Begin Again

An Eventful Day

Alex woke up as normal that day, following her everyday routine. She didn't have any nightmares the previous night. Instead, her dreams were filled with images of the boy who smiled at her the previous day. She didn't know why she was so hooked on this man, but something about him drew her in, and she couldn't help it.

She exited her dorm room with Aoibhe beside her, Regulus waiting for them in the common room as usual. This time, however, Evan was also waiting.
The boy slung his arm around Alex's shoulder, and she begrudgingly let him keep it there.

They walked out of the dungeons and into the entrance hall, happy to see the lack of swamp. They enter the great hall and take their normal seats at the Slytherin table, filling their plates with bacon, eggs, and toast. Today, they also had pumpkin juice, it now being October. Alex poured herself a large glass of it while her friends talked beside her.

"I can't believe Mcgonagall gave us so much homework" Aoibhe groaned, eating a piece of overly crisp bacon from her plate, "I mean, not all of us messed up our transfiguration from a spider to a pin cushion!" she said, glancing over at Regulus, who was searching through his bag. "Hey!" He said, looking over at her "The only thing off about mine was the legs" He said indignantly, "At least it wasn't harry" he directs towards Alex, and she throws a piece of bread at him that he just narrowly dodges. "Sorry, not all of us can get it right on the first try like you, Aoibhe," Alex says with a roll of her eyes, and they all laugh.

"I still can't transform a spider to a pin cushion," Evan says, eggs falling out of his mouth as he chews. "Ew," Alex says, pushing him away. "Chew before you talk next time," and she gives him a disgusted look before getting up and grabbing her bag. Her friends follow her lead, and they all leave the great hall on their way to Transfiguration.

Most of the day goes by fine, nothing truly amiss happening, that is until she gets to her last class of the day. Potions was always a bore for Alex, Professor Slughorn liked her due to him being the head of Slytherin and her father having been one of his prized students, but Alex had absolutely no talent for the subject.

That day, they were supposed to continue their forgetfulness potions. Alex was doing this project alone, for no one else she was friends with had this class. She was just setting down her bag in the seat beside her, ready for the boring lesson to commence, when the door opened in the back of the classroom.

At first she thought it was Professor Slughorn, but then she heard the person speak, and it was a younger more delinquent voice, and when she turned around Alex was greeted by none other than the boy from the entrance hall. "Hope I'm not late," the boy says, and Professor Slughorn, who had just come in from his office, shook his head. "Right on time, James," he said with a smile. "Why don't you take a seat next to Miss Black?" And he motioned towards the seat next to Alex.

Alex's chest compressed as she looked at Slughorn, her mouth hanging open stupidly. She collected herself before the boy got there, however, and moved her bag just as she arrived at the table.

He gave Alex a small smile, and she fought every muscle in her body to keep the grimace on her face going.

"Today, we will be finishing our forgetfulness potions!" Slughorn says in his usual jolly manner, "The instructions are on the board. You have an hour!" And he taps the board, making white letters appear before exiting back into his office where Alex was sure he wasn't doing work.

Alex looks at the cauldron on their table, the drought inside thick and green, even though it was supposed to be thin and clear. "What step were you on?" The boy, James, asks from beside her. "Five," she says, purposely avoiding his eyes and instead keeping her own trained on the cauldron.

He laughs beside her, however, and she can't help but look at him. "What?" She snaps, "Why're you laughing?" She demands, and he stops laughing long enough to tell her."Nothing, nothing, " he says, catching his breath, "You're just horrible at potions. "

Alex's mouth dropped at his statement.  She knew it was true, but he didn't need to point it out. She can't believe she ever found the boy attractive. He has absolutely no tact. "Excuse me?" She says indignantly, and James looks over at her, a trace of the laughter still apparent on his face, "its just- You did it all wrong" his tone was kind, but his words mocked Alex's hard work, like he was trying to help but he also saw himself as too good.

"Oh yeah?" She said, anger boiling under her skin at this point "I'd like to see you do better" she crossed her arms and stared up at James, who stared right back with a smirk lingering on his lips. "Is that a bet?" He asks, and Alex nods. "Alright then," and James' face breaks into a smile before he turns to the cauldron and starts throwing ingredients in.

30 minutes later, after lots of skepticism from Alex and confidence from James, the potion is the thin, clear coloring it should be, and Alex is in awe. Although she'd never tell that to James. "Okay, what're you, some potion master or something?" She asks, and beside her, James laughs "Lets just say my family is known for their potion making skills, " he says, "Guess I won this one. " he smirks, and Alex scoffs, but then she hears him say,"We should do it again sometime, " and she feels her heart flutter, but she doesn't say anything.

Right then, the bell rings, and Alex is saved from responding. Slughorn comes out from his office and dismisses them with a good job, and see you tomorrow, and Alex wastes no time packing up her stuff. She's one of the first students out the door, practically sprinting down the hallway.

Just as she thinks she's escaped she hears footsteps pounding behind her, and before she knew it James was beside her, his hair even more disheveled and a stupid smile on his face making him look more attractive than ever. "Trying to get away quick, eh?" He asks, but Alex ignores him in an attempt to get him to go away.

But it doesn't work, and he talks again. "I'm James Potter," he says, the smile still on his lips as he sticks out his hand. Alex ignores him again, "Wow, I don't even get a name?" He asks, "Not even after I won that bet..." he shakes his head as they round the corner and start walking up the stairs to the entrance hall.

"You'd think I'd deserve at least that," he continues as they open the doors to the entrance hall, and Alex turns to face him. "What do you want?" She snaps, his arrogant tone finally getting to her. His smile flickers for only a moment before he responds, "You're my potions partner," he says with a shrug, as if it explains it all, but she still glares up at him.

He's about to say more when Aoibhe and Reg come up behind her. "Hey, Alex -" Regulus says, placing his hand on her shoulder. She turns to face them and smiles at her friends, "Ready?" He asks, and she nods.

She gives James another look before turning and leaving, her name escaping his lips in a smile as she enters the great hall and escapes his sight.