Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment

Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment is the third story in the Alexandra Quick series. A teaser-title – AQATDR – was announced on 9 June 2009 "Last post for a while -- have some pics", Inverarity's LiveJournal, 9 June 2009, with the official title being announced on 26 November `09 "AQATDR: And the winner is...", Inverarity's LiveJournal, 26 November 2009). Written by Inverarity, the book began publication at Fanfiction.net and Mugglenet on 28 February 2010, and runs 213,391 words in length (comparable to a 808-page physical novel).
Deathly Regiment is a sequel to Alexandra Quick and the Lands Below and is set between the Summer of 2009 and June of 2010, during Alex's eighth-grade year, which will transpire concurrently with the events of Hogwarts Houses Divided. Whether DR and HHD are meant to take place in the same future timeline, or in universes alternate to one another, is as yet unknown. The story is followed by Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above.
The story was beta-read by SwissMiss and Miles2go.
See also: All posts tagged with "AQATDR" on Inverarity's LJ.
==Plot Summary==
Alexandra Quick begins eighth grade at Charmbridge Academy angry and in denial. When guilt and obsession lead her to a fateful choice, it is not only her own life that hangs in the balance, for she will uncover the secret of the Deathly Regiment!
===Chapter 1: The WODAMND Act===
Anna Chu and her family suffer collateral damage from the Confederation's crackdown on the Dark Arts. By which we mean that her father Geming Chu - who is running for Wizard Congress - is arrested by Aurors, for supposedly collaborating with the Dark Convention. The War On Dark Arts Mandatory National Defense Act allows this.
===Chapter 2: The Witch of Old Larkin Pond===
Alex (when she doesn't have to attend summer school) spends the summer haunting Old Larkin Pond, confronts old nemeses and former friends, and receives a warning from Agent Grimm, who also destroys her broom: After a fight with Billy Boggleston, she turned the water of the lake to blood. The WODAMND Act allows treating juveniles like adults, so she'd better be careful. And Bonnie saw Diana.
===Chapter 3: Innocence===
Alexandra travels to the Market and is troubled by the absence of Anna. Alex meets the Pritchards' sister Innocence and clashes once again with Ozarker boys.
===Chapter 4: The Ghost Writer===
Alex can't get books about the Dark Arts, but meets the ghost/"wrock star"/author/Posthumous Rights activist Simon Grayson. And notices what people are talking about Abraham Thorn's daughter - and her trip to the Lands Below. Also, Darla's back.
===Chapter 5: The Girl Who Came Back===
Archie wants to talk with Alex about boys. Back in Charmbridge, Anna's back, to Alex' joy. Now she learns about what happened to Anna's family. Then, she's summoned to Dean Grimm - and Darla's there as well. Finally, Alex learns of Time-Turners.
===Chapter 6: Finding Trouble===
Lessons at Charmbridge start again. Innocence manages to get detention twice in a day! And Alex clashes with the Ozarker boys, not surprisingly.
===Chapter 7: In the Basement===
Alex will have to spend one more year in the JROC, as punishment for her fight. And help with the annual ghost-sweepings in the basements.
===Chapter 8: Ghost Sickness===
Anna worries for her father, and Alex has to console her. Alex also learns that Historicists like Valeria get to use Time-Turners! Muggle-born William asks her to teach him hexes, but she has to decline. Then, Innocence's familiar disappears. Later, Alex continues looking, but is attacked by Benjamin and Mordecai. Dean Grimm tells Ms. Gale off for letting Alex search for ghosts while alone.
===Chapter 9: Rebellion===
Benjamin doesn't come back, and people think Alex was responsible. William got stuffed into a locker and doesn't want to tattle. Innocence confesses she tutored him in hexes, things escalate until she gets slapped by her sister. But she isn't impressed, becomes even more rebellious. Then, Alex discovers Ms. Gale's dead body.
===Chapter 10: The Doorway===
The school's unsurprisingly upset about dead Ms. Gale. They can't blame Alex for it, but she gets another month of detention. Diana Grimm arrives to check for ghost activity - sems a Jibay was around. At least she tells Alex that Mr. Chu's probably held under Mount Diablo.
===Chapter 11: Cursing and Fighting===
Alex is pretty ostracized now, often gets hexed or cursed, and retaliates. This leads to Adela Iturbide and two others resigning from JROC - William returns, though. Alex is invited by the Kings, for Thanksgiving. Anna tries to make her accept Max' death. At Halloween, she participates in the Dueling contest, losing at the end to Larry Albo.
