Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above

Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above is the fourth story in the Alexandra Quick series. A teaser-title – AQATSA – was announced on 9 May 2010"Reading and Writing Habits", May 9th, 2010, with the official title being announced on 14 June 2010 "Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment", Chapter 31. Written by Inverarity, the book was published at Fanfiction.net and Mugglenet from 20 December 2011 to 11 May 2012, and runs 261,980 words in length (comparable to a 992-page physical novel).
Stars Above is a sequel to Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment and is set between the Summer of 2010 and June of 2011, during Alex's ninth-grade year. The book is "about escaping your fate or choosing it, and also about vengeance and forgiveness" "Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment: Author's Notes", June 20th, 2010, and is followed by a fifth volume.
The manuscript was beta-read by TealTerror and SwissMarg.
See also: All posts tagged with "AQATSA" on Inverarity's LJ.
== Plot Summary ==
Alexandra Quick is determined to cheat her fate and see justice done, but she faces a vengeful conspiracy and secrets she is not prepared for. She'll need the help of her friends, but even that may not be enough against the power of the Stars Above.
=== Chapter 1: Ghosts of Roanoke ===
After attending the Pirate Fleet Invasion in Roanoke with her sister and sharing an intimate moment with Payton Smith, Alexandra visits the Thorn family crypt to meet with her father and question him regarding the Deathly Regiment, but their conversation is cut short by an ambush and a vicious skirmish.
=== Chapter 2: Daughter of Thorn ===
After conferring with her ancestor, who agrees to help her in her quest to end the Deathly Regiment after she proves to him that she is "to be taken seriously," Alexandra returns to Croatoa and travels back to Roanoke before heading home to Illinois after spending the summer with the Kings.
=== Chapter 3: Not Clever Enough ===
Back in Larkin Mills, Alexandra receives a call from David and a letter from Innocence before winding up in an altercation with Billy Boggleston, yet despite getting herself grounded, Alexandra begins researching Apparition before heading to Old Larkin Pond during a thunderstorm.
=== Chapter 4: Wandless ===
After a ghastly Splinching accident, Alexandra is taken by Diana Grimm to Milwaukee for treatment by Alexandra's own half-sister, Dr. Livia Pruett, who reveals that Alexandra's family is larger than she believed before Grimm returns Alexandra to Larkin Mills and the consequences of her out-of-state trip.
=== Chapter 5: Hags ===
Alexandra visits the Goblin Market with her classmates, reviving old friendships and old animosities, and ventures into the dingy back-alleys of the Market where she becomes convinced that a familiar Dark wizard is striking deals with the hags of Chicago.
=== Chapter 6: A Murder of Crows ===
Alexandra returns to Charmbridge. She starts crossing the Invisible Bridge with her broom in her hand. While crossing the Invisible Bridge, a murder of crows attacks Alexandra. Alexandra jumps on her broom and fights off the crows. Afterwards, she has to fly back to the school. She has a meeting with Dean Grimm, who to Alexandra's surprise believes her that someone tried to kill her. She settles into her dormitory. Later on, she confronted the Rash brothers. Afterwards, she agrees to tell her friends about the Deathly Regiment.
=== Chapter 7: The Alexandra Committee ===
Alexandra tells her friends everything. They stay by her side. Then, Afterwards, she and Anna head to the basement to question Ben Journey. Alexandra is determined to learn as much as possible about magic in the time she's got.
=== Chapter 8: Into the Woods ===
Alexandra is summoned because she has received letters from Payton - which, as it turns out are being routinely opened by the school, because she already got two cursed packages addressed to her. Turns out, he sent her a love poem. In the Dueling Club, she tries to find out what Tomo may know about the Deathly Regiment. During an excursion into the forest, Alexandra shows a liking for Herbology. She goes with Sonja deeper into the forest, and stops her from pulling a mandrake from the ground - which otherwise would've been deadly for them.
=== Chapter 9: The Challenge ===
It appears that Sonja was under the Imperius curse. Rumors spread around the school once again. Alexandra worries what might happen to her family. Mr. Journey reveals he knew about the MMS when he was alive. She keeps suspecting John Manuelito of being behind the murder attempts on her. Forbearance predicts that Halloween would be an especially bad time for Dark Magic directed against her. Then, Alexandra and Torvald get caught practising their spells in the fire pit.
