As the door came to a close, Remus took a deep breath. Running his hand down his face in great pressure, he grunted in frustration. Nearly running over to his desk, he threw everything that was on it to the floor. He reached for the bottom of his great, wooden desk, and with the adrenaline from the fight running through him and one loud scream; he flipped the desk and watched it topple to the ground. As tears ran across his face, he punched the wall nearest him, grunting as he did so.
Wincing in pain, Lupin looked across his now messy classroom. Grabbing his coat off his chair with his unhurt hand, he bluntly left the room, clutching his injured wrist, and headed towards the doors of the castle to grab some fresh air.
Up in her room, Alex peered out the window, her heart falling at a rapid pace.
"He's a jerk." Hayley offered, "You gave him what was coming to him. Don't feel bad about what you did Alex. Like I said, he had it coming. It would have come out eventually."
Turning her head from the window, to Hayley, she nodded in agreement. Without a word, she steered from the ledge and went into the bathroom. Coming out minutes later with freshly brushed teeth, she murmured "goodnight" to Hayley before heading to bed. All night she tossed and turned. She couldn't sleep. She could barely breathe. All she could do was think.
The next morning was rough. Oliver wanted to get in a pre-game practice. Not only did they have to get up extra early from their already early schedule, they had to listen to Oliver rant about how key this game was.
"Oliver, you do realize this isn't a season game" Fred pointed out.
"It doesn't hurt us or help us." George admitted.
"It does!" Oliver yelped in surprise, "It shows everyone that we could have beaten Hufflepuff!"
Alexandria peered over to Harry Potter, who was looking at the ground.
Although, Gryffindor won the last game they played, they had lost the game before that one; placing them behind for the chance at the Quidditch Cup. They had only lost because Harry Potter was attacked by a dementor. Dumbledore had been furious, and since the incident Harry had been practicing with Lupin to learn how to steer them away.
Cedric Diggory had technically caught the snitch before Harry went down. Surprisingly, Oliver was a good sport and agreed with the ruling of Hufflepuffs' win even though Cedric tried to convince Madam Hooch it was unfair and they should rematch. With much pleading from Cedric and the rest of the Hufflepuff team, Oliver took them up on the offer of a rematch; although he agreed to it on the account that it was not counted towards the cup. Most supposed this was because deep down Oliver truly knew Hufflepuff earned that win. Alex though, knowing Oliver better than anyone, knew that it was because Oliver's fear had set in that they may lose again to Hufflepuff. This agreement relieved the Hufflepuffs as they had been edgy about taking the win that day on account of Harry's attack.
"Harry, snitch first." Oliver explained, "If a dementor attack happens again, you will be prepared."
Harry gulped with a slight nod.
"Right?" Oliver questioned.
"I should be, yes." Harry stumbled.
"Alright" Oliver said, his face was screaming in terror though as Harry mounted his broom and set off in the air.
Oliver turned towards Alexandria.
"Alex, I need solid work from you today" Oliver called out.
"Got it," She agreed, not wanting to relish on Oliver's nonsense. With a kick from the ground, she launched into the air.
The pre-practice had gone well, everyone had made their shots, and Harry even caught the snitch in quite a record time. Not long had passed before students and staff began to gather throughout the stands. Oliver called everyone back down to change right before the game.
Around forty minutes later, Alexandria found herself swishing and soaring past multiple people in yellow suits, the Quaffle in hand. With a lunge in her arm, Alex whipped the ball through the hoops and past the Keeper.
Lee Jordan's voice rang over the mass cheers in the crowd, "Another score for Gryffindor! It's now 60-0 in Gryffindors' favor. Hopefully a repeat of last Hufflepuff/Gryffindor game doesn't happen! Harry really doesn't need that. In fact after Harry's broom was broken he was forced to take up a different one. Today, Harry Potter is riding on a—"
Jordan was cut off by McGonagall, who told him once more that if he got off topic again he would get his duties revoked.
Alex tried to stay focused, but it was hard. She could see Harry zipping around, searching. She could also feel Oliver's eyes burning in her head.
Before they had set out on the field that morning Oliver had pulled her aside: "You need to gain at least 150 points above Hufflepuffs' score at any given time, in case we don't catch the snitch"
"Oliver!" Alex confided, "For a school match? That's nearly impossible. I don't even think it's ever been done here before."
"It has, but it's been a long time." He explained. "Just do it for me, please?"
And there it was. The infamous, Oliver Wood, "please." She couldn't say no.
"I'll give it my best," Alexandria admitted.
