This is the third book to the Alexis Lestrange series. I highly recommend you read the first two to understand it better but if not I'm always open to answer any questions you have on Alexis's relationships with people. I am awful at recapping so you really should read the first two but if you really want a summary tell me and I'll try to add one to Chapter 2

Thank you and Enjoy!

3 Chapter 1: Not Your Typical Friendship

Alexis McPherson was not an ordinary twelve year old girl. She was small in stature but had hit the earlier stages of puberty before most of her classmates, an impressive feat for the youngest in the class. Her hair was a very beautiful midnight black and her eyes were a bright green. Both colors went well with her ivory skin thats only imperfection was a dark Chimera tattoo that held her memories and danced around her skin, growing and expanding when Alexis saw fit. But it wasn't her memory tattoo that made her unordinary nor was it her unusual nickname, Hex.

What made Alexis so unordinary was her strange relationship with all her friends. For starters, her first friend wasn't even living. Peeves was a poltergeist who has been around pranking since the opening of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school where Alexis currently attended. He was an excitable fellow, not at all like any of the other ghosts (he always insisted he wasn't a ghost in the first place), with orange eyes that screamed mayhem, hair a raven-black, and skin was as pale as snow, that is, sometimes it was, when he wasn't transparent, which he was a lot (poltergeist, remember?).

Her next friend, and the one she spent the entire last summer with, was Draco Malfoy. Alexis enjoyed spending her Saturdays at school with Draco, seeing that it was the only time the two were able to spend time together. Being from rival houses, Draco Slytherin and Alexis Gryffindor, was strenuous on their relationship and their other friends didn't like it but somehow the two had stayed friends ever since they met on the boat ride to Hogwarts.

Another friend of hers who wasn't a Gryffindor but was in fact a Hufflepuff and going into his sixth year at Hogwarts was Cedric Diggory. Cedric absolutely adored Alexis and had more or less adopted her as his younger sister ever since they were paired up in potions Alexis's first year and Cedric's fourth. He was very handsome, not that Alexis noticed, but was very shy around girls. Thankfully for him, Alexis had convinced him to ask out Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw fourth year, who Cedric had been smitten with since last summer.

Then there was Hermione Granger, Alexis's only friend who was a girl and Muggleborn as well. Their friendship had started the day Alexis was nearly killed by a troll protecting Hermione and since then they only grew closer. They both were very intelligent and hungry to learn as much as they could, unlike the boys the two of them hung out with so they always had something to talk about.

After Hermione was Ron Weasley. Alexis wished she could say their relationship was better. She knew all about his five older brothers: Bill was a curse breaker in Egypt; Charlie worked with dragons in Romania; Percy was a little stuck up but perfect Prefect material and would probably be Head Boy this year; and the twins, Fred and George, were pranksters, but Alexis knew little about Ron himself. They weren't very close, and always had a way with making her angry but they both shared the same best friend and he had gone to save her life last year when a diary possessed her. That was why this year, her goal was to improve their friendship.

Yes, Alexis had a strange relationship with all her friends but the strangest relationship Alexis had was with her best friend Harry Potter, who's hair she was currently cutting with a pair of old arts and craft scissors in the middle of the woods of all places.

"Will you quit moving, Prongs," snapped Alexis. "I'm not going to nip you ear."

"That's what you said last time," Harry grumbled.

"Well if you would quit fidgeting!" shouted Alexis. "Fuck boy, you don't ever listen."

"Padfoot, language!" said Harry. He quit moving when Alexis placed the scissors dangerously close to his neck.

"You live with Mad-Eye Moody half the summer and not pick up some on some bad habits," grumbled Alexis, kindly removing the scissors away from Harry's neck. Living with her Uncle Moody had been... enlightening, when it came to colorful vocabulary. That man had a mouth that would make sailors blush and on many occasions had done just that, seeing that Moody lived very close to a dock.

"It's better then the Dursleys," Harry grumbled right back. "Aunt Marge is coming today."

"Oh?" said Alexis. Her eyes widened with sudden recognition of the name. "Oh. Vernon's sister, the one with all the fucking dogs?"

"Yeah."

"The same woman who gave you dog biscuits the last time she visited?"

"Yeah."

"And made you stay in a tree until midnight before calling off her fucking dog?"

"Yeah."

"And-"

"Yes, Padfoot!" snapped Harry, nearly getting himself cut by Alexis's scissors.

Alexis grinned at her best friend as if finding him fuming was the most hilarious thing in the world.

"There's no need to shout," she teased before putting the scissors down and pulling out a mirror. "Done."

