Chapter 14: Letting the Cat out of the Bag

Sirius stared after Olga until she'd gone into the back room.

"Sirius, just leave her alone. She looked as if she had enough on her plate already without adding you to it," Lily admonished as she rubbed her temples, feeling a brain freeze coming on. Sirius's eyebrows frowned, and he turned back to his ice cream silently.

Lily's shoulders were getting heavier and heavier every minute. She had to tell them. No more procrastinating. She pushed aside her ice cream and linked her fingers on the table top, staring at them intensely. "All right. There's something you lot need to know."

"Damn it!" Janet exclaimed, slamming down her spoon. Everyone around the table jumped and Lily looked up alarmed, heat of guilt rising to her cheeks. Oh no, she thought, Janet knows and she's angry with me.

Janet rounded on a practically whimpering Lily. "Don't," she warned, pointing a finger at the redhead accusingly. "Don't tell me."

"T-tell you what?" Lily asked, cursing inwardly when she heard her voice shake.

"You're pregnant with Severus Snape's love child."

It took one long, heart stopping moment to let Janet's words sink into Lily's mind. Then, with relief nearly making her faint, she decided to hold out the joke. Keeping a straight face, she hung her head and said mournfully, "I'm so sorry. It was a mistake. We… we just started going at it. Animals, we were wild animals. I literally tore his pants, and he ripped my shirt." Lily covered her face with her hands. "Please, you have to understand. We didn't mean to, it just happened." She looked up at Janet with widened eyes. "But he was so good."

Janet and the Marauders gaped at her for what must have been twenty seconds while Lily fought to hold in her laughter. When they all finally burst, every table within the shop turned to look at them peculiarly. Peter fell out of his chair and rolled on the floor holding his stomach; Remus tried to hold it all in but it just came out in snorts; Sirius was doubled over in his chair with tears running down his face; James was red in the face from the strain; and Janet was laughing so hard she wasn't making any noise at all, save when she gasped for air.

When they were merely chuckling, they apologized to the surrounding tables and righted themselves in their chairs. The group was just going back to finish their ice cream when Olga came over. Her hands were trembling, her face was white as snow, and her voice was thick with restrained emotion.

"Is everything here all right?" she asked.

Sirius was immediately standing next to her, an arm around her shoulders, carefully drawing the order pad and out of her hands. Olga bit down on her lower lip, hard, and became fascinated with her shoes. "Hey…" Sirius began. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Olga shook her head fiercely and stepped out of his embrace, grabbing her pad. "Fine. I'm fine."

She turned to march away, but suddenly whirled around again. Her big blue eyes flashed.

"You think it's funny?" she demanded, her voice rising with every word. She eyed the two girls and four boys shrewdly. "You think it's funny when a teenage girl has one night of indulgence and is thereafter forced to take care of something she's not ready to take care of?" Olga planted her hands on her hips as more costumers turned to look at her now. "Well, let's see how you lot handle being parents at sixteen."

She stomped to the service counter and threw off her apron. "I'll take my break now, Mr. Fortesque," she told the furious man behind the counter.

"Break? There's no need for you to take a break, young lady, because you're fired!"

Olga stared at him in surprise for a few moments, and that surprise slowly turned into fear. She couldn't lose her job, not now, not when she so desperately needed money. Quickly walking around the counter to come up next to Mr. Fortesque, Olga said in an undertone desperately, "No, please, Mr. Fortesque, don't fire me. I need this job. Please. I'm sorry; it won't happen again, I promise."

"No, you're right, it won't happen again, because you no longer work here." He opened the till and counted out twelve galleons, five sickles, and three knuts. "Here's what you've earned up to today."

Olga heard the finality in the statement, so she drooped like a dying flower and dragged herself out of the ice cream shop. And was immediately bombarded with the six people she really didn't want to see at the moment.

"We're so sorry," Janet told her imploringly. "We didn't mean to get you fired."

