Login
MuggleNet Fan Fiction
Harry Potter stories written by fans!

Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above by Inverarity

[ - ]   Printer Chapter or Story Table of Contents

- Text Size +

Bamboo Wands

–They sterilized her?” Alexandra was trying to come to grips with what she felt. A complicated mix of rage and guilt. She still couldn't quite forgive her erstwhile mother for all her lies, but Claudia had suffered so many terrible wrongs, it was becoming harder to stay angry at her.

Alexandra had wondered occasionally, before she found out about her father, why she didn't have any siblings. She had never asked Claudia or Archie, because as a child, she wasn't sure she wanted a baby brother or sister.

–I haven't been able to find out much about the Barrenness Curse, other than what it does, obviously,” Anna said. –It's not described in any books here in the library.”

Alexandra tried to imagine being taken by strangers and cursed to never have children. She had never thought much about the idea before; it was so hypothetical and far-away, certainly not something she was interested in for the foreseeable future. But she would definitely be furious if someone else decided that for her.

How had Claudia felt about it? Had she understood what was being done to her? Did they explain it to her? Did it hurt?

–Why?” Alexandra asked. She clenched her fists as Anna and David watched her, with very serious expressions.

–We don't know,” Anna said. –It was almost never done by that time, at least not by the Census Office. Though there are rumors that pureblood families still did it sometimes to their own Squib children.”

–Bet they still do,” David said with disgust.

Anna looked at him uneasily. –Some families protected their Squibs, though. My father says, back in China sometimes there were wizards who had what's called a bamboo wand.”

–A bamboo wand?” Alexandra was sure she'd heard that term before. Yes - Larry had said something about a family member with a bamboo wand last year.

–They didn't literally have bamboo wands, of course. You can't make a wand from bamboo. They'd carry a real wand. But everyone would just pretend not to notice that whenever there was magic to be done, someone else would do it. Anyway, some families here in the Confederation have been known to do that, too, and American wizards even borrowed the euphemism.” Anna shrugged. –But only a powerful and influential family could get away with hiding someone with a bamboo wand. Not all of them would do that.”

–So the families who are influential enough, and willing, let their Squibs live with them in the wizarding world,” Alexandra said slowly. –And the rest kick them out after sterilizing them.”

–Not anymore,” Anna said.

–Supposedly,” David said. Anna didn't argue.

Alexandra looked at the illicitly-obtained report again. –What was Claudia doing in Roanoke?”

The question puzzled her friends.

–Claudia grew up in Chicago,” Alexandra said. –Elias Hucksteen wasn't the Governor-General back then. He was just Governor of Roanoke. How could he have a Squib in Central Territory given the Barrenness Curse?” But the scroll in front of her clearly reported that Claudia Quick had been taken into custody in New Roanoke. Alexandra did some quick arithmetic in her head. –This was while he was still in the Wizards' Congress, and around the time he married Ms. King. Maximilian and Julia weren't born yet -”

–Maybe Claudia was visiting her father?” David suggested.

–Maybe she was going to live with him,” Anna said.

–Would Ms. King have been cool with that?” David asked.

Of course she would, Alexandra thought. Ms. King had all but adopted Alexandra - surely she would have been no less solicitous to her then-husband's eldest daughter. Even if she was a Squib. Ms. King let Myrtle Applegate live on their estate, after all.

–Why did you look all this up?” Alexandra asked finally.

–I found hints about this kind of thing while I was researching my Citizenship Project,” David said. –Then when you told us about your mom - I mean, your sister - I just wondered. If you're angry about us getting up in your business, then blame me. I talked Anna into checking into it further.”

–Forging my father's seal to send a formal information request was my idea,” Anna said. –David didn't make me do anything.”

Alexandra shook her head. –I'm not angry. I just wish you would have told me what you were up to all this time.”

–We didn't want to put ideas in your head and then find out we were being paranoid,” David said.

–We were afraid -” Anna stopped.

