Mary had done her best to explain everything to the girls. She only knew the vague details to start, but it seemed Alice had not confided in anyone else about her...relationship with Everett and how far it had gone.

"How many times?" Emmeline gasped.

They had all gone to Lily's room - so as not to disrupt Alice while she slept - and sat around her bed like a couple of children eager to hear a bedtime story.

"I'm not sure…"

"When did this happen?"

"She told me about the kiss a few weeks ago-"

"But the shag?" Lily clarified. "When did that happen?"

"She never told me about that-"

"Everett Jenkins," Marlene grumbled with judgment. "He's prat, you know. Always playing dirty tricks on the Quidditch pitch…"

"How did he find out?" Lily asked.

"Alice said that Peeves told him?" Mary still couldn't wrap her head around that one.

"Peeves?" They shared looks of confusion, Mary shrugged her shoulders.

"All I know is what she managed to blubber out between tears - Frank knows, Peeves told him and the rest is a bloody mess."

"Sounded to me like he dumped her," Emmeline shrugged.

"Well, I'm sure he was furious but we won't know for sure until they've both had some time to simmer down."

"I feel like I need time to simmer down," Emmeline yawned. "Alice and Frank are the last two I expected to see crumble."

"Grief makes you do stupid things," came Lily, ever the voice of reason. "I'm sure she feels awful. She needs us now more than ever."

"I don't think it's us she needs right now."

"We'll ask the boys in the morning how Frank seems to be doing but nothing can be done till then," Mary sighed, exhausted by the evening's events. It was nearly three in the morning and she was aching for bed.

"We should get some sleep," Lily agreed. "I have a feeling that tomorrow will be an exhausting one."

"When is it not in this castle?" Emmeline proclaimed dramatically. " Witch's Weekly should be writing a daily column on our drama!"

"Be careful what you wish for," Mary scoffed, the girls all agreeing to part for bed in hopes of a calmer climate in the morning.


James had slept in, not rising until late morning, his curtains blocking out the day's light. Of course, not even a closed-door could keep out his friends, who knocked twice upon his door before barging right in.

All three wore their hangovers differently: Remus' eyes were droopy and he curled up quite comfortably in the red armchair James had in the corner, Peter looked queasy (he always puked after a night of drinking) and Sirius was still in his pyjamas. James didn't bother getting up, he stayed cosy under the covers - drawn up to his chin - Peter and Sirius settling on the bed beside him. Despite their dishevelled state, there was a buzz in the air...something they knew, which James was utterly clueless to.

"What?" he asked the question before anyone had said a word. It was Peter he turned to first - the weakest link - and waited for him to spill the beans. He cracked rather quickly.

"You'll never believe what happened."

" Guys ," came Remus with his moral judgment - "I don't think it's something we should be gossiping about with pleasure ."

"Oh come on Moony, don't act like you didn't think it was juicy news when you heard it this morning," Sirius chided him. "It's positively shocking ."

"Spill it," James hated to be excluded...

"Alice cheated on Frank," it was Sirius who blurted it out.

"No - way," James couldn't believe it. "They've just gotten engaged-"

"This comes from the source." Sirius assured him. "Frank was in a right state when we got in last night but it wasn't until this morning that Fabian told us the whole story."

"How does he know?"

"He heard them - in the hall outside the dorms. Alice was sobbing hysterically, begging for Frank to come out and speak to her."

"Meaning anyone in their rooms last night probably heard it too?"

"Probably."

"Merlin…"

"Fabian said he heard Frank ask whether she'd done it since their engagement and she said yes," Peter added.

"I've never seen Longbottom like that…" Sirius confessed. "Not ever. Even you must agree Moony?"

"He wasn't happy, that's for sure."

"Who would've thought?"

James could have never guessed it. Frank and Alice had been together for years, they'd felt like a couple from the time they were eleven years old. It seemed impossible that there might exist a world where they didn't end up with each other.

"It makes sense though, don't you think? She's been...different."

"Different?"

"Yeah," Sirius shrugged. "Since...well, since her mother died, she hasn't seemed as committed to Frank as she did before."

"I mean, her mother was murdered?" Remus reminded him.

"I agree - she never wears the engagement ring," pipped in Peter.

"She was wearing it at the party," Remus protested.

"It's true, Lily says it as well - Alice's heart isn't in it anymore. She doesn't want this engagement."