Olga shook her head wearily. She didn't have the energy to bicker over blame. "It's fine. There's always work to be done somewhere." She started to brush past the group, but James grabbed her arm.

"Let us invite you to lunch. It's the least we can do."

Olga looked at him as she considered. It was sort of their fault that she'd blown up with dignity and pride, and she hadn't had a good, hot meal in weeks. And they did owe her. Somehow.

On a sigh, she said, "Fine. When and where?"

James smiled at her. "Actually, we were just going now. We'll take you with us."

"No, you don't have to. You could just tell me—"

"Nonsense," Sirius cut in. "You can come now. Unless, there's someone you have to check in with first?"

Olga met his eyes levelly. "No. No, there's no one I have to check in with." She headed out with the group.

She stood stock-still and gazed at the house. This was where the all-mighty Potters lived? It looked so…normal.

It was a regular Muggle neighborhood with regular Muggle neighbors. Kids raced up and down the sidewalk on bikes, little girls jump-roped or drew with chalk, adults and parents alike walked their leashed pets. The air was filled with laughter, with barks, with car engines that vroomed as they drove by.

It was exactly the kind of friendly neighborhood Lexy had always envisioned. It was perfect.

"Something wrong?" Lily asked as she came to stand beside Olga.

"No, I just… That man, with the messy hair, was James Potter, right?"

Lily snorted. "No, that's not a man, that's a boy. But yes, that's James Potter. Why?"

Olga tilted her head to one side and considered the ordinary house. "Nothing much, I just thought the Potters would live a little more—extravagantly."

"Nah. Abby and John are modest. They don't like to have more than what they really need. A big mansion—which they could afford if they wanted—would have too much empty space, even with James and me and our friends constantly occupying it. No, this is the perfect house for them. It subtly shows their high class, yet appears to be very everyday-like."

Olga raised an eyebrow. "You seem to know what you're talking about."

"Well," Lily began as she started for the front door, "I should know, having practically lived here since I was born."

Olga caught up with her as she crossed the threshold. "You're a Potter?" she asked, utter confusion on her face.

"Well, she's lived with us for the past four years," James cut in as he came up to them, "and was here every day or every other day before that. So, yes, I would consider her a Potter."

Lily only glared at him. She couldn't say that she was a proud Evans, because she wasn't exactly proud of her family. It seemed so much more natural to be called a Potter, and she liked it that way. So, neither agreeing nor denying, she swept past him to the kitchen.

"She's crazy about me, I swear," James muttered regretfully. He gestured for Olga to walk ahead of him, but when she just stood, nervously staring around the foyer, he gently yet firmly close his fingers around her arm and lead her.

Pots and pans were clinking and clanging as Lily and Janet got to work on lunch. Sirius, Remus, and Peter were sitting at the table arguing about whether a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor would be brought in. James joined them, saying, "O' course there'll be a new one. There is every year."

"Why?" The question was out before Lexy could restrain it. She had no idea why, but for some reason she found it easy to relax around this group of teenagers. But if she let her guard down, she had to be careful to not let them know anything.

Sirius explained, "A rumor is passed down from year to year that the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is cursed. Every year one comes in, every year one leaves. They could die, retire, disappear, whatever, but they're gone." His dark eyebrows furrowed as he studied her. "You've heard of Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you attend? Or have I just never noticed you?"

Lexy had a flash of panic, but soon composed herself and quickly thought of a legitimate answer. "I attended a different school, and I've already graduated, anyway."

He narrowed her eyes at her. By now the other five friends were listening. "Funny, you don't look a day over sixteen," Sirius muttered.

"A blessing," Lexy replied with a fake sweet smile. In fact, she had just turned sixteen five weeks ago.

"Right," Sirius murmured distractedly, still eyeing Lexy.

Lexy knew how many of her own rules she was breaking by staying here for a meal. Sirius, with his disbelieving glances, is a bit more thoughtful that she'd anticipated him to be.

Suddenly she jolted. Alarmed, she asked anyone and everyone, "What time is it?"

James glanced at his watch. "12:13. Why?"

