The week before exams, Alex was doing her best to study for them and forget about whatever else was going on around her. She and Fred didn't so much as glance at each other, which was a very distinct difference from the rest of the year. But Alex did her best to not dwell on it.
She continued helping George study for his Potions exams because he actually wanted to do well on it and Alex was very knowledgeable when it came to that subject. However, it was during a late night session that George wanted to clear the air between him and her (and Fred indirectly.)
"Alex?" He said, causing her to look up from the textbook she had been quizzing him out of.
"Yes?"
"We're okay, right?" He asked genuinely. "I mean, I know my twin is being a prat but you and I are okay, right?"
Alex smiled and nodded. "Yes, we're okay, Georgie."
He smiled out of relief. "Good, and to be perfectly honest, Fred is really being a prat, but he can't seem to pull his head from his arse."
That caused Alex to snort and shake her head. "He's entitled to his feelings, however wrongfully guided they may be," she told him.
George laughed at her comment before looking at her again. "He didn't kiss her, ya know."
Alex furrowed her brow. "Who? Fred?"
He nodded. "The night of the quidditch final, he and that girl just danced but he stopped when you left the party," he told her.
The thought sent an exciting jolt through Alex, but she played it off with a shrug. "He can do whatever he pleases, George," Alex responded. "He doesn't have to justify anything, especially not to me."
"I know that," George stated. "But I just want to clear the air, that's all. Maybe you'd like to do the same?"
Alex looked up from the textbook. "How so?"
"The kiss with Cedric?" George asked, not maliciously, just more curious.
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "If you must know or if someone else wants to know, I kissed Cedric because he offered to tell me if he thought I was a bad kisser," she stated. "Not that I owe you or anyone else an explanation, but I thought because someone else left so abruptly that night that I was a bad kisser. Cedric only confirmed I wasn't."
Now it made sense to George, who nodded in understanding. "Well, I'm sure someone else will feel stupid when they realize that."
Alex nodded. "I'm sure they will," she agreed, the both of them falling silent for a few moments before George spoke up again.
"We're talking about Fred, right?"
☽
With next year being her fourth year, Alex knew it would be an important one because then she would be taking her O.W.L.s the following year. She wanted to do well on them since she still didn't have an idea as to what career she wanted to pursue.
While she was reassured by Cedric that she still had time, the thought was in the back of her mind constantly as to what she could pursue, career-wise, so it meant taking the proper subjects to have options. She had thought about pursuing being a dragon keeper, just like her mum had been, but the thought didn't appeal to her as much as when she was younger.
A few days before they were to start their exams, Alex sat in the common room, diligently studying with her friends when she looked over to see Harry and Ron looking over Hermione's exam schedule that was to be starting soon.
"Hermione?" Ron asked carefully since Hermione had been very jumpy and on the verge of another mental breakdown (at least, according to Alex.) "Er - are you sure you've copied down these times right?"
"What?" She asked quickly, looking over the exam schedule. "Yes, of course I have."
"Is there any point asking how you're going to do two exams at once?" Harry asked while Alex looked over the schedule to see that the boys had a point. Hermione was supposed to be taking two exams at the exact same time.
"No," Hermione snapped. "Have any of you seen my copy of Numerology and Grammatica?"
"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," Ron whispered, causing Alex to snort while she nudged him hard in the arm.
Turning back to her own textbook, Alex tried to absorb the words that were written but she was having trouble since she could feel someone watching her. She knew exactly who it was too, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of looking at him.
A rustle at the window brought the friends group's attention from their books to see Hedwig there with a note in her beak. Harry rushed over and grabbed the letter, immediately ripping it open to see Hagrid's writing.
"It's from Hagrid," he told them. "Buckbeak's appeal - it's set for the sixth."
"That's the day we finish our exams," Alex added, standing to look at the note over his shoulder.
"And they're coming up here to do it," Harry continued. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and -" Harry couldn't even believe what he was reading that Alex continued for him.
"And an executioner?!" She exclaimed, ripping the note from Harry's hands to make sure she was reading it correctly.
That caused Hermione to look up from her search for her textbook. "They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!"
"Yes, it does!" Harry added, somewhat distantly.