"Maybe the problem is that they don't know what they even want anymore," Sirius suggested. "They've only ever been with each other."

"Maybe it's not the end."

"Well, he did tell Fabian he never wanted to speak to her again," Peter noted.

Once again, James' door was opened without a knock, this time a petite, redhead in an oversized cable-knit sweater presented herself.

"Ah, just the woman we need," Sirius smirked. "Lily, is it true?"

"What?" Lily's face fell.

"That Alice and Frank are no more?"

"How do you even know about that?"

"They fought outside our dorm room."

"Really?" Lily's eyes filled with dread.

"Come here," James said, his body aching too much from his hangover to rise himself. Lily came around to his side and sat down, the pair sharing a quick peck.

"I don't know whether they've broken up," she confessed. "Alice hasn't gotten out of bed yet."

"How was she last night?"

"Heartbroken." Lily did not share Sirius or Peter's enthusiasm for the gossip and James knew why. They'd both committed similar betrayals against partners who had trusted them. How could either of them judge Alice for her mistake?

"Do you know who it was?" Peter asked, eyes widening with wonder.

"Everett Jenkins," Lily mumbled beneath her breath. The entire room gasped.

"That git?" came Sirius. "He's a shit on the Quidditch Pitch and they never call foul on him."

"This information is strictly confidential," Lily reminded the four of them.

"Trust me, I am not going to give Everett Jenkins the ego boost," Sirius assured her.

"We should go," Remus cleared his throat, perhaps the only one in the room to notice James and Lily's lingering stares. They hadn't been alone since their time in the classroom the night before and James was desperate to have his girlfriend to himself again.

The boys filed out, closing the door behind themselves, Sirius giving the pair a final roll of his eyes before disappearing into the hall. Once they were alone Lily stretched out, cuddling into James' side.

"What a night," came her muffled voice after a few moments of silence between them. James coiled his fingers in her long red hair.

"Is it wrong for me to feel so happy?"

"Not any worse than it is that I feel the same." She looked up, her lips turned into a smile, and wiggled up to plant a kiss on James' lips.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."


Frank had thought it wise to get out of the castle as early as possible. First, to avoid any question about how he was feeling after last night and also, in case Alice came looking to have a conversation. He was ready for neither. Instead, he bundled up and went down to the empty Quidditch pitch, sitting in the bleachers alone. The silence was peaceful, nothing but a strong wind to fill the void.

He knew he couldn't go back until he was ready to face the truth. The undeniable fact that the relationship he had thought himself to be in was quite different from the one he found himself in now. Frank had meant it when he'd proposed - he wanted a lifetime with Alice - but that was before he had known how terribly she could betray him...

He'd been naive, truthfully, to believe a relationship formed out of childhood affection might be able to last. His parents had done it, or so his mother liked to proclaim, but that had been decades ago. Things were different then. He was a fool, Alice had made that clear, and an idiot to have believed things could ever work out happily.

Frank didn't know how long he had been sitting there, thinking, when he heard the bleachers creaking and looked down to see a small figure, tightly bundled up in a dark coat, approaching. He knew who it was before he saw her face.

"How'd you know I'd be here?"

"It's the only place you could go if you were looking for...guidance," Alice said to him, her voice hoarse - perhaps from all the crying, she'd done the night before. She was right of course, even if Frank hated her for it at the moment. His father had died on a Quidditch pitch years ago and still, Frank felt if he were to hope hard enough he might connect with him one of these days. He hadn't yet. Of course, he hadn't - his father had barely known him and he hadn't one memory of the man. Nothing that his mother hadn't told him.

"Can we talk?"

"We have to I suppose," he sighed. Talking was the last thing Frank felt like doing. Fighting, running, screaming at the top of his lungs - any seemed a better option.

Alice settled awkwardly on the bench beside him. "I'm sorry," she started, voice trembling with emotion. "I wasn't fair to you last night. I...panicked."

Frank couldn't look at her, he could barely think. Nothing made sense. His whole life had been mapped out before him just twenty-four hours ago. He'd had a plan, one that included Alice. Suddenly, none of it felt plausible. Frank loved her, it was the most real and most ardently felt thing in his life… until now.

