She was a lost bird in an endless sky.
But when she spread her wings,
She remembered how to fly.
"Don't you fucking dare," Sirius growled, gripping James' arm a little too tight for the lad's liking, unconcerned by the fact they were in a deserted corridor and someone could walk in any minute.
"Why not?!" James argued back. "Didn't you see what she did to Marion last night?! She's lost her damn mind!" He pulled his arm from Sirius' grasp, sighing defeatedly once he realized no one was backing him up. "We have to tell Dumbledore," he said in a much calmer way as he attempted to persuade his friends. "She's dangerous."
"No." Remus added harshly. "She's not dangerous," he took a couple of steps forward to be face to face with James, "she's just going through a hard time. All thanks to you." He spat with an utter anger reflected on his eyes before walking past James, purposely bumping into him.
"Oh, so this is all my fault?!" James turned to scream at Remus' back.
"Yes!" The lycanthrope turned around in a heartbeat, his face rapidly becoming a nasty shade of red as his features contorted with an anger that mirrored the one in his eyes. "This is all your fucking fault!" He shouted. "If only you could've kept it in your fucking pants! But no, you always have to have it your way!" Remus was once again in James' face, this time not even attempting to keep his composure. "You had to ruin everything."
Never, not once in the six years of friendship they shared had they ever seen Remus acting that way. Not even the worst full moon brought out such an aggressive and hateful behavior. It got to the point where Sirius had to stand in between them before Remus dealt with James the old fashion way: with a fist to his face.
"She was my friend," Remus spat, his voice shaky as his eyes became glossy with tears. "And you did this to her."
No one attempted to stop him now. James looked at his two remaining friends, hoping to find some comfort in them, but was met with nothing but disappointed looks and sad frowns. Remus' words echoed in Sirius' head and suddenly he found himself unable to look at James in the eye. This was not his brother. He wiped a single fallen tear and turned on his heel, going in the same direction Remus had disappeared in. Now all James had left was Peter and he knew that if anyone was to forgive him, it certainly wouldn't be Peter.
Peter lacked the sad look the other two boys had, instead, his expression was one of pure anger. "You can be really selfish sometimes," he muttered bitterly before going after his friends. It stung James, it really did, knowing Peter had to sacrifice his love for Alexis in order to keep their friendship. Remus still loved Catherine, cried himself to sleep every now and then, but he sacrificed his love for his friends' sake. But James was selfish, and no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't picture life without Marion. Even if it meant losing his friends.
James kneeled down, covering his face to muffle the sobs that couldn't be stopped from coming out. He was all alone now.
-
Alexis looked like a bizarre mixture of worn down and stoic. Part of her looked distressed while the other part looked like she couldn't be bothered. She glanced at the Professors' table from the corner of her eye, expecting one of them to storm towards her and give her detention for the next few months in any minute.
Her attention was so set on McGonagall she got visibly startled when she felt someone's presence next to her, relaxing once she realized it was only Remus. He had taken a seat next to her at the Slytherin table without muttering so much as a word, only offering her a sad smile that mirrored the sadness in his bloodshot eyes.
"I'm sorry Lexi," he whispered, making the girl look at him with a confused frown. If anyone should be apologizing it was her. "You've been going through so much and I—I just haven't been there," disappointment was dripping from his voice as he covered his face with his hands in distress.
And just like that, a glimpse of the old Alexis came back. Her heart ached at the sight of her dear friend in such a condition. "It's okay, Rem," she rubbed his back soothingly.
"No, it's not," he chuckled humorlessly. "It's not, Alexis. None of this is. We should've done something about Marion the second she walked in. We should've sticked together through this all. There's just—there's so many things we should've done." He rubbed his eyes tiredly, looking as defeated as Remus Lupin had ever looked.
Alexis sighed, a sad smile adorning her lips. "It is what it is."
"Which is why—" Sirius plopped down on her other side followed by Peter who sat across from her, "we'll be going to Hogsmeade today." Alexis could tell Sirius was trying really hard to appear more cheerful than he truly felt, which only warmed her heart, feeling touched by her loving and supportive friends. "We need that. A little fun."
"Maybe we should stop by Zonko's," added Peter as he reached for the scrambled eggs.
"Actually," Sirius said in a singsong tone, "I was just thinking about how we never gave Marion a proper welcome." A dashing mischievous smile, one fit of Sirius Black, appeared on his lips, letting the others know he was up to no good.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Invisibility cloak, a distraction for James, and the Shrieking Shack," he replied vaguely, although knowing Sirius they knew his plan was nothing short of amazing.
"Well, you know what they say," Alexis took a sip of her juice with a playful smirk decorating her face, "the Shrieking Shack is one of the most haunted places in England."
-
"Are you sure this is going to go as planned?" Peter asked uneasily as he walked into the village alongside his friends.
"If Davis doesn't screw up then yes," replied Sirius, doing little to soothe Peter's nerves.
Josh smirked, looking back at Peter with a playful glint in his eyes. "Don't worry, Pettigrew. I'll go easy on you."
