11. THE NEW BEATER
'Quiet and uneventful' best described the train ride back to Hogwarts. Alex, her gaze fixed to the floor, wasn't in the mood to talk. Her mind wracked itself in deep, stressful thought. She didn't hear Luna asking if it would have been a good idea to pack an extra pair of Spectrespecs, nor did she buy anything when the trolley witch came by offering them snacks.
"No, thank you," Luna told her. "By the way, you shouldn't be selling Chocolate Frogs. Did you know that they're made out of…"
Alex drowned out the odd conversation, struggling mightily to sort something out.
How did Mother figure out Snape's after whatever that horrible dog is guarding? How did she figure out Snape's after me? And what in the world is the Philosopher's Stone?
Her mother's ranking in the Ministry had something to do with it. That was the only thing that made sense. She was a powerful and respected Auror, sure, but Alex had no idea that extended to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Does that mean she has someone watching me?
Her mother had always been controlling. As serious as the situation was, Alex wouldn't put it past her. Still, she didn't feel as if anyone had been tailing her. Being nearly killed numerous times had heightened her senses, and yet...
The first letter I get from her while attending Hogwarts, and it's something like that...
Though confused and afraid, she would have been lying if she said she wasn't relieved to have someone so capable watching her back.
"So, this Philosopher's Stone is what's at the school. Does that mean…?"
"The Philosopher's Stone, you say? How fascinating."
Alex jumped in fright. She had forgotten about Luna sitting across from her. Fortunately, she had spoken so quietly, only Luna could have heard her.
"You know what the…? Wait, never mind," she muttered, not desiring another long winded and asinine explanation from a Lovegood. "I'm just...going over some things in my head."
"Is everything alright? Not to sound mean, but you look positively dreadful."
"...Thanks."
Her grumbling aside, Alex admitted that was a fair point. She hadn't gotten much sleep since receiving that letter. It had been a harrowing reminder of the danger she faced, the danger she jumped into willingly by sticking her nose where it didn't belong. Harry Potter told her to keep out of it. Tristan had too, numerous times in fact. Biting her bottom lip, she regretted not taking their warnings seriously.
Forget about Snape being hexed to death by Mother. She already said she couldn't help me directly. Is it even safe to go back to school? If I have to fight like that time in the hospital wing…
She shook her head.
No, I'm in this too deep. I can't turn back, even if I really want to. I...
"Boo, Princess."
The childish remark got a legitimate scream out of Alex. The door to her compartment might have been closed, yet, everyone aboard the Hogwarts Express heard that one.
"...Was that really necessary?" asked Tristan, who hadn't covered his ringing ears in time.
"Y-You…!" Alex smacked him on the chest. "Don't do that!"
Rubbing the spot, he answered, "Violent as usual, I see. And here I hoped the holidays would calm your nerves."
"Quite the opposite, unfortunately."
Tristan, debating if it was safe or not, took the seat next to her. He would rather deal with her than Luna, who busied putting together another butterbeer cork necklace.
"Here," he grunted as he shoved something into her chest. "Merry Christmas, Scrooge."
Color Alex impressed. Tristan did mention he would bring her back a present. The bundle of Chocolate Frogs was a modest one, but Alex grinned, happy he realized they were starting to become her snack of choice. She could feel the frogs hopping merrily inside the tin. With watchful eyes, she hid them from Luna before the latter could go into another tirade about Goodillies or goblins.
"Thanks. Um...I don't have anything for you. Sorry."
"It's fine. Why are you back early though? What, you wanted to run from your holiday home that badly?"
"It's nothing like that. For your information, I had a wonderful time at the Lovegoods."
Alex smiled fondly. While the week at the Rookery was a short one, it had been one of the most enjoyable of her young life. She honestly couldn't wait for the next chance to have Mister Lovegood tell her another fantastic—albeit made up—story.
"It's not fair they get so much grief, you know. They're just misunderstood."
"Oh, by the way Alex," began Luna, speaking in her signature, dreamy tone, "Daddy wants to know if it's alright to use the picture he took of you during Crumple's Day for the next issue of The Quibbler. He wants you to be our spokeswoman for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. I told him you would be lovely."
Both Alex and Tristan stared at her. The former immediately regretted her claim.
"Um…" Alex struggled to regain her train of thought. "How come you're back so early before term, Tristan? Is...your mother doing alright?"
Tristan chuckled. "No need to look so sad. She's doing just fine. Even though I didn't want to leave, she insisted I didn't spend the rest of the holidays in some stuffy Muggle hospital. She told me to 'spend time with my friends.'"
"You have friends?"
Though she hadn't meant to sound like a jerk, Alex understood why Tristan gave her a nasty glare.
"What about you?" he said a little bitterly. "You like schoolwork that much?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. Not everyone ditches like you. How do you expect to be a proper wizard one day when you vanish for large portions of the semester?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'll reform the Death Eaters."
Alex, frowning, didn't take kindly to that joke. Not many had the gall to refer to You-Know-Who's cronies so casually.
"You didn't answer my question," he added.
"I...need to get back to Hogwarts as soon as possible for something," she said in a low voice, making sure Tristan alone heard her. "Something important."
"Oh no," he groaned. "This is about that three-headed dog and Snape, isn't it? Didn't I tell you to…!"
"Hush! Why not tell everyone on the train?"
Red-faced, Tristan smacked his lips. "You're just a glutton for punishment, aren't you? I thought nearly getting killed by Samuels would've knocked some sense into you."
"Excuse me? I would have beaten him soundly if…" Alex stopped, realizing that wasn't the point. "Listen! Something big has happened! I mentioned it had to do with Nicholas Flamel..."
She got down to explaining about her mother's letter and the weight of it. She could hardly sit still while she did.
"Wait," Tristan said once she finished. "I thought Samuels destroyed that letter."
"He did. My mother somehow knew and sent me another. She knows everything. About this Philosopher's Stone, about Snape, about…"
"Alright, already. I get it. Calm down." Tristan searched around, pleased to see Luna busy scrunching her face in deep concentration as she put the finishing touches on her necklace. "Is she friends with Dumbledore or something? How else would she get that kind of info?"
