Alex Weasley: Book 3

18

A/N- probably gonna just update a part a day for the next week or so. Enjoyyyyy, xx

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Alex, Hermione and Luna headed back to the great hall for dinner together, coming across Professor Lupin on their way. Hermione took a step closer to Alex, protective of her friend. Alex reached out, looping her arm around Hermione's in reply.
"Heading to dinner?" He asked.

"Yes." Hermione replied.

"I don't recall seeing you in any of my classes." Lupin addressed Alex.

Hermione felt Alex's grip tighten. "I have a clash. I'm taking fifth year arithmancy and it happens to fall on the same period as my defense so I get lessons with Professor Snape."

"That's nice of him." Hermione was sure she was losing circulation in her arm when Alex suddenly let go.

"I think I dropped my wand outside. Meet you in the hall." She muttered and ran back out of the castle. Lupin looked uneasy.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she always forgets to bring her wand back with her. She's been like that since first year. I'll go after her." Hermione smiled pleasantly. "Nice meeting you, Luna."

"You too!" Luna waved and Hermione jogged after her friend.

Hermione found Alex hadn't gone past the entrance.
"Alex?" She said, mainly so that the other girl would know she was there. Alex looked up, her fists clenched, her eyes watery. She pursed her lips, and Hermione took a few more steps towards Alex. "Hey, it's okay."

"I know. I'm sure of it, now. There's no doubt. He's a... you know."

"You don't have to interact with him. You can stay as far away from him as possible."

"I can't avoid him. What if I accidentally bump into him? Like right now."

"Turn around and get away."

"That's not practical."

"Then we'll find a practical solution. But for now, you do not have to see him."

"Mealtimes."

"We'll get food from the kitchens. Who needs the great hall?"

"You need to eat with Ron and Harry."

"Eating with the boys actually makes me lose my appetite, sometimes. This way, it's a win-win." Hermione noted how Alex slowly softened.

"Quidditch matches?"

"You never go to them."

"I go to the Hufflepuff matches."

"You went once last year."

"Only because I wasn't around for the other matches."

"You're going to make it a thing?"

"Yes. Cedric's our friend and we should support him, right?"

"Right, well he'll be with the teachers and you'll be with me and the Hufflepuffs so he won't get a chance to get anywhere see you." Hermione assured. "Come, let's go to the kitchens."

"Yeah, okay." Alex trailed after Hermione.

"And talk to Snape."

"You don't make expensive and complex potions for someone you don't know."

"Maybe they know each other. They look the same age, maybe give or take a few years. Hogwarts is the only wizarding school in Britain. Maybe they knew each other here."

"Snape said he didn't know him. Not really."

"Maybe Dumbledore's making him do it."

"No one makes Snape do anything."

"Okay, maybe Dumbledore asked politely."

"Yeah, but Snape wouldn't give up three days of his month to work on a complex potion just because Dumbledore asked politely."

"Why not?"

"Because that's his personal time. And he's the potions master and a head of house. He can't just make the potion in his office. He needs to make it somewhere secluded. Somewhere isolated. If someone comes across it without proper protection, it could have dastardly effects. So Snape would have to make it outside office hours, which are until nine for the older students. And the potion requires six hours of continuous supervision every night, so he's probably up until three. And then breakfast is at seven thirty, so he probably has to wake up at 7, maybe even earlier. Which means he only gets four hours of sleep on those few days. And that's not even counting the marking he's got or the lesson plans."

"You've thought about this?"

"Yeah, a little. So I don't think Snape would waste the time and energy he would normally reserve for his students on a potion for someone he hardly knows."

"So ask him."

"But I already did."

"That was before you knew what you know now. Ask him again."

"Yeah, okay." Alex nodded.

"Come on. Let's get some dinner."

"You go. I think I want to stay out here a little longer."

"I'm not falling for that." Hermione was quick to protest. "Because then you'll pretend that you did eat and I'll have no way to corroborate your story. You're stuck with me."

"I just want to be alone for a little bit."

"Fine, but go sit with Kichiro. I'll bring you a plate of food after dinner?" Alex nodded. Hermione reluctantly left to go to the great hall. She made a split second decision to sit with the Hufflepuffs.

"Where's Alex?" Hannah asked.

"Kichiro." Hermione replied. "She's having a bad day. Can I stay with you guys tonight?"

"You're always welcome." Susan said.

"Especially if you're keeping Alex in check." Megan added.

"Thanks. She might be a little... mean-"

"Bitchy?" Megan cut in.

"Megan!" Hannah scolded.

"It's true. I don't hate her for it. But she does get-"

"Just don't take whatever she might say to heart. She might not even feel like talking at all." Hermione cut her off.

"Yeah, okay. Got it. Walk on eggshells." Megan simplified and Hermione nodded.

"What happened, anyway?" Emiko asked.

"What?"

"Why is she upset? What happened?" Hermione was caught off guard.

"I, uh, can't say." Hermione said.

"Why not?"

"Because Alex likes her secrets."

"Oh yeah. That's true. We still have no idea what happened at the end of first year." Charlie came to Hermione's rescue. At Emiko's confused look she elaborated. "Alex, Harry and the defense teacher for the year had some sort of confrontation. There's rumours, but all we know is Quirrell disappeared and no one ever saw him leave. Headmaster Dumbledore said he resigned, but that's totally just doo doo."

"Excuse me?" Emiko looked disturbed.

"All we know is Alex saved Harry somehow."

"And that Quirrell was super creepy." Hermione wasn't sure if Megan and Charlie were helping or hurting the situation, but she was glad for the distraction.

"Oh, yeah. He was not one of our better teachers."

"He was better than Lockhart though." Charlie said.

"You just didn't like Lockhart." Megan huffed, too stubborn to not defend the man she used to idolise.

"He didn't even really do any of the things he said he did!" Charlie argued.