Alexandra Weasley: Book 4

21

The idea of Voldemort still keeping tabs on her through Snape kept her stomach turning. Alex could hardly manage to keep anything down, so she purposely missed her appointments with Pomfrey. She'd even stopped going to Shay, the mind healer. The original agreement was once a week she'd meet Snape in Dumbledore's office and floo into Shay's office. But Snape's word didn't count for anything anymore. She couldn't trust him, so how could she trust anyone he'd vetted? First with her parents assuming the worst of her, as though she'd actually make poison for Harry to use against his relatives, and now Snape baring her secrets and thoughts and feelings to a man he knew had hurt her.

Hermione noticed the change soon enough. She ambushed Alex the next weekend and took her to the vanishing room.
"What's wrong?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Alex played dumb.

"You're sinking back into old habits. I thought you were getting better."

"I'm fine." She said.

"Is this about Snape?" Alex stiffened but didn't answer. "What happened?"

"I can't say."

"Tell me something, anything. You look awful, Alex."

"You're no prize." She shot back. Hermione raised a brow. "Sorry. Reflex. You insulted me first."

"I'm not insulting you. I'm worried about you."

"This isn't about me. Not all of it, at least, so I can't tell you."

"So tell me how to help you. If I can't chase away your fears, tell me what you need. What you really need, not a way to get rid of me."

"I don't know." Alex admitted. "I don't know what I need. I can't trust him, H. I've always trusted him, even when I hardly knew him. Because some part of me... the beast could sense, I don't know. That we were related or something. I read that werewolves sense their kin. By blood or by bite. I don't think I had that exactly, but maybe some watered down version that made me think I could trust him. And I was clearly wrong, because family doesn't automatically mean dependable. I mean seriously."

"Stop that." Hermione scolded. "I get it. It's really sucky. But your parents didn't accuse you of poisoning muggles. They thought you gave Harry poison as an in case of emergency thing, and I very much doubt they thought it was fatal. They'd just seen the twins trick Dudley into eating a sweet that had massively engorged his tongue. I know they were wrong to accuse you, they definitely were, but it had nothing to do with Voldemort. It was because they thought you would do anything to protect someone you cared about, and you would. Maybe not Harry, but you would for someone you cared deeply for. So stop accusing them of thinking that your heritage makes you evil. You went eleven solid years of having no clue you were even adopted. They do love you, Alex."

"Maybe."

"Definitely. I know you're not over the fact that they kept it a secret from you, but don't doubt their love for you. As for Voldemort, he's not your family. He's just a man- not even that. He's just some monster with an influence and he took you and did horrible things. But he is not your family- he doesn't get to claim you. And about your biological mother, she did love you. She loved you so much she couldn't bear to let you have the life she had, with the father she had."

"It doesn't negate everything she's done in her life. She hated people like you. Muggleborns. She abandoned her best friend for falling in love with a muggleborn."

"What?"

"That's the kind of person she was. Terrified everyone, spouted pureblooded prejudice everywhere she went."

"But she changed. That's what matters. She grew up with the most hateful man on the planet, and at the end of it all, she changed her ways. Fell in love with a muggle and did everything she could to give you a better life." Hermione said. Alex's eyes welled up. "And your biological dad- I have virtually no information on him. But you met him. And you know if you ever wanted to, you could meet him again and know him better. He's out there."

"Yeah, but-"

"You don't have to want to see him, but the option's there. He's there in case you change your mind. And you have wonderful siblings. I mean, Ginny is so sweet, and Ron is... well, he's Ron. He means well, really. And you love annoying the twins as much as they love annoying you, but you have to admit they make you laugh. Percy, I think he's insufferable but you love his reports, like the one about cauldron thickness-"

"Well, it's about time someone did something about it. I mean, do you know the dangers-" Alex stopped as she saw Hermione giggle.

"See? And Charlie, he flew all the way from Romania so he could take in a new dragon, a potentially dangerous one, because you asked him for it. And Bill is really cool! He's the one who taught you to love arithmancy, remember?" Hermione prodded. "And whatever Snape's done, he cares about you."

"No, he doesn't." Alex scoffed.

"If you really thought that, you'd tell me what happened. But you know he cares about you and you care about him, and that's why you won't say anything."

"No, because he's- he's- he's a... a liar and I can't trust him and I- we can't trust him, H."

"Okay, okay." Hermione soothed. "But my point stands. Your parents love you. Your blood changes absolutely nothing. They don't think less of you. You're projecting, because you think it matters. And as much as you try to push away your brothers, they love you and you love them. Ginny too. She thinks the world of you, you know."

"I guess."

"You have people who care about you. I care about you. I know everything, remember. It doesn't change how I see you." Alex hugged Hermione.

"Because you're the best."

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A/N- that but where Alex retorts to Hermione 'you ain't a prize' just reminds me of this video below 😂😂