Alexandra Potter
Chapter 9
Scene 2/4
Alex was still in the Sanatorium an hour later. It was a long room filled with natural light; two rows of beds lined the walls. Alex was perched on one of them, her legs swinging in the air, cheeks red and blotchy from now-spent tears.
"How're you feeling now, Miss Potter?" said Madam Pomfrey, the school's matron. She was a plump woman, friendly, and wearing light blue robes. She'd cast a number of spells on Alex, given her three potions, then told her to wait half an hour.
Alex took a breath. Please be better. "I have cheesy feet," she said, and scowled. Hidden away in the hospital wing it was less embarrassing, but it was still annoying.
Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips. "Dear me! It's taken root deeper than I'd thought. Don't go anywhere, Miss Potter!" She bustled off back to her office. Alex opened her mouth to call her back - she wanted to know how soon it could be fixed - before she remembered that she couldn't. More than the embarrassing things, the inability to speak was maddening. And it was all Daphne's fault.
Daphne.
It had to be her. Oh, sure, she hadn't been in the Great Hall when it happened. That didn't mean much. In fact, it was rather suspicious - of all the days she decided to skip lunch to speak with a teacher, it had to be the day where Alex was attacked. It did mean, however, that someone else had to slip her the potion. No one else was talking like her, so it had to have been someone sitting close to her at lunch.
Flora. There was no one else. Flora had passed her the juice - she must have done something to it. Well, once Alex was better Flora would regret it. And so would Daphne.
Sophie had tried to warn her, Alex realised. Not much use though, was it. She could've been a bit more specific. Still, it was nice to know that Daphne couldn't control everyone. And then Alex remembered: Daphne had warned her, too. You better watch your mouth, she'd said.
Ohh, she's good.
The door slammed open, making Alex jump.
"Why is it," Snape said, striding into the room, "that even when class is cancelled, students somehow manage to claim my time?"
He drew his wand from his sleeve - for a moment Alex thought he was going to curse her - and flicked it. A small cauldron popped into existence next to her bed, and a case of potions equipment.
Snape's going to make me an antidote? Thank god. Alex looked at her watch - Dumbledore's meeting would be in full swing by now. She was going to miss it all. How long would the antidote take?
"I peed my pants," said Alex, without thinking. She wanted to scream.
Snape looked at her. "I think it would be best if you refrained from talking, Miss Potter." He paused. "You may take that as general advice for life."
And I think it'd be best if you washed your hair, Alex thought. You may take that as general advice for life.
Snape seemed to guess the direction of her thoughts. He gave her a nasty smile.
"Are you certain you desire the antidote?" he said, plucking some mint leaves from their stalks. He crushed them in his hands and let them fall into the cauldron. "Some may consider this an improvement."
Alex said nothing. Snape breathed a sigh of satisfaction.
"Ah, the sound of silence. I hear it so rarely." He smirked. "Perhaps imbibing a Draught of Mortification should be compulsory before all classes."
For someone who likes silence so much, you sure talk a lot.
The antidote took a while to make. Alex watched Snape closely as he made it, trying to understand. She hadn't really read anything about antidotes yet and was bursting with questions she couldn't ask. Was the mint used because it was a problem with the mouth? She guessed the sage, which symbolised wisdom, was used because it was a problem with language, but how did it combine with the Jobberknoll feather?
Eventually, when it turned a deep purple colour, it was done. Snape used a ladle to pour it into a glass beaker and passed it to Alex.
"Drink it all," he said. Alex sniffed at it - mostly mint. Not bad, she thought, before downing the lot. It was hot, like trying to swallow tea before it had cooled down properly, but she finished it anyway.
"Well?" said Snape. "Say something."
Suddenly, Alex didn't know what to say.
"Is it working?" she said, and smiled widely when she heard her own words. "Oh!" she said, and she almost felt like crying again. "Thank you!" she said, before she realised who she was talking to.
"Well, at least you're polite," Snape said, using his wand to disappear his equipment.
"So I'm free to go?" Alex asked, "I can go to the meeting?"
Snape pointed at the clock. Three thirty. The match started at four. She'd missed the meeting. She'd missed Remus Lupin.
"Oh," she said, looking at her shoes.
Snape's lip curled.
"You may stop feeling sorry for yourself, Miss Potter. It is most unbecoming."
Alex glared at him. What did he know? Who knew when she'd have another opportunity to meet Lupin?
"Besides, knowing Lupin, the sentimental fool will be here any moment."
Someone knocked on the door.
"How predictable," drawled Snape as Dumbledore walked in. Another man was with him: he looked tired, with fraying robes and greying hair. But despite all that, you could tell he wasn't bad looking, in a bookish way. Remus Lupin.
"Ah, Severus, excellent. You've administered the antidote?" said Dumbledore.
"Indeed, Headmaster. A simple matter."
