Alexandra Weasley: Book 6

36

Alex wasn't sure if anything she said stuck in Pedro's head. She hoped it did.

A letter came for her one day, as she ate breakfast with her friends. She hadn't noticed at first. Too busy trying to formulate plans against Voldemort.

"Oh my god." Megan groaned and she snapped back to reality. Megan reached past her to untie the letter from the owl, nudging her as she did.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"Are you okay?" Hannah asked softly. "You seem very distracted lately."

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a lot on my mind."

"Okay, well we're here if you need to talk, because frankly, all this is terrifying." Charlie said.

"And you've got a letter." Megan handed her the envelope. Alex looked at it curiously and opened it. She read through the contents and paled.

"It's from Mr Diggory." She said. "Mrs Diggory passed away last night, in her sleep."

"Alex.." Susan reached out but she stood up.

"I have to go." She ran out.

Alex ran straight into the woods, as deep as she could go. She didn't stop until eventually she began stumbling and running out of breath. She leaned against a tree, looking up into the sky.

Mrs Diggory was always nice to her, and Alex knew she'd been ill lately. She hadn't spent as much time with her as she had with Cedric's grandparents, with whom she'd had tea once a fortnight over the summer. But Mrs Diggory was kind to her. And it just seemed so unfair that Mr Diggory had lost his son and then his wife.

Alex must have been out there for hours, because it was dark by the time footsteps caught up to her.

She didn't look up, though she'd noticed when someone plopped into the seat behind her.

"How did you find me?" She asked and Hermione shrugged.

"Maybe I have my secrets too."

"Mrs Diggory died last night. Apparently it was peaceful and she didn't feel a thing. She's been too heartbroken over Cedric to continue living." Alex said. "I just- I wish people would stop dying. Everyone keeps dying. It's, like, every week there's a new death in the papers."

"She's probably with Cedric now." Hermione offered.

"We don't know that. We don't know what happens when someone dies. They're dead."

"I'm sorry." Hermione said, simply. She pulled Alex closer into some kind of a hug, and kept her there, reassuring her gently.

"If I don't do what Dumbledore's asking, there's going to be more. The deaths are never going to stop. If I take this role, I can help stop it. Tell me you understand that. Because it could be your name in the papers next. Or Charlie's."

"It's not your responsibility. Or what if you do this and he figures it out. What if it's your death being reported? What if I lose you?"

"I have my immunity and I have Doomie. I'll keep the circlet on at all times, glamoured from view. I can do it. You've seen me training."

"I understand, but I hate it. Because this terrifies you. Because you're afraid you'll never come back, even if you do survive."

"I'm sorry."

"Is there anything I can say to stop you?" Alex shook her head sadly. "If you do this, then you have to promise to come back healthy. No messing up your eating. And we'll keep our twin mirrors so you will find a time to talk to me when you're clear."

"Okay."

"And I told Snape, so I should probably wish you good luck on that front."

"He would've found out anyways. It explains why he's been avoiding me at least. If I don't talk to him, I can't convince him. If I can't convince him, I don't have him to help me get in. This entire plan is contingent on his help."

"He's never going to help you. He wants to protect you."

"Well, I'll threaten to use Draco instead. And I'm thinking a lot of guilt tripping."

"You can't do that as long as he avoids you."

"I know. And he knows." Alex stood up. "I missed all my classes today."

"Yeah. But if you hurry, I think you can make it to astronomy."

"I'm tired." Alex shook her head. "I'm going to go to bed. What's one more class?"

"Remember arithmancy last year?" Hermione raised her brow. Alex grimaced.

"Fine, okay. I won't make a habit of it this year, though."

"Okay, let's go to the kitchens. You haven't had anything since breakfast." Hermione stood up and held out her hand to help Alex up. Alex reluctantly took it. "We can see Botty." Hermione tried to lift her spirits. The words did the trick and Alex walked with more purpose.

The next morning, Alex headed to Snape's office. She knocked on the half open door and peered through. He sat at his desk, marking papers as he always did, and ignored her.

"You know, I won't go away if you just ignore me." She said. "It doesn't work like that."

She still didn't enter and he continued to ignore her.

"This is the part where you say 'no loitering' and then I come in." She said, her voice deepening and lacking emotion when she imitated him. He continued to ignore her. "Cedric's mum died."

This caught his attention. He looked up and sighed. "As you can see, my door is open and I am obviously in here. There is no point in you lurking about. Come in."

She walked in, satisfied.

A/N- Poor Alex. Hermione can't find any argument to keep her from going now.

Favourite line is "This is the part where you say 'no loitering' and then I come in."