"They can't!" Ron exclaimed. "I've spent ages reading up on stuff for him; they can't ignore it all!"
Alex chucked the letter on the table before bidding her friends a good night to head to bed. Her mood had turned sour and she was ready to punch something, though she wasn't sure what good that would do her.
Collapsing on her bed, tears began to well up in her eyes and she desperately clung to her pillow. She felt terrible because she had worked so desperately hard to help Hagrid, but because Lucius Malfoy had so much as breathed in the committee's direction, there wasn't much hope.
She fell asleep, only to be plagued with nightmares of Buckbeak's eventual execution.
☽
Exams had begun and as if the taunt Alex, her first one was Transfiguration. She had been studying the previous night as much as she could with Cedric who simply deemed her ready. She had spotted him that morning at breakfast and he offered her a reassuring nod as they left to head for McGonagall's classroom.
After the exam was over, Alex felt somewhat more confident that she had been able to transfigure a teapot into a tortoise successfully. She had even noticed McGonagall give a small nod of approval before walking on to watch the next student attempt it. She certainly had a confidence boost after that.
The Charms exam was easier than Alex anticipated and she had been partnered with Hermione to perform the Cheering Charm on each other. They both did quite well with it, though Harry's charm against Ron had caused him to laugh for nearly an hour after and have to be placed somewhere quiet to calm down.
She felt very confident when it came to her Study of Ancient Runes exam, having to decipher several runes for it. She really did enjoy the subject and was the second to finish, the first being Hermione of course.
When it came time for their Care of Magical Creatures exam, it gave the four of them a chance to talk to Hagrid since they were only required to keep a flobberworm alive for the entire hour. Alex's flobberworm ended up dying because she had stuffed it too full of lettuce out of rage because she could see the Slytherins making fun of how upset Hagrid was. She may just been imagining her flobberworm to be Malfoy's face.
Alex finished her Potions exam first and was quite pleased with her Confusing Concoction, though she did spot Harry struggling. She wanted to whisper to him to add more scurvy grass, but it was an exam and she would get in so much trouble for it.
When Snape came around to see her potion, he didn't say anything, wrote something on his clipboard, and moved on to the next student. To her, that was a win because it meant he didn't have anything negative to say about her potion and he would not miss out on the opportunity to do so for any Gryffindor.
When it came time for their Defense Against the Dark Arts exam, Alex was nervous because she was sure that they would have to face a boggart. She didn't want to have a breakdown in front of Lupin again.
Alex made it through the entire course that Lupin had set up outside with ease. Then she climbed into the trunk to face the boggart. Holding her wand steady, Alex took a deep breath before the boggart began to shift in front of her and she was faced with her mother standing over Andre's body, yelling about how she didn't love her.
Tears began to well in her eyes, but Alex closed her eyes for a second to remind herself that it wasn't really her mum. She raised her wand and pointed it at the boggart and shouted, "Riddikulus!"
Where her angry mum had been standing, there now stood her mum dressed as a clown, bouncing around, which made Alex burst into laughter. Carefully, she climbed out of the trunk with the help of Lupin, who smiled down at her.
"That was amazing, Alex," he told her. "I know your mother would be proud of you."
"Thank you, professor," she responded before walking over to where Harry was waiting.
They both watched Ron and Hermione go through with ease. However, Ron managed to get confused by the hinkypunk and then Hermione had a complete freak out with the boggart. It was McGonagall telling her that she had failed everything. While Ron looked amused over it, Alex held Hermione in her arms comforting the distraught girl as they walked back up to the castle.
Cornelius Fudge stood there and Alex felt her blood run cold when she realized that she knew exactly why he was there. She was hoping they could slip past them, but he spotted both her and Harry.
"Hello there, Harry!" He called. "And hello to you as well, Alex. Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"
"Yes," Harry answered for the both of them, though Alex was doing her best to not glare at him.
"Lovely day," he spoke. "Pity... pity..." He then looked back at Harry. "I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff." Alex had to bite her lip to keep from making a comment about him sticking a mad hippogriff where the sun doesn't shine. "As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."
"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron asked curiously.
"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," Fudge responded.
"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" Ron added. "The hippogriff might get off!"
