Chapter 36

LB

As the exams came closer, the more time I spend with Remus in my chambers. I studied the best on my own, in complete silence. I used to study like that back in Beauxbatons. I glanced up from my place at my desk to Remus who was going over tons of essays. It was a few days after the full moon, the bags still visible under his eyes. His hair had gotten a bit longer this year, the fringe falling over his eyes. He blew out a breath to shift his hair out of the way, but it fell straight back. I grinned to myself before I looked back to my Transfiguration book.

"Are you meeting your friends today? It's been a while." I looked up when he spoke, but he was still focused on the papers in front of him.

"No, I've still got a ton of work to do." I said, looking back down. Even though I prefer to study alone, I studied with Hermione and Harry from time to time. I tried to study with Ron there, but that was nearly impossible. He never sat still or shuts up; I just couldn't concentrate. Draco was a great study partner too; he was exceptional bright and was gifted at Potions. I tried to study with Angelina and the rest, but seeing Fred with a giggling, clingy Alicia didn't make it easy. George seemed to glare at his brother most of the time anyways, it just felt awkward.

I felt Uncle Moony's eyes on me as I highlighted a sentence. In the corner of my eye, I saw him open his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when a knock came from our door. Our heads simultaneously went to the door in surprise. I saw Remus rise from his seat and walked over to the front. Remus opened the door, and I heard him talk to a person outside before he stepped back, and George walked in carrying several books in his arm.

"George?" I asked, a surprised look on my face.

"Hey." He smiled shyly as he walked in, Remus on his heels. "I was wondering if I could study here?"

I looked behind him to Remus, who nodded. "Sure. Uhm." I looked at my full desk with a frown. "Let's sit at the coffee table. Don't think I could fit anyone here." I chuckled.

"I'm meeting with Dumbledore." Remus said as I grabbed my things to move to the coffee table. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Alright." I nodded as I placed my books on the coffee table/trunk. George had placed his things next to mine and had already sat down on the floor, his back against the couch. I kissed his cheek before he walked out of the room, leaving George and me alone. I sat down next to him, our shoulders touching as I leaned back against the couch. "Why aren't you studying with the others?"

I felt him shrug against me as he looked at the fire in front of us. "It was all too couple-y."

"Is that even a word?" I chuckled and saw him grin.

"It is now." He grinned. "I've missed you the last few weeks."

"I'm sorry. I just dived into my studies. You know I like to study alone."

"It has nothing to do with... the kiss?" He asked with red tinged ears.

"No, of course not." I looked at him with large eyes. "You're one of my best friends and the kiss was... great." I grinned up at him. "It has nothing to do with you."

"Does it have anything to do with Fred?" His voice was soft, as he looked at the piece of carpet between us.

"No." I shook my head a little. "It is a bit weird seeing him all clingy with Alicia, never thought he was that kind of guy, but hey." I shrugged. "Don't know you guys for that long, do I? But no, it's not because of anyone. I just like my peace and quiet. So, if you want to stay and study, you better be silent." I grinned and he shot me a smile that made my heart stutter. "Right." I said, looking down with a smile and a small blush as I grabbed my Transfiguration book.

George beamed at me as he was the reason a blush had appeared on my cheeks, but I ignored it and focused on my book. George took his own Transfiguration book and we started to work in silence.

A few hours later, I was sitting on the couch, my feet resting in front of me on the coffee table as I read my charms book. George was lying on the couch, his head in my lap as his feet hung over the other side. One hand was holding my book while the other combed softly through his hair. He hummed when my nails went over his scalp.

"That feels good." He murmured. He let his book fall open on his chest as he closed his eyes.

"Getting tired?" I smiled.

"A little." He stifled a yawn and I chuckled.

"I still have a bit of reading to do. Why don't you sleep? I'll wake you when I'm done."

"You're the best, Alec." He smiled as he put his book on the table and made himself more comfortable. I stopped stroking his hair as he shifted in my lap, his nose nuzzled my stomach. "Don't stop." He said as he guided my hand back to his hair. I snickered as I resumed combing my fingers through his hair.

LB

A week later, I left the Slytherin common room after studying with Draco and had a little stress reliever with Nott when I bumped into Fred. It has been a while since the two of us were alone or even just me and the twins. But here we are, alone on the corridor, no one else in sight. I pulled my skirt straight as I looked at him.

"Uhm, hi."

"Alec." He gasped in surprised. Before I could walk away, he took my hand in his and pulled me into a small alcove.

"Fred, wha-" I started but he placed his hand over my mouth as he looked over his shoulder. I listened to the silence, before I heard the shuffling of feet. Filch. I thought. We stood there frozen for a few minutes before Fred finally lowered his hand. "What did you do?"

