Fifty minutes later the trio made their way to Flourish and Botts, not wanting to be too late and risk aggravating Molly.
"Guess this is where we part ways." Cedric tipped an invisible hat at Alexandra and smiled at Hermione.
"Goodbye." Alexandra said.
"See you in September." Hermione replied and he walked away. "It wouldn't kill you to be nicer to him, you know."
"I have a tolerance as to how nice I can be, and I spend it all on you."
"Then be mean to me, and nice to him. I'll know you won't mean it."
"It doesn't matter. Nothing I say ever seems to bother him anyway." She huffed.
"Then he's the perfect candidate for your second friend."
"He's going to be a fourth year, and we're going to be second years. You really think we'll be friends?"
"Technically, you're supposed to be a third year, so why not?"
"Oh, god. I'm going to be a fourteen year old in the second year." Alexandra groaned.
"Well, you were born in December. Plus you skipped a year."
"I didn't skip."
"Sorry. I didn't mean skip. I meant that you didn't get to go for your second year. I'm sorry, I'm just going to shut up."
"No, I'm sorry. I know what you meant. I shouldn't have snapped like that."
"Why don't we leave it at we're both sorry? I don't want to spend the next ten minutes arguing about it."
"Fine. We should start looking for some books for class."
"It's all by Gilderoy Lockhart. He practically wrote the entire booklist." Hermione grabbed her books for class.
"I know. And here I thought we'd actually get a chance to learn this year."
"What have you got against him?"
"His smile. It's too much. It's creepy."
"Really?" Hermione looked exasperated. "You don't like him because he smiles too much? That's ridiculous."
"Let's just go to the line."
"Aren't you getting anything?"
"I'll probably be getting classes with Snape for defence and all the other teachers haven't changed their book requirements in years. I can use Percy's old books."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. And if I have defence with this new teacher, chances are I won't be with you Gryffindors. Gryffindors and Slytherins usually have most classes together. So I'll just share with Ron."
"I hope we still have charms together."
"Me too. It was really fun with you last year." She said as they joined the line.
They were close to the middle of the queue when their families arrived.
"Oh, good. You're here." Molly said, relieved. She pulled her daughter into her arms. Alexandra tensed, before forcing herself to relax. It was just her mother giving her a hug.
"I'm beginning to forget a time you weren't squeezing me." Alexandra said after several moments. Molly let go and Alexandra took in a deep breath.
"I'm being overbearing again, aren't I? I'm just happy you're here." Alexandra looked down guiltily.
"I'm sorry."
"Have you picked out your books?" Molly asked.
"I thought I could just use Percy's old books and share the Lockhart ones with Ron."
"Why don't you pick out a few books to read for yourself?" She opened her mouth to say no but stopped herself as her eyes lit up.
"Maybe just one."
"Pick out at least two." Molly said.
"That's okay, mum. The Hogwarts library is full of unread books. I plan on getting through as many as I can."
"Don't spend all your time with your nose in a book."
"But Hermione and I were going to learn Japanese together."
"You are?"
"Yeah. It'll be really fun." Hermione nodded.
"Well, okay then." Molly smiled. The girls' friendship reminded of her own youthful connections. Except these girls were a lot more studious. Still, she was glad Alexandra had Hermione. She seemed to be the only person Alexandra was happy to be around.
Alexandra didn't get to see Hermione until they boarded the train to Hogwarts. Her brother and Harry seemed to have gotten separated from them, which seemed to worry Alexandra more than Hermione.
"Relax, they probably missed the train. Your parents will make sure they get to school."
"It's Harry and Ron. Do you honestly think anything is ever going to be that simple?"
"There's nothing you can do right now."
"Fine." Alexandra conceded.
"Read one of your potion books. Those always calm you down." A knock on their compartment door cut into Alexandra's glare. Cedric opened the door.
"Can I sit in here?" He asked.
"Come in." Hermione invited and he sat beside Alexandra.
"How was your summer, Hermione?"
"It was great, how was yours?"
"It was fantastic."
"What'd you do? Fly around practicing for school?" Hermione nudged her foot, warningly.
"Yeah, then when I got tired, I looked up the old plays of Puddlemere to draw inspiration."
"Should you be sharing this information with a Gryffindor? She is friends with a member of her quidditch team."
"I trust she won't go behind my back." He winked at Hermione. "Right?"
"I suppose I could be persuaded to keep my mouth shut." They both looked at Alexandra expectantly.
"Why are you looking at me? I have no love for quidditch. You're going to have to convince her yourself if you care so much."
"Come on, Alex. I know you have a bit of house loyalty." Hermione said.
"I need to go to the loo." Alexandra stood and left the compartment. She headed down the corridor, peering through the compartment windows as inconspicuously as she could. She finally found what she was looking for and watched her sister make friends with a blonde. Ginny looked happy as her new friend talked animatedly. Alexandra smiled and turned to leave.
"Alex?" She turned and saw Ginny peek out of her compartment. "What are you doing here?"
"Mum said to look out for you every once in a while. You're fine, my job is done."
"Would you like to join us?" Ginny asked.
"No thank you. I'm sitting with my friends." She noticed that she'd used the plural term and her eyes widened. "I have to go." She walked back to her own compartment.
"You look pale. Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
"I'm fine. Motion sickness."
"I've been on a train with you twice before. You don't get motion sickness."
"Why are you always so accusing?"
"If I wasn't, you'd never tell me anything." Alexandra had no idea how to reply, so she was grateful for the interruption when the trolley appeared at their door.
