Mended Crown

Alex found himself in the Chamber shortly after. The vast room echoed with drips from broken pipes and the rush of the lake above it. Each drip sent a shiver down his spine, and each splatter caused his skin to trickle with sensible nerves. He felt water—warm and reasonable— flow down his face, but his face was heated like a  crisp lick of flames. 

Alexander felt vexed. He was confused. Emotional. 

His throat contracted and squeezed at another volatile, broken scream. That too echoed around the Chamber, but it ceased once he knew he couldn’t outmatch the rush of lake water.  If he tried again, the pain would only cause it to falter and fall without much of another thought of its effects. 

The tears poured from him, and his stressed throat hiccuped. Then, a pained smile pulled at his lips. The muscles in his neck screamed against him, but he began to laugh.
Something nudged against him, and he put his hands defensively out. Bask’s snout rubbed against his face, and the boy gently petted the giant snake. His words came out hoarse and elongated, but the hisses relaxed the pain. 

I’m sorry, Basky. I didn’t mean to scare you. 

The snake pushed its head closer to the boy’s, and Alex felt the purr of its heart calm his own. He closed his eyes to feel the pulsated notion, and stroked the ends of Bask’s face. But then, the memories flooded back to him in an instant, and his smile fell from his face.

He could see Remus and Sirius in the front garden, their argument bounced off the walls of the houses around them. Inside, he heard the calm voices of Nanna and Narcissa, the latter spoke quietly to his father. 

“It’s not his fault, Severus. He’s just a boy.” 

The words repeated again. This time by Remus. “It’s not his fault, Sirius. He’s just a boy.”

The news had broke through hours prior. The war over. The Dark Lord was gone. And Miss Lily and Mister James were dead. 

And Sirius was about to do something reckless, all for the notion of love and revenge. Except, Alex always wondered. Where was that recklessness when his own mother was killed? Sirius didn’t do anything except blame those around her for her death. He laughed in her face when she predicted her own death. Where was the love and revenge that he held for the Potters when his own brother died? Or his friends? 

Sirius Black was temperamental and quick to action without much thought about the consequences. But the one thing—the one person—he solely cared for was Harry Potter. No one else. Potter was all that mattered to him. 

And Alex was the spare.

The boy opened his eyes. Bask’s head was still next to his. The air was still damp and stale, but the lights had ceased to a sole source of the fireplace. The bright blue flames snapped at the stone mantle around it. Bask’s body had curled around Alex’s—to protect. 

Something snapped down the Slytherin tunnel, and the snake lifted its head and bared its teeth towards that direction. Alex peered around the large snake, and his eyes focused on the defensive gestures of Blaise. 

“It’s alright, Bask,” Alex whispered. His hands gently stroked the snake’s spine, and slowly stood. “It’s just our buddy Blaise.” 

Bask shivered at the touch, and when the other boy reached his hand out, the snake rubbed his nose against his hands. A worried look was plastered on Blaise’s face, and he hugged Alex once he was close enough. 

“When you didn’t come back, I got worried,” Blaise’s voice trickled into his ear. “You missed dinner, but I brought you some.” 

Alex ate in silence. Blaise watched. He could feel the other’s eyes on him. On occasion, Alex offered a piece of sliced ham to the carnivorous snake and watched it eat. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

Alex shook his head. He looked to the thick band of white skin on his wrist. He had forgotten that he given the manacle back. And he knew Blaise wondered about it too. The other boy’s head was filled with different thoughts.

How’d he get it off? We tried everything. 

What happened between him and his father?

After a while, Alex plucked up the courage to tell him. “My father wanted to know why neither of us were at the match today. He asked if I knew the whereabouts of Black. When I asked him why he suddenly blames me, he told me that I would’ve done whatever was asked of me by my godfather.

“When I left, I thought about coming back to common room, but I—” He snapped his mouth to a close, and stared at Blaise. He knew his friend would ask. But the other boy didn’t say anything. He would wait for Alex to make the first notion. 

