Alex sat quietly in one of the seats of Remus's office as he busied himself with preparing the tea. She glanced around the room at all the different items in there, which mostly consisted of magical creatures. It was certainly a step up from the previous year when Gilderoy Lockhart had the walls covered with portraits of himself.
At the beginning of the year, Alex had been like many of the girls at Hogwarts, swooning over him until the incident with the Cornish Pixes happened. Even she had to admit that a fully capable wizard would've been able to handle the situation with no problems. She didn't care much for Lockhart after that, especially when he tried to wipe their memories in the Chamber of Secrets.
A minute later, Remus placed a cup of tea in front of her, as well as laying out milk and sugar for her to use freely. She thanked him before preparing her tea the way she liked. Remus watched with an amused smile as she poured the milk into her cup and added one too many spoonfuls of sugar.
"You drink your tea just like your mother," he told her with a chuckle.
Alex smiled as she stirred the tea. "Yes, I've been told that by those who knew her."
Remus nodded. "She just always hated her tea being bitter," he told her. "We often made fun of her because her tea sometimes overflowed and she would spill it on herself quite a bit."
The thought caused the both of them to laugh because Alex had adopted the same idea. Alex's smile slowly faded as she thought about the unknown whereabouts of her mother.
"Professor?" She spoke softly.
"Hmm?"
"Have you been in contact with my mother at all over the past few years?" She asked.
Remus simply shook his head. "The last time I saw you and your mother was after your father was sentenced to Azkaban without a trial," he told her. "I remember how upset she was when that happened. In fact, that was when she stopped speaking to me."
"Why?"
A heavy sigh left Remus as he took a sip of his cooled-down tea. "I think your mother thought your father was innocent, despite the mountain of evidence against him," Remus responded, causing Alex's eyes to widen in shock. "But I don't know because I never got the chance to speak to her about it."
"Not even a letter?" Alex asked, somewhat desperately.
Again, Remus shook his head.
Alex sat back in her chair, slightly defeated as she hoped that Remus would have been able to tell her more. The only communication they had had in the past few years was the letter she had received a few weeks prior and even that wasn't much to go on. She took her cup into her hand and sipped thoughtfully before looking at him.
"Will you tell me your fondest memory of her?"
After another sip of tea, Remus smiled warmly. "She and I met on the Hogwarts Express," he told her. "It was the start of our third year and I hadn't been able to find the compartment my friends were in. Luckily, she saw me wondering and offered to share the compartment since she was alone. It was only the two of us the whole train ride."
Alex smiled as she sipped at her tea. Her mother must've been so incredibly happy then. "We even rode up to the castle together but once we got up there was when things got a little complicated," he continued, smiling at the memory. "Your father, along with James and Peter caught up to us and as soon as your father saw your mother, he claimed it was love at first sight. However, we were far too young at the time to really know what love was. He tried to flirt and make her swoon over him, but it ended miserably and she actually slapped him."
The thought caused Alex to nearly choke on her tea over the thought. "Actually, your mother and Harry's mother became friends over their grief of not being able to avoid James or Sirius as both boys were constantly pining after them. I suppose it helped that they both were friends with Severus as well."
Once again, Alex slumped back into her seat, tears beginning to brim in her eyes. They should've been happy, but they weren't because of her father's decision. She sniffled slightly, causing Remus to furrow his brow in confusion as he finally noticed the tears.
"Have I said something to offend you?"
"No," Alex sniffled. "I just wish my father hadn't done what he did. I often wonder how things could've been different if he hadn't joined You-Know-Who."
Remus gave her a sad smile before gently patting her hand. "Me too, Alex," he replied softly, a far-off look in his eyes. "Me too."
☽
That night at dinner, Alex sat with the trio and all of them were quick to notice how Hagrid wasn't at the teacher's table, as well as the Slytherins sitting huddled together. She tightened her hand angrily as she watched them most likely over-dramatize what had happened in class to get Hagrid in more trouble.
"Alex!" A voice suddenly cried.
What she didn't realize was that she had grabbed her wand subconsciously and accidentally lit the sleeve of her jumper on fire. She cried out before someone else quickly pointed their own wand at her arm, shouting, "Aguamenti!"
Her sleeve was quickly drenched and the fire was put out, but she was still burnt. She looked up to see Fred holding his wand out, a frightened look on his face. Most of the other students from the other tables looked over to see what the commotion was all about and Alex felt the onset of embarrassment setting in.
Professor McGonagall immediately rushed over, having seen the whole ordeal. She glanced at Alex's arm before looking at the young girl, as if questioning what had happened
"It was my fault," she admitted, hissing in pain over the sting of her burn. "I wasn't paying attention."
"I would recommend you to pay more attention to your surroundings, Miss Selwyn," McGonagall told her sternly. "Now, you go to the hospital wing and have Madam Pomfrey help you. Would someone please help escort her there?" She directed that last question to the students sitting close by.
