Raven | 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 55

"You're — you're leaving the country?" Alexandra stammered in shock, blinking rapidly as the train left the station. "But — When? Where?"

"Switzerland, probably. We have family there," Mike explained. "And... my parents didn't want me to come back to finish sixth year, but I told them I had to come. I couldn't just leave without saying goodbye. So we'll be leaving once I go back home for summer break. And not to mention that Ravenclaw Quidditch team really is going well this year. I couldn't just leave my team behind," he said jokingly, making her chuckle.

But her laughter soon faded away as she looked down worriedly. "I'm gonna miss you, Mikey... but I know it's for the best. It's safer for someone like you to be as far away from this mess as possible. Or at least until it all comes to end... no matter how long that's gonna take."

***

As it seemed, a few students hadn't returned to school now that Christmas break was over, planning on fleeing the country before any harm could come upon themselves or their family.

The Great Hall that night seemed gloomier than ever before as they were having dinner, even though the hundred candles still floated above them, lighting up the enormous hall.

Throughout the next few weeks, Alexandra never really spent much time in the Ravenclaw common room like she always used to do in the previous years. Before, whenever Mike was away for Quidditch practice, Alexandra would pick a book and sit by the window in their common room, reading it through.

But now that Mike spent all his free time down at the Quidditch pitch, training his team, Alexandra would go up to the Room of Requirements along with Regulus. They would both choose a book and read in silence, or help each other with their homework.

     Even though they didn't have the pressure of their O.W.Ls on them this year, the teachers were still working them harder than ever, giving them countless essays and loads of homework.

Although in occasions when Regulus and Mike both had Potions class and Alexandra had a free period, she would go down toward the edge of the Dark Forest to meet up with her old friend, Hagrid.

Each time she went down to visit Hagrid, he took her into the Dark Forest, where Buckbeak the Hippogriff had joined a herd. He had grown so much since the last time Alexandra had seen him and could now fly a few feet above the ground.

But the moment everyone thought that things could go back to normal, a horrifying rumor started going through all the castle, messing with everybody's minds.

"Did you hear what happened?" Mike asked urgently as he sat down next to Alexandra who was at the Ravenclaw table, having lunch alone.

"What?" Alexandra questioned and put her book down to look over at him, only to see that he had gone extremely pale. "What's wrong?"

"You know Lily Evans, right? The Head Girl?" Mike asked and Alexandra nodded weakly. "It's her parents. They were killed recently."

Alexandra's heart sank painfully in her chest and her eyes widened, staring back at Mike in disbelief as she clapped a hand to her mouth. "No..."

"Oh, God..." Mike muttered under his breath, burying his face in his palms anxiously. "Evans is a Muggleborn —"

"Mike, please don't go there —"

"What if it were my parents, Alex!?" He retorted, breathing heavily. "What if they're next!? I — I should've left the country with them when I had the chance! I-if anything happens to them now... it would be my fault... all my fault..."

"Mike, nothing's going to happen —"

"It's easy for you to say!" Mike snapped angrily. "You're a Pureblood! Your grandfather is a Death Eater and has a high post at the Ministry, so it works in your favor no matter how this war ends!"

"Is there a problem here?" Turning around, they saw Regulus behind them, as if he were only passing by.

"Yes," said Mike firmly, getting up to his feet. No the people around them had gone quiet, staring up at them. "Yes, there is a problem. Prejudice people such as your family is my problem! What have us Muggleborns even done to you lot!?"

"Mr. Williams! Mr. Black!" Professor McGonagall darted forward briskly at their sight, always detecting a fight nearing from a mile away. "Care to elaborate what is going on?"

"Nothing," Mike said through gritted teeth with his eyes still glaring daggers at Regulus.

And then, with one last huff he turned around and stormed out of the Great Hall, all eyes following him away curiously. Shaking her head, Professor McGonagall too walked away and back toward the teachers' table, leaving Regulus and Alexandra's side.

"I'm sorry for that," said Alexandra, looking up at Regulus. "But you have understand how hard it is on them... with the fear of losing their families... it's just too harsh."

"I know," Regulus whispered, nodding feebly. "I understand."

***

As if to distract himself from all his horrifying thoughts, Mike spent the next weeks working with his team harder than ever, a few times a week. They would book the Quidditch pitch whenever the other Houses didn't want it and would practice into the evenings.

     The final match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had finally arrived and Alexandra went down to the Quidditch pitch along with Regulus, sitting together in the stands as they waited for the two teams to mount their brooms and start the game.

     For some reason, lately the Gryffindor team didn't seem to have the strength that they did before. Alexandra guessed that it had something to with the fact that Lily Evans had recently lost her parents, because her friends on the team — Jenna and James Potter, Sirius Black, and Marlene Mckinnon — all seemed too distracted during the game.

     All these factors came together and concluded in Ravenclaw's victory, and so they brought the Quidditch Cup to their House and made it theirs.

     That night, they threw a party in the Ravenclaw common room, though it wasn't anything too big and the music wasn't loud at all, because they didn't want any of them teachers to hear them from outside and come and tell them off.

     Alexandra sat in her usual corner, watching Mike from afar with a smile on her lips as people patted him on the back and cheered him on. She was proud of her best friend, but also glad that after weeks he finally looked genuinely happy.

     Alexandra then looked around at the airy and blue common room. She missed coming here to read, and thought that after Christmas break she had hardly ever spent time in here.

     But just then, her heart leaped in her chest when she realized something as her eyes caught sight of it.

     With her heartbeat speeding up, Alexandra hesitantly got to her feet shakily and walked up toward the little library inside their common room, where a grey statue stood beside it.

     It was a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, and it was at that moment when Alexandra finally realized why her dress looked so familiar at the Malfoys' Ball.