"I don't think so. I've never seen the two of them together or heard her mention him other than in passing. Do you think she has one of the teachers spying for her?"
"You tell me. You know your mum better than I do."
Alex, groaning, wished he had said 'no.' Now she was more than certain a Professor or two was stalking her on her mother's payroll.
"Snape's really after me. My mother said as much, and she would never lie. We have to tell Professor Dumbledore!"
"And you think he'd believe you? As much of a git as Snape is, he's still a respected professor. Dumbledore isn't going to believe the ramblings of some mad first year, let alone one without any proof. Who's to say your mother even wrote that letter?"
"She did! I'd recognize her handwriting, and…!"
"Okay, even if she did, she must've had a reason for sending you a letter in secret instead of informing Dumbledore, or hell, the Ministry. Don't you get it? It's because no one would believe a Hogwarts professor could do something like this!"
Despite Alex opening her mouth, she had no retort. Most of what Tristan said made since in spite of her stubbornness.
"Fine then," she started, taking a deep breath. "Are you suggesting I do nothing then? I should just let Snape perform the Killing Curse on me?"
For a long while, neither she nor Tristan said anything. Luna's sweet humming filled the cabin in their place. As nice as it was, it did little to ease the tension.
"Maybe," said Tristan, "she was trying to tell you to keep your nose out of this mess. Look, I'm with you on Snape being up to something, and it's not like I can ever forget that ruddy dog, but don't you think all this is way over the head of some first year?"
"I-I know that! I just…!"
"You can't buy your way out of this one, Princess. You…"
Without warning, Alex stood. "You're always having a row with me! This is not about money, and this is not about me being nosy again! Don't you even care someone is trying to kill me?!Just because I'm not a coward like you doesn't mean I should stand around while something bad is happening! I don't know what this Philosopher's Stone is, but there's no way I'm letting Snape get his greasy hands on it!"
Tristan, now fuming, got to his feet as well. "You know what that's called?! Being a damn busybody! That's the issue with people with money—they're so bored because they can get anything they want, so they stick their nose where it doesn't belong for a bit of excitement! How in the hell are you a Ravenclaw again? I told you before—you should've been sorted into Gryffindor with the rest of those nutjobs!"
"And I guess those without money are nothing more than selfish, arrogant, insufferable heathens! Aren't cowards like you supposed to be sorted into Slytherin?! Something tells me you don't treasure wit beyond measure!"
Alex glowered at Tristan with almost as much malice as the aforementioned Killing Curse. Tristan returned the favor and crossed his arms. Luna, meanwhile, continued to hum as if nothing of interest was going on.
"Fine," Tristan grumbled. "Go and get yourself killed! See if I care!"
"Fine!" Alex snapped. "I didn't need your help anyway!"
She didn't speak to Tristan for the rest of the train ride, nor the remainder of Christmas break. When they passed one another in the halls or in the common room, they turned their heads and held their noses high. Alex, luckily, still had Luna for company. She would have gone mad with ire otherwise.
"He's such a selfish, uncaring, idiotic…!"
Like she did almost every night, Alex laid in bed uttering all sorts of nasty things about Tristan. They kept her so busy that she nearly forgot the reason she cut her holiday from Hogwarts short.
"If I see him again, I'm going to try out a few new curses on that stupid, bloated, self-important…!"
"You two really are close, aren't you?"
Luna's random remark had Alex on the verge of vomiting. "...Do those eyes of yours actually work?"
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll both make up soon."
Alex didn't reply, merely pulling her covers over her head and making a mental note to watch her mouth around her eccentric friend.
Most in Ravenclaw had gotten over Alex's antics during the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match. Students returning from Christmas break instead had their sights set on the upcoming game against Slytherin. Alex burned with excitement as well. She would have given anything to be on the sidelines with the Ravenclaw team again.
However, the very day she came back to Hogwarts, something happened that soured that anticipation. Roger Davies stood waiting in the common room, waiting for her.
"Erm...h-hello there, Worthington," he said, looking as if an Erumpent was stabbing him through the rib cage. "Was your holiday good?"
"S-Sure..."
The question came off as one of formality more than Roger actually being interested in what she did. His expression suggested he hoped Alex might have gotten lost on the way back to school.
"You've heard about Samuels, right? Looks like he won't be able to make the game against Slytherin. They say he tried to break out of the hospital wing. Got himself hurt even more. A bit barmy, isn't it?"
No one knew the true story behind Jason Samuels taking another beating, and Alex intended to keep it that way.
"What's your point?" she inquired. Already testy thanks to Tristan, she wished Roger would get on with it already. "I hope you don't expect me to write the jerk a get well card."
"The point is we're going to be down a man and have to scramble to find an alternate. Chang and I were the only ones on the team, but since she's Seeker now, and I've taken the Captain's place…"
"Are you suggesting you want me to help?"
Roger paused, trying his best not to scowl. "...No. It's the opposite. We still want you to stay away from the team for awhile, Worthington—d-don't look at me like that. Look, we're still a bit steamed about what happened last time. While we obviously don't think you would sabotage us on purpose, we—hey! Worthington! Where are you going?!"
Alex fought back tears as she marched away. It would have been better if Roger hadn't said anything at all.
"Can you blame them for holding a grudge?" said Ron Weasley after second term began. "You can't go jinxing people right off their brooms."
Trembling in anger, it took everything in Alex's power not to toss the rather heavy book she was reading into his nose. Intense study sessions in the library were the sole thing that kept her mind sharp when she had so much on her plate.
"You're being awfully quiet," Harry Potter noted, surrounded by his own mountain of literature. They still hadn't learned anything concerning Nicholas Flamel, and it was beginning to wear on everyone's nerves.
"...Are you implying I talk too much?" snapped Alex. Her nerves in particular were short circuiting. She was seconds away from snapping her quill.
"N-No, of course not." Harry looked taken aback. "You're just...a lot more energetic about this usually."
Alex, though gritting her teeth, knew that was true. She didn't care as much about the Philosopher's Stone. Final exams would be coming up in a few months. She would have to buckle down and study, not waste time hunting down someone who may not have even been real. She drummed her fingers against the table, flummoxed at being so clueless despite all the books she ever read.
