Chapter twenty-two - Alejandro

By the time the defence group would meet up Gina had calmed down a little. She had disposed of the letter and send a reply to Alejandro telling him to meet her in a pub in Muggle London in two days time, on Tuesday. Gina had been there before during the summer. She would talk to Alejandro, tell him what he needed to know, and tell him she would kill him if he ever mentioned the matter to her again in any shape or form. She had enough on her mind without that coño.

The defence group practised the Caterwauling Charm that night, which gave Gina plenty of distraction, because as the group progressed and more and more people started to get the hang of the spell, more and more high-pitched alarms went off. By the end of the session, Gina's ears were ringing.

On Tuesday at ten to nine pm, just as Gina was getting ready to meet Alejandro, Gina was startled by a knock on the door of her room. The door flung open a second later and Jonne came in. He stared at her. Gina was sitting on her bed wearing her black travelling cloak. She was checking the content of her little bag.

'Since when do you knock?' Gina asked surprised. Jonne frowned at her.

'I want to talk to you.'

'Alright. I have twenty minutes, than I have to go.'

Jonne sat down on her bed.

'This question seems a bit of a formality, as you are clearly checking if you have enough condoms in your little purse for your outing, but are you still involved with Snape?'

Gina closed her eyes at his rather harsh tone. 'I am not checking for condoms... And I am not seeing Severus tonight. But yes, I am still involved with him.'

'Please tell me you are using condoms with him.'

'Jonne...'

'You know nothing about this man.'

'You know I use C-fertilis potion,' Gina said, frowning and checking if she had Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder in her purse.

'You know that only covers-'

'I know what it covers,' Gina snapped. 'You worry about your own health. Or is that what this is about?'

Jonne looked affronted. 'No. I am worried about you. Please tell me you brew the C-fertilis yourself. That you won't let him do it.'

'What is the matter with you?' said Gina angrily. 'He is not trying to knock me up.'

'So you trust him? Like him?'

'I do,' Gina said angrily. 'Is it suddenly hard for you to comprehend he might just like me back? Two months ago you said he would be a fool not to fuck me. You know, that evening you encouraged me to go after him.'

'No, I get why he likes yòu,' Jonne suddenly said fiercely. 'And knocking you up would be a great way to tie you to him. As you know. You were always extremely careful with Alejandro, never taking C from him and always using double protection. And suddenly this guy comes along and all reason goes overboard?'

'That is not true-'

'Does he have something on you? Is he forcing you to continue sleeping with him?'

'Nò,' Gina said shocked. 'Of course not. I want- What is he supposed to hàve on me?'

'It's not like you are innocent Gina,' Jonne said a little impatiently. 'You could have told him some of the things you have done to impress him or something.'

Gina thought of the reason she was meeting Alejandro tonight, and she was very glad she never mentioned La Modelo to Jonne. It was way worse than he thought.

'I am not an idiot,' Gina said angrily.

'You are blinded by him. Honestly, I wondered if he is slipping you a mild love potion, him being a potions genius or Master or whatever and all.'

Gina gaped at him. 'How can you say that? I lìke him, Jonne. He is-'

'What, exactly?' Jonne cut in, sounding fierce. 'Ten years older than you? A teacher? Yòur teacher, I should say? Un coño who is infatuated by the Dark Arts?'

Gina stood up, frowning at Jonne. 'What are you all of a sudden, some fancy rich kid looking down on people with a job? And he is only six years older,' she added stiffly. This was a wild guess, but she did not want to tell Jonne she had actually no idea how old Severus was.

'Only? You are eighteen Gina. Six years is a lot. And I highly doubt that guy is only twenty-four. And you are skipping over the infatuation with the bloody Dark Arts part.'

'That he is just something people say because he can come on a little... meanish. It's ridiculous. A rumour. You know 90% of everything in the paper about me is a lie.'

'But he is not royalty Gina.'

'I am aware of that,' Gina said stiffly, wishing more than ever what she wasn't either.

'I never would have thought being in love would make you so blind,' Jonne continued. 'Snape is trouble. He isn't a nice guy. You are acting very irresponsibly, not just with unprotected sex but also risking your reputation, and your participation in the Triwizard Tournament. What are you going to do if Dumbledore throws you out?'

