3 Chapter 20: Godric's Reign
Sirius Black's hand was callused and boney but he seemed to be in better condition than he had been the last two times he and Alexis had met. His eyes weren't nearly as sunk in as before and his body wasn't as fragile as it had been, which unfortunately meant Alexis had a very small chance of overpowering him physically.
Alexis breathed out harshly through her nose, reminding the escaped prisoner her still had his hand over her mouth.
"If I remove my hand, you promise not to scream?" he asked in a low voice, no doubt trying not to wake anyone.
Alexis scowled at him as best she could with her mouth covered. For some reason it made Sirius Black chuckle.
"Come now Trix," he laughed softly before removing his hand. The wand, however, stayed digging into her stomach.
"It's Hex," Alexis growled angrily. "I'm not Trix."
Sirius Black nodded his head.
"No, you're not, are you?" he said softly before clearing his throat. "I need your help."
"Fuck off," Alexis growled.
The convict raised an eyebrow at her, surprised.
"Did you just tell me to fuck off?"
"Yeah, I did," sneered Alexis. "I'm not helping you. So either fuck off or kill me already you murdering freak."
Sirius's eyebrow raised higher. For some reason he seemed surprised by Alexis's words or at least by her attitude. Did she not realize he had a wand trained on her?
Alexis most definitely realized the danger she was in. The problem was, she didn't care. There was no way she was going to help someone get to Harry especially not a psychopath that was in cohorts with Dark Lord, blood or not.
"Listen to me," whispered Sirius Black harshly. "Only one needs to die to night but I need your help."
"I'm not going to help you, you-!"
Sirius Black clamped his hand over Alexis's mouth once more. Alexis struggled against him, squirming as much as she could, but the convict quickly held her still with his wand hand.
"Quit it," he ordered in a hush tone. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just need to know where the rat-"
But whatever Sirius Black was going to say was cut off as footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs leading to the boys' dormitory.
"Still awake, Hex?" teased Fred before coming into view of the Common Room.
"Having another midnight meeting with H-" George cut his words short at the sight of Sirius Black pointing his wand at the throat of a wide eyed Alexis.
Alexis counted three agonizing long seconds before Fred and George did what Fred and George do best: shoot blindly and make a lot of noise while doing so. Sirius Black never fired back. Instead he released Alexis and dove out of the Common Room. By that time several footsteps could be heard on the staircases.
"What is going on here?" shouted Percy. When he caught sight of the Common Room his scowled. It looked like a war zone. "Fred! George! Did you do this?"
"Yeah," said Fred.
"We did," said George.
"When Professor McGonagall sees this-"
"Go get her than!" barked Fred, silencing his older brother and everyone else in the room instantly. "She may want to know Sirius Black is back in the castle."
A great deal of gasps filled the room. Alexis caught sight of Harry, Hermione, and Ron all moving towards her, no doubt already safely assuming she was apart of the mayhem.
"Don't be absurd!" cried Percy over the whimpering first years. "Sirius Black didn't break into the castle-"
"HE DID TOO YOU BLIND GIT!" roared George, much to everyone's surprise. Fred was usually the louder of the two twins.
"He was right there and nearly killed Hex on your watch!" barked Fred causing more gasps.
Just then the portrait swung open and a crazed hair McGonagall entered.
"What is going on in- my word!" McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the twins. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Sirius Black attacked Hex!" shouted Colin Cleevey, Harry's number one fan.
"Fred and George saved her!" added Alexis's year mate, Lavender Brown.
"Honestly, I-"
"It's true, Professor!" said the twins.
"Sirius Black had Hex at wand point," explained Fred.
"Ask the portrait," said George. "He must of saw him come in!"
McGonagall looked suspiciously at the twins before catching sight of Alexis who had stayed silent through the whole ordeal. Just one look made McGonagall play along with Fred and George's request. She climbed out of the portrait and into the hall to question Sir Cadogan, the portrait who had replace the Fat Lady until she was fully repaired.
"Sir Cadogan," said McGonagall to the portrait. "Did you let a man enter the Gryffindor Tower?"
"Certainly, good lady!" replied Sir Cadogan.
Three pairs of arms simultaneously tightened around Alexis at Sir Cadogan's response. Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked genuinely worried for their friend.
"You- you did?" said McGonagall. "But- but the password!"
"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"
McGonagall turned around to face the silenced crowd, her face as white as chalk.
