Alexandra Weasley: Book 5

54

A/N- there's a trigger warning for this chapter. Implied sexual assault. We're not going in-depth, but I will put a line of stars from where it begins to where it ends.

Hogwarts' rumour mill was astounding. Somehow everyone knew about the standoff between Dumbledore and Umbridge and Fudge. Draco had a huge grin on his face as he plopped into the seat beside her.

"You're smug." She said. "Go away."

"What? Why?"

"You got Dumbledore fired."

"Technically I wanted to get Potter expelled. But so what?"

"So, now Umbridge has pretty much declared herself headmistress."

"So?"

"Never mind." She rolled her eyes. She couldn't tell him she needed Dumbledore or at least someone she could trust to help her get to her weekly sessions with Shay. "Just go away."

"I didn't know you were so fond of Dumbledore."

"He helps me." She told him. "Draco, go away or I'm pulling out my wand."

"Bye." He spun away so fast, she thought he might spontaneously combust. Satisfied, she turned back to her book and continued reading.

Alex spent a few hours outside, laying on Saphira's back. It was Laila who had came come out to her.
"You thinking about Snape's offer?" She asked.

"What?" Alex looked up sharply. Laila couldn't know about Titus, could she?

"Me too." She said. "On one hand, the sessions help. On the other, I'm not sure I want to trust Umbridge and the ministry with the fact that I see a mind healer."

"I- what?"

"You haven't spoken to him yet?" Laila asked. "I guess it's been a long while since I've seen you anywhere near Snape. So, basically, since Umbridge is monitoring all the floo fireplaces, none of us can leave. But he spoke to her and he told her that he had students, unnamed, who required weekly sessions with a mind healer. Umbridge said we can continue if we use her fireplace- basically so that she can know who we are and all our business."

"Oh." She sighed. "No thanks."

"Yeah, same." Laila said. Alex sat up and slid off Saph's back and sat next to her.

"You don't have to answer. You can tell me to go kiss a troll if you want. But, how comes you see one?"

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"You know how we have a revolving set of teachers for defense? We had a different one in my first year." Alex nodded. "He was one of those really cool teachers everyone liked. I was his... favourite. I was so happy. I felt special. He took advantage of that. Until it didn't feel so special. Snape was the one who figured it out."

"That's horrible."

"Yeah. But it was six years ago, and I'm healing and Snape had me go to a mind healer that same summer after speaking to my parents. You should've seen Idris after he found out. He was murderous." Laila shrugged.

********************

"I'm sorry that happened to you." Laila nodded.

"Thanks. How about you? If you're okay with saying so."

"I was missing for a year, right? I told everyone I ran away, but I didn't. I was taken. The man told me he'd hurt my brother if I didn't go with him and part of me thought since I technically went willingly, I couldn't have been kidnapped. I was being groomed, I guess. Turned into a weapon. I escaped, but it was a really dark time."

"My god, we're both really screwed up." Laila let out a breath. Alex laughed.

"Supremely." Alex sighed. "I'm just going to wait till summer. Restart my meetings then. Hopefully by next year Umbridge'll be gone. The curse can come into effect. Dumbledore might even come back."

"Or Umbridge will be headmistress full time and the DADA slot will be given up to a new teacher."

"Please don't say that." Laila grinned.

"It's not long till summer. We'll be okay, right?"

"Right." Alex agreed. "Except... I threatened to hex Draco and blamed him for getting Dumbledore sacked."

"So?"

"All he did was continue his rivalry and try get Harry in trouble for hosting an illegal club. He's hardly an evil mastermind, and he doesn't really know what consequences we face."

"Still, you can be mad." Alex shrugged.

Eventually, the two girls headed back to the school. They parted ways by the great hall and Alex decided to sit out on the steps for a little while. Draco eventually appeared.
"I'm not sorry for catching Potter. I'm part of the inquisitorial squad. It's my job. And my father's proud. I'm not," he let out a sigh. "I'm not the sort of person who cares whether or not Potter gets in trouble. Or that the whole farce ended with Dumbledore on the run. I don't like them. But you do. For some godforsaken reason, you care. So, I'm sorry for that. Not for them. To you."

"Dumbledore isn't my favourite person in the world. He's made mistakes. So many mistakes. But I can trust him. There's less than a handful of adults that I can say that about. And a lot of people feel the same. And I know the whole Dumbledore thing wasn't your endgame. You're not diabolical enough for that. But getting Harry in trouble isn't the same as getting him expelled. Hogwarts is his only link to the magical world. It's cruel to take that away from him."

"He does remedial potions. With Snape. Under any usual circumstances, I'd probably broadcast it to the whole school, but I won't. If you ask me not to, I won't."

"I don't want you to." She said. He nodded.

"Alright."

A/N- Draco trying to make it right 🥺 I love his friendship with Alex.

Favourite line is "My god, we're both really screwed up." Laila let out a breath. Alex laughed.