"Damnit!" Lexy whirled around and started to run through the kitchen door—and smacked into someone.

Chuckling, Dumbledore bent to help her to her feet again. "I had a feeling you would be here."

"Sir, I—I'm sorry, I—" sputtered Lexy.

Dumbledore held up a hand. "No need to excuse yourself, Alexandria. It's quite all right. We can have our meeting here, in the parlor."

Lexy's spine snapped straight and she paled. He just told them my name, was all she could think. He just told them who I was.

Sirius slowly stood from his chair, staring at Lexy as Lily, James, Janet, Remus, and Peter did. "Alexandria?" he pronounced steadily.

Dumbledore observed the scene silently for a moment, then in comprehension said, "I assure you, Alexandria, that these people"—he swept a hand around the kitchen, gesturing at the gathered teenagers—"are the best people to tell a secret to. I've known them all since they started school at Hogwarts, and a couple even before that, and I would have to say had I been forced to choose, they would be the students I trust most." A twinkle in his eyes, he smiled. "Not that you ever heard me say it."

Lexy looked at the ground, embarrassed. It was her problem, and she didn't want to get them mixed into it. No one need carry the burden when it was hers, and hers alone.

Lily recognized the conflict on Lexy's face, and walked to her side. Dumbledore backed away, wanting the situation to unfold as he hoped it would. Lexy had been a loner for much too long, and she needed someone to just be there for her. Lily, James, Janet, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were the best people he could think of to become Lexy's friends.

Lily laid a hand on Lexy's shoulder. "Is it a big secret?"

Lexy hesitated, weighed the pros and cons of sharing her burden, and then jerkily nodded, her face still aimed at the floor.

"Want to tell me about it?" Lily ventured. When Lexy didn't reply, she said, "All right, I'll swap you—big secret for big secret."

Lexy's interest was caught. She peered up at Lily, and moved to sit at the table when the redhead gestured.

"Here, sir, please," James said when he remembered Dumbledore still stood there. Dumbledore complied, sitting in a chair.

"You first or me first?" Lily asked Lexy.

"You," Lexy answered immediately.

"Fine. A or B." Lily thrust out her fists. A was the secret of her rape; B was the secret of seeing Jordan. For some reason, she hoped Lexy picked A instead of B. She didn't feel ready to tell her friends about Jordan yet.

On impulse, Lexy blurted, "A." Lily caught herself before she sighed in relief.

"When I was twelve, I was raped. By my own father." She took her time, breathed deeply when she need to. She was staring at nothingness, just over Lexy's shoulder. "I was in my room, on Christmas Eve, just finishing my holiday homework. He came in, threw me on my own bed, and…raped me."

Lexy gasped and unconsciously reached out to take Lily's hand and squeezed. "How horrible…" she trailed off in a whisper.

"I suffered no permanent physical damage, but it will always be my worst memory." She came out of her daze. Shaking her head slightly as if to rid it of the demons that so haunted her, she told Lexy, "Okay, it's your turn. I've said mine."

Lexy suddenly let go of Lily's hand as if it had burned her. Her eyes darted around the kitchen as if she was taking in any and all routes of escape.

"I have a baby," she blurted. Every face in the room went completely blank with surprise, except Dumbledore, who smiled knowingly. "A baby, inside me."

She paused and looked down at her hands. They were clutched in her lap so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Deliberately she unlaced them, and took a deep, cleansing breath.

"I'm not from the wealthiest of families. In fact, when I was a child, I remember going for several days without food. My mum cried every night, and my papa would hold her. They loved each other, and they loved me, but our luck was just on vacation. Or so they told me.

"Somehow, we managed to pay rent for our shack of a house. I never went to school. My mum taught me out of books we found in all of the most unlikely places. When I was thirteen, they told me what I was. A witch, I mean. I'm sixteen now, have been for just over a month.

"One day, last winter, I was out walking. Just to walk. A snowstorm had just blown through, and everything was icy and wet. I slipped and hit my head pretty hard.

