Some Awfully Bad Ideas

Chapter One

The vibrations made by the train carriage connecting with the tracks travelled through Lexi's body, making concentrating on her racing thoughts rather difficult.

As she rested her head against the shaky window, her breath fogged the glass, covering the dreary grey clouds dominating the sky and the dark green forests blurring past. A sight like that would make most people miserable, but Lexi found comfort in the rain. Evening was fast approaching, bringing a thunderstorm with it, yet there was still much left of the journey before the students reached their destination. Hogwarts.

Lexi moved her gaze from the stillness of the scenery outside and into the chaotic and uncontrollable happenings of the train. Students of all ages were running about the carriages and waving their wands with reckless abandonment. Some students were sat quietly in their seats, perhaps reading to pass the time or maybe even hiding from the growing sounds of thunder. It was fascinating watching the faces of the first years. Anticipating their arrival at this entirely new place. Eyes beaming with both excitement and fear.

"For Merlin's sake Lexi!" Zara shouted in annoyance, snapping her fingers in Lexi's face.

"What?" she replied whipping her head round to face her best friend.

"I've been trying to get your attention for the past two minutes!" she said shaking her head. "Draco, please sort your sister out."

Draco laughed. "Trust me I've tried, she's been like this all summer."

Lexi shot her brother a stern look that pierced through him right to the core.

"Don't look at me like that," Draco murmured breaking eye contact ", you're worse than Father."

Lexi shivered at his words. She hated being compared to her father. He was worshipped amongst particular types of witches and wizards, admired for his ruthlessness and authority. Draco seemed to worship him too, hanging onto his every word and mirroring his sharp tongue.

Lexi didn't want to admit how fragile her relationship with her father was. Even as a young child she saw him less as a parent and more like a dictator, instilling a fear in her that was still present to this day. Even as a witch going into her sixth year at Hogwarts. But Lexi didn't want to waste her energy thinking about her father, especially as the first term was about to start and she wouldn't be bothered by her unusual family for at least a few months. Well, apart from her egotistical twin brother.

She looked over at Draco who had managed to attract himself a group of Slytherin students with a simple levitation spell. Clearly he still enjoyed showing off, and to the girls in particular. Lexi certainly wasn't going to let her brother have all this attention that he so desperately craved.

"Well done Draco, you've finally mastered a first years spell." Lexi taunted. Awarding a hum of giggles from his audience as Draco's face grew redder and redder.

"Shut up Alexandria." He spat.

"Don't call me that." Lexi snapped back. In a tone that let Draco know this wasn't a joke anymore. She hated that name.

Before long the train arrived at the platform and students exited the carriages in waves. The darkness of nightfall had completely blanketed the sky and the path to the castle had been illuminated by lanterns that glowed in the distance like fireflies. The rain was falling much harder than before and the lightning strikes were becoming much more frequent.

Lexi and Zara walked arm and arm down the wet cobbled path, following the hundreds of students ahead and leading the hundreds of students behind. They were sharing Zara's cloak as a makeshift umbrella despite the fact that their robes and hair were already drenched.

"For this being a wizarding school you would have thought they would at least supply us with umbrellas." Zara shouted over the sound of the rain hitting the stone ground.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doors of Hogwarts school were in sight and the pace of the crowd quickened as shelter was near. Lexi's lips formed a subtle smiled as she gazed at the familiar stone walls. This place felt like home.

All students took their seats in the Great Hall, devouring the feast in front of them and reuniting with friends. Thunder echoed through the hall, bouncing off the walls and refusing to give up. But its power was drowned out by the low hum of conversation amongst the students as friends laughed and classmates told stories. The first years had been sorted into their houses and many new excited Slytherins joined their house table.

Draco and Zara were engrossed in a petty argument about who was better at Herbology. One that Pansy was adamant she wouldn't get involved in.

"Well who got a higher grade? Huh?" Draco bragged taking another mouth full of his meal.

"It's only because you cheated!" Zara responded with a furrowed brows, refusing to let her friend win the argument.

Lexi laughed to herself while attempting to squeeze the last drops of rain from her long silvery locks. Despite the sarcastic tones and pouty faces they were making, Lexi actually missed moments like these. There wasn't much silliness and joking around in their home. Malfoy Manor was always harsh and cold, the floorboards were stained with discipline and the walls dripped with judgement.

Much like her wondering thoughts, Lexi's gaze also found its way elsewhere. With a smile still lingering on her face from listening to her friends nonsense, her eyes travelled to the long oak table at the far end of the Great Hall. Each professor sat assertively at the table enjoying their own meals, discussing amongst themselves quietly. Suddenly, as Lexi's eyes were mindlessly sweeping the table she stopped. Her eyes were met by a commanding stare that made her breath hitch.

Professor Snape.

His onyx eyes were focussed on her, watching intently with a sense of curiosity and fascination. His gaze didn't feel invasive though, it simply felt... observant.

She was very familiar with this potions professor. He had taught her for the last five years, not to mention the countless times he had visited the Malfoy Mansion to attend meetings. Professor Snape's relationship with the Malfoy's was complicated to say the least. He wasn't particularly pleased to be connected to the family, that was obvious. But he was a fellow Death Eater, and his alliance with the Malfoy's was paramount to his safety and success with the Dark Lord's plan.

Lexi kept her eyes on him. Neither of them could seem to break their gaze. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She had been is his presence so many times before and never even gave him a second thought. But when his raven like eyes were burning on her she suddenly felt out of control.

"Lexi!" Zara shouted.

She finally broke the gaze between her and the professor and turned to see confused faces staring back at her.

"Are you okay?" Pansy asked, sounding slightly concerned.

"Uh. Yeah. I'm fine." She replied attempting to compose herself and calm down her breathing.

"That's the second time today we've had to pull you out of some sort of trance." Draco sighed. "What's going on with you?"

"I don't know." Lexi answered. She glanced back at Professor Snape who was now deep in conversation with Dumbledore.

"I really don't know."

~

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