I've studied magical creatures, plants, people...but not on what to do when I'm hopelessly stuck.
"Would you stop that?" said Ron. "You're giving me a headache."
Alex lifted her book again. "Oh, I'll give you a headache alright, you miserable…!"
"Stop it right now! You two have been arguing ever since we began!" Hermione Granger had enough. She slammed her hands on the table, making an even bigger racket than Alex. "We'll never find Flamel at this rate!"
She threw her hands up in exasperation. Alex wasn't all that sympathetic.
"Is something wrong?" Harry asked Alex. His piercing green eyes seemed to invade her soul. She recoiled, turning away. "You've been acting strange ever since you got back."
"I-I…" Should she tell them? Now Ron and Hermione were staring at her too. She hadn't wanted to add extra worry to the group by bringing up her problems, yet...they were beginning to crush her. Her eyes became misty, much to everyone's surprise. "I-I...what do I do? I'm scared, really scared!"
Drawing so many curious gazes might have been embarrassing if Alex wasn't busy bawling loud enough to wake the dead. Everything hit her at once. A concerned looking Madam Pince surprisingly didn't come over to chastise her.
Through sniffles and even more tears, Alex managed to spit out the truth about her mother's letter, Jason Samuels attacking her, and Snape going after her life.
"Bloody hell! So that's why you jinxed that guy!" Ron voiced once she finished. Rather than annoyance, he looked upon her with pity now. "I knew Snape was up to something, but...!"
"That...can't be right," said Hermione breathlessly. "Snape...h-he...wouldn't..."
"Of course he would! He's been trying to kill Harry since the start of the year!" shouted Ron disbelievingly. "He'll have poor Alex here for breakfast right after..."
"I suppose this proves he's really after the Stone," Harry remarked grimly.
"We...can't say for sure if her mother actually wrote that letter!" Hermione protested.
"Of course she did!" snapped Alex. She remembered Tristan saying the same thing, upsetting her even more. "I know her handwriting when I see it! I'm only her daughter!"
"It would be rather easy to forge a signature using magic! Loads of witches and wizards have done it!"
Alex smacked her lips. She really hated how much sense Hermione made at times.
"This could just be Snape or someone else trying to confuse you!"
If so, Alex felt they had done a hell of a job.
"We need to tell Professor Dumbledore!"
Everyone's eyes rounded on Hermione in suspicion.
"I'm...not saying we should tell him everything!" she argued. "But, we should at least tell him a student tried to kill her!"
"And what makes you think Samuels would admit to anything?" asked Alex. "What makes you think I won't just sound like a loon?"
She had to admit that, other than her word, she had nothing tangible. Having Tristan and Luna back her up would be nice, though she would then have to confess to sneaking into the hospital wing in the dead of night. It would be Snape's word against hers. Given how much Samuels despised her, he too would deny knowing anything about the situation.
Now I'm sounding like Tristan.
"There are ways of making someone talk," said Hermione. "Potions. Serums! All we'd have to do is get Samuels to admit that Snape was the one that hired him! If he's really after the Stone, then all the better! We can get them both thrown out of here."
Alex sat on Hermione's suggestion all night. She got no homework done in spite of how much she furrowed her brows over it. Giving up, she closed her history book. The common room had mostly emptied this late at night. A pair of Ravenclaw girls busied chatting over some older boy in their Transfiguration class. They glanced at Alex momentarily when she swept past them.
A truth serum, huh? Why hadn't I thought of that before?
She could have administered it on Jason back at the hospital wing and then dragged him in front of Dumbledore.
Isn't that Veritaserum? No, I don't have the expertise to brew a potion like that.
Ironically, only someone like Severus Snape could do that for her. For obvious reasons, she doubted he would be interested. She hit herself on the head for her idiocy and then headed toward the girls' dormitory. Though she would try to get some rest, she readied for a long night of staring up at the ceiling and doing a lot more contemplating.
"One moment, Worthington!"
Alex leered over her shoulder. A less than pleased Roger Davies had rushed into the common room, catching her in time. He frowned hard enough to break something, and Alex did the same, debating on just going so she wouldn't have to deal with him again.
"I've been looking for you all day," Roger stated. "We need to talk."
"Talk about what? You've already made it very clear how you and the others feel about me."
Ire dripped from her every word. She wished Roger would kick her off the team already so they wouldn't have any reason to speak to each other.
"This is about Samuels being out of commission," said Roger firmly. He marched over to Alex as if attempting to cut off a possible escape. "Look, I know I told you to stay away from the team. And all of us are still upset about the Hufflepuff game."
"Oh? While I send Jason his card, I'll write one out to each of you as well."
Alex wrinkled her nose as hard as she could. She was tired of hearing Jason Samuels' name, tired of being forced to think about him. She craved to scream to the whole school he wasn't the innocent angel they presumed.
For a moment, Roger's face darkened like someone had insulted his mother. It was clear it was taking everything in his power not to unload on her.
"...Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall have decided you won't be getting detention after all for what you did to Samuels. They have something else in mind."
Though still upset, Roger now had Alex's attention. "Like what?"
Roger paused. He clenched his teeth and appeared to be grappling quietly with something.
"They...would like you to take Samuels' place on the team. They want you to be our new Beater."
The girls talking nearby grew quiet, looking as shocked as Alex.
"Excuse me?" she cried incredulously.
"You heard me. Since we're down a man, and you already know a lot about the team..."
"Are you insane?! I am not about to face down Bludgers as a side profession!"
Her frustration spread to Roger, who puffed out his chest authoritatively. "It's not up to you, Worthington. The Professors have already decided on this as your punishment. We on the team aren't happy about it either, you know. There isn't much time until our next game, and we have to smarten you up on how to play Beater before then."
"You're not listening!" Alex punched the wall beside her. The observing girls shrieked. "Did you not see what the last Bludger that came my way tried to do?! I'm…!"
"We'll be on the Quidditch pitch tomorrow evening to practice. 7 PM. Don't be late, Worthington."
With that, Roger took his leave, not bothering to listen to any of Alex's remaining complaints. Her shrill voice bounced off the walls of the common room. Having had more than enough, the two nosy girls raced past her and into their dormitory.
