This chapter starts with the continuation of Alexa's memory from chapter 17. You might want to refer it in case of confusion.
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An eight-year-old sobbed silently. Her left hand rose as she wiped away the tears that freshly left her then red and puffy eyes. Her eyes were downcasted but not focused on anything in particular.
She put her hands on her ears. They were still ringing with the screams that they had heard not so long back. The screams of the woman who she had and would always look up to all her life. The woman who was also her mother.
She felt a hand around her shoulder and she leaned into a warm body sitting beside her.
Who said comfort could be given only through words? You don't have to be a talkative fool to soothe someone. Sometimes a little action speaks a lot louder than an array of words. A squeeze on her right shoulder was just that.
Her eyes looked up for a thousandth time that night. She turned back. I will meet you there. Her mother's last words to her were still making her look back again and again. Her eyes aimlessly looking at the road with useless hope again and again through the glass windows of the bus they were travelling in. In her mind, she knew it was senseless, but in her heart, she didn't.
"I-I will m-miss h-her so-" Her words stuttered. Her voice was weak and fragile. Her emotions creating havoc in her mind as her heart finally started accepting what had happened. Very very reluctantly.
Her aunt squeezed her shoulder again. "I will too, Lex." It was the first time she had voiced out that she had grown out of the jealousy she felt for her sister-in-law. "Come on. We are here."
"Is papa here?" she asked. Her heart skipped a few beats as she looked up at the building in front of her. Mary Payne's home for single parents, it read. Was she really ready to be motherless? Her young, innocent mind wondered.
Her aunt grabbed a hold of her hand as her wobbling feet carried her inside the building. She came out of her dazzled state as she heard a sugar-coated voice. That voice belonged to an elderly man. He gave a forced smile to her aunt as one of his palms held his spectacles while the other one held a pen. The bald man looked down at Alexa and flashed her another forced smile.
"What is your name, my dear?"
Alexa opened her mouth to speak but was cut short by Sienna. "She is Alexa Winters, my daughter."
That was the first time she had been associated with that name. She had been carrying it since then. She wasn't sure if it was her aunt's intention or not, but that was also the first time she had been confronted with the truth that she was an orphan. She knew, her aunt wasn't cruel enough to let her know that she had lost both of her parents on the same day. Still, she couldn't help but wonder sometimes, since it was the last time her aunt had mentioned her either parent. Like ever.
A slow wind of November titillated Alexa's body. Only a few days more and then a third month in the school year would get over. She adjusted her thin, black robe that she had lazily pinned to her shoulders. Unlike other students of the castle, cold never bothered this badger. And it was understandable since her werewolf genes kept her warm enough throughout the season. This was the reason why the girl preferred winter over summer. However, to not look like a black sheep among all the kids, she had taken an effort to cover her body with slightly warmer clothes. She couldn't wait to get away from all those people and enjoy some solitude.
A far-away look crossed her features as her eyes settled on the lake in distance. One could view a beautiful lake and an equally mysterious forest that stretched beyond it through the window of the west tower. The tower held Owlery of the school, but since it was rather a cold day, no one else was there. Or that was what she thought.
"Well, well, well. It appears my favourite Winters is here. What are the odds?"
Alexa turned around. Her cheeks reddened a little as she found her intruder was none other than infamous Evanka Rosier. She was still embarrassed about their encounter in Slughorn's dinner party, despite it had been quite a long back.
"I am the only Winters you know," Alexa mumbled. She pulled the tips of her black locks slightly. Another nervous habit she had acquired over the years.
"You are the only Winters here in Hogwarts." She laughed.
"Not exactly," Alexa replied again. Unintentionally. After knowing about her cousin, she was unable to forget the boy even for a single day. The guilt she felt for the possibility of his mother abandoning him for aiding Alexa, didn't allow her.
"What?" The female raven squinted her beautiful grey eyes.
"Never mind," Alexa tried to convince the intruder.
Letting go of the matters, for now, the Ravenclaw came and stood where the other girl was standing, looking at the scene the other girl was looking at not so long back.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" she said. "Maybe because it is forbidden, I find the place rather intriguing."
Alexa turned back to her original posture. She hummed.
"Just like my sexuality. The more they forbid it for me, the more intrigued I become."
Alexa turned sharply in Evanka's direction. She could see some pain in the latter's eyes. Being on the sidelines all those years made her good at reading human emotions. However, she wasn't sure why the Rosier girl was discussing the matters as personal as her sexuality with her. It was not like they were friends. Hell! They were mere acquaintances if one wanted to be generous enough.
Completely forgetting that she wasn't alone, the female Rosier continued,
"I don't understand why people judge one another. Just because you prefer a certain way doesn't mean that other ways are wrong."
A deep sigh escaped the beautiful Rosier's lips. And Alexa wasn't sure if it was of frustration or hurt or both. She had no idea what she could possibly say or do that will make the other girl happy, even if just a little. A Hufflepuff in her heart didn't allow her to think otherwise. After a lot of thinking, she added, "You know Evanka, I really admire you?"
She turned in Evanka's direction when she felt the girl turning in her direction sharply after hearing the sentence. Her look was demanding an explanation from her for the sentence she had just heard. And so the sudden speaker of the conversation continued, "Your courage is really admirable Evanka. Standing up for what you believe is sometimes the hardest thing one could do and you should be proud of being able to do that. You are a Ravenclaw. Not being ashamed of what you truly are is what makes you a Ravenclaw."
A few moments passed. It felt like even minutes. The more time passed, the more awkward Alexa felt. The pinning gaze of the female Rosier did nothing to prevent her from being uncomfortable. She had no idea if what she had spoken was out of line. So, just like always, she turned to leave the place as soon as she could. She turned around thinking it was for the best when the Rosier girl stopped her.
"With your wisdom, I wonder why you aren't an eagle. Then again seeing the goodness in everything is what makes you a true Hufflepuff."
Turning back again Alexa saw that Evanka was then smiling at her. Her eyes reflected the appreciation she felt. They had the same spark when she had first met Anthony and had voiced out her opinion on the Black Lake. Her cheeks tinged red. Not usually being used to be at the receiving end of this emotion, made her shy again. However, she couldn't help but smile. She didn't get a chance to reply as someone beat her to it.
"Having a wit to charm a person with flattery is definitely a Ravenclaw trait."
"Just like the way sneaking on people makes you Slytherin. Damn you, Avery, for ruining our philosophical talk! That reminds me, you do always sneak up on me when I am having a talk with my favourite badger."
"Touché, Rosier! Here I thought, that we were on good terms." Anthony joined the room with a sly smile and glinting eyes.
Rosier snorted. In a very unladylike fashion. Just the way she was. "Whatever you say Loverboy. Anyway, I have to run. Alexa, I will see you another time." She stormed out of the room just like she had entered. Abruptly.
Neither of the girls had an idea of how much the boy had heard. But it was clear he had heard the compliment part.
Alexa turned to take a step but was stopped again. This time by the golden boy of the castle.
"Alexa wait. We need to talk."
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Quick references:
Chapter 15 - Anthony Alexa talk for the first time.
Chapter 41 - Slugclub party where Alexa and Evanka met for the first time.
Chapter 55 - Alexa finds out that she indeed has a baby cousin.
This chapter has been typed on my mobile, so it might have many typos and grammatical errors. Will fix them soon.
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The quotes in this chapter:
Please comment inline which one is your favourite. Is that not here? Let me know that one too.