It was evening before the Hogsmeade trip, and everyone at dinner made their plans.

"But I think we should hang out at the 3 broomsticks for a while." Suggested harry.

"Not before I do some Christmas shopping." said Hermione.

"But it's still over a month away, how can you even think about it?" Shelby asked with an irritated tone.

alex did not have much attention to the conversation. Her mind was on the next occlumency lesson. She felt a little better now that she made some progress, but she was afraid that she would never learn it well enough to block Voldemort if she tried again. Every night now, she sat on her bed and did the deep breathing exercise, Snape had taught her. She came out of her thoughts when Laices words caught her attention.

"But I had been in a good mood until then. But Malfoy was completely rotten yesterday, back to his old nasty self."

Richard mocked. "He was when his new self?"

Laice snorted. "You're right, it was just my imagination!"

Alex looked over to the Slytherin table, Malfoy sat expressionless staring at his plate, with an occasional drink of his butter beer. As omen strange sense of pity, Malfoy's eyes looked hollow and haunted, but they quickly changed to anger overshadowed them, and they narrowed back in the dark look, she knew so well. Alexs focus was back on Edna. "Do you know if there's anything wrong with Malfoy?"

Richard looked confused between the two of them. "Something else, what does that mean?"

"No Richard, it was no big deal. I heard from Selenes cousin Atelia
he sprained his ankle, and she helped him, he was actually a touch civil to her for awhile after, but yesterday at the library, he saw that she does not regret, depressed, but when she would comfort him, he was unhappy and called her, well you know what. "

Someone anything to inflict some serious hurt on him, I think it should be me. "

"Richard Trinity Hunt, if you get expelled because of such a thing! So you are no better than him. Promise me that you will not mess you out in a determined struggle."

Richard growled but promised.

alex smiled. "You know Mazzell can take care of themselves quite well, especially when it comes to Malfoy."

"Yah, I can remember." Richard smiled, remembering when his twin sister Mazzell
Barke him into next week on their own. Second year.



suddenly gasped Dominick. "I forgot to feed Elaine, I'll be right back." She jumped up and literally ran out of room. alex noticed Malfoy look after him. He had a strange look similar worry on his face, but then when he looked at the Gryffindor table, contempt and seemingly angry again masked his features.

"Alex how's detentions with Snape?" asked Richard
calm.

"Better,'s Snape is actually more patient and not snarl at me all the time. He taught me how to do a deep breathing exercise that helps me relax." She explained.

"Think you can deter you know who, if he tries to get into your head again?"

"I do not think I'm there yet. Snape has done something different. I do not know how, but hvhan is take it slow, so I can deal with things that happened to them."

Richard so awkward. "But he should not focus on the really bad things like" He stopped, he would rather not explain why Potter alex sat and wept.

"Like when my grandmother died?" Alex said quietly.

"Yah." Whispered Richard that we get it at some point. He knows I can not let go of the memories her eyes.

"Do hurt to talk about?" Hermione had returned and had heard the last few quiet sentences between them. Alex stared at the table. She put her arm around her and her head on her shoulder to offer her some comfort. She closed her eyes and let his head at her a moment. "Thank you Hermione."

*** Silent blond boy sitting at the Slytherin table set exchange with a wave of anger. The stupid golden gang, always flaunting their friendship. A knot formed in his stomach. Maybe life as a death eater would not be so bad. His gaze went to Snape, and he jumped a little when Snape looked back at him, his forehead wrinkled looking worried. Draco looked away quickly. He wanted power so that people would respect him, and no one would be better than him. Especially hamato and her pets. But Snape words kept creeping into his mind about what life as a death eater was really like. He wanted to hear it from his father because he did not want to be a slave and his father would not be a slave to anyone. He wanted to see his father.

*** Hours later, Alex found himself in Occlumency again. She wavered uncertainly after just experienced Dementor attack on her and a girl named Emily and her grandfather try to awfully her. So she hid in the attic.

She tried to do the deep breathing Snape had taught her. Snape looked worried. "Your grandfather. Trial he really is to beat you?"

"Yes, but he hit me, he thought I had used magic to make a teenager named Emily hurt, but I used it only to try to get rid of those contradict someone so had sent."

"Hamato what do you think of him?" asked Snape.

alex shrugged. "I do not feel anything, he does not worry about me, and I do not care about him."

"What if Voldemort sent his deatheaters after them and killed them all, how would you feel?" Snape asked quietly.

Alexs blue eyes opened wide with alarm. "Why do you ask? Do you know about liz and her children are in danger? I can not let it happen." Her heart bark wildly.

"Take it easy hamato!" snapped Snape. "You obviously care about your grandfather."

alex thought quietly. The idea that Voldemort could kill all of them had an icy chill course through her body. Her grandfather, his betrothed, and their two small children Zahra and Adam was almost her only living relatives. She did not want to be responsible for their deaths.

"You're not successful at blocking me at all today. I had to finish last spell. Clear your brain!" Snape said impatiently.

"I try." alex replied with anger.

Snape waved his wand. "Prepare yourself." So. "Legilimens."

Her grandmother's best friend Clare's voice sounded in Dumbledore's office, alex looked devastated realizing she had to escape the monster in her body loose to kill or be killed in the final battle against Voldemort.

She lay on the floor gasping.

"Get up, let's try again." Snapes voice sounded tired.

"No".

Snape turned on softly spoken words. hamato had pulled into a sitting position. He could see that she was not defiant maybe just tired of not making progress.

Snape sat on the floor facing her. "Let us do the breathing exercise."

hamatos blue eyes lifted slowly to meet his.

"Close your eyes, do not believe in anything. Take a slow deep breath." He waited until hamato did. "Good, now hold it. Slowly release it. Do it again."

After the last picture alex felt dizzy and discouraged. If Voldemort came into her head, she was finished.

"Have you had any more dreams?" Snape asked quietly.

"No, I have made these breathing exercises and trying not to think of something."

"Good. Tell me how you feel about the prophecy?"

"Why did it happen? I kept getting images of people rather than my past why I suddenly have a profetie?" Alex looked up at him, her eyes were haunted.

"I had control over the images. Those who are skilled at Legilimens can control their victim ideas to specific events or times. JDE things that weighed heavily in your mind."

"I never wanted to get you killed, but I will not let anyone hurt my friends and those I love." She paused, an expression of pain short crossing her face. "I could not save my grandmother, I do not think I could live with it if someone else died because of me. Otherwise I do not care if Voldemort kills me, so I could see my parents and my grandmother again."

Snape's heart beat painfully. "Do not you think your parents and your grandmother would want you to live a long time? You are too young to die."

hamato looked at him, "You mean like alice was?"

Snape's dark gaze crimped card. "Yes." He sighed. "You are tired and Hogsmeade is this weekend. We will finish this evening and talk over your nevi will discuss a few things before you proceed again. Continue as you were clearing your mind and breathing exercises."

alex rose.

"Hamato you carry a big weight on your shoulders, but tomorrow do not think anything of it here. Have some fun." Come Snape's surprising advice.

Alex looked up into the dark eyes and smiled softly to Snape.

A ghost of what could be interpreted as a brief smile crossed Snape's face.