36-40

Ch.36 - The Assistant Teacher

Alex's teaching schedule was quite light. After all, he needed to use most of his time working on his own research. He had to help Prof. Flitwick with ten classes a week altogether.

Unlike Transfigurations, Herbology, DADA, and Potions, students only have one class in Charms per week. This is because learning charms was considered less dangerous for students to do by themselves.

Learning Transfigurations requires the supervision of an instructor. There were too many accidents that could happen in practicing this branch of magic. The same can be said for learning Potions, but the accidents are of a different nature. Herbology required access to the greenhouses for hands-on learning. DADA was heavily focused on lectures rather than the actual practice of spells. The vast number of encyclopedic knowledge that students had to learn about dangerous creatures and monsters in that class left them with little time to practice their spells.

Charms class, on the other hand, encourages self-learning. The once a week class would usually involve a short lecture and a demonstration of a particular charm, then it would be up to the students to practice on their own time. Class assignments were usually about recording the students' observation when learning how to perform a spell.

Most of the lectures were to be given by Prof. Flitwick. His duties would involve helping the students in the practical side of the course. But, there were also plenty of times when he would have to hold the class by himself because there were no new spells to cover.

Alex would be assisting with 4 classes on Mondays, 2 classes on Wednesdays, and 4 classes on Fridays. That left him with Tuesdays and Thursdays free to do his own studying.

During the first afternoon period of the first Monday of the term, Alex had his first class with Harry Potter. It was a class that the first year of the Slytherins and Gryffindors shared together, so he could expect some competition among the groups. Alex had already help with other classes, but it would be the first time he would be helping first-year students. Some of them had very little experience with magic in general, so, he would have to be alert just in case.

Charms was usually the most popular class for muggleborns. That had been the case for Alex. It only required a book and a wand. Furthermore, it was the most 'magical' looking among the magical arts.

Most people who had never seen real magic before would expect a wizard to conjure fire, make something fly, or become invisible. Only a few would expect them to change a rat into a goblet or make potions that cure pimples.

When Alex first saw Harry Potter, he was being dragged along by his friend Ron Weasley to talk to him. The knowledge of his return to Hogwarts had already spread among the students. Perhaps, it had already been leaked even outside Hogwarts.

"Mr. Grey! Hello, my name is Ron Weasley! And this is my friend Harry Potter!" said the boy excitedly.

"Hi, Ron, nice to finally meet you. Your brother Bill talked about you when I visited him in Egypt. Oh, it's nice to meet you as well, Harry."

Harry was so small, thought Alex. It's hard to believe that the salvation of the magical world depended on this small child.

"Yeah, he talked about you a lot when we see him! Thank you for saving him. I'll tell mom that you're here, so she can thank you as well."

"Don't mind it. He is my friend. It's what friends do. Why don't you go along and find a good seat? The class should be starting soon."

"Of course! Harry, let's go and sit by the front."

A minute later and all the students were seated. Prof. Flitwick had entered the room and climbed up his stacks of books that he used as a chair without wasting time.

Alex knew that the professor was excited to have Harry Potter in his class. It was not because he was the Boy-Who-Lived, but because he was the son of Lily Evans.

"Here, here! Settle down, children... Welcome to Charms! My name is Filius Flitwick and I'll be your professor in Charms. In this class, you will be learning all kinds of wonderful magic!" said the Professor.

The children applauded and smiled. Harry Potter was as excited as the other muggleborn children as he clapped on.

Prof. Flitwick waved them to calm down. "Charms is the art of magic that imbues new and foreign properties on an object. It's different from Transfigurations that change the nature of the object themselves. With charms, you can change the color of an object, make it levitate, or set it aflame!"

Prof. Flitwick was doing a good job of enticing the students to the art.

"For beginners such as yourselves, it would require concentration, precise wand movements, and proper pronunciations of incantations to cast charms successfully. And here to help me teach you is none other than Alexander Grey!"

Those who knew about Alex applauded and cheered, while some of the muggleborns were wondering what the big deal was.

Alex just waves his hand in greeting and decided not to say anything, so the professor could continue with the lecture.

The professor started the lecture with a general introduction about charms and its workings. About halfway through the class, he introduced the first spell which the class would be studying.

The 'Fire-Making Charm' was a very basic spell to learn that was suitable for first-years. The wand movement and incantation were simple enough for most beginners. And, it would be an encouraging achievement for any beginner to conjure a flame. Plus, the students would need to go over this spell once again in their Herbology class later on.

Professor Flitwick explained the process of casting the spell. Then, he non-verbally levitated a brazier with wood to the center of the classroom, so the students can try and perform the spell one at a time.

Some of the children managed to conjure fire in their first attempt. Among them was the muggleborn witch, Hermione Granger. But, most of them were from Slytherin. Obviously, these students had practiced the spell before class.

Prof. Flitwick had them practice some more to improve their results. He was going over the finer points of the spell with them.

Alex always liked those students who prepare before class. But, Alex wasn't there to teach those who are ahead of the class. His duty was to make sure that everyone had the chance to keep up before the class ends.

Alex had taken another brazier and asked those who failed to try one more time. Ron And Harry were among those who had difficulty in conjuring a flame.

"Don't worry about it too much. You guys don't need to do it on the first day of class. But, here try it again."

The kids tried once more with little improvement.

"Watch the movement of my wand."

He demonstrated slowly.

"And remember, enunciate the incantation. It goes like 'in-SEN-dee-o'. And not, 'in-SHEN-do' or 'in-SEN-jo'. Can you hear the difference?"

"Yes, Mr. Grey," the boys replied.

"Good, try it again."

Harry and some others produced effective flames. While others only managed to only conjure a puff of fire. One of the boys failed entirely, so Alex talked to him alone.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I still couldn't do it."

"Don't call me professor. Just call me Mr. Gray if you have to be respectful. What's your name?"

"It's Neville Longbottom, sir."

"Well, Neville, why don't you try once again."

The boy tried again. Alex couldn't see anything wrong with his wand movements or incantation.

"Let me see your wand, Neville," said Alex.

[AN: No, it's not like that! Don't call the cops!]

The boy handed him the wand. After his first meeting with Gregorovitch, Alex had learned a little about wand lore and the diagnostic spells that the wand maker had used on him. He didn't want to let anyone else use that particular charm on him again as it could risk his strange situation with his own magical core.

Alex examined the wand, feeling its magic the same way that Ollivander and Gregorovitch would do it. By sending some minuscule amount of magic to the wand, he could tell much information about it based on its reaction. It was like using the 'Reverse Charm' on a wand, but not casting the spell in completion. He was able to discover the problem shortly. He took Neville to the corner where they could have a private conversation.

"Neville, this is a wand made by Ollivander, right? Did you buy this from him directly?"