Harry took the mirror from her and grinned at his reflection. What was once a shaggy headed boy with uncontrollable hair was now a still very messy hair boy with far less hair. He could finally see without having to brush his hair out of his face but still had enough to cover his lightning bolt scar.

Alexis had never cared about how Harry had gotten his scar unlike the rest of the Wizarding World (because Alexis and Harry were in fact wizards). She knew he had gotten it from Voldemort, the Dark Lord and Wizard who had killed his parents, when he had defeated him at merely a few days old making him the most famous wizard of all time, but that wasn't why they were friends. Because why would the child of an unnamed Deatheater who was raised by a fugitive and wasn't on the Ministry of Magic's good side want to be friends with the Golden Boy of the light side? They were friends because of one simple reason: trouble adored the two of them.

"Brilliant, Hex," said Harry still grinning into the mirror. "Even Aunt Petunia will like it."

"Yeah," snorted Alexis, "once we say my 'Grandma Maddy' cut it for her."

Harry jumped to his feet off the log he had been sitting on and shook the remaining strands of hair from his head. When he was done he helped Alexis pack up her tools and head out of the woods. When the two were sure no one was watching, they left the woods and entered the playground.

"Maybe I can convince them to let me stay over for dinner," said Alexis as they headed back to 4 Privet Drive, the home of Harry's relatives. "Vernon and Petunia love me and I'm pretty sure Dudley has a crush on me so it wouldn't be that difficult."

"I don't know," said Harry. His eyes widened when he realized the last thing Alexis had said. "How does that not creep you out?"

Alexis shrugged her shoulders.

"As long as he doesn't write me an awful poem like Crabbe and Goyle did last year I can deal with it. Come on Prongs, let me come too."

Harry let out a sigh.

"It's not that I don't want you there, I'm just afraid they're going to suspect we're friends," he said finally. "Uncle Vernon wouldn't allow that."

"Don't worry," said Alexis, a hint of mischief in her voice. "They wouldn't suspect a thing."

Before Harry could ask what she meant Alexis pushed him roughly and he tumbled into a heap in the front yard. He wasn't hurt but was rather embarrassed at his surprised actions, such as flapping his hands wildly to catch himself and tripping over thin air when he almost had. Luckily, (or unluckily for Harry) Harry's uncle and his sister had been pulling into the driveway and were able to see all of it go down.

"Oh, hello Mr. Dursley," sweet talked Alexis. "Harry was being such a ninny, falling over thin air."

"I can see," said Mr. Dursley, completely ignoring the politeness of not laughing at his nephew. "Did the boy do all of his work for your grandmother?"

Alexis couldn't fight the grin the crawled on her face when she lied and said, "No sir. Grandma Maddy wants him back tomorrow to finish it, if that's alright with you. She doesn't think he should be idle during his summer, don't you agree?"

"Well I do indeed," said Mr. Dursley, clearly taken by Alexis's charm.

"And who is this lovely lady, Mr. Dursley?" lied Alexis. Vernon Dursley's sister was anything but lovely. She was very like her brother: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a mustache, though not as bushy as his. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.

"Such manners, Vernon," sang the woman in a horselike voice. "One of Dudley's friends? Or his girlfriend?"

How Alexis was able to pull off that her blush was in embarrassment and not the need to vomit was a miracle, which impressed even Harry.

"Grandma Maddy would never let me start dating so young," mumbled Alexis trying to swallow her vomit and look bashful as well.

"This is my sister, Marge," said Mr. Dursley with a soft chuckle. "Marge, this is Alexis McPherson. She's staying with her grandmother down the street."

'Well, technically it's your uncle, and technically you live eight miles from here,' thought Harry. Alexis fought off the urge to roll her eyes.

"Speaking of your grandmother, shouldn't you be heading back dear?"

"Actually sir," said Alexis, sugarcoating her words as best she could, "Grandma Maddy was wondering if I could eat here for the night. She wanted me to spend time with Dud- I mean with the neighbors but I see you have guests and I don't want intrude-"

"Nonsense, girl!" said Marge. "Vernon, couldn't you make room for her?"

"Of course," said Mr. Dursley. "You must join us!"

"I don't know, Mr. Dursley. I don't want to be a burden..."

"Nonsense!" Dursley exclaimed, leading Alexis through the front door. "Petunia would be delighted to know you're joining us, I know Dudley will."

Alexis couldn't help but to laugh at her best friend's bewildered expression.

'You have got to teach me.'