"Unbelievable…! The nerve!"
First Tristan, then Jason, and finally Roger. Everyone on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team intended on making Alex's life a living hell.
"A Beater! As if! We'll see what Professor Flitwick has to say about this in the morning!"
"I'm...afraid so, Miss Worthington. We've already gotten permission from the school to go ahead and place you on the team, so..."
It couldn't be true. This was all just some sort of elaborate joke, right?
Alex gave Professor Flitwick the same horrified expression she let Roger Davies have the night before. The tiny man looked like he wanted to run the moment Alex entered his office.
"If you think about it," he began gingerly, "this is quite the accomplishment! You are now the youngest player our team has ever had. A first year as a Beater is—Miss Worthington! Where are you going? Wait, Miss Worthington!"
"Unbelievable!" she repeated. "This isn't happening!"
Alex seethed while marching her way out of Flitwick's office. She didn't know where she was stomping off to. Anywhere was better than having to be told so many ridiculous things all at once. Like she gave a damn about being the youngest player ever for the Ravenclaws. Someone like Harry Potter would take joy and perhaps even pride in that, but not her.
Never her.
"What kind of punishment is this?"
The whole thing made it seem like Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall were waiting for a Bludger to rearrange her skull so she got the message. Certainly, this treatment had to go against school rules. Alex, chewing on her bottom lip, thought about going straight to Professor Dumbledore so he could both fix this and sack a couple of his employees.
"Hey, Worthington! Is it true?"
Someone raced toward Alex. She did an about face, ready to scream Flitwick's head off for following her.
"I don't care how you try to dress it up, sir! I'm not…!"
Except...it wasn't Professor Flitwick at all. The handsome and cool face of Cedric Diggory came into view. Alex's heart sped up, and she placed a hand over it in confusion. Out of breath, he stopped in front of her.
"So, it's true then?" he repeated.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"About you being the new Ravenclaw beater! Well, no one is really supposed to know, but..." Cedric gave her a wry smile. "Word gets around. Blimey, that's amazing! First Potter, and now you. First years on the Quidditch team...I'd have never guessed."
Like Flitwick, Cedric said the last part with glee. The shock of his sudden appearance wore off, and Alex went back to frowning.
"Yeah...great," she mumbled. "Do I get an award then?"
Perhaps due to how excited he was, Cedric paid her remark no mind. "It's a shame you missed our game. I would have loved to go up against you."
Her fury again swirled away like water down a drain. The only part of his statement she caught wind of was 'loved.' Blood coursed to every inch of her face.
"Ah...t-that's...um..."
"I won't tell anyone else. Should be a nice surprise for the school." Cedric gave Alex another grin, revealing perfectly white teeth. She nearly fainted in delight. "You lot have a game against Slytherin coming up, right? Good luck. I'm curious to see how you do out there."
Cedric, with a wave, raced back the way he came. Alex's heart stopped beating so loudly, allowing her to think straight. She still wasn't all aboard on being a Beater.
Though, as she continued to smile dreamily like Luna Lovegood, she didn't think it so bad anymore.
All the vigor Cedric gave her vanished by 7 PM. Alex finished her dinner in the Great Hall promptly, having little appetite. With much reluctance, she made her way down to the Quidditch field. She had taken the path there countless times, yet...this was different. Her nerves ate at her like a flobberworm tearing through a head of lettuce.
"...Who thought this was a good idea again?"
This was it. She wouldn't survive the night. Grimacing, she forced herself to move again. She might not have liked this arrangement, but as a Worthington, she refused to be late for an engagement if she could help it. It went against her family's pride.
"Not to mention Mother would give me an earful..."
Alex always thought the Quidditch pitch looked pretty lit up by the starry, night sky. Even after dark, one had near perfect visibility. The weather was on her side too. Though still a bit chilly, it was the perfect evening to zoom across the sky atop a broomstick.
"Worthington..."
Roger Davies greeted her with a stern nod. While still clearly upset, he waved her over to him and the other members of the Ravenclaw team. She expected no cheers, yet, she didn't even get a 'Hello.'
Randolph Burrow busied stretching his skinny arms and legs, staring rather hard at a patch of grass. Jeremy Stretton munched on some potato chips. He buried his face into the bag so he couldn't see Alex. Duncan Inglebee, meanwhile, was as quiet as Alex had ever seen him. She was so used to him hitting on her every three seconds that she almost missed it. Alex saw Cho Chang flying intricately. She had clearly gotten better on a broom. Cho looked down to Alex before holding her nose high and speeding off.
So, I take it these guys are still upset…
Alex couldn't even sigh. She knew what she had been walking into. It didn't matter. She wasn't there to make friends.
"Alright, Davies. I'm here. What now?"
"Now," said Roger, walking over to a broom on the ground. The poor Cleansweep, littered with dirt, had been beaten up, sucker punched, and had more than a few Galleons stolen. It had to have been older than Alex and certainly not the best her so-called teammates could have whipped up, "you get on this. You can ride a broom, right?"
Alex, frowning, took the 'gift,' disregarding Roger's derisive tone. Thanks to Cho and Madam Hooch, Alex had indeed learned to use a broomstick. It only took a few cries of "Up!" to do the trick. Still, she faltered on climbing aboard what she felt was a hazardous object.
"Well? Go on then," said Roger. "Inglebee here will get you started on what it takes to be a Beater. Even you being a half decent one should get us through the game against the Slytherins."
Alex turned to Duncan. He looked as if he would rather take on an army of trolls. He gave her a strained nod.
"Up!"
Her new broom, though indeed ancient, launched into her grasp on the first try. Alex copied Duncan in sitting on her broom. She rose at his command and immediately got squeamish at her feet leaving the ground. Duncan rose, high, high into the sky, giving her little choice but to follow. She did so at a snail's pace, gripping the broom's handle for dear life. She could have sworn she saw Duncan roll his eyes.
"Are you sure about this, Captain?" he shouted down to Roger, who shrugged dismissively. "Fine, fine..."
