Disclaimer: Once again...I do not own Harry Potter, nor would I ever claim to own Harry Potter. Sad fact of life.

Alex trailed after the rest of her class giggling like a fool. Nothing like a couple dozen of Lily Evan's perfect Cheering Charms to turn you into a raving lunatic. But at least a happy one, she admitted. The thought only made her giggle harder, which was starting to become less cheerful and more annoying, but which she also for the life of her couldn't stop.

She tried to focus on something sad in a valiant attempt to regain her sanity. It didn't work. She thought of death, she thought of her family, she thought of Bellatrix...and ran straight into something far more solid than her memories.

Pushing herself up off the floor, Alex picked up the books of the girl she had just trampled while attempting an apology through her still uncontrollable mirth.

"Sorry, I didn't see you," she laughed, as if she had just told a hilarious joke.

But no Cheering Charm, no matter how strong, could withstand Bellatrix's glare of hatred.

"I guess I'll have to teach my ickle cousin a lesson," Bellatrix sneered, her haughty eyes cold. "Blood traitor that you are."

"Better than a Pureblood bully!" Alex retorted, dropping the books, her mouth a straight, thin line, her eyes suddenly icy blue.

"Is that so, ickle bitty Alexandra? Is your big, scawy cousin going to hurt you?" Bellatrix mocked, her eyes shooting daggers. "I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave."

Alex laughed, but this time it wasn't because of the Cheering Charm.

"And I thought Slytherins were supposed to be smart. Petrificus totalus."

Bellatrix immediately stiffened and fell flat on her back like a board, her eyes no longer mocking but frozen in a look of shock at the wand Alex had pulled from her robes.

"I guess blood traitors can be crafty too, huh Bella?" Alex taunted her immobile cousin, making sure to step on her before leaving her in the deserted corridor, her books scattered around her.

And Sirius still doesn't think I can look after myself! she thought.

Remus and Alex strolled out to the beech tree. Over the past few years, Remus' feelings for Alex had grown from friendship to something quite different, which he found hard to explain and even harder to suppress. It had taken him until his sixth year to build up the nerve to ask Alex to go on a walk with him. How much longer would it take him to ask her out on a real date? They only had one year at Hogwarts left!

They reached the beech tree and stood leaning against its trunk, watching the giant squid writhe in the lake. But the light of the lake shining on Alex's face quickly turned Remus' eyes from the squid to Alex, whom Remus found much more pleasing to look at. While Alex was completely absorbed in her contemplation of the giant squid, Remus studied her face, appreciating the play of the light, like candles, against her smooth skin. Despite the darkness, her eyes lit with the reflected light from the lake, making their greenish-blue orbs the only color he could see.

Noticing that Remus' attention had left the lake, Alex turned and blushed to meet his eyes. He had been staring at her.

"What, have I got something on my face?" she asked, grinning.

"No," Remus replied, in a shockingly unguarded moment. "You're perfect."

Remus, realizing his uncharacteristically inappropriate response, began to apologize, but Alex cut him off as her lips brushed against his, erasing all thoughts of apology.

Their second kiss was much longer, filled with the passion Remus had been repressing for such a long time.

When they came up for air, both were smiling, and their smiles turned into laughter as they met each other's eyes again.

"Well, don't stop," Alex said. "I've waited quite some time for this."

Remus was only too happy to oblige.

Remus stood up from his seat on the roots of the beech tree, reaching back to pull Alex up as well. They walked arm in arm out from the shadows of the tree, Remus holding Alex's hand as if he would never let her go.

Alex was already reminiscing kissing under the beech tree, smiling at what Lily would say, when Remus' hand jerked. She turned toward him, confused by his sudden strange movement.

Remus had gone stiff and was twitching sporadically, as if he was fighting with all his might his own body which he suddenly couldn't control. Alex tried to steady him, hold him upright, but he grabbed her face with both hands, looking into her eyes.

"Alex, listen to me," he said, his face desperately pale and stricken, his voice strained. "Find James and Sirius, tell them what happened. But, whatever you do, don't come near me."

"But Remus, I can't just leave you like this!" Alex said, her voice fraught with fear, her eyes wide and tearful.

"GO!" Remus said, his voice commanding and deadly serious. "I don't want to hurt you!" His eyes begged her to leave him, distraught with the knowledge of what he might do to her as a werewolf.

Alex took off in a sprint toward the castle, looking back in time to see Remus' tall, thin body transform into something inhuman.

Author's Note: I know, I know, a cliffhanger! Hate to read them, love to write them!

Thanks to all the people who reviewed my last chapter. You made my day!

neurotica5684: Thanks a ton for reading! It means a lot to me since I love Truths! And, yes, Alex is one of Sirius' many cousins! But, like Narcissa, she's lacking in the wholenaming your kid after a star thing. Poor thing, mustfeel left out...not like she'd care though. I'm glad he has a lot of cousins...in my mind that made it more believable that she existed. And Alex is a Gryffindor (Iimagine that she kinda looked up toSirius as a child...model of misbehavior in his family ashe is...and so as a character she has some of his Gryffindoresquequalities, like bravery, loyalty, a hatred for her family (but who couldn't hate them anyways?), but she's not as impulsive because girls mature faster than boys!). So that explains that. And, yes, it was Lily Evans that Alex was referring to. She'sbest friends with Lily since they're in the same year and house and I imagine that they'd like eachother. And thanks for noticing that Wormtail is a sniveling, boot-licking little git! And update Truths soon!!!

cecelle: Thanks for reading (and reviewing)! I added the first part of this update as a direct response to your review...I'm trying to show what exactly Alex is made of, so tell me how you think I did! Hope you continue reading!

To everyone else: thanks for reading and please review! I will try to update ASAP!