The Grey-eyed Serpent

Chapter 11: Yule pt. 1

Yule came and it was time for Alix to return home! There was no sign that the staff had known about the stolen sorcerer’s stone, however, and Quirrell was still busy searching where the stone was hidden, it was quite amusing to see him so panicked. Although Alix had been having a lot of fun at Hogwarts, she needed to return home as she longed to see her family who she couldn’t meet for months. There was also the Yule ball that Alix needs to worry about. Her mother was probably already fretting about what Alix would wear for the occasion, merlin, she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to attend, and Thea would probably still stay home, knowing how uninterested she was about parties and balls. Nevertheless, Alix was ecstatic to finally return home.

Alix stares at her and her sister’s picture that was taken by her mother before they sent her off. It was a moving picture where Althea was crying while Alix had to comfort her. She smiled fondly as she looks outside the window of the train. Draco was seated beside her and Sue. Anthony, Blaise, and Theo were seated on the other side. The 6 of them had gotten very close during the year and Alix was relieved to see that there would be no unnecessary fights between them. She was also grateful to see the pureblooded Slytherins be so civil and friendly with Sue, a muggle-born. She could see how hard they were trying, really, and she appreciates it.

“You’re looking at that photo again,” Draco said from beside her. Sue tilted her head to glance at her.

“She must be missing her sister,” Sue said with a sigh, she had also been saying how she misses her family.

“I do. I can’t wait to go home. I have a lot to tell them” Alix said, her eyes shone with excitement.

“What? Like how you stole the sorcerer’s stone from Dumbledore?” Blaise asked with a teasing smile. All of her close friends knew that she along with the Weasley twins went to the 3rd floor corridor and stole the stone. Well, they didn’t really steal it, they just retrieved it and placed it in a more secure location until Quirrell leaves Hogwarts. Alix really was looking forward to what the wizard would do when he couldn’t find the stone. It would be a sight.

“The twins were fun to have around. And they were brilliant, too” Alix said with a reminiscent smile. She didn’t tell them about her lessons with the disillusionment charm, however, because then they would know how she sneaks around at night without getting caught.

Their train arrived on platform 9 ¾, perfectly in time for the students’ families to receive them. Alix got out with her friends and immediately spotted her parents and their familiars who weren’t hard to find, thank merlin for their tallness. Althea was with them, and she burst into a bright smile, ran towards her older sister before wrapping her arms around her neck. “Sister! I missed you!” Alix suddenly remembered something, looking left and right, sighing in relief when she saw that Blaise had already gone to his mother, he had mentioned to her that they were planning on going to Italy. She looked down on her sister who was blinking innocently at her.

“I missed you too, Thea. Did you grow again? My, you’re almost as tall as me” Alix commented, ruffling her sister’s brown hair as they walk to their waiting parents.

“You also grew a lot, Alix, darling. If you grow any taller, I’m afraid I won’t be able to call you my baby anymore” Delphina said, wrapping her daughter in her arms and placing a kiss on her head.

“It’s impossible not to, mum. You’re both as tall as a giraffe” Alix replied as she moves to her father to embrace him. William gave her daughter a kiss on her cheeks before letting her go.

“It feels only yesterday when you both were this tiny” William made a gesture with his hands to show their sizes while they were still babies. “And now, now you two are growing so fast, it’s making me feel sad” Alix rolled her eyes at her father, he really was very dramatic. She could only thank her ancestors that she didn’t inherit his overdramatic attitude.