"Good evening, Inglebee. Cat got your tongue?" said Alex with a mischievous smile. Being treated like a prisoner from Azkaban ticked her off to no end. If the others were going to be mean to her, she would gladly give them a taste of their own medicine. Duncan scowled, showing her it was working. "Sure you can teach me anything without asking me on a date?"
"...Save it, Worthington. I'll do this because the Captain says so but know I don't like it. I know it's a specialty of yours, but try not to hex me the second I turn my broom around."
Alex's smile dropped like a rock. She had half a mind to turn around and fly back to her room. To hell with the team; if they lost because they were nasty to her and a man short, that would be their fault, not hers.
Cho, still flying in the distance, slowed down enough to watch the proceedings.
"I guess I don't have to tell you what a Beater does," said Duncan. "So, let's just get to the part where you start hitting Bludgers."
He handed Alex a bat, the most important tool for a Beater. She grunted, nearly falling off her broomstick thanks to the its weight. Her bloodshot eyes widened, and she questioned how anyone was supposed to hold the thing, let alone swing it for an entire game.
"You use this every game? Blimey..." she said. Even getting two hands on it hardly helped. It might have been her imagination, but she could have sworn she heard a snicker from Duncan.
"Inglebee! What did I tell you about bewitching the bat?!" cried Roger. Like Duncan, the other members of the team whooped and hollered. Alex, blushing, grabbed her wrist. That stopped her from raining curses down like lightning.
"Sorry. Sorry. Just a bit of hazing for the newcomer." Duncan flicked his wand. Alex sat up and realized the bat, while still somewhat hefty, was as light as a feather compared to before. "Better, right? You'll get used to the weight with practice. It's not often witches are Beaters though. ...No offense, but wizards are usually bigger and stronger. Then again, the bats are magically reinforced, so even you should be able to hit the Bludgers just fine. You'll need to if you want to keep our Chasers in good shape. I'm not gonna mess you around—this is probably the hardest position other than Keeper. You have to keep your eyes open at all times, not just for the team but for you. One stray Bludger to the head, mate, and that's good day, good evening, and good night."
"F-Fantastic..."
Alex debated on running away again. She no longer cared about Professor Flitwick forcing her to do this or the fact she would get in serious trouble if she didn't. She would take expulsion rather than risking her life dealing with some pesky Bludgers.
"Let's just start with you getting used to swinging the bat. I'm starting to think bringing the Bludgers out at this point is only going to put another of us in the hospital wing."
That suited Alex perfectly.
He said 'one of us.' Does that mean he still counts me as a teammate?
Duncan showed her various tricks to make swinging the bat easier. More importantly, he taught her how to do it in a way that wouldn't hurt her shoulder later on.
"Not like that. Swing your hips more. You'll throw out your back that way."
For only a second year and someone who started Quidditch mere months ago, Duncan spoke like a pro. Alex never knew he was so knowledgeable on anything other than girls. He might have been upset with her like the others, yet, he was patient with her despite her various screw ups.
"Good. Lower the arc a little bit and those Bludgers should bugger off at the sight of you."
"Why are you being so nice? I figured you all would want me to get hurt."
Duncan scoffed. "Look, Worthington, I'm not saying we're best mates, but there's no advantage to teaching you wrong. You're the only one that can play Beater with Samuels out. We want to win, remember? Besides, we don't need you slowing us down. The best way to prevent that is teaching you properly. Speaking of which, let's get back to it, yeah?"
"Right..."
While she was obviously only swinging at air, Alex couldn't help but notice something the longer she practiced.
This was almost...fun.
"Good, good," Duncan repeated after an hour and a half. Sweat littered Alex as she struggled to catch her breath. "Oy, Roger! I think that's enough for one night."
Roger agreed. He clapped his hands, drawing the team to him. "That's a good practice, lads! We'll do it again tomorrow evening! Just because our game with the Slytherins isn't happening for awhile longer doesn't mean we slack off!"
The team began to disperse though not before saying their goodbyes. Everyone, save for Alex, got one. That left her standing there utterly vexed. It was just a normal day in the office, a day without her. Other than Roger and Duncan, the others hadn't acknowledged her existence. Cho, with her broom over her shoulder, headed back to the castle alongside the others.
That was until Alex rushed over and grabbed her arm.
"H-Hold on a sec! You guys can't just ignore me! Just listen for a second!"
Cho gave her a pitying look before breaking her arm away and strutting off. It took everything in Alex's power to fight back her tears.
The rest of the week's Quidditch practices went about the same. Other than giving her a few pointers, Duncan didn't speak to her. The other members of the team continued to practice as if she were invisible. They flew around her like they would a light post standing in their way. By the third day, Alex started to crack. Balling her fists, she held back the urge to spill a tirade of hateful words that would get her a whole semester's worth of detention.
She headed back to the common room on the fifth evening weary in both body and spirit. She found an empty chair and plopped down on it on the double. Her jaded eyes closed. All her mind could process was a good night's rest. Given how empty the common room was, she might have gotten her wish.
"Hello, Alex."
So much for that. Alex let loose an awful groan and lifted her head. Luna Lovegood beamed back at her. She took the seat next to Alex without asking, not that the latter had any energy to protest.
"Hello, Luna. Haven't seen you in a bit."
"Has practice been hard?" Luna asked. Alex, from the corner of her eye, noted her friend making yet another Butterbeer cork necklace.
"Is there a Nargle infestation or something?"
"I certainly hope not. I'm just making a few more necklaces just in case."
"Just in case. Right." Alex wondered if Luna was instead bored. "Practice...has been horrible, yes. I fancy hexing everyone on the team."
In spite of Alex's harsh talk, not an ounce of alarm flooded Luna's dotty features.
"If you need help with that..."
"I'm kidding!" Alex shouted in a hurry. "I...was just joking. Jeez..."
Luna almost seemed disappointed. "Do you reckon you should go to Professor Flitwick and ask to quit?"
Assured Luna wasn't going to go waving her wand at anything that moved, Alex laid back in her chair. "Of course I should. But, he was pretty adamant during that meeting that this is something I have to do. And it hasn't been completely awful..."
She had gotten her chance to whack Bludgers that evening and found it a great way to release stress. Her efforts hadn't impressed her teammates though as they insisted on giving her the silent treatment. She assumed they would have given it a rest after a day or two.