"That we'll see," Peter muttered under his breath.
"But that's for later," Remus ended their brief discussion. "First we get ourselves some butterbeers."
Nods and hums of approval came from the group as they headed straight to the pub while Peter tried to walk next to Josh. "Maybe we should go over the plans one more time."
Sirius chuckled, slowing down on his step and motioning Alexis to do so as well so they'd both walk behind the group. He placed his arm around her shoulders to pull her in closer. "I know you like the back of my hand, Lex, and I know there's something else bothering you. It's not just James. And I know that we've had this discussion before but I feel like you need a reminder, so, you're a good person Alexis Riddle." He said softly, his voice low so no one else could hear him. "You have your flaws, sure, we all do. But what's going on here," he tapped her head, "doesn't matter as long as you listen to what's going on here," he pointed at her heart.
"What if what's in here isn't much better," she asked faintly as she motioned at her heart.
Sirius chuckled. "I know you hate when people underestimate you, but honestly Alexis, you underestimate yourself the most." He pulled her even closer as they continued walking side by side. "You have a heart of gold, dear. And it's filled with compassion and pure, pure love. Don't let anyone tell you differently, not even yourself."
Alexis wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him tight. His words echoing along with the words Josh told her that morning. "You underestimate your power of will," he said, "but I know for a fact that no one, not even Lord Voldemort himself, can change the fact that you're a good person. Go in there and get your brother back, there's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with wanting to fix burned bridges as long as they help you get to the other side. I know you'll come out the same resilient and compassionate Alexis we all love. You're strong like that."
Alexis sighed contently, looking ahead at Josh with a grateful look in her eyes before burying her face on Sirius' chest. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Munchkin. Don't go all bad on me like that ever again." He looked down at her adoringly. "We wouldn't be able to live with ourselves without our little Riddle."
The Three Broomsticks was ridiculously crowded, as one would expect the pub to be on a Saturday with tons of Hogwarts students invading it. The ambient was a friendly and relaxed one despite how tense their day had started off.
Peter was adamant on going over their plans for what felt like the fiftieth time while Sirius and Josh went for their butterbeers. Chatter came from all around them, which Alexis tried to zone out as she looked around for Ivy. The girl was yet to be seen and a much needed discussion between the two girls was needed. But unfortunately not only was the girl nowhere in sight, James and Marion were. Sitting with some of James' Quidditch teammates a couple of tables away.
Alexis was proud of the indifference she felt at the sight of the couple. Instead of her usual grin thoughts, a mischievous idea ran through her mind. It was something she had never tried before, and in all honesty, she didn't mind making Marion her first victim. Alexis seemed to be in a lucky strike because Marion made her task ten times easier by gazing back at her.
Alexis stared at her, stared hard, focusing with all of her might until a voice began to echo insider her head. Only this voice wasn't hers. She smiled satisfied with herself whilst Marion continued scowling her way, unaware that she was having a stared down with a particularly skilled Legilimens.
'—nkfully brother said Jean Belmont will get the job done sooner than the others. Now I only have to wait, only less than a week now, for this daft cow to be gone for good. Thank Merlin Voldie killed Jean's brother. Only moron that's willing to do the job. I guess that's what revenge makes people do. He better not screw up, though. This can't lead back to me. If Dumbledore or her brother find out I'm as good as dead. But I doubt they will, they're both so stupid. I mean, they both probably believe father is actually dead. Maybe Jean should take her dead body with him, hide the evidence. Make it seem like she lost her mind and ran aw—'
The voice faded away. Alexis struggled to focus on the spell with so many thoughts running through her head at once. The odd looks her friends were giving her was all she needed to snap out of her trance, making her realize how absurd the entire ordeal was. Murder attempts weren't something new for her and could easily be taken care of, especially if the plan was as pathetic as Marion's. At least Mildred Volkov made their job a tad bit more complicated. So Alexis didn't bother telling her friends the information she had just acquired. Instead, she planned to ask someone else for help.
"So," she took a sip of her butterbeer, "Josh is going to punch Peter—"
"Fake punch!" interrupted Peter.
"Gently punch," Josh teased.
-
"You better watch your fucking mouth, Pettigrew!" Josh shoved Peter against a wall, making the boy turn into a bigger trembling mess.
"I didn't do it! I swear I didn't do it!" Peter's voice was shaky with fear as he begged. "Please! They lied to you!"
"So you're calling my friends liars now?!"
"No! I—" Josh's fist stop Peter from finishing his sentence as it collided with his cheek, making him stumble to the ground.
"Hey!" A seething James rounded the corner and walked into the dark alley the two boys had been fighting in. Josh wasted no time pulling out his wand and neither did James. A couple of hexes were casted and blocked, neither causing any real damage. The damage was done by Peter, who sneakily reached for his wand and pointed it at James. "Petrificus totalus!"
James' limp body fell to the ground, watching in disbelief as Josh helped Peter up and they both made their way out of the alley, their laughs echoing around.
