A Hopeless Beginning
Our journey began in the Summer of 1995 when everything changed for everybody in the Wizarding World.
It was plain and boring like any other day in the world, even in the Todd household, till it wasn't.
The old and famous House of Todd resides in the centre of London in Great Britain.
Within this particular household are many Magical things, such as the Wizarding Family.
Rose-Marie Romano-Todd, the Matriarch, was a Legislator at the Ministry for Magic.
Eric Todd, the Patriarch, was a Magizoologist and the head of the Beast Division of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
Alexis Rosa Todd, their only child, was a young Witch about to begin her fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Belladonna Ferris, the Magical Nanny, was the one who looked after the young Witch since she was a baby.
"Hurry up, Lexy!" Eric shouted from downstairs at the front door, needing to hurry as they were on a tight schedule; they had to leave for somewhere safe with everything going on in their world.
"I'm coming, Papa!" Alexis shouted from her room, putting more of her clothes in her suitcase for the beginning of the school year with the help of Belladonna, her long-time Nanny, who has looked after the young Witch since she was brought home from the hospital. "I don't know why he has to shout."
"We are in a hurry. We need to get to the Order. With everything going on, your parents are trying to protect your family." Belladonna reminded her, making the girl look at her.
"You mean our family." She replied, making the Nanny smile.
"Our family." The older woman agreed, moving away as she helped pack.
"Don't forget Faye or King!" Rose-Marie said, moving past her bedroom door, peeking inside and seeing her Daughter pocketing the small Bowtruckle into her leather jacket from the small makeshift home on her corner desk.
"I won't. I'd never forget them. I couldn't leave them behind." She reminded her Mother, watching the Niffler, known as King, scurry from his little nest under her desk and across the floor toward her, running to her black trainers and up her black jeans into her blue printed jumper. "Isn't that right, King?" She looked at the adorable creature that snuggled into the croak of her neck. The young Witch smiled, feeling her hair pulled and knowing it was Faye, her Bowtruckle, climbing her head again. "And you, too, Faye." She heard a little chirp in response, catching the green little stick-like creature sitting atop her head.
"I know. We never leave anybody behind," Rose-Marie smiled at her old child, peeking her on the cheek.
"Ladies, let's go!" Eric shouted again, making Rose-Marie chuckle, rolling her eyes.
"We're coming, my love!" Rose-Marie yelled at her husband, joining him downstairs with all the luggage.
"Have you got everything?" Belladonna asked her, and Alexis nodded, picking up her suitcase from her bed when they heard a pop from downstairs, an unmistakable popping sound. Suddenly, dozens of popping noises came from downstairs, meaning more people used Apparition to enter the Todd House.
"Belladonna, take Lexy and go!" The young Witch heard her Father shout, and she knew something terrible was about to happen. She heard shouting with spells flying back and forth downstairs as Alexis was pinned against the wall by her Nanny, trying to make themselves invisible.
"Do not move. Stay hidden." She warned her charge, who nodded as the older woman reached for her wand.
"Where's the girl?" A man sneered from downstairs, making the young Witch frown, wondering why these people, most likely Death Eaters, were looking for her of all people. With the reawakening of Voldemort, the Ministry of Magic was blind, but some still believed that the crazed Wizard had returned, and they needed to fight back before it was too late.
"Run Darling!" She heard her Mother shout from downstairs before there was more shouting and the sound of feet hitting the stairs, heading for her. Belladonna raised her wand, planning to defend herself and her charge against as many Dark Wizards as possible to protect their family.
"Run Alexis! Go to the safe place!" Belladonna shouted, waving her wand around. "Remember your training."
"I don't want to leave you," The young Witch cried, looking at her as she tried to fight back the tears.
"You must. You must warn the others," The Nanny warned Alexis, pushing her towards the window. "The fastest way is through the back streets. Stick to the darkness. Only use it if you see no other option."
"I understand," Alexis whispered, grabbing her suitcase and throwing it at her bedroom window, breaking the glass and running as Death Eaters entered the room, firing spells at Belladonna, who defended herself against the swarm, and Alexis sailed toward the ground.
"Arresto Momentum!" Alexis shouted, pointing to herself and feeling herself slowing down before she hit the ground with a roll. "King, Faye, you still with me?" She questioned, seeing her Niffler and Bowtruckle still with her. She grabbed her suitcase before running through her back garden with the Death Eaters at her back.
"Get her!" A man shouted as spells flew through the air, and the young Witch skidded to a stop at the back gate, trying to unlock the bolt when a fire attack singed the wooden gate. "You can't run, girl!"
"I can try!" Alexis shouted back and ran through the back streets of her home, needing to head for 12 Grimmauld Place, where she could be safe with the Order of the Phoenix and hopefully reunite with her family again.
"Come with us, girl, you're all alone now!" The man shouted, making the blond teen stop in her tracks and turn to face the Death Eaters.
"What did you say?" She muttered, looking at them and raising her wand at them. "What did you do to my family?" The young teen glared at them.
"They are traitors, and they were punished." He sneered at her. "Crucio!"
"Protego!" Alexis shouted, waving her wand in front of her, protecting her from the attack, but it didn't stop the older and more experienced Wizards from unleashing their attacks on her with full force. It became too much for the young Witch, and she fell to her knees in defeat but remembered something and fished a golden chain. "I will protect my family." She moved the piece at the end, twisting the time-turner around, but a spell was fired at her, and she tried to dodge it. Unfortunately, it hit the time-turner, making it spin dramatically. "NO!"
