"Why did you hire Pedro?" Alex asked her headmaster, sitting in a chair opposite him.
"He was one of the only qualified teachers willing to take the job." She rolled her eyes.
"Nothing to do with the fact that he's my cousin?" Dumbledore merely smiled. "How long were you aware he existed?"
"I taught his grandfather, and after your grandmother got close to Voldemort... I decided to keep an eye on the family."
"Would you have ever told me?"
"Wouldn't you mind if I told Professor Sanchez about your link to him?"
"I suppose you've a point. Do you trust him?"
"He's on our side." Dumbledore answered, without really answering her question.
"How sure are you?"
"Veritaserum sure."
"Oh." She had no reply to that. "Is your hand okay, Professor?" His skin looked as though it were dying.
"Ah, yes. Not to worry." He said.
"So, are you ever going to tell me why you punched Harry?" Hermione asked Alex.
"Ask him." She shrugged.
"He won't say anything." Hermione said.
"Then neither will I."
"Fine. Are you going to tell Pedro you're his cousin?"
"I haven't even told all my siblings I'm not related to them."
"Don't most of them know now, except Ginny and Charlie?"
"And Percy."
"Doesn't count, because you're not planning on telling him."
"Yeah, well I'm not telling Pedro either."
"Why not?"
"Subject change." Alex demanded.
"Fine, but bookmark it for Shay."
Alex did exactly that. Her next session with Shay was the next day.
"I have a cousin." She said. "Second cousin, but whatever. And it's stupid but Hermione says to talk to you about it because I don't want to tell him we're related."
"Right. Is this from your mother's side or your father's?"
"My mother's. Her mum's brother was his grandfather."
"And you don't want to tell him, why?"
"Because he may be biologically my cousin but that doesn't make up family. Plus, he's going to get himself killed and it's bad enough I have an uncle who's probably going to get himself killed too. Possibly by the end of the year."
"Uncle?"
"Snape. His brother's my biological father."
"Professor Snape has a brother?" She asked.
"They're not really close, I guess. But yeah. He has a brother who happens to be my biological dad but he doesn't know I exist. I met him once, it was awkward. Anyways, so Snape's teaching defence this year which is dumb because the position's cursed and he'll probably end up dead and Pedro pretty much moved to England because he wants to fight Voldemort and he'll end up dead and most of my friends are light and Susan's aunt was killed in the summer so they're all in danger and I'm pretty sure Draco actually has the dark mark now and I'm worried about him and it's all complicated and dangerous because I know he doesn't actually want to be evil but I know he's under a lot of pressure but I don't want to stop being his friend and everything's super complicated." She ranted and then sighed. "Wow. Didn't expect all that."
"Neither did I." Shay smiled kindly. "About Pedro. Why do you think he'll get himself killed?"
"Because he hates Voldemort. He wants to avenge his family and his family honour, and he has no one left so he has no one to live for."
"He has you."
"I don't count."
"You've suffered a huge loss. I wonder if this- if you being afraid of making connections is maybe because of your grief over Cedric."
"Maybe. I don't want to lose anyone else."
"Because what happened to Cedric was so unexpected." Shay said. Alex nodded. "You can't spend all your time anticipating losses and trying to avoid making connections that would make it hurt to lose them."
"Why not?"
"If you spend all your time afraid, you'll be living a half life."
"I hate when you get all therapist-y and logical." Shay smiled.
"Okay, I'm not going to tell you to tell him, but I will ask you consider it. And consider it from his view too. If you had a relative out there, wouldn't you want to know?" Alex pulled a face.
Potions no longer held the same shine it once did. Okay, that was a lie, she loved potions and she always would. But things were different without her uncle teaching.
Alex took a spot next to Megan and Hermione right before Slughorn started speaking.
"Now then, now then, now then," He tried to settle the room. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making..."
"Sir?" Harry raised his hand.
"Harry, m'boy?"
"I haven't got a book or scales or anything, nor's Ron. We didn't realize we'd be able to do the N.E.W.T., you see-"
"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention. Not to worry, my dear boy, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts." He headed to the store cupboard and looked for some books before handing it out to Harry and Ron. "Now then, I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"
Alex and Hermione's hands both shot up into the air and Alex looked at her friend, reminiscent of all the times they'd done the same trick across the years. Hermione looked back at her, clearly thinking of the same.
Slughorn pointed at Hermione. "It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion thar forces the drinker to tell the truth."
"Very good," he praised. "Very good." He moved over to another cauldron. "This one here is pretty well known. Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too. Who can-?"
Once again both Alex and Hermione had their hands in the air. He pointed at Alex. "lt's Polyjuice Potion, sir. It changes the shape of the drinker into their target. Human transformations only, though, as human to animal transformations can result in some very serious consequences." This bit, she looked over at Hermione who blushed.
"Excellent, excellent. And this one here-?" The girls didn't even let him finish before their hands were in the air. He nodded at Hermione.
"It's Amortentia!"
"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask, but I assume you know what it does?"
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" Alex said.
"Quite right. And how do you recognise it."
"It has a very distinctive mother of pearl sheen," Hermione started.
"And the way the steam rises in characteristic swirls." Alex finished.
"It's supposed to smell differently to each of us according to what attracts us. For example I can smell-" she leaned forward for a second. "I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and..." she paused and didn't go on. Alex leaned over to whisper.
"My brother?" Hermione elbowed her a little harshly and she grinned.
"May I ask your name, my dear?" Slughorn asked the Gryffindor, ignoring Hermione's embarrassment.
"Hermione Granger, sir."
"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"
"No. I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."
"Oho! 'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!' I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?" Hermione looked flushed at the praise and turned to look at Harry.
"Yes, sir," Harry didn't even seem embarrassed.
"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor and Hufflepuff each, Misses Granger and Weasley," Slughorn said cheerfully. Alex poked her friend.
"Well I'm not-"
"Shh shh." Alex shushed her. "Well earned points."
"Did you really tell him I'm the best in the year?" Hermione turned to face the boys and Harry nodded. "Oh, Harry!"
"Well, what's so impressive about that?" Ron whispered, who looked annoyed, and a little jealous. "You are the best in the year. I'd've told him so if he'd asked me!"
"Oh, you. Besides, Alex is-"
"A year older and should be in her seventh year, and only in your year some of the time." Alex finished. "He's right, you're the best."
A/N- I miss Hermione and Alex in classes together 🥺
Anyways, favourite line "If you spend all your time afraid, you'll be living a half life."