After her conversation with Fred, Alex went back to the common room, forgoing the rest of her classes that day, understandably so. When Hermione came in later after lessons had ended, she made a beeline for where Alex sat in the common room, working on an essay for Herbology.

"Where'd you go?" She asked, setting her things down to begin homework.

"I didn't want to be gawked at for the entire day," Alex responded, not looking up from her essay.

Hermione furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

Alex finally set her essay down and looked at Hermione. "You haven't heard?" She questioned, which made Hermione shake her head. "Harry practically announced to the entire castle who my father is."

As if on cue, more students began to pour into the common room, everyone whispering in hushed voices when they saw Alex. Even Harry and Ron had walked in but they both avoided eye contact with the two girls. It made Alex roll her eyes before going back to her essay.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Alex," Hermione told her as she continued pulling out her textbooks.

"It's fine," Alex shrugged before looking at the time. "I've got to head to the pitch for practice, assuming I'm not kicked off the team."

"But Wood can't kick you off just because of who your father is!" Hermione exclaimed. "You can't help it."

Alex only shrugged before running her bag up to her dorm room and exiting the common room to find Fred and George heading in the same direction that she was heading. They slowed their pace when they saw her following after them.

"Everyone, beware!" George announced as they walked down the corridors. "Sirius Black's child coming through!"

"Yes, make way!" Fred added, causing Alex to crack a smile.

It made her smile to know that they weren't treating her any differently just because of who her father was. In fact, their actions reminded her of when Harry was being accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets the previous year and they made announcements like that for him. While it should've annoyed her, she was grateful that it was their way of showing she was still their friend.

Eventually, they made it down to the pitch where everyone was heading into the locker rooms to change. Harry looked up to see Alex approaching and laughing with the twins, but when they made eye contact, she looked away, still angry with him for what he had done earlier that day.

"Alex!" Wood called from where he was already in his quidditch robes.

She abandoned the twin's side and ran over to where he stood. "Yes?"

"Your dad is Sirius Black?"

She didn't know how many times she could roll her eyes in one day before they were permanently stuck, but she did it again before looking at Wood. "Yes, he's my father but that isn't going to change the way I play quidditch and if you don't have an issue with it, seeing as I've never given you a reason to question my ability, I will be going to change now."

Without waiting for his response, she walked into the changing rooms where Angelina and Alicia were just finishing getting out of their uniforms. Alex followed suit silently before Angelina walked over and she was suddenly worried.

"Want me to braid your hair?" Angelina offered with a smile.

A sigh of relief left Alex and she nodded, sitting down on the bench so Angelina could have better access to it. Silently, Angelina parted Alex's hair before braiding one side back while Alicia came and sat by them.

"So it's true?" Alicia asked looking at the younger girl.

Alex's gaze dropped slightly before she nodded. "Yeah, it's true."

She felt Angelina's fingers slip slightly before resuming braiding her hair. "Have you always known?" She asked.

"Yeah," Alex told them. "Believe me when I say I wish he wasn't my dad."

Angelina finished braiding, allowing Alex to stand up and for the older girl to wrap her arms around her in a much needed hug. "We can't control that, but it doesn't make any difference in you as a person."

"Thanks, Ange," Alex told her as they grabbed their broomsticks and made their way out of the changing rooms.

Harry watched her laughing with the other two Chasers before they began practice. The entire time, both Alex and Harry were using borrowed broomsticks, which neither of them were fond of. Every time Alex tried to catch the Quaffle when it was passed to her, the broom jerked and she nearly dropped it, which frustrated her.

"This damn broom is going to be the death of me," she grumbled as the twins came to fly up beside her.

"You should've just kept the Firebolt and said you bought it yourself," Fred teased.

Alex shook her head. "And face the wrath of Severus Snape thinking I had spent that much on a broomstick? No, thanks! I choose life!"

☽

As they climbed the stairs to head back to the common room after practice, Alex heard her name being yelled at and looked to see Severus walking toward her. Immediately, her stomach flopped as she stopped and waited for him to approach.

"You have a Firebolt?!"

Alex scratched her neck. "Well, technically not in my possession anymore-"

"Do not be smart with me, Alexandria!" He hissed, causing her to flinch at his tone. "It was incredibly foolish to keep it in your possession for as long as you did!"

"It's not like I went and took it for a joy ride every other day!" She responded with annoyance. "And I knew you'd react this way, which is why I kept it a secret!"