–That I'd go off and do something reckless and irresponsible?” Alexandra said.

Their silence was answer enough. Alexandra sighed. –I don't know what to do with this. I still don't know what to say to Claudia. But obviously this is just another thing my father didn't think I needed to know.” At least now she knew why her father's animosity for Governor-General Hucksteen was so very, very personal. But why had Hucksteen gone out of his way to have Abraham Thorn's daughter given the Barrenness Curse?

–I'm sorry, Alex,” Anna said.

–Don't be.” Alexandra stood up and put a hand on Anna's shoulder. –Thank you for finding this out, even if I'm not sure what to do about it. But don't take a risk like that again, Anna. I told your father I'd keep you out of trouble. If he's gonna Ava-you-know-what anyone, it will be me.”

Anna put a hand on Alexandra's. –I don't think so.”

–Next time you want to get up in my business, just tell me about it first,” Alexandra said.

David nodded.

–I totally thought you two were becoming a couple,” Alexandra said.

Anna jerked her hand away. –Eww.”

David's forehead wrinkled. –Eww?”

–Not eww, you,” Anna said. –I just mean -”

–You like Dylan better,” Alexandra teased.

–Eww!” Anna made a horrible face.

–One other thing,” Alexandra said. –David, if you want to learn to duel, we start this week.”

–We?” David asked.

–Whoever else I can get to join us.”

–Don't look at me,” Anna said.

Alexandra patted her shoulder. –I won't let anyone try to duel you.”

Starting an underground dueling club was a risky undertaking, especially for someone on probation. Most kids who wanted to duel could join the official club with Ms. Shirtliffe. Alexandra only knew of one person who was good enough for her to duel and possibly willing. The problem was, she didn't consider him at all trustworthy. Still, she didn't have many options. She went looking for Torvald one sunny winter afternoon.

Since the Winter Ball, Sonja had been attached to Stuart's side whenever they weren't in class. Her friends were tired of hearing about the two of them. Alexandra doubted that Stuart was as lovestruck as Sonja. In fact, at times he seemed embarrassed by the attention Sonja lavished on him. But thanks to Sonja's chatter morning, noon, and night, Alexandra had constant updates of Stuart Cortlandt's whereabouts, and since Stuart and Torvald were best friends, she knew the two of them had plans for an afternoon out-of-doors. It was a non-Dueling Club day, and they had had their first heavy snowfall of the year two days earlier, creating a thick white blanket of snow all around the academy. Most of the sixth graders surged outside as soon as sixth period was over, along with quite a few older students.

Anyone walking across the snow-covered lawns had to be alert for snowballs, snow waves, snow cyclones, or animated snowmen. The few projectiles that came Alexandra's way vanished in a puff of steam when she waved her wand. Usually, the prankster hadn't realized who it was he was levitating snow missiles at, and would turn red and stand paralyzed for a moment, not sure whether to apologize or run. Most chose the latter.

When she'd been a sixth grader herself and her fearsome reputation was just developing, Alexandra had enjoyed spreading terror with a threatening look. She wasn't sure how much she liked it now.

She found Stuart and Torvald with Charlie's help; they were far from the crowd, almost into the woods on the other side of several fields and sheds, so they weren't visible from the academy. Alexandra came around a snowdrift that was unnaturally high for the amount of snow that had fallen that week, and stopped dead in her tracks. She was confronted by a horse-sized beast with a tusked frog's head, a thick scaly body, terrible claws bristling with dark fur, and a spiked tail that belonged on a dinosaur. It grinned fearsomely at her with a lipless mouth big enough to swallow her head. Charlie took off from her shoulder with a screech.

–Scaredy-bird,” she said.

Laughter erupted from behind the creature. Torvald stuck his head out from behind its flank. Stuart stood up from where he'd been crouching behind a hillock of snow, with Sonja holding his arm looking abashed.

–How did you know it wasn't real?” Torvald asked.

