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"What's the final punishment, Professor?" One of the Prefects asked timidly, clearly having still the will to fish out the latest information available.
Professor Flitwick emitted a long sigh and during an instant, looked ten years older than his usual flamboyant and jovial appearance.
"Mister Longbottom and his friends will not be expulsed, in spite of the vigorous campaign led by Professor Snape. They will have a month of detention and lost about one hundred and fifty points to Gryffindor, though."
There were some shouts of disappointment in the Ravenclaw crowd, but not many. A month of detention was good punishment, never mind that it was not going to add more neurons in the Golden Trio's skulls. One hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor was more than enough to be sure that, save another Dumbledore intervention, Gryffindor House was out of the game for long months the House Cup.
Alexandra still heard one of the Quidditch Raven players murmuring "should have expulsed him from the Quidditch team too..." She was forced to admit the broom-addicted boy had a point, Longbottom no doubt cared a lot more about his place in the Gryffindor team than losing hundreds of points to his House or doing a few detentions. Each Quidditch game gave a hundred points to its winner, and as for detentions, it would not be the first or the last the Golden Trio would be forced to do.
In the mean time, Professor Flitwick had introduced himself and had elaborated a bit about the qualities he expected from each member of Ravenclaw House. Alexandra only listened from one ear, but she noted the half-goblin and former duellist had judged good to make the speech himself and not delegate the task himself this year.
"...and then I wish you good night. Sleep well, the classes begin tomorrow. Miss Potter, one word please."
Anguish fell in her stomach, as she rose to follow her small Head of House out of the Ravens' Nest and towards his office. What sort of calamity was going to be brought upon her head this time?
Passing the door after Flitwick song in a foreign language his password, she waited for her Charms Professor to be seated before she took her place on the comfortable armchair.
"Miss Potter," began Flitwick in a voice which was clear he was not enjoying posing it at all. "The Headmaster would like to know why you haven't passed your summer at your uncle's and your aunt house."
Alexandra slightly narrowed her eyes at this affirmation. The raven-haired girl knew the director of Hogwarts was her magical guardian, but the manipulative old man had never manifested any interest in speaking to her or visiting Privet Drive once in the last eleven years. That he had done so while she was away in France or at Hermione's home was nearing 'hell froze over' in probability and went below it, especially as the Dursleys had made no mention of it when she came back from her little escapade. Granted, Petunia and Vernon didn't talk to her a lot, but they would have mentioned a wizard or a witch passing by their house, if only to add how repulsive and freakish the magical being was.
Oh, well. In doubt, apply the Slytherin operation protocol. Deny. Deny. Deny.
"With all due respect, Professor, I don't know what you're talking about." Alexandra answered in her best 'honest tone', which she knew wouldn't fool her minuscule Head of House a single second.
"Miss Potter." Sighed Flitwick. "Personally, I don't care what you're doing during the holidays as long as you do not break any law or commit crimes which fall under the authority of the Ministry of Magic or the ICW. But the Headmaster is very concerned, as the person he left to keep an eye on you reported you being away for large period of time this summer."
Alexandra made a nasty grimace at this last affirmation, anger filling her head. Dumbledore had left someone to keep an eye on her. The Headmaster dared affirm he had left someone to keep an eye on her! Where was this person when the Dursleys beat her in her childhood? Where was this person when Dudley and his gang tried their best to make her life one of pure hell? When she was beaten to have the audacity to have better marks than Dudley? When she was forced to steal to have decent clothes, food and the commodities any child took for granted long before he was able to walk?
"With due respect, Professor, " she said, not managing to keep the anger and the hate out of her voice, to the point her Head of House examined her with concern. "If the person Headmaster Dumbledore has left to keep an eye on me had done his bloody job, my so-called uncle and aunt would be in jail today for childhood abuse today."
Flitwick went very still at her accusation. Alexandra was not yet over.
"As for what I did during the holidays, you can say to my magical guardian," she underlined the last two words with all the venom she was able to muster, "that if he wants to know, he can very well pose me the question himself."
"The Headmaster has ordered me to cease your tutoring in private duel sessions if you persist in this path." Affirmed Flitwick in a voice which made clear how against and powerless he was concerning the new move made by the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
"You can say to him I was at Hermione's home for most of the summer." Alexandra told her Senior Charms Professor. "Hermione will confirm." Her Gryffindor friend had accepted to be Alexandra's alibi should someone worry about her disappearance.
"Then there won't be any problem at all." Affirmed Flitwick in a more relaxed tone.