-
Marion stood outside a store, exactly where James told her to wait. She was absentmindedly checking on her nails, clearly displeased with the fact James was making her wait. She felt someone breathing behind her and immediately turned, ready to snap at James only to realize it was Alexis who was standing there, making her displeasure grow even more.
"Hello darling," Alexis greeted her with humor.
"What do you think you're doing, Riddle?" Marion whispered menacingly, making Alexis throw her head back in a laugh.
"This." Alexis forcefully grabbed Marion's bag, a designer one most likely, and made a run for it, making sure that Marion was following behind.
Alexis ran at full speed, her destination already in sight. She could hear Marion's screams behind her but payed them no mind, the only thing that mattered was that the girl continued following her. They ran past the fence and into the abandoned grounds of the Shack. The front door opened to allow them in, courtesy of an invisible Sirius, and Alexis immediately went inside a trap door that left her out of sight.
"Riddle?" Marion stepped inside the shabby place, taking cautious steps forward as she looked at her surroundings uneasily.
The entrance door was slammed shut, making Marion jump as she let out a shriek. She turned on her heel slowly, not knowing what to expect, when suddenly a door to her right did the same thing and received the same response. This time the slammed door was immediately followed by an exploding vase.
"I know it's you, Riddle! Stop fucking around!" The urgency and fear in Marion's voice was so notorious it was comical beyond belief, but not quite as the face she made when she heard someone knocking on the window behind her and turned to see Alexis, waving at her from the outside of the house. In that precise moment she swore she felt someone breathing down her neck and her hair was gently moved. Alexis laughed hysterically at Marion, her screams muffled by the window, and was soon joined by the rest of the group to enjoy the show. A couple of jinxes were thrown in for their amusement every now and then, a personal favorite for them was the Jelly-Legs Curse while she was being chased by a flying chair.
-
James ran around frantically, looking for Marion in every shop and every alley. He knew there was something fishy going on when he saw the boys, accompanied by Alexis and Josh, make their way down the Shrieking Shack. There was no reason for them to be there, and if anything, Remus would be avoiding that place at all costs.
He stood there dumbfounded, hearing their laughs loud and clear even though they were miles away. Peter had to place his hands on his knees for a second, trying to catch his breath after laughing so hard. Sirius and Josh were playfully shoving each other, muttering things under their breath that made the other crack up. Alexis and Remus seemed to be holding on to each other for support, unable to stop the laughing fit that was causing tears to fall down their eyes.
James had never felt that type of sadness before. One that came accompanied with the unbearable feeling of loneliness. His chest tightened at the sight of the people that were once his world. They were nearing him now and it was inevitable for them to run into each other. Deep inside, he wanted them to acknowledge him, but the truth was that they didn't seem to pay him any mind. Their smiles never left their faces, even after they became aware of his presence, as if the arguments and feuds they had didn't bother them any longer. And that's what hurt the most.
Sirius approached James, making the slightest bit of hope grow in him, but the lad simply cackled and placed the invisibility cloak in James' arms. "Thanks, mate." He continued walking without sparing him a second glance, and so did the rest of them. Alexis was being squeezed by Remus and Josh as she walked in-between them, making the girl giggle uncontrollably as she struggled to get out of their grasp.
Her giggles. That was all he needed to get this unexpected desire to cry.
He sighed defeatedly, getting his emotions back together before walking up to the Shack, having a bad feeling that it might where he would find Marion. Endless possibilities of what they had done to her ran through his head, but he definitely wasn't expecting to find her dancing with tears running down her cheeks.
"They jinxed me," she cried. "Make it stop."
Dancing feet spell. James chuckled.
-
Alexis laid contently in her bed, one she hadn't frequented in the last couple of weeks. But now that she was getting her life back to normalcy she figured returning to her dorm as opposed to spending the night in the Room of Requirement was a good start.
It had been such an eventful day, images never stopped flashing through her mind, absentmindedly making a smile appear on her face. Her first good day in weeks. It had been so good she had initially forgotten about a very important matter that needed to be dealt with. She jumped out of her bed and raced towards the Owlery, unbothered by the curfew or her nightwear.
She went over her letter once more, which simply read: 'Do you happen to know about a certain Jean Belmont,' before waking Saskia up. "To Tom," she instructed. The owl didn't looked too pleased with her task but followed her owner's commands regardless.
Alexis stayed in the Owlery for a couple more minutes, watching how Saskia disappeared in the horizon. A feeling of anticipation was beginning to build in her stomach. The feeling that something was coming, that something was waiting ahead. And for once, Alexis was ready.
A/N:
Do you know how HAPPY I felt writing this chapter. It's like... the characters' personalities finally returned after chapters of breakdowns and grimness. Especially Alexis. I missed Alexis.
In other news, I'm watching the Punisher on Netflix and Ben Barnes is giving serious Sirius (lmao) feels!
I'm dying to write a Sirius fic, especially because LR is nearing the end (not soon but still), but I still haven't found the right plot. So patience patience
I hope you liked this! Please vote if you did and comment your opinions on the chapter! ❤️