"I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect I'll ever forgive myself. I know what I did was selfish and wrong...I can't make any excuses for it." Frank could hear her snuffling back tears and his anger evaporated like smoke from a cauldron. "I understand...if this is it…"

"Alice," he lost his resolve and turned to face her. Her cheeks were wet with tears, her eyes swollen and red. He wanted so badly to reach for her, to offer his comfort, but he had nothing left to give. "I'm sorry." He hadn't expected to be the one apologizing.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Alice snuffled. "I ruined this. I wish I could give you a good reason why because at the very least I owe you that. I suppose after everything this summer I wanted my life to fall apart. After mum was killed and everything just seemed so dark I…" her voice broke and her head fell into her hands. "It's no excuse," she sobbed.

"I wish that I was stronger," Frank confessed, his own throat closing up with the onslaught of tears. "I wish that I could get past this, that I could believe there was a way to fix this…" how could they? She'd lied to him for Merlin knew how long and shagged the one guy she had promised she would stay away from. Frank couldn't trust her and if he couldn't trust her their relationship was dead.

"You're the strongest person I know," Alice said, looking up from her hands with bleary brown eyes. Frank wanted to draw her face to his and kiss her. He wanted to wipe the tears from her cheeks and hold her to his chest until her crying soothed. Then he would think of Everett - of his smug little face as he claimed what was Frank's, his girl, his fiancée.

"Here, you should have this back." Alice was fiddling with her hands and Frank realized she had pulled free the engagement ring he'd given to her. "I don't feel right keeping it."

It's yours , he wanted to tell her, it'll always be yours. Who else could ever wear it? He couldn't picture proposing to another woman, nor marrying anyone but Alice. Frank felt as though his whole world had been flipped on its head and he was scrambling - struggling - to pick up the pieces.

"Thanks," Frank mumbled and he opened his hand to accept the token, the same ring his father had given to his mother on a Quidditch pitch after one of his best games many moons ago. As Alice dropped the ring into the palm of his hand, Frank reached instinctively for her. He grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly for a second, memorizing the way it felt to be so close to her one last time.

"I do love you," Alice whispered, her voice was strained and sad. "I'll always love you."

It was over.


Sirius stood just beyond the courtyard, at the top of the hill which overlooked the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's Hut. He was smoking, and catching a break from the dramatics that had plagued the day. Alice has returned from speaking to Frank an utter mess. It was over, though none of them could quite believe it. The girls had surrounded her at once and Fabian had gone off in search of Frank, to make sure he was doing okay.

Sirius was hungover and grumpy, he had no interest in participating in the all-consuming grief of a relationship's end. He had enough to grieve in his life.

"Sirius!" He recognized the voice before he saw her coming, stepping out of the courtyard with her hands tucked into a green pea-coat and her blonde hair flying behind her. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"I needed a smoke break." His answer was dry, lacking any of the emotion he had shown at the party.

"I see that." Marlene gestured for Sirius to offer her one and he did, producing his pack of Camel Blue cigarettes from his pocket. Merlin, he was an idiot. He'd made a right mess of things the night before and it was inevitable that he was to make a mess of this conversation too. Half of him wanted to forget the night - most especially everything he'd said - the other was desperate to cling to the memory of her words. I've made my feelings clear. How could he forget that?

"I think we should talk," Marlene announced between puffs. She was nervous, that much he could tell just by the way she averted her gaze. They were always staring at one another, taunting the other, flirting. How many times has James noticed? Sirius' stomach knotted. "Look, last night, what you said, about wanting what Henry has…"

"Marlene," he couldn't let it go on. "I was drunk last night."

"I'm sorry?" any warmth had quickly drained from her face.

"Listen, I'm attracted to you, clearly, but, that doesn't mean I want anything serious between us." She was looking at him now, her blue eyes filled with fury, fists clenched by her side. It was what James wanted...and Sirius had betrayed him. He'd already lied, more times than he could count, but at the very least he would not be responsible for breaking Marlene's heart - not if she was pushed into Henry's arms instead.

"What was last night then?" Marlene demanded. The wind raged against her, as though she could control the sky.

"Words of lust exaggerated by alcohol." Sirius felt nauseous.

"Are you having a laugh?"

"No."

"Why would you say it to me then? Why would you lead me on?"

"It was a mistake," Sirius shrugged, not even looking at her. He couldn't. He was afraid to look her in the eye and know that this would be it - she would never forgive him for it. She'd hate him after this and rush into Henry's arms for good and James, he would never know about any of it…

"Look at me," she demanded. "Look - at - me."