–First of all, the Hodag isn't real,” Alexandra said. –Second, it didn't move. Third, there are no footprints.”

–Maybe it can walk across snow without leaving footprints,” Torvald said. –That would explain why it's so hard to track.”

Alexandra walked in a slow circle around the creature, inspecting it. –Nice job. But you cheated with the skin and the fur - illusions instead of transfiguration?”

–How can you tell that just by looking at it?” Stuart demanded.

Alexandra shrugged. If they didn't know about witch's sight, she wasn't going to tell them. –So what were you going to do, have it charge across the field and make a bunch of sixth graders wet their pants?”

Sonja giggled. Torvald said, –I wish, but do you know how hard animating this much snow would be? We could maybe make it move, but it would end up being a great big snowball before it went a dozen paces.”

–We were planning to lure a couple of sixth graders here,” Stuart said.

–If I time my Full Body-Bind Curse right, we can make them think the Hodag has paralyzed them,” Torvald said. –Then it will open its mouth to 'eat' them.” He held his wand up vertically and moved it side to side, and the Hodag's head swiveled on its thick, short neck. Then, to his dismay, the lower half of its jaw fell off and plopped in the snow.

–So immature,” Sonja said. Alexandra doubted she'd voiced any opposition to the boys' plan while they were constructing their snow-Hodag.

Alexandra held her hand out, and Charlie landed on it. She set the raven back onto her shoulder.

–Want to help?” Torvald asked. –You're pretty good with Charms.”

–I've got more important things to do,” Alexandra said. –Can I talk to you?”

Torvald looked at Stuart and Sonja, then back at her. He waggled his eyebrows. –Sure.”

Alexandra opened her mouth to say, –Alone,” but realized it didn't matter. Torvald would tell Stuart anyway, and she doubted Stuart was able to keep anything from Sonja. –I want to practice dueling.”

–Yeah, we miss you at the Dueling Club,” Torvald said.

–I'm sure you do. But I want to practice dueling, seriously. I need a partner. Evenings.”

Torvald folded his arms. –Really?” A sly grin crossed his face.

–Will you do it or not?”

–You could get in trouble,” Stuart said. Alexandra wasn't sure whether he was addressing her or Torvald.

–Only if we get caught,” Torvald said.

Sonja asked, –Aren't you on probation, Alexandra?”

–We'll only get caught if someone rats us out.”

–Rat,” said Charlie.

–One other thing,” Alexandra said. –David wants to practice, too.”

Torvald's grin slipped. –David? Why doesn't he just join the Dueling Club himself?”

–He wants to keep playing Quidditch. Also, I think he's got kind of a delicate ego. He's sensitive about being beaten in public.”

Alexandra wasn't sure why Torvald was suddenly discontented and frowning, but he shrugged. –Fine. Don't expect me to go easy on you, though.”

–You guys can come, too,” Alexandra said.

Stuart shook his head. –It doesn't sound like a very good idea.”

–I'm sure we can find something better to do while Torvald isn't tagging along for once.” Sonja's bright-eyed goggling made Alexandra want to gag.

–How about Thursday night?” Torvald asked. For a moment, he and Alexandra were in solidarity, avoiding the spectacle of the two lovebirds making eyes at each other.

–Great. Bring your 'A' game.”

–Bring my what?”

–Just bring it.” Alexandra waved, and trotted swiftly back across the snow in her magically-transformed boots.

–Bring what?” Torvald called after her, confused.

Thursday afternoon, Alexandra received two owls: one from Julia and one from Claudia.

Alexandra had told Julia everything she had learned and everything that had happened over the winter break. Julia was full of concern and sympathy, but she pleaded with Alexandra to be forgiving of Claudia, –...who may have suffered more than you know. And remember, now she is our sister.”

Alexandra almost crumpled Julia's letter in her fist. She knew she was our sister all along. She knew she was Maximilian's sister, too.

