Chapter 12

Fred waited outside of the doctor's office for hours as Alex was tested, poked and prodded by various doctors specializing in memory charms. When someone finally came out to speak to him, he was pacing the hallways so nervously, the nurses on the floor had taken to bringing him hot beverages every five minutes to try and calm him.

"I have some very promising insight as to what happened." The doctor said happily. "Her memory isn't completely wiped. Whoever did this to her obviously didn't want her to lose her memory, but only to lock it extensively."

"So someone did this to her intentionally?" Fred asked.

"Oh yes, it's very clearly a spell intent on keeping her from her memories." The doctor said with a nod.

"Can you reverse it?" Fred asked hopefully.

"That's the tricky part. If we know who did it, they could very easily reverse the spell. The best we can do is tamper with the spell and attempt to unlock a portion of it. It's very complex and we don't want to damage Miss Potter's mind."

Fred nodded and pressed his lips together. "If you were to succeed, she could possibly remember who did this to her?"

The doctor nodded. "She could very well regain her memory on her own as well, but it would take some time."

Fred sighed in relief. "I'm just glad she has a chance."

Fred went back to see her the next morning after letting her rest. He was anxious to see how the procedure worked. When he came into her room she was sitting up in bed, she smiled at him when he came to her bedside.

"Fred!" She said happily.

"Alex, I'm so glad-"

She swung back her arm and punched him square in the jaw.

"BLOODY HELL! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?" He wailed, grabbing his face.

Alex glared at him and shook out her hand. "You know very well what that's for."

"I guess it's safe to say you have your memory back." He said gloomily. "You were so much nicer to me when you had no idea who I was."

She stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms. "I don't have it all back. It's like there's a fog over major parts of my life. I DO remember bits and parts though. I remember I'm angry with you."

"I can see that." Fred said, still caressing his jaw line. "Do you remember who did this, then?"

Alex frowned. "No, I haven't worked that part out yet. I remember most of that day. I was walking away from you and David, and then I woke up in the hospital. It's so strange remembering the parts now that I couldn't remember then. If you think what I did to you was harsh wait until I get my hands on David. I'm going to strangle him."

Her face was red and her fists were itching to punch something. What David had done to her was so disgusting Alex couldn't stand it. She was so spitting mad, she couldn't think straight.

"Just calm down alright, I don't want you to get all worked up." Fred said soothingly.

"I can't believe him. Tricking me into thinking I was his fiancée. He doesn't even know me!" She yelled.

"Well why did you even get together with that…thing, anyways?" Fred asked, visibly hurt.

Alex softened. "I don't know."

"You don't remember?" Fred asked.

"No, I remember. I just don't know what I saw in him. I suppose I was just lonely. Trying to fill the gaping hole in my soul that I was left with." She said, pointedly staring at Fred.

Fred narrowed his eyes. "Well you could have stuck around to talk about it."

"You didn't want me."

"I was stupid."

"Obviously." Alex sighed and pressed her lips together. After a moment she opened her mouth again. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I'm sorry that I left."

Fred nodded. "It's not like I don't get why. You were angry. I just can't believe you replaced me so quickly."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, obviously I replaced you with a healthy, functioning relationship that made complete sense."

"You know what I mean. When I saw him sizing me up that day, trying to forbid me from seeing you, I thought I had really lost you. For good."

"He didn't mean anything." She said quietly.

"I think that's what hurt the most." Fred grabbed her hand sadly. "Why couldn't we be a functional couple?"

Alex raised her eyebrows. "Where do I begin?" The corner of her mouth twitched into a smile and Fred couldn't help but laugh too.

"Alright, I get it. We were doomed from the start." Fred leaned back in his chair again. "What do we do now?"

"I have a muggle to quietly murder, but after that I'm free." Alex said with a twinkle in her eye.

"You can't be serious." Fred laughed.

Alex pursed her lips again. "I'm not going to murder him, but physically maiming him isn't out of the question."

Fred put up a finger with a smile. "I might have an idea."

It was nearly two in the morning when David heard a small knocking on the front door. He had been stirring restlessly on the couch again, and groggily opened the door.

Alex stood there in muddy clothes and wide eyes. "I'm sorry. I got lost." She said meekly.

David pulled her into the apartment and hugged her closely. "I was so worried! Everyone thought I was mad!"

He shut the door and hurried into the kitchen to make her something to eat. "What happened? Tell me everything!"

Alex sat down at the table and ran through the events in her head. "I went to the park across the street, and sat down on the bench…and then I- I disappeared." She looked up at David. He was hanging on her every word, wide eyed.

"Yes! Yes I knew it! I knew I wasn't mad!" He said excitedly.

"It went sort of like this." There was a small 'pop' and Alex disappeared right before his eyes.

David dropped the tea kettle. He looked around frantically.

Alex popped back into the chair. "Isn't that so strange?" She asked him with curious eyes.

David, shaking, slowly made his way to where Alex was sitting.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He touched her hair, and her face. "Just making sure you're really here." He sat down in a chair near her and stared at her.

"You must have been so worried. I should have listened to you." Alex said with a solemn nod of her head.

"Yes. Yes you should have." He said distractedly.

"I'm going to go to bed now love, I've had such a long day." Alex said sleepily. She snapped her fingers and disappeared again. David heard a loud 'pop' in the bedroom and ran to see Alex reappearing in the bed, as if nothing happened.

David rubbed his eyes. "Yea, I should get some sleep too." He said loudly, shaking his head. "I should lay off the drink for a while I think too."