d o v e

t w e n t y

June thirtieth was dreadful for both Alexandra and Draco. Alexandra refused to eat or sleep, and that caught the attention of her friends once again.

"You look ill," Ron stated, sitting across from her. He noticed she looked tired and felt her leg shaking underneath the table. Under her eyes looked almost black and her lips were peeling as if she had been chewing on them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," Alexandra smiled lightly, letting her eyes wander across the hall towards the empty seat Draco usually occupied.

Hermione looked at Ginny and they both frowned, knowing exactly what was wrong. At first only Hermione knew. Draco, running out of options and becoming desperate, decided to ask her for help. For weeks now she has been meeting with him, helping him learn how to apparate as well as helping him come up with ideas for how to take down the barrier. She confided in Ginny, giving her as much information as she could in case something happened to her. The two decided, however, that the secret would stay between them. Their friend was in danger, and they would do anything to protect her. Even if it meant lying.

"Did you set up a date with Dumbledore?" Hermione asked Harry, hoping her plan worked. Harry nodded, and she sighed lightly in relief.

"We're going tonight. I'm meeting him at the Astronomy Tower soon, actually," Harry explained. He originally wanted to wait until the end of term to travel with Dumbledore, but Hermione rushed him. He looked over at Alexandra who had been staring blankly across the hall and frowned. He had only seen her like this one other time, and it worried him. What Dumbledore had told him earlier in the day worried him even more. "Alex-"

"I said I'm alright," she snapped, leaving the Great Hall. Meanwhile, Harry gathered his friends and explained what he was previously going to warn Alexandra about before she left. By her sudden retreat, he assumed she already knew.

"The minute Dumbledore and I leave the castle, there's a chance Death Eaters might try to break in," Harry explained to Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Neville joined them, and Harry explained the situation once more. "I think they're after Alexandra. I want you all to take this," he explained, handing the individuals small vials.

"Felix Felices," Hermione stated, examining the liquid. Harry nodded.

"Round up as many members of the Army as you can and drink up. Tonight, we have to protect our friend and our school. Do you understand?"

Across the castle, Alexandra found herself in the Room of Requirement, and proceeded to shatter all of the prophecies in the room she shared with Tom. She hoped that somehow, someway, this would help her.

In the midst of her breakdown, Alexandra approached a nearby table. On top was a folded piece of parchment sitting next to what looked like a diadem. She thought she had seen the piece of jewelry before, but her attention was fixed on the parchment.

"A witch or wizard can only claim possession of the Elder Wand's loyalty by killing it's previous owner," she read. She read the bottom of the note in her head, not being able to get the words out otherwise.

An interesting topic I thought you'd enjoy. We will meet again, my love.

Not knowing where else to go, Alexandra made her way to the Astronomy Tower where she knew Dumbledore would be waiting for Harry.

"Is this true?" Alexandra asked the Headmaster, shakily handing him the parchment. "Is it?"

Dumbledore knew Tom had gotten his facts wrong, that the true loyalty of the wand is transferred to the witch or wizard who successfully disarms it's previous owner. Not wanting the true information to fall into the wrong hands, and being rather confident that Draco Malfoy would not be able to kill him, Dumbledore told one final lie to Alexandra River.