Can't Stop the Rain

Can't Stop The Rain {A Hogwarts Tale} [8] A Secret

Dinner passed uneventful enough, with the exception of a letter addressed from my grandmother; I opened it up and read it.

Dear Alexandra,

I received an owl a few minutes ago from Professor Dumbledore telling me what happened down in the lake with Murcus. I am so sorry that I did not mention anything about my past with him, but I did not think that in your first week at school you would be already be troublemaking.

It seems I have once again underestimated you but I am glad, it seems that you inherited more from me than you know. I am sure Dumbledore has informed you of the situation. It seems that you have not only inherited being a witch and mermaid blood from me, but also a sense of adventure! This makes me very glad as your mother and father are fun people but not very adventurous so I'm glad not everyone in the family is so conservative! Now, your mother and father do not know about what happened yet but I expect that Dumbledore has sent them an owl also so you will get a concerned letter from them soon.

As for your ability, I did not know and never suspected that you would inherit this from me also, perhaps it works like the witch/wizard prophecy, perhaps every third generation will also have that ability. But then again, maybe not for we must not forget that you are also named also me and I think that in that, we are bonded in a special way.

Other than this, what else is new? Are you having trouble with the lessons? How are you liking Hogwarts? I found my stay there very enjoyable and I had a lot of fun and had many memorable adventures as I am sure you will. Are your professors treating you well? Have you made any friends? I hope that you took Divination and Ancient Runes, I always had a flair for both of them even though I hated Divination, Professor Trelawney is a crazy old bat, maybe you have inherited my knack for school, I know that your parents have always said that you're a bright girl. If Professor Snape is now the Potions professor, beware, he never liked me, I taught him and he had a particular disliking towards me and I imagine once he finds out that my granddaughter is attending Hogwarts, he will give you a hard time, sorry. All the best dear, write back soon.

With love,
Alexandra Evans


I folded up the letter, nothing new from her except for the news about Snape. I had yet to meet him but was not looking forward to Potions on Thursday, my first class with him, the day after tomorrow. I finished dinner with my friends and headed back up to Gryffindor tower. I sat down at a table in the common room and began a reply to my grandmother.

Dear grandma,

Yes, it was really weird. But I have to admit that it is beautiful down in the lake. Were you really in love with him? Hopefully he looked different in your days at Hogwarts! Did you really think that I would stay cooped up inside the school? Come on, grandma, you know me better than that!

I agree with you on the name thing, perhaps we are bonded in a special way by our names, after all, we are both witches, we both have mermaid blood and we're both adventurous, please tell me now if you are psychic or something like that!

I am loving Hogwarts! This castle is huge! Do you know how many secret passages there are? I know a few, it just makes me sad that I didn't come here right away for my first year... My professors are treating me very well so far and I've made a few friends. I don't know if you know one, Harry Potter? I am also friends with Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and his sister Ginny and his brothers Fred and George. I've met a lot of people since I came and they are all very sweet. I do have Ancient Runes and Divination (against everyone's advice!) but she seems to like me, she thinks I might have an 'Inner Eye'. But I must agree with you, she is a crazy old bat, she predicts Harry's premature death every few classes! And she dresses in all these shawls layered one over another and she's got these huge glasses which magnify her eyes by ten times. She's an odd woman.

Professor Snape is the Potions master but I've yet to have a class with him, he's quite famous around here but not for good reasons. It doesn't matter though, I'm sure I'll charm him somehow.

Love,
Alex

P.S. I don't know what animal to choose for a pet! I'm torn between a cat and an owl, everyone says that owls are dead useful for mail but I can't decide! What did you have? Please help!


