The Redheaded Wonder

Five Years Later

“Miss Walker, please get up”, came a harsh whisper.

Alice opened her eyes, still drowsy from sleep. She ran a hand through her long curls and sat up slowly, still too tired to feel any sense of alarm. She shook her head, looking at the professor in front of her.

“Professor McGonagall? What on Earth are you doing in here?”

Alice began stretching her arms above her head, yawning.

“There has been an accident.”

In only a few minutes, Alice found herself sitting in Professor Dumbledore’s office, her face pale and silent tears running down her cheeks. She tried her best to hide them, though she knew she couldn’t. Everyone in the room kept giving her looks of pity and telling her how sorry they were for her loss. But this only made her more upset because she had never been pitied before. Alice Walker was not that kind of person, and that was the way she liked it.

“Of course, you can go home and be with your mother”, said Dumbledore once things had quieted down. “You’ll be excused from your classes for the last few days of school.”

The next thing Alice remembered was standing in front of the charred ruins of her home that overlooked the sea. It was a beautiful home, though she could hardly recognize it now. At her side, her mother was in hysterics, falling to the ground on her knees and crying out to her lost husband. Alice made no move to help her stand again. She simply looked forward, trying to stay strong as her father would’ve told her to. She wouldn’t embarrass her father like her mother was now. She would make him proud.

Two Months Later

“Alice, dear, your breakfast will get cold if you don’t eat.”

Alice forced a smile and looked at Narcissa.

“I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite this morning.”

Draco took her hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Only a month earlier, Alice and her mother had moved into the Malfoy Mansion at the request of Narcissa. Alice was still grieving her father’s death in her own silent way, and Nicola Walker had lost almost all sense that she had once had. Within a week of moving into the mansion, Nicola had fallen gravely ill and had been in bed ever since. All this stress had taken a toll on Alice, though the only person she had allowed to see her vulnerable side was Draco. He was the only one she could ever bring herself to trust anymore.

“Please eat at least a little bit, darling”, Narcissa said quietly, and this time Alice gave in, taking a small bite and chewing slowly.

“Just think”, Narcissa beamed. “Both you and Draco will start school in a week. Your sixth year!”

Alice managed a small smile and nodded her head.

“Yes”, she said, almost in a whisper. “It’s very exciting.”

Dinner was soon finished and Draco led Alice upstairs to his room, where she then watched him pack his trunk while sitting in the window seat. Draco moved swiftly from his closet to his trunk, and back to his closet again. Every so often, he would look over to her and give her a small, charming smile. Alice managed to smile back, though she didn’t feel in the smiling mood. Eventually, Draco gave up on packing altogether and came to sit by her, putting his arm around her shoulders and bringing her into a hug.

“It’ll be okay”, he whispered into her ear. “You have me. Everything will be fine.”

Alice bit her lip, refusing to cry.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

Draco pulled back, taking her face in his hands and forcing her to meet his eyes.

“I know everything will be okay. I promise.”

Alice nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. She couldn’t help but think that everything was so much more bearable when you had someone to bear those things with you.



Ron followed Harry and Hermione through the streets of Diagon Alley, frowning at the sight of the abandoned shops and storefronts. This place was no longer cheery as it used to be. It was almost a place to be feared.

“Where are we going, Harry?” Ron asked for the third time since they had gotten to Diagon Alley.

“Madam Malkin’s”, Harry said, rolling his eyes. “I need her to stitch this seam up. I have no idea how it got torn. I only just bought it the other day.”

Hermione then began to lecture him on how he shouldn’t leave his robes out where mice and other creatures could get to them and how that was the most logical explanation for the torn seam. They soon made it to the shop. The sign read Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. They entered the shop, a bell announcing their arrival above the door. The trio frowned at the sight in front of them. Draco Malfoy was standing in a set of robes, a rather annoyed look on his face, as Madam Malkin was fretting at the sleeve of it. Madam Malkin began to roll the sleeve up, but Draco quickly grabbed the hem and pulled it back down, glaring at the trio as they walked in.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ron caught a glimpse of red. He didn’t notice as Harry and Malfoy began to argue. He didn’t even notice when Harry took a step forward and Hermione grabbed him by the arm, or that Draco had pulled away from Madam Malkin altogether and ripped off the robe, pulling on his jacket again. He only noticed Alice and the frightened look in her eyes as she watched this unfold before her. Her robes were hanging over her arm and she looked more delicate than he had remembered. She had never looked so small before. Draco took out his money and threw it on the counter before walking over to where Alice stood. He asked her a question too quietly for Ron to hear and Alice nodded her head. Draco put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the door, glaring at Harry, Hermione, and Ron before they exited into the streets of Diagon Alley.

Harry had all but forgotten about the split seam that had so worried him earlier.

“We have to follow him”, he said, exiting the shop quickly.

The trio watched from an empty shop as Narcissa Malfoy met up with Draco and Alice on the corner of a dark, narrow street. After exchanging a few words, Draco and Narcissa began walking down the narrow alleyway they had been standing in front of. Alice, however, walked in the opposite direction, running a hand through her long hair. Harry burst out of the building and began to make his way through the alleyway.

“Should someone follow her”, Hermione asked, pointing in Alice’s direction.

Harry looked down the alley at the retreating figure of Draco Malfoy longingly and then back at Hermione.

“I’ll follow her”, Ron said hesitantly.

“Are you sure, Ron?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you guys back at the Burrow.”

Harry and Hermione nodded before running after Malfoy to find out where he was off to in such a hurry. Ron began after Alice, staying as far away as he could so that she wouldn’t know that she was being followed. She walked slowly, her heels clicking against the cobblestone streets. The few people that were out, always stepped out of her way. It was as if she intimidated them. It was a funny concept to Ron. He wasn’t intimidated by her, though maybe he should be. Maybe it was foolish not to be, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t help it. She looked more fragile now than ever to Ron, but others didn’t seem to see that. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes eventually came into view, the one bright thing left in Diagon Alley.
Ron furrowed his eyebrows as he watched Alice walk into the shop belonging to his twin brothers. He wouldn’t have expected her to be coming here. He followed, walking into the crowded store and smiling at his brothers’ creations.

“Ron!”

Fred and George suddenly appeared at his side, pushing and shoving him playfully.

“Hey”, Ron said, trying to find Alice in the mass of people.

“Who are you looking for?” they asked at the same time.

“Alice Walker.”

Fred and George looked at each other, a concerned look on both of their faces.

“Why would she be here?”

Ron shook his head, finding it absolutely hopeless to find one particular person in this sea of people.

“I don’t know.”