Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 65 - Hermione's Promise

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 Al was in the cellar. It was dark and cold and she shivered as she curled up against the wall. Something shuffled in the darkness next to her and Al jumped backwards and away. Then, the door swung open. "Avada Kedavra," came Snape's voice, and the person next to her fell, lifeless, to the stone floor.

 Cedric's lifeless eyes stared up at Al, and she tried to say something, but no words came. Instead she felt an acid burning as a liquid trickled down her throat, with the familiar metallic taste. The potion. She tried to cough it up, to get it out, but all that came out was blood.

 "It's his," Snape's voice said, "You killed him." Cedric's pale grey face flashed before her eyes again before she jolted awake, kicking at the sheets.

 Her room was bright and warm with sunlight that streamed in from a gap in the curtains. Al was covered in a cold sweat, and shaking from her nightmare. It wasn't real, she told herself, you're safe.

 But as Al padded down to the kitchen, she couldn't help but think - had it been her fault? If she'd been just a few seconds quicker with that riddle... If she hadn't let herself get distracted by Crouch... For that matter, if she hadn't failed all together, and had figured Crouch out sooner...

 She cut off her thoughts as she busied herself with the kettle, but still the image of Cedric's face burned in her mind. Still she could taste the potion. Even when she nibbled at a bread roll while she waited for the tea to brew, the taste remained in her mouth, staining her tongue.

 "...the most ancient and noble house of Black," Kreacher mumbled as he walked into the room.

 "Morning, Kreacher," Al sighed as she loaded her tea things onto a tray.

 "Miss Dursley," Kreacher said, stuffing something in his pocket, "You are awake."

 "I had a nightmare," Al explained dismissively, "Woke me up." She stuffed the rest of the bread roll in her mouth and made her way to the door, but Kreacher spoke again.

 "Master Regulus had nightmares too," Kreacher said, "Master Regulus was my favourite."

 Al put the tray down and bent down to eye level with Kreacher. "Could you tell me more about Regulus?" Al asked carefully, "Why he went missing? Maybe we can help him."

 "Master Regulus is dead!" Kreacher snapped, "And it is all Kreacher's fault..." The elf began to wail.

 "Oh, OK...calm-calm down Kreacher...it-it's alright..." Al said, desperately, "Just-just tell me what happened."

 "I can't!" Kreacher sobbed. And then, to Al's horror, he went over to the stove and poured the rest of the boiling water over himself.

 "Oh my God!" Al exclaimed, rushing over with a towel, "Alright Kreacher...just calm down, we'll figure something out...do you drink tea? I can-"

 "What's going on in here?" Mr Weasley said, entering the kitchen in his dressing gown, "It's half past six in the morning."

 "Oh, I'm sorry Mr Weasley," Al said, still trying to calm down Kreacher, "It's just...Kreacher...he said something about his old masters and...he poured boiling water on himself."

 Mr Weasley looked at the elf with a mixture of pity and disgust, "Alright then," he said, and waved his wand. In an instant, the burns on the elf disappeared, and Kreacher shuffled off to his cupboard. "What were you doing up so early?" he asked her.

 "Oh," Al said, caught off guard, "I've always been an early riser," she said. It wasn't a lie as such - she used to go on her runs. But she also wasn't going to tell him about her nightmares.