Alexandra Weasley: Book 5

10

"Who's Saphira?" George asked.

"And why does Alex care so much?" Fred added.

"Saphira's her dragon." Ron said. "She tried to feed me to it once."

"Alex doesn't have a dragon." Fred protested.

"She's got a unicorn." George finished. Bill blinked at his mother.

"Mum?"

"I'm gonna go check on her." Hermione said, grabbed the letter and ran after Alex. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to Romania." Alex was packing her bag. "Even if I have to fly there myself."

"Stop!" Hermione shouted. "Just stop for a moment. Voldemort is alive and well. He's reactivated his death eaters. And he'll be looking for you."

"I can handle myself."

"Then stop acting like a child. Talk to your parents. We'll find a safe way to get there."

"I'm not losing her either. I promised her adventures." She dropped the backpack, and sat down. Hermione sat next to her.

"I know. And this is all really crappy. It's like everything bad's just happening at once. But I can't lose you too, Alex. So please. No running away. Not without me."

"Okay, fine." Alex agreed. "We'll talk to mum and dad."

"Absolutely not." Arthur denied. Alex was asking her parents if she could go to the reserve in Romania.

"I have to! It's Saphira."

"I'm sorry, Alex, but it's not safe." Her mother tried to explain.

"She's dying! I have to go."

"I know you're attached but-"

"There are ways to be safe." She plead. "Please, please. Mum." She implored. Molly cupped Alex's face.

"Darling, safety isn't guaranteed, and you especially- he wants you. You know that." Alex pulled away.

"I don't care! I can take care of myself. He can't keep me. I'll have my katana and I'm still immune to spells. Remember?"

"You're not invincible."

"I'm not weak and fragile either. Saphira's mine and I have to be there."

"Sweetheart-"

"No! I'm not going to just sit here and do nothing while she dies! I can't."

"Well, we don't have a choice. It is a dangerous world."

"Except he's still in hiding, so how dangerous could it be?"

"Didn't one of his death eaters find you at the World Cup last year?" Her father asked. "And just a few weeks ago, Harry was attacked by dementors. How safe do you really think it is out there?"

"I can cast a patronus, and Griffiths was one person. I can take care of myself."

"No. I'm sorry, Alex, but the answer is no. Trust your brother to update you." Alex whirled and tried to leave, only to have to wait for the privacy enchantments to be taken down. Once they were, she ran upstairs, and looked at Hermione.

"Plan B." She said. Hermione nodded in resignation.

Later that night, when Alex was sure Ginny was asleep, Alex crept over and shook Hermione awake. Hermione grabbed her bag and Harry's invisibility cloak as Alex picked up her broom and her own backpack. They snuck downstairs, taking extra care past Walburga Black's painting. Alex opened the door and together she and Hermione tried to close it without a sound. The moment they turned to leave, they were confronted with the sight of Snape.
"It's a little cold for a walk, don't you think?"

"Uh oh." He unlocked the door, and ushered them in.

"The point of a safe house is to stay in the safe house." He admonished, manoeuvring them into the dining room.

"Alex, Hermione? What are you doing out of bed?" Molly asked.

"Caught them trying to sneak out." Arthur's expression turned thunderous and Alex shrunk under her father's gaze.

"We technically did sneak out. You caught us after we left." Alex muttered.

"Either way, you're caught. And why on earth would you think that was a good idea?"

"We wanted to see Saphira." She mumbled.

"On the other side of the continent?" He asked. "You snuck out with Voldemort at large and targets on your back, to somehow get across the continent to visit your dragon?"

"She's dying." Alex said defiantly, standing up straight. Snape looked at Molly and Arthur.

"Charlie sent word today." Molly filled him in. "Come on, you two. Back to bed. We'll talk about this in the morning." Molly grabbed hold of them and nudged them up. She followed them to the room and then began casting alert charms on the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Since clearly you cannot be trusted to stay put, I'm putting alert charms on the doorway. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Snape was still there the next morning. Molly took Alex down to the study where he was waiting.
"Shouldn't you be gone by now?"

"Your parents thought I might be the best places to speak with you."

"But it's dangerous. We're supposed to have no contact. You said so yourself."

"I did." He agreed. "Sneaking out in the middle of the night isn't really your smartest plan."

"I'm not abandoning Saphira when she needs me."

"I spoke with your parents. You will go, by plane, with no less than two order members. Your brother and Tonks have volunteered."

"And Hermione."

"Yes, including Miss Granger."

"Really? Thank you."

"But what you did was wrong. We all want to keep you safe, Alex. You need to let us."

"I know, but I can't just do nothing."

"Because of Diggory." Alex sucked in a breath, not expecting Snape to bring him up. "You lost someone you loved, and considering how well I know you, I'm sure you're blaming yourself in some way. It's not your fault."

"I don't want to talk about him."

"You'll have to talk to someone."

"You made it clear. I can't talk to you."

"Then start up your sessions with Shay again."

"How deep was this conversation with my parents?"

"Very informative." He said. "I've been told you're refusing to sign up for the annual wizarding schools potions contest, and that you want to try out for quidditch. I also have been told of your declining of the prefect position, and that you now want to drop arithmancy?"

"Yeah well, last time there was an interschool tournament, someone died." She said. "And I don't want to be prefect."

"Isn't arithmancy one of your favourite subjects?"

"Not anymore."

"And don't you hate quidditch? I'd hardly think his death would ease your trust issues." She glared.

"I'm thinking about giving it a try." She said. "I do love flying, after all."

"You've hated the game your whole life."

"Big deal. My preferences changed. I'm growing and evolving."

"Will you consider going back to Shay? Or even someone new? I don't want an answer now. Think about it and when you start Hogwarts, you can tell me then. Deal?"

"Fine, I'll consider it."

A/N- Sorry about Saphira. Um, well see her in the next part. I missed Snape 😭

Favourite line is "Saphira's her dragon." Ron said. "She tried to feed me to it once."