Chapter 10 There Are Believers…And Then There Are Non-Believers

Alex woke up early and went to the common room. She wrote her father a note telling him about her first week back. Then she casually told him that her dreams had returned and asked if he had any idea how to make them stop, or at least decrease in their intensity. By the time she returned from the Owlry, her friends were up and waiting for her in the common room.

While they were eating, Hermione's Prophet owl gave her the paper. As Alex was eating her bacon, Hermione let out a gasp and Alex looked up.

"What? Have they finally come to their senses and believe us?" Alex asked.

"No, far from it."

She handed the paper to Alex, who read the article aloud to the others in a hushed voice.

"All right, it says, 'News of Sirius Black! A recent tip has told us that Sirius Black, notorious mass murder is, in fact, residing in London. Many will remember that Black had escaped from Azkaban two years ago and has not been captured. He is known for his murder of thirteen people with a single curse. If anyone has information to a more accurate location, please send a fast owl to the address below.'"

Alex dropped the paper and stared at it. How could they have known he was in London? Was it another lucky guess? No, it was too close to be. Someone must have seen him or…

"You don't think that…that someone in the Order tipped them off, do you?" Alex asked, her voice hoarse.

"No way!" said Hermione quickly, "No one would do that! They all know he's innocent!"

"What about Snape?" Ron said, "He's part of it, he knows where S-Orion is. He could have told them."

"Or someone could have seen him when he came to the station with us," said Alex quietly, "They could have known of his form and guessed he was in London somewhere."

Alex didn't finish her breakfast and left to go for a walk. She needed to get a break from the noise and just think about everything. She walked along the edge of the forest and listened to the animals. As she was walking back inside, someone called her name. She turned and saw Luna Lovegood running toward her.

"Hey Luna!" Alex said with a small smile, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to tell you," Luna said in her airy voice, "That my father and I believe you, Harry, and of course Dumbledore. We've always thought the Prophet was not telling us the truth about what's going on in the world."

"Oh, thanks Luna," said Alex awkwardly, "That…um…means a lot to Harry and me."

Luna skipped off and Alex shook her head. Well, at least two more people were on their side.

…

Thankfully, it wasn't just Luna and her father who believed hers and Harry's story. Ernie Macmillan came up to Alex after Arithmancy class, as well as his Hufflepuff friend, and told her that they supported her and Harry.

However, many people still stopped and stared when Alex and her friends walked by. Finally, Alex got so fed up with it one day after Arithmancy class.

"Hey, you're blocking the corridors you know!" she snapped at a pair of Ravenclaw girls, who she had heard call her "pretty but odd".

Umbridge was as evil as she had been the first lesson. Everyday during class, they would read a chapter while she walked up and down the rows. One day, Alex pulled out her book but found Hermione with her hand in the air.

"Yes Miss Granger?" Umbridge asked in her sugar-coated voice.

"I've already read the next chapter."

"Well then, you can continue onto the next one then."

"Professor, I finished the book already."

Everyone was looking from Hermione to Professor Umbridge, waiting for Umbridge's reaction.

"Well," she said with her smile, "Then perhaps you can tell me what Mr. Slinkhard's view of defensive magic is?"

"He says that defensive magic should be used only when the time arises, and not before then," said Hermione, sounding like she was reading it from the book itself, "But I disagree with him."

"You do, do you?" Umbridge asked, her eyebrows rising.

"Yes professor," said Hermione bravely, "There's an old saying that practice makes perfect. If you haven't practiced a spell until you're being attacked at, you don't even know if you can do it."

"Well Miss Granger, since you are not a Ministry of Magic registered teacher," Umbridge said, "It really doesn't matter what you think, does it?"

Hermione's face turned red and Alex shook angrily. But Umbridge's next statement almost pushed Alex over the edge.

"I'm taking five points from Gryffindor House for that pointless interruption," said Umbridge firmly, "It seems your last few teachers have let you all have too much freedom. Is something wrong Miss Ratcliff?"

Alex's face was red with fury as she clutched the desk to keep herself from standing up and leaving the class.

"No."

"No…?"

"Nothing is wrong, sir."

The class chuckled slightly, but stopped at the look of still calm on Umbridge's face.

"I think another weeks worth of detention is in order."

…

Alex's hand was bleeding when she arrived in the common room a few evenings later. She found it empty and transfigured a broken quill into a wooden bowl. She poured the contents of the pickled and strained murtlap tentacles into the bowl and slowly lowered her hand into it. She let out a sigh as the pain dulled immensely.

McGonagall had been furious to learn Alex had received another detention and had taken ten points from Gryffindor. But Alex didn't care, she was angry at the injustice she was undergoing. How could Dumbledore let this happen? He was supposed to be watching out for them!

There must be a good reason for this, Alex thought as she wrapped her hand in a towel and dumped the liquid into the ashes of the dying fire.

She couldn't wait for her meeting with Dumbledore, which was next week. Not only did she look forward to just letting everything out, she wanted to ask him why that batty old cow was here torturing her students. Hopefully Dumbledore would have a good answer for her.

Suddenly, Alex heard people coming down the stairs and she quickly put the towel over her hand and shoved it into her fingerless gloves. She spun around and saw Harry and Ron coming down the stairs.