=== Chapter 10: Between You and Me ===
Forbearance and Sonja do Alexandra's horoscope. They reveal that she was born under Troublesome's sign - and that of the Seven Sisters'. In the middle of the process, she receives a letter - a cursed one that almost kills her. (Since the school routinely checks her mail, she told Payton to address her letters to Anna instead.) Mr. Grue und Livia tend to her as she recovers. Afterwards, she attemps to talk to Mary Dearborn, who accuses her of killing Darla and Max. Anna delves into studying Arithmancy and curse-breaking to help Alexandra.
=== Chapter 11: The Duel ===
Innocence participates in the Dueling Contest, but loses to Tomo. Stuart surprisingly beats Torvald. The final duel is between Larry and Alexandra, which he once again wins. After he provokes her, they agree to have a private duel at midnight. Anna doesn't approve of it, but she still joins Alexandra when she sneaks out. But instead of Larry, Mary is waiting for them in the woods - with a mistletoe wand.
=== Chapter 12: Vengeance ===
Mary cursed Larry using the mistletoe wand, so she could fight Alex and "make her pay". Apparently, she has been working with John Manuelito. Alexandra eventually manages to convince Mary to drop the wand, preventing the fight. Alexandra allows Larry to claim he won the duel if he agrees to not tell on her or Mary. In return, she wants Mary to tell everything. Apparently, Nat had told her Darla's death was Alexandra's fault. John had been sending her letters, manipulating her. In return, Alexandra tells her everything that happened with Darla, but leaving out Darla's attempt to sacrifice Innocence. They part peacefully, albeit not as friends. Alexandra swears that John will get what he deserves.
=== Chapter 13: A Determined Elf ===
Larry prefers to say that the duel didn't happen. The Pritchards tell Alexandra more about the Stars Above. They'll need seven friends of Alexandra to perform the ritual to communicate with them, which they have - including Innocence and Sonja. After talking to Bran and Poe, Alexandra summons Quimley, and asks him to find John Manuelito for her. He agrees, but makes her promise to not to make promises without thinking anymore - and to tell her father about her Geas to the Generous Ones.
=== Chapter 14: Beneath the Stars Above ===
The group sneaks outside to perform the ritual for the Parliament of Stars, seemingly without success. Afterwards, the Rashes find them, discontent about Alexandra's influence on Costance and Forbearance. A fight ensues, but the Pritchards break it up and make Benjamin and David apologize.
=== Chapter 15: Bespoke ===
Weeks pass, but Quimley doesn't return. Alexandra is neither invited for Halloween nor winter break by the Kings. In the Dueling Club, Sonja asks Alexandra to defeat her in a flashy way that doesn't hurt much. The Pritchard twins reveal that they are betrothed to the Rash twins. When Alexandra is once again summoned to Dean Grimm's office, she sneaks into the Registrar's office, finding out that Livia and Dean Grimm attended Charmbridge, but Claudia and Diana didn't. It turns out that Dean Grimm summoned her because she suggested bringing John Manuelito to justice as her Citizenship Project - which is, of course, declined.
=== Chapter 16: Witch's Sight ===
Alexandra works hard for her SPAWN and turns in her replacement Project: Community outreach for HAGGIS. It's accepted. Payton tells her he doesn't like any other girls. When she returns to Larkin Mills for winter break, she meets Brian. He tries to reconnect with her, but she feels too estranged. Eventually, she gives in and joins him for caroling. Afterwards, Abraham Thorn visits her. It turns out that he didn't know that she met Livia, and gives her a bank account as a Christmas present. He's sceptical about dealing with the Stars Above, and takes her wand away so she can learn to use her Witch's Sight. And who is the young witch who suddenly Apparates there?
=== Chapter 17: Regal Royalty Sweets and Confections ===
For Christmas, Anna gifts Alexandra a phoenix feather, and Julia sends her a magic mirror. Then Alexandra finds one of Livia's business cards in Claudia's beaded bag. Why is Regal Royalty Sweets and Confections surrounded by barbed wire now? Forbearance writes her an encoded letter saying that she found out something very interesting. When she goes back to RRS&C, she finds out it was a wizarding business, and finds a hag living there.
