles.
"Sure! Potter Manor is gorgeous, or so I've heard," she commented, linking arms with her long-time friend, and the two girls looked at Charlie in a well-rehearsed move, and the redhead groaned and stood, joining the chain somewhat reluctantly and looping arms with Alexandra.
"Why not? I can never say no to you two anyway…" he cursed under his breath, and the trio Flood to the Manor in a matter of minutes.
Alexandra landed first in the study, followed closely by Charlie and Sienna, and they followed her silently through the halls and up to the family sitting room, which was thankfully empty. She had grown used to the Manor very quickly, and knew the building like the back of her own hand. Harry and herself fit into the Manor well, and while she was happy having people to come and visit/stay with them, she knew it was important for her to have some quality time with her cousin, so she had decided to make it a point to read together for half an hour on her bed before they went to sleep- sometimes they would lay in comfortable silence or talk about everything and anything, but she didn't care so long as he was happy and safe.
She took a seat on the red armchair that was coming to be marked as hers, and Sienna and Charlie fell onto the sofa next to each other.
"Okay- can we do this like before? No interruptions or questions until I'm finished, and Charlie, I'm so sorry."
Ignoring his confused look, she went on to explain how Dumbledore had been stealing from Harry, put him with the Dursleys, and she was sure that they were abusive. She could count more ribs on Harry than she liked, and sometimes when she raised her arm to wrap around him or demonstrate a point, he would flinch discreetly, in a way that made her feel sick to her stomach. How Dumbledore paid Ron, Ginny and Molly to manipulate Harry, how Molly would be brewing loyalty potions for him, keyed to Dumbledore and Ron this very summer. How she, Alexandra would be opening up a third side to their war- one to defeat both Voldemort and Dumbledore. How already, she was beginning an alliance, training the Boy-Who-Lived and two of his friends.
When she finished, she looked up from her feet and she felt another piece of her heart break for her best friend. She could see that Charlie was absolutely devastated at the news, hell, his eyes were even watering up, and she stood from her seat. Sienna's face betrayed her emotions- she was furious and at the same time full of sorrow for her friend. The brunette opened her mouth to speak but Charlie shook his head and opened his arms, and she curled up on the sofa next to him, fitting her shoulder in his armpit, while Alexandra sat in his lap and pressed a kiss to his cheek, letting him rest his forehead in the junction between her neck and shoulder.
This was the thing she loved about Charlie the most, mused Alexandra as the trio sat and took comfort from one another. He was open with his emotions, at least to them, and wasn't afraid to ask for physical comfort when he needed it.
It was a while before any of them spoke, but it was Charlie who broke the silence. "Where do I sign up for this alliance of yours?"