"NO!" Alexis shouted, and she jolted, finding herself in the same backstreet only metres away from her home and jumped to her feet, running to the back gate, seeing an iron gate instead of the old red-painted wooden door that was there throughout her childhood. "What's going on?" She looked around, not seeing her neighbour's cherry tree looming over the fence; it wasn't even visible over the fence. "This can't be my home?" She looked around in fear and saw something on the floor; she picked it up to see a newspaper and read the date in the top corner. "1975… 19… 75? This can't be… King…? Faye…!" She looked around, seeing her suitcase still lying where she had left it and felt her only friends were still with her. She gave a huge sigh of relief, touching them, not feeling so alone anymore, and the panic subsided slightly. "I thought you were gone. I thought I was all alone." She muttered and looked around again, trying to figure out what to do next as she was alone. "My time-turner." She gasped, yanking the chain to see the end was badly burnt. "No… No… We… How are we supposed to get home?" She looked at it in shock, feeling evermore alone and defeated. "What should I do? I don't know what to do." Tears collected in her eyes at the thought of never seeing her family again. "I don't know what to do."
Harry and the Order members arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place after rescuing the boy from his Muggle guardians. He looked around the dreary black and murky hallway at the golden frames on the wall, and Mad-Eye Moody moved the black-haired teen out of the way, making him lean against the wall as Kingsley and Tonks strolled past, heading for the room at the end of the hallway where whispers are coming from. Harry watched, seeing familiar faces and spots Tonks trip over something, making Kingsley glance at her and back at the boy, who moved closer, trying to get a peek into the room and wondering what they were talking about. Harry heard his Godfather arguing about something, and he looked up, seeing the boy staring into the kitchen, which caught everyone else's attention. Harry gave him a small smile, and the adults stared at the boy when Mrs Weasley stepped into the doorframe, quickly closing it, not wanting him to hear what they were saying, especially with the grave news they had just received. "Harry…" Molly smiled at the boy as she closed the door.
"Mrs Weasley," Harry replied, smiling at her, happy to see a friendly face after the summer he's had away from his friends and wondering why no one ever contacted him, especially Alexis, considering she was one to always call him, even on the phone, but there was nothing this summer.
"Heavens, you're alright." She walked over to him, bringing him into a warm hug, which he missed, and she pulled away, cupping his face, taking a good look at him, glad to see he was finally there with them, safe. "Bit peaky, but I'm afraid dinner will have to wait till after the meetings finished." The boy tried to argue, but she stopped him. "No, no. No time to explain. Straight upstairs, first door on the left." The woman instructed him and watched him move up the stairs. "Yeah." She told him nervously with a deep sigh and returned to the meeting.
Harry walked upstairs, looked around and found the door. He opened it and was suddenly attacked by Hermione, bringing him into a hug as Ron stood back, looking at his best friend. "Oh, Harry!" Hermione gasped, hugging him tighter. "Are you alright?" She asked him, pulling back, getting a look at him, and he nodded to assure her. "We've heard them talking about the Dementor attack. You must tell us everything."
"Let the man breathe, Hermione," Ron smiled, trying to ease his friend.
"And the hearing at the Ministry, it's just outrageous. I've looked it up; they simply can't expel you. It's completely unfair." Sticking to his side, she argued, and Harry entered the room.
"Yeah, there's a lot of that going around at the moment," Harry agreed, looking around the room. "So, what is this place?"
"It's Headquarters," Ron informed him.
"Order of the Phoenix. It's a secret society. Dumbledore formed it back when they first fought You-Know-Who." Hermione explained nervously.
"Couldn't put this in a letter, I suppose?" Harry questioned, looking at them, feeling deceived and wondering where Alexis was. "I've gone all summer without a scrap of news."
"We wanted to write, mate. Really, we did. Only…" Ron told him, not looking him in the eye, feeling guilty about not staying in contact with him over the summer.
"Only what?" He asked, looking at them.
"Dumbledore made us swear not to tell you anything," Hermione revealed, making the boy's mind foggy with anger.
"Dumbledore said that?" The Boy Who Lived questioned, looking at them. "But, why would he keep me in the dark? Maybe I could help." He argued, growing a little angry. "I'm the one who saw Voldemort return... the one who fought him, who saw Cedric Diggory get killed." Suddenly, the Weasley twins popped behind Harry, startling the boy, who looked to see them.
After their unsuccessful try at hearing what was happening inside the kitchen during the Order's meeting, they had their dinner, and Harry stuck to Sirius as they ate; the teen could feel the air around the adults sullen even after the talk with Voldemort and his new idea to gain power. "What else is there?" Harry asked, making the adults turn to him, and the teens glanced around, seeing how they looked at the boy. "There's something you're not telling us."
"We… We received some devastating news." Sirius informed them, swallowing the bile in his throat, thinking of the only woman he'd ever loved since he saw her at Hogwarts all those years ago.
"We hate to tell you this, but Voldemort has already begun his attack on our members. He started on eliminating a family close to all of us." Remus swallowed, seeing Mrs Weasley trying to busy herself as she cleared the plates away.
"Who was it?" Ron asked, looking at his Dad, who avoided eye contact.
"It was the… the Todds," Arthur announced, making the teens all stare, thinking about the bubbly blond Witch.