Alex nodded along to what Ron was saying but before she could add a comment, two wizards came out and Alex had to assume they were from the committee. However, her eyes were immediately drawn to the axe that one of them had in his belt, the sight of it turning her stomach over.
Gritting her teeth, Alex went to open her mouth, only for Harry to pull her back into the entrance hall as Hermione did the same to Ron. "Why'd you stop me?" Ron asked Hermione. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"
"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" Hermione argued as they sat down for lunch. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak..."
"Yes, well, I don't have any family working for him, so let me just go lay one into him!" Alex exclaimed, going to stand up, only for Harry to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her to sit back down as she fought against him. "Harry Potter, you let me go right now or you won't be the boy who lived for much longer!"
"Arguing - won't - help - Hagrid's - case!" Harry exclaimed as he had to wrap both arms around her now to keep her from getting away.
Finally, Alex slumped back into his chest.
"Fine," she grumbled angrily before turning to eat some lunch before her Muggle Studies exam.
After finishing, Alex and Hermione left Harry and Ron to take their Divination exam. The entire time, Alex did her best to focus but she kept glancing at her watch, knowing that Hagrid's appeal was happening. As soon as she was finished, she and Hermione rushed back to Gryffindor Tower, running into Ron on the way back.
"How was your Divination exam?" Alex asked. "Did your Inner Eye speak to you?" She spoke that last part in the same misty voice Trelawney used.
Ron and Hermione laughed as they all entered the common room to wait for Harry before seeing Hedwig at the window with another note. Hermione ran over, took it immediately from her, and looked down at it. A small squeak left her lips before Alex took it as well and read it:
'Lost the appeal.
They're going to execute at sunset.
Nothing you can do. Don't come down.
I don't want you to see it.
Hagrid.'
"No!" Alex cried before Ron took it now as the two girls wrapped their arms around each other and began crying.
"They've got to be bloody joking!" Ron exclaimed as they sat down in the corner to wait for Harry to come back.
He came in a few minutes later, panting as he tried to tell them something Professor Trelawney had said to him. However, he stopped when he saw all their faces, as well as the fact that Alex was still crying.
"Buckbeak lost," Ron told him as he handed him the note. "Hagrid's just sent this."
Harry took it and read it quickly. "We've got to go!" Harry told them. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"
"Sunset, though," Ron added, completely out of it. "We'd never be allowed... 'specially you and Alex, Harry..."
Harry sank down next to Alex, who wiped her cheeks every once in awhile as she stared out the window. "If only we had the Invisibility Cloak," Harry told them.
"Where is it?" Hermione asked.
"It's in the passageway under the one-eyed witch statue," Harry told her. "If Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble."
"That's true," Hermione told them as she stood up. "If he sees you... How do you open the witch's hump again?"
"You-You tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" Harry told her. "But -"
Before any of them could respond, Hermione quickly left out of the portrait, leaving the three of them to stare in wonder.
"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron asked.
"I think she has," Alex told him. "Hermione Granger is turning into a complete badass."
About a half hour later, Hermione returned with the cloak under her arm. The three of them stood up and gaped as she walked over to where they stood.
"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" Ron exclaimed. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney - "
Alex nudged Harry slightly. "Is it me or is Ron drooling?"
☽
They went down and ate dinner with everyone else, but while the rest of the Gryffindor went back to the tower, they slipped into an empty chamber. Alex peaked her head out, making sure it was completely deserted before nodding at the others.
"Okay, no one there - Cloak on -" she told them.
It was a tight fit, but because of how short Alex was, she managed to squeeze under Ron's arm, which gave them more space under the cloak. Though she regretted it when she got a small whiff of Ron's body odor. Carefully, they made their way down to Hagrid's hut. When they reached it, Harry knocked and it took a minute before Hagrid opened the door.
"It's us!" Harry told him. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off!"
"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid spoke quietly but stood aside to let them in. As soon as Hagrid closed the door, Harry pulled the cloak off and Alex flung herself from under Ron's arm.
"Ron Weasley, I mean this in the politest way that I can," Alex gasped out, breathing the free air. "Please start using some sort of deodorant! Ugh!" Ron only rolled his eyes, but slyly smelt where Alex had been standing as soon as everyone had turned away.