"I was just setting up a prank when Filch nearly caught me." He said looking back at me. His words stilled as noticed how close we were standing. Our eyes were locked on each other, and his hand came up as he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I looked down as I felt a blush rise. "I - It's been a while."

I looked up at him trying to hide a frown. "Yeah, sorry. Studying."

"I get it." He nodded slowly. "You've been studying with George though."

Now the frown became visible on my face. "That's because he doesn't want to see Alicia throw herself at you. What's going on between you and George anyway?"

"Nothing, why?" He said a little surprised.

"Because he's been glaring at you for weeks. Did he like Alicia, or something?"

"No." He shook his head with a frown, suddenly he couldn't look at me anymore. "I'll talk to him. We better get going, it's getting late." He said already stepping out of the alcove.

"You go." Fred stopped and turned to look at me. "I'm going to go see if Professor Snape is available, I need to ask something about the exams."

"Do - do you want me to come with?"

"That's okay. You go back to the tower." I gave him a little wave and turned to walk to the other side of the corridor. Fred stood grounded at the spot as he saw me walk away. I felt his eyes on me until I was out of sight.

LB

I was pacing for the last ten minutes. Branches cracked, and leaves crunched under my feet as I paced. I was pacing near a small clearing, surrounded by large trees, so large and big a bird in the sky couldn't even spot us. Once I feared two things, now those two things surrounded me. First of all, I was in the middle of the Forbidden forest. Uncle Moony always told me horror stories and what crept around here in the dark, deep woods. But now I was used to the earie silence, the movements that caught my sight. The second thing was sitting on a large boulder, his feet dangling in a small pond. He was watching me pace, and like he always did when we met, he tried to figure out who I was. Because I still looked familiar to him. HA! But he couldn't place me, yet. He was leaning back, resting on his hands as his eyes searched my face. But I was growing frustrated and picked up a rock and tossed it against a tree.

"He's been gone for months! No one can seem to find him." I turned back to glare at the escaped prisoner. "You know whose fault this is, don't you?"

"Crookshanks?" He offered and I glowered at him.

"You! First for sending Crooks to do it, then breaking into the castle. Not once, but TWICE!" I shouted. I took in a deep breath and tried to control my breathing. "We'll never catch him like this." I dropped to the ground, resting against a large oak tree. "Maybe he's already gone?"

"No." Sirius shook his head. "You said it yourself, you smelled him."

"That was weeks ago, and it was on the grounds. He could be long gone by now. I can't find his trace." I grumbled. Crookshanks walked over and curled himself between my legs. Subconsciously, my hand went down and stroked his head. After my shouting, the forest became dead silent again. You couldn't hear birds or crickets. You couldn't hear the wind blow through the trees. How farther in the forest you went how stiller it becomes. I pushed myself of the ground and dusted of my clothes. "I better get back."

"No, wait." I looked up to see Sirius with a hand in the air. I cocked an eyebrow at him. "I just like talking to someone." His voice so soft, I almost missed it. If there had been any other sound in the forest, I would have. I closed my eyes as I bent my head down, taking in deep breaths. This is a man that didn't want to know anything about me. Yes, he was falsely imprisoned, but that still didn't change the fact that he left me and mum utterly alone.

"It's not like we really talk." I huffed. It's true, after he told me the story about want happened with Pettigrew, he never told me anything else, not that I asked. He tried to pry more out of me about Remus and Harry, but I didn't budge. Just like about the fact that I looked so familiar... "I can't stay." I looked to him and saw his face fall. "I have an exam in two hours, and it's going to take me an hour before I'm out of the forest."

"I'll walk you to the edge of the forest." He said, and before he waited for my response he turned into the shaggy, large, black dog. I rolled my eyes before I turned into Loki. And the three of us started our way out of the forest. When the trees started to become further apart from each other, he asked. "What's your exam?"

"Potions."

"I was never good at potions." He stopped for a moment, his ears perked up, but after a few seconds he started walking again. "Is it true that Snape is teaching it?"

"Yeah, he is."

"Must be a treat." He scoffed.

I shrugged after I leaped over a small puddle. "He didn't like me at first, being a Gryffindor and all." I said, leaving a small part out. "But I earned his respect."

"You must be amazing at potions then."

"I am. I'm-" A part of me wanted to tell him about my NEWT's but something held me back. In the corner of my eye, I saw Padfoot look at me, waiting for me to continue. "Ah, the castle." I nudged my little white wolf's head towards the edge of the forest. "I'll come by if something new happens." I turned to look at him and found out he was already watching me. "Don't eat all the food at once."

"Don't be a stranger, Alec." He said as he was already retreating in the shadows of the forest. I'm the stranger? How ironic. My eyes were still trained on the spot he had disappeared from. It was only when Crookshanks miaowed and curled between my legs I came out of it.

"Right." I gave a single nod. "Let's go."