"No, it was my dad's. My Gran gave it to me. She said it would make me powerful like my dad," said Neville shyly.

"I know about your parents. It is a tragic thing to have happened. They were heroes from the war. — And, this is a powerful wand, I'm not saying that it isn't. But it's your father's wand, not yours."

"Oh... But..." said Neville sadly.

"Don't look down, Neville. It has nothing to do with you. That is just how wands work. If your father is able to tell you, he would ask you to get your own wand."

"But Gran gave it to me so I can use it. She would be so disappointed if—"

"Your Gran is also saddened by what happened to your parents. But, I'll tell you what? Come with me after class and we'll try to get it sorted out."

Neville nodded and didn't say anything. Alex had resumed his teaching with the other students and let them practice the 'Fire-Making Charm' a bit more.

After the class was over, Alex excused himself from Prof. Flitwick and took Neville to meet with Prof. McGonagall. Luckily, the Transfigurations professor was also between classes at the time.

"Prof. McGonagall, can we talk for a bit?" Alex said from outside the Transfigurations classroom.

"Of course, Mr. Grey. Come in. Why do you have Mr. Longbottom with you? Did he have an accident again?"

"It's nothing like that, Professor. I was the teaching assistant in Neville's Charms class and I noticed that he had some trouble in casting a 'Fire-Making Charm' when the other students have already succeeded in some degrees."

"Not all students can pick it up so soon. Is there something else?" asked Prof. McGonagall.

Neville was looking really down after hearing that. He was seriously lacking confidence in himself. Alex just hoped that whatever he was doing would help the boy in the long run.

"I'm afraid so, Professor. It's his wand. It is not loyal to him. I'm not saying this without any basis. I have studied a bit about wand lore. And well, Neville here needs a different wand. I was thinking that you could get in touch with his guardian and have him taken to Ollivander's sometimes."

"Are you absolutely certain? Why don't you explain it to me?"

"Of course. Just a moment. — Neville, why don't you head to your next class now. You don't want to be late."

The boy said "Yes, sir." and took his leave from the room. Only then did Alex continue talking.

"There is nothing wrong with the wand itself, in fact, it is a pretty powerful wand. The problem is that it's not Neville's wand. It belongs to his father."

"It's Frank Longbottom's wand? Why would his grandmother give him that wand?"

The professor was surprised to learn that one of her students was using a wand that used to belong to an experienced Auror.

"I don't know. Perhaps, it is her own way of coping with what happened to her son. But either way, Neville can't inherit the wand. I know that inherited wands are considered traditional in pureblood families. But, Frank Longbottom is still alive, despite his and his wife's conditions. Therefore, the wand cannot be inherited like that."

"That could be a problem, Augusta does not take kindly on being told what to do."

"That is why I came to you," said Alex smiling a little.

"Very well, Mr. Grey. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It may take some time, but I think Mrs. Longbottom and I can sort this out between us," said the professor after a sigh.

Ch.37 - Settling in Hogwarts

After his meeting with Prof. McGonagall, Alex had continued along with his routine. As an apprentice, he didn't join the students in the Great Hall for meals. Instead, some of the Hogwarts house-elves delivered his meals in his room. There was an old apprentice common room that used to serve as the dining and lounge area of all the apprentices in Hogwarts, but he was the only one at the moment. So, it didn't make much sense to even go to that room.

It was a pretty lonesome existence, but he had his own studies to focus on. Besides, he wasn't staying in Hogwarts during the weekends. On those days, he would always use Prof. Flitwick's Floo to go to Katie's House.

Around mid-September, the halls of Hogwarts became wild with the news of Harry Potter becoming the new Seeker for the Gryffindor. He was probably the youngest quidditch player in recent history. It was already rare for a second-year to get a regular spot in one of the teams, let alone a first-year. Even the ghosts were gossiping about it.

Neville Longbottom also got a broken wrist during a flying lesson, but no one was talking about that. However, after the event, Alex had offered his help to Mdm. Hooch, so there would be two supervisors for the children's flying lessons.

The students were happy to have him in their lessons. Some second-years even attended their lessons for the chance to get some flying advice from him.

Anyway, the news that concerned Alex was something else. The third-floor corridor was restricted from all students of Hogwarts for some reason. There were whispers among the students of speculations regarding what was wrong with the closed area. Some say that it was cursed by some dark artefact while others say that It was closed off because of an infestation of Acrumantulas that snuck in from the Forbidden Forest.

There was nothing interesting located in the third-floor corridors. Students won't even be using it if it wasn't a convenient shortcut to between the Charms Corridors and the Grand Staircase. So, he was mildly curious about it.

After one of their classes with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff fourth-years, Alex decided to ask Prof. Flitwick about it.

"Prof. Flitwick, why is the third-floor corridor actually closed off?"

"Hm? Don't worry about that. It's nothing dangerous," said the professor, clearly avoiding his question.

"I wouldn't be curious if you just say that it was dangerous. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that there was something dangerous in Hogwarts. Remember Prof. Kettleburn's Chimaera? Are you saying that this time was worse than that?"

"No, it's not like that," said the professor sighing. "I am choosing to trust you in this, Alex. — The truth is that there is something hidden in the third-floor corridor and Headmaster Dumbledore asked some of the teachers to place protections on it."

Alex thought, why would they have to hide something in such a manner? He was sure that if Prof. Dumbledore really wanted to hide anything, no living man would be able to find it.

"Prof. Dumbledore is expecting someone to steal it? Why would he keep it here? Isn't that dangerous?" asked the surprised Alex.

"The Headmaster has taken it into consideration. He is merely providing a path for the thief to follow. And it won't be the first time someone is trying to steal from Hogwarts. At least this way, we would know where the thief would go and kept the students away from it. Just keep this a secret and know that everything has been arranged for a reason," said the professor seriously.

Alex appreciated the trust of his professor, but he was still concerned. The fact that they had to apply some protections to whatever it was that they were hiding meant that they fully expected the thief to be able to sneak into Hogwarts.

Alex wondered, did this happen in the other timeline? If it did, he would have less to worry about. Obviously, Harry Potter survived. But, what if it was one of the changes that was happening due to his alterations?

Alex decided to be even more vigilant. Something was really afoot. The coincidence that it was Harry Potter's first year in Hogwarts was too much to ignore. Wherever the boy went, the Dark Lord would follow. That has always been the case according to his memory. The two were linked by something inexplicable to him. He must let his people know that they should be extra vigilant from now on.

×××

The quidditch team practices began around the third week of September. Alex, watched the Hufflepuff team practised when he had the chance. Cedric Diggory was developing to be their star player. As Seeker, he had a big impact on the success of the team.

