Chapter 10
*BEEP-BEEP… BEEP-BEEP*
Frowning, Alex pulled out his mobile and glanced at the caller before suddenly paling, his eyes widening as he swallowed thickly.
He looked back up, "I'm sorry, I've got to take this".
Remus nodded, and he stood up, walking over to the stairs and into the hall above, flipping open the phone as he went, "Rider".
"Where the hell are you?"
Alex sighed, walking down the hall only to stop at the front-door.
He should have expected this.
"I've got new living arrangements".
"I noticed. Why did you leave Knockturn Alley?"
"... Have you been following me?" He suddenly asked, and she immediately went on the defence, "What? No! Of course I haven't!"
"Jones" Alex warned, and she paused, "... I've had a few agents on you for the past week. I was... Mildly concerned about your wellbeing. Now where are you?!"
That explained the three suspicious looking wizards tailing him, then.
Alex sighed, "Jones, calm down. I'm safe, alright? I'm okay".
"Yes, well, you'd be safer here!" She retorted, and I glared at the wall opposite, "With you, you mean? At the bank?"
"Exactly".
"Well then, sorry to ruin your perfect safe haven, but in case you don't remember, that's where I got shot".
"Alex-"
"And also kidnapped".
"Alex".
"And I believe stabbed a few months ago".
"ALRIGHT!" Jones snapped, "You've made your point... Will you come in?"
"For what?"
"For a... friendly chat".
"You don't know the meaning of the word".
"Alex-"
"I'll be there soon" He cut off, snapping the phone shut before she could reply.
"Did you fire them?"
"What the-" Jones froze as she spun around, seeing Alex casually splayed out across her office couch.
"How the hell did you get in here?!"
He raised an eyebrow at her and she paused, "… Yea, on second thoughts, don't answer that".
Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart and compose herself, she walked over to her desk, picking up a peppermint as she sat down.
Alex waiting until the rustling of paper had stopped before repeating his earlier question.
"Did you fire them?"
"Who?"
"The three men you had following me. They did lose me, after all".
"… No. No, I didn't fire them. I thought it was only-" She abruptly stopped and snapped her head up, "... Three? The three men? I never told you how many I'd sent out".
"I know" the Blonde replied, "I saw them".
She narrowed her eyes, "Perhaps I'll reconsider on not firing them then. Not only did they lose their mark, but now they let their cover get blown as well?"
"Without even realising it" Alex finished, sitting up properly on the couch to face her.
She sighed, "They don't make them like they used to, anymore. The new recruits these days are just a bunch of impulsive cowards".
"You mean they're not like me".
Mrs Jones stared at him for a minute before looking down at her hands, both clasped tightly on her desk, "As much as I hate to say it, Alex… You were by far the best agent we ever had, and if I could go back in time to when we first met, I'd do the same thing all over again".
His gaze hardened, "Even Cairo?"
Regret panged loudly in her heart, "Even Cairo".
The 17-year-old abruptly stood up, "Goodbye Jones".
And as he marched towards the door she found herself rising in her seat as well, "Believe me, Alex. What happened to you in Egypt is not something I'd wish on even my worse enemies, and I have a lot of enemies… But it made you the person you are today. A wizard… Would you honestly give that back, give magic back, just to forget what happened?"
He stilled, hand on the doorknob.
"… Just because there was one useful outcome, Jones, doesn't it make everything alright".
"I know it doesn't. And you know that I can never apologise enough for what happened… but I think this 'one useful outcome' is actually going to do you some good. Word on the street is that you've moved in with Harry Potter".
"And?"
"And is it true?"
He paused, debating on whether or not to tell her, "... It is".
"I saw the Daily Prophet article" She replied, "About you and Potter duelling those Death Eaters... You've made quite a name for yourself in the wizarding world".
He sighed and collapsed back down on the couch, "... Skeeter's calling me the next Dark Lord".
"They realise how much power you have".
"They fear me" He corrected, "... I wanted to lay-low, Jones".
"Then why did you fight back?" She asked, still sucking on her peppermint.
He glared at her, "Well what did you want me to do? Just sit back? Watch that stupid boy with a hero-complex get himself killed?!"
The corner of her mouth twitched upwards, "He's not the only one with a hero-complex, you know".
He stared at her for a minute before huffing out a laugh and relaxing once more, "... The entire wizarding world will have read the Prophet's article by now".
"I believe they have".
"So they all know name... They all think I'm more powerful than Lord Voldemort ever was".
"You are".
He angrily ran a hand through his hair, "I know I am! I just... I didn't..."
"You didn't want them to know that" Jones finished softly, and he nodded, "Yea... I just thought that... that maybe... maybe I could have a somewhat normal life. One filled with magic and dragons and unicorns, and did you know that unicorns actually exist? Because apparently, they do, and sure it wouldn't have been a normal normal life, but it would have been... calm. Almost boring... It would have been perfect".
"But instead you defeat seven Death Eaters with a flick of your flick, publicity tell the wizarding equivalent of the Queen of England to fuck off, and catch the eye of the most famous man in the wizarding world".
Alex laughed once more, albeit reluctantly, "Yea, yea, that... that, ah... that pretty much sums things up".
"So, how's your normal life with none-other-than-Harry-Potter going?"
"It's... different. I met his two godfathers" He replied, "Sirius is a complete flirt. Good fun, though. And Remus... Remus Lupin seems to know a hell of a lot more than he should when it comes to me. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
"Possibly".
"And how much did you tell him?"
"Nothing too detailed" She reassured him, "Just that you were a teenage spy... The rough number of missions you went on... Your interactions with the various intelligence agencies around the globe... Everything I said was kept very vague".
"Okay... Well, I better get back or they'll start wondering" Alex said, standing up, and she nodded, "Alright... And, Alex?"
He glanced back at her, "Yes Tulip?"
"I'm... happy... for you" She replied slowly, "I'm happy that you're staying with Harry Potter".
He frowned, "Why?"
She gave a small, rare, beautiful smile, "Because if there's anyone is this world, both magical and muggle alike, that could ever possibly understand what you went through? I believe it's him".