Author's Note: I am not J.K Rowling. Anyone who has thought I was, sorry to disappoint.

Chapter 14 Trust and Justice Will Not Be Served

Alex finished her work and stretched, looking at her watch. She jumped up and grabbed her bag, not realizing it was an hour past curfew. She opened the door, became invisible, and sprinted as quietly as possible to the Gryffindor portrait hole. Once she gave the password, she climbed up the girls' staircase and found everyone awake playing a card game.

"Where were you?" Parvati asked, looking up from her hand.

"Doing homework," said Alex as she got ready for bed, "I didn't realize how late it was."

Once Alex had come out of the bathroom, she found all the girls in their beds, sound asleep. Since Alex was not the least bit tired, she took her Potions book and went to the common room. Finding her favorite squashy chair, she curled up by the fire and began reading, allowing herself to become lost in the words.

The portrait opened to her back and Alex stopped reading, looking at her watch again. It was three in the morning, who was just coming in at this ungodly hour? Alex listened as the footsteps crept slowly behind her. Someone obviously didn't want to be heard, but who? Alex held her breath as the unknown person went up the boys' staircase. She laid her head back and breathed a sigh of relief. If it was some seventh year boy, they would not have liked seeing her in the common room at this hour. Alex turned back to her reading, but stopped when she heard a boy's scream.

"ARGH! NOOOO!"

Footsteps hurried down the stairs and Alex turned in her chair, keeping in the shadows of the dying embers. A figure was running toward the portrait hole and left, Alex couldn't see their face. As soon as the door closed, Alex burst up the stairs and opened the third years' door.

All the boys were awake and Harry was standing at the foot of Ron's bed. Ron was shaking all over, panting out nonsense words.

"Black above me…knife…must've thought…I was Harry…tried to kill me."

Alex leaned back against the doorway, a hand on her head. The figure she saw running was Black, he was within feet of her and she didn't know it.

"Someone get McGonagall," Harry said hoarsely.

Alex nodded and turned around, almost running into Percy, who was wrapping a bathrobe around himself.

"What is going on in here? Alex, why are you in the boys' dormitory?" he asked suspiciously.

"Percy, Black was here. He tried to kill me!" Ron babbled, standing up and coming toward his brother.

"Nonsense, Ron," Percy said annoyed, "You were just dreaming. Now everyone, go back to bed."

"Percy," Alex said quietly, "I think Ron's right." She hated saying that but they were wasting time, Black was probably out of the castle by now. "I saw a figure leaving the portrait hole just after Ron screamed."

Percy looked from Alex, to Ron, to Harry and gave a heavy sigh. "Oh all right, I'll go talk to the portrait and see if he saw anything."

The boys and Alex followed Percy to the common room where groups of students were gathered, talking amongst themselves. Just then, McGonagall came in and looked around at all the students out of bed.

"What is going on here?" she questioned, looking very angry, "Why is everyone out of bed?"

"Professor, my brother thinks that he saw-"

"I don't think that I saw, I know it! I wasn't dreaming!" Ron cried out.

"What did you see, Weasley?" McGonagall asked.

"I saw Sirius Black, with a knife, standing over my bed," Ron said slowly and loudly so everyone could hear.

McGonagall looked questioningly at the red-head and went through the portrait hole.

"Sir," she asked the portrait who had been filling in for the Fat Lady since the attack, "Did you let a man into this room just a few minutes ago?"

"Yes madam, I most certainly did. He had all the passwords written down on a sheet of paper," the portrait said.

McGonagall came back, white with anger and breathing heavily. Alex would not have been surprised if fire started coming out of the Transfiguration teacher's nostrils.

"Who was the student, the careless Gryffindor, who left the passwords lying around for someone to find?" she asked.

A trembling Neville raised his hand and Alex felt sorry. Neville had managed to convince the portrait to tell him the passwords for the month so he wouldn't forget, and had written them down. Everyone quickly fled the scene, including Alex, but as she lay awake she could hear the shouts of McGonagall from the common room below.

…...

It was that Sunday after the second attack and Alex was walking to the pitch with Hermione for the match against Ravenclaw. Ron and the girls had not spoken a word to each other since that night in the common room. According to Hermione, Ron went to see Madame Pomfrey after Alex stormed out and had his nose fixed as if nothing had happened. Alex had taken to talking through Harry if, on some random occasion, she did have something to say to Ron.

The girls found seat next to Neville and sat down. Ever since the attack, most of the Gryffindors had avoided Neville. McGonagall had been so angry that she took away Neville's privileges to Hogsmede as well as wrote to his grandmother. Just that morning, he had received a Howler that had made Mrs. Weasley's look like she was merely having a friendly chat.

"Hi Neville," Alex said cheerfully, "Wonderful day for Quidditch, isn't it?"

