I'm not really big on dedicating chapters to people but this time I'll make an exception. Luna the HP fan, this chapter, and more specifically the Marietta scene, are in dedication to you! Hopefully that's a good thing!
Enjoy!
Chapter 13: Quidditch and Stargazing
Harry had practically dragged Alexis to the hospital wing when she had revealed her plan to him. He couldn't understand how she could possibly see it as a good idea to talk to Snape of all people even if he did know something about Alexis's past.
"You're mad," he said as the two walked towards the Defense classroom. "Absolutely mad."
"Shut up," Alexis snapped, playfully pushing Harry as they walked. "I need to know, alright? It's driving me crazy!"
Harry mumbled something on the lines of "you already are crazy," earning him a very loving love tap from Alexis. The two best friends reached the Defense classroom laughing only to stop doing so when they were greeted by none other then Snape himself.
"Cutting it close, aren't you Potter?" he hissed, giving them both a rather harsh look. He then turned his attention fully to Alexis. "And what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class, McPherson?"
"I just got out of History of Magic," replied Alexis. "And I don't have another class until this afternoon."
"Yes, I will be teaching your class as well, seeing that Professor Lupin is to ill to do so," snapped Snape, spewing Remus's name as if it were poison. "Your Defense teacher seems to be incompetent as he has not left a lesson plan for any of his classes today."
"We're working on counterjinxes," said Alexis quickly. She had made sure to cut off Harry's question on where Remus was, knowing full well Snape was looking for ways to reveal Remus's 'furry secret'. Snape had practically told her when he had her help him make Remus's Wolfsbane when he could have had a teacher help him instead.
No, Alexis knew Snape had wanted her to know. He had probably expected her to tell everyone.
'Sorry to disappoint,' Alexis thought to herself, 'but I haven't even told Harry.'
Almost as if he had read her thoughts, Snape narrowed his eyes at her before turning to Harry once more.
"Inside, Potter," he ordered in his smooth but menacing voice. Leaving Alexis at the door, she just heard Snape shout, "Werewolves will be our topic today. Turn to page 394," before the door closed in her face.
Alexis couldn't help but feeling like a certain bushy haired Gryffindor was about to find out Remus's secret.
.
When Saturday's game finally arrived, Alexis could feel the tension in the air. The whole locker room was silent waiting for Wood's usual pre-game speech but it never came. Instead they all sat there awkwardly, waiting for McGonagall to call them out into the massive storm they were expected to play in.
"Oh, come on!" snapped Alexis, having grown anxious from all the silence. She jumped to her feet and shook Wood as if to snap him from his stupor. "It's just rain, Oliver! Rain! We can play in rain, hell, we've trained in worse!"
"Yeah," said Oliver silently but not very believably.
"Plus, we've got amazing Beaters," Alexis added.
Wood tilted his head in slight agreement. "Yeah."
"Killer Chasers."
"Yeah," Wood said almost loud enough not to sound depressed.
"A kickbutt Seeker."
"Yeah," he said, a smile twitching on Wood's lips.
"And the greatest Keeper in Hogwarts' history!"
Wood let his lips turn up into a smile.
"So are you going to wake up and be the Oliver Wood we know and love?"
Oliver jumped to his feet, bouncing with newly found mirth. There was fire in his eyes again, fire that could only belong to their Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.
"Yeah!" he shouted and the six other Gryffindors applauded him. "Alright men-"
"-and women," added Angelina Johnson.
"-The weather maybe bad but we're Gryffindors!" Wood continued. "We're brave and courageous and are going to show those Hufflepuffs how real Quidditch players play or die trying!"
Six equally loud roars filled the locker room in agreement with Wood before marching out into the cold, harsh wind. Their determination didn't waiver even as lightning struck across the sky above them though Harry seemed to be having trouble walking straight because of his glasses.
Alexis didn't hear Madam Hooch blow the whistle but she kicked off on her broom when the Quaffle was thrown into the air. She took off with amazing speed towards the goals at the end of the field, being blown off course slightly by the strong wind. Her shot was a little wild but still went in leading to a roar from the crowd- or at least Alexis thought it was from the crowd though it could have very likely had been the lightning.