"Who," she said with a forced calm voice, "was foolish enough to write down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"
All eyes shifted to Neville Longbottom who was shaking head to toe. Alexis knew the poor boy was in for a lecture but she couldn't bring herself to let it happen.
"I did, professor," lied Alexis, moving forward. "I didn't want to forget them so I kept a copy of them in my bag. I must have dropped it."
Neville made a squeaking noise and looked at Alexis. He opened his mouth to protest but Alexis sent him a look and, very carefully, a message.
'Don't.'
Looking pack at McGonagall, who was turning a red color, Alexis knew Neville had heard her in his head. She highly doubt, however, that he would think she had said it to him. He would be too worried about the reprimand Alexis was about to receive for him.
McPherson had only one word to say on the subject.
'Goat.'
Somehow Alexis manage not to scowl at McPherson's poorly timed joke.
.
No one believed Alexis had left a list of the Gryffindor passwords laying around- not even McGonagall- but she was punished for it nonetheless. Her Hogsmead privileges were revoked and she had received a months worth of detention. The only good thing out of it was Alexis served most of her detentions with Remus who let Alexis use most of the time to prepare for her O.W.L.s that were quickly approaching.
Sir Cadogan portrait had been removed from the Gryffindor Tower and the Fat Lady had once again returned, though she was a great deal more skittish than usual.
The school year was passing in a flash but thankfully Hermione and Ron had finally made up- though it was under the unfortunate circumstances of Hagrid losing his case for Buckbeak. The four friends had spent a great deal of time with their sorrow-stricken, half-giant friend in attempt to prepare him for Buckbeak's appeal. Hagrid, however, had all but given up hope.
"I'll just keep 'em happy 'till..." Hagrid buried his head in a giant handkerchief. He blew his nose loudly. "That Pierre Parkinson jus' kep' attackin' poor Beaky with his words an' an'..."
"It's alright, Hagrid," said Alexis, hugging her friend. She couldn't help but to feel conflicted on her feelings though. Pansy's father had only been against Buckbeak because his daughter had asked him to, and Pansy had only asked him to because Buckbeak had attacked Draco, and Buckbeak had only attacked Draco because Draco had pushed Pansy out of the way... The chain of events continued on but Alexis couldn't bring herself to blame Pansy. She had been afraid and reacted poorly because of it.
"We can still save Buckbeak at the appeal!" said Ron. "I've been reading Numerology and Gramatica and I think we've got a chance!"
"You've been... Reading?" said Hermione surprised.
Ron nodded his head, blushing softly.
"Well, you three have been busy- Harry and Hex with Quidditch while you have all your classes to keep up with... I thought I should pull my weight too."
Ron turned the color of his hair when both Alexis and Hermione pulled him into a tight hug. Alexis could tell he felt awkward because of all the attention but that didn't stop Hagrid from pulling Ron off his feet along with the three other Gryffindors in a tight hug.
"Bes' mates I ever had!" blubbered Hagrid.
Alexis coughed loudly.
"Can't-"
"Breathe!" finished Harry.
Hagrid immediately put the four best friends down. He smiled softly at them with teary eyes before looking out the window.
"Merlin! Look at da time!" Hagrid said aloud. "Need ta get you four back to da castle. Nearly sunset. Big game tomorrow an' all."
The five friends made their way back to the castle quietly. Alexis knew they had to win the Quidditch game tomorrow, for Gryffindor, for Wood, for Buckbeak. It was all Alexis could think about as she fell asleep that night.
.
The next morning, Alexis woke up with a clear head an a plethora of energy. She was bouncing with excitement unlike her teammates who seemed to be beyond nervous. Walking to the Great Hall with her team, Wood continually patted her back as if it would give him some of her confidence. Angelina and Alicia continually shared nervous glance that the two tried to play off with awkward laughs. Harry had opt to taking hold of Alexis's hand as they walked to calm his nerves but quickly stopped, his face as scarlet as his robes, when the twins kept sending him knowing looks.
The team entered the Great Hall to enormous applause. Alexis couldn't help but to grin wildly as both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables joined in the Gryffindor applauding. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed but Alexis was able to catch a soft head nod from Draco and, oddly enough, Pansy and three other Slytherins she only knew by name. Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, and Millicent Bulstrode all sat around Draco and Pansy (Crabbe and Goyle sat in front of them filling their faces). Alexis had never had the fortune, or misfortune (she wasn't sure yet), to meet any of them but she did remember seeing the three at Draco's twelfth birthday party.