"You rock," Oliver smiled while patting her on the back before lining up the teams.
The game increasing in speed and intensity, Alex, Alicia, and Angelina, or the "A-team chasers", were violently trying to score at any means necessary. Up by 140 points around two hours into the game, the snitch was still nowhere to be found; at least to Cedric.
Suddenly, emerging from the cluster of clouds that had moved in overhead in the past hour, was Harry Potter; with the snitch in his hand. Madam Hooch blew the whistle.
"GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Lee shouted.
And like that the game was over.
Alex had never seen Oliver fly as fast as he did towards Harry that day. Alex joined her team on the ground moments later. The twins lifted Harry in the air, high fiving Alex before-hand. In an instance, Oliver had lifted Alex by her waist into a tight hug, nudging his face in her neck. Alex could feel water on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him equally. Oliver had cried a few tears and was now engaging Alex in one of the deepest hugs he'd ever given. In that moment, emotions ran through them both; old emotions that had been resurrected from their past relationship. Pushing himself away from Alex, Oliver shifted his gaze to hers, quickly wiped his face, sincerely smiled at her, nodded, and then walked over to the other members of the team. Alex was left, a few steps away, recalling what just happened. Shaking her thoughts of Oliver, she joined the team once more in a wild celebration. Smiles were all around that afternoon, both on the field and in the stands. Alex herself joined in on the smile festival; which had felt good after a night of misery.
After the game, Hayley met Alex at the edge of the changing tent to congratulate her. Afterwards the two, walked up towards the castle. They took their time as they weren't too excited to get to the party they knew would be popping off in the Common Room that night.
"That was a good game. You played very well." A voice roared behind the girls, immediately stopping Alex in her tracks.
Part of her want to smile the other part wanted to cry.
"Thank you Professor." Alex greeted as she turned around, Hayley turning jointly.
"Nearly, 150 points up; impressive."
"Not quite."
"Close enough."
"Yup"
Awkwardness began to set in.
Alex looked over at Hayley and then back at the man. Hayley slightly nodded before walking off a bit of ways, then stalling in wait for Alex.
"We need to talk" They said in unison. Smiles played on both their faces.
"After dinner, I'll stop by?" Alex offered.
"Yeah, I'd like that" Remus agreed.
"Okay" She said softly.
Lupin took a step towards her. He quickly realized they were out in the open and took the same step back before bowing out and taking a different route up to the castle. Alex walked back over to Hayley, who swung her arm around her friend in comfort. Together the girls walked back in silence, both knowing that although the game had been won; the battle that day was far from over.
"What are you gunna say to him tonight?" Hayley asked as the girls walked down to dinner later that evening.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"I don't want to talk." Alex confessed, "I want him to talk. I want him to apologize. I just want to listen."
"At least you're willing to listen." Hayley shrugged.
"Yeah," She sighed, "I just hope that he is willing to talk."
Within the minutes that wore down towards the end of dinner, Alex became very fidgety. Hayley took notice that Alexandria's legs were bouncing up and down, with her hands folded atop her knees, beneath the table. Hayley reached for a side hug to comfort her best friend. Alex eased a bit.
Across the other side of the room, Remus hadn't touched a thing on his plate. In fact, the entire dinner he had spent avoiding the Gryffindor table. Trying to put his eyesight on anything and everything but where Alex was located became a difficult task. His heart wanted to leap across all the students and just apologize over and over again. Knowing that this feat was impossible, he restrained himself and stuck to gathering his thoughts about what he wanted to say that night.
About an hour later, Alex found herself dragging her feet along the passage way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom on the third floor. Sneaking into the room, she swiftly closed the door behind her. Alex tightly wrapped her jacket across her body as she walked through the empty rows of desks. The room was dimly lit by one candle that was floating and glowing around Remus's wooden desk, which had been put back in place.
A soft glow was coming from the bottom of the door that sat at the top of the staircase in the back of the classroom. Alex slowly and quietly made her way up. With a soft press of her ear t the door, Alex could hear a scratching noise that sounded much like a quill. Taking her face away from the wood, she took a deep breath and knocked.
A noise like scrambling paperwork could be heard.
"One moment" A husk voice from the other end rang.
Alex stepped back and leaned on the old railing of the stairs. Moments later, the door swung open and Remus Lupin was standing on the other side of the threshold.
"Remus" Alex whispered, locking her eyes on his. He looked tired. He looked dreadful. She imagined that she had looked awful too, but he didn't seem to notice nor care.
"Alex," He whispered back stepping aside as he did so, "Please come in."