Alexandra contemplated Julia's words for a long time. She had written her letter to Julia before Anna and David had told her about the Squib Laws. Julia couldn't possibly know that part of Claudia's story. Did she suspect, knowing about the Squib Laws herself? Or was she just exhibiting her usual kindly nature? Alexandra had not exactly said she hated Claudia and was never going to forgive her, but she had not been in a forgiving mood when she'd written her letter, and perhaps Julia had sensed that. If Julia were there in person, she could probably have softened Alexandra's heart more quickly, but she wasn't.

Alexandra was not, however, quite as unreasonably angry as she had been in December, so she opened Claudia's letter rather than throwing it in a drawer, and thus noticed, just before reading it, that it did not have the usual Muggle postage stamps indicating that it had passed through the U.S. Post Office before being delivered by owl post.

Claudia's letter was brief, but left Alexandra even more confused. Claudia said that Bonnie was still recuperating but had been outside with Brian, and that Brian had asked about Alexandra. Then she wrote:

–Livia and I are speaking again. It hasn't been easy, and it still isn't, but we missed each other terribly. We have you to thank for our reunion. We'll talk more when you come home over spring break.”

No apology. No asking for forgiveness. And Claudia wrote as if Alexandra's coming home for spring break was a settled matter. Alexandra slammed the letter into her drawer and went looking for Torvald, in a mood for dueling.

She stalked across the lawn with Charlie on her shoulder. Moonlight reflected off the snow; the moon hovered just over the tops of the trees. She found David out by the snow Hodag where she'd told him to meet her. He was wrapped in his charmed outdoor cloak and assuming exaggerated dueling poses, tossing small fireballs and Stunning Spells into the snow by the edge of the trees. He turned around when Charlie squawked mockingly at him.

–You should wear your old robes for dueling,” Alexandra said. –You want holes burned through a good cloak?”

Reluctantly, he shrugged off the cloak, revealing Muggle clothes underneath: a hoodie and jeans. –You aren't actually going to burn holes in my clothes, are you?”

–Didn't you watch me dueling?”

David looked worriedly down at his clothes and new boots.

Alexandra sighed. –We'll go easy on you - at first. Are you sure you want to do this?”

–Yeah.” He at least sounded determined, while he hung his cloak over the tusks of the Hodag snow sculpture. –P.M.E. and weekly Magical Self Defense classes barely teach us anything.”

–They teach you enough to defend yourself against magical creatures and Muggles. Not other wizards.”

David yelped suddenly and stumbled backward, falling on his rear in the snow as the Hodag's mouth gaped wide and swallowed up his cloak, almost taking his hands with it. A burst of laughter caused anger to creep across his face.

–The Hodag almost got you.” Torvald stepped from around the concealing snowbank, chortling.

–Real funny, jerk.” David stood up and brushed snow off his pants. He glared at Charlie. –I thought you carry your familiar around 'cause it's supposed to warn you if someone's sneaking up on you?”

–Real funny, jerk,” Charlie said.

Torvald twirled his wand. –So, are we going to duel or what?”

Alexandra spent a little time teaching David basics, like not making the wild gestures he'd been imitating and sticking to simple charms until he knew how to parry and deflect. Remembering how much she had hated being made to spend weeks doing basic drills by Ms. Shirtliffe before she'd been allowed to start dueling, she let David go a couple of rounds with her, but she didn't tell him it would be weeks before he'd be good enough to even make her raise her hand to block his spells.

–My turn,” Torvald said.

–You duel me,” Alexandra said. She didn't trust him to duel David.

Torvald grinned. –Fine with me.”

David seemed to have a better idea of how outclassed he was after watching Alexandra and Torvald duel. By the time they were done, the snow was melted all around them, and Alexandra had a few holes burned through her robes and some frizzled hair.

Torvald was Petrified from the waist down, covered with mud, and buried in the side of the snow Hodag. Alexandra unjinxed him with a wave of her wand, and the tenth grader stiffly pulled himself free, shaking his head and shoulders to get the snow off. He looked forlornly at the staved-in side of his creation, then reached into it and pulled out David's cloak. He tossed it to the younger boy.