"Alexis? She was attacked?" Harry asked, standing to his feet. "What happened? Is she okay?"
"We went to the Todd House when they didn't arrive after a few days," Mad-Eye informed them. "The house was attacked. Eric and Rose-Marie were found dead. Belladonna was tortured for information." He explained, making everyone cringe, knowing the Nanny, some having met her with Alexis, and some during their time at Hogwarts.
"We believe he was after Alexis for a reason." Arthur declared, looking at his wife, who was friends with the woman when they went to Hogwarts together.
"What reason could there be to go after Lexis?" Hermione questioned, looking at the adults.
"We don't know," Sirius muttered, feeling low about the loss of the woman he had loved since school but never got to tell her.
"Where is Alex?" Harry asked, looking around as if expecting her to jump out and tell them it was all a prank, but it never happened.
"We can't find her," Remus informed them, making the teens frown. "We've searched everywhere. All we know is she may have escaped from the Death Eaters that attacked the house. After that, she should have headed here like her owl, Anna. But Alexis never arrived."
"Where could she be then? Does Voldemort have her?" He questioned, looking around at the adults.
"We don't believe so, Harry. But you can't be too sure with him." Arthur said gravely, leaving a thick tension in the room. "We can only hope she is somewhere safe for now and will find her way back to us."
"I know, King, Faye, we'll find a way home, I promise, but we have to find somewhere to stay for the night." Alexis reminded her little Magical friends as she walked the streets of London, heading for only one place she could think had never changed. She looked around and saw the familiar pub on the streets of London as it grew dark and headed inside with a sigh, wondering what she'd do tomorrow. "I need a room," She informed the barkeeper, who she realised was a young Tom and definitely confirmed she was in the past.
"For how long?" Tom asked her, and she wondered, then an idea came to mind.
"A few days," The blond teen replied, fishing out a pouch of coins from her jacket pocket. "I need to get in contact with someone. Do you have an owl I could borrow?"
"Of course." He told her and handed over the key to her room with the number written on a piece of paper attached. "Dinner is served at 7 if you'd like anything."
"Thank you," Alexis smiled. "I will. Do you mind if I borrow the owl now?"
"Sure," The barman moved away from the counter, and she placed her suitcase on the floor when Tom returned with the owl on his arm. Alexis opened it, taking out a piece of parchment and a quill; she couldn't help but look at the ink pot she took out next. It was a gift from Hermione, and the ink was caramel-scented. The teen quickly wrote, explaining her situation and a quote only one other person would know besides her to realise she was serious, and she rolled up the parchment and tied it to the owl's talon. Tom looked at the girl, seeing how calm she was, and he couldn't help but wonder where her parents were, but he spotted the soot on the side of her neck and the dirt on her knees. He took the pouch of coins and counted before giving her the rest, making Alexis stare at him. "You need it more than me." He told her, and she stared at him in shock.
"Thank you," Alexis smiled softly at him before walking out. He noticed she seemed to know her way around the pub, and he watched her head outside before coming back inside without the owl and heading for her room.
Alexis sat on her bed, looking around as she took off her leather jacket, and King scurried around the floor, familiarising himself with the room. Faye clung to her blond friend as she fell back onto the bed, curling in on herself as she let the day's events wash over her, and tears fell from her eyes as her body racked with sobs.
The next day, Alexis woke up in bed with King and Faye snuggling into her as the sun rose; the girl got up and looked around, deciding to get up as she needed to meet the person she sent the note to yesterday. She quickly changed into a white and blue chequered short dress and some tights from her suitcase, glad she had it with her because there were pieces of her home with her. "Stay here," Alexis told King and Faye, who protested, wanting to stay with her, but they tried escaping the room as she went to the door. "No. Stay here." She closed the door, heading downstairs straight outside to the back of the pub and entered Diagon Alley, making her feel more at ease, knowing most things, even 20 years from before she was born, haven't changed.
Alexis sat outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream shop as she dug into her chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce and waited. "I'm surprised. I've never heard of someone being sent back so far," A soft voice commented as they walked around and sat around her at her table.
"Do you want anything?" Alexis asked him, trying to lighten the tension as she looked at Albus Dumbledore.
"No, thank you. Why did you contact me of all people?" He questioned, looking at the young teen girl as she ate her ice cream, seeming calmer than most fifteen-year-olds would be in this situation, but he could see the sadness and desperation deep in her eyes.
"I know I can trust you to help me," She replied, looking at him and removing her scorched time-turner from around her neck. "I'm from 1995. I was attacked by Death Eaters as we were about to leave my house on our way to 12 Grimmauld Place. My family was killed. I was sent back somehow when a spell hit this." She held up the time-turned. "I got this in the post a few days before by some unknown person. I need to get back home. I need to warn my friends about what happened."
"I see. I'm afraid I need more proof than a burned time-turner." Albus warned her, and she sighed.
"Anything. I just wanted to go home," The teen told her, tears almost breaking from her eyes. "Can you help me or not?"
"I'm afraid there is no way I know of, that can send you to the future. But I can help you any way you need." The Headmaster informed her, breaking her heart a little. "Who were your parents?"
"Eric Todd and Rose-Marie Romano," Alexis answered, and she saw the recognition in his eyes at the name of her Father.
"I see. I think a visit to Gringotts is in order," He told her, making her look at him,
"Okay." She agreed, and they walked off toward the white marble building, making the young teen think back to the first time she saw it.