I found an owl that was wandering around and started working on the rest of my homework; I managed to finish my Potions essays and my translation for Ancient Runes took a little longer than I expected but got stuck when it came to my Transfiguration homework. How was I going to turn my parchment into a boiling tea pot? Luckily enough, I saw a group of students practicing and wandered over.
"Hi, I'm Alexandra Evans and I'm having some trouble with my Transfiguration homework, would you mind if I joined you in practicing?"
"Oh, sit down, Alex, I'll show you this Transfiguration stuff, I think I've got it," said Parvati.
I grinned and sat down, a large group of us practiced that and then practiced some charms that some of the other students already knew for about two hours. By then it was already eight o'clock. The boys split up and made a group on the other end of the room to join a large group. I saw Fred and George in the center advertising something called Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.. It sounded so familiar and then I realized that Fred and George had been talking about it when we had met on the train. I saw Fred and felt something in my stomach but then quickly turned back to the group of girls and realized that Hermione, Ginny and Lavender had joined the group.
"You know, the Ravenclaw party is in a few weeks, have you all figured out who you would fancy to go with?" Parvati asked.
Everyone blushed and Ginny spoke up first.
"Well, as you all well know, I fancy Harry. Hermione has known considerably longer than the rest of you so but she also knows that I gave up on him long ago and that I'm going with Michael Corner from Ravenclaw." Everyone nodded as if begging for details. Ginny continued. "He's my boyfriend. We got together after the Yule Ball last year."

Ginny is a year younger than Harry and it seems as if there is something between them, maybe I do have a chance with Fred after all?

"Well who are you going with, Parvati?" Ginny asked Parvati, smiling.
"Oh, Padma and I are going together with Justin Finch-Fletchley, from Hufflepuff," she said, grinning.
We all nodded and turned to Hermione, she seemed confused until she realized that we were asking her.
"Oh, I don't think I'm going to even go, I don't have a date and I don't really fancy anyone."
"Oh well, that's perfect, Hermione! I don't like anyone either and I don't have a date, we can go together!" I said.
"Alex, you can't be serious? Fred fancies you! Are you blind? He's going to for sure ask you!" Lavender said.
I shook my head and laughed in disbelief.
"Oh please, he'll probably ask Angelina, Parvati, you told me so yourself that he likes her!"
I turned to Parvati and she looked down, red in the face and mumbled.
"What?" I asked.
"She said," Ginny spoke up for Parvati, "that Fred liked Angelina, but that was before you came! Haven't you noticed? Or did you fall off of the face of Mars?"
I blinked in confusion and tried to turn the attention from myself.
"Oh, come off it. Angelina's his age and she's so much prettier than me!"
They all scoffed in disbelief. Then the clock tolled ten o'clock and we all picked up our things and headed up to the bedrooms. The next day passed uneventfully enough. I had History of Magic with the Hufflepuffs and turned in my essay. After that, I had double Arithmancy with the Ravenclaws and met Parvati's sister, Padma. She seemed nice but she was kind of...different from Parvati. Where Parvati was really warm and social, Padma was also social but slightly less warm and a little sharper of mind. After Arithmancy I had Herbology and nothing happened other than the fact that Neville's mandrake wilted while he was transferring it from one pot to another.

After dinner, I went back up to Gryffindor tower and went to bed. After tossing and turning in bed for a bit, I realized that sleep was relentless in its decision not to pay me a visit. I rolled over and checked the time, two minutes to midnight. I groaned and rolled around, re-adjusted my pillow, got up and sat on the bed. I looked at the clock again, Two minutes after midnight. I got up, wrapped myself in my robe and headed downstairs to the common room. Hopefully Fred would be down in the common room again. There was no one which didn't really surprise me but nevertheless saddened me a little. I sat down in front of the fire and curled up with someone's in front of the fire. The fire crackled a few more hours until it smoldered to ashes. The cat in my lap purred loudly in content and I looked outside and saw how dark it was. I gently lifted the cat off my lap, put it down on the couch and approached the stairs that led to the girl's dormitories and climbed up wearily. When I reached my bed, I checked the time once more, eight minutes to four. Climbing into bed, a sudden wave of drowsiness overtook me and I fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow.