"As always, Severus, you do yourself too little credit," said Dumbledore.
"Madam Pomfrey wasn't able to," added Alex, still rather thankful of Snape's intervention.
"Well, Severus always was an expert on the Dark Arts," said Lupin.
What was that meant to mean?
"Alex, this is Remus Lupin," said Dumbledore. Alex slid off the bed, suddenly aware of how much of a mess she was. She scrunched up her nose and fixed herself with a little push.
"Hello, Mr Lupin," she said, ignoring their looks of surprise. Hadn't Professor McGonagall told them about her metamorphmagus ability?
"Remus, please, Alex," he said, coming forward to kiss her cheek.
"If that's everything," Snape said, interrupting, "I shall take my leave." He turned back to Alex. "You see, Miss Potter? You have your silver lining after all." He left with a flourish of his cloak.
"Well, Alex," said Dumbledore, conjuring a couple of squishy armchairs. Alex sat back on the bed. "As the Muggles are so fond of saying: what's up?"
Alex blinked.
"Er, much better, thank you," she said. She considered telling Dumbledore about Daphne, but she wasn't a tell-tale.
"It has been established that Miss Darlington was the culprit," said Dumbledore. He peered at Alex over his glasses. "You should know that Professors Snape and McGonagall have called for her suspension. But you are the victim here, Alex, and that gives you a say. What do think should be done?"
Alex's mind whirled. Suspend her! was her first thought. She deserved it. But didn't Dumbledore understand? Flora was just doing what Daphne told her to. Daphne was the one who should be suspended, not Flora.
"I don't think Flora did it," she said at last.
"No?" said Dumbledore, leaning back in his chair.
"She confessed, Alex," said Remus. "I know she might be your friend-"
"She's not my friend," said Alex.
Remus shared a look with Dumbledore. "Well, nevertheless, Professor Flitwick used his own guile detector to point her out. The potion in question was found among her belongings, and when confronted she confessed. It was Flora, Alex."
"Maybe she put the potion in the drink," said Alex, "but it wasn't really her."
"You refer, I assume, to your feud with Miss Greengrass?" said Dumbledore.
Alex looked at him in shock.
"How do you-"
"There isn't much in this castle of which I am not aware, Alex."
"Well then," said Alex, satisfied. "You know who it really was, then."
Dumbledore sighed. "Miss Greengrass has a rock solid alibi. She was speaking with Professor McGonagall at the time, and appeared to be most upset when she heard about your poisoning."
"I don't care," said Alex, "it was her, I know-"
Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.
"You are not listening," he said, his voice firm. "Daphne Greengrass, whatever your opinion of her, whatever her other crimes, cannot be held responsible for this."
"Well, that's just stupid," said Alex. Why was he being so stubborn? She knew it was Daphne. He knew it was Daphne.
"Detention, Miss Potter," said Dumbledore, without moving, "and ten points from Hufflepuff."
Alex's eyes widened. Detention! She'd never had detention! She thought Dumbledore was her friend.
"We enjoy an unusual relationship, Alex," said Dumbledore. He was completely calm. If he was angry, he gave no sign of it. "But do not forget. You are a student. I am the Headmaster."
Alex swallowed, and nodded.
"I'm sorry I missed your meeting," she said. "There's some things I wanted to ask you, about Old English."
"Another time, perhaps," said Dumbledore calmly. "In fact, I would rather like for us to have dinner tomorrow evening. Consider it your detention."
Remus raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"Dinner?" said Alex. "In the Great Hall?" What would people say if she started eating dinner with a teacher?
"Ah, I see your concern," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "No, not in the Great Hall. In my office. You can ask me all the questions you like."
Alex smiled.
"That'd be great!" she said.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, and Alex remembered it was meant to be a detention.
"I mean, er, how terrible!" said Alex.
"Quite. Now, I believe you and Remus should have some time alone." Dumbledore stood up, and vanished his chair. "Good day, Remus, Alex. Do keep an eye on the time: the Quidditch starts soon."
He left Alex and Remus sitting in silence.
Remus cleared his throat.
"Well, I must admit: this wasn't how I imagined our first meeting," he said. Alex laughed, even though it wasn't very funny.
"Do you like Quidditch?" said Alex. Stupid! Who cares about Quidditch?
"Well enough," said Remus. He glanced at the clock. The match started in fifteen minutes. "Shall we walk to the pitch together?"
"Sure," said Alex. Remus vanished his chair and led her out of the hospital wing.
"I imagine you have some questions for me," he said as they climbed down the main staircase. It was deserted - she'd never seen it so quiet. Everyone was at the Quidditch already.
"Why did you never visit me?" Alex said, kicking herself immediately. Not subtle.
"I suppose I deserve that," Remus said. He looking up. After a short pause, he spoke. "There's no single answer. And I think no answer that will fully satisfy you. The truth of it is that after Lily and James - after they died - I was in no condition to be looking after young children."