An eleven-year-old Alexis glanced around in wonder as she and Eric, her Father, walked through the burnished bronze doors that had Goblins dressed in scarlet and gold, letting them through into a small entrance hall with another set of Goblins with silver words engraved above the doors.
Enter, stranger, but take heed.
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So, if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Alexis muttered the words under her breath and looked at her Father as the doors opened by both Goblins, and Eric guided his Daughter along the vast marble hall with long counters stretching along the room's length. "Mr Todd, it's good to see you," Ragnok greeted his long-time customer and spotted the tiny child at his side. "And it's nice to see the small one."
"Nice to meet you too," Alexis replied with a kind smile.
"Shall we?" He gestured to the door behind him, like many other counters leading to the vault passageways.
Alexis clung to her Father as they rolled inside the Magic Cart through the rough stone, complex and interconnected passageways that go on for miles under the city, heading for the Todd vault. "Here we are. Vault 121, Vault 122 and Vault 123. Which one are you taking from today?" Ragnok questioned, looking at the man.
"Vault 123, that's my Lexy's trust fund," Eric replied, looking at his little girl.
"I have a trust fund?" Alexis muttered in surprise, looking at her Father, who nodded as the Goblin opened the vault door; the blond kid looked inside to see the piles of gold coins twice as tall as the Todd Patriarch. "This is all mine?" She turned to Eric, who nodded, smiling at his darling Daughter.
"Well, yes, but you won't have access till you turn 17, of course," He told her and walked in, grabbing some money for Alexis' school supplies.
Alexis snapped out of her memory as she looked around the room with all the Goblins working at the counters, and the pair walked to the first one closest. "How may I help you today, Professor Dumbledore?" The Goblin asked, and Alexis recognised him as the one she had seen years ago.
"We are in need of a test for the young girl," Albus explained, making Ragnok glance at the blond girl.
"Of course, please follow me to the main office," Ragnok replied and stepped down from the counter and showed them into the back room, where there was an extravagant office with a high ceiling and gold and red coloured walls. Ragnok sat behind the large walnut desk with marvellous gold and silver detailing around the edges, swirled in the plush red cushioned chair, and faced the pair. "What kind of test are you in need of today?"
"He needs to know who I am," Alexis answered for the old man, making the Goblin stare at her. "He doesn't believe who I say I am."
"I see." He took out a piece of parchment with a small knife and a bowl made of coal to catch her blood for the test. "Do you know how this works?" He asked her, and she nodded.
"We went over it in school last year," She replied, holding her hand out to the Goblin, letting him slice her palm. Alexis watched her blood drop into the bowl, which flashed a bright blue before writing appeared on the parchment.
"Your name is Alexis Rosa Todd," Ragnok announced, reading through the information as it appeared on the parchment. "Your parents are Eric Todd and Rose-Marie Romano, born 16th February 1980?" He looked up at the girl, knowing the boy well and wondering how the birth date was possible. "What is going on, Albus?"
"It seems the girl was telling the truth about what happened to her," Albus concluded, looking at Alexis, who stared back at him.
"I told you, I am Alexis Todd. I was sent back here from 1995." Alexis snapped a little, taking out her time-turner. "Someone knew about the attack that killed my family. My parents and my Nanny, Belladonna Ferris, who I have known all my life. They were killed by Death Eaters. I need to go home so I can tell my friends and the Order what happened. Voldemort is back in my time and wants to kill my friend."
"What do you mean he's back?" The Headmaster questioned, frowning.
"He went into hiding in 1981 and came back in 1994. My friend defeated him before somehow, but he managed to return. He tried before in my time. I helped stop him." She pleaded with him and pocketed the time-turner.
"There is no known way to return to your present time. I'm afraid you are stuck here," Ragnok informed the girl, making some tears escape, falling down her cheeks.
"What am I going to do then?" The blond Witch questioned, feeling lost and hopeless.
"I can call Mr Todd. I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you. He's working today," He tried to assure the crying girl.
"Grandpa Howard?" Alexis muttered. "He died in 1976…"
"Pardon?" The Goblin asked, hearing her and growing worried for the kind curse-breaker.
"He died on 23rd November 1976," She confirmed. "He was killed during a raid of an old manor. My Papa was devastated and dropped out of Hogwarts. Travelling the world, he met my Mama in Italy." She revealed, surprising them. "He said there was something good to come out of his Dad's death."
"I see. Howard is a good man. I won't let me die this time," Ragnok promised, making her smile.
"But he may never meet my Mama? I may never exist?" The blond teen pointed out, her smile disappearing.
"Not necessarily. Fate has a surprising way of working out," Albus assured her, and she nodded. Ragnok jumped from his seat and walked to the door, calling his assistant outside to get Howard Todd. Alexis felt her hands grow sweaty as they waited. The doors opened again seconds later, and a man dressed in a black suit, who almost reminded her of her Father, seeing similarities between them, though most of the genetics come from her Grandma Delilah, who died after giving birth to her uncle Steven, who would now be in his 2nd year at Hogwarts.
"What is this about, Ragnok?" Howard asked the Goblin, spotting Albus and the strange blond, who almost reminded him of his wife.
"We have learned something rather interesting," Ragnok announced, looking at the man. "We've learned you have a grandchild here with us."
"That's not possible. My boys aren't stupid enough to get some girl pregnant." He argued, looking at Alexis, who rolled her eyes.