During the past two years, the team had stayed strong. However, they didn't win the Cup last term. Instead, it was the Slytherin who had taken the Cup.

Cedric Diggory was a pretty agile flyer. The rest of the team was also quite competent. They should be the favourite team to win during this school year.

Sometime later, Alex had checked into the Charms Club. He had visited one of their meetings to see how the club had turned out. As he had hoped from before, there were plenty of muggleborn members in the club. And, the current president of the club was a sixth-year muggleborn Ravenclaw student.

Alex was glad at how the membership turned out. It seemed that they continued with their Weekly Charms challenges that Alex had started when he became president of the club during his time in Hogwarts.

When he had the time, Alex met with Fred and George in their 'secret' base. Their charm work had really improved as of late. During one of their usual meeting, the twins were complaining to him about how they were always being suspected for every prank that happened in the school.

"How could they always suspect us, Master? It's so unfair!" said Twin One.

"But, you were actually guilty this time, so what are you complaining about?" said Alex amused.

"They don't know that!"

"Yeah! How come they don't suspect the Hufflepuffs? We all know that they keep a pranking hit list in one of their clubrooms," said Twin Two.

"Well, that's because you two have given them a convenient scapegoat," said Alex.

"Who would have guessed that it is the Hufflepuffs who are the real villains in the school. They're untouchable!"

"Knowing that Master came from that house, it really makes sense."

"Hey now, don't blame the Hufflepuffs for being better than you in pranks. The problem is you have already been outed as pranksters, by your own doing no doubt. So now, you need to diversify your pranks a little."

"Show us!" said the Twin Tweens.

"It's simple. You will have one set of pranks that are undeniably from Fred and George. I'm talking about fart noises, insane hair colours, fireworks, and such."

"Oh. I like where this is going."

"Shut it and let me finish. Then, you have a set of more subtle pranks, like a persistent itch on the backside, making other students sneeze when they're around certain people... You know, the really 'undetectable' pranks. When people start blaming you, you just say that it's not your style. Eventually, they will believe you." said Alex with an evil look.

"Oh yeah. No one can avoid looking stupid when they keep scratching their butts. That's the perfect pranks for Ravenclaws!" said Twin One.

"Yeah, Master! That's genius!" said Twin Two.

"Just remember not to cross the line, okay? You don't want to make it to the Hufflepuff's hit list this year," said Alex.

"So, there is really a hit list! I knew it!"

"I would neither deny nor confirm the veracity of that statement."

×××

Among the teachers in Hogwarts that year, the only one he didn't know was the current DADA professor, Quirinus Quirrell. From what Alex had found out, Quirrell used to teach Muggle Studies two years ago. Then, he took a sabbatical to train himself a little before coming back to teach DADA. If the curse on the position was actually real, this would mean it would be Quirrell's last term in Hogwarts.

One reason or another, Quirrell would be ousted from Hogwarts just like any other DADA professor that they've had in the past 20-30 years. However, the professors were not always the victim. There were cases when their own actions were the reasons why they had to leave. Some professors were even arrested while teaching in Hogwarts.

So, Alex was curious as to what the reason would be for Quirrell's expulsion from Hogwarts. That was just how the curse worked. It was a very subtle curse, in a way. All that it guaranteed was that no professor would last after one term in the position of DADA. The reasons were not always the same.

Alex wanted to find the source of the curse. He had scoured the castle to look for it when he had nothing to do. But, he found nothing. He thought that if he had to make a persistent curse like that, it would have to involve a great deal of knowledge in Curses, Rituals, and some Divinations. Perhaps, a heavily enchanted artefact would be its base. But, he found nothing like that.

So, he just observed Quirrell. The man was too jumpy for his own good. There was something off about Quirrell that he couldn't quite put into words. So, he started paying attention to the movements of the DADA professor, however, he also kept his distance to make sure that his suspicion wouldn't be found out.

Other than him, the only other staff who had been acting differently was Prof. Snape. One night, Alex had come across him in the corridors near the library.

"May I ask why you were still in the corridors late at night, Mr Grey?" asked Prof. Snape while using his wand as a torch in the dark corridors of Hogwarts.

"I was just returning to my room from the library, Professor. Why are you walking about the halls so late at night?"

There was an incident in the library when he was practically mobbed by the students there while he was trying to read some reference materials for his research. So Mdm. Pince kindly requested him to just visit the library after hours to allow him to read undisturbed and keep the order in the library. Alex didn't argue with the librarian.

"I am doing my routine patrol of the corridors, as per my duty."

"I didn't know that the professors had to patrol the halls at night. Is everything okay?"

"It's none of your concern, Grey. Why don't you hurry along, unless you begin to be a terrible example to the students."

They stared at one another trying to gauge each other's true motives. Alex felt a brush against his Occlumency shields. He scowled a little bit at that. How rude, he thought. He gave the professor a dirty look. But, the professor just turned around and walked away briskly without explaining himself.

"Well, good night to you too," said Alex after the man was gone.

Not counting that strange interaction, Alex had an amicable relationship with Prof. Snape. They weren't exactly on familiar terms, but, he was one of the few students of his year who took the NEWTs level Potions class. Katie would have greeted the professor with a little more familiarity. She was, after all, his best student in their year and Snape had treated her well. But, it didn't mean that Prof. Snape was rough with Alex.

Perhaps it had something to do with the thing that was hidden in the third-floor corridor that kept the man on edge. Or, it could be something about his newfound fame that annoyed the professor. However, Alex suspected it was more than that.

The Prof. Snape he knew would not bother to actually patrol the halls of Hogwarts. As long as it didn't have anything to do with his laboratory or his storage rooms, he wouldn't bother. He wasn't exactly the type to worry about school safety.

Alex's suspicious side was telling him that the professor was up to no good. But, he reminded himself of the professor's role in Dumbledore's plan. So, he decided not to bother with the man.

Ch.38 - Halloween

Aside from the restriction of the third-floor corridor, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Well, Hogwarts was still a school of magic, so, out of the ordinary may be hard to define.

Alex continued on with his duties with Prof. Flitwick's classes. He was actually enjoying teaching young wizards and witches. There was just something precious about them. They didn't know the fearsome side of magic yet.

With magic, everything is heightened. The wonderful things would be even more wonderful. And the darkness would be darker. Alex wanted his students to stay on the bright side of magic. But, he also wanted them to be familiar with the darkness, so they could protect themselves better. This dilemma had probably define every true educators in the magical world.

Each professor in Hogwarts had their own philosophies reflected in their teaching methods. Prof. McGonagall believed in a disciplined and commanding approach. Prof. Flitwick encouraged students to show their own initiative and nurture their curiosity. Prof. Sprout had a supportive and learn-from-doing approach. And, Prof. Snape believed that only those few with the aptitude could truly master magic. These Head of Houses really represented the values of their house. Alex, too, was forming his own beliefs regarding magical education.

