It had been a couple of days since Harry asked Sirius about Alexandra. He hadn't brought it up again. He could tell it was hard for his godfather to talk about.
So Harry was never really sure what possessed him to walk into Sirius's room that night, stand in the doorway, and ask, "What was she like?"
Sirius smiled halfheartedly. He didn't have to ask who Harry was talking about. "She was amazing. She was beautiful, smart, talented. She had long, frizzy black hair and green eyes. She was really short." He chuckled, that same distant look in his eyes.
"She always knew when someone was upset, even if their best friend couldn't even tell. And she knew what to say. She didn't put up with self-pity though. She was always telling people to get back on their feet."
He sighed. "And she could cast spells like no other. She would even give Hermione a good run for her money. She couldn't stand your mother when they first met. They were always competing to be top of the class, and it drove Lily insane, because Alexa never even studied."
Harry laughed. "Did they become friends?"
Sirius nodded. "The best of friends. You couldn't separate them for all the money in the world."
"What happened to her?"
"She's gone," he said simply.
"Did she die?" Harry asked.
"She's gone," he repeated, and Harry knew he wasn't going to talk about it any more.