The dark water gently surged beneath the rotting deck, in the moonlight the ripples twisted; as if the water below them was shivering to lose the summer rays. Yet to Alex's feet the warmth was still there, cocooned in the sub-aqua currents. She dangled her tanned legs off of the edge of the ledge and looked across the water. The moonlight reflected down its pale white-silver glow onto the lake and on to Alex's complexion, bathing her, illuminating her. And in the distance the trees were silhouetted against the deep dark velvety blue sky.

Alex brought a cold bottle of vodka to her lips and took a long gulp, the liquid smoothly fell down her throat, warming her insides as it settled in her stomach and leaving a burning sensation in the back of her throat. "How far do you think you could swim in there?" She asked, slurring her words and wiping her plump lips on her arm.

Harper took a break from pacing the gritted path and turned to her friend. She hugged herself tightly, keeping herself warm in the icy breeze, "I don't know Alex," she yawned sitting down next to her on the decking whilst fixing her red party dress. "But what I do know is that we're supposed at your brothers party!"

Alex looked back up at moon and took another swig from the bottle, "don't remind me," she murmured to herself.

"Alex we're supposed to be celebrating! It's not every day your brother officially becomes headmaster of an entire Wizard School! I mean, he's been so busy getting the school ready he's had to wait over a year for his special night."

"His special night," Alex spat imitating Harper's words. "Oh, boo hoo, poor Justin."

"You're so nasty when your drunk," Harper sighed shaking her head, she then felt something smooth brush against her cheek. When she looked Alex was holding out the bottle of vodka, and without making any eye contact she offered it to Harper, but she politely refused, "no thanks."

"You're so boring," Alex whined, downing more of the liquid, "why don't you drink? It's not like we're still in high school."

"But we are still underage…"

"Oh wow!" Alex exclaimed sarcastically, "nineteen! We're practically babies!"

"Well to some people yeah, we are."

Alex rolled her eyes before taking another drink, Harper turned around and took in the scenery lay out behind her. WizTech stood tall amongst the towering trees surrounding it, the moonlight shimmered on to the old grey stone walls and lights from inside the castle escaped through the windows along with the loud music and sounds of people chatting from within. The drawbridge was down across the murky moat and amongst the gatherings of people on top of it, Harper spotted Mason stroll out of the castle and search around the area.

In his black suit and tie he walked down the drawbridge through the crowds of Wizards, all dressed in their finest velvet robes, and towards the large lawns were many of the wizards had gathered to continue the party outside. He walked towards the hordes of people until he spotted Harper on the deck with Alex, sheepishly waving at him while Alex finished off the remains of the bottle. He shook his head in disappointment and wandered over to them both before stopping behind Alex and watching her impatiently.

"Should you really be drinking that?" He asked glaring down at the back of Alex's head while she sat smirking to herself. "Your parents were looking for you and I don't think they'd be pleased if they seen you like this."

"Oh well," Alex launched the bottle into the water, causing a violent splash when the glass made contact with the water. "They won't be too surprised, I mean it is me we're talking about here!" She chuckled to herself as she swayed her feet across the water's surface.

Harper leapt up from the damp decking and pulled Mason aside, "what's wrong with her?"

"She had another argument with Mr. Russo last night, she accidently cast a spell that filled the wizards lair golf tees. It took ages to get rid of them all because she couldn't find a spell to do it."

"What was she trying to do?"

Mason smiled to himself, "make me a cup of English tea, I don't know how all of that ended up happening, but Mr. Russo didn't see the funny side of it. Anyway, then he ended up having a go at her over how she still isn't being responsible with magic and that she isn't taking being the family wizard serious enough. Even after everything that happened in Italy, so she got really upset and claimed that he keeps comparing her to Justin and said she wasn't coming tonight."

"So why is she here?"

"Her mum made her, Alex and Mr. Russo haven't spoken all day. Which is why she'd rather be out here than in there." He gestured to the castle behind him, full of life and energy.

Harper turned to look back at Alex who was now stood on the decking, she dithered in her navy-blue dress, her long train flowing softly as the cold wind hit her exposed limbs and face. Mason took off his suit jacket before walking over to Alex and draping it over her bare shoulders, moving her long dark locks out of the way in the process.

"Thank you," she whispered to him as she buried herself into his arms, "I love you…"

"I love you too darling, now come on let's get you inside it's freezing." He carefully guided her towards the castle as Harper watched on. Step by step Alex stumbled back up the drawbridge with her head constantly resting on Mason's shoulder.

Harper hesitated nervously as she watched Alex sway and stagger back to the castle, she held her hand to her mouth and bit her nails tensely until she yelled, "what will you do with her?"

"I'll take her to an empty classroom!" Mason yelled back, "don't tell anyone, especially Mr. and Mrs. Russo!"

