So Gone

Prolouge

Looking back, I should have seen it coming. She was too perfect, too good to be true. I had planned to spend my seventh year at Hogwarts looking after my 'condition' and hanging back in the shadows trying to keep James, Sirius, and Peter from getting themselves expelled. I had never expected a person to enter my life who would turn it upside down and change every opinon I had ever had about myself.

Before you even got to know her unique personality, her looks had you hooked from the moment you laid eyes on her. She had blonde ringlets that came down to her hips and blue eyes that made you feel like she was looking into the depths of you soul every time she looked at you. She was at least a head taller than most girls her age and carried herself with the grace and elegance of a queen. She was never one to blend in and didn't want to. From her clothes to the way she spoke, she was different than any girl I had ever met

To look at her you would have thought she would be the world's ditziest and most arrogant person, but after talking to her for about five seconds you would have an entirely different opinon. She was funny, I always felt as though my sides would burst open every time we talked and she was always smiling. Just seeing the way the corners of her eyes would crinkle up when she laughed would brighten up any bad day. And talk about intelligent. She was a whiz at almost every subject in school, and even I was apt to ask her for help when I was stumped by an assignment.

The only thing about her that I never liked was her tast for danger. Not to say that being adventureous is bad, but she always seemed to thrive on dangerous situations. For some reason she shone brightest when she was backed into a corner that seemed impossible to get out of. I warned her often to be careful and stay out of troublem but she never seemed to want to listen to me. In hindsight, I wish more and more every day that she had.

You may wonder why I hang on to her memory still. You may laugh and call me a lovesick, heartbroken, and nostalgic old fool. And you would probably be right. Mine is not a happy story and there is no 'happily ever after' waiting for you at the end. This is my story, but it is not only that. It is our story. The story of me, Remus Lupin, and Alexa Hunt, the girl who changed my life forever.

Chapter 1

Alexa walked briskly through the train station. She was clueless as to where she was supposed to be going, but figured she'd play it by ear and hope she got to the right place. Checking the nearest clock, she saw the time, 10:50. That gave her all of ten minutes to find this platform 9 3/4. Just as she approached platforms nine and ten, she saw the most surprising sight her eyes had ever witnessed. A boy walked straight through the brick barrier between the two platforms. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Looking down to her beloved black cat, she said quietly.

"Briseis, did you see that?" She stepped away from the barrier and looked it over curiously. In the middle of her inspection, she saw someone step up beside her from the corner of her eye. She jerked her head in the person's direction and saw that it was a boy mimmicking her looking, confusedly, at the barrier. The three boys standing behind him seemed to be fighting back laughter and the boy continued to stare sarcastically at the barrier. "I don't see how this is, in any way, funny." She barked. "I have to be on some train on a platform that doesn't exist in less than ten minutes and I have no clue what to do." There was a spark of realization in the rude boy standing next to her's eyes. With a smile on his face he turned to her straightening up his glasses.

"You must be new to Hogwarts." He said, eyebrows raised as if waiting for her answer. She relented and decided to admit that she was new.

"Yes, I am. Professor Dumbledore told me just about everything I needed to know except how to find this blasted platform 9 3/4!" She was a bit annoyed and was almost certain that if this boy or one of his friends didin't tell her how to get to the stupid platform, that they were all going to miss the train. The boy nodded in acknowlegement and said simply.

"Well isn't that wonderful. Just so you know, I'm James...James Potter. This," he said pointing to a handsome boy with long black hair, "is Sirius Black. Over there's Peter Pettigrew." He said motioning to the boy who reminded her of a rat, "and last but certainly not least is Mr. Remus Lupin." She looked at the boy James had just introduced. He wasn't quite as handsome as James or the other boy, Sirius, but when he smiled at her after James said his name, she couldn't help but return it. She saw something in his eyes that gave her an instant case of butterflies. She wasn't sure what it was but it was something she hadn't felt in a long time.

James looked at the clock and looked surprised. "Everyone, we need to get on the train. It's almost eleven!" he walked quickly toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten and just when Alexa thought that he was going to crash into the wall he seemed to be swallowed up by it. Peter and Sirius followed but Remus hung back for a moment. With a reassuring smile he quietly said.

"Don't worry it's perfectly safe follow me." She walked behind Remus straight for the wall. Just as she was about to run into it, she closed her eyes. When she opened them she saw a huge train right in front of her. She quickly followed Remus and his friends and sat down in the compartment with them. As she sat down James looked up again.

"Um, Miss I don't believe we ever caught your name." He said to Alexa.

"Uh...yeah. That's right. My name's Alexa Hunt. But you can call me Al or Alex whatever strikes your fancy." Remus was staring dreamily at the wall, and Sirius poked him on the shoulder.

"Moony! Hello! Earth to Mr. Lupin!" Sirius looked from Remus' dreamy look back to Alexa, raised his eyebrows and smiled.

The rest of the train ride passed somewhat quietly. James and Sirius discussed with zest the pranks they were planning to pull this year and how long they should wait into the term to start skipping any classes. With talk of playing hooky from classes at all, Remus finally spoke up.

"Honestly, James. You'd think since you were Head Boy that you would adopt just a bit of respect for the rules this year." Remus sighed and returned to his la-la land-like state.

When the train began to slow down and finally came to a halting stop, the boys piled out of the compartment but before they got too far, a boy with pale skin and greasy black hair stepped from a compartment just in front of them. Alexa wondered who the boy was and Remus tried to push Sirius and James along, but it was no use.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Snivellus." Was the first thing to come out of Sirius' mouth as Remus looked down at the floor.