Alexandra Weasley: Book 4

50

As the third task approached, the quidditch field began to be turned into a maze. Cedric explained to Alex that Hagrid would be providing animals for the task so she took it upon herself to educate him on every sort of creature she knew was living in the forbidden forest. From acromantulas to dryads. From gremlins to Blast-ended skrewts. She talked to Ash about other creatures she wasn't aware of, and made Cedric a list of flash cards that she expected him to memorise.

Alex holed up in the library at her usual table and begun quizzing Cedric on what he knew so far, when Hermione walked in, dragging Harry and Ron along. She deposited them at Alex's table.
"Mind if we sit with you? Everywhere else is full."

"Were preparing for the third task, and you're our enemy." Alex narrowed her eyes.

"It's a yes." Cedric clarified. She turned her glare on him. "What, like you two won't end up swapping strategies?"

"Fine, sit." Alex huffed and Hermione grinned.

"Thanks." Hermione said. Alex flipped over the next index card.

"If you come across a gremlin, do you a) leap over it, b) walk past it slowly, or c) stun it."

"B) walk past it slowly." He replied.

"Point thirty two." She grinned. "Okay, we got the easy ones out of the way. We're in moderate territory. What is the difference between a dryad and an anthousai?"

"Dryads are tree spirits, anthousai are flower spirits."

"Point thirty three."

"Bloody hell, does Harry need to know all that?" Ron asked, eyes wide.

"We're just covering all our bases." Cedric said, pointing at the large stack of cards in front of Alex.

"Besides, this is just the theory of creatures you might encounter. There's a lot of beings and beasts in the forest. We're starting practical spells next week." She said. Hermione grinned.

"Don't get rid of those cards. I'm going to want to look through them one day." She said.

"After the tasks." Alex agreed. "Anyways, shh Cedric's on a roll. Break doesn't start until fifty consecutive points."

"Consecutive? As in, if he makes a mistake, you start again, no break?" Harry asked and Alex nodded.

"How do you beat an acromantula?"

"Fire, light, conjure a snake and enlarge it."

"Point thirty four." She grinned.

Hermione managed to get Harry's attention and began directing him to certain passages she'd highlighted in books as Alex continued to quiz Cedric. They worked on their respective preparations until Alex got to the fiftieth question.

"Okay, this is point fifty, so I'll make it easy. What do you do if you encounter a crocodile?"

"Assume it's Taylor and announce that you say hi?" He said and she laughed.

"No, but I'll give you a point because it's a good try. Stun it and move past it as quick as you can." She said. "You got to fifty points. You get an hour break."

"Oh my god." He let out a breath and let his head drop. "My head's numb."

"Drama queen." She teased. "Think about the end result. If you win, you get a thousand galleons, plus bragging rights."

"What would you even do with all that money?" Hermione asked. Cedric looked up and looked adoringly at his girlfriend.

"Buy a farm." He said. "To raise magical creatures."

"Half a farm." Alex corrected. "Partners, remember?"

"Yeah, but the winnings would be half yours considering you're, like, my trainer." He said. "Getting me through all this."

"No way, it's all yours, buddy. You're not paying for my share."

"The winnings would be ours. You did all the research and all I'm doing is using the knowledge. And besides, when you get your BATs we can have some place for Saph and Kichiro and Venus and all your other strays."

"They're not strays." She pouted.

"We could bring along Taylor." He enticed.

"You just want to meet Taylor." She accused.

"Little bit." He agreed.

"Do you two know how strange your conversations are?" Hermione teased.

"You've heard stranger." Alex said.

"You've participated in stranger." Cedric added and she shrugged.

"True, I guess." She smiled. "Is Taylor Mari's baby?"

"No, that's Rani. Taylor is... complicated."

"Harry, if you win, what are you going to do with the winnings?" Cedric asked and Harry looked taken aback.

"Haven't really thought about it." He said.

"Which is perfectly fine." Hermione said. "You can be responsible and put it in your vault for when you're older." Harry shared a glance with Ron showing exactly what he thought of that idea.

"I'm going to go stretch out my legs. Be back in a few?" Cedric said and Alex smiled.

"Sure." She agreee and he stood and left. Alex reached for the floor and picked up another large stack of cards.

"What's all that?" Ron asked.

"Study cards. An arsenal of spells that'll be helpful." She said.

"Don't let her scare you. Most of what they're going through isn't going to come up." Hermione said.

"No, but he'll be prepared for everything. You don't know what's going to come up. You don't even know what exists." Alex said. She looked up and saw Pansy walk into the library. She came over to Alex with a grin.

"Helping your enemy?" She asked. "We're all rooting for Cedric, you know."

"Oh, these are Cedric's guides. They're just sharing the table, not the material." Alex said. "What are you doing in the library? Thought you were allergic?"

"Meeting Draco."

"Is he here?" Alex looked around.

"Should be." She said. "I'm going to go check out the back."

"Alright enjoy." Alex grinned and Pansy left.

"Can't believe you're friends with pug-faced Pansy. Are you collecting Slytherins now?"

"Don't be mean, H. Besides, you've got Slytherin friends too."

"One. I have one Slytherin friend."

"Doesn't Sal count?"

"Sal's a portrait of a dead founder." Hermione said and Alex ceded to the point.