Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 66 - Harry's Grave Mistake

Thanks for voting and commenting- I really appreciate the support!! :)

 Everyone that was staying at Grimmauld Place was crowded into the kitchen, conversing among themselves. Mr Weasley, Lupin and Sirius had all gone to Hogwarts, leaving Hermione, the other Weasleys and Al to sit and wait.

 Al jogged her knee up and down, biting her nails and feeling as though her stomach was being compressed constantly. "It'll be alright," George said, from opposite her, where he was sat next to Fred. Al looked up briefly to see his face full of concern and then her head flicked back down to the table, where she was staring at a dent in the wood.

 How could she have let this happen? She had left Harry by himself, and now he had used magic and been expelled. How was he going to defend himself against Voldemort if he didn't have a full magical education? He could be attacked walking down the road, and he'd be helpless! God, this was all her fault. None of this would've happened if she'd just been quicker with that stupid bloody riddle.

 Al threw her fist down at the table, making one or two people jump. She stood up and began pacing backwards and forwards. "I just can't believe it!" she exclaimed, "How could he be so stupid? With the Ministry in the state it's in too!"

 "Well, Harry doesn't know about the Ministry," Mrs Weasley told her.

 "And Harry's not stupid," Hermione scolded, "He knows not to use magic, so he was probably in danger. In which case the law will back him up." To Al's annoyance, Hermione's logic made sense. She sat back down, breathing steadily, her nerves slightly cooled.

 "What did you mean, Mrs Weasley," Al said, "About Harry not knowing?"

 "Harry's been kept in the dark - no contact through letters," Mrs Weasley explained, "It's too risky - he's probably being watched."

 "So no one's told him anything?" Al exclaimed, jumping up once more.

 "On Dumbledore's orders!" Mrs Weasley defended sternly.

 "Oh!" Al said, raising her voice, "Oh - that's OK then. Yeah, if Dumbledore-" But the fireplace roared green, catching everyone's attention. Sirius stepped out first, followed by Lupin and finally Mr Weasley.

 "Harry's going to be fine," Mr Weasley said, "He's having a hearing, he's not expelled, he's safe, and we're going to get him tomorrow night."

 "What magic did he do?" Al asked, still worried. If her Pa had provoked him, there was no way the Ministry would take his side. Attacking muggles...well.

"The Patronus Charm," Lupin said, "The Ministry will paint it like he was showing off, but-"

 "There were dementors there," Sirius said, looking directly at Al, "He was two streets away when they attacked him."

 "Dementors?" Al repeated, "In Little Whinging?"

 "It appears so," Lupin said, "Dumbledore believes they've joined Voldemort."

 Al was shocked. There was a numb, heavy feeling in her chest and her heart pounded in her ears. She stepped backward, the room spinning around her. Her parents were in danger, and so much sooner than she thought. She had to get to them.

 "Al!" a voice said, two hands grasping at her shoulders, "Al! Can you hear me?" Al blinked a few times and George's face swam into view. "Alright?" he asked with a kind smile.

 Al nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yeah," she said weakly, "Yeah, just...I'm gonna sit down." George half carried her into her chair, where she remained, staring dead ahead at the table, still disbelieving.

 Without thinking, Al looked up at Hermione. She was a pale green shade, and her brow was furrowed, but thankfully she hadn't been stood up. Hermione looked up at her, her brown eyes steely with determination. She was going through with the plan.

*****

 Al was sat in Regulus's room, only half-attentive, sorting through a pile of notes from old Death Eater meetings, when Dill pecked at the window. She jumped up and hurried over - tied to her leg were two replies from her three letters to her friends.

 The first one was an envelope with no name written on it. She opened it and out came an ear-splitting shriek. She snapped it closed quickly, but there was still ringing in her ears. She turned around to look at everyone else. Lupin was waving his wand at Sirius and mouthing words she couldn't hear - it felt like someone had stuffed something into her ears.

 Al looked over at George, who was gesturing to look at the envelope. She handed it over to him. He made to open it, but Lupin waved his hands around and snatched it away. He waved his wand at George, who grinned and said something Al couldn't hear.

 She tapped Lupin on the shoulder, who turned around looking confused. Al gestured to her ears, and Lupin smiled, realising his mistake, and waved his wand. It felt like someone had pulled the plug out of Al's ears.

 "-must be cursed," Sirius was saying to Fred and George.

 "You talking about that angelic letter?" Al asked sarcastically.

 "Yeah," George said, "Who's it from?"

 Al shrugged, "Dunno. One of my friends, I think."

 "Well what does the other one do?" Fred asked, pointing at the folded piece of parchment in her hand. Al opened it, expecting another curse, but all there was was black ink and a familiar scrawl.

 I don't know who you think you are, but what you've done is disgraceful. Our friend is dead. Dead. And impersonating her, is a foul disrespect to her name. Al was a kind and loving person, and you would've disgusted her. I hope you live a short and painful life.

 Draco Malfoy

 P.S. I don't know where you got Al's owl from, but I hope it sees sense and pecks your eyes out.

 Al passed the letter around, and each of them read it, raising their eyebrows and, in Sirius's case, looking quite amused. "Well," Sirius said after he'd finished, "He's going to get a shock when he sees you in September."

  Al hadn't thought about that, and the image of Draco's confused face when he saw his dead friend alive and breathing flashed before her. "I suppose it will," she said with a grin.