"I heard footsteps coming closer, and I tried to get up. They were hasty, and I heard them stop next to me. Moments later, gentle hands were helping me up, an equally soft voice was saying in sharp Italian, 'Are you all right? Are you hurt?'

Alexandria was immersed in her own memories by now. No one interrupted her, no one spoke at all. Questions and requests for details were viciously bit down on.

"It was a man, with hair the color of a deep mahogany, and eyes the color of rich, aged champagne. His breath came in pants, and his cheeks were enflamed from the cold and exertion of hurrying to me. He offered me a hand up.

"He was so charming and so, so handsome. We spoke for a few minutes, and despite my dirty, worn clothes, greasy hair, and smudged face, he invited me to dinner the next evening. He was filthy rich, and his family was staying in England for several days. When I told him I would never be able to look decent or appropriate enough for such an occasion, he said that he'd come and get me in the afternoon before the dinner so I could get what he called 'polished up.'

"It was like a snake shedding its skin. His dressers scrubbed away the grime, polished the surface, added curves that had yet to develop naturally, and shazzam! I looked like a princess.

"The first time he saw me as my new self, I could just see his eyes melt. Throughout dinner he held my hand as much as possible, as if he was always in need of feeling me, of making sure I was real and there beside him. He constantly had this stupid, crooked grin on his face, too. He was just adorable.

"But his parents hated me right from the off. They didn't want a filthy little beggar from poverty stealing their son's heart. They didn't pretend to like me unless Simone was around.

"I was spending more and more time with him. And when my mum died of pneumonia, and my papa of frostbite, all in the same week, I only felt guilt and grief. Guilt because I hadn't been there, hadn't taken care of them. My mum had gotten sick a while before, and my papa had only gotten frostbite because he'd tried to keep her warm through her fevers by giving her his coats. Grief because I'd loved them both, so much, and hadn't been there to tell them that, or at least say good-bye."

Lexy felt her throat tighten with leftover misery, but she plowed on.

"I had no where to go, so Simone suggested I stay with him. Since I had no more options, reasonable options, I accepted right away. I knew his parents were dreadfully reluctant, but because it was what Simone wanted, they gave in with a sigh.

"I moved with them when they went back to their home in Italy. Simone and I started to… er… show our love for each other not long after. Then his birthday came, and he turned five years my senior. The party was brilliant, and that night he and I were both a little… over enthused. We were careless. That's all it took."

She gingerly laid a hand over the slight mound of her stomach. "It was a mistake, but not one that I regret in the least. It was one of those mistakes that turn out for the better. I call it 'it' because I don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet. I love it so much already; I won't care which it is. I just want to hold it in my arms, hear its heart beating. And know that it's what came of our love."

Lexy started when Janet gave an almighty sniffle. "That's so beautiful. So beautiful and sad."

"Lexy," Dumbledore prompted.

"One night—oh, it must have been six weeks ago now—Simone and I were out walking in his gardens. It all happened so quickly. Out of the bushes came a werewolf, big, hairy, and mean."

At this Remus blanched, but she didn't notice.

"Simone shoved me behind a tree. He tried to slow the thing down, but it was too strong. They fought and fought. There was so much blood, so much blood. Simone shouted for me to run, to get help, to go somewhere safe. So I ran into the house and found some servants.

"They'd managed to subdue it enough to get it bound. Simone was rushed to the hospital. By morning the werewolf had transformed back into a man. He was put away for life. As for Simone…"

Lexy squeezed her eyes shut. "Simone had managed, miraculously, not to get bitten. But there were so many gashes from the werewolf's claws that he'd bled to death even before the mediwizards had begun to treat him."

She paused to gain her composure, and laid a hand on her stomach. "Mr. and Mrs. Silvestri were furious that I'd come out alive and yet their son hadn't. They hated and resented me even more. So I ran away to here, back here to England. They didn't know about the baby, and I plan to keep it that way. Surely they'd want to take it from me if they did."