Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 137 - News

Enjoy this one :)

 Al got up late the following morning to a very solemn mood in the kitchen. Sat around the table were Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ginny, and the twins. "Eggs, Al?" Mrs Weasley asked, stepping back from where she looked over her husband's shoulder.

 "Yes please," she said, "Have you heard from anyone else?"

 "One or two Order members," Mr Weasley told her, "Hagrid, the Delacours, Charlie and Bill and Fleur left this morning. Remus and Tonks say they got back alright."

 "That's good," Al said nodding. "Thanks," she added when Mrs Weasley put a plate of eggs in front of her. Everyone avoided her gaze. "What?" she asked, putting her knife and fork down.

 George sighed and pushed that day's Daily Prophet towards them. PIUS THICKNESSE ANNOUNCED MINISTER FOR MAGIC. "What's wrong with that?" Al asked, frowning.

 "He's been under the Imperious Curse for months now," Mr Weasley explained, "They might as well have appointed You-Know-Who."

 "We definitely aren't allowed to say the name then?" Al asked, and he shook his head.

 "Kingsley did earlier this morning - he's on the run now."

*****

 A few days later, Fred and George moved back to Diagon Alley, and the Daily Prophet brought more bad news. HOGWARTS ATTENDANCE COMPULSORY FOR ALL STUDENTS AGED ELEVEN TO EIGHTEEN.

 "That's not so bad," Al commented, "It's going to get worse though." She was right. The next day was the worst so far. The front page was a picture of Harry's face captioned: WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE. "That's outrageous!" Al exclaimed when she saw it, but Ginny just shrugged.

 "It gets worse," she said, turning to page two.

 Muggle-born registry, Al read, All muggle-born witches and wizards must now submit to questioning. Recent research from the Department of Mysteries shows that magic can only be present when two people of wizarding ability reproduce. The conclusion is that muggle-borns take their power by theft or force. To rectify this, the Ministry of Magic invite all muggle-born witches and wizards to present themselves before the new Muggle-Born Registration Committee.

 "That's ridiculous," Al scoffed, "No one's going to do that."

 "They'll probably do it by force," Mrs Weasley said as she walked into the living room with a basket of washing.

 Al immediately felt guilty, "Should I still be here? Should I not try and find Harry instead?"

 "Don't be silly," Mrs Weasley scolded, "You're part of our family whether you like it or not. And I haven't forgotten that you were the one to get rid of the Aurors." At that very moment, an owl came flying through the window, with four letter attached to its leg.

 "Hogwarts letters," Ginny said, detaching them, "Ron and Harry's are here. There's yours, Al," she handed Al a familiar bit of parchment. "Hermione's not got one though."

 "Well, it hardly matters," Mrs Weasley, "I wouldn't even bother opening Harry and Ron's."

 "It's because she's a muggle-born," Al said.

 "Well, you've got one," Ginny pointed out.

 "That's because You-Know-Who will probably be waiting for me to arrive at the front door," Al joked. Mrs Weasley and Ginny didn't smile, so Al turned back to her letter, opening it up.

 It was all the usual stuff. She needed more parchment and ink and things, Standard Book of Spells: Grade Seven, potions' ingredients refills. And a new book called How Muggles Burden Us for muggle studies.

 "I don't do Muggle Studies," she and Ginny said at the same time.

 "They'll have made it compulsory then," Al said. Her envelope still felt heavy, so she peered inside and pulled out a dark green badge, with Head Girl written on it in silver writing.

 "What's that?" Ginny asked.

 "Snape's made me Head Girl," she whispered, dumbstruck. He'd actually done it, like he'd promised Dumbledore. Did this mean, then, that Snape was still on their side? He had promised to protect Harry...and he was still following Dumbledore's orders from beyond the grave...

 "What did you say, dear?" Mrs Weasley asked.

 "They've made me Head Girl," she said, a little bit louder this time.

 "What?" She showed Mrs Weasley the badge. "You're not going," Mrs Weasley decided.

 "What?" Al asked.

 "After Harry, you are the Order's most valuable asset - Dumbledore said so himself," Mrs Weasley said. Al frowned in disbelief. "Oh, don't give me that look - he's been saying it for years. Long before he died."

 "Mrs Weasley," Al said calmly, "It'd be good to have an Order member on the inside of Hogwarts, wouldn't it?"

 "But not you-"

 "Then who else?" Al asked. Mrs Weasley opened her mouth to argue, but couldn't find anything to say, so folded the last bit of washing and left.

 "You better not turn out like Percy," Ginny mumbled, and Al shoved her playfully.

*****

 Mr and Mrs Weasley took the trip to Diagon Alley alone, arguing that neither Ginny nor Al actually needed to go, and they just needed to get books and things. Al gave her the key to her vault, telling them to take what they needed. The first of September came, and Al had her uniform on and her restored trunk all packed. The headline that day surprised everyone, except Al.

 SEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED AS HOGWARTS HEADMASTER

 They apparated straight to King's Cross, where there were far too many people in suits just hanging around for it to be considered normal. And Al recognised some of them from their invasion to the Burrow. Idiots.

 "Excuse me, miss," one of them said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

 Al lifted her hand to scratch her face, pointing the palm towards him, and he flinched slightly. "I'm going to miss my train," she said quietly, "And I wouldn't want to cause a fuss."

 The Auror considered this for a moment, while Mrs Weasley and Ginny watched on, their hands clearly holding their wands in their pockets. Around them, half a dozen Aurors did the same. Muggles passed by, oblivious. "I understand," he said, gritting his teeth, "On your way."

 They carried on through to the platform and Al bid Mrs Weasley goodbye before heading to the prefect carriages. She smiled at a few students that she knew, all of whom seemed surprised to see her. She paused outside the right compartment. If Macmillan was in here...but no, it would probably be Malfoy.

 She drew the door across and pulled her trunk through. "Let me help you with that," Ernie said, and Al sighed. She had some thinking to do.