Little Riddle | James Potter

• nineteen

"So," Sirius placed his hands behind his head and leaned back. "How's your mum's rabbit?"

"He died."

"Oh."

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Remus shook his head, an annoyed look on his face, while James and Sirius whispered incessantly on his ears, making Alexis watch them suspiciously. She sat across from them at the Great Hall during their first dinner back, where Catherine and her had been invited by Sirius to sit on the Gryffindor table. Even though dragged there would be a more accurate description.

"What are you weasels up to?"

"Nothing." Sirius played with the food on his plate trying to look casual. "Why would you say we're up to something?"

"Because you're the least subtle person I know." Alexis shook her head. "Your 'I have a secret' vibe is literally visible from the moon. What is it?"

"We're not telling." Sirius gave his friends sly smiles.

"Fine, we don't want to know anyway." Catherine stuck her tongue out at him, before turning to Alexis with an irritated expression. "I can't eat in peace when Josh Davis is constantly looking this way."

Alexis' eyes met Josh's as soon as she looked up, making him look away quickly. "He's been staring for a good ten minutes." Catherine huffed annoyed.

"That's odd." Alexis frowned. Josh was now joking around with some fellow Ravenclaw boys, making Alexis realize that was the first she saw him with his friends. All the time they had spent together was all general talk and witty comments, she didn't really know much about the boy.

"Don't know what you see in him." Catherine served herself more potatoes, not noticing Alexis' confused frown. "An absolute ass, he is. I mean, he is Ravenclaw's popular and good looking guy, he's bound to be an ass. There's always at least three girls crying in the common room over him. Weekly."

Josh Davis looked like a nice guy, so everyone assumed he was a nice guy. It was clear Alexis wasn't the only one shocked to hear it was all an act, as frowns and shocked expressions adorned all of their faces at the sound of the news. All but James, who was the only one who remained unfazed. "I told you guys he was a dick."

They managed to avoid James 'I-told-you-so' speech thanks to Lily, who hesitantly sat next to them along with her friends. Alexis eyed Lily suspiciously, the outcome of over five years of rivalry, but for once Lily didn't seem prepotent or angry as she approached the girl. However, the tension around them was clear as day, with James avoiding meeting Lily's eye and the rest of them staring at each other with confusion and uneasiness on their faces.

"Hi, sorry to interrupt." Lily cleared her throat, her cheeks were tinted a light pink as she greeted them.

"Hi, Lily." Remus offered her a kind smile while everyone else remained silent, some only offering a small smile.

"I know this is odd, but —" Lily fidgeted nervously, trying to sit up straighter and look at Alexis in the eye. "— I came to apologize. For everything. We heard what you did and... that was very brave of you. I messed up, I know I was inexplicably rude to you, it was unnecessary and petty. I am truly sorry, Alexis."

Marlene hesitantly reached over and squeezed Alexis' hand. "We were too quick to judge you and it was truly unfair. We never considered how hard this was for you."

"If everything we've heard is true, then what you did was pretty badass, Riddle." Alexis tried not to giggle at the face Catherine made when she heard Dorcas' nasally voice.