Hearts for the Heartless

Alexandria awoke slowly, her insides screaming at her. Her entire body felt as if it were on fire and her joints ached. She groaned slightly and looked down, her left arm was covered in white wrap and her ankle too. She lifted up the shirt she was wearing and noticed her entire torso covered in bandages. She groaned softly and moved slowly into the sitting position, she moved her legs over the side of the bed and sat for a moment.

“You really shouldn’t be moving Ms. Nethers,” Snape’s voice drawled. Alexandria looked up at him.

“Yeah well, I really shouldn’t be doing a lot of things yet I do them anyway,” She stated, pushing herself off the bed slightly and yelping from the pain.

“Drink the potion next to the bed Nethers,” Snape stated, “It numbs the pain.”

Alexandria turned her head and noticed the small vile of clear liquid, she reached for it and downed the contents of it. Immediately after the taste hit her tongue she gaged.

“Ew, what thee bloody hell is this,” She asked Snape, pulling a face.

“Why did you do it?” Snape asked and Alexandria turned to look at him, his eyes were filled with an emotion so unfamiliar for him she almost didn’t recognize it.

“Because once upon a time you saved me,” She told him, “I was going to be forced to kill a man. You were supposed to be the one to watch me do it, to make sure I killed him. But instead you used a memory-erasing spell on him to make him think he’s a normal muggle boy. I was going to be forced to kill my own uncle, a blood traitor. But you helped me Severus; you saved him… and me. And for that I can never repay you enough.”

Snape thought for a moment, before turning around and walking out of the room, Alexandria was not offended by this action; she simply stood up and limped out of the guest room. One of the house elves, whose name she did not know, rushed b her side.

“Ms. Nethers mustn’t be up!” The elf squeaked, “she must rest until she is better!”

“I know, I know,” Alexandria smiled weakly, “I just need to see Draco, help me up the stairs?”

The house elf nodded and helped Alexandria up the flight of stairs, the house elf walked her to Draco’s room and then left. Alexandria lifted her non-injured arm and knocked softly. A grunt was heard and Draco answered the door.

His eyes widened seeing her and his cheeks flushed with a hint of anger, “What the bloody hell are you doing out of bed?!”

Alexandria winced, and Draco sighed running his hand over his face.

“You should have had one of the house elves call me,” he stated as he lead her in the room.

“Is that my wand?” She asked, tilting her head. Completely oblivious to Draco’s anger. Draco rolled his eyes and handed her the wand that lay on his dresser.

“Can we go to your balcony? So no one can hear us? I kind of have to do something,” She muttered looking into his eyes. Draco sighed and nodded softly, grabbing hold of her good hand. Draco and her walked onto his balcony and shut the door behind them, he cast a silencing spell and looked at her.

Her eyes were focused on the dark sky, stars twinkling above their heads making the scenery romantic.

Draco took a seat beside her, “What were you thinking?”

“If I didn’t help him Draco he could have died, the curse could have shot his off his broom,” Alexandria explained, “I don’t regret it, he’s one of those people who’s made an impact on my life.”

Draco nodded and looked at her, “What did you want to do out here?”

“I’m going to send a message to Potter,” She whispered quietly and Draco gaped at her.

“Why in the world would you want to do that?! If the Dark Lord finds out he could kill you! No, no you can’t do that,” Draco shook his head and Alexandria sighed.

“I was asking permission to Draco, I’m going to do it with my patronus,” Alexandria explained.

“You can summon a patronus?” Draco asked her. She nodded and grabbed her wand.

“I have to send my love to the twins, one of them lost an ear Draco,” She told him noticing he cringed when she said ‘send my love.’

“You know what I mean, they were my best friends 4th and 5th year,” She told Draco, “Along with you.”

Draco sighed and nodded, he watched Alexandria take out her wand. She closed her eyes and thought of her happiest memory, the memory alone caused her heart to swell with joy and her eyes to water from happiness and the longing to feel that happy again.

“Expecto patronum!” She called and a stream of silver light left her wand. Draco’s mouth dropped as a silver tiger appeared and pranced around him and Alexandria. Alexandria grinned brightly, probably the brightest he’s ever seen in a while.

He smiled softly at her.

