Saphira was probably the most excitable creature on the planet. Alex was happy of her development, though. She'd been very subdued when they'd first met. Clearly the reserve had been good for her. Alex was thinking about maybe interning with her brother after she left Hogwarts instead of getting her BAT. That way Saphira could spend more time there.
"Hey Saph!" Hermione greeted the dragon, and Saphira lowered her head to allow Hermione to pet her.
"So you found a wild dragon in the forest and domesticated her." Megan laughed again.
"That's Megan. Feel free to eat her."
"Alex is joking. She loves Megan, really." Hermione corrected. Saphira looked around, suddenly shy at the attention of all the humans.
"This is Charlie." Alex introduced. "That's Laila, and Megan and Susan and Hannah and this is my sister Ginny."
"She's so big!" Susan gasped.
"And pretty." Charlie watched in awe.
"Don't be shy Saph. You're the one who wanted to meet them." Alex said, fondly.
The quidditch match started just before noon the next morning.
"Good luck. And please, thrash her." Hermione said, glaring at a smug Cho Chang. Alex nodded."With pleasure."
"Alright, I'll be cheering for you from the stands." Hermione darted out and Alex took her place with the rest of her team.
"Alright, everyone. Remember the strategy. I'll be guarding Alex. Kevin, you keep an eye on Herbert. We have three chasers and only one keeper. Ravenclaw's tough to beat, so no playing around Alex. As soon as you see the snitch, you go for it. All good?" Maxine looked around and they all nodded.
"All good."
"Alright, let's win this. For Hufflepuff."
"For Cedric." Malcolm added.
"For Cedric." Maxine agreed.
"For Cedric." Alex said and soon the rest of the team echoed their sentiments. Maxine led them out onto the pitch, the Ravenclaw team heading over from the opposite end of the pitch.
"I want a nice, clean game." Madam Hooch said as they met in the middle. "Mount your brooms." She waited a beat before blowing her whistle and all brooms flew up into the air.
Alex looked for the snitch that had gone invisible, tuning out the rest of the players. Except for Chang. She kept a close eye on her, too. She heard Lee Jordan comment on the goal Herbert caught from Davies.
It was a little while before she caught sight of the snitch. She glanced at Chang to make sure the Ravenclaw didn't notice before warning Maxine she was on the move. She didn't head straight for the snitch. Rather she headed closer towards the Hufflepuff banner as though the snitch was hiding within the folds. Once she was sure Chang was following, she slowed a little, letting herself be overtaken and banked a sharp left, going for the snitch. Chang realised the diversion too late, turning just in time to see Alex's hand close around the snitch.
"And Hufflepuff wins, two hundred to thirty. I suppose Quidditch's just in that Weasley blood." Lee commented as the teams floated down to the ground. Maxine clapped Alex's back.
"Glad to have you on our team, Weasley." Malcolm grinned and she shrugged.
"We go celebrate or something now, right?" She said, ignoring the glare of a certain Ravenclaw, leading her group back into the school.
Hermione was waiting back in the Hufflepuff common room.
"Oh great. Now that you know our password, we're never getting rid of you." Alex teased."I thought being an honorary member of the house meant you could never get rid of me."
"Honorary memberships can be revoked." Hermione laughed.
"Congratulations." Alex unwound her Hufflepuff scarf from around Hermione's neck. "And thanks for the support."
"Well I was hardly going to support Cho Chang of all people." Hermione wrinkled her nose. "I mean, honestly. You were really the only choice."
"Funny. Hilarious." Alex rolled her eyes. Hermione pulled back the scarf.
"I'm keeping this. It drives Ron crazy."
"Well, in that case, feel free."
"Oi, Alex." Maxine bounded over, holding a cup in her hands. "Herb managed to get a case of firewhiskey on the last Hogsmeade trip. You're almost seventeen right?"
"Yeah, but no thanks." Alex said and reached to cover Hermione's ears. "And don't admit to it in front of our innocent Hermione. She doesn't like rule breaking."
"I can still hear you." Hermione slapped Alex's hand away. "But she's right. Please don't give firewhiskey to anyone underaged and definitely don't admit to it in front of me."
"Got it." Maxine said and disappeared back into the crowd.
"Oh." Hermione let her head drop into her hands. "I should just confiscate it."
"You can't confiscate another prefect's things and Maxine is a prefect." Alex said. She looked back to where Maxine stood next to Malcolm. "Is it me or are those two getting awfully cosy?"
"I don't know. I mean, I'm not very familiar with them so I don't really know what they're normally like."
"Fair point." Alex said. "Did you see Loony's hat?"
"It was very... spirited." Hermione searched for the word. It was yellow and black with a charmed badger that held a 'Go Hufflepuff' banner. "I can't believe she did that with the Ravenclaws."
"Well, they're not very nice to her, so she didn't feel they deserved her support." Alex shrugged. "You staying here tonight?"
"No, I think I'll go back to my own dorm. Lavender's started to spread rumours that I have a boyfriend which is where I disappear to when I don't go back to the dorms at night." Alex stifled a laugh.
"I'll walk you." Alex offered and they headed out.
They bumped into Ron and Harry somewhere near the entrance hall. "Are you wearing a Hufflepuff scarf?" Ron looked scandalised.
"Problem, brother?" Alex asked.
"I- yes! She's a Gryffindor."
"So? It was Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw, though I do hope I can count on your support against Gryffindor too, H." She added just to get a rise from Ron. It worked.
"No!" Ron yelled. Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"I don't think that's your decision to make, Ronald." Hermione glared.
A/N- Alex loves making trouble for Ron, honestly. He makes it way too easy.
Favourite line is "Please don't give firewhiskey to anyone underaged and definitely don't admit to it in front of me."
YOU ARE READING
Alexandra Weasley: Book 5
FanfictionWith Cedric gone, and her uncle just out of reach, Alex is facing her toughest year at Hogwarts yet. How much can Alex take before she buckles under the weight of her impossible burden?