"I guess," Neville said sadly, turning red in the face.

The teams came out and the game began. Alex missed actually playing, but was content to watch the action. She was glad Katie had made a full recovery. The Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang, was very fast. Alex was thankful that McGonagall had given Harry's broom back finally. It was almost a half an hour into the match when Alex saw Harry dive for the Snitch, Chang following. As they dove, Alex saw a black figure on the field and gasped. Two hooded dementors were walking on the field. Alex whipped out her wand, pointed it at the dementors, and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" thinking once again of the dream she had about her mother. Her dog patronus sprang forth, followed by another blinding white figure. Alex looked up and saw Harry's wand out as he reached and caught the Snitch. She shouted cheers until her voice was sore. She then turned and saw the dementors on the ground with their feet sticking out.

"Wait a minute," said Hermione to Alex, "I didn't know they had feet."

"They don't," Alex said with a frown.

"Look, there's something wrong with them," said Neville, pointing at them.

Alex looked and saw four people come out of the two cloaks, one of them was unmistakably Draco Malfoy.

"Oh that little shit," Alex snarled angrily, "Next time I see him, I'm going to murder him!"

The crowd was moving onto the field to congratulate the Gryffindors on their victory. Now they were second in the league behind Slytherin. Alex and Hermione were pushed onto the field and Alex ran up to Harry with a large smile.

"Harry, you were great! Was that your partonus?" she asked.

"Yeah, the dementors didn't affect me at all," he said proudly.

"You didn't see?" Hermione asked and pointed to the four Slytherins who were getting a reprimand from the Gryffindor Head of House.

Harry laughed and the three left the field. Up ahead, Ron was standing with Fred and George. Alex's smile faded and she and Hermione picked up their pace, practically running right by the Weasley's as Alex slammed her shoulder into Ron. Fred and George watched, looking curiously from their brother to the girls, and ran after Alex and Hermione.

"Alex, Hermione! What's up?" Fred asked, "You look like women on a mission."

"Nothing," Alex said icily, "We would just prefer not to have to converse with that moron you call a brother."

"What did he do now?" asked George in a bored voice, as though he got this all the time.

"I don't want to talk about it," Alex said and forced a half smile on her face, "I'll see you guys at the common room."

They went through the portrait hole and saw that the students had begun preparing for a celebration. Alex helped with the decorations while Hermione plowed through her mountain of homework. All the classes she had taken were starting to catch up to her. There simply was not enough time during the night to finish all her work. Alex had suggested that Hermione use the time turner to get a few extra hours in the day, but she refused saying it was only supposed to be used for getting to her classes. Once the room began filling up, Alex took her cloak, a hat, a pair of gloves, and went outside for a walk in the snow. Now that Alex could defend herself against any wandering dementors, she felt so much more free.

Alex walked to the lake and stood under a nearby tree. She heard the ice cracking as the giant squid tried to break free. She closed her eyes and she could see the squid, using all its strength to break the thick layer above.

"You're going to have to wait until it thaws out more buddy," Alex thought to herself.

"I'm strong enough, I can break it. Just watch me," the squid said back and there was a loud CRACK and the ice broke through.

"Whoa," Alex told the creature with her mind, "That was awesome!"

The squid responded by lifting one of his tentacles out of the water and gave her a wave good-bye before disappearing from sight and mind. She turned around and saw another tree far off, moving in the breeze. The only problem was there was no breeze, not even the faintest wind. Alex began walking toward it, when a voice called her name. She turned and saw Professor Lupin in a shabby coat striding toward her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I was just going to look at the tree over there," said Alex and pointed at the moving tree.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Lupin said gravely, "That's the Whomping Willow."

"Is it really?" Alex asked with interest, looking at it again, "Harry and Ron told me about it last year. It nearly killed them and practically totaled the car they were in."

"It was planted the year I came," said Lupin, a shadow passing over is pale face, "People used to play a game seeing who could touch the tree trunk without being hit. One boy almost lost his eye and we were forbidden to go near it."

"Did you see the match today?" Alex asked, changing the subject to a more favorable one.

"I did," he said and smiled, "That was a great patronus you and Harry produced. You both had made such an improvement, maybe next week you and I can try some different spells."

They walked back to the castle, discussing advanced spells that Alex would attempt to learn. As they reached the Entrance Hall, Snape was going into the dungeons. He looked from Lupin to Alex with pure hatred and left. This strange action sparked a question in Alex, but she didn't think it polite to ask. Something must have shown on her face because Professor Lupin frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

"No sir…actually there is," said Alex, "Why does Sna-I mean Professor Snape hate you so much? And please don't say I'm mistaken because he gives you the same look he gives Harry and I, which is pure disgust."

