Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 133 - Birthday Surprises

:)

 In preparation for Bill and Fleur's wedding, Al found her time spent doing various household tasks. Harry, Ron and Hermione complained about being separated, but thankfully Al hadn't been separated from George. She was writing out the name cards while he folded the fancy napkins. Every now and then she'd pause to admire her ring, or her fiance, smiling to herself. "So..." she said from opposite him, putting her quill down, "When d'you want to get married?"

 "After you graduate, I think," he said quietly, "Or will you not be going back?" They hadn't really discussed this, and Al bit her lip.

 "I'm going back," she told him, "whether they let me or not."

 George dropped the napkin he'd been folding. "That sounds dangerous," he said, frowning.

 "I said I would," she said with a shrug. Their conversation would have continued, had Mrs Weasley not shooed George upstairs to sort the washing.

*****

 Four days after their arrival it was Harry's birthday. His seventeenth - the big one. Al gave him his present first thing in the morning. It was, of course, a book - Evade Capture Like an Auror. She thought it was appropriate. "I wanted to get you something else, but I had to owl order it," she explained, but Harry's face split into a grin nevertheless.

 "It's fantastic," he promised her, "Thank you."

 Later on in the day, a fair few people arrived for his birthday meal, including Hagrid, Remus and Tonks. They were just getting ready to sit down and Mrs Weasley was levitating the giant snitch cake across the lawn, when a weasel patronus arrived, and to Al's surprise, Mr Weasley's voice spoke from it. "Minister for magic coming with me."

 Al saw from the other side of the garden that Tonks and Remus had leaped over the garden wall and a moment later Mr Weasley appeared at the gate with Scrimgeour in tow. "Pardon my intrusion," he said, mainly to Harry, "I require a private word with you, Mister Potter." Everyone in the garden tensed. "And with Mister Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, and Miss Alexandra Dursley."

 "What for?" Al asked caught off guard.

 "Perhaps there is somewhere more private we can discuss that," Scrimgeour said to her, but looking at Mr Weasley.

 "Certainly," he said, "The living room's empty." Al clutched her wand in her pocket as she walked alongside and slightly behind Scrimgeour, who was following Harry, Ron and Hermione.

 As soon as they were inside Al had her wand out, but not raised, and turned to Scrimgeour. "How did you know where to find us?" she asked aggressively.

 Scrimgeour merely looked amused. "I asked, Miss Dursley. Arthur told me after I had guessed."

 "What do you want then?" Harry asked, as aggressively as Al had.

 "I wish to speak to each of you individually," Scrimgeour said, "Ronald, perhaps I can start with you?"

 "If you want to talk to us you'll have to do it all together," Harry said with a frown and Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement.

 "Very well," Scrimgeour said, settling in an armchair and indicating that the others do the same. They obliged. "I'm here, as I'm sure you're aware, because of the will of Albus Dumbledore." Harry, Ron and Hermione had the Gryffindor instinct to look surprised, and Al would have too if she didn't have six long, hard years of Slytherin training behind her. "A surprise apparently-"

 "Dumbledore died over a month ago," Harry said, frowning, "Why has it taken so long?"

 "Because the thirty-one days are up," Hermione said, sounding like a library as usual, "And the Ministry can't confiscate items longer than that."