"I'm from the future, sir," Alexis informed him, standing up. "My name is Alexis Rosa Todd. My parents are Eric and Rose-Marie Todd."
"Is this some sort of joke?" Mr Todd snapped, looking around the room.
"No, Mr Todd," Albus assured him, standing by the girl.
"Then how could she possibly be my son's daughter?" Howard questioned, looking at the girl and seeing her pull something from around her neck.
"This, sir," Alexis showed him the burnt time-turner. "I was sent this the day before Death Eaters attacked my home and killed my family. I barely escaped, and they must have cast a spell at the time-turner and the next thing I knew…" She wiped away a stray tear. "...I was in the back street behind the house. Today, 2nd August 1975, exactly 20 years from the day."
"I've never heard of a time-turner sending someone back like that." Howard commented, but he believed her. "It's okay. I promise. We will sort this out." He moved toward her, bringing her into a hug, and she finally broke down, weeping into her Grandfather's arms, not feeling so alone.
"What will you do, Howard?" Ragnok asked him, but he already knew the answer.
"I'll take her home. I'll adopt her. Say she was an old friend's Daughter." He informed them and looked at her. "Would you like to come back home with me?"
"Where would I stay? There's no room," Alexis reminded him, making him pause and remember she was from the future and apparently lived in his old house.
"I have an old apartment. I was going to give it to Eric once he graduated from Hogwarts like I did with Henry. If you'd like, you could stay there. But you must promise to visit us when you're home from school every weekend." Mr Todd requested.
"Will I be going to Hogwarts?" She asked, looking at Dumbledore, who nodded.
"Of course, I will write your letter once I return and it will be within enough time." Albus assured her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"But how will I be able to buy anything? I don't have much money with me, well, enough for a few nights at the Leaky Cauldron." The teenager informed them, surprising the adults, though they were glad she didn't sleep on the streets.
"You're a Todd. You'll have access to your trust fund," Howard told her, smiling down at her.
Howard opened the door to the apartment in Diagon Alley, and Alexis looked impressed at the simple and interesting room. "I never knew we had a flat. Though I remember my Papa mentioning Uncle Henry staying in Diagon Alley for a few years after he graduated from school." Alexis commented, looking around the small living room.
"I see. Do you see much of Henry?" Howard asked her, wondering what their family would be like in the future.
"Um, not really, only because he moved to America where he met his wife Sara; both work at Livermorny with their children. They're around my age." She explained. "Uncle Steven visited for every birthday with Uncle Joseph as they travelled the world most of the time for work as photographers for the Daily Prophet."
"Who's Joseph?" He questioned, remembering the name from his talk with Steven recently at home. "Joseph O'Connor?"
"Yeah…?" The blond teen quizzed, raising an eyebrow at her Grandfather and then realised he didn't know his youngest son was gay yet.
"Are they happy?" Mr Todd asked her, trying to wrap his head around the new information.
"Very. They love each other. I was there for their wedding. Papa even cried at their vows. Uncle Steven said you met Uncle Joseph and loved him like a son." Alexis told him and was surprised when he hugged her.
"I'm glad my boys found happiness. That's all I could ask for," Howard cried, releasing his granddaughter and wiping away the tears. "I just want my boys to be happy."
"And they were," She assured him, smiling.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow, and we'll buy your stuff for Hogwarts. Luckily, Steven and Eric haven't gotten theirs yet either." He told her, smiling. "You can meet them. I will tell them you're an old friend's Daughter, and I'm adopting you. Because you are a Todd." He kissed her forehead. "I'll let you get settled in. We can shop for things for your apartment when you come back from school." He headed for the front door.
"Thank you for doing this, Grandfather," The blond Witch smiled as he looked at her and closed the door. "Oh no, King and Faye!" She shouted, rushing out of the apartment, past Howard, who watched her.
"What's wrong?" The oldest Todd questioned, following her.
"I forgot King and Faye!" Alexis shouted as she jumped down the bottom step and leapt into the street.
"Who are King and Faye?" Howard asked her as they returned to the Leaky Cauldron to utter chaos.
"My - Merlin!" She yelped, seeing King scurrying around the floor, causing all manner of mischief for everyone inside the pub. "King, stop that!" She ordered the Niffler, who stopped suddenly at his friend's voice and ran toward her. "King? What were you doing?" She demanded, kneeling to catch him. "I told you not to leave the room." She scratched his stomach as she hugged him to her chest.
"You have a Niffler?" He questioned, looking at the creature, who snuggled into the girl's chest.
"And a Bowtruckle. Hopefully, she hasn't left the room either," The young blond teen told him, walking toward the stairs leading to her room while apologising to everyone for King's chaos.
Alexis returned to the apartment with Faye and King, releasing them to look around the new environment as Howard had to return home to the boys, her uncle and her Father, which was still weirding her out. Alexis sat on the black corner couch with Faye swinging in her blond hair as King looked around, trying to find anything shiny he could get his little hands on. She was a little hungry and decided to head out for something to eat for herself and her friends, but she didn't want to leave them alone when there was a knock at the front door, startling her from her thoughts of food. Alexis jumped from the couch and opened the door to see Tom holding a paper bag. "Evening, Miss Alexis, Howard came by and said you hadn't eaten yet."
"Thank you, Tom," She smiled, taking the package.
"Howard already paid for it and the damage done to the bar. Don't worry, all is forgiven. Have a nice day," He replied, leaving.