"You were just a shag, Marlene," he finally huffed, "nothing more."

Something in her face changed, her arms crossed against her chest defensively. "One day you're going to wake up and realize that the only person who ever stood in your way, was you."


Mary found herself eating lunch alone in a half-empty Great Hall. Sunday lunches were notoriously under crowded - students were catching up on work or (in the case of many students today) recovering from hangovers. Mary was not feeling great - her stomach had been off all morning and she was drained, emotionally, from all of the Alice and Frank drama.

She'd only just left the dormitory, Alice having drifted asleep after many tears and a panic attack. She'd been distraught after returning from her conversation with Frank - in which they had decided (rather he had) that their relationship was over. Alice has returned the engagement ring she had only just begun to proudly wear. She'd sobbed to Mary that her heart would never heal, nor her conscience.

She had slept with Everett, only once, but she'd entertained his advances since August and allowed him to kiss her quite a few times. That's what Peeves had caught them doing - kissing - or so Alice had said in the midst of her breakdown

Mary was picking at a turkey sandwich, removing the tomatoes inside of it - she hated tomatoes - when Reg came up behind her.

"Hi, Mary." He had a textbook tucked under one arm and wore a smile with more confidence than Mary was used to seeing on his face.

"Care to join me?" She asked, motioning to the empty spot beside her. He did, resting his book next to his plate - Arithmancy.

"How're you doing in Professor Vector's class?" Mary asked.

"Not bad, though Arithmancy is probably one of my stronger subjects."

Her eyebrows raised. "You might be the first person to ever say that to me."

"I can help you if you're having trouble." Reg's cheeks reddened when he made the suggestion.

"That would be nice," Mary agreed. She liked Reg, as only a friend of course - he was a little too nervous for her liking - but he was sweet, a refreshing change from the boys she usually spent her time with. Less arrogant than Amos Diggory was, though more socially awkward, he seemed genuinely interested in spending time with Mary and, most importantly, he actually listened to her.

"Did you enjoy the party last night?"

It was great, yeah. Thanks for inviting me."

What're friends for?" Mary shrugged, taking a bite of her potato salad. They ate in silence for a little while and then, after awkwardly clearing his throat, Reg spoke.

"Mary, erm… not to pry but, that hypothetical friend you inquired about...was it...Alice Griffith?"

Mary's face fell. "How did you know that?"

"I went for a walk by the lake this morning, she came running up towards the castle crying. I just thought, maybe…"

"Promise me you won't tell anyone," Mary gripped his arm tightly as she spoke. It had been a mistake to even ask Reg for his advice on the matter and a terrible coincidence that the truth had come out that very night.

"I…"

"Promise," Mary repeated with urgency.

"I promise," he agreed finally. His eyes moved towards Mary's hand, still resting on his arm, though she pulled away then - taking her turn blushing.

"I would never tell," he promised her, "not anything you tell me." Mary had been made many promises in her lifetime, though few had been kept. Her father had promised to take her out to fly kites by the sea the same week that her mother had taken them far away from him. Her mother had promised to protect her, she'd failed terribly at that of course.

"You're very kind," Mary told Reg, turning to face him again - her expression much less startled. "You shouldn't make promises you don't know that you can keep though."

He frowned. "I will keep it. I'm quite good at keeping my promises."

"Are you?" Perhaps once Alice had been good at keeping promises too. Time had changed that though, and grief. Mary hoped to see Reg proved right.


Lily had been exhausted to start - with the hangover which left her nauseous and dizzy all morning - but the demise of Alice and Frank's relationship and her friend's tattered state had truly pushed her over the edge. Mary had elected herself to stay with Alice until she felt okay to be alone. When Lily had left the dorm room, Alice had been lying with her head in Mary's lap.

After a short nap, Lily wandered to James' room where she found her boyfriend beneath the covers, a book in hand. He had no shirt on and his glasses pushed up into his messy hair, it was a peaceful sight compared to the rest of her day.

"What've you got?" Lily inquired, crawling under the covers with him.

" Franny and Zooey - muggle book."

"You got that from Marlene didn't you?"

"She said it was one of her favourites."

"I bought her that book for Christmas one year," Lily smiled proudly. She rolled over and rested her head against James' chest. "Go on then," she urged him. She sometimes made him read to her when the two were alone. Bits from wizard history books or mystery novels from Lily's youth.