–Not bad for warm-up,” he said. –Of course, I'm going to stop going easy on you sooner or later.”

–Any time you're ready,” Alexandra said.

It was getting dark. David said, –I'm gonna go inside. You coming?” Alexandra wondered if his desire for dueling was quenched.

–Hold on, there, Troublesome,” Torvald said. –I demand a rematch.”

–We can do this again Saturday if you want,” Alexandra said to David.

–Yeah, sure.” David waved and headed back across the snow.

Well, Alexandra thought, it wasn't her job to soothe David's ego. She turned to face Torvald and raised her wand. –All right. Stop going easy on me.”

He really did try hard to beat her this time. She appreciated the effort; it made the practice worthwhile. But Torvald was not Larry. When she knocked him off his feet for the third time, he wheezed and held up a hand. –Uncle.”

She lowered her wand. –That was a good match.”

–Are you going to help me up?”

–I didn't hurt you that bad.” Suspiciously, she walked over to him and grasped his hand. She pulled him to his feet with a grunt, but was surprised when he didn't let go of her hand.

–So, you and Washington really aren't a couple?” he said. –Not that there's anything wrong with that.”

–Why would anything be wrong with it?” She tried to pull her hand free.

–Well, if you were, I might be worried that he'd hex me if I tried to kiss you.”

–What?” Alexandra stopped trying to pull free of his grasp, but with her other hand she slid her grip down her wand. –Are you making fun of me? You should be worried that I'll hex you!”

–You threatened to do that at the Winter Ball.” Torvald's expression was playful, but there was a seriousness in his tone that made her more nervous than any of his previous attempts to prank, hex, or tease her. –But no one's watching now.”

–Jerk,” said Charlie from a perch atop the half-melted head of the Hodag.

–Except your raven.” Torvald's eyes didn't move from hers. He leaned toward her. –If I kiss you now, will you hex me?”

–I might,” she said.

He didn't blink. –I'll take the chance.” He kissed her.

Alexandra couldn't say why she kissed him back, but she did. It was a much longer kiss than any she had shared with Payton.

When he finally lifted his face away from hers, he was still holding one of her hands, and she was still holding her wand at the ready in her other hand.

–So, are you going to hex me?” he asked.

–I'm still thinking about it.”

He let go of her hand and stepped back. He didn't really seem very worried about being hexed, but there was an anxiousness in his expression. He watched her and waited, keeping his thoughts to himself.

She licked her lips. –Why did you do that?”

–I thought some of your fearsome reputation might rub off on me. Perhaps I'd be able to steal some of your Dark power with a kiss.”

She pointed her wand at him, angry now. –Stop mocking me or I will hex you.”

His teasing grin faded. –You're the most interesting girl in school.”

–What?”

–Would you like to go to the Sweetheart's Dance?”

She kept her wand held before her, only lowering the tip. –Are you serious?”

–Yes.” He put his own wand in his pocket, then held his arms out at his sides. –If you're going to hex me, then hex me. Otherwise, how about a 'yes' or a 'no'?”

She lowered her wand. –If this is a set-up, some prank you and Stuart thought up, then I swear, when I do curse you, it won't be a joke.”

He took a step toward her, empty hands at his sides. –Is that a yes?” Cautiously, he reached for her hand again and took it. Then he reached for her other hand, the one holding her wand. She let him close his fingers around hers, with her fingers still clenched around her wand. There was a moment where she thought it must be a prank after all - she had let herself be taken in, and now, just at the moment when she'd fallen for Torvald's little joke, Stuart would jump out from behind the Hodag, maybe with Sonja, and they'd laugh themselves silly at her. Her fingers tightened beneath Torvald's grip.

–Well?” he asked.

–Yes,” she said.

She let him kiss her again. She kissed him back, and when he let go of her hands, she slid her arms around his neck, still holding her wand. They kissed until she started to shiver, and Charlie said, –Alexandra.”