'I have to go,' Gina said quietly. She stood up and looked in Jonne's blue eyes. 'I can't stop seeing him Jon. I can't. There is something about him that makes me feel-' She stopped. 'I am not ready to stop. I appreciate you looking out for me but please accept my decision.'

Jonne's expression softened a fraction.

'On the subject of you looking out for me,' said Gina, glancing at her watch. 'I am meeting Alejandro in London. He send me an urgent owl. This is the address.' She hastily scribbled the address of the pub on a piece of parchment.

'I'll go with you Ginita.'

'No,' she said hastily. 'It will be fine. I expect to be back by midnight. But thank you.' She leaned over and kissed him. 'I want to do this on my own.'

Gina jumped out of the carriage, hood pulled low over her head, and walked around the back. She ran to the forest edge, walking in the shadow of the trees in the direction of Hogsmeade. She did not see anyone and she knew she wouldn't be viable even if there was someone looking out over the grounds. Apparently it was a lot easier to sneak out of the grounds than to sneak into in the dungeons, as long as it was dark and she didn't bump into señor Gonzalez. She wondered fleetingly if she should start meeting Severus outside Hogwarts premises.

Waiting a minute close to the gate leading to Hogsmeade village, Gina sprinted out of the shadows and through the gate when she sure she didn't see or hear anyone. As soon as she ran through the gate she turned on the spot, thinking about the alley in South-London she could apparate too, disappearing with a swish of her cloak.

When she entered the shabby, dark pub ten minutes later, she nodded to the bored looking, badly shaven barman and walked to the back. With it's filthy floors and interior that looked like it was being smashed up every week it was not surprising there weren't many customers. Around the corner, in a quiet niche Gina knew offered some privacy, she saw Alejandro sitting on a worn green seat, facing the pub.

Alejandro Martín Vargas was a very handsome Spaniard, with shiny black hair, olive skin and dark brown eyes. He had a proud, symmetrical face, was tall and muscular, and had a gallant way of moving. He could be incredibly charming if he wanted to and had a radiant smile that lit up his whole face. But right now he was looking worried, a crease between his dark brown eyebrows, his lips pressed tightly together. Gina walked over to him, glancing at the emergency exit sign above the door to their left. Seeing Ale brought back old habits...

'Ginita.' Alejandro stood up and kissed her on the cheek, which she grudgingly let him. He was wearing a tailor made long coat that fitted him like a glove and he smelled very familiar of an ambery touch of Ambroxan, resinous Elemi and wood.

'It is good to see-'

'Cut the crap Alé. Have you cast a sound blocker?'

'Claramente.'

'How dàre you put that name in writing. Addressing it to mè. What the fuck is the matter with you?' Gina spoke in Spanish and was so angry she had trouble not to start spitting.

She threw her bag in the seat and sat down next to it, making sure she did not sit with her back to the entrance. Alejandro sat down too.

'I'm sorry Ginita,' he said urgently, leaning towards her. 'But you didn't respond to any of my let-'

'And why is that Alé?' Gina had expected to feel angry when she would see him again after six months, but she wasn't angry- she felt positively enraged. She had half a mind to curse him into little pieces and leave. But that would not solve the problem he said they had. 'Don't answer that,' she snapped when he opened his mouth. 'I am here to hear why the hell you mentioned that maldición situation and why you couldn't shùt up about it like you prom-'

'I need your expertise.'

'I'm not doing that anymore. I am done. I told you that in march. If that is what you want, you can fuck off.'

'Gina-'

'You told me I was done. You promised me. We would be responsible for what we did and if it needed fixing, you would, and only than, call on me. And I didn't mess it up, did I?' Her voice became louder and louder. 'It went off without a hitch for months. Yòu messed it up, didn't you? By doing whatever it was you did during the summer. This is on you.'

'Gina please...' Alejandro hadn't flinched when she had shouted at him but his voice had become desperate. 'I can't do it nearly as well as you can. You practised memory alteration on a weekly basis for five year-'

'Shut up,' Gina hissed.

He looked at her, contemplatingly.

'You regret honing that skill,' he said slowly.

