CHAPTER 6

Tearing through the corridors, Alexia felt sick. She never run that fast before and the blurred colors of the paintings on the wall as she zoomed past didn't calm her. Finally, after a few solid minutes of running at her fastest pace, which was by far slower that Harry's, they reached the classroom.

Hermione waved her hand, motioning for Alexia to sit by her. Panting, Alex practically fell into the chair.

"You alright?" Hermione asked.

Alex nodded, "I think so."

Hermione smiled as she pulled out her books. Sudden panic surged through Alex, the horror of leaving her books in the kitchen seeming very real.

"These are yours." Harry said as he slammed her books unto the table.

"I thought I'd forgotten them!" Alex smiled blissfully.

"Do I get a thank you?" Harry asked playfully.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Class! Please be seated!" Professor Lupin said pleasantly as he entered the classroom dressed in his usual shabby robes. He took his seat after apologizing for his tardiness.

"Werewolves... There is no teacher at Hogwarts more qualified to teach you about werewolves. Now, if you'd please turn to page 227."

"Professor? What's the cage for?" Seamus asked, his finger pointing at a large metal cage in the front of the classroom.

"Next week, you will be studying a werewolf." Lupin said simply, "It's a full moon and I have a perfect specimen."

"Professor!" Harry shouted, outraged.

"Harry, please be seated. I'd like to speak to you after class."

The class dragged on as Lupin lectured about what to observe at the transformation that they would be witnessing the following week.

The bell finally rang and most of the students shot out of the room before Alexia could even collect all her books and notes.

Harry abandoned his things at his desk marching up to Professor Lupin. Harry stood calmly with Hermione and Ron behind him.

Not knowing where she'd fit in, Alexia didn't move.

"Professor, this is crazy!" Harry said when he was sure that only he, Hermione, Ron, Alexia, and Lupin were the only ones in the room.

"Harry-" Lupin tried to interject but Harry kept on with his tirade.

"We've already studied werewolves in our third year with Snape, remember? You shouldn't have to put yourself in this position for a stupid NEWT review!"

"Harry, my students learn from seeing these creatures! And I happen to be one of them!" Lupin shot back.

"There's nothing that we can't learn from diagrams in a textbook. I remember the last time I saw you on a full moon, Professor and I never want to see it again." Hermione said.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Granger but it's a grade. I can't make exceptions, it wouldn't be fair to the other students."

"I don't care if it's a bloody grade or not, I'm not coming to see it. None of us are." Ron spat.

All eyes turned to Alexia. She did not want to sacrifice a grade for Lupin if he were willing to allow his students to see him as a werewolf. The look in Harry's eyes was desperate as the light glinted off them. This was most likely one of the hardest choices that Alex had to make: Harry or her grades.

"You shouldn't subject yourself to that, Professor." Alex said sternly, letting her heart do the talking as opposed to her head.

With one last hard look to Professor Lupin, Harry turned heal and headed for the door. Alex grabbed her heap of books and followed.

"Harry?" She called to him once she had followed him into the corridor.

Harry stopped abruptly, took a deep breath and wheeled around to face her.

"Yes, love?" Harry responded.

"Are you alright?" She asked, resting her books on the floor, rushing to Harry's side.

"I'm fine." Harry said, kissing her cheek.

"Are you sure?" Alex asked softly, taking Harry's hands into hers.

"No."

"Harry, why's this upsetting you so much?"

"Can you do anything besides ask questions?" Harry inquired seriously.

"Can't you just answer the question? Stop trying to change the subject!"

"I don't want to talk about this, Lex." Harry said, trying to wrap his arm around Alexia.

"Then I don't want you to touch me." Alex said, pushing Harry away.

"Alex-"

"No." She interrupted him, "I know what you're thinking. You feel like Lupin's all you have. You don't have parents, you lost your Godfather, and all you have left is your dad's best friend. Grant it, Lupin probably loves you as Sirius did, but you can't stop him from what he has to do. All Lupin has is his teaching, his friends are gone Harry but, yours aren't. He knows what he's doing and just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's wrong. It might be a wise investment of your time to stop worrying about a grown man who can care for himself, and start thinking about Ron and Hermione because you've been ditching them for me for the past forty-eight hours. If this is what Lupin needs to feel comfortable, then you should encourage him. You should never doubt him; he's an amazing person. But it's his job to care for you and not the other way around."

Harry stared down at his feet as Alexia lectured him. He only looked up into her clear blue eyes after she was done speaking.

"You're right." Harry mumbled.

"I- I am?"

"Yes." Harry laughed nervously, 'You are."

"Go spend time with your friends." Alex ordered.

"What about you?"

"Harry! I'll be fine. Just go and have fun."

"Meet me in the Room of Requirement an hour before dinner." Harry said.

"I will." Alex smiled as she hugged him briefly.

She turned from him promptly and collected her things from the floor. Alex smiled and waved to Hermione and Ron as she began down the corridor.

"Alexia!" Harry shouted after her.

"Hm?" Alex said as she swung around to meet him.

Harry ran up to her wordlessly; his hand caressing her cheek, his cold lips met hers pleasingly.

Blushing to a deep scarlet, Alex pulled away and headed straight for her dormitory.

She dashed up multiple stairways, and sprinted through many dark corridors. Finally, she reached a portrait of a thin old man. He was dressed in blue; his outfit resembling that of a Shakespearian costume.

"Password." He said with a yawn.

"Chocolate Frogs." Alex said happily.