Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 151 - Al's Mission

Oh dear...guys, I'm sorry...

Someone was knocking on the door. Al's head was pounding from the mead and some idiot was knocking on her door. Rather loudly too. How bloody inconsiderate, she thought as she pulled her dressing gown around her, grabbing her wand and igniting one of the lamps. One look at the clock told her it was boxing day, although they were only four hours in. She threw the door open, angrily forceful. "Will you-?" she began, but stopped when she saw Snape looking down at her.

"Yes, Dursley?" he asked softly, "Would you like to finish that sentence?"

Al wanted very much to finish it, but decided against it. "How did you find me, sir?" she asked bitterly.

"I have my ways," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"You're a legillimens!" she realised suddenly, "That's why...fourth year...when I saw that memory..."

"Do try and form a sentence Dursley, I don't have all night," Snape sneered.

"You were trying to read my mind when I saw that memory of my Ma and my Aunt, weren't you, sir?" Al asked.

"You cannot read the mind like a book-" Snape began.

"Well, something to that effect?" she snapped.

Snape bit the inside of his cheek. "I suppose. Get dressed, I need you to do something."

"What is it?" Al asked, still not fully opening the door.

"I'll tell you when you're dressed and in my office," he said, "Wear something warm." Al nodded and shut the door before pulling on a thick pair of leggings, a pair of jeans, two pairs of socks, a long sleeve t shirt, her new Weasley jumper, her boots, her hat, scarf and gloves, and her thick winter cloak. Then, overheating, she grabbed her wand and followed Snape through the darkened corridors of Hogwarts to his office.

"You will be taking this to the forest of Dean," Snape said, handing her the sword of Gryffindor, and Al became very confused as a million questions flooding her mind. "You are to give it to Potter, or one of his friends, but it must be taken in conditions of valour."

"Valour, sir?" Al asked.

"You can't just give it," Snape explained, "They will have to take it, and do something dangerous in the process. But you cannot be seen by Potter, and you should try not to kill them."

Al's heart dropped. "Why can't I see Harry?" She'd been quite excited, and it was Christmas after all.

"If the Dark Lord sees you through Potter, he will see that you've left Hogwarts and I will be sacked," Snape said, "I will ask you again, would you like another Death Eater to take my place?"

Al shook her head unwillingly, "No, sir."

"Good," Snape said, "You may see him, of course, but he must not see you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Al said, suddenly very nervous. She supposed this was her first official Order Mission.

He handed her an old sherbet lemon and a pear drop. "These are your Portkeys. The lemon one will take you there in forty-three seconds, and the pear one will bring you back exactly an our later. Any questions?"

"I didn't think you could travel-" she began, but was cut off by a pull at her navel. Clutching at the pear drop, sherbet lemon, and sword of Gryffindor in one hand, and her wand in the other, she landed with a thump on frozen ground that had been packed with snow. "-in and out of Hogwarts." She stood up, peering through the gloom and failing at seeing. She cast a lumos and found herself surrounded by densely packed trees. Next to her was a frozen pond - fairly shallow. She was very glad she hadn't landed in there - the thought alone made her shiver.

It sure would take some bravery to jump in, she thought to herself. She cast a diffindo in a circle in the ice, levitated the chunk to the side, and threw the sword to the bottom of the pond, where she saw it land and bury itself slightly. Then, she levitated the ice back and performed a reparo charm. Perfect.

Al raised her ignited wand higher, peering round into the gloom. About ten yards away were two trees, their trunks knotted so tightly together that they looked like one. The perfect hiding spot. She settled between them and made sure she was comfy. She was going to get to see Harry. "Expecto Patronum," she whispered, and a great brown bear erupted from her wand, sniffing silently at the ground, before turning to face her. "Bring me Harry," she commanded wondering if Patronuses could actually do that. She knew they could find people and take messages, so why not? But, apparently, she was right because it galloped off into the trees.

When she could no longer see it, she put her wand out, not wanting to attract attention to herself. She supposed she could always apparate away if need be. Her head still pounded, but excitement pumped through her veins now. She was going to see Harry.

After what felt like hours of waiting in anticipation, her bear appeared again, and she could see Harry. He looked a mess. He was thin, and had black rings under his eyes, and he had a thick layer of stubble on his face. Al's heart thumped so loudly she was sure he'd hear it, but she was just so pleased to see him, to know he was safe and well.

Hurriedly, she thought about Sirius instead of Harry, and her Patronus vanished, plunging her into darkness. Moments later Harry's wand lit up, and she watched as he peered round through the trees, but he didn't see her. And then, to her delight, he looked into the pond, where he must have seen the sword of Gryffindor.

He cut a gash into the ice, and shivering slightly he took his many layers of clothes off until he was trembling through the cold and stood there in his underwear. Aside from a locket - Slytherin's locket! Al almost gasped when she saw it.

And then he jumped in, shivering even more and making water lap over the sides. He took a breath and dived. The surface rippled for a moment, then began to splash violently, presumably from Harry swimming down. But he didn't come back up. It had been at least a minute and he hadn't come up. But he would, she was sure he would. He didn't. Al wanted to go and help but knew she couldn't, knew she couldn't be seen. Harry could do it. She had faith.

The water became still. Somebody thundered past her hiding spot and jumped in headfirst, coming out a moment later with the sword, a broken locket, and a still body. No. There had been a breath, Al was sure there'd been a breath. But Harry wasn't shivering. "Harry!" the man said, and Al was sure it was Ron's voice. "Harry! Come on!"

Al couldn't take it any longer. She jumped out from her hiding spot, ignited her wand, dodged Ron's stunning spell and knelt behind Harry's soaking wet body. "Put his clothes on!" she ordered one, hoping, praying the warm would wake him up. But after the last jumper he still didn't open his eyes.

Tears prickled at Al's face as she felt desperately for a pulse but she pushed them away. "Come on, Harry!" she mumbled, "COME ON!" Several birds fluttered from their perches in the trees, but Al didn't care. This couldn't be true! It couldn't be happening!

And then, a trail of silver mist left Harry's mouth, gathering as a pool in the air. Al continued to stare at Harry's lifeless body, ignoring it. But then it shot straight into Al. She was trembling with fear, and Ron put an arm on her shoulder but he himself was crying his eyes out. Harry was dead.