Harper gave a tired sigh as she uncomfortably watched the young couple disappear into the crowds, Alex swaying along as Mason held her tightly in his embrace. Slowly Harper trudged on after them into the castle, a pang of guilt hit her when she spotted Mason quickly hurry Alex down a dark hallway as Justin emerged through the crowd.

"Harper!" He awkwardly jogged over to her, wiggling his arms frantically as he bobbed along, "where's Alex?"

Harper gulped nervously, she hated lying, "I'm… I'm really not sure, haven't you seen Mason around?"

"He was with Max a moment ago, I think he's gone to look for Alex as well. It's the speeches soon and the headmaster's family have to sit at the top table."

"Top table? Like a table in front of everybody here?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Crap…" Harper muttered.

Justin eyed her suspiciously, "Harper what's going on? Where is she?"

"You're not going to like this…"

"Why? What has she done?"

"More like what has she drank," Harper tittered nervously as Justin rolled his eyes.

"She's hammered isn't she…"

"Totally wasted, Mason's took her somewhere to sober up."

"We need to find them, Mom and Dad will freak if they see her like this."

"Alright, well Mason said he was taking her to an empty classroom so that narrows it down."

"Harper, there's over one-hundred classes in here! I hardly call that narrowing it down."

Harper felt a heavy weight build on to her chest, "I'm sorry," she winced, "I should have stopped her-"

"It's fine. It's Alex, we all know what she can be like. Besides, she'll learn her lesson in the morning when she wakes up with another hangover."

"That's never stopped her before," Harper scoffed.

"True…"

Justin peered through the hordes of Wizards, amongst the crowd he spotted his parents dancing like puppets on strings. Sweat dripped down his father's face and soon enough he stumbled off of the dance floor and made a bee line for the bar, resting against the counter he searched frantically for a napkin before swiping it from under a stranger's drink and dabbing it around his face whilst his wife continued to dance. She twirled and danced in her dress like her hips were made to sway, the sequins on the black ball gown catching the disco ball light that twirls above - launching every shade of the rainbow into the darkness.

"Quick let's go look for them while my parents are distracted. You look in the east wing and I'll look in the west wing," Justin ordered, "hopefully they won't have gone far."

They both frantically headed into the school and down the hallway, Harper brushed up against the endless gatherings of students and guests and often found herself knocked into the cold stone walls. The stones varied in sizes and shapes, each one completely individual, they felt rough against her exposed arms and Harper winced as one grazed her elbow. She turned to Justin, anger radiated off of his face, his body movements were tighter and his silences longer. Harper chose not to make conversation and instead stick to the task ahead of them, "we better split," Justin mumbled, "before she gets herself in to any tro-"

He was interrupted by a wrenching noise coming from the opposite end of the hallway, Justin turned to Harper who immediately led the way. They raced together up the hallway, past the masses of party goers travelling around the school only to find Alex hunched over and hugging a plant pot with Mason tentatively massaging her back and holding back her hair.

"Oh Alex…" Harper approached her friend and knelt down beside her, she stroked her arm as she continued to projectile vomit into the plant. "We need to move her before someone sees."

"I've tried but she's completely out of it, she can only take a few steps before she has to be sick again. She won't even let me carry her."

Harper turned to Justin, "what are we gonna do?"

Dithering with nerves, Justin stuttered his words. He could feel Harper and Mason's eyes burn into him as they waited for an answer while Alex continued to barf into the plant pot. "We're going to have to tell Mom and Dad…"

The look of annoyance emitting off Harper and Mason's face instantly made Justin regret that idea.

"We can't do that!" Mason insisted still holding on to Alex's hair, "that'll just cause another argument with Mr. Russo."

"Well what else can we do?" Justin groaned, "she can't stay here!"

"When she stops being sick I'll take her outside," Mason began hastily, "then you can sneak out and flash us home."

"Alright," Justin turned to Harper, "Harper all you have to do is make sure Mom and Dad don't find out. Deal?"

Harper looked down at Alex, her body slumped, and she hung over the clay pot with her head nearly drooping into the soil. Through the thick strands of hair that had escaped Mason's grip Harper could see Alex repeatedly trying to glance up to her, her eyes were out of focus and glazed over. But to Harper they seemed softer, a sadness had overtaken them, and Harper could see that the brightness had gone and instead all she could see in Alex was despair.

"I don't know… Maybe we should tell them?"

"No Mason's right, we can't! Please Harper?"

Justin clasped her hand in his, she could feel him tremble with nerves. She had forgotten how big this night was for him, of course he didn't want Alex to screw it up for him. Sighing in defeat she sluggishly nodded her head, "fine," she whispered. Immediately Justin's desperate eyes lit up in delight and he pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you Harper, thank you, thank you! Okay I need to get back to the party but I'll meet you near the lake in about fifteen minutes?"