–This is why you agreed to meet me for dueling?” she asked, her voice quieter, puffing mist in the gathering gloom of the evening.

He shrugged. –I do like dueling, and you are pretty good.”

–I'm really good. I'm better than you.”

Torvald smiled. –Okay, Troublesome. You're the most awesome, unbeatable witch ever. The entire school trembles before your might. Someday you'll be scarier than Dean Grimm and your father put together.” Alexandra let go of him, and more seriously, he said, –I'll keep practicing with you. I mean, not tonight, but if you want to.”

–Okay.” She stood there a moment, and couldn't think of what else she wanted to say. Her thoughts were still catching up to her. She gestured, and Charlie flew to her shoulder.

–How do you get a raven to do that?” Torvald asked.

–Do what? Sit on my shoulder?”

–Wicked clever,” Charlie said.

Torvald walked alongside her as they headed back to the school. –So can I tell people you're my girlfriend? To see if any of that scary reputation rubs off on me?”

–Knock it off. I'm no one's girlfriend.” She wasn't sure if he was serious, nor could she tell if he was disappointed. –Let's just say I've decided not to hex you, for now. If tomorrow the whole school is talking about how you kissed me -”

–No.” Torvald held out a hand, startling her. In a voice like someone on the verge of swooning, he said, –No more threats. I can only take so much romance in one night.” He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss it. Alexandra blushed; the lit rear entrances of the academy were just before them, and other students occasionally came outside even in the early evening. No one else was visible at the moment. Only an owl flapped overhead. Torvald let go of her hand, pressed his hand to his heart in the same theatrical manner of a lover overcome by emotion on a stage, and then hurried away, giving her a wave as he disappeared inside.

–Big fat jerk,” Charlie said.

–Yeah.” Alexandra looked at her hand, and dropped it to her side. –You'd better keep your mouth shut, Charlie.”

Charlie made a sound like a snicker.

Alexandra put off mentioning her date to the Sweetheart's Dance with Anna. Maybe I can find a date for her to the dance, too, she thought, though she had no idea who Anna might want to go with.

To her great relief, no one was talking about her and Torvald the next day and there were no sudden hushes as she entered the cafeteria. Torvald sat with Stuart, and as usual Sonja was sitting as close to Stuart as she could while Dean Beville and Mrs. Verde monitored the breakfast crowd. Then Torvald grinned at Alexandra. The worst part about it was that it was not his usual teasing I'm-up-to-something grin. It was a silly, bashful grin that she thought was embarrassing and naked in its obviousness, and she couldn't help feeling warmth rising up her neck. But no one else seemed to notice, except Sonja, who beamed at her so brightly that Alexandra thought the other girl would surely start yelling across the cafeteria any moment.

She was startled, relieved, and unaccountably flustered when Constance and Forbearance sat down across the table from her and Anna. It was the first time they'd joined her outside of class since the Winter Ball. She stammered a greeting, a little too loudly, then wondered why they and Anna were staring at her as she caught the glass of orange juice she'd almost knocked over.

–Are you in the gales, Alexandra?” Constance asked.

–Yes. I mean, no. I mean - I don't know what that means. But I'm fine.”

–Alright.” Constance didn't seem convinced, but she went on. –We'uns need to convene again 'fore your birthday.”

–All your stars an' charts changes afterwards,” Forbearance said. –We can redraw everythin', but the Grannies helped us with the proper times an' words on assumption that you hain't seen fifteen.”

Alexandra sipped from her orange juice. –You really think you can get the Stars Above to answer this time?”

–I reckon we might could get their attention. If'n they'll answer, no one 'neath the sky can predict. But the Grannies say if -” Forbearance bit her lip.

–Let's just bide a bit,” Constance said.

–Bide for what?” Alexandra wondered what the twins were keeping to themselves.

–Will you humor us, Alexandra?” Forbearance asked.