"I can do that, Professor," Fred quickly spoke, standing from his seat and rushing over to Alex's side.
Her face immediately flushed with more embarrassment before the pair walked out of the Great Hall, causing her to let out a sigh of relief as she was out of everyone's staring gaze now. Her arm still stung, which caused her to hiss slightly in pain every few seconds. Fred looked down at her as they made their way up to the hospital wing, his arm around her shoulders.
Madam Pomfrey looked up from the paperwork she was doing to see them walk in and immediately rolled her eyes. "What have you done to yourself now this time, Mr. Weasley?"
"Not me, actually," he told her with a smirk. "It's actually Alexandria here who needs the mending."
Upon hearing that, Madam Pomfrey rushed over, noting the distinct burnt smell coming from Alex as she held her arm to her chest. A heavy sigh left her lips. "Do I even want to know, Miss Selwyn?"
"I set my sleeve on fire by accident," Alex admitted with a sheepish grin.
Madam Pomfrey shook her head before gesturing for Alex to take a seat on one of the beds. She then rushed over to her cabinet while Fred claimed the chair next to the bed, watching her carefully. Madam Pomfrey returned a few moments later, holding a jar of some orange goop. Carefully, she rolled up Alex's sleeve to reveal the burn covering her arm.
"Oh, that looks painful," Fred commented.
She sent a glare at him before holding her arm out for Madam Pomfrey, who began to apply the orange goop. An immediate relief coursed through Alex's arm as she sighed. Fred looked up at her to see her eyes closed as she relished in the relief.
"I recommend just waiting until the ointment has set, then we will wrap it up, and you can go back to your common room," Madam Pomfrey told her.
Alex sighed before looking at Fred. "You can go back to the Great Hall if you'd like," she told him. "I'm probably gonna turn in early tonight anyway."
"I'll stay to make sure you get back to the common room okay," he told her.
"You really don't have to."
"I want to."
"Why?"
Fred opened his mouth to respond but stopped himself before clearing his throat. "Y-You're my friend," he told her. "Is it a crime to want to make sure you're okay?"
"I guess not," she mumbled.
A few minutes later, Madam Pomfrey had wrapped Alex's arm up and excused the two students. They both began to make their way back to the common room right away. Alex walked silently, avoiding Fred's eyes as they walked down a corridor.
"Did I say something to offend you?" He asked suddenly, causing her to glance up at him.
"No, what gave you that idea?" She lied, trying to ignore the fact that her stomach tightened.
"You usually talk more to me, but you've barely said anything since we left the hospital wing," he told her.
She only shrugged. "Do you think you've said anything to offend me?"
Fred thought back to what they had talked about that day, but he could only think back to the two of them falling asleep on the couch together. "I don't think I have," he mumbled, though it sounded more questioning.
"You haven't," she lied with a smile, grateful when they finally came upon the entrance of the common room.
As soon as they were inside, Alex was quick to note that it was just the two of them as everyone else was still at dinner. She sighed before turning to look at Fred.
"I'm gonna go work on my homework up in my dorm. Bye, Fred," she simply told him before leaving him standing there.
Fred could only watch her go and wonder what exactly he had said to offend her. Then he thought of their conversation that morning about falling asleep together on the couch. He had said he wouldn't be able to see her that way, meaning as anything more than a friend.
The truth was, he had begun to notice Alex more lately, especially after she had made the Quidditch team the previous year. She certainly caught his eye when she beat Katie Bell out of her spot on the team. Even Katie had to admit how good Alex was on the field that she wasn't mad about being put in a reserve role for the team. Fred wouldn't say he had a crush, but he definitely was intrigued by Alex.
Up in her dorm, Alex huffed a sigh as she sat at the desk next to her bed. She didn't know why she was getting upset about what Fred had said that morning. They were definitely better off as friends because dating would most likely cause unnecessary drama, especially if Ron found out that one of his older brothers was dating one of his friends. He felt insecure enough, Alex didn't want to add to those problems.
And it's not like Fred was obligated to like her or anything. He was a fun person if you needed a good laugh and he often helped her study, especially the year before. She was most likely reading way too much into their recent interactions.
Not only that, but Alex had other things on her mind, like the fact that her dad was still out there, as well as her mother finally making contact with her. She didn't have time to be thinking about boys, especially when you also added school into the mix.
About ten minutes later, Hermione walked in to see Alex sitting there, struggling with her transfiguration homework.
"Are you alright, Alex?" She asked.
Alex looked up to see Hermione before huffing a sigh. "You know I'm bloody rubbish when it comes to Transfiguration, 'Mione," she groaned. "I just can't seem to get it."
"Well, the boys and I are working on it together down in the common room," Hermione told her. "C'mon, I'll help you."