"Of course I'd react this way because it was your mother who left you in my care to ensure your safety!" He snapped. "And by you not telling me or any teacher about your anonymous gift, you are basically saying that her sacrifice was all for nothing!"

"But I didn't even ride it and I did turn it in!" She yelled back, not caring who was watching her outburst. "Now, if you'll excuse me-"

Before she could walk away, Severus grabbed her roughly by the arm, causing her to gasp as she looked up at him. "Don't you dare talk to me in that tone again," he seethed, causing her eyes to fill with tears. "You will treat me with better respect and learn to not yell at your guardian."

She didn't know why but she shoved him roughly, sick of him talking down on her. "Respect is earned, professor."

She then turned on her heel and ran for Gryffindor Tower. Tears went down her cheeks as she entered, ignoring everyone's whispers about her as she passed. When she made it into her dorm, she immediately went into the showers and sobbed, hoping the sound was masked by the water.

☽

The next few weeks, after hearing how Slytherin had beat Ravenclaw narrowly, Wood moved practices to five days a week. It basically forced Harry and Alex to see each other, though they both had yet to say anything to each other.

Hermione and Alex continued to work diligently on Hagrid's case for Buckbeak when they weren't swamped with homework. While Alex had a normal amount of homework, Hermione seemed to have triple what she had. It wasn't until one night that they were swamped working on homework when Alex looked up at Hermione.

"How are you doing it, 'Mione?" Alex asked, setting her potions essay down.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, not looking up from her Arithmancy homework.

"You're taking practically triple the subjects every other third year is taking and I don't know how you're doing it," Alex pointed out. "I'm just worried you're burning yourself out."

"Don't worry about me," Hermione snapped before returning to her homework.

Alex shook her head before returning to her own homework. However, she looked up when Wood walked into the common room, looking defeated as he gestured for her to come over to where Harry and Ron were sitting on the other side of the common room.

"Bad news, guys," Wood began as soon as Alex had made it over, though Harry and Alex still didn't acknowledge each other. "I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about your Firebolts. She - er - got a bit shirty with me. Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I care more about winning the Cup thank I do about you two staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if they threw you off, as long as Harry caught the Snitch first or Alex scored the winning goal."

"Yeah, why would she question your priorities about us staying alive as long as we win?" Alex mumbled under her breath, but Harry had heard it and snorted, which made her smile.

Wood seemed to ignore her comment and continued talking, "Honestly, the way she was yelling at me... you'd think I'd said something terrible." Alex rolled her eyes slightly at that comment, but kept her mouth shut. "Then I asked how much longer she was going to keep them... 'As long as necessary, Wood,'" he spoke imitating McGonagall's voice. "I reckon it's time you both ordered a new broom. There's an order form at the back of Which Broomstick... you could get Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones, like Malfoy's got."

Alex scoffed. "Like we'd buy anything that was Malfoy approved," she spat before walking back over to where her homework sat.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "I'm not buying anything Malfoy thinks is good."

Upon hearing him say that, Alex looked over her shoulder to see him looking at her already, the both of them wanting to talk but neither knowing where to start.  Harry was still cross about her not telling him that Sirius was her dad but she was still cross that he had basically announced it to everybody, which led to people whispering about her when she was nearby.

It didn't bother her that much because she still had friends like those on the quidditch team, as well as Hermione. Even Cedric had come up to her and offered his support, telling her that it didn't change who she was. That definitely lifted her spirits.

☽

One morning just a few weeks later, Alex was sat at breakfast with Hermione, both of them working on separate homework before the start of lessons that day. She was mindlessly munching on a piece of toast when the post came in.

A few letters dropped into her lap, along with a copy of the Daily Prophet. After paying the owl for the copy, she opened it up to see a statement from Cornelius Fudge, regarding the search for Sirius Black.

Suddenly, she let out a sharp gasp when she read how the dementors had been given permission to perform the Dementor's Kiss on Black if they found him. But her mind went back to what Fudge had said about her mother being spotted with him, would she succumb to the Dementor's Kiss as well?

Tears welled in her eyes, which caused Hermione to look up. "Alex?" She asked, but Alex didn't answer. She just grabbed her bag and ran from the Great Hall.

She immediately ran for Professor Dumbledore's office, saying the password before running up the steps. Her heart pounded out of her chest as she rushed up and knocked on his door. A few seconds later, the door opened and she heard a soft, "Come in."