=== Chapter 18: Goody Pruett ===
The hag is named Martha - and attempts to grab Alexandra. Being wandless, she attempts to intimidate her by boasting that she's Abraham Thorn's daughter, telling her about her exploits, and that she isn't afraid of a mere hag. Fortunately, it works. The hag mentions the Pruetts, apparently the owners of RRS&C. Alexandra makes her lead her down to the cellar, finding a talking portrait of Goody Pruett. Alexandra reveals she knows Livia - who sometimes came here with her sister when they were younger. Finally, Alexandra forces the hag to give her the pair of Seven-League Boots she stole.
=== Chapter 19: This is Going to Suck ===
Alexandra writes Livia a letter, hinting at the warehouse. Then she goes ice skating with Brian, which gives her the idea that her wand might be hidden in the Old Larkin Pond. To retrieve it, she takes off her clothes and dives into the ice-cold water. Fortunately, Brian saves her. They ride home together on her broom to avoid being caught. Later, Archie wakes her, telling her that Bonnie was hit by a car.
=== Chapter 20: And I Will Treat With Any Power ===
Bonnie is comatose now. Apparently, there was an incident involving owls. Brian is angry at her because she can't help Bonnie with her magic. She attemps to use doggerel verse, mentioning the Most Deadly Power and the Stars Above in hopes of saving her. Then, she calls Livia, urging her to come and try to save Bonnie. When she arrives, she meets Claudia, thinking Alexandra had planned this. She inadvertently reveals that all three of them are sisters, with Claudia confessing she's the daughter of Abraham Thorn as well.
=== Chapter 21: Lies My Mother Told Me ===
Claudia reveals to Alexandra that her mother died when she was little, and she was raised by Desiree Pruett - who was killed by Aurors. She was born a Squib. Abraham Thorn eventually gave Alexandra to her, to raise her as if she was her own daughter. And Alexandra's real mother is... at Charmbridge Academy. In shock, Alexandra immediately heads there by broom. After clearing up the misunderstanding that Dean Grimm might be her mother, the latter reveals it's really her identical triplet sister Hecate, who was Abraham Thorn's most ardent follower. She couldn't snap out of her Animorphmagus state anymore after a WJD spell hit her (he says) or he Obliviated her (Diana Grimm says). To make Alexandra understand the full horror of the situation, Lilith turns Galenthias - because "he" is Hecate - back to her human, amnesiac form. Quimley returns the next morning with news that John is in Dinetah. She suspects he sent the owls that caused Bonnie's accident. She decides to look for him right tomorrow morning, before meeting with Dean Grimm.
=== Chapter 22: Runaway ===
Alexandra puts on a makeup Charm to look older and runs away from Charmbridge. After hitchhiking to Chicago, she heads to the Goblin Market. However, when she arrives, she finds that she can't get money from her CBNW account, because Darla's father and Mary happen to be there. Desperate, she borrows money from the local hag, Gertrude, leaving Julia's magic mirror as collateral. Then, she goes by Greyhound bus to New Mexico. At Gateway Station, she calls Livia back to warn her about the hags squatting and smuggling in "her" warehouse. When she calls Mrs. Seabury, she learns that Bonnie was miraculously saved - but also that Claudia knows she ran away. In Farewell, NM she spends a night in a motel room that she broke into by using magic - after having to fight off a man who tries to attack her.
=== Chapter 23: Nemesis ===
Pete Chimburas, a young Ute man, gives Alexandra a ride to Orange Rock in his truck. When she arrives, she gets a detailed map of the area from the local library. A group of Indian teenagers tells her stories about skinwalkers, but it soon turns out they were just teasing her by referencing Twilight. In her anger, she ruins the engine of the car belonging to one of the boys. Afterwards, she runs with her Seven-League Boots to John Manuelito's hogan, breaks his magic wards and searches through his belongings. While there, she is attacked by a short, skeletal mummy. During the fight, his house starts to burn. When she escapes the hogan, she is arrested by Native Auror Henry Tsotsie.
=== Chapter 24: A Gathering of Witches ===
Tsotsie leaves Alexandra guarded by his rattlesnake until he returns. She confesses she wanted to arrest John. He takes her to a healer named Billi Tewawina, and afterwards he goes to drive her to the Portkey station to send her back home. On the way there, Charlie finds Alexandra. But then, John and a group of people block the road. A fight ensues, which includes two giant snakes. While Henry is busy, Alexandra runs away in her Seven-League Boots.
