Alexandra Weasley: Book 5

13

Alex bumped into Ron and Hermione on her way out of the compartment.
"Hey, where are you going?"

"I don't know. Find the girls or something." She pushed past and continued walking. Hermione let her go, and continued into the compartment.

"What happened with Alex?"

"Cho Chang came along." Ginny scrunched up her nose. "Harry defended her."

"Oh, yeah, that would do it. The nerve of that bi- ravenclaw"

"You could take points or give her detention." Ginny said.

"I'm not misusing my authority." Hermione sounded offended. "No matter how much I might want to."

Alex was looking through compartments and walked into Draco with Crabbe and Google minions. She noted his prefect badge.
"Congrats." She said.

"Thanks."

"Please don't tell me you're back to having the minions trail after you. What happened to Blaise?"

"Nothing. He's back in the compartment. Didn't wanna come."

"At least tell me you're not hanging out with Crabbe and Goyle by choice?"

"Our fathers are friends." He admitted. "So, how was your summer?"

"Not great, actually. Pretty lousy." She said. "You?"

"Rather dull. About Diggory- he was decent. He didn't deserve what happened."

"Thanks." Alex shifted. "Anyways, catch you later? Minus the doofuses?"

"Sure." He agreed and she turned to leave.

Alex almost cracked a grin at Harry's look of despair as Luna assured him he was as sane as she was. He climbed into her carriage after Ron who followed Hermione who followed her, wanting to keep an eye on her. Alex sat between Hermione and Luna and, deciding to take pity on him, spoke up.
"They're thestrals." She said. "They only appear to those who've seen death. You watched Cedric die, which is why you can see them. Most of us can't see them because to those who haven't seen death, they're invisible."

"Can you see them?" He asked.

"Yes." She said truthfully.

"When did you see someone die?" Ron asked.

"Quirrell, first year." She answered. "Harry fainted before he could see him actually die, so he'd never seen death."

"Oh."

The Hogwarts hat had a rather unexpected addition to its song, though to be fair, Alex only half listened. She'd had enough excitement for one day. All she really wanted was to just go see Saphira or even Kichiro and Venus and the other unicorns.

There was a feast, as usual, in which Umbridge- a ministry employee- was introduced as their new DADA teacher. Alex pushed the food around on her plate, bored.

"So why do we have a ministry official teaching at Hogwarts?" Charlie asked.

"To discredit Dumbledore. To monitor Harry. Hogwarts has always been Dumbledore's territory. They want to edge in. Take it over and have access to the minds of our future. Regulate us and our thoughts and turn us into mindless thoughtless ministry puppets." Megan, Susan, Hannah and Charlie exchanged worried glances.

"Alex?" Susan spoke up.

"What? It's the truth."

Her first lesson of the week was potions. She sat with Charlie, and paid barely any attention. Snape wasn't going to yell at her or acknowledge her and it wasn't like it was anything new or even difficult. She had a little more leeway in this class. As long as she didn't do anything outrageous that would force him to call her out, he would ignore her. The rest of the class passed slowly. The Hufflepuffs had a free period, though Alex had ancient runes with the seventh years.

Professor Babbling still liked her well enough. She didn't push Alex during the lesson but did ask that she stay behind after class.
"Miss Weasley, how are you?" She asked kindly. Alex shrugged. "I hear the rumour mill going around, and I understand it can be hard with everyone having an opinion about Cedric, but I do hope you know if you need anything, you can come to me."

"Thanks, professor." She said.

"Alright, I won't keep you any longer, I'm sure you're eager to get to lunch." Babbling dismissed and Alex nodded before leaving.

"Alex! There you are!" A voice caught her attention on her way to the great hall.

"Hi, Laila." She said.

"You ignore my letters all summer and all you've got to say is hi?" Laila pouted. "Rude, much."

"To be fair, I pretty much ignored everyone's letters." She said indifferently. "Oh, but congratulations on making head girl, by the way."

"Well, it was to be expected." She shrugged. "I am an explorer."

"Still think it's a stupid name." Alex teased and they reached the great hall. "I'll see you around, Laila." She walked away and sat at her table with her friends.

They had transfiguration after lunch. Professor McGonagall tasked them with vanishing spells, after a very serious speech on the importance of their owls. Alex partnered with Megan for the class.
"I seriously don't understand why Charlie likes this class." Megan groaned.

"Because it's interesting." Charlie hissed from behind. Professor McGonagall's gaze landed on them sternly, and they shut up.

"If you really hate it, you can drop it after this year." Alex spoke up a minute later.

"True." She seemed appeased before frowning. "I can't vanish this stupid snail."

"Yes, you can." Alex demonstrated the spell. "Most of transfiguration comes from imagination. You're not just making it disappear into thin air. It's got to go someplace. You have to imagine someplace it can go but it wouldn't be out of place. I think of the forest."

"Oh, okay."

"Transfiguration never makes you change the nature of something. Everything has a place, you see. You can't turn something into nothing, but you can direct energy to move it elsewhere." Alex explained. She used her wand to conjure the snail back.

"Miss Weasley, that's not today's agenda." Professor McGonagall said. "We are attempting vanishing spells, not conjuring."

"Sorry, professor." she used her wand to vanish the snail again.

"Ten points for diverging from the lesson plan and endangering those around you. There is a reason you are not to attempt conjuring until your NEWTs." There was small groan from someone at the loss of the points. McGonagall continued, though. "But, for a very impressive vanishing and conjuring, 30 points."

A/N- Favourite line is "Regulate us and our thoughts and turn us into mindless thoughtless ministry puppets."

So, she's a little dark, but to be fair she has the right.