"You're back," said Ron, "What a relief! Can you read our Potions' essay?"

"Is that why you're glad to see me?" said Alex with a roll of her eyes, "Where's Hermione?"

"She's up in her room getting books," said Harry, handing Alex the essays with a grateful smile.

Soon Hermione arrived and they read through the essays. However, Hermione spent the first ten minutes lecturing the boys about putting things off to the last minute. Finally, Alex told her to just read the essays for Merlin's sake.

"Okay boys," said Alex with a sigh, "Ron, the essay is on the properties of the thyme stems, not their history in Potions brewing."

"But that's all I could find on it!" said Ron.

"Here, look through my notes," said Alex as she searched through her bag, "I think I have something about them somewhere…"

As she was looking, she happened to glance at the fire and saw something vanish. But she had gotten a good enough look to see what it was.

"Dad?" she said quietly, kneeling by the fireplace.

"You saw it too!" said Harry relieved, "I thought I was going-Sirius!"

Sirius' head was floating above the flames, his long hair in his eyes as he smiled at them cheerfully.

"You all looked so surprised!" he said with a bark of laughter, "I got your letters and I thought this would be easier than writing in code, which can be broken."

"You wrote to Sirius?" the four said together.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you," said Harry, turning bright red.

"I thought you would've guessed after what happened." said Alex with a shrug and turned back to her father's head, "No one saw you, did they?"

"Well, one girl thought she did, but I disappeared too quickly." Alex looked horrified and Sirius added quickly, "Relax Alex, she probably thought I was some oddly shaped log or something."

"Dad, you have to be more careful!" Alex said anxiously, "Didn't you read the Prophet article? They know you're in London, someone must've tipped them off!"

"They're always guessing where I am, they really haven't a clue," said Sirius off-handedly.

"Yeah, but they're actually right this time, Sirius," said Hermione calmly.

"So Harry, about your scar hurting," Sirius said, changing the subject, "I don't think it's much to worry about. It's bound to hurt more now with Voldemort being back and all."

"So you don't think it had anything to do with Umbridge?" Harry asked.

"We don't believe so," said Sirius, "I talked it over with the other members and they just seem to think Voldemort had a strong feeling of some emotion during that time. It was just a coincidence. We don't think she's a Death Eater."

Ron snorted and said, "She's ghastly enough to be one."

Sirius laughed loudly and said, "That's what Remus has been saying. She's been trying to get half-breeds outlawed from magical communities since we were in school. What are her lessons like anyway? I know she's downright evil, but how bad is she really?"

"She's a monster," Alex spat furiously, "A horrid, short, little-"

"Alex…" said Hermione warningly as the others laughed.

"It's true though!" said Alex, "All we do in her class is read out of that damn textbook! We're not going to practice any magic at all the whole year!"

"Well, I expected as much," Sirius said and they all looked at him, "Remember how I told you Fudge is terrified of Dumbledore? Well, he seems to think Dumbledore's building up an army of students to take down the Ministry."

There were a few seconds of silence before Alex swore under her breath. She remembered her Uncle Monty talking about it before they left for school but she never imagined that it would have affected how they were taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione looked livid as she practically seethed with anger..

"So the reason we all might fail our O.W.L practical for our classes," Hermione said slowly, "Is because our Minister is afraid we're going to overthrow him?"

"That's it," he said, shaking his head, "But don't worry about your O.W.L exams, you'll be fine. They make them out to be horrifying but I'm sure you'll live. But how are you doing, Alex? Are the dreams getting worse?"

"I haven't had any since I wrote to you," said Alex, "But that's normal. When they do come, it's terrifying."

"I think the only thing we can do is write often," said Sirius, "So I can let you know I'm safe. Of course, I could always-"

"Dad, do you know when Hagrid's getting back?" Alex asked quickly. She knew where her father was going and didn't want him to say it. It would just lead to an argument.

"I haven't a clue, no one does really," Sirius said thoughtfully but with a frown, "He was supposed to be back by now…but I'm sure he's fine," he added quickly seeing their worried faces, "Hagrid's tough, he's going to be just fine. By the way, when are your Hogsmede trips this year? I had fun last time seeing you so I thought-"

"NO!" Harry and Alex shouted together.

"Dad!" said Alex exasperatedly, "Please don't! The Prophet might know where you are because of when you came on the platform! Someone obviously knows your dog form and-"

"All right, all right!" said Sirius, his tone annoyed, "I won't come then. I just thought it would be fun and adventurous. But I see now that you can't handle a little risk anymore."

"Dad, I don't want you back in-"

"You don't need to defend yourself," Sirius said coldly, "I guess I just thought you were more like me than your mother's side of the family. I have to go now, Kreacher is calling me."

There was a small pop and his head vanished. Alex stared at the flames and found them becoming blurry with tears. She got up and left the room quickly, lying on her bed fully dressed as she cried herself into a fitful but, thankfully, dreamless sleep.

Author's Note: Did anyone else enjoy Alex calling Umbridge "sir"? And no, that wasn't meant to be an AVPM reference. I came up with that before I saw the musical. Again, go to the next chapter but collect 300 Galleons for just being awesome! Don't forget to review! :D