"I am sorry about him; he doesn't like to be left alone. I'll make it up to you, sir," Alexis promised him, and he smiled at the kind gesture.
"All is forgiven. I hope to see you again soon." Tom told her and walked away, leaving the blond Witch alone again.
The following day, Alexis changed into a white shirt and, over it, a band tee from her favourite, Queen; she also wore a blue and green plaid pleated skirt with black tights and black knee-length socks, black lace boots and finally, a tan coat that goes to her mid-thigh. Alexis puts Faye on her shoulder, letting her climb around and puts King in her pocket, not wanting them out of her sight in case they cause trouble again. She heard someone knocking on the front door and went to answer, seeing Howard there with a young Eric, her Dad, and a young Steven, her uncle. "God, this is weird," Alexis whispered, looking at them and forcing a smile, which she felt she'd been doing for the last 48 hours. "Hi, nice to see you again." She said louder.
"Is that a Queen tee?" Steven asked, looking at her band tee from 1973 London.
"Uh, yeah. My uncle got it for me. He couldn't go, but he's a massive fan like myself." The blond Witch replied, looking down at the top, and Howard smiled, seeing the two had something in common with each other already.
"It's cool. I wanted to go too, but Dad said I was too young." He pouted, making her giggle.
"Dad didn't explain who you really were," Eric remarked, eyeing the girl around his age.
"I told you. Alexis is an old friend's Daughter who died, and she was placed into my care, but we don't have the room; I offered her the old apartment so she would have somewhere to stay while not at Hogwarts." Howard explained, not telling his youngest sons what was really going on, though he knew he needed to tell Henry soon. "Alexis, we'll have to go to Gringotts to sort the adoption out."
"You're adopting her? Like a puppy?" Steven asked, looking at his Father.
"I'm not a puppy," Alexis argued, laughing. "Unfortunately." Eric looked at her and smiled, glad she got along with his baby brother, though he was suspicious about what was going on and why she came out of nowhere suddenly after never being mentioned before and wondered what they were hiding from them.
"So did you get your Hogwarts letter?" Howard questioned, and Alexis held up the familiar letter with her name and new address. "Ready?" She nodded and grabbed her bag before locking the door behind her.
The Todd family walked around Diagon Alley, getting the children their things for the new school year. However, Alexis already has most of it because she was meant to go into hiding before her school year, and there is an entirely different person teaching DADA, which is the running theme even then. Now, the family sat outside the ice cream parlour enjoying some food as they tried to get to know each other with as little information about her real family as possible. "So what happened to your family?" Eric asked her, breaking the quaint atmosphere.
"They were killed," Alexis answered honestly, surprising the teenage boy.
"How'd they die?" He asked her, earning a look from his Father.
"Eric, that's enough!" Howard snapped at his son.
"It's fine. They were attacked by Death Eaters. I don't know why," Alexis answered, fighting the feeling of more tears.
"I'm sorry," Steven told her, grabbing her hand as he sat beside her, and she squeezed his hand. "Apologise, Eric."
"I am sorry. I just never heard of you. Who were your parents?" Eric asked her, earning another scolding look from his Father.
"Why? What's it to you?" Alexis countered aggressively, surprising the blond teenage boy.
"That's enough, Eric. Leave her alone. She needs our support and a friend. What's gotten into you?" Howard questioned his son, who shifted in his seat.
"I just don't get where she came from suddenly. She just randomly appears all of a sudden, and I know you're lying to us about something." Eric exploded. "You've never mentioned her, and she refuses to tell us her parents' names. You're even so ready to adopt her! Is she a secret love child or something?"
"We should just tell them," Alexis suggested, looking at Howard, who sighed and nodded.
"She's my granddaughter and your daughter in the future, Eric." Howard dropped the bomb, surprising the boys.
"You're joking right?" Steven questioned, looking at his Dad, and Alexis showed them the burnt time-turner, placing it on the table.
"That could be a fake," Eric argued, shaking his head and jumping to his feet in disbelief.
"It's true, son. It was confirmed yesterday." Howard told him, and his sons looked at him.
"You're my daughter from the future?" He questioned, looking at Alexis, who nodded as she sobbed. Steven, being the sweet boy he is, got up and hugged the weeping girl. "What happened?"
"Like she said," Mr Todd replied, making the fifteen-year-old boy frown.
"I died?" The blond teen Wizard muttered. "Did you see it?" Alexis shook her head. "So you're not sure I died?"
"I heard the spell. I can venture a guess," Alexis argued, wiping the tears away. "I just wish I could have saved you."
"It's not your fault. You survived. That's all that matters and we can change the future for the better," Eric assured her, moving toward her as more sobs escaped her lips, and he hugged her with his brother, and even Howard joined in.
The day had finally come, and Alexis looked around her apartment, which she had finished decorating the other day with the help of her family. She grabbed her suitcase with everything she needed for school and locked the door behind her to see Eric and Steven waiting for her. "Excited?" Steven asked her.
"It's not my first time at Hogwarts, Steven," Alexis reminded the younger Wizard.
"I know, but it might be different in the future; imagine what you could change?" He reasoned, making the blond Witch think.
"You are the cleverest little Wizard ever!" She beamed, kissing his cheek and walked off, leaving behind a confused Steven and Eric.
"What'd I say?" The young Wizard questioned, looking at his older brother, who shrugged and followed after them as their Dad had to work, though he wasn't happy about it; wanting to see them off, Ragnok wanted to talk to him about something important.