Alexis stuffed her face with as much food as Ron did and with about as much manners too. Unlike her teammates, her eating habits hadn't been affected though Wood's constant checking of her food for jinxes did start making her paranoid.
"Good luck, Harry!" called Cho. Alexis raised her eyebrow when Harry started turning red again but had no time to dwell on it. Peeves had appeared out of her oatmeal and with a quick, devious wink to Alexis, he had taken off into the air singing.
"Slimey and slippery,
Wicked and cheat,
Slytherin house thinks they can't be beat!
The sorrow, the sadness,
All that will come,
When Gryffindor house shows them they're chum!
Three cheers for the red,
Four boos for green!
For today you'll see
Godric's reign true!"
Then, with a loud crackle, Peeves dove into the oatmeal in the center of the table, sending the mush all over the hall but no one besides the Slytherins seemed to care. Everyone else was applauding the poltergeist and his witty tongue - even Filch looked amused.
"To the field, Oliver?" asked Alexis before the cheering had even died down to a dull roar.
Wood nodded his head, unable to keep the smile off his face. He called his team after him and the seven scarlet robed wizards and witch made their way to the Quidditch Pitch. The Great Hall erupted into cheering as they left and Alexis caught sight of Cedric waving at her as they departed.
Down at the pitch Alexis and her fellow teammates were silent as they waited for McGonagall to call them out of the locker room. Alexis was happy to see her teammates less nervous and more excited than anything as the minutes to the game ticked by slowly. Finally, with only a few minutes to go until McGonagall was expected to announce them, Wood spoke.
"Well team," he said thickly. It was as if he had tried to drink a whole bottle of syrup before beginning his speech. "I just want to tell you all that it's been an hon-"
The locker room doors opened up. Remus Lupin entered with a apologetic smile.
"Apologies," Remus said softly, "but were about to begin."
"Right," said Wood, a little off because his speech had been interrupted but otherwise fine. "For Gryffindor!"
"For Gryffindor!" roared the six remaining players.
"Here, here," said Remus with a smile. He sent Alexis and Harry a wink as they left the locker room for the pitch. "Good luck you two."
"Thank you, professor," said Harry smiling himself.
"Thanks, Remus," said Alexis
Remus rolled his eyes but didn't correct the excited third year. He waved them off as Alexis and her team headed directly to the center of the pitch where Madam Hooch and the Slytherin team stood.
Four of the Slytherin players Alexis recognized from the Ravenclaw game sabotage: Marcus Flint, Cassius Warrington, and the two whose names she had only recently been told, Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole. All four players, along with the two other Chasers and Keeper, were monsters in size compared to Draco who stood casually off to the side. He smiled softly at Alexis before masking all his emotions.
"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.
Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly. Alexis thought it looked as though they were trying to break the each other's fingers.
"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three...two...one..."
The roar of the crowd was deafening as fourteen brooms - Alexis and Harry's undoubtedly the fast of the fourteen - took off into the sky. As per usual, Alexis had taken off with the Quaffle towards the Slytherin goal only to have to roll dangerously to the left as a bear in green cut her off purposely. She had only just scored when a Bludger flew agonizingly close to her head.
"Watch it!" Alexis barked at the bear called Derrick. She didn't like the way the Slytherin smirked at her- or rather, behind her.
WHAM!
A roar similar to a vengeful lion filled the air silencing the once in uproar crowd. It had been Alexis who was now holding her right arm. She had seen the Bludger whoosh by her but she hadn't seen Bole coming at her, his bat raised.
Alexis's eyes narrowed at the Slytherin whose smirk was quickly slipping off his face. She could feel the sneer forming on her face. She didn't care that the sneer was even terrifying Madam Hooch as she moved Alexis to shot a penalty. The Slytherin Keeper luckily cared more about his head than blocking the Quaffle so Gryffindor moved up to a twenty point lead.
Not that Alexis cared right know.
She wanted blood.
'Hex,' said McPherson warningly.
"Fuck off," Alexis growled. The two Slytherin Keepers that had been close enough to hear her gulped loudly before looking at each other nervously.
Catching Flint's eyes, Alexis didn't need to use her Legminency to tell the Slytherin team captain what was about to happen.
'I. Am. Going. To. Crush. You.'
Single handedly (literally), Alexis scored three more times in three minutes. She passed the Quaffle constantly to Alicia and Angelina before nearly tackling any poor Slytherin that dared to draw near them. She was playing on rage and the longer the game became, the more she began to enjoy it.