And what about after? thought Alex. She decided to let him speak, though.
"And then, when the Dursleys took you in, one condition of their accepting you was no contact by the magical world until it was time for you to come to Hogwarts. So that prevented me from visiting then."
Alex nodded. I suppose that makes sense.
"But even if the Dursleys had allowed me," Remus continued, "There would be other barriers. Legal barriers. I'm not entirely sure that they're wrong."
Alex frowned, confused.
"And there you have it," said Remus. They passed through a side door Alex had never seen, emerging onto the front lawn.
While the rear end of Hogwarts faced out over a cliff - the side Alex had seen when crossing the lake, back in September - the front of Hogwarts was a gentle, grassy slope. To the East lay the Forbidden Forest; to the west the lake, and Hogsmeade was to the South. The Quidditch pitch lay in a large hollow - a small valley, really - not too far from the forest.
"Neat," said Alex. They'd probably saved ten minutes - they'd make it to the match on time.
"You know, I thought you'd be bursting with questions about your parents," said Remus. An open invite.
"Only a hundred!" Alex said, and the interrogation began.
Her father had been a Quidditch player, it seemed. A chaser with Puddlemere United. He was due to play for England at the World Cup, too, before he went into hiding.
"Lily surprised us all, though," said Remus. "She had an offer from the Department of Mysteries. Turned it down to work on Slug and Jigger's Acquisitions team."
"Why?" Alex said. The Department of Mysteries sounded much more interesting than a shop.
"She didn't want anything to do with the Ministry - a common sentiment back then, given how corrupt it was. But even so, I think she liked the idea of making something of herself on her own. Not working for the government. She always had this rather romantic idea of the lone witch. The wise old crone living on her own at the end of the world." Remus laughed. "Of course, the wise old crone doesn't normally have a husband and child!"
Her father's parents had died of natural causes. Charlus and Dorea Potter had been well into their middle age when her dad was born.
"Then, in 1979, the pair of them went trekking in the Ituri Jungle. Came back with Bingham's Fever. They died a weeks later."
Alex had been vaguely aware that magical diseases existed, but hadn't really had any contact with them. In a month and a half at Hogwarts, she hadn't seen a single sick person.
"But what were they like?" said Alex, feeling a bit better. She had some facts, now. But still, she felt that her parents were... distant. For all the facts, she still didn't really know who they were.
Remus sighed.
"An incredibly hard question to answer," he said. "How to sum up a person in a few words? They were both of them among the kindest, bravest, most generous people I have ever known. They were smart, talented, well-loved. They loved life, and they loved each other.
"And still, this just scratches the surface," he continued. "Many people are smart. Many are kind. But James and Lily... they were so much more. James had the fastest wit I've ever seen, and a taste for trouble. He was as loyal as any Hufflepuff, and once he decided to do something, it would be done. Lily had a temper on her, and held her friends to high standards. But she was the most compassionate person I've ever known."
Alex opened her mouth, but had nothing to say. She was surprised to find that she was crying.
"Here," said Remus, and he conjured her a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes, noticing that Remus' was suspiciously watery too.
"Thank you," she said as they neared the stadium.
From the top of the hollow, you could easily see over the stands onto the pitch itself - probably deliberate, in case the stands ever proved too small. The pitch was oval in shape, surrounded by what looked like a tall wall, decked out in House colours. The wall was interspersed with towers with seating at the top, but most students crowded along the wide walkway atop the walls - not sitting but standing.
Excited cheers and chants filled the air. The excitement was contagious.
"Alex!" shouted a chorus of voices. Alex looked up. Susan, Lily, Hannah and Megan were up in the stands, waving down at her. "Come on!" Lily shouted, "it's about to start!"
Alex looked between Remus and her friends, torn.
"Before you go, Alex: a piece of advice, if I may," Remus said.
"What?" said Alex.
"This argument with Daphne Greengrass: let it go. It will only lead to unhappiness."
Alex wasn't convinced. He was an adult - he didn't understand. She couldn't just let it go. Even if she wanted to, Daphne wouldn't let her.
"It's what Lily would have done," said Remus.
"And what about my Dad?" said Alex, "what would he have done?"
Remus hesitated.
"Alex!" called her friends.
"He would've destroyed her," said Remus. Alex grinned.
"Hurry up!" shouted Susan. "They're coming onto the pitch!"
"You go on to your friends," Remus said, "it's not right for a young lady to spend all her time with adults. I'll go find Professor Dumbledore."
He kissed her on the cheek, and moved to walk away.
"Wait!" said Alex, "there's one other thing..."
"What?" said Remus.
"It's just that, well, I've never seen a photo of my parents..."
Remus nodded.
"I'll owl you. Now go!"
The crowd roared: the game had started.
Alex ran.