Only twenty minutes later both teams were soaked to the bone with rain. The sky had darkened considerably and the only moments when Alexis could clearly make out the game going on in front of her was when lightning flew across the sky. Luckily, Wood soon called a time out.
"What's the score?" asked Harry, landing ungraciously next to Alexis in the mud.
"We're eighty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."
"I've got no chance with these on," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.
At that very moment, Hermione appeared between Alexis and Harry; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.
"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"
He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"
"There!" she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!"
Wood looked as though he could have kissed her. Fred and George went as far as to lifted her into the air and spin her around.
"Brilliant!" Oliver called hoarsely after the blushing Hermione as she disappeared into the crowd. "Okay, team, let's go for it!"
Five brooms took off into the sky but Alexis grabbed Harry before he could take off.
"Get the Snitch quick, okay Prongs?" she said. "It's getting unbelievably cold out here."
Harry grinned at her, determination shining in his glasses.
"Whatever you say, Padfoot."
Off they went, Alexis straight for the Quaffle and Harry in search of the Snitch. Alexis had the Quaffle in her hands in a moment but suddenly a eerie silence filled the world around her. She looked to her right and nearly dropped the Quaffle with what she saw.
A hoard of Dementors was heading right at her.
"Hex!" called Harry but his voice sounded very distant. It was almost as like he was speaking through a thick, damp cloth.
"Hex!" another distant voice called, this time it belonged to Cedric.
Alexis tried to answer them but her whole body seemed to freeze. The hooded figures moved closer to her, filling her ears with sounds she never wanted to hear again.
'But I am, my dear, I am very real...'
'Last chance McPherson. Where. Is. The. Girl...'
'I'm sorry Hex...'
Alexis's grip fell from her broomstick and so did she but the voices only grew louder.
'You don't need to remember them, Alexis... Remember only me, just me...'
"Hex!"
The faint sound of Harry's voice broke through the darkness that surrounded Alexis only to be replaced by two new voices Alexis had only heard once before.
'Not Harry! Please...have mercy...have mercy...'
A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Alexis blacked out.
.
'Open your eyes, Hex,' McPherson said.
Alexis let out a groan and was about to ask for ten more minutes before remembering where she was and what had happened. Her eyes immediately snapped open. She tried to sit up but two pairs of arms pushed her down.
"Harry!" she cried in a panic.
"He's right next to you," sad Cedric who, along with Ron, had been the one to push her back down.
Alexis snapped her head faster than necessary to her right. Sure enough, Harry was sitting on the hospital wing next to hers. He was holding wooden shards in his hands.
"Is that-"
"My broom," finished Harry in a deadpan voice. "Or what's left of it."
"The Whomping Willow," started Hermione but she stopped at the look Harry had on his face.
"I've got to go, Hex," said Cedric. "I'm glad you're okay though, Merlin knows what I would have done if you had gotten yourself hurt again."
"It's not like I do it on purpose," Alexis grumbled making Cedric grin.
"You keep saying that and I keep finding it harder and harder to believe," he teased before hugging Alexis goodbye. He waved a quick goodbye to everyone else before heading out the hospital wing doors.
"So," said Ron awkwardly.
"So," said Harry still staring at his broom.
'Is my broom okay?' Alexis asked Ron, feeling like the subject wasn't one to bring up in front of Harry at the moment.
'Professor Flitwick is still looking for it,' replied Ron in only a semi-yell.
"Let's go get food," said Hermione, trying to break the silence in the air. Ron quickly agreed.
"Me and Prongs will catch up, okay, Moony?" said Alexis. She really had to talk to Harry about the Dementors attack. The last two voices in her head she had heard only once before and it had been when she had first listened into Harry's dreams their first year. That particular dream had been a rather nasty nightmare.
Unfortunately, Harry wasn't in the mood for talking. He wasn't hungry either.
"I'm going to head up to the Tower instead," said Harry grimly. "Maybe get some sleep."
"Okay," said Alexis awkwardly. Harry was never one to get depressed but she knew he absolutely loved flying. Without his broom, he felt empty beyond belief.
