Chapter 11
Alex woke up the next morning, determined to drop hints to Lily about how James wasn't as bad as she assumed.

Lily was already awake, sitting on her bed. It was finally a weekend, so there was no need to rush.

"Good morning." She said cheerfully as Alex sat up and stretched.

Alex yawned and waved sleepily.

"What's on today's schedule? More escapades with Potter and his followers?" Lily said, almost bitterly.

Alex shrugged. "You know, he's not all bad."

Lily laughed. "Then you don't know him very well. He's such a prat. He's determined to make my life a living hell. All because I'm friends with Severus. It's ridiculous really."

Alex began to say something but stopped. "Wait, you're friends with Severus?"

Lily nodded.

"Snape?"

She laughed. "Yes, since we were children, why?"

Alex was thoroughly confused. "Are you sure?"

Lily shook her head. "Just as you say Potter isn't all bad, well neither is Severus. He's just…mislead."

"Mislead?" Alex bit her lip. "What do you mean?"

"Well you know as well as anybody that the Slytherin's are horrid. Severus used to be really sweet and caring, until he fell into the wrong crowd. I've tried to tell him we can still be friends, but he doesn't want to hardly talk to me anymore now that he's been brainwashed by all the stereotyping." Lily sighed. "It's a bunch of bollocks."

Alex had tried hard not to laugh when she heard the word 'horrid' but she fully understood what Lily had said. She nodded and tried to picture Snape being sweet. It wasn't working.

"So, what you're saying is, you'd never even think of giving James a chance?"

Lily laughed as she shook her head. "Selfish, crude, annoying, egotistical….no, no I wouldn't. Why? You're talking about him an awful lot."

"Well, I…uh, I just wanted to know the story…" Alex fumbled on her words.

"You like him don't you?" Lily asked with a smile.

"EW, no!" Alex looked thoroughly horrified. "He's my-"Alex stopped herself. "Friend, that's all."

Lily shook her head. "Sure."

"He is!" Alex said defensively. "You have no idea. I could never, EVER, like him like that…"

"Why not?" Lily asked curiously.

"He's like…he's like a brother to me." Alex said, straining her words. Like a father, really.

Lily shrugged. "Well, no one wants to be lonely. Maybe if you like him so much YOU should give him a chance."

"I don't like him like that!" Alex almost screamed.

Lily laughed. "Alright, if you say so."

Alex cringed inside. This was wrong on so many levels.

"Besides, Eddie is the one for me." Lily sighed dreamily.

"The underwear model?" Alex asked, looking at her funny.

Lily laughed. "He's not an underwear model. But Merlin would he look good…." Lily stared off into space for a moment. She shook her head. "I could never date James. He's nothing like Eddie."

Alex shrugged. "Are you sure? What if Eddie is just as bad? Have you even talked to Eddie?"

Lily blushed. "A couple of times."

"Actual sentences?" Alex smiled.

Lily sighed in defeat. "No. But…but I'd really like to."

Lily looked at Alex. "You could talk to him for me!"

Alex was taken aback. "Wait, what? Excuse me?"

Lily giggled. "He talks to you! I've seen it. You could…you know, help me out a little?"

This was completely going against what Alex was brought here for. She thought about it. Unless she just 'accidently' dropped the wrong hints to Lily…Alex felt a little evil. Lily really liked Eddie, how could she….oh right, James is her father. Not Eddie. Alex smiled. This would be perfect.

"I'll do it." Alex said with a smile. She was playing matchmaker with her parents, and she was determined to get them together.

"I've got it!" Ron announced as they all sat in the Gryffindor common room together.

Hermione looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What have you got?"

"The perfect story!" Ron smiled, quite proud of himself. "People are bound to notice Alex has been missing, we can say she transferred for the year to beaux-batons or something."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Transfer student. That's amazing! I met this girl, Summer, she's from America! We can say Alex took her place for the year in America!"

Harry looked at Ron, amazed. "That's perfect."

Ron smiled. "I know."

"I'll tell her as soon as I can. She hasn't been using the mirror lately." Harry looked sort of glum at the thought. "She's probably busy."

Ron nodded. "I wonder when she'll be back."

Hermione shrugged. "I have to go tell Summer. She has to be in on the story for it to work."

The boys nodded as she left the common room.

"Do you think it'll take long?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "No idea mate."

"What are you lot talking about?" Fred asked as he came into the room. Ron sat up a little straighter.

"Nothing." He said conspicuously.

Fred arched an eyebrow in suspicion. "Right."

George came up behind him. "You still haven't told us where Alex is. You didn't kill her did you?"

Harry looked at George in disbelief. "Of course we haven't killed her!"

"She's in America." Ron stated simply.

"America?" Fred looked confused. "Why'd she go and do a thing like that?"

"Yea, we had plans. She never told us that." George crossed his arms, pretending to look hurt.

"It was a surprise. Dumbledore set it up. There's a girl from America here to take her place, sort of…a transfer for the year. You know. That sort of thing." Harry said, hoping it sounded plausible.

"Why America?" George asked, almost to himself.

Ron and Harry shrugged.

"Well that's a load of bollocks." Fred stated unhappily. George agreed.

"Didn't even say good bye." Harry heard them say as the twins walked off.

Harry shook his head. "Well, at least we have a good story now."

Alex smiled as she met with the marauders at breakfast. She sat down next to Sirius and automatically reached for the bacon.

"You know, that stuff is bad for you." Peter said, eyeing her as she piled bacon onto her plate.

She stopped and glared at him.

Peter recoiled a little. "Well it's not that you're fat or anything, it just really isn't good for you."

She continued to glare, holding completely still.

"Clogs…arteries….bacon…eh…." Peter shrank in his seat as his sentence died.

Alex finally put the bacon in front of her and began to eat.

"I think you like bacon about as much as James here does." Sirius said with a laugh. "I haven't seen Peter so afraid of a girl since…well, ever."

James leaned over; he was on the other side of Sirius. "Finally! Another bacon lover."

Alex smiled. She got her love of bacon from her father. How nice. She wondered how much longer he would go without noticing how alike they were.

Remus came down to the table, looking tired and worn down.

He smiled. "Hello."

"Are you feeling better?" Alex asked sincerely.

He nodded. "Hungry." He said with a smile.

"After all that? You're still hungry?" Alex asked impulsively.

Remus blanched. "Wh-what?"

Alex's eyes widened. "Nothing."

Remus turned his head a little away from her, thinking quickly. "You know, don't you?" He finally asked.

Alex shoved another piece of bacon in her mouth.

Sirius turned to face her directly. "How do you know?"

Alex shrugged. "It's not really hard to miss." She looked at the piercing stares the boys were giving her. "Well, for me. I've dealt with your…condition, before."

Remus furrowed his eyebrows. "Have you?"

Alex nodded. "Not my first encounter."

Alex had a flash back of her third year at Hogwarts and shuddered.

Remus sat down on her other side and looked at her. She felt like she was being interrogated.

"And you're not afraid?"

Alex shook her head. "Why, should I be?"

Sirius laughed. "It's official. You are my new hero."

Alex nudged him in the shoulder playfully. "Am not." She blushed.

"You're pretty wicked for being a girl." James said, agreeing.

Alex shrugged. "I guess I got it from my father." She smiled, trying not to look at James.

James lifted his orange juice. "May he rest in peace." He said to Alex.

Alex noted the irony and looked at the plate in front of her, ignoring the burning pain inside of her chest. Could she save him?