Alexis looked around Platform 9 ¾, remembering every time she stood in the station with her parents and talked with her friends about the summer, even though they'd written letters over that time or seen each other. She missed her friends, Hermione, Ron and Harry and wanted to see them again, but as everyone liked to remind her, there was no possible way, and she needed to move past it for now. "Hey! Alexis! Come on!" Steven shouted, waving his arms around in the air to gain her attention, making her snap her head up, looking at the young version of her uncle and stepping over, joining him and the young version of her Father, Eric.
"I'm coming," Alexis smiled and joined them on the train to find themselves a place to sit, though Alexis felt terrible as she was stopping them from being with their friends. "You don't have to sit with me if you want to see your friends." She surprised them with her words.
"You stay with me. I think you'll like my friends," Eric assured her and poked his head into a compartment. "Stevie, go find Joseph."
"Ah! I want to spend time with her," Steven sulked, crossing his arms.
"I was a Gryffindor before," Alexis whispered, making the young blond Wizard smile and run off to find his friends. She joined Eric in the compartment to see a boy their age with black hair that reminded her of Neville Longbottom, one of the first people she met along with Hermione.
It soon came time for Alexis to leave for Hogwarts, and the Todd family arrived at King's Cross Station with the little blond girl sitting atop her trunks on the trolley. Eric pushed it as they hurried through the crowd of Muggles on the platform. "We'd best hurry, or we'll miss the train," Rose-Marie complained and found the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Eric ran toward the brick wall, making Alexis close her eyes, waiting for the impact, but it never came.
Alexis opened her eyes and was met with a giant red steam train called the Hogwarts Express that would take her to the famous Hogwarts. "Oh, it's amazing!" Alexis grinned, jumping from atop the trolley and following her parents to the luggage car before the train left. Eric and Rose-Marie saw their Daughter off as the train began leaving the station full of students.
Alexis waved from the window to her parents as the train left the platform before turning the corner, and she walked through the corridor to find a compartment, but all of them were full. Alexis went to the back of the train to find one with a girl with bushy brown hair and a boy with dark brown hair inside. "Do you mind?" Alexis asked, poking her head into the compartment, alerting them to her presence.
"Of course," The girl answered, and Alexis popped into the room, sitting next to the girl before taking out a book on Magical Creatures and flipping to her bookmark, which is a roll of photo film of her and her parents when they went to Florence, Venice over the summer. Faye popped out of Alexis' jacket pocket, looking around at the new environment before swinging out, moving down her arm to the book and landing on the pages.
"Faye. We talked about this." The young Todd muttered, gaining the attention of the others in the train compartment.
"What's that?" The boy asked, looking at the Bowtruckle, peaking over the book to look at the dark brown-haired tween.
"This is Faye. She's a Bowtruckle." Alexis answered, smiling at her little friend.
"Those aren't allowed." The bushy brunette girl stated, looking up from her book.
"I didn't get your name." She questioned, looking at the girl.
"I'm Hermione Granger." The girl introduced herself, seeming proud almost.
"Alexis Todd." The young Todd answered, and she looked at Faye. "And she doesn't like being apart from me. She has separation anxiety. We're working on it."
"I-I'm Neville Longbottom." The boy announced, making the girls look at him from their glaring contest.
"Nice to meet you, Neville." Alexis smiled at the poor boy when the compartment door opened, and a sweet elderly lady came strolling toward them with a trolley full of sweets.
"Anything from the trolley, dears?" The woman asked them, and Alexis jumped from her seat, looking at the many confectionaries on display.
"Do you have any pumpkin pasties?" She questioned the lady.
"Of course, dear." The friendly Witch answered, handing Alexis the item. "Anything else?"
"Do you have watermelon strips?" Alexis asked and was handed another sweet treat. "Thank you." She handed over the money, unaware of a particular toad making his escape from the compartment.
"Anything for you two?" The sweet lady asked Hermione and Neville, who shook their heads, and she continued down the corridor to the next compartment. Alexis sat back in her seat and continued reading her book as she nibbled on her pumpkin pasty, and Faye climbed her hair for entertainment.
"Do you want some?" The young Todd offered her watermelon strip to Hermione and Neville.
"No, thank you." They declined, and the silence in the compartment remained but was soon interrupted as Neville gasped, searching his pockets as Hermione left the room to change into her school uniform, eager to get to Hogwarts.
"What's wrong, Neville?" Alexis asked him as Hermione returned.
"I can't find Trevor!" Neville gasped, standing up, and Alexis looked around.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, sitting in her seat.
"I've lost my toad." He announced, and Alexis looked at Faye, knowing how she'd feel about losing her.
"Why don't we go looking for him," Hermione announced. "We'll start looking here first and then search the train."
The three searched their compartment, but still, there was nothing. Alexis and Neville changed into their school robes as the countryside flew past the window, becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now, there were woods, twisting rivers and dark green hills. Alexis and Neville searched ahead of Hermione as she kept annoying everyone they talked to and came to another compartment with two boys, one with ginger hair and the other with raven hair. Alexis knocked on the door, opening the door for Nevile and making the two boys stare at the tearful, round-faced boy. "Sorry," Neville said, "but have you seen a toad at all?" The boys shook their heads, making him wail in sadness, and Alexis comforted him. "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"He'll turn up," The ravenette assured the crying boy.