Opening my eyes the next morning, I looked over to Hermione to see that she was still asleep; I looked over at the clock, twenty to six. Surprisingly enough, I wasn't the least bit tired. I got up and went to take a shower. After getting out around half past six, I noticed that Hermione, Lavender and Ginny were slowly crawling out of bed.
"Come on, you lot," I said "we're going to be late for breakfast. You lazy arses slept in!"
Hermione, Lavender and Ginny scowled and all headed for the bathroom, they tried to form a line but were so tired that they just collided. I couldn't help but laugh as they untangled themselves.

Why are they so tired?

After drying off, I sat down and waited for the three of them to get ready. Hermione came out of the shower in a lethargic state.
"Hermione, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked.
She mumbled something in response and got dressed and dried her hair but she had forgotten to button her blazer up.
"Hermione, who were you with last night?" I asked teasingly and she twitched.
"No one! Ron and I were down in the library until two last night doing some research."

How could they have been in the library until two if I was sitting in the common room until three?

I wanted to ask but thought better to let it slide. Lavender and Ginny got ready simultaneously and the three of us headed down to breakfast. The day passed quickly and before I knew it, dinner came. Today's schedule had been Divination, Arithmancy and double Care of Magical Creatures with a large man named Hagrid who liked like he was a giant but he was very nice. I wasn't threatened or scared by him in any way, in fact, I found his class rather enjoyable! He had brought small yellow spiky animals that were about the size of a tennis ball. The only downside was that you had to prick yourself first before they opened up. But it was worth it! They were so cute and they giggled like little babies and talked.

As the Great Hall grew crowded with people, I sat down at the table. Right in the middle of my cereal, an owl swooped over with a letter, most likely from my parents. Seeing the owl made me think about the fact that I still didn't have a pet. In the Hogwarts letter I had received, it said that I could have a cat, toad or owl. Remembering Neville and Trevor on the train, a toad didn't sound very appealing.

[i[Maybe a cat, I thought remembering the cat I had held in my lap last night as I sat in front of the fire.

But an owl would be dead useful for mail.

Somehow, I couldn't decide between a cat and an owl, but there would be time for that. I opened up the letter and to discover I had been right, it was from my parents.

Dear Alexandra,

We received Dumbledore's owl and I have to admit it was very awkward for your mother and I to receive a letter from an owl but your mother has, as can be expected, taken the owl into the kitchen and started cleaning and feeding it and it seems that she is doing a good job as I can hear him hooting contently! I am so glad that you inherited her love of animals. Speaking of inheriting traits, we got Dumbledore's owl and heard what happened. I am truly horrified and I wanted to see Dumbledore in person to rage how could he let something like this happen on school grounds, but then your grandmother came forward and thoroughly explained the situation to us. I'm so sorry, love, we really had no idea. But your grandmother and Dumbledore has convinced us that you are happy, healthy and having fun! Have you made any friends? How are classes going? Don't tell your mother I asked but have you met anyone you like? I know that you're a smart girl and that you can think for yourself. I trust you there, far away from us, just don't make me think that I did the wrong thing!

On another note, your mother was looking over a copy of your school supplies list and it said something about having a pet? I don't recall seeing you off with a toad, owl or cat in your arms. Knowing you, you're probably thinking about it and are torn between the three! Well, as long as you choose one in the end, it does say here that it is advisable. We miss so you and love you so much!

Mum and Dad


I folded the letter up and sighed deeply. I missed my parents so much.
"Hey, Alex, you okay?"
I turned around, looking for the voice and saw Harry.
"Yeah, just got a letter from my parents, I miss them tons. Do you miss your parents? I mean, you've been coming here five years now so you're probably already used to not seeing them but at least we get letters right?" I said with a weak smile.
Harry looked downcast and said, "Alex, will you come with me? I have to ask you something."
"Sure, Harry, just let me reply," I said as I fished out a piece of parchment and a quill.