=== Chapter 25: The Stone Hogan ===
As Alexandra continues looking for John, she finds a hogan, with Indians starting to assemble there. As Alexandra hides in the bushes, two wizards apparate there, and one of them casts Avada Kedavra on the woman standing by the campfire. After defeating them, she enters the hogan, only to find that the Indians there seem to be werewolves - whom the dead woman was guarding, keeping them from hurting anyone. They tell her to run, which she does.
=== Chapter 26: Witches' Rock ===
Alex attacks the escaping werewolves, hoping to keep their attention on her, to prevent them from attacking anyone, and to alert the Aurors. She finds Johnny, the teen from before, with his girlfriend Trish in a truck that can't start. Alexandra manages to fix it by summoning a bit of electricity. To escape the werewolves, they head to Witches' Rock and climb to the top. Later, Navajo witches from John Manuelito's coven apparate the rock - followed by John himself.
=== Chapter 27: The Bones of Their Victims ===
A fight starts, which turns out to be difficult, because John can merge with the rock. In the middle of it, Trish falls from the rock, but Alex manages to save her with a Falling Charm. John claims that the bones of the victims of Navajo witches were buried beneath the rock. He kills one of his defeated coven members, and jumps off the rock. Chindi rise from the rock, and Alexandra is soon overwhelmed. Eventually, Henry arrives, accompanied by other Dinétah Aurors. They summon Patronuses to destroy the Chindi. Alexandra later awakens in a hogan, having been healed of the ghost sickness caused by Chindi. Henry goes to drive her to the Portkey station to send her home. On the way, she finds out that the Aurors have arrested the witches, except for John. Henry also mentions that Indians didn't use to keep their magic secret. When he delivers her to the Portkey station, he tells her that he considers her a sheepdog - someone who protects others.
=== Chapter 28: The Witch's Lullaby ===
Diana Grimm meets Alexandra in Chicago, giving her a stern talk. When she confronts Diana about lying to her, she slaps her. They head back to Charmbridge, where Diana tells Alexandra she's much like Hecate. Lilith puts Alex on probation - one more action, and she get expelled. Then she shows Alexandra some of Claudia's earliest memories of her - how Alexandra used magic to destroy her car's motor because she wanted ice cream, and Claudia singing a lullaby to a baby Alexandra. She also mentions Memory Alchemy.
=== Chapter 29: Memory Alchemy ===
Alex tells her friends about everything she learned, as unbelievable as it may sound. The Pritchards tell her that the Ozark Grannies think that her Name is indeed Troublesome. Her report card is perfect, but she wants to take Advanced Potions. Mr. Grue guesses that she wants to cure her mother. He reveals that he attempted to heal Hecate in the past, and that he used to train Diana as an Auror. Eventually, he gives in and allows her to take the class. Payton sends her a letter announcing he's breaking up with her, after she neglected him. Soon after, Abraham visits her. She confronts him about how he treats his partners and children. He claims Hecate came up with the idea to make Alexandra the Secret-Keeper. He gives her a Token so she can go to the Lands Below whenever she wants to.
=== Chapter 30: The Squib Laws ===
Alex goes to the basement to tell Ben Journey's ghost that she doesn't like him spying for her father. David asks her for a date for the Winter Ball. Torvald kisses her. David points out that, after what they know now, Alex is pureblood. Why is she still registered as half-blood then? David and Anna reveal what they found out: In the past, Squibs routinely were hit with the Barrenness Curse - and they have official documents which state it was used on 14-year-old Claudia too.
=== Chapter 31: Bamboo Wands ===
It turns out that Governor-General Hucksteen was behind Claudia's curse. At the ball, Torvald kisses Alexandra. After the ball, Alexandra, David and Torvald duel playfully.
=== Chapter 32: A Girl Named Troublesome ===
The Pritchards tell Alexandra that apparently the Grannies want to Name her Troublesome, since it means bad luck if there is no girl Named Troublesome around. They have another duel, but Larry steps in, and challengs Alexandra - but this time she yields, deliberately. Alex thinks there's something dangerous just outside the school boundaries. Mrs. Murphy reports the wound she got in the duel. Alexandra finds out that Sonja and Stuart broke up.
=== Chapter 33: The Parliament of Stars ===
When Alexandra asks Torvald why he and Stuart fell apart, he reveals that Stuart is gay, and gives a hateful speech. This angers Alexandra, who punches him and breaks up with him. Later, the group performs the Naming of the Stars ritual, Naming Alexandra Troublesome. Finally, Alexandra finds herself talking to the Parliament of the Stars. They speak vaguely, claiming not to make her fate, but allow her to ask them three questions in return for doing them a service. "When you take a life/And your life is at an end/Hold open the door." But Alexandra refuses to take a life, so the deal isn't made. They also make a prediction: "Troublesome will take a life, so say the Stars./Troublesome will save a life, but lose everything/You love."