–Sure.” Alexandra exchanged looks with Anna, then asked, –Do we need everyone we had before - David and Innocence and Sonja, too?”

–Innocence knows, an' I talked to David,” Constance said.

–I hain't caught Sonja alone yet, bein' as she's always claspin' Stuart Cortlandt nowadays.” Forbearance pursed her lips. –But I passed her a note in Astrology.”

–Passing notes in class?” Alexandra grinned. –You'd better not let Innocence know I've been such a bad influence on you.”

Just then Sonja passed by, in the company of Stuart and Torvald. –Oh, Alexandra, we need to talk soon,” she said in a loud whisper that was bursting with the promise of gossip she could barely keep to herself.

–Oh, Alexandra, we need to talk soon,” Torvald repeated, pitching his voice high. Sonja giggled and slapped his arm, provoking a scolding from Mrs. Verde, while Alexandra hastily gulped down the rest of her orange juice.

Alexandra and Anna sat together in the library that night. The books Alexandra had piled around her had little to do with her classwork. There were grimoires of Memory and Fertility Charms, textbooks on Artificing, Advanced Transfigurations, and Permanence Potions, and a volume of Alchemical Bindings.

–This is the problem with magic,” she said to Anna. –You can't cure things just by inventing a new spell. Everything is related! Just to create a Pensieve, you have to know Artificing, a whole bunch of advanced Potions, Memory and Scrying Charms, two or three branches of Alchemy, how to Enchant water and minerals... never mind if you want to do something new. And restoring memories? That's Memory Charms, Legilimency, Healing, Potions, and maybe even temporal magic. I could spend all year and maybe I'd be able to create a stupid déjà vu spell or something. I could learn a hundred spells someone else has already invented in that time.”

Anna folded her hands on the table. –A hundred? Really?”

Alexandra leaned back in her chair. –My father's done things I haven't even read about. Even if he is smarter than me, he still went to school and had a life. I don't see how he was better than Merlin at age fifteen.”

–He probably wasn't,” Anna said. –But he probably figured out before you did that magic is hard.”

Alexandra gave her friend a narrow look. Anna's deadpan comments had replaced the scoldings she used to offer with such frequency.

–Fertility Charms?” Someone giggled. Alexandra leaned forward and pushed away the book detailing conception and contraception magic - a book she'd been surprised to find so easily available in the library, considering all the other magic that was restricted.

Sonja sat down in the chair next to Alexandra, her eyes wide with interest and a certain amount of admiration. –You know those charms take a lot of finesse, right? I mean, unless you're a Healer -”

–I'm not planning on casting any Fertility Charms,” Alexandra said, keeping her voice low.

–You should have stayed in Mrs. Verde's class.”

–Why?”

–Silly - what do you think Herbology and Astrology is for? A witch never gets pregnant unless she wants to.”

Alexandra's mouth dropped open. Anna's did too.

–So,” Sonja said, in a more serious tone, –you and Torvald -”

–No!” Alexandra said, in such a loud voice that students at other tables looked at her and several –Ssh!”s came in their direction.

Anna closed her mouth and her eyebrows went up. –You and Torvald?”

–No,” Alexandra said, more quietly. –Not even.”

–I didn't mean -” Sonja gestured at the book Alexandra had pushed aside. Then she smiled slyly. –Though you sure got touchy fast.”

I'm going to kill you, Alexandra thought, but the thought stayed in her head and Sonja kept smiling.

–But you are dating,” Sonja said.

–Not... exactly.”

–Not exactly?” Anna said.

–He asked me out last night. I kind of said yes. But I don't know if that means we're dating.”

Anna's expression was blank.

–I was going to tell you,” Alexandra said. –In fact I was going to tell you before Gossip Girl here started running her mouth.”

Sonja sat back, and Alexandra realized that her words had stung the other girl. –I haven't gossiped to anyone about you,” Sonja said. –I assumed Anna already knew.”

Alexandra frowned, glancing again at Anna, who just shrugged.

