Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 139 - The DA reinstated

How's everyone doing? You guys do know I can see when you binge read this story...

The headmaster's office looked much like it always had, portraits lining the walls, and many ticking objects remained, although there were significantly fewer than when Dumbledore had been headmaster. The door swung shut behind her, and the Carrows had not followed her in. She drew her wand and looked around, searching for a portrait that hadn't been here during her private lessons with Dumbledore.

There it was, with a plain plum background, but there was no Dumbledore sat within the frame. Annoyed, Al peered at the books lining some of the shelves, and jumped when Snape swept into the room, the door clanging shut behind him. "Muffliato," Al and Snape said at the same time.

He looked at her, frowning, before going to stand and peer out the window. Satisfied he said. "Put that away. I didn't bring you here to attack you." Al didn't move.

"Dumbledore says I can trust you," she told him, watching for his reaction.

"He can send messages from beyond the grave now, can he?" Snape sneered, still not looking at her.

"He has his ways," Al said simply. "I think I trust you too."

"You think?" Snape said, his head whipping round, "Why would you think-?"

"You made me head girl," Al said, "On Dumbledore's orders."

"How did you-?" Snape began, but he closed his eyes, realisation dawning on him. "The notebook?" Al nodded and he sighed. "I have called you here," he said, sweeping round and standing on the other side of the desk, "Because I, like Dumbledore, trust you." Al was surprised at this, so stayed quiet. "I was going to tell you that I am still loyal to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, but you seem to have figured that out for yourself."

"Yes, sir," Al said.

"Did you tell anyone?" Al shook her head. "Good. I want you to look after the students, don't report to the Carrows if you have a query, come straight to me. And Potter cannot know."

"I haven't had any contact with Harry for the last month," Al said, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"But you know what they're doing?"

"I do, sir," Al said stiffly.

"And?" Snape asked expectantly.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you," she said, to his obvious disappointment, but he didn't push the matter. "Why is You-Know-Who going to such lengths to talk to me?"

"He has questions about that rare form of magic you possess," Snape said, "As do I."

"Fire away," Al said coolly.

"What is it? How do you use it? How much control do you have over it? Why do you have it?" Snape listed.

"It's connected to my soul," Al began, "Strengthened because of the time spent away from my body. I use it by conjuring it. I can control it with my wand or through my hands, and the control is absolute." Snape nodded in understanding. "You tried to kill my fiance," Al pointed out.

"Your-?" his eyes landed on the ring on her left hand, "George Weasley, I believe?" Al nodded. "I was aiming for someone else - I missed."

"Lupin?"Al guessed, seeing as the two were flying together.

"No, the man attacking him!" Snape retorted, "You are determined to make me evil! Why?"

"You were determined to make me like my mother," Al said calmly, recalling the memory.

Snape heaved a sigh. "The Dark Lord has tasked the Carrows with arranging a meeting between him and yourself," Snape said, "I suggest you avoid it." There was a pause. "You may go."

"Goodnight sir," Al called over her shoulder, with no reply.

*****

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Daphne's voice shouted into the darkness. All around Al, her dorm mates' wands lit up, revealing the Carrows in their dorm, with their wands raised an pointing directly at her.

"Get up," Alecto said, "We're leaving."

Al grinned falsely. "How sweet." Before blasting them both into the opposite wall. Pansy screamed while Millicent and Tracey both looked utterly gobsmacked. Daphne jumped out of bed, as did Al, and began shoving Al's things into her trunk.

"They're after you already?" Daphne asked, "What did you do?"

"That, apparently," she said, nodding over her shoulder. "Thanks."

"No problem," Daphne said, then lowered her voice, "Where should I send students looking for you?"

"Seventh floor corridor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy," Al said, before grabbing her trunk and owl cage and conjuring two stretchers. "I'll leave these two in the corridor." She left with her things, students leaning out their doors and watching wide-eyed as she escorted the Carrows out.

"You're not leaving us, are you?" one girl asked.

"No," Al assured them, "Just moving." She continued through the common room and set the two stretchers down, before turning and almost walking into Snape.

"Causing trouble already?" he asked. Al just grimaced at him, before continuing on her way through the castle. She reached the room of requirement without any interference from anyone else. Peering round, she placed her trunk down and looked at the wall. Walking back and forward, with her wand clutched in her hand, she thought:

I need a place to hide from the Carrows, I need a place to hide from the Carrows, I need a place to hide from the Carrows.

An iron door appeared in front of her, and she looked once up and down the corridor, before grabbing her things and stepping inside. It was quite a large room, about the size of a classroom. The were two staircases on the far wall that led up to a wooden balcony that ran around the walls, lined with full bookshelves. A single hammock hung from this balcony, with a fluffy white pillow and duvet. There was a squashy beanbag next to it. Above the staircase was a Slytherin green banner, with a silver serpent in the centre.

I need a bathroom, she thought, and a door appeared under one of the staircases. Behind it was a white-tiled room, with a shower, sink, and toilet.

And somewhere to do my work. A small wooden table appeared between the staircases.

The Carrows can't get in, she told the room. And I need a way of contacting the different houses. A mirror appeared on the wall above the table. In it was a perfect view of the Slytherin common room, but only the Slytherin one. She supposed it was because that was the house she was in.

She climbed into her hammock, and let it sway her gently to sleep. Wake me up at seven o'clock.