Hagrid looked completely defeated, which hurt more than if he was crying or flinging himself at them. Alex would've preferred that then the broken man before them.
"Wan' some tea?" He asked, moving to get them all cups.
"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione asked carefully.
"I - I took him outside," Hagrid told them. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' - an' smell fresh air - before -"
The milk jug he was holding fell to the floor and shattered as tears welled up in Alex's eyes. She immediately rushed forward to help Hagrid sit down and rubbed his arm to comfort him.
"I'll do it, Hagrid," Hermione told him as she cleaned up the mess.
"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Dumbledore-"
"He tried," Hagrid told them.
Alex stood and walked over to help Hermione with the tea as tears began to slide down her cheeks. Hagrid continued to ramble on about the great man Dumbledore was and how he was coming down to be with him when it happened.
"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," Hermione told him tearfully.
Hagrid immediately shook his head. "Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh two shouldn' be out without permission, Harry and Alex, yeh'll be in big trouble."
Alex sniffled and hastily wiped her tears as she poured the tea while Hermione went to grab the milk, hiding her own tears. However, before Hermione began pouring the milk, she screamed, causing Alex to scream as well as she hadn't been expecting it.
"Ron! I - I don't believe it!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's Scabbers!"
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked, looking at Hermione like she'd grown an extra head.
Hermione showed him the milk jug and turned it upside down. As if on cue, the rat fell out, despite trying to scramble back into the jug. Alex gasped as he plopped down onto the table.
"Scabbers!" Ron exclaimed. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"
He immediately grabbed the rat, holding him up to the light. Alex cringed as she looked at the rat; he had definitely seen better days and today was not one of them. He tried to wriggle his way out of Ron's hand.
"It's okay, Scabbers!" Ron told him. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"
Hagrid spotted something outside and walked over to the window, a small gasp leaving him. "They're comin'..."
The four friends looked over to see Hagrid was right. The group of men were walking down the steps. Dumbledore with Cornelius Fudge, the committee member, and the executioner.
"Yeh gotta go," Hagrid told them quickly. "They mustn' find yeh here... Go now..."
They all immediately scrambled around to gather their things as they made their way to the back door.
"I'll let yeh out the back way," Hagrid told them.
They walked out into the garden and Alex spotted Buckbeak just a few yards away, her heart aching as he began to act nervous, sensing something wrong. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as Hagrid attempted to calm the hippogriff down and she shook her head. The four friends began to protest about leaving, still trying to offer support.
"Go!" Hagrid finally snapped. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"
Hermione threw the Cloak over the four of them and they could hear the voices from the front of the cabin. Alex desperately wiped the tears as they began to walk away.
"Go quick," Hagrid told them, though his throat sounded tight. "Don' listen..."
"I'm so sorry, Hagrid!" Alex called before they began to rush back up to the castle.
"Please, let's hurry," Hermione told them. "I can't stand this, I can't bear it..."
They began up the slope towards the castle, but from where she stood beside Ron, Alex could feel Scabbers wriggling and squealing madly in his pocket. He stopped in his tracks.
"Ron, control your rat!" Alex exclaimed as quietly as she could.
"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione said, sounding defeated.
"It's Scabbers - he won't - stay put -" Ron told them.
"Want me to immobilize him?" Alex offered as Ron worked to keep him in his pocket.
"No!" Ron stated firmly. "Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron."
The sound from Hagrid's hut could be heard and Alex closed her eyes, knowing what was about to happen.
"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione spoke breathlessly.
"Okay - Scabbers, stay put-"
They began to walk forward again quickly, but Ron stopped again, causing Alex to groan and pull her wand out from her sleeve. "That's it, I'm immobilizing the rat!" She snapped quietly.
"No, don't!" Rom cried quietly. "I can't hold him - Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us -"
Alex could hear the sound of the male voices from Hagrid's garden and then the unmistakable sound of an axe swish and thud.
"No!" Alex whispered tearfully.
"They did it!" Hermione cried to Harry. "I d-don't believe it - they did it!"
☽
I am almost done writing this book... what the heck??? Then we're onto the Goblet of Fire and that one will be a doozy haha
Don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT!
Love you guys!
-Squid☽