With a sigh, Alexis watched her best friend leave the hospital wing in a grim march before making her way to the door as well.
"Look who we have here," sneered a voice just as Alexis walked out into the Entrance Hall. She couldn't help but to lift her eyebrow at the curly reddish-blonde hair fourth year.
"Marietta, right?" Alexis said slightly confused.
The Ravenclaw let out a harsh laugh.
"Amazing, you remembered my name!" she said with false enthusiasm. "How lucky am I?"
"Pretty lucky?" Alexis asked very slowly.
"Let's cut to the chase, little girl," Marietta snapped. "Stay away from Cedric. He's Cho's not yours."
Alexis blinked.
"What?"
"Oh don't act so innocent!" Marietta barked. "I know you fell off your broom to get Cedric's attention and boy did you! Everyone was whispering when he called your name before he tried to 'save' you. I'm sure if Dumbledore hadn't sent those Dementors away he would have too and you would have had you knight in shining armor. But you should know you can't have him!"
Again Alexis blinked.
"What?"
Marietta growled at her but quickly stuck her nose in the air snobbishly.
"Fine, play dumb. But you should know, I was put into Ravenclaw for a reason and if you keep causing Cedric to break Cho's heart I'll be forced to show you why."
"Bitch please!" said Alexis before she could stop herself. "Try me."
'Hex...' warned McPherson but Alexis was way ahead of him. Deciding against going to the Great Hall for dinner, Alexis made her long trek up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower. She didn't stop until she was standing inside the third year boy's dorm.
"Prongs," she said, snapping Harry out of his depression stare at the pile of twigs in front of him. "Grab the cloak, we're going out."
.
Hours later, the two best friends were sitting on the edge of the Astronomy Tower well into the night. The bad weather had finally disappeared, revealing a perfect clutter of stars in the sky. Alexis and Harry had spent the last few hours talking about nothing but the game and the voices the two of them had heard before blacking out. Alexis had decided against telling Harry about Marietta for now.
"So you heard the woman this time too?" asked Harry quietly munching on a sugar quill.
Alexis nodded her head.
"Yes, but I think it was because I opened a connection with you when I heard your voice. I keep doing it on accident now that I know how your little brain works."
"Cool," said Harry dryly. He hadn't smiled sense before the Dementor attack and it was starting to wear Alexis's patience thin.
Suddenly an idea popped in her head.
Alexis wrapped her hands around Harry's side, grinning.
"Hex, what are you... Don't you dare."
"Smile, Prongs," said Alexis. She engaged Harry in a full fledge tickle assault.
"Stop!" cried Harry between laughs that now sound painful, "Padfoot, stop!"
Alexis, however, continued to tickle her friend mercilessly, or she would, if the trapdoor to the tower hadn't been blown off its hinges. Alexis and Harry jumped to their feet, nearly falling off the roof in the process. They had just enough time to throw the invisibility cloak over them before Remus Lupin appeared.
'What is he doing here?' thought Harry. Alexis grabbed his hand to show her surprise.
"Harry?" the professor said. "Are you alright? Where are you? Does Black have you?"
Both third years breathed a sigh of relief before realizing they would have to slip by their teacher. Quietly they moved towards the trapdoor but either Remus had heard them or he knew about the cloak because he pointed his wand directly at them.
"Come out now," he ordered. Alexis and Harry didn't hesitate to listen.
Remus looked at them baffled. Alexis and Harry bowed their heads ready for him to start yelling.
"What are you two doing out of bed?" he finally asked in a surprisingly calm voice.
"Stargazing?" said Harry, not sure if it would help, "sir."
Now Remus raised a eyebrow, "Together?"
"What?" said Alexis, instantly figuring out what Remus thought. "No, not like that! We're best friends and Harry was out of it because of the match and his broom so I mentioned stargazing to clear his head. We were stargazing separately, not 'together'."
Even though Remus Lupin was quite amused with how red both of his students' faces had gotten, he continued, "Why was Harry yelling for someone to stop?"
Alexis covered her face.
