t o u c h

s i x t e e n

Dumbledore sat in his office, Harry standing across from him as they watched Alexandra spin the turner one final time. As soon as they heard the last click, Alexandra fell to the ground.

"Miss River," Dumbledore stated, quickly running to her with Harry in tow. For a moment, they thought she was dead.

"Guys!" Harry yelled, rushing down the staircase. Hermione and Ron stood at the bottom, turning quickly when they heard footsteps. Those footsteps, however, weren't Harry's.

Hermione and Ron quickly joined Harry as they ascended up the staircase, making sure the staircase closed before an approaching Draco Malfoy could follow them.

"We've got a problem," Harry told him, bringing the pair to where Alexandra laid, still unconscious. "She's barely breathing. We haven't got a clue what happened."

Hermione rushed to her friend's side, brushing her hair out of her face and feeling her forehead. "She's literally freezing. Someone must have used a freezing spell on her. If we don't act quickly, she could die."

"Well, what do we do?" Ron panicked. Before Hermione could answer, Dumbledore was already holding his wand over the girl. He warned the rest of the students to back away, and they did.

"What are you doing?" All three of them asked in a panic as Alexandra was suddenly encased in flames. The flames disappeared, and Alexandra was perfectly fine. Her breathing picked up, she began to move, and her body was completely unmarked.

"I've never seen a freezing spell so advanced before," Hermione thought out loud. "It must have been-"

"Voldemort," Harry interrupted. The trio looked at each other before looking at Dumbledore. Dumbledore, however, kept his eyes on the girl.

"Stop!" Alexandra screamed, sitting up in her spot. She looked around, noticing her friends standing a few feet away from her. Suddenly, she began to panic. Unaware of what was real and what wasn't, she became extremely skeptical of everything and everyone around her.

"Nothing!" Tom's voice echoed in her head. She held her hands to her ears, attempting to muffle his voice.

"Alex!" Hermione yelled.

"Alexandra," Harry stated skeptically, walking towards her.

"Petrificus Totalus!" She yelled, freezing everyone in the room in an attempt to make it quiet. When the voices stopped, she could finally breathe. Looking around, she realized what she had done and panicked. She picked herself up off of the ground and ran out of the office. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she made eye contact with the last person she wanted to see.

Draco looked at her, first noticing how she was dressed in old Slytherin robes.

"I'll kill you, and the Malfoy boy."

"What are you-"

"Get away from me!" Alexandra yelled defensively, backing away from him quickly before turning around and continuing to run. Where? She didn't know.

Alexandra looked behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed, but neglected to see the body in front of her as they collided. The person stood up straight, unaffected, while Alexandra fell to the ground.

"Welcome back, Miss River. I hope you've been studying for your second round of O.W.Ls," Snape stated bluntly. Years ago students were required to take the O.W.Ls twice; once for professors to measure progress, and a second time for class placement. Now, since Dumbledore became Headmaster, students only took them once at the end of the school year.

"You know where I've been? What I've done?" Alexandra asked, responding to his welcome. He nodded. "This is real? I'm really home?"

"It seems Mr. Riddle did send you home, yes," Snape assured her. "Has he sent anything along with you?"

"No, sir," she told him, checking her pockets to be sure. There was nothing. "All I've got is my wand and the time turner."

"I will need them both," he stated bluntly, holding his hand out and retrieving both items. "Your wand will be returned tomorrow morning once it is fully examined and deemed safe."

Footsteps were heard, and Alexandra heard Snape mutter a spell. Suddenly, Ron, Hermione and Harry turned the corner, but walked past Alexandra and the Professor as if they weren't there.

"Unfortunately, Miss River, your task has yet to be completed. There is a prophecy that Tom Riddle has yet to discover. It is important you find the original as well as it's copy, and destroy them. Do you understand?" He asked. Alexandra nodded.

"How will I find them?" She asked.

"I'm afraid that is a mystery," Snape stated, only being able to hint at the location. "I suggest you take a moment to breathe, and then reunite with your friends."

Snape turned sharply and departed, lifting the spell as he did so. Alexandra did exactly as he said, taking a few moments to breathe before searching for her friends.

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Important Note:

Hey guys!
Thank you all so much for reading Touch!

From this point on, there are two reading options:

1) Obviously, with Alexandra being back in 1996, things are going to be shifting in a different direction. However, I released a sequel by the name of "Holding On" that actually outlines what would have happened if the story didn't shift, and Alexandra stayed in 1943. If you're interested in that specific story line, "Holding On" is for you! The sequel begins where chapter 15 (the precious chapter) ends.

2) If you're interested in following Alexandra through the rest of her journey with The Trio and all her friends in 1996, though, I encourage you to continue reading! I'm very happy with how her story turned out, and I hope you will be too!

Lots of love xx