Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 79 - The Gaunt's Horcrux

I know how much you all love Draco, so after being evil in the last one I've got a nicer chapter for you today :)

 Christmas passed the same as it had over the summer. Sirius was particularly cheery, and even helped with the cleaning and decorating. The opposite was true of Harry, and it was George who told her why. Ginny said that he'd said he thought Voldemort was controlling him - possessing him even. And Al could tell by the look in George's eyes that he thought it might be true.

 Al didn't visit St Mungo's with the others, instead choosing to stay behind with Sirius and sometimes Remus to discuss Regulus and his work. It was one particular afternoon when Al remembered something. "Didn't you guys say you'd made progress?" Al asked, "When you sent that letter?"

 "Oh, yes we did!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up and grabbing a tiny piece of parchment from where it was pinned to the wall. "Look - read it!"

 All it said was: Gaunts - Little Hangleton? Somewhere in Al's head, that rung a bell, "That's where the graveyard was!" she said, and Remus and Sirius nodded. "Do you think-?"

 "We're planning on going down there at some point," Remus explained, "Or, at least, I will. When I get some time off from the Order."

 "I'll go," Sirius volunteered, "I've got loads of time off," he argued and Remus sighed.

 "It's too risky, Sirius," Remus said, "Think about how Harry would feel if you got thrown into Azkaban."

 "I won't get thrown-" Sirius began.

 "No you'll get the dementor's kiss," Remus said.

 "Well I think he should go with you," Al said. Remus just looked at her. "The Ministry aren't going near Little Hangleton - not if they don't believe You-Know-Who's back."

 "Thank you," Sirius said triumphantly, as if he'd said it himself.

 Remus sighed and looked between the two of them. "When do we go?" he finally asked with a sigh.

 "As soon as you can get some time off," Al said.

*****

 Christmas Day was horrible for Al, and she thought it probably was for Hermione too. She hadn't expected to get anything, as most - if not all - of her presents were usually from her parents. However, she was pleasantly surprised when she sat down with the others around the Christmas tree.

 The Weasleys went first, and Al didn't receive anything from any of them except George, who got her a bottle of potion for her hair, although it was opened subtly, and away from the watchful eye of Mrs Weasley. Al and Hermione got each other the same book, which Vector had recommended in one of their last Arithmancy lessons. Harry had bought her a wand polishing kit and to her delight she got a bottle of firewhiskey from Remus and Sirius, when she hadn't expected anything. She grinned when she opened it and hugged each of them in turn; her gifts of elf-made wine seemed far more appropriate now. Mrs Weasley frowned when she saw it, probably because Al was underage, but Fred and George were delighted.

 As the holidays drew to a close, there was the usual scramble to get homework done, and Al ended up having to join the study group in the kitchen when she remembered the Potions essay she'd been putting off. She sat down opposite Ginny at the far end of the table to where the Weasel sat.

 Trying to focus, Al went through the properties of each of the ingredients in a Strengthening Solution. She was on her third foot of parchment, when Ginny, who had been tutting and scribbling angrily until then suddenly burst out with, "I don't know! I - do - not - know!"

 "What are you doing?" Al asked lightly.

 "Bloody trans-species switching spells," Ginny said, clearly tired of working.