'This is so embarrassing!' she thought and McPherson's laughter filled her head. 'Glad you find this amusing, Tom.'
"I'm waiting," said Remus. Alexis didn't even bother suppressing her groan.
"This one is all yours, Prongs," she said, adding emphasis on the name Prongs. Neither her nor Harry caught Remus's eyes widen, they were to busy staring at their feet.
"Hex, um, Alexis was, uh..." Harry mumbled, quite embarrassed. He looked at Alexis for help.
"I said it was your turn," she hissed.
"Before the sun rises, Harry," said Remus, very amused.
"I was trying to... tryingtogethertostopticklingme."
Remus blinked.
"What?"
"He was trying to get me to stop tickling him," huffed Alexis, clearly not happy she had to tell her professor what was going on. "Harry wouldn't smile so I decided to tickle him."
Remus blinked again, the corner of his lips twitching as his two students turned three shades darker.
"Can we go, professor?"
Shaking his head, Remus gave the two friends a quick look over.
"You said the name Prongs earlier," he said. "Who told you that name?"
If he had found it difficult to get answers about Harry crying out, it was almost down right impossible to get them to tell him where they heard the name Prongs from. Finally, Remus went to his last resort.
"Tell me, or your getting a month's worth of detention for being out of bed with a mass murderer on the loose."
"We-"
"Harry!" exclaimed Alexis.
"What? Look, Hex, it's not worth a month's worth of detention. He might be able to tell us something about it anyway."
"Fine," scoffed Alexis. "We weren't told the name by anyone, we found it on a Marauder note-passer last year. We found out that the Marauders were a group of troublemakers a few years ago and that they were surprisingly a lot like us. Well, sorta. The Marauders seemed to go looking for trouble, we just happened across it."
"We- me, Hex, Ron, and Hermione- adopted their names as nicknames," continued Harry. "I'm Prongs. Hex found it fitting because he seemed to get caught in the most trouble like me."
This time Alexis and Harry saw Remus's eyes widen, they, however, found it best not to say anything about it.
"And you," whispered Remus, "what is your name?"
Alexis, far more reluctant then Harry, answered, "Padfoot. I'm Padfoot, 'cause I get into just as much trouble but don't get caught as much. That, and Prongs here can't do anything without me holding his hand."
"Hey!"
Alexis bit her lip so she wouldn't laugh. Remus seemed to find it just as amusing but quickly changed his face to a frown.
"Yes, well," he said clearing his throat, "get back to your Common Room this instant."
And it wasn't until Alexis and Harry got there did Alexis realize Remus seemed to have known who the Marauders were before they told him.
Sorry that took so long, I didn't have my iPad for a few days so I didn't have anytime to work on it this weekend. I feel like the chapter goes really fast and could have been better but my head is killing me and in think I screwed it up again thanks to it being fragile on account of my concussion. Sorry for the delay once again!
mwinter1: here you go!
Toolaxytologon: Now where would the fun be in telling you that? I will admit that the death of Sirius Black and Snape are the only two book scenes that have actual led me to not only wailing like a baby but also the throwing of the books (and several other objects). Glad you enjoy the series!
phoenixfelicis07: Your Siriusness questions shall hopefully be explained in chapters to come! I hope you'll tell me your theory on the "very dramatic change" soon though I can't promise you that Sirius is on dry land in books to come he will not die yet (or might not die at all you won't know until it happens :D) As for why Snape wasn't present in Azkaban when Alexis's fate was being decided, well even if he was/is her father only those Fudge sought consul with were there. Being Dumbledore's Man through and through could also lead him to having to do things he didn't want to if it kept people from knowing he loved a Muggleborn ('doing' being the key word... Wow, bad joke, really bad joke)
Luna the HP fan: Oh, I want to tell you about Swine so bad but it would ruin my plans for him! I'm glad you noticed Alexis's thing for animals is similar to Hagrid's (that will be important later on down the road). I really hope you like the hospital seen too, you are an inspiration!
ThatAwkwardRandomness: *clap... clap... clap...* child, you have a way with making people feel good about themselves. Glad you like the series and hopefully you liked this chapter as well.