–I guess if you think I'm such a gossip then you won't want me helping anymore,” Sonja said.

–Helping with what?” Alexandra asked.

Sonja made an exasperated sound. –Forbearance told me we're redrawing your charts according to some Ozarker lore so we can prepare another ritual.”

–Yeah, she told me that, too.” Alexandra gritted her teeth. –Okay, I'm sorry, Sonja. I just...”

–Oh, fie.” Sonja waved a hand. –You're so secretive. I suppose you didn't want anyone to know about you and Torvald.” She winked. –I must admit, when I was thinking of who to fix you up with, Torvald wasn't exactly at the top of my list. I suppose he's nice enough, but he's so obnoxious, and immature, and always getting himself and Stuart in trouble for hexing. Also, well, his face is rather unfortunate...”

–He's also back there in the stacks,” Anna said.

Sonja's eyes widened. Alexandra turned her head. Torvald was standing far down the aisle, deeply engaged in a book he had opened, and then as if only just noticing the girls, he looked up and waved.

Alexandra rubbed her forehead, then brushed her hair out of her eyes.

–I think he wants to talk to you,” Anna said.

–Well, then he should come over and talk to me.”

Anna's expression was wry amusement. Sonja, relieved that Torvald hadn't overheard her, grinned.

Anna gathered her books and scrolls. –I've finished my homework.”

–I'll walk back to DDKT with you,” Sonja said.

–I'll come with you,” Alexandra said.

–Don't you have homework to do first?” Anna said.

–I can do it in our room.”

–Are you afraid maybe there's a boy who really does want to court you?” Sonja asked.

Alexandra frowned. –I'm not -”

Anna stood up. –You can go to the Sweetheart's Dance with him, but neither of you try fix me up with a date, okay?”

–Well, you certainly can't stay in your room while we go,” Sonja said.

Alexandra sat at the table as Anna walked away with Sonja, still protesting to little avail. After the other two were gone, Alexandra stood and stalked down the aisle between the shelves and directly up to Torvald, who was still leaning against a row of books with an old red volume propped open in his hand.

–What's up, Troublesome?” he said.

–Stop calling me that.” She looked at the book he was holding. The Third Century Anatolian-Hellenic Centaur Wars. –Interesting reading?”

–Oh, yes.” He glanced down at the pages. –Anatolia is... an interesting place.”

–What about Anatolian Centaurs?”

–Centaurs?” He looked again. –Oh, right. Centaurs - they're really interesting too. Did you know no centaur has ever set foot in the New World?”

–Really?”

–That's what I've heard.” Torvald closed the book and put it back on the shelf. –So what was the big meeting about?”

–Apparently, how everyone knows we're dating now.”

–We're dating now?”

–I don't know, are we?” Alexandra's flippant question was belied by her accelerating heartbeat.

Torvald didn't give a flippant answer, and when he ran his tongue over suddenly-dry lips, she realized he was also nervous. She was glad that at least he was being an idiot, too. So she didn't resist at all when he took hold of her and kissed her.

It was several moments, almost the length of time she could hold her breath, before she mumbled, with her lips still pressed against his, –We're in the library.”

–What do you think all the older kids do back here?” Torvald asked. –You really think everyone is busy studying?”

–Actually, yes.” But Alexandra didn't feel like explaining to Torvald that Bran and Poe had told her how they discouraged young lovers from necking in the stacks. She kissed him this time, turning away from the shelf so that she wasn't pressed against the books (a large volume about manticores had been sticking her in the back) and hoped the library elves wouldn't catch them. That would be very embarrassing.

This is an unofficial site and is not supported or recognized by any of the publishers of the Harry Potter books. The author J.K. Rowling created this world and owns all the names and characters in it; this is a humble fan site run by teenagers who are scared of lawyers and don't wish to break any laws. E-mail us at mnffstaff3 at gmail dot com if you have any questions or concerns.

Copyright © 2015 Artphilia Designs. All rights reserved.