The silver tiger pranced her way and Alexandria spoke to it, “Send this message to The Burrow. This is Alexandria, yes Alexandria Nethers. I wanted to send my condolences to which ever twin lost their ear. I’m truly sorry. I love both of you very much, and truly do miss my friends. Harry Potter, be careful. I know a lot of people are looking out for you, but a lot of people are also looking for you. . Eventually they will find you, and you must be ready. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, I miss you both as well, even if you think I’m a traitor. But remember what I told you in the Great Hall before school let out…. Just remember that. I’m not in control of what I’m doing, I have to or else he’ll kill me By the way, Happy Birthday Harry.”

Alexandria let a single tear roll down her cheek as the silver tiger strode away.

“I see why it’s a tiger,” Draco muttered to her, whipping her cheeks of the tears, “Beautiful yet strong, a brilliant mind and a caring heart.”

Alexandria smiled weakly and leaned her head on Draco’s shoulder, “My mum’s patronus was a tiger too…”

Draco smiled softly at her, “Common, lets get you back to bed.”

Draco walked Alexandria over to his bed and laid her down, she scrunched up her nose and rubbed her tired eyes.
Draco changed into his pj’s and when he returned he found Alexandria already asleep, he smiled softly and climbed into his bed. Quickly drifting off to sleep.

The silver tiger slid into The Burrow and landed in front of Harry Potter, the day before his birthday. Harry, Ron and Hermione were running around the house doing everything Molly Weasley was telling them too. But after the loud voice of Arthur Weasley called them, they all rushed down to see the commotion.

Harry was the first to notice Arthur’s slightly pale face.

“Something wrong?” Harry asked quickly.

“Come,” Arthur spoke and walked into the sitting room where everyone was gathered, even Lupin and Tonks were there. In the middle of the room, a silver tiger patronus was circling around.

“Harry do you know who’s patronus this is?” Arthur asked and Harry shook his head, the room when quiet as the tiger opened its mouth to relay the message.

“This is Alexandria, yes Alexandria Nethers.”

Everyone let out a small gasp, the twins grinned wildly and Hermione smiled a little.

“I wanted to send my condolences to which ever twin lost their ear. I’m truly sorry. I love both of you very much, and truly do miss my friends,” Alexandria’s voice quivered slightly, sounding as if she wanted to cry, “Harry Potter, be careful. I know a lot of people are looking out for you, but a lot of people are also looking for you. Eventually they will find you, and you must be ready. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, I miss you both as well, even if you think I’m a traitor.”

Harry shot a look at Ron, who scowled and continued to listen to Alexandria’s weak voice.

“But remember what I told you in the Great Hall before school let out…. Just remember that. I’m not in control of what I’m doing, I have to or else he’ll kill me. By the way, Happy Birthday Harry. ”

With that the silver tiger disappeared.

“A death eater… producing a patronus?” Lupin asked, “Now that’s almost unheard of.”

“Did you hear that Fred?” George stated.

“She loves us!” Fred grinned.

“How does she even know how?” Harry asked.

“Her father, Zander Nethers is a very powerful wizard,” Arthur stated, “He’s also a notorious death eater. Alexandria’s family is one of the well-known pureblooded families. She was taught to use a wand at a young age, I wouldn’t be surprised if her father urged her to use a wand even before she could walk. He was a very nice man, but also a proud man.”

“Was?” Harry asked.

“Yes, after You-Know-Who killed her mother, Zander seemed to drift. He became very bitter, and mean.”

“I remember Alexandria drifting herself apart from everyone except Draco,” Hermione noted, “It was after the winter holiday’s last year. She wouldn’t speak to anyone, and I remember her temper was really short.”

“I remember that!” Ron exclaimed, “She lashed out at me because… oh…”
“Oh?” Molly asked her son.

“I kind of mentioned something about her father I think…” Ron stated and yelped when Fred and George bumped him in the back of the head.

“Oi! What was that for?”

“You called her a traitor- ” George started.

“When she is clearly on our side,” Fred finished.

“Now we don’t know that,” Lupin stated still skeptic, “She’s still a death eater and hasn’t done anything to prove otherwise.”

Harry began thinking about everything Alexandria told him, “She is on our side. Didn’t you hear her patonus? ‘Harry Potter, be careful. I know a lot of people are looking out for you, but a lot of people are also looking for you.’ She’s giving us a warning.”

“But we know they’re looking for you Harry!” Lupin exclaimed.

“Still, why would she warn me about her own? If she was a deticated death eater she would have never even sent a message to us.”

Lupin sighed, “Still, if she is on their side she cannot be trusted Harry.”

“But she’s on our side,” Hermione piped up.

“No, she’s with the Death Eaters! The day she says she wants to be in the Order or doesn’t want to be a death eater let me know. That will be the day she is on our side.”