She mouthed, "It's a gift", before allowing herself to be led into the living room where Mrs. Dursley and Dudley Dursley were waiting. Mrs. Dursley looked very similar to giraffe in a horrendous flowery dress while Dudley looked like an enormous pig in a blonde wig. When they discovered Alexis was dinning with them, they became ecstatic and quickly made her join them in their family outing while Harry set the table. Harry didn't mind, however. This was probably the best visit from his aunt so far thanks to Alexis playing mediator.

"Did you hear about this Serious Black fellow?" said Marge Dursley, halfway through dinner, which Harry had cooked but Mrs. Dursley took credit for.

"Who?" asked Alexis. She had only been half listening. She was currently talking to Harry telepathically about Quidditch while forcing herself to shyly smile at Dudley to keep up her rues.

"Why," started Marge Dursley, "he's only a mass murderer who escaped prison just days ago! Look he's on the tellie!"

Sure enough, when Alexis looked at the small television, conveniently placed in the kitchen, she saw a report halfway through a report on an escaped convict.

"...the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Vernon Dursley. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry before realizing his nephew had gotten his hair cut. The man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, most definitely had not.

"When did you-"

"Do you like it?" Alexis said, cutting Mr. Dursley off. "My grandma thought he needed a trim and had me cut it."

Whatever insults were about to go Harry's way were quickly avoided. Unfortunately, as the night wore on, it became harder and harder for Alexis to protect her friend from insults and calming him down was even more difficult. When Mr. Dursley was giving his sister her third glass of brandy is when things started to rapidly go down hill.

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after..." She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon...

"Now, this one here -"

She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. Alexis quickly started talking to him.

'Focus on something else, Harry. Think about playing Quidditch with me and the twins.'

Harry nodded his head faintly as his aunt continued her rant.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

'She's just trying to get a reaction out of you, don't let her.'

Harry barely made any recognition to hearing Alexis.

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia," she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."

Harry was staring at his plate, not saying or thinking a word. Alexis knew things were about to get bad but every time she tried to cut in Marge Dursley talked over her.

"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.

"He- didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed."

"But my grandmother said he was training to be a police officer," Alexis added quickly. Unfortunately, her words were ignored.

"As I expected!" said Marge Dursley, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who-"

"He was not," said Harry suddenly. The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life.

'Harry,' warned Alexis.

'I'm sorry, Hex, I-'

"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on-"

"No, Vernon," hiccuped Marge Dursley, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash, drunk, I expect-"

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.

'Stop Harry, don't,' warned Alexis again. Harry, however, was past warning.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little-"

"Oh, shit," whispered Alexis, no one noticed, however. They were all staring at the now inflating Marge Dursley.

'Grab your stuff and meet me outside,' she ordered. 'Now!'

Harry ran out of the room to do as Alexis had ordered just as his aunt started to float to the ceiling.

"MARGE!" yelled Vernon Dursley and his wife together. Marge Dursley's body was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper, Marge's bulldog, came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Mr. Dursley seized one of his sister's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Mr. Dursley's leg.

"I think I better leave," mumbled Alexis, practically running out of the room. "Thanks for dinner."

She ran into Harry, who was throwing the last of his books into his trunk, in the hall.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" Vernon Dursley bellowed at Harry, his pant leg tattered and covered in blood. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

He moved towards Harry threateningly, his whale face purple with anger, but Alexis jumped in the way. With only two fingers and a spark of blue light, she shot him back causing him to tumble and land on his bum.

Then, very calmly and very clearly, Alexis said, "Don't you ever lay a finger on Harry again or it will be the last thing you ever do. Understand me Vernon Dursley?"

Maybe it was the fact she had threatened him or maybe it was the fact she had just revealed she was also a witch much like his nephew, but whatever the cause was Mr. Dursley turned white with fear before nodding his head yes.

"Good," Alexis said, clicking her tongue. "Got everything, Harry?"

"Yes," said Harry, failing to hid his smirk. He led his friend out the front door grinning ear to ear. "That was bloody brilliant, by the way."

"I agree, Prongs, I agree," said Alexis with a small giggle. "Unfortunately, now the Ministry will be after us and Moody is going to know I've been sneaking out."

"Well, at least it was fun while it lasted," said Harry with a sigh.

"Who said it was over? The night is still young, well, youngish, and it is, after all, still your Birthday."

Alexis and Harry shared a grin before heading off into the dark of the night.

Thank you everyone who reviewed the last two books especially my haters. You just make me want to write more just to piss you off.

please review and tell me what you think. The more reviews the better!

DCF