Dear Mum and Dad,

No worries, everything's okay! I'm actually really excited about this, it's so awesome, now I do more swimming for longer periods of time which I love to do. Sounds like Mum to start giving random owls some TLC! Please don't go after Dumbledore, he's really nice and it's not his fault at all! I have made tons of friends! Everyone here is really sweet and I just wish that you guys sent me here for first year instead of me starting fifth year...

Ha ha, I have indeed met someone I like but I won't tell you who! Maybe next time but don't even worry about it, I'm a smart girl, like you said!

No, you didn't see me off with any kind of animal unless it was invisible! I don't know, I am torn between an owl and a cat, I can't choose! Help! Everyone says that owls are dead useful for mail but I don't know! Anyways, that's all for now, I've got to go!

Love,
Alex


"Okay, Harry, let's go, I'll mail this on the way," I said, getting up and following him.
He led me out into the corridor just outside of the Great Hall and looked around, no one was there.
"Alex, do you know... about me?"
"What is there to know?" I asked confusedly.

Oh, God, please dont say you're gay, please dont say you're gay...

Harry put his hands to his head and stood like that for a bit, he was starting to scare me a little bit so he started talking.
"Well, Alex, do you know who You-Know-Who is?"
"No, Harry, I don't know who."
"Well see this scar I've got on my forehead? I got it from him."
"From who?"
"You-Know-Who, Alex."
"No, Harry, I don't know who! That's why I'm asking!"
"Okay. Well, Alex, you see, his real name is Lord Voldemort but people are too scared to call him by his real name so they just call him You-Know-Who. Well, Voldemort was this evil wizard who was from Slytherin house. He was one of the most powerful wizards of all time, second only to Dumbledore. Now, he presented himself as a pureblood, which is someone whose parents are both wizards but he is really a half-blood. One of his parents is magical, the other is not. Anyways, he had this vision that Hogwarts should only have pureblood students and that all half-bloods and mudbloods should be killed. But he couldn't do it by himself so he formed a gang of supporters. This group called themselves Death Eaters. Voldemort and his Death Eaters went around for years killing anyone who wasn't pureblood. But then I was born and he came to kill my parents and he succeeded." I gasped; I couldn't believe that I had talked about parents in front of him, tears filled my eyes and he continued. "Oh, no, it's okay, Alex, it was thirteen years ago, I hardly knew them," but he said this with a sadness in his voice. "Well, after killing my mum and dad, he turned on me and tried to cast the killing curse which he had used with success for years, but for some reason it didn't work. It backfired and the resounding effect, they say it killed him, but I proved everyone wrong last year. At the end of the Triwizard Tournament, at the end of the third event, Cedric Diggory and I had reached the end of the maze first and the trophy was there. At first we argued over who would take it because we had both saved each other at one point during the tournament and we had gotten there at the same time. In the end, we finally agreed that we would take it at the same time. So we each grabbed one handle but the trophy was really a Portkey. A Portkey is an ordinary object which has been bewitched to take you to a predetermined destination. Well, the trophy took us to the graveyard where Voldemort's dad is buried. Most of his Death Eaters were there, including Malfoy's' parents. They performed a ceremony using his father's bones and a servant's blood and some other ingredients and he came back to life. But before all of this, they killed-" Harry's voice faltered. I nodded encouragingly and he continued. "They killed Cedric. Then I dueled with Voldemort and I beat him but just barely. That's what about me. I had wondered why you didn't know who I was on the train."
I threw my arms around Harry's neck.
"Oh, my God, Harry, I'm so sorry I had no idea."
The two of us stayed like that until I felt a presence behind me. I turned around and there was Ginny.
"Shit," I said as Ginny ran off, a hurt look in her eyes.

*She likes Harry you know.*

Do you think that I dont know that?

*I'm just saying-*

No one cares! I know that; shut up you dysfunctional little man!


