enigmatic || potter

1.08 | the uncelebration

the uncelebration //
October 1, 1993

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Growing up, Alexa never really looked forward to her birthday. It was just another day, right? She didn't have anyone to share it with anyway, until she met the Weasleys. On her first birthday at the Burrow, she woke up to a pile of presents, from candy to toys to books, and a huge cake waiting downstairs for her. Even then though, when she had a loving family who cared about her and wanted her to be happy, she hated the attention.

She did love the candy she got every year, though. And that was the sight she was hoping would greet her when she arrived back at her dormitory early the next morning. She had convinced Madame Pomfrey to let her leave early, pulling the "but it's my birthday" card. There was nothing that could be done about the fainting for now, Dumbledore had told Madame Pomfrey, so the girl might as well be let out so she can enjoy her birthday.

Alexa thought enjoy was a bit strong, but she certainly didn't want to be trapped in the hospital wing, mulling over the unsettling information that Dumbledore had told her. Who could enjoy their birthday after basically being told the fate of the Wizarding World will one day lie in their hands?

She just had so many questions about this oculus temporis thing— she didn't even know where to start! Powers? Parents? What isn't Dumbledore telling her?

And worst of all, lessons with Snape? She already disliked the Potions Professor during her regular lessons with him— "he's such a bully!" she had complained to Percy after her first ever Potions class. And she wasn't bad at potions, per se, Snape was just an asshole. Yes, Alexa was often squeamish about some of the ingredients that would be used in class, and she would often mutter under her breath to Dean about how awful the class was, and she much rather preferred studying theory to practice, but Snape didn't have to be so mean all the time.

Mean might be an understatement, actually. Cruel, vindictive, disrespectful, biased, those were all words that came to mind when Alexa thought of Severus Snape. But he was the one who apparently had brought her to the hospital wing, according to Malfoy. So that had to be something, right?

Malfoy had told her—awkwardly in front of Dean and Seamus—that after she fainted, he was worried about moving her, so he ran up to the castle and Snape was the first professor he saw. Alexa felt a little weird about the thought of Malfoy and Snape bringing her unconscious body up to the hospital wing, but she thought it would be better if she just shut her mouth and acted grateful that the boy didn't just leave her there.

Honestly, when her friends and brother rushed back into the hospital wing, she didn't care about their concern, or their confusion, or any other type of emotion that they may have been feeling.

Dean and Seamus were more confused than ever about what was going on in Alexa's life; Percy was, of course, besides himself with worry. Alexa wasn't sure what to tell them after Dumbledore glided out of the room seemingly without a care in the world, as if the information he had just bestowed upon the girl was as casual as tomorrow's weather forecast.

She realized, later on, that the emotion she was feeling as Dumbledore left her lying in the hospital wing, dumbfounded, was complete and utter fury.

Dumbledore had been sitting on information pertaining her for who knows how long? All will be revealed in due time, he had told her, but how long is "due time" anyway? Time is relative, in this instance. Dumbledore is about a million years old— for all Alexa knew, "due time" for Dumbledore could be a decade from now. And what is the "all" that he's shielding from her, anyway?

The girl was still stewing on this when she entered Gryffindor Tower that next morning. It was still early, so there weren't many students in the Gryffindor common room. Some were doing some last-minute studying, a few were reading on couches or at tables, and a few were just waiting for friends to head down to breakfast. Quietly, she headed upstairs to her dormitory, where she was greeted with a pile of presents neatly stacked on her bed, which was closest to the door.