She appreciated just being with James, listening to the low tones of his voice, feeling the warmth which radiated off of his skin. Lily tried to remember a time she'd done something similar with Fabian. Truth be told, Lily couldn't picture her ex-boyfriend willingly reading books to her out loud, she could hardly remember seeing Fabian read a book for simple pleasure.

" She was still stroking Bloomberg, still succoring him, forcibly, into the subtle and difficult world outside warm Afghans …"

"James," Lily whispered, interrupting. He gazed down at her. "Do you think it's bad luck? The way we got together…"

"That's been bugging you all day I suppose?" He dogeared their page and placed the novel aside. "It was wrong, to betray people for our own benefit...still, I wouldn't change a thing."

"Fabian has isolated himself since the breakup, don't you think?" Lily couldn't hide her anxiety - she was terrified that she'd ruined his life. She was the reason Fabian no longer attended parties with his friends nor sat with everyone at meals. She'd hurt him, perhaps irreparably.

"That's not your fault."

"Isn't it? I'm the one who broke his heart."

"So you should never get to choose to be happy, just in case it hurts another?" James challenged her. "You never meant to hurt him, you feel terribly for it still, but why should that mean that you don't get to be happy?"

"How can I be so happy when it feels like the whole world is falling apart?"

"In my opinion, that is the perfect time to find yourself disgustingly happy." James planted a tender kiss on Lily's forehead.

"Well it's all because of you," she told him, wiggling up to meet his lips. He was smiling as they came apart. "Truly."

"I love you," he replied, lips finding hers again, " truly, madly, deeply ."


Remus stepped into the Prefects office in search of the patrols schedule. The office was accessible to all Prefects, so that they might log their patrols for the Head Boy and Girl to keep track of (though Remus doubted anyone but Lily was really getting the work done). Remus had a terrible habit of forgetting his schedule and had come, last minute, to ensure that he was not placed on Sunday evening patrols.

He was only a few feet inside when he realized that he wasn't alone. He heard a quiet snuffle from the back of the room and discovered Alice Griffith, hiding behind the desk in which important documents were kept. The curtains were drawn, the room masked in darkness, and Alice sobbed alone - sitting on the cold, hard, floor.

"You alright?"

Remus knew it was a stupid question before it even left his mouth. Last he'd heard, Mary was taking care of Alice up in their dorm room. That had been hours ago though. The sun had set since then and most students were down in the Great Hall eating dinner.

"Sorry," Alice wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I just wanted to go somewhere I might not be found…" Remus was familiar with the feeling. In fact, he knew just the place (though he couldn't disclose that truth to Alice).

"It's fine," Remus assured her. He understood the feeling well, the desperation to escape a crowd of unforgiving faces. He settled down, a little awkwardly, on the floor beside her, his bony knees drawn up towards his chest.

"I suppose you've heard."

"I might have heard something, yes." He could feel Alice trembling beside him, her arms wrapped around her legs.

"It's going to be okay, you know."

Remus could see it - the better days Alice would have in her future. He knew it would happen because he himself had been in her shoes many times before, loveless and lonely, and the darkness had faded.

"That's what everyone always says," her voice was hoarse and shaky. "When my mom died they said it to me over and over until the words were partially etched into my memory. I kept waiting, hoping, that things might feel normal again." Alice shuddered and broke into tears once more. "I don't think I'll ever feel normal again."

"I get it."

Remus understood more than Alice could know. His whole life he'd felt like an outsider. "Normal is relative, though, isn't it? Perhaps your new normal will be nothing like the one you knew before your mother's death, it might be better." It was similar to something his mother had told him once - about how change could be better. Remus' never had before but maybe, now, he was seeing the truth in her words.

"You must all think I'm a terrible person. I know Frank does."

"You're not a terrible person." She'd made a mistake, yes, but which one of them hadn't? James and Lily had gotten together in much the same way and hurt two people in the process. Besides, Remus could relate to the chaos Alice had created within her life - he too could be self-destructive. "You did a bad thing, and I think you've paid the price for it."

"I screwed up the only thing in my life that was any good."

"Alice, you're one of the brightest witches in this school. I think you are plenty good. With or without Frank." Alice's eyes welled with tears - though this time happier ones.

"Thank you, Remus."

"Anytime."