"I think they'd honestly rather have Fluffy on the team than me."
She moaned again, sinking further in the seat. It gave her a perfect view of the ceiling. There wasn't anything there to answer either her questions or her prayers. A small part of her actually hoped Jason Samuels made a speedy recovery. The sooner he took his spot back, the better.
"Ugh. I missed dinner tonight."
Unhealthy junk food would have to do. She remembered the tin of Chocolate Frogs Tristan had gotten her for Christmas and dragged herself up to her room. She brought them back downstairs, only to have Luna give her an uncharacteristic scowl.
"Don't you know Chocolate Frogs are…?"
"Made from stupid Goodillies. Yes. I know. And I don't care, Luna. Just let me be a monster and eat in peace."
She tore into the chocolate, biting off the frog's head. It was even more satisfying than hitting Bludgers. Though looking as if she had a mountain of words to say, Luna bit her tongue, deciding to instead partake on the week's latest edition of The Quibbler.
"This is the only good thing that jerk has done for me," Alex muttered as she thought of Tristan again. He hadn't attended any of the week's practices, sending Roger Davies into the usual hissy fit. Poor Jeremy Stretton had been forced to take his place as Keeper, likely because of his hefty frame. Every time the Quaffle hit him, Alex imagined one of those Muggle boxers unloading on an unsuspecting punching bag. "Where's he been this time?"
Tristan often vanished for long periods of time, only popping up to attend classes and sometimes breakfast and dinner. Alex thought he was off working on his Quidditch skills. Now, she wasn't so sure. A bad feeling welled in the pit of her stomach.
"Do you want the card?"
Alex blinked. Luna held out her hand expectantly, and Alex saw she meant the Famous Wizard card between her fingertips.
"I collect them," Luna clarified.
"Oh...s-sure. Wait, you collect them? I thought you didn't eat Chocolate Frogs!"
"I don't. It's barbaric. The cards, however, are perfectly fine."
Nope, she wouldn't do it. Alex shook her head feverishly. She wouldn't argue with that messed up sort of logic.
"Rats. Nicholas Flamel again," said Luna, frowning thinly. "I'd been hoping for Newt Scamander."
"I've got an extra Newt Scamander if you want it. I think it's in my..." Alex choked on her own spit. "What did you just say?!"
"I said I'd been hoping for..."
"No! About Flamel! What about Flamel?!"
Rather than explaining, Luna help up the Wizard Card. An incredibly elderly man littered with wrinkles smiled back at her as he moved about frailly. Alex half near broke Luna's fingers snatching the card from her. She studied it long and hard, as if it would be the last thing she ever saw. A puzzle began to solve itself within her racing thoughts.
"'Flamel, the world's renown alchemist, is most known for his creation of the Philosopher's Stone, the only successful one in existence. Immortal (a chipper six hundred and sixty five years old) thanks to his countless centuries of research, the French wizard revolutionized the world of alchemy alongside his partner, Albus Dumbledore.'"
Licking her lips eagerly, Alex fumbled with the card because her hands shook so much.
"Unbelievable. A damn Wizarding Card helped me figure Flamel out! How come I don't have a bunch of these in my trunk?!"
"It's a limited edition card, I think," said Luna. She pointed out the gold foil surrounding Flamel's waving image. "What luck. Daddy will be pleased to know the gnome saliva is still helping you out, Alex."
The compliment went over Alex's head. It was almost laughable a card from a snack had helped her when books in Hogwarts' well stocked library hadn't.
"Wait, the card said Flamel is over six hundred years old! Ah! So then he would've made this Philosopher's Stone ages ago. No wonder he isn't in any books about recent wizarding achievements! No, that's not important! I have to tell Harry and the others about this!"
So, Snape was after the Philosopher's Stone. Alex couldn't imagine a witch or wizard that wouldn't given the chance. Living forever would be far too tempting for most to turn down. The idea of the potions master torturing Hogwarts students for hundreds of years made her skin crawl.
"No way he's getting it! I'll have to…!"
"Just listen to yourself. What about 'keep your grubby nose out of it' don't you understand, Princess?"
That voice. It sent a wave of fresh anger surging through Alex. Tristan always picked the strangest, most frustrating of times to rear his ugly head, she thought. He stood near the entrance to the common room. A group that had gathered there dispersed at once. Alex was shocked he managed to solve a riddle on his own. Stranger was mud dripping from his tattered robes. Various cuts and bruises littered his face, leading Alex to fear he had just gotten back from a spot of Muggle dueling. He favored his right leg as he limped toward her.
"...What?" he snapped at her prolonged staring. "You got a problem?"
Alex said nothing. She teetered on still being mad at him or rushing him to Madam Pomfrey. A grimacing Tristan found his way to a vacant chair.
"So, you've figured out who Flamel is, eh?"
"You know, if you were just going to eavesdrop, you should've just joined us earlier. And...what in the world happened to you? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he said gruffly. His delivery informed Alex to drop the matter at once. "Tripped on some stairs."
That excuse was so poor and cliché, it left Alex speechless.
"Stay out of it," Tristan repeated. "So what you know Flamel's the one that made whatever that dog is guarding? That still doesn't mean you can do anything to get past it."
"Sure, but now we know why Snape…!" Alex paused. A group of giggling Ravenclaw third years entered the common room. Thankfully, they kept up their energetic discussion, apparently not overhearing Alex. In a more subdued tone, she said, "Now we know why that jerk is after it! Think about it. Do you really want him to become immortal? Even Dumbledore wouldn't be able to stop him then!"
"Go and tell Dumbledore then! You make it sound like you in particular have to do something!"
"I do. This is personal now! Snape hired someone to kill me! I'll never be satisfied if I don't take care of this personally!"
Luna's head shot back and forth as the sparks flew.
"Just listen to yourself! Pretty big britches for a first year! Maybe you could take Samuels down, but do you seriously think a professor of this school is on equal ground with someone still learning to turn matches into needles?"
"Oh, to hell with you! You already know I know more spells than that, spells useful in a duel! I'm not suggesting Snape is going to go down to a Hovering Charm, but…!"
