When something happens, it's never you three

Chapter 4 - Sir Gill Mcvaden Von Kür

That morning Alana would not be taking pre-breakfast morning tours. Moreover, she decided that she wouldn't try to approach her friends until she had a solution to their problems; and she trust in Professor Flitzwick's expertise to do so.

Her dad used to say something about situations like that (usually when he was complaining again upon work): people want solutions. Touch on anything of a tiny problem, and you'll receive all the blame, but show them a real solution and you become the new hero of the day.

She wouldn't convince Brianna and Nori with pleas, but with a so fantastic solution that would be impossible for them to deny.

Thus, she slept until almost breakfast and when woke up there wasn't anyone in her bedroom. Alana had no idea who was her four others roomantes: on the first night, she was in a bad mood that went to bed without chatting; on the first day woke up too early, and now, too late.

She changed quickly so as not to miss another meal, and when she went down to the Common Room the sounds and the view astounded her. The windows, so dark yesterday, glowed subtly with a pale blue, almost white, light, reflecting off on the floor and on the grey walls.

It took her eyes a few seconds to adapt to the sudden brightness in the dungeons, although her ears quickly picked up the chorus of excited voices coming from outside the windows.

She gave some steps ahead, eager to talk.

The sound of the Common Room's front door permeated the surroundings and Vaisey poked his head inside.

"You aren't thinking of skipping the meal again, are you? Brett asked me to come make sure of this."

"Are you two my nannies now?" asked Alana, walking towards him, crossing the threshold into the icy corridors of the dungeons.

"If it means avoiding points deductions for Slytherin, we can make a little effort." Vaisey laughed, with his 12 and a half years of a second year student, already has demonstrate that his favourite pastime was distributing jokes and smiles.

"I don't intend to lose any point, my mind is just racing."

Vaisey whistled.

"That's because we're on our second day. You need to relax, Alana, we're at Hogwarts." Vaisey spread his arms as soon as they reached the surface, coming out next to the Quad Courtyard.

Alana stared up at the morning summer sky and breathed in hopefully.

Vaisey was right, all that worry made her forget how amazing it was to be there.

"Now let's go, I'm starving!" Vaisey tugged at her wrist and they were lucky to have some sandwiches still on the table when they arrived.

***

The first two classes were Herbology and she didn't feel so guilty about deliberately ignoring Nori because he was still struggling to do the same thing.

However, she didn't expect to cause some commotion: they were going to replant mandrakes, but when she lifted her plant, Alana mistook the plant for an animal and for a moment she thought it would talk to her beyond the screams, but it didn't. And she held it out of the vase for so long that by the time Professor Sprout came running up to her, two people beside her had already passed out.

Any other teacher would have deducted point from Slytherin, but Sprout just huffed and asked Alana to be more dexterous next time.

Some of the students pointed and laughed at her as if she were crazy, including Draco.

But not Nori.

Nori was staring at her dead serious and Alana's face turned red.

She didn't care that others thought she was crazy, it was the epitome of her entire childhood, but not knowing what Nori thought was agonizing.

"Are you trying to kill us, weirdo?" Draco asked, stopping beside her.

"Too bad I couldn't," Alana replied, holding her books and bumping into him.

She walked off, tapping her foot, down aisle after aisle, aimlessly, until she finally reached a place with no students. She had basically made a full turn, finding herself a few meters outside the greenhouses, near the walls that marked the end of the huge ground that Hogwarts rested on.

Nothing but a stone path, some benches for the students and a lot of garden. A huge bush was cut in the shape of a dragon and it opened the mouth and roared from time to time, flapping its wings.

Alana threw herself down on the stone bench, wanting to cry, but she didn't. Instead, she was startled by a small nasal voice, slurring over the words.

"I'mfinallygettingtoknowyou".

Alana looked around, nothing.

She lifted her knees onto the bench and leaned against its back. Behind the bench, in the middle of the grass, red and wide eyes stared at her.

"Oh."

A wave of happiness washed over her, she was finally going to be able to talk there at Hogwarts.

"You need to speak slower. What is your name?"

"SirGill McvadenVonKür, miss." The mouse, which was leaning on just two paws to face her, made a small bow and Alana nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Sir Gill. How do you know me?"

"Acousinofmybestfriend's brother said that agirlwhocanspeakwith us was coming to Hogwarts".

Alana really struggled to understand, rats were already a little flustered, but Sir Gill spoke particularly quickly, and was apparently making an effort to slow down his spech.

"Apparently news travels fast. Nice to meet you too, Sir Gill. I hope we can be friends. How is life at Hogwarts?"

"Terrible!" screeched Sir Gill, causing Alana to jolt. "The kitchensareprotected withmagic and the forests are fullofmagicalpredators. Inside the halls wealwayshaveto watch out for Mrs. Nora."

"Oh. Really terrible. Can I help with anything?"

"That'swhy wewereexcited to meet you, Miss. The cousinofmybestfriend's brothesays you're a goodperson". Sir Gill explained, rubbing one paw over the other, Alana couldn't stand the cuteness and had to gnash her teeth to refrain from reaching out and petting him. She knew it was a touchy subject for rats, there was a whole etiquette before friendship reached that point. "Me andallmyfamilyand friends would behappyif you could getussomefood."

"Every day? How many of you are there?" Alana rested her hands on the edges of the bench.

"At the moment therearefortyofus". Alana's eyes widened with Sir Gill's answer, but he came forward shaking his paws, when he got nervous he spoke even faster. "It doesn't havetobeeveryday. A cheesetwiceaweek? Somebuns?"

Alana sighed. How could she possibly hide a whole piece of cheese under her robes every week?

"I'll see what I can do for you. But in return I need some favors".

Mr. Gill bowed again.

"Anything wecandofor you, My Lady."

"I want you to be my ears and eyes at Hogwarts, I want to know everything, every sordid gossip and hairy secret from both students and teachers".

Sir Gill's eyes gleamed even brighter. That he could do. Sneaking around was his specialty.

Alana smiled back.

The little girl certainly was different, anyone who spotted her for seconds would know, disheveled hair, small features. But few, almost nobody, knew that Alana's real difference was talking to animals.

She was born with that ability.

At just a few years old she knew things she wasn't supposed to know.

At half her age, she knew all her neighbors' secrets.

After a while she learned to use them to her advantage.

Hogwarts would be no different.

Nothing would be hidden from Alana Whelelan.