"Having fun?" she sneered to Flint just as she stole the Quaffle from his hands. The Slytherin went to sneer back but instead took a Bludger to the side of the head.
"Nice one, Georgie!" she laughed, rolling her pained shoulder softly after throwing the Quaffle.
The score was 100 to 20 with Gryffindor winning but the game was getting dirty- well more so than usual for a Slytherin and Gryffindor game. The only difference was now Alexis was in the thick of the harsh plays.
Something seemed to have snapped in Alexis after her injury, making her determined to give the Slytherins a run for their money. She was getting far more excited with every injury the Slytherins suffered and angry with every injury her teammates received.
Charging violently towards the Slytherin Keeper, Alexis let out a laugh as he cowered away, opening Angelina up for a shot. Her laugh was cut short when she caught sight of Draco diving.
"The Snitch!" Alexis yelled.
Harry was flying through the air like a bullet, trying to reach the Snitch before Draco. He was gaining on him quickly but Alexis didn't know if he would be fast enough. Harry had flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him, dodging it narrowly. Alexis took a deep breath as he became even with Draco and-
"YES! Harry has caught the Snitch! GRYFFINDOR WIN!" Lee Jordan cried over the megaphone.
Without missing a beat, Alexis charged headlong into her best friend, nearly tackling him off his broom and out of the sky. Five other scarlet robed wizards were still making their way to the two of them as the crowd exploded in applause.
"We did it!" Harry exclaimed. "We won the cup!"
Alexis could barely hold her joy in. Barely processing what she was doing, Alexis kissed Harry's cheek before pulling her weeping captain into a one armed hug. Soon the whole team was in a massive hug as they descended to the ground, each player shouting their victory in their own way.
As the team landed, they were engulfed in a sea of scarlet. There was a mass amount of cheering and before Alexis knew it she and her teammates were hoisted up into the air on the crowd's shoulders. Holding Alexis on his shoulder was Cedric Diggory.
"Excellent, Hex!" Cedric exclaimed over the roar of the crowd.
Ron and Hermione were both near Hagrid shouting praises Alexis couldn't hear over the noisy crowd but could tell were pleasant from the smiles on her friends' faces. McGonagall was in tears of joy much like Wood and Remus was absolutely beaming at Alexis and Harry. Even more impressive was the fact that Grim stood alone in the high stands barking and jumping about in excitement.
Whatever pain Alexis had been feel during the game immediately left her as Wood, still teary eyed and blubbering with happiness, was presented the enormous Quidditch Cup by Dumbledore.
Everything was perfect.
And as Wood passed the Cup to her and Harry, Alexis couldn't help but to feel like that was the truth until her eyes caught Remus's or rather, what Remus was staring at. Following his grim stare, she was surprised with what she discovered.
Remus was staring at Grim.
Quidditch matches, yeah! Hope you get the hints in that! Hope everyone has realized what Alexis's favorite thing to say when she's angry is. Anyway, we like the Sirius time even though it was slim? I just had to get him in another chapter or I might have died... Anyways...
So I'm drawing near the end of this story and I just realized I don't have a title for the next one. This really sucks because I've come up with a lot of ideas for the story itself but not for its title. Help would be greatly appreciated!
pheonixfelicis07: Normally I do my review responses in order but you made me laugh so hard I had to start with yours.
(1 & 6) I siriusly wish I had some sugar quills to give you.
(4) more sugar quills! Very good observation and I promise not to quote you on that last part :P (hint hint)
(2 & 3) ... You're getting too good at this, you know that?
(5) Waaaaaaaaaaay too good at this :P
Anyway, love the rambling, in fact, it's what I look forward to so ramble away lovely!
tikitay13: plot twisting but not really plot twisting is a fav of mine. Let's just see if you like the surprise at the end of the Grim story ;D
NeverBeyondRedemption: Understand the busy life so totally cool! Glad you liked the chapter and sorry about forgetting the score!
Luna the HP fan: haha to much sugar buddies! He got the wand very early in the story, remember? Hopefully I updated soon enough for you taste! Thanks for the always funny reviews!
Jess311: =3 thank you! Here's that update!
Thanks again for all the reviews and please send more! I'll try and come up with the next book title ASAP but it's becoming difficult!
Oh, and look out for that major story plot change I promised because it's coming very soon (probably not this chapter but the next or the next next)
Remember, review!
DCF