Alexandra Weasley

24

Alexandra tentatively got Quildemort's gift out of her pocket, and undid the shrinking charm.
"Who's that from?" Hermione asked.

"No one good." Alexandra said. She'd been too afraid to open it on her own. She opened the box, tearing open the wrapping and looked inside. First was a vial with bits of hair inside. Unicorn hair. She shoved it back inside, before Hermione could see. Then there was an owl. She supposed the box must've been spelled for it to survive.

"Oh, wow." Hermione said. She peered at it. "I think it's a she."

"Yeah." Alexandra said. "Oh, she's beautiful."

"Who do you think sent it to you?" Alexandra stayed quiet. "Oh, come on Alex."

"Just don't ask me that." Alexandra said.

"Fine." Hermione didn't push. "What are you going to name her?"

"I'm not." Alexandra said. "I'm going to ask professor Snape to donate her somewhere."

"What?! Why?!" Hermione cried outraged.

"She's beautiful, but I can't be bought." Alexandra said. "This isn't from my family. If I take this gift I might as well sell my soul to the devil."

"And you're not going to tell me?"

"Can we change the subject?" Alexandra said and putting her hand into the box. There was a bundle of muggle books. Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

"Oh wuthering heights!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Here." She gave her the book. "And we can donate the rest to the Hogwarts library."

"You're serious about not keeping the gifts."

"I don't want any of this. I've already got a bunch of great gifts from the people I love."

"You mean the people you pretend to hate?"

"I don't pretend to hate my parents. They know the truth. They're fine with it." Snuffles let out a huge yawn and Alexandra brought one of his heads onto her lap.

"Ron said you were acting distant with everyone, including your parents."

"Shh shh, go to sleep, Snuffles. I'll wake you before I leave. No one'll get into your trapdoor." She ignored her friend's accusation and Hermione got the hint and changed the subject.

"You do know he can't understand you." Hermione said with a raised eyebrow.

"Can't he?" Alexandra said smugly as the dog began to snore.

"That's impossible!" Hermione said. "Is there any more?" Alexandra peered into the box and found it empty, save for the unicorn hairs. She shook her head. "This couldn't all possibly fit in there."

"Extension charm." Alexandra explained.

"Clever." Alexandra just shrugged and began shoving things back into the box, placing the owl on top carefully, and letting the box stay open. She continued stroking Snuffles's head.

"We should probably get going now." Hermione said.

"You go. I'm gonna let Snuffles rest for a bit before I leave."

"You're going to be in so much trouble if you get caught."

"Guess I'll just have to not get caught then." Alexandra shrugged. "Go. Meet me tomorrow at the library entrance. Eight o'clock."

"Okay. Promise not to get caught?"

"Pinky promise." Alexandra grinned and Hermione unlocked the door and slipped out. Alexandra looked at the strands of hair in anger. She had no desire to become Quildemort's puppy again. She finally had her own life back. She wouldn't let him ruin it for her.

She stayed for another two hours before waking Snuffles up and leaving. It was almost curfew when she entered her room. The trick was to hide the box from her housemates. She took out the vials of unicorn hair and hid them behind her bedside table in case her roommates tried to rummage through her box of personal belongings, then laid down on her bed. She couldn't hide the owl, and stuffing it into a box seemed inhumane, so she left it out by her bed.

The next day she met Hermione at the library.
"I've been meaning to research beasts and beings, but I didn't really get a chance to because I've been too busy with schoolwork."

"Breathe, Hermione." Alexandra told her friend. "I'll help you."

"So what do you know so far about unicorns?"

"You can read my essay while I go find some more books." Alexandra handed Hermione the parchment while she went to the front desk.

"Miss Weasley. Back so soon?" Madam Pince said.

"I just need some more books and to return these."

"You have the note?" She asked.

"Right here." Alexandra handed over her note and the books. Madam Pince gestured for her to go through to the restricted section. Alexandra peered through the beasts aisle looking for more information on unicorns. She found a small black book that didn't really look as though it belonged. She took it out of the shelf and looked at it. She couldn't read the title, but the illustration of the unicorn made her think it could be important. 'By Ziegla Hammer' was written at the bottom in a small font. Alexandra picked it out and looked for some more books. She found two other huge ones and went back to check it out with Madam Pince.

"Where did you find this?" Madam Pince asked.

"Oh it was back on the shelves, between 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them' and 'The Difference between Beings, Beasts and Spirits.', Madam Pince." She replied. "Why?"

"Ziegla Hammer was amongst one of the first students to come to Hogwarts. Her books have all been lost through time." Madam Pince said. "This book was the last one she wrote. She never made any copies, which makes this an original."

"Oh." Alexandra said. "Does that mean I can't check it out?"

"No no," Madam Pince said. "Go for it, just be careful with it. Countless people would kill to know what exactly it contains. I've looked through every book on these shelves and I've never come across it. I suppose it must mean something if it has decided to show itself to you."

"Thank you." Alexandra said, and bent to sign her name and the titles of the books. Madam Pince stopped her.

"Best not to write the title down for that one. It'll be our little secret." She gave the young girl a kind smile. Alexandra smiled back hesitantly.

"Can the knowledge in this book be considered dangerous?" She asked.

"I suppose in the wrong hands, possibly. It all depends on what's inside." Madam Pince shrugged. Alexandra handed her the small black book.

"I suppose professor Dumbledore should be notified of its emergence before I read it." She said.

"I'm sure he won't mind." Madam Pince said holding the book back out. Alexandra took it and headed back to her table with Hermione. She put away the little book and concentrated on the other.

"Hey, this is really interesting! Are unicorns really born with a gold coat?"

"Yeah, it turns silver when they're about two years old, then white when they're seven."

"Why is their blood silver?"

"I suppose to show it's a pure creature. With all the magic in it's blood, it's a shimmery silver colour." She shrugged.

"Cool."

"Let's get to work." Alexandra said, opening one of the other books she'd taken out.