'I told you to shut up,' Gina growled. 'Don't pull your Legilimency- and ethics crap on me. My only regret is ever befriending yòu.'

'Tell me what kind of memory you implanted,' Alejandro talked over her. 'Please. How did you get him to do it?'

'No.'

'Gina, please...' He ran a hand through his hair. 'He started talking. That things don't add up. That they don't make sense. They think he is rattling but only one person has to realise he has a point and-'

'What do you want from me Ale?' Gina interrupted him. 'You want to hear what kind of memory I implanted? That won't be of any bloody use to you. It were fourteen different memories composing almost four hours of memory. And it worked. What do you wànt from me?'

'You need to implant another memory. Make him shut up. He started talking Ginita. Do you realise what could happen if-'

'I am not doing anything.'

'You are my only hope, Gina, please.'

'Sandro can do it.'

'Not as good as you.'

She stared at him. Something wasn't right. 'What are you not telling me?'

Alejandro shifted in his seat. 'You know me too well,' he said a little grumpily.

'Tell me.'

'Sandro is...' He faltered.

'Yès?' Gina urged him.

'Sandro is telling people.'

Gina felt her heart skip a beat. She felt numb and her hands shook a little.

'What?' she whispered.

'He told his therapist.'

'Why does he need a-' She shook her head. 'Jesus. Anyway... That doesn't matter. It is client confidentiality.'

'He is also sleeping with his therapist.'

Gina closed her eyes. 'Wonderful...' She rubbed her face.

'And the confidentiality principle doesn't apply to cases concerning the federal prison system,' Alejandro continued quietly.

Gina gaped at him. 'You've got to be kidding me.'

'I am not.'

'What did he tell his therapist?' Gina's voice had risen a few octaves.

'He won't tell me that. But he said she told him not to do anything else and he listens to that maldición mujer.'

'Oh for fucks sake... I am not going to jail because that ass has a nervous breakdown Alé!'

'Listen,' Alejandro said urgently. 'Best case scenario, Sandro only told his part in it. Or mentioned us without names. But whether he told her or not, we still have the fucking problem of Santacruz Londoño blabbing. Something happened to him to make him change his mind after- march.'

'You mean yòu did something,' Gina shot at him. 'Tell me the fucking truth Alé. What did you do? I am sure as hell not helping you unless you tell me what you did.'

Alejandro closed his eyes.

'I contacted his daughter.'

'You stùpid coño,' Gina hissed after a stunned silence. 'How could you be so fucking stupid?'

'I wanted to make him confess to- to something else. I needed leverage.'

'You piece of shit,' Gina growled at him. 'His daughter is innocent. She had nothing to do with anything. You knew that.'

Alejandro had the decency to look embarrassed.

'I am not helping you screw over this guy by using his daughter,' Gina snapped at him. 'No matter how evil that man is. Forget it.'

'I am not asking you to,' Alejandro said hastily. 'All I am asking is to neutralise the situation. I don't fancy going to prison either, Gin. I gave up on the attempt to frame the guy weeks ago, but he needs to shut up. They are getting suspicious. He needs to start telling people again that he did it. Right now, all we need is one actually clever pol-whatsit-'

'Policeman,' Gina hissed irritably.

'Right, or a Ministry of Magic employee who gets wind of this and and we are done. They might even give him a shorter sentence when they think he is insane, letting him off the hook on ground of insanity. Think of what that would mean for all those families.'

'I hate you so much,' Gina mumbled.

Alejandro looked very hurt at her words but didn't speak.

Gina closed her eyes, thinking hard. There really was only one way to fix this.

'We'll go back and I'll fix his memory,' Gina said quietly. She rubbed her face again. 'Thursday, if we can. We need Polyjuice.'

'I have it,' Alejandro said quickly.

'And you need to take care of Sandro. He needs to shut up. I am not risking this while he is on the loose, ready to blab. We can't have that. To much is hanging from this. And I want an unbreakable vow from you that you will never mention this ordeal to anyone mentioning me in the fucking story, or putting it in writing ever again before I do anything else.'

Alejandro nodded. He looked around at the empty corner of the pub and hold out his hand, getting out his wand.

'Anything, Ginita.'

Gina hesitated, than put her hand in his.