===Chapter 12: The Dueling Club===
Eric Strangeland suggests Alex to join the Dueling Club, which she does. Only to lose against Larry Albo again. Later, when she wants to visit Bran and Poe, she gets grabbed by Clockworks. She confesses to the elves she wants to bring Max back; while they tell her it's impossible, they're still willing to help her. Then, Alex finds out Innocence is hanging around with Darla, and also reading her books.
===Chapter 13: Reunion===
Anna clashes with Adela about the M-word. Then, they go to holiday, which means Alex has to travel by Portkey to Roanoke. Surprisingly, Valeria's there as well. Triss the house-elf is sad because Valeria didn't have house-elves since she was separated from her father.
===Chapter 14: The Thanksgiving Blessing===
At Thanksgiving, Alex overhears that wizards used to protect Muggles. Julia tells Alex she should have told Claudia everything. The next days, they ride Granians. Valeria tends to evade her questions, much like their father. So at night, Alex follows her into the woods.
===Chapter 15: The Historicist===
Alex gets lost in the woods, attacked by carnivorous plants, almost sucked in by quicksand. Valeria and Joshua Thorn (a ghost) find her. Valeria wasn't meeting Abraham, but their ancestor Absalom. And yes, she has a Time-Turner.
===Chapter 16: The Time-Turner===
Alex learns about the first law of temporal magic. And what Valeria's researching: The Deathly Regiment. Apparently, Absalom died fighting it. After a nice trip to the city, Valeria tells Alex that the Elect have many dirty secrets. And warns her that she couldn't save Max with a Time-Turner either.
===Chapter 17: A Tightly-Wound Plan===
Triss the house-elf will be given to Valeria, who'll return to Europe soon. Alex plans taking the Time-Turner to bring Max back. But before she has to get answers about house-elves from Deezie. Then, instead of returning to Charmbridge, she hides until she can go back to the Portkey station. Then she summons Triss (with doggerel verse) and orders her to get her the Time-Turner, which Triss does.
===Chapter 18: Things Change===
At Chicago Wizardrail, Diana is again waiting for Alex, but can't find out what she's up to. Then, Alex wants to go to the past to stop Max and her younger self from going to the Lands Below. But someone Stupefies her, after which Ms. Fletcher finds her. Dean Grimm takes the Time-Turner, gives it to Diana. Anna informs Alex that Darla's cat's missing. And she's pissed because Alex didn't trust her with her secret plan.
===Chapter 19: A Long, Cold December===
Julia's understanding about what Alex did, her mother Thalia's angry, Valeria doesn't answer at all. Alex is more unpopular at school than ever. Then she goes home for Christmas. Brian even invites her for caroling, but she doesn't want to. Then, Julia and Thalia appear in their fireplace, using Floo powder! Thalia and Claudia have a long talk. And the Kings give Alex a new broom. And Ms. Grimm comes to take Alex back... but it's not the Dean.
===Chapter 20: The Winter Ball===
Diana Grimm reveals that Alex still has memories of the Lands Below when she claimed she didn't. And how she and her sister did a lot to keep Alex out of the Juvenile Magical Offenses Division. So Alex reveals her story. On the Chicago station, a hag named Hilda tells her that she might get her what others can't give her, but is reprimanded by an Auror. Angelique gave David some formal wizard robes, for the Winter Ball. Alex makes up with Anna, then sends off Charlie with a message to her father. At the Ball, Larry wants to dance with her - because he's delivering the reply!
===Chapter 21: Sweethearts and Traitors===
Alex is questioned by Dean Cervantes why she danced with her enemy Larry, of all people. On Valentine's Day, when she sneaks out to meet her father, she runs into Larry wanting to smoke, who accuses her of getting special treatment. Then Abraham Thorn apparates them away, she demands that he helps getting Mr. Chu free, as the boon he owes her. So he allows her to give the list of the Thorn Circle to the WJD, which she does. When she tells Anna about this, she reveals that she's in contact with the Office of Special Inquisitions.
===Chapter 22: A Deal With Darla===
Anna tells Alex she informed on her, but just once. Then, Innocence's toad has disappeared during the Sweetheart's Dance. Anna and Alex make up. Then, Darla tells her in the restroom that she might know how to bring Max back. They agree to meet in the library at night. There, Darla claims Max might have joined the Deathly Regiment - which'd mean he'd still be in the Lands Beyond. And her sister died, and things that happened weren't really her fault. And she has another Obol. So Alex tells Darla about the Lands Below and what happened there.