"Yes, exactly. We'll find him, Neville, I promise." Alexis promised him, patting his shoulder. "If you see him, could you bring him back?" Neville walked off in despair.
"Don't know why he's so bothered," The ginger muttered. "If I'd brought a toad, I'd lose it as quickly as I could. Mind you. I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." The rat snoozed on his lap.
"You're rather rude, aren't you?" Alexis questioned, startling the boys, who forgot she was still there.
"Who are you?" The raven-haired boy asked her.
"I'm Alexis Todd. Nice to meet you. And is he sleeping?" She asked the other boy, looking at the still rat in his lap.
"He might have died, and you wouldn't know the difference," The boy replied in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…" He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places, and something white glinted at the end. "Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway -." He just raised his wand when Alexis was joined again by Neville and Hermione.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." Hermione repeated in a bossy sort of voice.
"We've already told them we haven't seen it." The ginger told her, but she wasn't listening and looking at the wand in his hand.
"Oh, are you doing Magic? Let's see it, then." She sat on the seat, making the boy look at her, taken back.
"Er - all right." The ginger boy cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" The bushy-haired girl questioned. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice, and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's Magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course; I mean, it's the very best school of Witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said all this very fast; the raven-haired looked at the ginger and seemed relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either.
"I'm Ron Weasley," The strawberry-blond boy muttered.
"Harry Potter," The ravenette answered.
"Are you really?" Hermione questioned. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
"Am I?" Harry asked, feeling dazed.
"Goodness, didn't you know I'd have found out everything I could if it was me?" She replied, making Alexis roll her eyes.
"Goodness, you don't shut up," Alexis muttered, making the boys snicker at the blond.
"Do either of you know what House you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor; it sounds by far the best. I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know; I expect we'll be there soon." Hermione told the boys and left, taking the toadless boy with her.
"Keep an eye out, please. Nice meeting you." She smiled, closed the door, and caught up with the others on the hunt for Trevor.
"Hi, I'm Frank Longbottom, and you are?" He asked, looking at the new face.
"She's Alexis Todd; my dad adopted her after her parents died; she transferred from…" Eric informed but doesn't remember what they said.
"Italy, Florence," Alexis answered for him, surprising Frank.
"Nice. Sorry - I mean, I'm sorry about your parents," Frank corrected himself, reminding the blond Witch of his son.
"It's okay. I expect everyone will say something similar." She replied, smiling at him and sitting opposite them, loving the flare denim jeans and simple white top, though King and Faye weren't enjoying staying in her small blue shoulder bag with fringes and decided to poke their heads out to look around.
"Is that a Niffler?" He asked, looking at King as he pushed himself out of the bag and rolled onto the seat.
"Yeah, this is King," The young teen Witch introduced him as the Niffler moved around the seat before snuggling close to his human friend.
"He's kinda cute," The raven-haired teen commented, smiling at the calm Niffler.
"Not when you have to go shopping, and he tries to steal everything shiny in the shop," Eric remarked, earning a scolding look from King.
"King gave it all back," Alexis argued, stroking the Niffler's head, causing him to purr almost. "Didn't you, King?"
"Hey!" A voice shouted, startling the compartment occupants, and they looked to see a boy their age with black hair that flopped to his forehead with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Don't scare us like that, Sirius!" Eric snapped at the boy, and Alexis stared at him, surprised at the appearance, though the last time she saw Sirirus was when he had escaped from Azkaban. "What do you want?"
"Have you seen, James?" Sirius asked them and zeroed in on the blond Witch. "Well, hello," He flirted with her, making her roll her eyes.
"Merlino, tu sei qualcos'altro." Alexis couldn't help herself, saying it plainly to the boy, who couldn't understand her.
"Is that you saying I'm beautiful?" He questioned, looking at the gorgeous teenage Witch.
"No. I said you are something else," The young Witch answered, turning to King as he moved around on her lap, gaining the attention of the newcomer. "And King agrees." She held up the Niffler, who glared at the young Black Heir.
"And Eric agrees," Eric said, making Frank laugh.
"I didn't get your name?" Sirius asked, looking at Alexis.
"I'm Alexis Todd," She introduced herself, surprising him.
"I didn't know you had a sister, Eric?" He looked at the blond Wizard.
"She's not my sister," Eric argued. "She's an old family friend."
"But she has your last name?" The young Black Heir pointed out.
"His dad adopted me after my parents died," Alexis informed him, making Sirius look at her.
"Sorry to hear that," Sirius replied.
"I think you're the 100th person to say that," She retorted, giggling. "But thank you. So, looking for someone?"
"Yeah! My friend James? Have you seen him?" He asked her and looked at Frank and Eric.
"You do realise I'm new here, right?" The young blond Witch joked, making him laugh.
"No, we haven't seen him," Frank answered.
"But we will keep an eye out for you," Alexis promised when suddenly a hand landed on Sirius' shoulder, startling him. Sirius swirled to see his friend, but not the one he was looking for.
"Find James yet?" The brown-haired boy reminded Alexis of a young Remus Lupin with some small scars on his face, and it clicked: this really was a young Remus Lupin in front of her.
"Is this James playing hide and seek with you?" She couldn't help but ask them, making two parts of the Marauders stare at her before the others laugh together. Alexis doesn't feel as bad about starting over, though she deeply missed her parents and friends, but she could make it work if she put herself out there, and it was nice having some familiar faces around her while she grieved for her past and being at Hogwarts would help clear her mind.