The days passed on and the day of Halloween arrived. He was assisting in Prof. Flitwick's class as usual. The first period in the afternoon was the Slytherin and Gryffindor first-year class. Expectedly, some tension was beginning to form up among the students.

Prof. Flitwick had the students pair-up to learn the 'Levitation Charm' by attempting it on a feather. Interestingly, Harry was paired with Neville. And, Ron was paired with Hermione.

Harry was sort of disappointed when he was paired with Neville, who had developed a reputation of being accident-prone. Worse still, Ron and Hermione seemed like they could not stand each other.

As usual, Hermione Granger performed the charm splendidly. She was probably the best in charms in the both Slytherin and Gryffindor first-years.

"Look here, everyone! Ms. Granger has done it!" said Professor Flitwick awarding the Gryffindors five house points.

Neville tried the spell and the feather moved slightly. He only needed a little more push, so Alex went over to give him some instructions.

The 'Levitation Charm' was considered harder than the 'Fire-Making Charm' because it required the student to hold their concentration. Its incantation was also longer than most.

"How is your new wand, Neville?" asked Alex.

"It's better! Thank you, Mr. Grey!" said the boy. He had a new wand made with cherry wood with a unicorn tail hair for the core.

"That's good. why don't you try it then? This time, do not embellish your wand movement too much."

"Wingardium Leviosa!" chanted Neville.

The white feather in front of him floated by about 5 inches before gliding down once again.

"Well done, Neville! Now you only need to practice it some more and be more familiar with it," praised Alex. Neville could use a little more confidence. So, he decided to do something a bit more.

Harry was surprised at the sudden improvement of Neville, but he congratulated the other boy just the same. Instead, he focused some more on his own work.

To their right, Hermione was pouting after trying once more to help Ron to cast the spell. It seemed that the two finally had enough of one another.

"Hermione and Neville, why don't you help Harry and Ron here how to cast the charm?" said Alex.

"You want us to learn from them?" asked Ron.

"Yes, it wouldn't hurt the way you are going about it. Now, I want you guys to get along okay? Neville and Hermione, make sure to show them how you've managed the charm. Neville, you should try to be a little assertive. And Hermione, let's try being a little more patient with these boys, hm?"

"Yes, Mr. Grey..." the two students said at the same time.

"And you two, make sure to listen to them sincerely and try your hardest, I don't want you to waste their time. Ron, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir! We'll learn it good, right Harry?" said Ron obediently. The boy had idolized Alex ever since he won the Quidditch World Cup.

"Yes, Mr. Grey. We'll do our best," said Harry.

Alex went to help the Slytherin students to perform the charm. Draco Malfoy also managed to perform the spell with no problems. His friends Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott were also doing just fine.

That left Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle who were paired up together. The two boys were bulkier compared to most boys in the Slytherin House. Also, they kept to themselves most of the time. Most other Slytherin members avoided them due to their fathers being outed as blood-purist.

Alex realized that it was a consequence of his plans. He never wanted the next generations to inherit the crimes of their predecessors, but it couldn't be helped. Their fathers attacked the Association and got what they deserved.

The most that Alex could do was to treat the two boys fairly. So, he gave them his pointers just the same. It would be up to them if they would make good use of his words.

[AN: Crabbe's and Goyle's fathers are in Azkaban. So, they are shunned in the Slytherin house. They are not close to Malfoy because they felt that Malfoy's father abandoned their fathers to rot in Azkaban. Instead, Malfoy hangs out with Parkinson and Nott.]

Prof. Flitwick approved of his approach. He always encouraged his students to be more proactive in their own education. But, it also tended to isolate his more talented students from the rest. Having Alex around was really handy.

When he came back to the Gryffindor quartet after about ten minutes, Harry and Ron were now able to perform the spell although they were still rough at it.

"Well done, you four. See what you can do when you help one another?" said Alex.

"Yes, Mr. Grey! Thank you!" said Ron.

"Remember, Ron. Friendships are sometimes like a quidditch team. All members have different roles, but, they win if they work together." said Alex.

He was playing the role of a wise senior once again. If Katie or Clay were there, they would be teasing him on how corny he sounded. But, he was talking to eleven-year-old kids. He could say something like 'Friendship is the real magic!' and they wouldn't know how corny it was.

Harry, Hermione, and Neville seemed happy to hear them being described as friends. And, Ron looked happy because he finally had a team of his own. Alex thought the four of them would be able to deal with what would happen in the future. He would have to watch out for them as well, not just Harry.

After class, Prof. Flitwick talked to him about how he handled the students.

"That was a good thing you did back there, Alex. And clever too. There will always be some students who are more advanced than the others. It was good thinking that you let them help their other classmates," said Prof. Flitwick.

"I was just doing my duties."

"You did more than that. Now that I think about it, you were the same with your friends back then. You always helped Mr. Rosewood and Ms. Robins on their charm works. How are they, by the way?"

"They are doing very well, Professor. Rosewood is busy with his family business and Robins has her own potions shop, Robin's Restorative Remedies. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

"Yes! I've read something about it. So, they are both working on the potions industries. Quite a pair they make," said Prof. Flitwick amused.

"Hm... Actually, Katie Robins and I are the couple. Rosewood is dating Nymphadora Tonks," explained Alex awkwardly.

"Oh my! Forgive my careless words. I didn't mean anything by it," said the flustered professor.

"I know, Professor. But, I would appreciate it if we can keep the matter between us. The newspapers have been quite intrusive regarding my private life as of late."

"Of course! lt must be hard. Do I hear wedding bells soon?"

"Not yet, Professor. The two of us are still quite focused on our own careers."

"That is also good! It is something of a trend with us magical folks to marry young in the past decades. I guess it's understandable. But 50 years ago, it wasn't strange for couples to marry after 40. I say you have plenty of time."

Alex laughed. "I guess that is true."

"Anyway, there would be a feast tonight at the Great Hall. I made a place for you on the staff table. Would you like to join us?"

"Of course, I'm honored."

"Great! I will be helping with the decorations in the Great Hall. So, I'm leaving the fourth period to you. I just love the festivities here in Hogwarts!"

"Of course, Professor. I will handle it."

The next class was with the third-years. Fred and George were there as well. They only needed to review the previous charm that was introduced last week. So, Alex was more than enough to handle the class.

×××

The Great Hall was extravagantly decorated for Halloween. There was no such thing as too festive in the magical world. Thousands of conjured bats were flying all over the hall. Prof. Flitwick had outdone himself once again.

Alex walked through the hall to get to the staff table. Some students cheered when they saw him. Although the students from first year to fifth year were getting accustomed to his presence in the school, he was still a rare person to see for the senior students. Those who were in Hufflepuff were probably more excited than most. They would remember the legend behind Alexander Grey who lead their House team undefeated in the 6 years that he played.