"I wasn't going to say you were wrong," Lupin said with a frown, "You see, Professor Snape and I went to school together, same year but different houses. I was friends with your mother and aunt as well as Harry's parents. Our houses didn't exactly get along so we never got along."

"Something never change," said Alex with a smile, "Slytherins and Gryffindors still hate each other."

They said good-bye and Alex went to her common room to find it empty except for Harry and Ron, who were by the fire busily working on a star chart, and Hermione, who was asleep on her books. Alex went over to her and gently shook her awake. Hermione woke with a start and the two girls went upstairs to find all the other girls asleep.

…...

January changed into February and the castle was as cold as ever. Alex was sitting in the common room with her cloak wrapped tightly around her and turning the pages of a book with gloved hands, even though a fire was burning merrily. People all around her were talking excitedly about the next Hogsmede trip that weekend. Alex really wanted to go but after what happened last time, she thought it best to stay indoors. Security was tighter than ever after the last attack. Filch was boarding up every crack in the walls and yet Alex couldn't help noticing that the one-eyed witch passage remained unknown. This fact did not go unnoticed by both Harry and Ron, who were now discussing whether or not they should use the passage to get Harry to Hogsmede.

"Come on Harry," Ron urged his friend, "It'll be great, you haven't even seen the Shrieking Shack yet!"

"Harry, don't do it," said Hermione, who had looked up from her homework, "You'll get in trouble if you do. I'll…I'll tell Professor McGonagall about the map."

"Is that what you do when good things happen to others? Do you run to McGonagall and tell on people?" Ron fired back.

Hermione opened her mouth but just then, Crookshanks jumped up on her lap. She looked fearfully at Ron and fled to her room, tears in her eyes. Rolling her eyes, Alex took Hermione's books and turned to Ron.

"You're a foul little flubberworm," said Alex, calling Ron the fat, ugly worms they were taking care of in Care of Magical Creatures class, "You're stupid, and heartless, and cruel."

Alex laughed coldly as Ron shrunk away from her, turned on her heel, and took Hermione her books, finding her friend on her bed crying.

"Come on," said Alex in the hopes that Hermione would cheer up, "We all know Ron's a moron. Let's go to Hagrid's so we can help him prepare for the case tomorrow."

The girls left the dormitory and spent most of the night going over facts and writing down dates on note cards with Hagrid. Glad it was Friday, Alex fell asleep in her bed as soon as she hit the pillow.

…...

That morning, all the girls in the dormitory woke up well after the time breakfast was served. All five spent the in-between hours getting ready and, in Hermione's case, doing some extra homework. Then they went down to lunch and watched as the mail came by way of many owls. Lavender got the Daily Prophet and went straight to the advice columns, leaving the news section for the others to fight for. Alex managed to get an article about how they were still looking for Black while Maggie's was more interesting.

"Mine says that they're debating about passing a law against half-breeds having steady paying jobs," bragged Maggie after everyone else read theirs aloud, "And about time too, my mum says they've been saying things like that for years but have never done a thing."

"Why is that good?" Hermione asked, "They're people too. They need money to pay for their expenses."

"What expenses?" drawled Maggie with a wicked smile, "Werewolves are pack creatures and live with others like them in dens in Merlin-knows where. Any loners who try to live among us are stupid."

"No, they're normal," snapped Alex, "Just because they want to live a normal life, you think their stupid? I think they are braver than the ones who cower in their caves with friends like them to back them up. Here, they have no one who truly understands them and frankly, I feel sorry for them especially when there's people like you and your mother who treat them like mud. So what if they're a little different?"

"A little different?" said Maggie angrily, "They are nothing like us! They don't have the capacity to feel anything but hunger for human flesh. You wouldn't understand, being raised like a filthy Muggle your whole life. You don't know about how people have been brutally murdered by werewolves."

"That's only when they are transformed," countered Alex, all the anger that had been bottled up finally coming out, "What about when the full moon isn't out, what about the other twenty-nine or thirty days they are human? Honestly people, they are only vicious during the full moon and there are potions you can take that allow the werewolf to keep their human mind during the transformation! Why can't people see that werewolves are only as bad as they are in the movies? Or those who don't take the precautions and give the others a bad reputation?"

The table was silent, all staring at her in awe. She finished her eggs and left the table in a huff. How could people be so cruel? Why didn't they understand that it was only a few people who made the rest of the group seem so evil?

Alex went to the hallway where she had been when Ron had insulted her. She looked all around and couldn't find the door, pacing back and forth to find it. On her third rotation, she saw it and opened it, vaguely wondering why she hadn't seen it before. The room was the same as last time and she headed straight for the piano.

She stayed there until the red sun started coming in through a window. Alex got up and left, finding Hermione in the common room with an unfamiliar owl on the table.

