Alex looked at Talen and shook her head. "That's where things get a little confusing. It really started after my mother was killed, at first I thought he was just in pain and didn't want to go to the games and didn't feel like putting up with his family, but then things got worse." She said looking at the ground.

Talen put a hand on her shoulder supportively " worse how?" he leaned around trying to get her to look at him

Alex continued to look at the ground, she even gave a slight shiver when she felt Talen's hand on her shoulder. "It started with him sending me to my room even when I didnt' do anything, then it just grew to him starving me and even hitting me whenever he wanted to." She said softly. "He would have these weird meetings and would either lock me in my room or kick me out of the house only to send me an owl later to report straight back to the manor."

Talen looked at her as her words sunk in he remembered his dad leaving for mysterious meetings often.tho he couldnt be sure they were the same.
" that sounds kind of like ... welll.... he doesnt want someone to know you exsist.. Alex thats awful."

Alex looked at Talen and nodded. "That's what it seems like to me too. In fact he almost forced me not to come to Hogwarts." She told him. "I don't even know how I managed to get here, I think he thought I would be able to hide more here, i don't know." She looked back at the ground. "I just want to know who killed my mother and why this happened to me. Reese actually thinks my father killed her, we even stole Veritaserum to use on him to find the truth."

" she thinks he... but. why would he do that he married her he had to care about her didn't he?" Talen looked at her seriously " alex When i head home after I talk to James when ever you need the door is open."

Alex nodded. "He did love her, they were always happy together, he even went against his own family to be with her." Alex told him. "But Reese thought that he might've killed her after I got a letter from him not long after we arrived here. And when I think about it, things do fall into place with that logic, but I don't want to believe it." She then looked up at Talen when he told her his door was always opened. "Thanks Talen, you're like the big brother I never had but always needed." She told him, yeah L.J. was like her brother too, but he was a first year with her and he could only do so much.

" your like the little sister I never had Alex of course im gonna look out for you." he smiled " but that dont make since he went aainst his family why wold he kill her?" that was he one part that had talen confused by it all.

"I don't know either, but like I said, it's what Reese thinks, I don't even know if he did or not." Alex said looking back up at Talen. "I told you it's confusing and there are things that even I don't know about. I don't even know why he sent me a letter saying I am nothing more than a filthy halfblood, he had never told me that before, not even after my mother died." If anything other than the death of her mtoher, hurt Alex the most, it was that letter her father had sent her at the beginning of term.

Talen smiled playfully " you don't look flithy to me" he joked hoping to cheer her up and ligten the mood a bit.he put hi arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug as he said it.

Alex laughed softly and hugged Talen back. "Thanks Talen, that means a lot to me." She said to him. "I'm glad we met, I'm not sure what I would do without you." Sure they just met not that long ago, but after talking to him Alex felt like she could handle going back home, even if it was for a few months. "I'm going to miss not having you around."

Cassandra apparated along side the professor just outside the gates. "Boy I'll never get use to that... but it beats flying any day..." she said instictively cleaning off her skirt, though it had attracted no dirt.

She was unsure if she should ask him to let her know how it went, she was merely a student, would that be too intrusive? And if he'd wanted to take her to the staff table, she didn't want him to think she didn't want to go... so she remained silent and waited.

"I always thought so," he said, dropping her hand and then taking out his trusty handkerchief. He wiped his glasses and then his hands before putting it away and straightening his robes. "We should hurry up to the feast."

Delilah stood there at the front gate. Staring at the statues. They sort of creeped her out. She didn't get why they chose boars.

Talen laughed and ruffled her hair in a brotherly manner. " aww don't get all mushy on me Alex. Besides by the time you get back to school you will have forgotten all about me most likely."

Alex laughed as Talen ruffled her hair. "Oh how would I ever forget my older 'brother'?" She asked him. "Oh, that's right, your cousin will be here, preoccupying my time, I just might be forgetting all about you." She joked, there was no way she could forget about Talen, after all, she just told him more about her past than she had told anyone before, including Reese.

"Indeed..." she said. She made sure to keep up with the professor staying one to two steps behind him, like her father had taught her. Keeping silent and not speaking unless spoken to. Branxton was the old fascioned type, just like her father...

ooc: do we want to continue to the staff table?

" Just don't go dragging him into all sorts of trouble, alright?" Talen said as his stomach growled. " lets get to the hall im starving." he laughed.

Alex laughed again. "Yeah, I'll try but I won't be able to make any promises." She half joked. "Alright, I'm a little hungry myself." She said getting up off the ground and brushing her robes off. She might be a little hungry, but it didn't mean she was going to eat a lot, she got full awfully fast, hince the reason she was underweight a bit.

Talen stood up and started back towards the castle " keep in touch over the summer okay? "he said.

Alex looked up at Talen as they headed back to the castle. "I will try my hardest, I don't know how stirct my father will be this summer." She told him, and at that moment she decided that she was going to try her very hardest to keep in touch with all her friends, no matter how against it her father would be.