After gathering their bags, both girls walked down the stairs to find Harry and Ron waiting for them by the window. Alex gave a quick scan of the room to see that Fred and George sat by the fire, discussing something excitedly, which caused her to furrow her brow before Fred looked up and saw her. She looked away immediately and snagged the spot next to Harry.
"Did Hagrid turn up to dinner at all after I left?" She asked.
The three of them shook their heads, which only worried Alex more. "How's your arm?" Ron asked.
"Fine," she told him. "Must've just been thinking too hard about setting those Slytherins on fire that my wand misinterpreted it as just setting the closest thing on fire, which was my sleeve."
They all gave her a halfhearted smile, not entirely in the mood to laugh before turning back to their transfiguration homework. Though none of them seemed to be able to concentrate in the slightest and a few minutes later, Harry looked out the window.
"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," he told the group.
Alex glanced outside to confirm what Harry was seeing as Ron checked his watch. "If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early..."
"I don't know," Hermione spoke slowly, glancing at Harry and Alex for a split second.
"We're allowed to walk across the grounds," Harry firmly stated, but the thought did worry Alex as well. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors here, has he?"
After putting their things away, the group of four rushed out of the common room and made it outside without running into anyone. Coming up to Hagrid's hut, they knocked and a voice inside spoke, "C'min."
As they entered, Alex immediately looked at Hagrid who was very clearly drunk. Her heart couldn't help but ache at the sight of how distraught he was.
"'Spect it's a record," he mumbled. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."
"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" Hermione told him.
"Not yet," he spoke before taking another gulp of his tankard. "But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't, after Malfoy..."
Alex immediately tuned out, gritting her teeth over what Malfoy had done to upset Hagrid. If she saw him again, she was going to hex him into oblivion, she didn't care if she was in detention until she graduated Hogwarts.
"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," Hermione told him as she took the tankard outside.
Hagrid mumbled in agreement before following her outside. Seconds later, there was a loud splash.
"What's he done?" Harry asked Hermione as she came back in.
"Stuck his head in the water barrel," Hermione told them.
Hagrid walked back in, sopping wet now and trying to wipe the water out of his eyes. "Tha's better," he spoke, giving his head a shake. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really-"
Upon seeing both Harry and Alex sitting there, his face twisted in anger. "WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?!" He shouted, causing Alex to jump. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK! AN' YOU TWO! LETTIN' THEM!"
He then looked at Alex and she felt her stomach turn over because of what they had talked about earlier that day before class. "AND YEH 'SPECIALLY KNOW BETTER, ALEX!" He yelled before grabbing Harry and Alex. "C'mon, I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walking down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"
True to his word, Hagrid walked them to the entrance hall before sending them back to Gryffindor Tower. The four of them entered to find that people had begun to make their way back up to the dorm to get ready for bed.
Hermione and the boys bid Alex good night before walking up to their dorms, but Alex stayed in the common room, sitting by the fire. She grabbed her Muggle Studies book to finish reading the chapters assigned, not paying attention to what was happening around her.
In the corner, Fred and George had finished their discussion and began to make their way up to the dorm when Fred saw Alex still in the common room. "Hey, I'll be up in a second," he told his twin.
George furrowed his brow before seeing where Alex was sitting and smirked. "Oh I get it," he teased. "Looking for a late-night snogging session with Alex, are we?"
Fred shoved his twin up the stairs as he laughed. "I'm just going to talk to her, you idiot," he growled before walking over to where Alex was still reading. "Mind if I join you?"
She looked up to see Fred and immediately felt her cheeks flush when she saw that they were alone in the common room now. "You can if you'd like," she told him.
He plopped down next to her and she was quick to note he was closer than normal but quickly cleared her throat, trying to focus on the words in the pages before her.
"What are you reading about?" He asked.
Alex looked at him from the side before showing him the front of her textbook. "Just reading about how muggle children entertain themselves," she told him. "Did you know they have these things called video games?"
Fred thought for a second. "Pretty sure Dad has mentioned it before, what exactly are they?"
She then began reading to him about what video game consoles were, as well as the kind of games that were played on them. Fred sat back listening as she spoke quickly, offering her own insight every once in a while. It was nearly midnight by the time Alex realized Fred was looking sleepy and she finally looked at the time.
"I've rambled on for too long, haven't I?" She questioned with a laugh.
He smiled sleepily. "It's okay, I enjoyed hearing you ramble," he told her. "But we should probably go to sleep."
"Yeah," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
The two of them began to make their way up to their separate dorms before Fred stopped. "Hey, Alex!" He called, causing her to stop and look at him.
"Yes?"
"You should wear your hair down more," he commented. "It looks pretty that way."
Immediately, her chest tightened at his words, as well as a blush cross her face. She didn't even realize she had let her hair down while they were talking but she looked down at it falling over her shoulders before looking at him.
"Thanks," she told him. "Good night, Fred."
"Good night, Alex."
☽
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-Squid☽