Alex’s hands shook a little. He pulled apart another piece of ham and offered it to Bask. “I saw my godfather again. In the dungeons.” 

Still, Blaise didn’t say anything. Alex’s eyes met with his, and he noticed how there were small flecks of amber-gold in those brown eyes. He hadn’t noticed them before. 

“It wasn’t a confrontation. He thought I was my father. He spoke to me like I was. Do I act like him?” 

Blaise shook his head slowly. Blaise’s hands were both soft and rough when he took Alex’s hand into his own. 

He inhaled. “He told me why he was in the castle. He confessed that he only cared about killing Pettigrew and protecting Potter. And anyone who stood in his way—Remus excluding—he would kill them. I didn’t matter to him. I never did, Blaise. I told him that I wanted him out of my life. To take his love and vengeance, and fuck off.” 

Blaise kept his hands around Alex’s, but he pulled himself closer. Although his cheeks were stained, he felt Blaise place his lips against his skin. “If it makes you feel better, I don’t have a godfather. We can be godfather-less together.” 

Alex scoffed a laugh. Instinctually he felt his lips curl into a smile, and though his throat ached once more, he laughed. “We could.”

Both Blaise and Alex agreed not to inform Amarra about the conversation with Black. After the favored match between the lions and the eagles, she was in such a foul mood about Buckbeak’s hearing that neither of them wished to risk their lives. 

Alex kept his distance from his father unless he absolutely needed to be around him. Blaise stuck close to him, and they often stayed in the Chamber or the library. Oftentimes, if they were in the Chamber, they couldn’t keep their lips off of one another.  

Alex had questioned him one afternoon about what they were. And while Blaise was convinced that they were just friends who liked each other, Alex knew they were more than just friends. 

“I don’t want to be your curiosity, Blaise,” Alex informed him one morning. “If I’m your test subject, just tell me now.” 

Amarra had figured them out by the end of April. While the final hearing of the hippogriff made her mood a permanent unpleasantry, she kept a watchful eye on her brother and if they got too close, she instantly knew. 

She linked her arm around her brother’s on the way to Herbology, and told him to spill. Blaise had walked ahead of them because a strange, blond-haired boy had something dire to speak to him about, and felt Alex to fend for his own. 

“Tell me, now, Alexander.” 

Alex’s cheek rushed with heat. “We’re, uhm, testing something out,” he said. 

She punched his arm. “I knew it! I knew it! You thought you could keep this from me, but I got you, Alex!” 

He rubbed his forearm, and his eyes pleaded with her. She smiled, and released his arm from her grip. 

“Your secret is safe with me, baby brother.” 

“Older brother,” he grumbled. He looked around for Blaise, but found him already inside the greenhouse. He watched him speak to Malfoy in low whispers. 

It took him a day to question his friend. He waited until after the Quidditch final to ask what was said, but Blaise only gave him bits and pieces of the conversation he had. Around them, the Slytherins sullen faces about their loss of the match echoed into spoken cheating scandals, but Alex had his attention on his friend.

“It was nothing,” Blaise said. At times, he took small glances in Malfoy’s direction, and when Alex noticed, he avoided eye contact. 

“Amarra got it out of me that you and I are a thing,” he said. “I told you my bit, now you.”

Yet, Blaise refused. “Really, Alex, it was nothing,” he repeated. 

Alex stood to leave, but Blaise caught his wrist. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again. I don’t want to be your curiosity, but I don’t want to be someone that you’re going to backstab either, Blaise.” 

He walked to the dormitories, and quietly closed the door of the fifth-years’ living quarters. Erskine and Serpentine greeted him. They lifted their heads from the coil they had made, and Alex sat on his bed to pet them both. 

“Your dad and I are fighting,” he whispered to Erskine. The grey-black tabby rubbed its head against Alex’s hand, while the snake slipped onto his lap. 