=== Chapter 34: A Great Work ===
Alexandra feels beaten down like never before. She asks Ms. Shirtliffe for help, who suggests Alexandra might do a Great Work, but doesn't want to help her with this. Someone sends her five old magic tomes for her birthday. Alexandra wishes to see her mother in human shape, just on her birthday(s), which Dean Grimm grants. She still isn't allowed to visit Croatoa.
=== Chapter 35: The Last Pruett ===
Alexandra and Claudia have another difficult talk, even without the topics of sterility and Hecate. Alexandra regularly checks the warehouse. Livia comes to a visit - and to get the hags out of her warehouse. Goody Pruett wishes to be removed from the warehouse, but disdains Livia having married a Muggle. Alexandra senses that they are in danger, and urges Livia to leave.
=== Chapter 36: The Injun-Blooded Warlock ===
Alex explains that the "skittering" Goody mentioned is a "baby mummy" sent by John Manuelito. Later, she meets Brian to tell him about the danger his family is in, too. In the last night before returning to Charmbridge, Alex can't sleep because of the danger, constantly listening out for the mummy. The Pritchards tell her she's invited to the Jubilee next year, to talk with the Grannies about her Naming. Then she learns about casting a Patronus from a book by Alastair Van Harkwood. The twins tell her about a tale of Brother Randolph who tricked the warlock from the title.
=== Chapter 37: Gift ===
When Alexandra tries to startle whatever's hiding beyond Charmbridge's parameter, Nigel gets briefly turned into a giant snake. Alexandra attempts to find the place where John must've been hiding when he sent the murder of crows after her. She drills a hole into the sealed cavern, finding out that they only collapsed the entrance. Armed with bone-dissolving solvent, she goes to the place, ready for a fight. When Larry arrives to tease her, the mummy attacks and badly wounds him, biting off four of his fingers. She tries to alert the staff, but unfortunately at that time the Quodpot team is practicing. A murder of crows rises from the forest and attacks the students. Alexandra has to jump from a cliff to save herself. She faces the Nemesis Spirit in the caverns and defeats it by Naming: She Names it "Nemesis" and then Renames it to "Gift", giving it the Token and sending it to the Generous Ones. Suddenly, John appears and punches her down. Then he destroys her wand.
=== Chapter 38: What You Were Born For ===
When Alexandra awakes, she's in John Manuelito's stone hands. He reveals that he let Chindi loose in the school. He claims she was supposed to be sacrificed, although her father objected - to keep the Lands Below open. He's angry for being foiled by a ninth-grade girl. As he prepares to kill Alexandra, Nigel attacks him. John seems to be weakened, as if by venom, so Alexandra manages to break free of the stone hands. She destroys his wand, and they both flee from the cavern, John transforms into his raven Animorphagus form, but a large owl swoops down, grabbing and killing him. The owl turns out to be Diana Grimm in her Animorphmagus form.
=== Chapter 39: Without a Wand ===
Many of the students are in the infirmary now. Larry and three other students had to be taken to the Chicago hospital. Alexandra learns that William and Innocence fought bravely in defense of the school. Dean Grimm tells Alexandra that Nigel is a dangerous Australian snake, she endangered many students because she weakened the protections and lured her enemy onto the school's territory, and therefore gets expelled. Henry Tsotsie arrives to take John's body with him (to make sure he won't turn into a Chindi), and also takes Nigel. At home, Alexandra learns that the Dark Convention destroyed the elite wizarding school of Baleswood, Louisiana Territory. She goes to the warehouse, where Abraham meets her. He is shocked for what she gave the Token away. She confronts him about being a bad father to her, telling him she wants nothing to do with him anymore. At the end, she meets Brian and Bonnie for ice cream.
== Author's Notes ==
The writer's notes on a variety of topics, including "Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above: Author's Notes", May 15th, 2012:
* Claudia
* "My mother is a cat!"
* Adults Are Useless
* Like a 14-year-old girl
* Alexandra's Love Life, and That Gay Thing
* Plot Holes
* Q&A
== References ==
Stars Above