As soon as Mason nodded in agreement Justin was gone, forcing his way through the crowd towards members of the Wizard Council and other Wiz-Tech officials. "Are you really okay with this?" Harper turned to Mason who shrugged his shoulders.

"Anything to keep her out of trouble. We're moving in together in a few weeks, I don't want her to leave on bad terms with Mr. Russo we both know how stubborn they can both be."

Harper watched on as Mason scooped Alex up off the floor and attempted to walk her out of the hallway, her legs wobbled and gave way under her weight but luckily Mason was on hand to catch her. Carefully, he guided her through the crowd and out of her parents sight with Harper in tow watching on in fear as Alex swayed and stumbled out of the castle.

"Hey Harper!" A voice called from behind, she turned to see Max bounding towards her excitedly. "They're bringing out the pudding! It's pecan pie and I know you don't like it so I figured I could-" He paused as his face contorted in concern, "hey, what's up with Alex?"

"She's wasted…" She whispered, "Justin's gonna sneak out and flash her home."

"Should I get my parents? She doesn't look too good…"

"Justin and Mason said not to, but I'm really worried about her. I'm supposed to be the one making sure that your mom and dad don't find out."

Max gestured to Alex who was keeled over and vomiting into a bush just off the deck with Mason still behind her trying to give her some comfort, "it's your call," Max shrugged.

"Fine, go get your mom. But not your dad, I know he's already pissed off with her."

Max nodded in agreement and headed off into the crowd, Harper headed towards Alex and Mason with the feeling of dread building within her. When it came to dealing with Alex fear and anxiety became more of a background noise, it was always going to be there, and Harper had to deal with that. Alex was so unpredictable, but this was different. Harper didn't want to hurt her friend, but she had to do what was right.

When Harper reached the young couple Alex had only just managed to regain her posture, wiping her mouth on her arm she leant back into Mason's embrace. Harper could see that Mason was whispering something to her, probably something sweet and romantic, whatever it was a dopey smile crossed Alex's face and she seemed more relaxed. Harper couldn't help but feel a hint of jealousy when she was around them at times, she wish she had something like that…

"Are you okay Alex?" Harper walked up to her friend and held her hand, she squeezed it and gave a reassuring smile which Alex quickly returned.

"Yeah, I need to go home," she slurred slumping back into Mason's arms.

For a moment Harper felt at ease until a bellowing voice from behind made her stomach drop in dread, "Alexandra Margarita Russo!" Harper hesitantly turned only to see Mr. and Mrs. Russo behind her with a sheepish looking Max. They both seethed in anger as they stormed over to their daughter who seemed oblivious to what was happening. "You're drunk! And on your brothers special night!"

"What are they doing here?" Mason hissed at Harper.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Max and I were really worried about her."

"This has just made everything worse!"

"Alex, I'm so sorry…"

Alex didn't respond, instead she rolled her eyes and gave in to her defeat. Jerry approached his daughter and shook his head in shame, "Alex Russo what are we going to do with you?"

"Tell me I'm irresponsible and that I should be more like Justin, like you always do."

"Because you are and you should be. You just never learn do you, the world nearly ended when we went to Italy last year and that was the first and only time I've seen you take responsibility for your actions, I thought that would have changed you."

"Daddy, I'll never change…"

Jerry clenched his jaw, shaking his head in disappointment he turned to his wife, "I give up. I'm done with her."

"Oh, Jerry don't be like that!" She pleaded pulling him by the arm, "we'll send her home, and we can still enjoy tonight."

"How can we enjoy ourselves knowing what state she's gotten herself into? Who knows what else she might get up to." He turned back to Alex who had freed herself from Mason's grip, "all I can say is poor Justin."

"Poor Justin, poor Justin," she mocked, "like he gives a shit about me."

"Alex don't say that!" scolded Harper.

"And don't get me started on you…"

"Me?"

"This is your fault! We said don't tell them, what are you deaf or something?"

Harper felt anger race through her, she got in Alex's face, forcing them both to stand on the damp decking, and sneered, "why do I care about you? Half the time your horrible and your dad's right, all you do is cause trouble. You're nothing but a screw up!"

Alex glared at Harper, "drop dead…"

A large creaking erupted through the decking, the two girls both felt a subtle movement beneath them. They looked at each other in confusion before a deafening scream filled the air as Harper felt her body drop. Both her and Alex became submerged in the freezing water, Harper reached out for her friend. It was so dark, she could barely find her, the water stung their eyes and their nostrils filled with water but Alex did manage to stretch her arm out to Harper and take hold of her hand. Harper bobbed back up above the water along with Alex, all that could be heard were the screams coming from Mrs. Russo and the others shouting for help.

The last thing Harper saw was Justin running out of the school and Mason diving in the lake before the two girls were both swept back under the water.