"Professor!" Alex exclaimed as soon as she entered. "Have you read this morning's Daily Prophet article?" As if on cue, he lifted the paper up for her to see and she felt the tears sliding down her cheeks. "What about my mother? You heard what the minister said, she was spotted with him!" She spoke breathlessly. "Will they perform the Dementor's Kiss on her?"

"I do not know, dear Alex," he spoke as he stood to walk around the table. "But from my own experience with dementors, they do have a hard time distinguishing who they are after and who gets in their way."

Alex covered her mouth in shock. If her mum was under the Imperius Curse, whose to say Sirius Black wouldn't sacrifice her to save his own arse? The thought made her blood run cold.

"I don't want to lose my mother, professor," she whispered.

"I know that," Dumbledore told her softly. "But we do not know where they are, so there is no way of making sure she is safe."

Alex closed her eyes tightly as Dumbledore placed his hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing I can do but sit back and wait for something to happen, right?"

"I'm afraid so," he told her.

☽

Alex had no idea how, but she endured all her lessons that day and managed to make it through without crying, but she couldn't stop thinking of her mum. Severus had told her what happens to someone who receives the Dementor's Kiss and she didn't want that fate falling onto her mother.

She sat with Hermione in the common room, mindlessly playing with the charm bracelet she had received for Christmas as she watched the small replica dragon fly around her head.  She was attempting to write an essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she found the dragon, which she had named Herbert, more entertaining. Every now and then, Hermione looked up to see Alex paying more attention to Herbert than the assignment and snapped her fingers to bring her focus back.

"Sorry," Alex mumbled for the sixth time after Hermione snapped her fingers in her face.

Just then, the common room door opened and McGonagall walked in, holding the two Firebolts. Everyone's conversations ceased as she walked over to where Alex sat, her eyes wide.  Herbert immediately landed on her should as McGonagall made her way over.

"Well, Miss Selwyn, we have checked it for every kind of hex, jinx, and curse, but we didn't find any," Professor McGonagall told her. "So I think it's safe to say you will be needing this for Saturday's match."

"Wait, seriously?!" She exclaimed, standing to grab the broom the professor had outstretched for her.

"Yes, I'm serious," McGonagall told her.  "Now, make Gryffindor proud!"

With that, the professor gave a glance around the room for Harry before walking out to find him and return his broom.  Alex let out an excited squeal before turning to Hermione, who gave a small smile.

"It's great that you've got it back now," she told her.

"Thanks, 'Mione," she responded, admiring the broom.  "Do you think it's too late to go take it for a spin around the quidditch pitch?"

"Alex!" Hermione scolded as several members of the quidditch team walked over.

"It's even more amazing in person!" Wood commented as Alex held it in her hands, the smile on her face not leaving anytime soon.

"Does anyone want to hold it?" She asked slowly. 

Immediately, every single member of the quidditch team raised their hands, causing her to laugh.  Slowly, every team member and a few other Gryffindors held it in their hands, admiring the smooth wood and all the details that came with it.

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to go take it for a spin on the pitch right now," she mumbled as she continued to admire the broom.

Just then, the portrait door opened, and in walked Harry and Ron with Harry's broom.  The smile on his face was as wide as hers as the students who weren't admiring Alex's broom had rushed over to look at Harry's.  The two of them made eye contact from across the room, smiling at each other as they held their brooms.

Eventually, after almost everyone had admired the broom in some way, she ran back up the stairs to put it under her bed, as well as putting Herbert back in his spot on her pillow, smiling happily.  Just before exiting the room, Crookshanks hopped up onto Hermione's bed and she smiled as she stroked the orange cat lovingly.

"Things are beginning to look up, aren't they, Crookshanks?" She asked with a smile. The cat merely stretched in response.

She then ran back down the stairs where Ron and Harry were standing right by Hermione and her stomach flopped when she and Harry made eye contact.  Carefully, he handed the broomstick to Ron before walking over to where Alex stood and her stomach tightened.

"Can we talk?" He asked.

Gulping, Alex nodded before they walked to a quiet corner where hopefully no one would be able to hear their conversations.  Both Ron and Hermione watched from a distance as both Alex and Harry sat in a couple of chairs but remained silent, unsure how to start the conversation.

"I'm sorry-"

"I just-"

They both laughed when they spoke at the same time but Harry gestured for her to go first.  She sighed before gently grabbing his hand.  "Harry, I know that it's no excuse that I didn't tell you he was my dad when I had plenty of opportunities to," she began, "but seeing you in pain anytime your parents were brought up these past few years, I couldn't bear the thought of me causing you more pain by telling you that it was my dad's fault.  But even I didn't know the full story until that day in the Three Broomsticks."