When he reached the staff table, he greeted everyone there.

"It's nice that you can join us today, Mr. Grey. Why don't you get seated and we can begin the feast," said Dumbledore. It was the first time that he spoke once again with the Headmaster.

Prof. Dumbledore made his traditional festive speech during Halloween and with his signal, the food appeared on the table as customary during a feast.

The tables were filled with more cakes and candies than the students could possibly eat. Although, that would not prevent some of them from trying.

While everyone was enjoying the feast, Quirrell ran inside the hall in a great panic.

"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" he shouted as he ran.

The students gasped at hearing his words. Even the professors were disturbed.

"Thought you ought to know..." added Quirrell before collapsing.

Now the students were outright panicking. Well, at least most of them were. Some were just playing along and acting terrified thinking that it must have been a Halloween stunt.

Dumbledore fired some exploding sparks from his wand to quiet down the room.

"Prefects, lead your Houses back to your dormitories," said Dumbledore. He didn't need to explain anything else.

The prefects got to work and roused their House members from the dining table. Some students who could not appreciate the seriousness of the situation were pocketing as much food as they could.

After the students started moving, the Hogwarts staff also got to work. They were all about to run to the dungeons when Alex spoke up.

"What about Prof. Quirrell? Do we just leave him here?" he asked.

"He'll be safe here," said Prof. Dumbledore.

That was not what Alex meant. He had been suspicious about Quirrell for a while now. At first, the man looked pathetic. But, from what he was able to gather, Quirrell was actually a pretty good teacher of DADA. He seemed jumpy and easily scared. But, there were moments when he was speaking about monsters and dangerous Beasts that his true fascination about dark creatures showed a little. It might be simple reasoning on his part, but Alex was sure he was on something.

"Then perhaps, we should split up and cover more grounds," added Alex.

"Yes, I agree with Mr. Grey," said Prof. Snape.

Alex's curiosity was instantly aroused at the professor's words.

"Very well. We will split up in teams of two. Be very careful everyone. And do not underestimate the strength of a troll."

As things developed, Prof. Snape and Alex were paired together. They search the corridors that would lead to the Hufflepuff dormitories. When they turned a corner, Alex smelled something foul.

"It seemed we found it. It wasn't in the dungeons at all. Do you know any reason for Prof. Quirrell to lie?" asked Alex.

"No. I can't think of anything," deflected Prof. Snape.

"And, what about whatever it is that is hidden in the third-floor corridor?"

"He would be a fool to make his move now. But perhaps, I should check it just the same," said the professor not bothering to deny it after Alex's words.

Alex had the feeling that Prof. Snape had been wanting to go somewhere else the entire time. Now, he confirmed that the man suspected that the troll was only a distraction all along.

He would want to go along with Prof. Snape, are perhaps catch the culprit in person. But, the troll was also a real threat. It was too close to the Hufflepuff dormitories. Just one corner from here, and it might come across a student who trailed behind heading back to the common room.

"I'll take care of the troll. You do whatever it is you are planning. But, you will explain it to me later on," said Alex.

Prof. Snape scowled at him, but he didn't argue. He walked with haste toward the Charms corridors that would lead him to the third-floor corridor.

Alex, on the other hand, prepared to face the troll. He had his wand on his right hand and his left hand was free to summon his flying dagger should he need to.

Trolls had strong and big bodies that could grow up to 15 feet in height. Their intelligence was notoriously low. However, some people have managed to tame them as Security Trolls.

The 'Arms' actually considered training some trolls to be included in their services. But, Alex just laughed at the idea. Sure, they were scary looking, but, how could a troll be better than a trained wizard or witch? It was not like they were that much cheaper than hiring people.

Troll's status in the magical world had been debated over and over. Some would argue that they should be categorized as 'Beings' like Merpeople or Centaurs. While others argued that they were mere beasts who had to be restricted. But to Alex, it was simple, if a creature wanted to eat a person, then that creature is a beast. And, trolls were famous for their taste in human flesh.

The first thing he did was to cast a simple 'Notice-Me-Not Charm' on himself as he approached the troll.

He found it just outside the girl's bathroom. Its skin was grey and its head was too small for its body. It was about 12 feet in height. It had short stumpy legs and it's arms were long enough to reach its ankles while standing. Lastly, it was dragging a huge wooden club as it walked.

"Flipendo!" fired Alex toward the back of the troll's head.

The spell affected the troll, but it was barely hurt. It turned around and found Alex there.

Alex was surprised. Although he had read before that trolls were resistant to magic, he did not expect it to be up to that extent.

The troll charged at him, lifting its club.

Alex hit the wooden club with a non-verbal 'Knockback Jinx' forcing the troll to let go of it.

Before the troll could pick it up again, Alex had used a 'Summoning Charm' to take it away.

The club flew toward Alex, but he used a non-verbal 'Oppugno Jinx' on it.

The club halted and changed direction. Its target was the very confused troll.

The troll was hit with the heavy end of the club on its stomach. It was knocked down finally, unable to get back up easily due to its size.

Alex realized, that spelled physical objects worked well against the troll. He suspected that conjured objects would be just as effective.

"Incarcerous!"

A rope as thick as his wrist shot out from his wand and wrapped around the troll's short neck. Alex commanded it to tighten as much as it could. With the sheer power of his magic, the rope tightened enough that the skin of the troll was starting to rip.

Dark blood started to leak out from its orifices. It wanted to scream but it couldn't.

The troll flail about on the stone floor of the corridor until a loud crack was heard. It's neck snapped due to the pressure and it died just as suddenly.

Ch.39 - The Referee

Alex banished the rope and made the corridor a little bit cleaner. He managed to do it just in time before Prof. McGonagall arrived with Prof. Snape and Quirrell behind her.

"Mr Grey! What happened here!?" asked McGonagall.

Quirrell squirmed at the sight of the troll on the floor even though trolls were supposed to be his speciality. He had almost fainted, in fact. Prof. Snape, on the other hand, was more bothered by the smell rather than the dead beast.

"Well, Professor, I'm afraid it is what it looks like," answered Alex. "I found the troll, then I killed it. I tried to take it down without killing it. But, I'm afraid I didn't have the luxury to slowly bring it down."

"I understand, Mr Grey," she said. "Thank you for doing what you did. A student could have gotten hurt if you waited. I'll see to it that you are commended for this."

"Please don't bother, Professor. I'm more concerned about how we'll clean this up."

"Just wait here, I'll go fetch Hagrid. He'd know what to do," said Prof. McGonagall before leaving.

"I-I will also be e-excusing myself. I'm not f-feeling v-very good," said Quirrell.