"Who's it from?" she asked.

"Hold on," said Hermione as she opened the letter. As her well-trained eyes went across the parchment, she let out a dry sob and handed the paper to Alex.

Dear Alex and Hermione,

We lost the trial today. There's an appeal, but we don't have any chance against these people. Buckbeak loved London and I'm glad. Don't come down to see me, it's getting dark out. Thank you for all your help.

Hagrid

"He lost?" whispered Alex, setting down the parchment, "How? We had a very strong case, there was no way he could have lost! This must be some mistake, we need to go now."

Hermione was crying silently while Alex ranted. Alex took her friend's arm and dragged her out the portrait hole, where they almost ran into Harry and Ron.

"Going to tell on us again?" said Ron angrily.

"Piss off Weasley! We don't have time for your stupidity right now," snarled Alex, tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked, seeing her tearstained cheeks.

"Hagrid l-lost the trial," stammered Hermione, "Buckbeak's g-going to be e-executed."

There was silence as the boys read the note Hagrid had sent. Alex was leaning on Hermione, shoulders shaking. This couldn't be happening, all because Malfoy was a little over dramatic.

"What are we going to do?" said Hermione as she patted Alex on the back while wiping her own eyes, "If he lost the trial with strong evidence, how is he going to win the appeal?"

"He will," said Ron, "Because you two aren't going to be doing all the work. Harry and I are going to help you."

Hermione looked up and hugged him, breaking down completely. Alex looked and saw a very awkward Ron holding a sobbing Hermione.

"Oh Ron, I'm sorry about Scabbers, I really am! And I'm sorry about the Firebolt too, I just…" Hermione had to stop as another wave of sobbing overcame her.

"It's all right, Hermione," said Ron, still very awkward, "Scabbers was old, maybe mum and dad'll let me have an owl now."

Hermione laughed and let go, wiping her eyes. Ron then turned to Alex, who was still looking at him like she would a rather large, ugly bug.

"I'm sorry I insulted you, Alex," he said sincerely, "I was just upset over Scabbers that I wasn't thinking straight."

"I was only trying to help you know," said Alex coldly, "What you said was low, lower than I would have ever thought of you, Ron. I'll only half forgive you, the other half needs to be earned back. You need to know how badly you can hurt someone with words." Ron nodded as though he knew this was coming and Alex said, "Now let's go see Hagrid. Harry, you better get the cloak and the map."

"Um, it's a funny story actually," said Harry, laughing nervously, "You see, Ron and I went to Hogsmede today and ran into Malfoy. I decided I'd scare him a little and threw mud on him. In all the excitement, the hood of my cloak fell off and he saw my head floating in mid-air. I ran back to the castle and left my cloak by the passage. I barely got out when Snape saw me and took me back to his office. Long story short, Lupin knows about the map and confiscated it. I don't want to go back and get my cloak until I know Snape's not going to be snooping around the area."

Alex and Hermione looked at each other and laughed. It was so stupid what happened, it was funny.

"That's what you get," Hermione gasped out, "I told you not to go, but does anyone except Alex listen to me? NO!"

"Okay, come here you two," said Alex as she and Hermione pulled out their Invisibility necklaces. They made the chains longer and put them around the boys' necks. They walked shoulder to shoulder, Alex with Harry and Hermione with Ron, down to the grounds and knocked on Hagrid's door. He opened and the four reveled themselves and entered.

"I told yeh not ta come," said Hagrid, but he seemed relieved nonetheless.

Buckbeak was sleeping on Hagrid's bed when they entered and the four third years bowed, the hippogriff returning it.

"How are you, Hagrid?" Hermione asked gently, "Can you tell us what happened?"

"Well, I went up and did me speech, but I kept droppin' the cards an' forgettin' where I was. I don't even think they was payin' me any attention. Then Lucius Malfoy came up an' said how horrible Buckbeak was an' how badly hurt his son was. I knew as soon as Malfoy came up ta talk it was over. I'm just tryin' ta make Buckbeak's last days the happiest a hippogriff could ask for."

"But what about the appeal?" Ron asked earnestly, "Don't give up Hagrid, things'll be better this time, I promise."

Alex saw Hermione smile and she hoped, for everyone else's sake, things would get better.

Author's Note: I know this is a bit of a filler chapter but the next chapter is much more exciting, I promise! Still, I'd love to know what you all thought. Anyone catch my AVPM reference? If you did, let me know. I'm curious as to how many of my fans have seen the musical. :)

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. A lot of you seemed to enjoy Ron getting punched in the nose by Alex, so thank you! That was something I added in at the end so I'm glad you all enjoyed it. Also, thank you to those who put me in their favorites or on alert. If you haven't reviewed before, please feel free to do so. I love hearing from you all! :D