Harry remained silent, so she continued.  "I never knew him," she told him.  "He was in Azkaban by the time I was three and I swear to you that I never would do anything to put you in harm's way so he could get to you.  In fact, I'm so scared Harry because my mother was spotted with him."

At those words, Harry's eyes widened.  "Your mum is still alive?"

Alex nodded, tears welling in her eyes.  "Fudge told me before the holidays and I don't know how and she hasn't made much attempt to contact me except for one letter over the summer, but yes, she's still alive," she told him.  "And now that the dementors have been given the order to perform the Dementor's Kiss if they find him, there's a chance she could succumb to it too and I don't want that to happen."

Covering her face, she began to softly cry, which made Harry stand up and pull her into a hug quickly.  While she froze at first, the shock subsided and she wrapped her arms around him, smiling at the fact that she had her best friend back. Or, at least, she hoped she did.

"I don't know what I can say to make you feel better but I'm here for you," he told her, pulling away.

Sniffling, she smiled gratefully.  "I really am sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she told him.  "Can you ever forgive me?"

Harry sighed but nodded.  "Of course I can," he reassured.  "It was actually Professor Lupin, who not only talked to me about the situation but helped me to see just how much of an impact you have had in my life."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, I've been learning the Patronus Charm in case the dementors come around for our next quidditch match and for it to work, you have to think of a very powerful and happy memory," he told her.  "But all of my happy memories included you."

She smiled before wrapping her arms around him again.  "I'll make up for not telling you the truth, I promise," she told him before they walked back over to where Ron and Hermione were pretending they weren't watching the interaction the whole time.

"So you guys are okay?" Ron asked with a hopeful smile.

Alex and Harry smiled at each other.  "Yeah, we're okay now," Harry confirmed.  "Now, I'd better take my Firebolt upstairs-"

"I'll take it!" Ron exclaimed way too enthusiastically.  "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

"Can we sit down, then?" Harry asked.

"I suppose so," Hermione told them, moving a giant stack of parchment off a chair while Alex sat in the one she had been earlier.  She grabbed her DADA essay and began to work on it again as Harry looked over all the pieces of parchment that Hermione had surrounding her.

"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Oh, well - you know - working hard," Hermione replied, keeping her focus on the parchment in front of her.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" He asked

"I couldn't do that!" Hermione gasped, causing Alex to shake her head with a smile.

"Don't bother, Harry, I've been trying to talk her down for weeks," Alex whispered to him with a smile.

"Arithmancy looks terrible," Harry told her as he looked over the number chart that Hermione had laid out.

"Oh no, it's wonderful!" Hermione told him.  "It's my favorite subject!  It's -"

But suddenly, a strangled yell carried down from the boy's dormitories that caused everyone in the common room to fall silent.  Alex immediately stood and drew out her wand, ready for whatever was about to come down the steps as the sound grew louder.  However, it was only Ron and he was dragging his bedsheet with him.

"LOOK!" He screamed as he rushed over to where Hermione was sitting.  "LOOK!" He repeated, causing Alex and Harry to share a glance as he shook the sheet in Hermione's face.

"Ron, what - ?" Hermione tried to say but she couldn't finish because Ron had begun to scream again.

"SCABBERS!  LOOK!  SCABBERS!"

Alex took the sheet from Ron and saw what he was referring to.  There was a bit of blood covering his sheet.  She let out a gasp of shock as she stared at the fairly fresh blood before looking at Ron, who still looked upset.

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled.  "HE'S GONE!  AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N-No," Hermione mumbled as if she knew what the answer was already.

Ron then threw down some familiar orange hair that Alex recognized as belonging to Crookshanks and covered her mouth in shock.  Hermione looked defeated over the discovery, but then Alex remembered something.

"Wait, Ron," Alex began, "Crookshanks couldn't have done this!  I just saw him up in our dorm only a few minutes ago and I made sure to close the door behind me.  This blood is fairly fresh and Crookshanks wasn't covered in blood."

"STOP TRYING TO DEFEND HER!" Ron yelled at Alex.

"But Ron-"

"HER CAT KILLED SCABBERS!"

☽

Sorry this took so long to post.. I've been cleaning all weekend because our place was a mess and I'm pulling out our winter clothing... ah, motherhood lol

Enjoy the chapter!

Do you guys like this story?? If you do, please comment!

Love you guys!

-Squid☽