Alex's sentence trailed off. Tristan pointing his wand at her might have had something to do with it. Ravenclaws around them gasped. Alex, on the other hand, got out her own wand. Muttering spread across the room like wildfire.
"What's Thorne up to this time?"
"Is he really going to attack a first year?"
"Oy, Thorne! Don't curse her too badly, alright? Remember what happened to the last bloke that crossed you?"
Tristan paid the remarks no mind, saying, "Listen here, Rich Girl. You might think I'm some total jerk, but I'm only looking out for you! If you go after Snape, that's the last thing you'll ever do! Just go tell Dumbledore or another Professor about all this! You said you wanted to do that earlier, right?! If you're right about Snape, then they'll take care of him!"
"Don't try to sound so saintly! You were calling me a psycho earlier for suggesting that! Now it's the right thing to do just because it came out of your mouth?!The order of this doesn't matter! If I don't go after Snape, he's just going to go after me! Besides, I never asked you to babysit me, Tristan! I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself!"
Luna's head whipped about even faster, giving her a headache.
"A 'big girl' would be thinking this through clearly! You couldn't even beat me in a duel! You'd never stand a chance against Snape! Are you in that much of a hurry to die?!"
"Stop preaching to me already! And is that a threat? Don't think I really won't turn my wand on you!"
"Oh, I'd love to see you try!"
"Shouldn't someone stop them?" asked a fourth year girl in the midst of biting her fingernails.
A boy next to her answered, "Hilliard is gonna lose it once he hears about this..."
"Give that bully one for me, Worthington!" shouted a sixth year girl ecstatically.
A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Alex's head. The fury in Tristan's voice told her he was serious. Still, she forced a smile.
"...I'm going to go and talk to Harry and the others right now. I'm sure they'll be pleased to hear I've found out about Flamel. After that..."
Her body became rigid. A red jet of light missed her head by mere inches. The spell hit a bookcase, knocking it over.
"No," said Tristan firmly, his wand smoldering. "You're going to sit down and let me go to Professor Dumbledore. You still have six years here at Hogwarts. I reckon you'd wanna enjoy all of them. Listen, Princess, you..."
"Locomotor Mortis!"
Cursing, Tristan jumped behind a sofa and avoided Alex's counterattack. The onlookers, realizing a duel really was happening, moved to a safer distance.
"I hate you!" Alex cried. She loosed a Stunning Spell this time. It blew off a portion of the couch. "I can't stand you! You think you're so damn smart!"
A second Stunning Spell forced Tristan to scatter like a cockroach. "Oh, so you really wanna do this?! Stupefy!"
Alex ducked. "Petrificus Totalus!"
"Impedimenta!"
Both spells missed, much to their caster's frustrations. They came dangerously close to striking a pair of gawking Ravenclaws. The would-be victims, shuddering, decided retreating to the dormitory for the time being was a swell idea.
"You done throwing your tantrum, Princess?!" Tristan shouted from the safety of Rowena Ravenclaw's statue.
Alex huddled behind a sturdy table. "Done having a go at playing my father?!"
She fired another Stunning Spell over her shoulder. It hit a wall judging from the sound of the impact.
"Diffindo!"
Tristan's charm split the table in two. Yelping, Alex scrambled behind another.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
The second table rose into the air like a feather. It obviously made a bad hiding spot from way up there. Good thing Alex was done hiding.
"Oh, now he says it right! Tarantallegra!"
All of a sudden, Tristan began tap dancing like a madman. Onlookers laughed at his impromptu performance.
"D-Dammit!" he cried, grabbing at his legs in a futile attempt to stop them. "Two can play that game! Silencio!"
Cackling like a madwoman, Alex grew silent. It wasn't because she got her fill of Tristan dancing like an idiot. Her mouth continued to move but issued no sound. She clutched at her throat, not looking so humored anymore.
Tristandid."Ha! I never knew you could sound so good, Rich Girl."
He might not have been able to hear her, but from reading her lips, he could tell she was screaming all sorts of nasty things. Not that it mattered. Without her voice…
A glowering Alex pointed her wand at Tristan's neck. Everyone gasped again. He grabbed at his throat and gagged as if choking. He hunched over, looking ill. Rather than vomit, slimy, squirming slugs began pouring out of his mouth in bunches. They crawled all about the common room, sending a number of girls into a panic.
"Non...verbal spell?!" Tristan spat in between slugs. "W-When the hell did you learn…?!"
A particularly massive slug stole the remainder of his statement. Alex rolled on the floor in mute but highly visible laughter. Tristan squished a slug here and there as he kept on tap dancing.
"What in the world is going on here?!"
For such a small man, Professor Flitwick's abrupt appearance sent the common room into a frenzy. Students rushed toward the dormitories in droves. The place resembled a ghost town in the span of seconds. Alex froze. Tristan did so as well, at least, to the best of his ability. He belched out another slug, which cut off his cry of, "Professor!"
With a bucket in hand, Tristan coughed up a feeble slug. He watched it slither about, snarling under his breath. He would be tasting nothing but slug ooze for the next three weeks in his estimation.
"Dueling in the middle of the common room? Dear, oh dear..."
Alex had never seen Professor Flitwick shake his head so gravely. While he didn't sound or look angry, the pair of students sitting across from him still quaked in their boots. They were in serious trouble.
"What were you two thinking? Someone could have been seriously hurt!" Flitwick added, shaking his head again. He muttered "Dear, oh dear." a few more times while he was at it. "Miss Worthington, where did you even learn all those spells?"
Alex gulped. She wished Tristan's Silencing Charm still worked. "I...erm..."
She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell him she had been reading books far beyond her grade inside the library. Not only would her privileges be taken away, but she could risk expulsion.
What in the world was I thinking?
Her sweaty fingers gripped her wand tightly. She shouldn't have lost her temper. Sure, Tristan had been getting on her nerves, but as he hacked up the last of the slugs, she felt like a fool for resorting to violence. Tristan didn't deserve that. No one did.
Speaking of Tristan, he seemed to be avoiding her eye. It made apologizing that much harder. She leered back at the floor and feared he would never speak to her again.