Prof. Snape and Alex was left there standing beside the troll's body.

After Quirrell was gone, Alex asked, "So, did you find out anything, Professor?"

"Quirrell was there by the entrance," said Prof. Snape deciding that there was no reason to lie. "He said that we were there for the same reason. But, I'm not so sure."

"So, he recovered from fainting in the Great Hall to catch you in the third-floor corridor?" asked Alex incredulously.

"Whatever the case may be, remember that the Headmaster is the one who let him stay in the castle," said Prof. Snape.

Alex thought that it would be an erroneous assumption to think that Prof. Dumbledore didn't already know what was Quirrell planning. Only his true motives were in question.

Prof. Snape and Alex had to play along and stop themselves from taking action. But, Alex didn't like that Quirrell's distraction could have easily involved some students.

"And, what about your leg?"

The professor had wounds on his leg. He must have already applied some potions on it, but it was still bleeding quite a bit and possibly infected.

"Hagrid's pet."

"Speaking of Hagrid, here he is."

The large man walked along the corridor like there was nothing wrong. His dog seemed to be more cautious at the sight of the dead troll.

"'Hello there, Professor Snape, Alexander," greeted Hagrid. "Quite a beastie we have 'ere, the poor fella. Don' yeh worry. I'll take care of this, no problem."

"Thank you, Hagrid. What are you going to do with it?" Alex asked.

"I'll just feed it to some creatures in the forest."

"Well, if you want, I know some people who would gladly pay you and take it off your hands. You only need to store it for a night."

"Are yeh sure? It's you who they should be payin', not me."

"It's fine Hagrid. You can just treat me for drinks in Hogsmeade if you want."

Hagrid happily agreed and went back to his job. He took the heavy rope he was carrying and wrap one end of it around the legs of the troll. Then, with unbelievable strength, he dragged the troll away along the corridor as if pulling a cart. The dog whined as it followed.

×××

A week later and it was time for the first quidditch game in Hogwarts of the year. It was a game between the bitter rivals; the Slytherin team and the Gryffindor team. They really should have been worried about the Hufflepuff team, but the rivalry between the house of the snakes and the lions was an age-old tradition.

To hype up the game, Alex was asked by Madam Hooch to referee the game. Since the Hufflepuff team was not playing, they considered it alright to invite Alex as a referee. Having a quidditch celebrity involved in the game would surely raise the excitement of the students and fans in the stands.

Alex walked forward toward the centre of the pitch. He had to establish his authority right from the beginning to make sure that the players would respect his instructions later on.

"Team captains, come here!" yelled Alex.

Oliver Wood was the Captain and Keeper for Gryffindor. While Marcus Flint was the Captain and one of the Chasers for Slytherin. Both of them were in their fifth-years. It seemed that both teams were in their re-building years if their captains were not even sixth-years.

One of the regulations that Alex left behind for the Hufflepuff team was to always keep the team diverse in terms of age. That way, they would never be in a re-building year when the previous regular players graduated all at once.

"I want a clean game from both of you," Alex said seriously. "Prove to everyone watching here that you are the better team through your skills and strategies. If I find that any of you were cheating or deliberately trying to bring harm to another player, I will end the game and disqualify your team! Am I understood?"

"Yes sir!" said Oliver Wood.

"But, quidditch is a rough game," Marcus Flint protested.

"Even pro-teams have been disqualified for less. Should I expect any problem from you?" said Alex with little patience in his voice.

"No, sir!" answered Flint.

"Go to your positions."

After the players were in their positions, Alex released the Golden Snitch and Bludgers. After waiting for them to get away, he released the Quaffle and the game began.

The players scramble and Slytherin had taken the first possession. Their captain led the offensive and quickly flew to attack range. The shot was attempted but the Keeper of the Gryffindor had caught the Quaffle.

Alex was flying on the perimeter of the pitch, away from the players. He thought that the Slytherin offensive was too simple. The Slytherin during his later years of Hogwarts would definitely not approve. But after just two years, Alex could not recognize any players on the Slytherin team. The same can be said for the Gryffindor team except for their Captain.

Harry Potter and the Slytherin Seeker were just floating around up there watching the game. It was understandable for the first-year not to know how to play as Seeker. But, it was inexcusable for the other Seeker who was already in his fourth year.

The play went on and Gryffindor scored a goal! It was a fast and straightforward attack, but it was effective for them. The all-female Chasers of the Gryffindor team had some skill.

The game went on and the Slytherin started getting aggressive. Alex decided to let them play on after all some contact had to be allowed.

However, Flint must have taken the referee's inaction as permission to do get even rougher. He took a bat from one of his Beaters and hit the Bludger toward Wood. The Gryffindor Keeper went down after that. He would have to recover by himself if he wanted to get back to the game.

Alex flew by and yelled at Flint.

"That was deliberate aggression! This is a warning for you, Flint! One more and your team forfeits!"

"No! You can't—" Flint tried to argue.

But, the referee was already gone, not even bothering with him. Flint was definitely annoyed. Some hotshot just showed him up. But, there was nothing he could do. The Slytherin house did not forgive. Bring honour to the house, and you would get prestige and influence. Make the house lose face, and you would be shunned. So, he just gritted his teeth and went on with the game.

With Oliver Wood down, the Slytherin was able to score without resistance. The Gryffindor was trying to compete with the scoring. To Alex, they should be prolonging the game until their Keeper got back up, but instead, they decided to play at a faster pace.

Then, something had changed. Harry Potter seemed to have found the Snitch but his broom was moving wildly.

Alex recognized that Harry was using a Nimbus 2000, just like him, so the chance of them being defective was small. Alex had examined the enchantments on his broom, so he knew there were redundancies applied on the broom in case its main enchantments got compromised.

So, he concluded that it must be outside interference. He first suspected the Slytherin team. It wouldn't be the first time that a player tried to cheat in quidditch.

But, there were no signs from them. Meaning it must be coming from the stands. However, there were too many possible suspects. So, having no other choice, he decided to intervene.

Alex took out his wand and shot Harry with a non-verbal 'Levicorpus'. Harry was hoisted by the ankle and Alex guided him down to the ground. The broom had landed on the pitch with little damage. It seemed whoever was cursing the broom had stopped doing so.

Then, with his voice amplified, he said, "THIS GAME IS SUSPENDED UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE!"

The crowd cried in protest but the referee ignored them.

Alex went on to check with Harry to see if he was okay.

"Are you hurt?" asked Alex

"I'm fine. Thank you, Mr Grey," said the boy.

Alex didn't stay with the boy and went to check on the broom. From his initial observation, it was definitely cursed. The spell was still lingering. But, he couldn't pinpoint where it came from.

He walked back toward Harry and gave him back his broom.

