Alexandra Weasley book 7

75

Alex stepped out only to bump into Draco almost directly outside the room.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"My grandfather's orders. You?"

"I'm supposed to keep Potter and his crowd from getting in there. It's important."

"Right."

"So what are your orders?" She raised a brow and he shrugged. "Worth a try."

"You're lucky I consider you a friend." He grinned, before his expression turned slightly serious.

"Listen, Alex. About you and... Blaise."

"I appreciate it. You're a good friend. To both of us. I know he's your best mate and that's okay. You can be a good friend to us both, but I don't want to talk about him. Not now, at least."

"Maybe one day?" He suggested.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up." She said, sympathetically. Or hers. She and Blaise were complicated. Theoretically, it would be great if they reunited after everything was over. He'd try to come clean and apologise and she'd laugh and tell him she knew and they could pick up where they left off. But it was wishful thinking. She stood up straight. It wasn't the time to think about it. She could not be distracted right now. "Draco, there's something of my grandfather's I need to retrieve. The very thing you need to make sure Potter doesn't get, but my grandfather is slightly paranoid. I need you to leave for a few minutes."

"If you're going to get whatever it is, why do I need to stop Potter?"

"Decoy. If he thinks it's still here, he won't go looking for it elsewhere. I got a little sidetracked by Megan, so I'm running late."

"Alex-" he didn't look convinced.

"You're my friend Draco. I'd never do anything that would end up with you in trouble. You know that, right?" He nodded reluctantly. "I've got your back, always. I need to do this now before anyone else comes."

"Okay." He said. He stared for a moment before turning and walking out of the corridor. Alex started pacing back and forth immediately. I need the room where the lost things go.

Alex looked up at where the diadem was hidden. The plan was simpler in theory. She hadn't accounted for the height difference between her and her grandfather. The room looked too unstable for her to climb around the objects. Her galleon burned in her pocket and she pulled it out. Hermione requested a mirror call. She pulled her mirror out, and Hermione's face became visible.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"We need a basilisk tooth, and the toilets are the quickest way to get there. Can you open the door for us." Hermione looked around her. "Where are you?"

"Where all the lost things go. Found the diadem, but I can't reach it."

"Why don't you fly up to it? You've got your broom in your bag, right?" Alex smiled sheepishly.

"It didn't occur to me. I haven't flown without Saph in a while. I'll send through the diadem in a sec. Get me as close to the sink as you can." Hermione did as instructed as Alex hissed in parseltongue. The sinks began to part as the entrance to the chamber of secrets appeared. The two girls exchanged a final grim look before both hanging up and getting to their respective tasks.

"She can speak parseltongue?!" Ron's flabbergasted tone was the last thing Alex heard before the connection was lost.

By the time Alex made it back down to the school, her grandfather's voice was echoing off the walls.

"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood." There was a pause. "Give me Harry Potter," he demanded, "and they shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded." There was another silence. "You have until midnight."

Alex stopped. She had to find Harry. If Ron and Hermione were together, he likely didn't know the horcrux had been found. She tried to put herself in his shoes.

"If I was Harry, right now I trust Hermione. So if Hermione says the diadem's the horcrux, I believe her. And if I want to find it... why not go to the source?" She muttered. "So where is the Grey Lady now?" She thought. "Maybe Ravenclaw tower?"

Alex rushed out towards the stairs. As soon as she took a few steps, the staircase she was on swivelled and lowered, the steps disappearing and becoming a sort of slide. She slid down, caught by another staircase, and another until she reached the ground floor. The staircases moved out of reach.

"Okay, that is weird. Or it's Hogwarts helping me." She mused. "So if she's not in Ravenclaw or anywhere upstairs, then... maybe the ghosts' corridor."

With a new destination set, she set about sneaking away, unwilling to be caught by anyone on her grandfather's side.

A/N- getting closer, but there's still a few more chapters at least.

Slim pickings, but favourite line is - "She can speak parseltongue?!" Ron's flabbergasted tone was the last thing Alex heard before the connection was lost.