Alex Weasley: Book 3

38

"Okay, I think it's time for dinner." Hermione said once they got back to Helga's hall.

"I'm not hungry. I'm going to the library."

"We will help the dragon, but you can't do that if you don't keep your strength up. Alex, please. We'll bring the food back here and see if Gryffindor ever left anything here about the dragon." Hermione looked worried about her, so she nodded.

"Fine. Lunch in here."

"I'll help." Luna said. Alex smiled gratefully at the Ravenclaw.

"I would, but mealtimes are kind of reserved for my sister. We hardly ever get to see each other with our schedule clashes." Laila shrugged.

"No, that's fine." Alex shook her head. "Enjoy your dinner."

For the next few weeks, Alex and Hermione spent every spare second they had in Helga's hall. Alex managed to convince Hermione to let her use the time turner even when she technically didn't need it for classes to search for a way they could help the dragon without hurting it. Charlie had sent back a hypothetical response to their letter telling them patience was the first key to getting the trust of a dragon, especially a mistreated one. He maintained that usually transporting a mistreated dragon without its trust would most likely result in getting scorched to the ground. He also made sure to stress that facing a dragon without proper training or equipment was extraordinarily dangerous so she should definitely tell an adult if there was any chance the hypothetical situation wasn't very hypothetical. She replied assuring him it was just research for her Care of Magical Creatures class.

Eventually Hermione forced her to take a break. They'd managed to get large pieces of raw meat from the kitchens to feed the dragon. They usually set it on the roof of the cave before retreating into the cave and giving her privacy. Two weeks into their arrangement, the four girls tried to stay above ground to see if the dragon would eat in their presence. The answer was a no.

So early December, once Hermione refused to let her do any research of any kind, she decided to go see Cedric. They went for a walk through the forest to go see Kichiro.
"You've been busy lately." He said.

"That obvious?"

"Usually you used to be with Kichiro. Now I hardly see you here, or if I do, you're just immersed in your studies." She frowned, realising how much she'd been neglecting the young unicorn. "Third year hitting you hard?"

"Um, yeah. I seem to have a lot of work."

"Please tell me you're dropping some of your classes for next year. I hardly get to see you much these days."

"I don't know, I really like arithmancy and care of magical creatures, and study of ancient runes, and-"

"I get it, you like all your classes. But you're wearing yourself thin, and with all those extra classes with Snape and disappearing with Hermione. I never see you in the great hall anymore."

"Trekking to the great hall is just too long."

"The girl who takes half hour walks into the woods thinks a ten minute walk for food is long?"

"I don't like eating in the great hall anymore."

"Okay." He didn't push for more.

"Hey, Ced- hogsmeade trip's coming up soon. Where are we going to go?"

"We can visit the shrieking shack? Apparently it's haunted."

"I heard that actually. You really think we'll find ghosts?"

"We usually encounter the impossible when you're around, so I think it's worth a try. We can get some food at the three broomsticks."

"So this one's going to be a public date?" She grinned.

"If you're okay with it."

"Yeah, I'm okay with it. But I want to visit honeydukes too."

"Anywhere else?"

"Puddifoot's again? Those little cupcakes were so cute and delicious."

"Of course."

"Unless I'm not a normal enough girl to like that sort of thing. What do you think?"

"I think I want to know if you're going home for the holidays or if you're staying here." He wisely avoided the taunt.

"I need to write to mum and see if she'll let me stay. Are you staying behind?"

"Yeah."

"That could be fun."

"A lot of fun." He agreed as they finally reached the clearing. Alex immediately left his side to greet Kichiro and he laughed, taking a seat on the log. It was getting colder, now that it was winter but somehow the clearing didn't feel so cold. Unicorn magic, he guessed.

A few minutes later, Alex sat next to him. She leaned into him and he put his arm around her shoulder. "Ever wonder what it would be like to be a unicorn?"

"Um, I can honestly say the thought has never crossed my mind."

"I do, all the time. I mean, I know it has to have be hard, especially living in the wild. Only some manage to survive. Any child born into the herd would have a very low chance of survival. Like Kichiro." She looked at the young foal. "But some part of it must be amazing. Being so deeply connected to nature, like earth magic. Being one with the elements."

"Some of us humans study earth magic. It's rare, but in alchemy there's a very obscure branch of elemental magic."

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's not something they teach in school but if you want, there's a whole virtually unexplored branch of magic. Elemental magic can be used in runes, or alchemy. It makes the foundation for the magic you want to do virtually indestructible."

"How do you know all this?" She asked and he shrugged.

"I read too, you know."

"Yeah, I know. That's really interesting. Thanks." He leaned his cheek on the top of her head and she felt him smile.