Not that I'd blame him. I don't even want to look at myself in the mirror right now...
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to take fifty points from Ravenclaw for this."
Flitwick sighed. His tone was dangerous, frightening even. Neither Alex nor Tristan argued about him taking points from his own house. It would only be the tip of the iceberg.
"What was the cause of this?"
No one answered him. Flitwick's bottom lip quivered.
"Aren't you two friends? You're on the same Quidditch team for Merlin's sake! We can't have our new Beater...erm…beaten before she can take on the Slytherins, can we?"
Tristan's head shot up. That was clearly news to him. Alex kept her eyes glued toward her shaking legs.
"I will not ban you from playing, Miss Worthington."
Biting her tongue, Alex held back another complaint. This was without a doubt a punishment, even though most would think it Flitwick being kind.
"However, you and Mister Thorne will serve two week's worth of detentions. I hear Professor Snape is still in need of students to help clean his cauldrons."
This time, Alex did make a sound of protest. Snape? Having to endure him for two weeks was even worse than being struck by a Bludger.
Why did it have to be that creep?!
She wouldn't do it. She refused. She had already scrubbed enough of Snape's cauldrons for a lifetime.
"P-Professor, I…!"
"This isn't up for argument, Miss Worthington. You will also no longer be allowed in the library after hours."
Alex cringed. She expected that though it didn't stop it from hurting. Flitwick no doubt put the dots together on why she knew so many advanced spells. More importantly…
Alone with Snape for two weeks? Even with Tristan there, he'll try to kill me right there in that dungeon this time for sure.
"L-Listen, Professor. It's about Snape…!"
"Professor Snape, my dear."
"Whatever! Listen to me! Snape is evil! And I'm not just saying that because he keeps failing me in Potions! He's after the...the...erm…!"
The Philosopher's Stone. She couldn't say it. Even with Flitwick looking at her earnestly, she couldn't do it. She sat back down and reminded herself she would be in even more trouble if anyone knew she learned about the Stone.
Not to mention I'd get Harry, Ron, and Hermione in trouble too...
"What was that, my dear?" Flitwick said. Alex lowered her head yet again, shaking it briefly. "Very well then. You two will go straight back to the common room and into bed for the remainder of the evening. I will inform you more about your detentions later. And no more badmouthing Professor Snape, Miss Worthington. Do you understand?"
Bitterly, Alex nodded.
"And you, Mister Thorne. No more fighting, young man."
Tristan tried nodding too, only to belch up another slug. Flitwick patted him on the wrist as if that were the counter curse. Another slug flew out of Tristan's mouth and onto Flitwick's arm.
"Yes...erm...I suppose I won't offer you any cupcakes, Mister Thorne, but please take a few, Miss Worthington. They're quite delicious!"
With the wave of Flitwick's wand, a tray of delicious looking cupcakes flew in front of Alex. They did a little dance before one nudged her forehead, begging her to take it.
"Um...t-thank you, sir..."
Alex said nothing to Tristan while the two of them marched back to the common room. She munched on her cupcake out of courtesy more than hunger. Her head still spun with the news she wouldn't be able to get into the library at night.
"Well, at least I already figured out who Flamel is..."
Speaking of which, she still needed to inform Harry and the others about the fact. She wouldn't risk trying to reach them now, however. She had already lost her house fifty points for sheer stupidity. Counting what happened earlier in the year, there really would be pitch forks and torches waiting for her.
"I can find Harry and the gang tomorrow morning. It's fine. Yeah, it's..."
But, it wasn't. Nothing about the situation was 'fine.' Snape's greasy image refused to budge from her thoughts. Even now, she picture him sneering at her having rubbed her hands red scrubbing his cauldrons.
"I can't yet see my face in them, Worthington. Keep cleaning."
"Greasy, nasty, stinking…!"
She traced her wand at the space in front of her, imagining Snape's smug face being covered in boils by her charm. Tristan, stopping on the spot, thought she was aiming at him.
"What now, you maniac?" he mumbled quite resentfully. Now that he wasn't tap dancing or belching slugs, Alex was right afraid of him. She took a careful step away. "I ain't gonna hurt you. ...You ain't worth Ravenclaw losing more points."
He trudged on ahead. Alex stared at his back in suspicion. Never had she seen him so docile. A pang of guilt fluttered in her chest, so she placed a hand over it, smacking her lips.
"...It's not like I did anything wrong. Nothing really..."
That wasn't the truth. She sighed.
"Oh, fine! H-Hold on a moment!"
She caught up to Tristan, who hadn't done anything to acknowledge her request.
"Would you slow down? I'm...trying to apologize, you silly boy!"
Again, Tristan said nothing. His footsteps grew heavier as he sped up.
"I really am sorry, alright? I...shouldn't have lost my temper like that. I've just been having an awful day, and then you came out of nowhere and started screaming my head off."
"..."
"I just couldn't take it anymore, so forgive me already!"
"..."
"I didn't mean it! Honest—hey are you even listening?!"
Here she was pouring her heart out, and Tristan still ignored her. Like a raging volcano, her anger bubbled to the surface.
"Be that way then! See if I care!"
She crossed her arms as they arrived in front of the bronze knocker. After answering the riddle, Tristan marched past her, clearly intent on taking a page out of the Ravenclaw team's book by ignoring her.
The common room was still empty. Alex knew it would remain that way. No one would dare try to investigate unless they wanted to risk being hit by a stray charm.
Tristan passed the Rowena Ravenclaw statue and toward the boys' dormitory. Alex, crestfallen, couldn't pretend she had no issue with them not talking for weeks again. She hit herself, ashamed at losing her temper with him yet again.
"You know, I was watching you practice today, Rich Girl."
Alex came close to crashing into Tristan. He stopped, giving her a toothy grin. The sight convinced Alex her regret was making her hallucinate.
"That was some nice Bludger work. You keep that up and Slytherin is going down for sure."
Alex really didn't a hold of herself until long after Tristan had gone to bed. Smirking herself, she took a seat by the window overlooking the lake.
There wasn't any way she could get to sleep in light of being so excited.
"That...jerk. He really is insufferable."
Having said this between laughs, she couldn't take herself seriously.
