Alex Weasley: Book 3

31

After managing to dodge the conversation about her patronus, Alex decided to go for a walk of the grounds. She saw Ginny walking through the courtyard, and hurried to catch up with her sister.
"Hey, Gin." Ginny started, looking at her.

"Alex?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I don't think I've congratulated you."

"Please don't. Mum's just making a big deal of nothing."

"I don't even remember what happened." She frowned.

"That's because I never told you. Ginny, are you sure you're alright? You look dead on your feet." Ginny shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "Gin, what's wrong?"

"It's hard to sleep knowing Sirius Black's trying to break into our dorm." She said.

"Hey, it's okay."

"I'm scared, Alex. I don't belong in Gryffindor. I'm too afraid to sleep. I'm scared of Tom and of Black and of the dementors."

"Okay, wow. Now I get it." Alex muttered to herself, before turning to her sister. "You know, someone very smart once told me that bravery isn't an absence of fear. Everyone gets scared. I'm scared all the time too."

"Why?"

"A lot of things. Feels like I'm scared of everything lately. But you are brave. I've seen the way you handle our brothers. It's hard being the only girls in a family full of boys. You make it seem so easy. You are fierce and strong and very brave. Tom is gone. I'll prove it to you."

"How?"

"Come with me." Alex led her sister to Dumbledore's office.

"Alex, what are we doing here?" She whispered furiously as they reached the staircase.

"Just trust me." The stairs began to move without a prompt.

"Misses Weasley." He greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"Sir, we were wondering if you knew what happened to Tom Riddle's diary?" Dumbledore stepped back and opened a drawer, taking out the diary. Ginny visibly flinched at its appearance. Leading her sister forward, Alex reached out for the ruined book. She showed it to her sister. "See, he's gone. He couldn't survive it. He was a memory trapped in a book. And the book is nothing." Ginny grabbed the diary and opened it, the pages splattered with ink that had run through the gaping hole in its centre.

"Thank you." She placed the book on Dumbledore's desk and turned and left. Alex stayed behind a moment.

"Headmaster. Tom's special award- it's still in the trophy room. Do I have your permission to take it down and get rid of it?" His eyes glinted with amusement and approval.

"Do whatever you need to it." She turned and ran after her sister. Ginny was waiting at the bottom of the steps.

"One more stop." Alex told her sister.

"Where?"

"Just trust me." Alex led her sister to the third floor. They made their way to the trophy room.

"Alex, what are we doing here?" Ginny asked.

"We are going to eradicate the last of Tom Riddle from this school." She said and ventured towards the back. She found the trophy hidden behind other awards and gave it to her sister.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle. Special award for services to the school."

"Let's destroy it."

"Won't we get in trouble?"

"I asked Dumbledore. He said to have fun with it." Alex assured and Ginny grinned, before throwing it on the ground. It didn't break. "Come on, let's cast spells on it outside until it breaks."

Alex and Ginny ran all the way back outside, stopping a few feet away from the school. "Are you sure we won't get in trouble?" Ginny asked.

"I promise." Alex vowed.

"Okay, let's destroy this."

"Try bombarda." Alex suggested. "You make a motion like this." She moved her hand in a vaguely triangular gesture.

"Me?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah. You're the one who needs this. And then you can do the incinerator charm. You've got to make sure you do a containment charm first for that, though."

"Okay."

"Or maybe let's set up a containment spell first. Just so that the pieces don't go too far."

"Can you do that one?" Alex nodded. She placed the award on the ground.

"Concludo." Alex said, making a circular move with her wand. A soft blue circle glowed around the award. "Your turn. Think of destroying it completely. Think of everything Tom put you through and let it out in this spell. Let it all out."

"Bombardo!" Alex could hear the pain in her sister's voice, and felt the sheer magic come out of her wand. The metal award broke into too many pieces to count, bouncing back against the barrier Alex cast around it.

"Yeah, that's it." Ginny sagged against her sister and Alex turned to give her a hug. "It's okay. You're okay and you're safe. And it's not over yet."

"Incendio?"

"I was thinking something stronger to melt even metal. Try torrens ignis. With the same wand movement." Ginny stood up straight, and rolled her shoulders back for good measure, before aiming her wand at the trophy pieces.

"Torrens Ignis." She cast before taking a step back at the roar of the fire. It may not have been able to escape the boundary but the heat was almost unbearable. The fire, having nowhere else to go, flew upwards until it became a huge pillar of fire. "Bloody brilliant." Ginny breathed out. Alex watched the fire a little longer, seemingly recalling a memory.

Alexandra is sitting in her room watching the fireplace. There was a grate preventing her from reaching the flames, but she'd been able to throw in the decapitated dolls between the steel bars. She didn't know who picked out the room, or why she was chosen. She just knew she was twelve and too old for toys and whoever took her would regret it.

"Alex?" Ginny's hand was on her shoulder, shaking her. Alex turned away from the fire.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said thank you. I feel a lot better."

"Now terminate your spell." Ginny did as told, before slumping down on the ground. Alex terminated the containment spell and sat next to her sister. She put an arm around her, letting Ginny lean against her. "It's just dust now. He can't hurt you."

"No, he can't."

"And if by some miracle he does somehow come back, I'll protect you. I'll always protect you." She squeezed Ginny's shoulders and stood up. "Come on. It's almost dinner. I have to meet Hermione at the library so we can get some food. You're coming."

Ginny let her sister take the lead again, and they headed to the library. Hermione was with both Ron and Harry. She separated from the boys as she caught sight of Alex and the three girls headed to the kitchens for dinner. Knowing their schedule, the elves had left behind three plates, accounting for Cedric who sometimes joined them. Alex didn't know what she'd done to deserve Hermione. The Gryffindor barely bat an eye at Ginny's presence, and included her in conversation as though it were an everyday occurrence. After dinner, Alex looked at her sister.
"Hermione's going to go with you to the Gryffindor dorms. Get your books for tomorrow and a pair of pyjamas."

"What? Why?"

"You'll see. H, bring her to the seventh floor."

"Okay."

"I'll meet you there in half an hour."