===Chapter 23: Deathly Conjures===
Alex reads "Deathly Conjures", Darla's book. Anna's father will be released, but she doesn't want to change roommates as he threatened. The book is quite informative. Anna's also worried about Alex' obsession. Despite of this, Alex is again invited to Croatoa. Anna leaves for spring break, Alex has detention again - in the stables. Which gives her an idea though: Maybe she could use a Thestral for her journey? Then, some night she summons the ghost of - Benedict Journey.
===Chapter 24: The Lands Beyond===
Journey claims he didn't kill Ms. Gale. Alex talks him into being her spirit guide. Darla agrees to give her the Obol and be there when she goes through the portal. Geming Chu is elected to Congress.
===Chapter 25: Through the Veil===
Alex decides not to leave a letter, but tells Anna about her plan. Then at night, she and Darla go on Skuld the Thestral and broom to the portal in the valley. There, Alex learns a bit of useful stuff from Darla. Then she opens the portal with blood magic - and enters it.
===Chapter 26: The Most Deathly Power===
Now Alex is in a cold, dark place, with the whispering of many voices around. She follows the street she's on, because what else? They arrive at a stone building, although Journey can't see it. In the house, she finds a knight playing chess against Death (who is absent though); a little girl, who's really a spirit of the dead; and then, Death, who's been expecting her. He declines her offers in return for Max' life, though. Also, it turns out the Obol was fake, as Death tells her. He enchants it - now the first person she gives it to will die instead. She makes it back, but lets Darla know what's going on and how pissed she is.
===Chapter 27: The Bone Flute===
Alex tells Anna what happened. Angelique asks Alex to stop whatever she's up to, she's scared for Darla. And Alex learns that Darla's sister Hilary isn't dead but eloped with a Muggle. Then in May, JROC drill is cancelled because the Thorn Circle attacked in two cities simultaneously. Shirtliffe is recalled to active duty because of this. Then, Darla attacks Sonja and Charlie with a mistletoe wand. And stole the bone flute.
===Chapter 28: Oak and Mistletoe===
Alex races by broom to the valley, to the cave with the gate. Where she meets Darla, takes her mistletoe wand. But Darla has a second one - Innocence's - and a magical duel ensues. Alex goes unconscious after Avada Kedavra hits her. Anna - notified by Journey - finds her and informs her that Innocence is missing. And Darla went through the gate. Alex talks Darla's house-elf Nat to open the gate again, to save her.
===Chapter 29: A Life for a Life===
Alex descends to the Lands Below. She finds the opened gate to the Lands Beyond, with Darla having bewitched Innocence. Alex flies into Darla, petrifies her. Then she learns from the Generous Ones that the "Deathly Regiment" means that the Confederacy sacrifices one child every seven years, to keep the Gates closed. Now they want to take Innocence as a sacrifice. Alex manages to close the Gate with the coin Death gave her. But the Generous Ones demand one more life for her having blasted Cejaiaqui last time, which killed him. She has to swear that she'll pay back her debt within seven years, or will die. Quimley will lead the three girls back. But before, Darla opens the Gate again, plays the magic flute to control Innocence, going through it. Alex fights the jibays and can save Innocence, but Darla vanishes.
===Chapter 30: The Deathly Regiment===
Alex wakes up in the infirmary. Darla's family is in Charmbridge. Journey confirms that what she heard about the Deathly Regiment is true. Alex uses her influence on Dean Grimm so she'll get him a haunting permit. Then she tells Diana Grimm almost everything. In return, Diana claims the "Deathly Regiment" was just another term for the Lands Beyond. At least the Pritchards are grateful. And Innocence keeps mum about Alex having used Crucio on her to save her. But Alex still wonders who stunned her in the basement that time. Finally, Mr. Chu pays a visit, who knows about the Deathly Regiment (although he's sworn to secrecy) and tells her that only pureblood children are eligible. Also, the child originally chosen this year was Darla's sister Mary.
===Chapter 31: Seven Years to Live===
Alex is on holiday in Croatoa again. She goes once more to the family crypt, to say goodbye to Max. Absalom warns her to fight this battle. Martin Nguyen also pays a visit - and Alex learns that he and Max had a secret relationship. Now at least Alex is free to enjoy her holiday.
==Author Notes==
The writer's notes on a variety of topics, including "Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment: Author's Notes", Inverarity's LiveJournal, June 20th, 2010:
*The Deathly Regiment
*Actions have consequences
*Death
*Who are the good guys?
*The Deathly Token and the Sacrifice
*Darla
*Alexandra Quick is dark and depressing
*Max/Martin
*Who Stunned Alexandra in the basement?
*Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above
== References ==
Deathly Regiment