"Can you continue?" asked Alex.

"Yes, sir."

Alex walked back to the centre of the pitched and summoned all the balls for the game. As the referee, he had the privilege to do that.

"SOMEONE TRIED TO INTERVENE WITH THE GAME AND CURSED THE BROOM OF THE GRYFFINDOR SEEKER. IF ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, I WILL ABORT THIS GAME ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIONS. THIS IS MY LAST WARNING," Alex announced. He waited for his message to sink in before continuing.

"ALL PLAYERS WILL GO BACK TO THEIR STARTING POSITIONS. THE SCORE WILL BE RESET TO SIXTY TO FIFTY WITH GRYFFINDOR AS THE LEAD."

That was the score before the strange event started happening. The Gryffindor fans were cheering while the Slytherin fans were cursing him. Their quidditch players were also complaining loudly after they just lost 40 points. Alex's patience was really being tested.

"SILENCE!!! — IF THE SLYTHERIN HOUSE DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT THEIR CHANCES, THEN PERHAPS YOU BETTER FORFEIT! IF NOT, THEN YOU WILL DO AS I SAY AND GET INTO POSITIONS!"

The students had quieted down and the players went to their position. For the second time, Alex released the balls to start the game.

Once the game resumed, there weren't any problems anymore. It was a typical game until it ended in an hour with the Gryffindor winning after Harry caught the Snitch finally. But, the result wasn't in question at all. The Gryffindor team was already ahead by more than 150 points.

The Gryffindor Keeper was too good for the other team. Their all-female Chasers were also quite skilled. And lastly, there was Harry Potter who had proven himself to be a talented Seeker.

The Slytherins might have wanted to complain but they had one hour to turn the game around and they failed. The points that Alex had deducted from them hardly mattered.

And so, the Gryffindor went on to celebrate their victory. They even asked Alex to join them, but he had turned them down saying that he could be accused of being biased if he celebrated with the winning team. This was because he would still have to be the referee for two other games during the school year, the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw game, and the Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin game.

He also would like to have a little chat with Prof. Snape about what happened during the game. He would probably know since he was watching from the stands when it happened.

Ch.40 - Hidden Treasure

Quirrell was the one who interfered during the game according to Prof. Snape. It was an attempted assault on a student at the least. But, once again, he was told to do nothing.

He had stepped in after the game between Quirrell and Dumbledore was already underway. He shouldn't get involved according to Prof. Snape. Something bigger was happening, at least, he could agree with that. But, he still could not stop imagining all the ways he could end Quirrell.

Alex busied himself with his own research instead. He already knew the basic framework of the charm he was devising. He had studied several medical textbooks to know how his new charm would work.

It was late afternoon early December, he was on his way to quickly look at some reference book from the library when he found the Gryffindor foursome in the library. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione had been inseparable ever since Halloween. When Alex was walking by, he couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Harry and his friends.

"Let's just give up," said Ron. "We already looked at so many books and we still don't know who Nicolas Flamel is!"

"Let's keep looking, we're bound to find something," encouraged Hermione.

"Maybe we should just leave it alone," said Neville.

"We can't let Snape steal whatever is hidden there," proclaimed Harry. "He already tried once. I'm sure he'll try again!"

Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought, what could possibly give these children the idea to play detective? So he decided to say something.

"What is this you're talking about?" he asked. "Are you children up to no good?"

"No!" answered Ron. "We're not doing anything wrong. Tell him, Neville!"

"Well, actually..." said Neville.

But before he could finish what he was about to say, Hermione spoke and asked Alex a question instead.

"Mr Grey, maybe you would know the answer to our question," she started. "It's just something we came across with our studies. Do you know who Nicolas Flamel is?"

"Nicolas Flamel? And where would first-year students come across that name?" Alex rebutted.

He was looking Hermione in the eyes using passive Legilimency. He was surprised about what he had learned.

Apparently, the four students learned from Hagrid that whatever hidden behind the restricted area had something to do with Nicolas Flamel. Furthermore, they suspected that Prof. Snape was the one who was planning to steal it.

The only thing that came to mind after hearing the name of Flamel was the Philosopher's Stone. The man being the only known creator of a stone of its kind.

Philosopher's stones were legendary artefacts. It was the ultimate achievement in every alchemists' eternal quest to turn base metal into silver or gold or the creation a panacea for all diseases.

Nicholas Flamel's stone was the most successful of all and the only known to exist. It could convert lead to gold and create the Elixir of Life which can prolong a person's lifespan indefinitely.

If that was what was hidden in the Restricted Area, then it wouldn't be surprising that Quirrell would try to steal it. But, why exactly was it hidden in Hogwarts?

The more imperative question was whether he should answer Hermione's question on not. He didn't want to lie to his 'students', but he also didn't want to send them on their crazy quest.

Alex sat down and joined the group on their table. He glanced over the books they were looking into and it wasn't surprising that they didn't find any reference of Nicholas Flamel.

"Since you are so curious, I'll tell you the answer," said Alex. "Nicolas Flamel is a very old wizard. Older than Prof. Dumbledore if you could believe that."

The four Gryffindor students snickered at that.

"He is a very famous alchemist. And that is because he is the only known creator of a Philosopher's Stone."

"What is a Philosopher's Stone?" asked Hermione.

"It is an artefact created through Alchemy that could turn lead into gold and give someone immortality," explained Alex.

"That's why Snape wanted to steal it!" yelped Harry.

"Quiet you!" said Hermione.

"What are you talking about?" asked Alex. He wanted to see if they would tell him.

"Well, it's like this, Mr Grey," said Harry.

And so, the children told Alex the story of seeing the Cerberus guarding the access to a hatch located in the restricted third-floor and how they've come to suspect Prof. Snape.

Alex was developing a headache just listening to their story.

"Listen here," he said. "Professor Snape is not trying to steal whatever is hidden there, okay? And, he did not curse you during your game with the Slytherins. I know this because I was the referee. — But, you are right about something. Someone is really trying to steal the object hidden within the restricted area. That is exactly the reason why you should stay out of this. It is not something for you to worry about. The Headmaster is protecting it himself."

"But, what if Snape managed to steal it?" asked Harry.

"That is Professor Snape for you. And, you should really be respecting him. — But let's say that you are right, and he stole the stone. What then? What would he do with it? Get rich? Become immortal? He could already do one of those using his own talents."

"I guess so, it wouldn't make much sense for him to risk it," said Hermione.

"Yeah, let's just leave it alone, Harry," said Neville.

"Leave it to Dumbledore, he'll protect it," said Ron.

Harry was dejected. He felt that he had lead friends to search for nothing.

"But he's bad. I know he is..." said Harry.