The dormitory door opened, and Alex held his breath. He fully expected Blaise, but instead Malfoy came in. His green and silver Quidditch uniform clung to him as he sat on Blaise’s bed.

“I know you saw me talking with Blaise yesterday,” Malfoy began. “But it wasn’t what you thought it was.” 

“Then what was it?” Alex watched Erskine leave him to jump across. Malfoy reached out his hand to the cat, who carefully sniffed him. “What did he tell you about me this time?”

“I’ve known Blaise for years, but I’ve never seen him open up to someone quite like you. He trusts you, but I also can see that he’s in love with you.” Malfoy fidgeted with him the ends of his robes. 

“But?”

Malfoy, for once in his life, gave a warm smile. “He’s been questioning himself for a while now. He’s always wondered if he even liked girls, but when he came to get to know you, he realized that he liked both. And well, Alex…I’ve had the same feeling too.” 

Alex inhaled slowly. He didn’t know how to take it all in. Not at once. “So, you want me to do what exactly? To kiss you and see if you’re interested in boys? You also want to use me for your own fantasies?” 

Malfoy’s face contorted into a variety of different emotions. “No, no, not like that! You just seem so out there, and neither Blaise nor I have ever been around someone who is so open about it! We come from noble families, Alex. They would disown us if we either liked a mudblood or if we liked the same sex. I just want to see if it’s true or not.” 

Alex felt his body explode into a different arrays of nervousness. He was an object of curiosities. People enjoyed using him to test their own personal experiments. First, Sirius and the idea of being a good godfather, and now Blaise and Malfoy. 

“I…can’t…” he whispered. “I can’t. You hate me. I lied to you the first time we met. You’ve started rumors about me. Your father wants me to be expelled. Draco, there would be no love between us if we did this.” 

Draco tried to offer him an ultimatum. “It could be something that we only do in private! If the common room or a classroom is empty, we can be together there. But anything we do it public, we strictly stay to hating each other. Please, Alex.” 

He heard Malfoy beg, and that solely made him reconsider. The idea of a pureblood who chose to beg, amused him. He had asked Crabbe senior to beg for his wand at the duel. But to hear someone whose family is well-respected in the wizarding world beg for something they wanted, pleased him. 

“Fine. We’ll call it a test-run relationship. We’ll strictly keep this going in a private setting, but in public, we hate each other. And Blaise,” he stopped to think. “Let him be apart of this. If it wasn’t for him, neither of us would be here talking nor would I have even expressed myself for him.” 

They shook on it, but still, Alex felt weird about the whole ordeal. To him, it felt like Blaise had pimped him out unknowingly. It was a concept he would have to inform him about. When Malfoy left, Blaise entered the room. 

Blaise laid on his bed, and pulled Erskine onto his chest. With every breath he took, the cat rose slowly. Alex watched this movement occur until Blaise finally spoke. “I should’ve told you sooner. He’d been asking me for a couple of weeks now, and I finally indulged him yesterday. He just knew that you and I were a thing.” 

“He saw how happy you had become.” Alex pointed to his face. “Warm colors suit you, Blaise. It’ll make you less broody.”

Blaise laughed quietly, and then fell silent. “You’re not mad?” 

Alex rolled his eyes. “Oh, I am. You pimped me out.” 

Blaise turned his head to him. His eyebrow rose. “Enlighten me on what that means.” 

Alex tried his best to explain it. “You used me for your own benefit. You told Draco how I was when you kissed me, and now he wants the same thing you got. You used me, mister.” 

Blaise’s face fell. His cheeks grew red, and his eyes pleaded an apology. “I didn’t…I…I’m sorry, Alex.” 

But the boy only smiled. “You live and you learn. Besides, I get to now add Draco to my resume. I’m collecting pureblood boys like they’re cricket trading cards. Now, my next target is Nott.” 