Yes, I knew that she really liked Harry and the two of us standing, hugging couldn't have looked good. I left Harry and ran after her but to my disadvantage, she knew the layout of the castle far better than I did and I soon lost my way. I wandered around for a while until an owl came down with a note, right in the middle of the corridor. The note was written on a crumpled piece of parchment, like someone had written it, changed their mind and crumpled it but then sent it in the end. I opened it up.

I have been watching you since you got here and I will be waiting for you tonight down by the great lake at eleven o'clock. I hope to see you there. Take the stairs on your right, make a left when they change and just follow that path and it will lead you back to your dormitory.

Your Secret Admirer

Well isnt this lovely, I thought, a secret admirer, how... secretive.


I stood there, not knowing what to do. How would someone know that I was lost and that I was trying to get back to my dormitory unless... they were watching me? I looked around frantically but there was no one there. I didn't really know what to do; I looked down at the parchment and considered my options; I could wander around some more hoping to find someone to ask, I could wander around by myself and hope to find Gryffindor tower or I could follow the instructions in the note.

At first I tried waiting for someone to show up but then I remembered that everyone was still at dinner, I had left early to talk to Harry so nothing of that and it didn't seem like a smart idea to wander around some more I did the only thing I could; follow the instructions in the note. I looked to my right and, just like it said in the note, there were stairs, I started to walk up. I walked and walked and walked...but they never changed.

About ten minutes had passed since I had started climbing, I had started climbing the original stairs from the note and they just continued up, down, horizontally, diagonally and even upside down but they never changed. I was starting to get nervous. What if I never got back to my dorm? What if I just wandered around the castle forever? What if I died of exhaustion? Or hunger? I hadn't really eaten, I was so hungry.

I'm too young to di-

Then suddenly, I felt a quaking, the stairs had started shifting. They turned to the right and came to a small platform which had a set of stairs on each side, I turned left and went down those stairs and they led out into a hallway but they didn't lead anywhere, a dead end! Why would my 'Admirer' give me wrong directions? To make me feel a complete and total idiot? I hit my fist against the wall in front of me in frustration and fell through. Stumbling, I realized that I had come out right next to the painting of the Fat Lady.
"Toffee Taffy!" I said with glee.
The Fat Lady looked down her nose at me sweetly.
"Afraid not, dear, password change."
"Oh, please, you know I'm a Gryffindor. Remember me? Alexandra Evans? Oh, please let me in!" I pleaded.
The Fat Lady shook her head sadly.
"I'm sorry, dear, castle rules."
I sighed and slumped down against the wall and waited. Luckily, after about five minutes, I saw red hair coming up the stairs, at first I thought it was Fred but no, just Ron.
"Hey, Alex! What's wrong? Why are you sitting there? Why don't you go in?"
"Because the password was changed and I don't know it," I answered glumly.
"Oh it's alright, Alex; I'm here to save the day! Mimbulus Mimbletonia!"
"Quite right, young Weasley!" the Fat Lady answered gloatingly and swung open.
I pulled myself up off the ground and followed Ron into the common room.
"Hey, Ron?"
"Yeah, Alex?"
"What animal do you have? I mean like, which of the three, a cat, an owl or a toad?"
He laughed.
"Alex, you wouldn't believe it, it's incredibly embarrassing, and in fact I don't think I'll tell you."
He headed for the boy's dormitories as I called after him.
"Oh, come on, Ron, it's me, Alex! Do you really think I would laugh at you?"
He paused for a second before speaking.
"You're right; I share a small owl the size of a tennis ball with Ginny. His name is Pidgewidgeon," he said 'Pidgewidgeon' in a really pompous voice, making me laugh, "but I call him Pig. Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh!"
I stifled my laughter.
"Oh, but, Ron! No I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing at his name. God I would call him Pig or something too, anything but that!"
Ron waved me away and ran upstairs. I headed for the girl's dormitories but there was no sign of Ginny. I sat down on the bed, re-reading the note I had gotten, I couldn't decide.

To go or not to go?