Alex realized that he might have been too harsh with Harry. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Harry, look at me," Alex said with a sincere tone. "I'm saying this because I care about you. I'm not trying to admonish you to make you feel bad, okay? You are right, Professor Snape is not a kind man. But, that doesn't make him guilty of this. It doesn't mean that he wants to hurt you."

Harry calmed down and smile. Perhaps, he was beginning to see Alex's point of view.

"Well, maybe, he would like to hurt you just a little bit," joked Alex. "He wouldn't be Prof. Snape if he suddenly started handing out candies, would he?"

The kids laughed a little at that.

"Let me tell you some stories about our time with Prof. Snape when we were still students here..."

He told them how some students would get detention just for sneezing. How Clay would sometimes mess up in his potions and he and Katie would scramble to try and fix it before exploding. Prof. Snape would award some points to Katie and deduct it as well from Clay, earning them zero point in the end.

He wanted them to understand that they were not the only students that suffered in the class. But, he also made it clear that he didn't hate the professor for it.

On the night after talking with the Gryffindor Quartet, Alex finally visited the restricted area to see it for himself.

He was surprised to find the Cerberus, to say the least. It must be the 'pet' of Hagrid that Prof. Snape talked about. And, behind it was a hatch on the floor where the Philosopher's Stone was hidden.

He didn't want to do anything drastic at that point. It could only result in losing his position in Hogwarts. So, he decided to just place a very discreet intruder detection ward on the door header. It should be enough to keep himself informed when somebody entered the room. The ward would also send him a mental image of the person who was crossing it.

×××

During the break, Katie had invited Alex to her family's home for Christmas Eve. Katie was also on a break from her college classes. Alex was honestly nervous about meeting Katie's family for the first time.

The Robins family lived in the affluent neighbourhood of London near Hyde Park. Alex was surprised to find out that the Robins family was pretty wealthy. Katie had always avoided speaking about her family and Alex respected her choice if it wasn't something she felt like sharing.

When he rang the doorbell, the person who welcomed him was a man who had salt-and-pepper hair. He was wearing a brown sweater with a shirt and tie underneath.

"Hello, sir. I'm Alexander Grey. You must be Mr Robins," greeted Alex offering his hand.

"Hm... Yes. We've been expecting you. Come in, we're all set up," said Mr Robins who neglected to shake Alex's hand or introduce himself formally.

Alex followed the man to the living room. There were simple Christmas decorations in the room, just about what one would expect to see in a house without going children. Mr Robins asked him to sit on the couch.

"So, you're one of them. Witches," said Mr Robins.

"Wizard, in my case. But, yes."

"And what do you do to earn your keep? Surely having magic is not enough to live comfortable lives."

"I am an apprentice to a professor."

"A teaching assistant? Is that a full-time job where you come from?" said Mr Robins with a sneer.

"It could be."

Alex knew that he must be patient. But, the man had been rude to him since the moment they met.

"I worry about my daughter. She was smart and had so much potential, but lately, I feel like she has been making one mistake after another."

"Katie has a very bright future," said Alex.

That was something the two of them agreed on. And, they were quiet for a minute, not knowing what to say. Both irritated with the other.

"Dear, it's time for dinner," said Mrs Robins who came out of the dining room with Katie.

Katie just stood there with a resigned smile.

"I'm sorry about this. I've never told you about my family. But, they can be difficult," said Katie softly after taking him in a corner.

"It's fine. They are your family, of course, I'll be fine."

The spread on the table was typical for any English home during Christmas, stuffed turkey and some cooked vegetables. Mrs Robins did the serving and they started to eat.

"So, Alexander, I'll just get right to it," said Mr Robins. "What can we expect from you with our daughter Katie?"

"Katie and I have already talked about it, and, we intend to marry some time from now, but, both of us are focused on our careers at the moment," said Alex. He expected this question all night.

"Are you sure? I must admit that I'm not assured by that prospect," said Mr Robins.

"Dad... You promised," said Katie.

"I think what my husband meant was, um..." interjected Mrs Robins. "We only want the best for our daughter, so we worry that she would choose someone who couldn't provide for her."

"Mr and Mrs Robins, your daughter is not one that would need anyone to provide for her. But, if you are implying that I may not have an income to support a family, then let me assure you that I have more than enough of that."

Alex was definitely the richest person in the British Wizarding World, not that he was planning on revealing that fact anytime soon. He was probably also among the top twenty richest man in the muggle UK if he consolidated his fortune into one persona.

"Don't get short with us, boy. We have every right to be concerned with our daughter's future," said Mr Robins. "It's bad enough that she had to go to some unknown school. Now she brought home a man who is aspiring to be a teacher!"

"Dad! That's enough!"

"Katie, please see reason!" said Mr Robins. "I thought you will finally leave all those spells and tricks behind now that you are finally done with Hogwarts. You can have a normal life now!"

"I'm a witch! I have magic! And I like being a witch! When are you going to understand, Dad?"

"You are squandering your life away! You should be learning how to take over for your Mom and I. And now what?"

"Your Dad is right, dear. We can send you to any school that you want. You don't have to go to that no-name college that you are going to."

Katie had started attending a local college to study Psychology. But, it seemed her choice of school was met with disapproval from her parents. She wanted to go to a smaller college so that she wouldn't attract too much attention from the muggle academics.

She was starting to tearing up. Alex finally understood why she didn't speak much of her family. They had never supported her since the beginning.

But, Katie had never spoken ill of them. She always tried to never say anything bad about anyone She and Alex had that in common.

She was a strong person who kept her fears and worries inside. Alex wished that she didn't have to be strong all the time. He could only hate himself for not being dependable enough as her boyfriend.

Before he could realize it, the room had gotten warm, really warm. Mr and Mrs Robins were sweating as if they were in a sauna. There was even water condensing on the walls.

"That is enough for the two of you," Alex said with a commanding voice. "I watched over Katie for almost ten years now. She is an intelligent and hardworking woman, who always treated others with kindness and respect. So, don't you ever say in front of me that she is squandering her life."

Seeing that Katie's parents had nothing to say, he offered his hand to her and said, "Let's get out of this place."

Katie looked at him with tears in her eyes. She took his arm with hers and held it tightly. Then, they disappeared from the room.

Mr and Mrs Robins had never seen such magic in front of them. They would be thinking long and hard about how they had treated their daughter all this time.

×××

Alex and Katie arrived in front of her house in Hogsmeade.

"Thank you for getting angry on my behalf," Katie said. "They are not really that bad. My Mom and Dad had so many plans for me when I was young. But, when I had to go to Hogwarts, everything pretty much changed. I should probably go back there and explain."

"Not tonight. You can talk to them some other time."

"Some other time, then," she said as she held his arm closer.

Alex kissed her on the lips. Then, they entered the house.

END OF CHAPTER