Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 41 - Slytherin Victorious

Just a little note for any younger readers out there. Al is a bad example of what you should do at a party. You should never leave your drink unattended, or let someone else make you one if you can't see what they're putting in it. And remember - you don't always need to drink to have a good time, so don't get hammered straight away - ease yourself into it. Ok, lecture over, so enjoy :)

 "Anguis," Al said as she approached the Slytherin common room. She really didn't know what to expect as the bricks moved aside. She was pleasantly surprised to receive a round of applause, which soon turned into cheering and stomping.

 By the fire, someone was playing music ("Do the Hippogriff" obviously) and soon she was dancing around with students she had barely spoken to. "Can I get you a drink?" some guy from the Quidditch team said in her ear over the noise.

 "I'll come with you," she said, as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to a table off to the side. He poured her some random concoction with a few spirits and some Pumpkin juice. Al could hardly hear anything over the sounds of the music and the students, but she was definitely enjoying herself. She took a sip of the drink he'd mixed her and grinned - it was delicious.

 "Good?" he asked as they avoided getting pushed around by others in the common room. Al nodded, "It's my secret recipe," he said with a grin. Then when the next song came on, "Come and dance?" She laughed and nodded, putting her cup down and heading back to the centre of the room. She felt a little bit light and floppy but laughed away and danced around with everyone.

 After a few more drinks and dances, some arms grabbed her around the waist and legs and she was hoisted up onto two seventh-year's shoulders. "Ladies and Gentlemen," the guy who'd got her the drink shouted as the music switched off, "Al Dursley!" There was another roar of cheering and Al threw her arms in the air, laughing and joking as she did so.

 "Speech!" the common room began to chant, "Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!"

 Al waved her arms around, accidentally spilling a bit of her drink on someone, but they didn't seem to care, "Alright, alright, alright," she said and they quietened down, "This tournament kinda feels like a death trap," she started, "And it's not great having Diggory and Potter stealing my thunder." The Slytherins booed enthusiastically. "But we don't need to worry about that right now! Because we are having the time of our lives!" The Slytherins cheered, deafeningly enthusiastic, "Somebody get me a drink!"

 A few sets of hands grabbed hold of her as she got down from the shoulders. They seemed to be guiding her away from the centre of the room - probably getting her a drink. She danced to the music and tried to get them to join in, but they seemed resistant. A door shut behind them and the music and cheering faded a little bit. She stumbled a little, but was caught and guided into the seat.

 "I-I want another drink," she slurred, waving her cup around. A gentle and dainty pair of hands took her cup from her.

 "What happened, Al?" A girls voice said. Daphne, Al thought.

 "Let me go and dance!" she said, getting wound up now. Why were they stopping her having fun?

 "You're drunk, Al!" Theo scolded her in an accusatory tone.

 "And?" she asked, leaning forward and giggling.

 "And we need to know what happened," Draco said sternly and pushing her back into her chair.

 "Well, I was dancing to that...that song...called...what's it called?" Al thought to herself out loud.

 "We don't care about the song!" Theo said, raising his voice. Al began to cry. He didn't have to be so mean and boring all the time. She was going to show him not to shout at her. She was going to cry and cry and cry...

*****

 Al groaned as she rolled over in bed, her head feeling like it might burst. What had happened last night? Something important, she thought...

 Al gasped and sat up. She had to tell the others right away. Then, the curtain was drawn back and Daphne stood their with her hands on her hips. Light from the room flooded Al's bed and made her headache ten times worse. "Up you get lazy bones," Daphne told her, "You're going to get dressed and then you're going to Madame Pomfrey and then you're going to tell us what happened last night." Al raised her eyebrows, "Before the party."

 "Yes, Ma'am," Al mumbled under her breath. She got up and padded over to the bathroom, where she switched on the shower and waited for it to warm up. And then she felt it. A great heave in her stomach. Before she knew it, she was vomiting all over the side of the toilet. Daphne was crouched down next to her, holding her hair back and rubbing her back.

 "Get it all out, it's alright," she said kindly. What did Al do to earn a friend like this?

 "I'm never drinking again," Al said between wretches.

 "I doubt that very much," Daphne said, helping Al up with a smile, "I'll be outside, just let me know if you need anything."

 Al didn't need anything more, and a shower made her feel much better. Soon she found herself heading to the common room with Daphne where Theo and Draco were waiting. "You look like death," Draco said with a smirk after taking one look at her.

 "Madame Pomfrey?" Theo asked.

 "Oh no," Al said, mustering up a smile, "I'm not taking the walk of shame up there. I'll settle for a cup of tea."

 Theo checked his watch, "They stopped serving breakfast an hour ago."

 "Then the kitchens?" she suggested and they all agreed.

 As they headed out the common room, some tall muscular person vaulted over the sofa, "Hey, Al?" he called, "Do you wanna go for a walk?" Then coming a bit closer, he said, "We could go somewhere private?"

 Al shook her head politely, "No you're alright..."

 "Higgins!" Daphne hissed from next to her.

 "...Higgins," Al finished, "But thanks." He looked down trodden and offended, but Al was sure he'd get over it. She turned back to the others, to see Draco looking murderous. "Shall we?"

 Ten minutes later, the four were sat around a little wooden table with a pot of tea, in the kitchens with house elves hurrying around them and preparing lunch, "I still can't believe Tony Higgins asked you out," Daphne exclaimed as she sipped her tea, "And you said no!"

 "Yeah, well, I've never spoken to him before-" she said.

 "Apart from last night," Theo pointed out.

 "That doesn't count," she warned, "We're not talking about that again."

 "Alright," Draco said, leaning forward and clapping his hands together, "What's going on, Al? What are we up against?"

 Al explained her suspicion about Moody, how she and Harry were teaming up, and how she had no idea what the first task was going to be. "Do you have to work with Potter?" Draco asked, spitting his name.

 "Look," she said, "I don't get on with Harry or his friends. But he's my cousin and I love him. So my top priority is making sure he and I get out this death-tournament alive. No matter how tedious it is to work with him."

 "So how are we going to prepare for the first task?" Daphne asked.

 They all looked to Theo, "Well," he said, "I guess we should start by looking at previous tasks? In-"

 "The library," Daphne, Draco and Al finished.