Blaise stifled a laugh. “Yeah, good luck with getting Theo on your side. He’d rather die than be around you.” 

Alex tossed his pillow at him, and narrowly missed the cat. “Sorry, Erk. But watch me, I’ll turn half the house queer before we graduate.” 

——

By the start of June, exams took over most of Alex’s time. In between his studies and taking the exams, he had little time to indulge in the two boys who clung to him for queer experimentations. Instead of the Chamber, they used empty classrooms as their little make-out spots, or if the common room stayed empty, then they would continue their little escapades. 

In their Herbology exam, Malfoy and his two blithering idiots blew up their Stinksap plants and continued to smell absolutely terrible for the rest of the day. However, Alex and Blaise took every chance to make fun of them for their pruned decision. 

They passed the Defense exam with flying colors, or at least how Remus described it, and proceeded to spend the afternoon in the common room. While Blaise did want to spend his time with his lips on Alex’s neck, the latter felt an uneasy feeling wash over him. It wasn’t as bad as the previous two years, but he felt as if something wanted to annoy him. 

Your sister calls upon you. Enter our throne room and await her return. 

Above him, on the painted ceiling, the large silver snake whispered to him. He stared at it, and then rose to his feet. 

“Mara needs us,” he told Blaise. They entered the Chamber before the rush of students entered the common room from their last exams. The torches lit the tunnel as they walked inside where Amarra waited. “What’s up?”

“Trelawney lended me one of her crystal balls, and while I know how they’re not always correct, this one showed me something. Typically, when the owner—a seer— has a vision, it’s reflected in the ball, and I think she had a vision about Black and Potter.” 

Alex looked at her eagerly. He had a feeling that something would happen at the end of the term since it had been relevant the previous two years. 

“They were with Pettigrew in the—” 

“Shrieking shack,” Alex chided. His sister stared at him before she nodded. “I had a vision a of Black and Moony around Christmas. They were arguing about me.” 

“There’s more, Alex. The ball only showed me what would happen tonight while Trelwaney’s voice echoed through it. She said that the Dark Lord’s servant will be free from all chains tonight and will aid his master in rising again. But, if it happens tonight, there are two major factors that can either make or break this situation. Buckbeak’s execution and…” her voice fell silent. 

Alex knew that look in her eyes. When the soft blues glossed over, he knew. She always had that look when a full moon was in cycle. 

“Remus will change tonight. They’ll finally know why he’s missed so many classes.” He took his sister’s hands into his, and then kissed her cheek.  “You’re the genius here, Mara. Thank you.” 

“Should we tell your dad?” Blaise asked. 

Both of the twins chimed with a loud “no!” A startled Blaise stepped back. 

“Dad has a certain respect for Remus, but if he knows what we know, he would either tell the Slytherins and have them snitch, or he could make sure no one gets out of the castle,” Amarra said. 

“She’s right. They only get along because of us. If we tell him, we risk not only the dementors but werewolf boy.” Alex turned his head toward the ceiling. He could hear students as they walked into the Great Hall for supper. “We have to tell Hermione, perhaps she can warn Potter.” 

They took the uncharted tunnel which led them out to a portrait in the entrance hall. They mingled in with the large crowd of students, while Alex kept a watchful eye for Granger. Amarra nudged him and he followed her gaze to the three lions cubs as they came down the stairs. 

He pushed through the opposite wave of students, and while Potter and Weasley talked in hushed tones, he caught her eye. 

“We need to talk,” he said when he, Amarra, and Blaise came to the bottom steps. The lions looked at them, and while Weasley told them off, Alex gave her a pleading look. “Please, Hermione.” 

Alex was so sure that an argument would take place right then and there. Weasley stepped forward to push him, but both Amarra and Blaise came forward. They were at standstill. While Potter also tried to push past them, Alex waited for Hermione’s orders. 

“I’ll catch up to you guys later.” She took Alex’s hand, and while her lips smiled, her eyes were carefully large. She knew something. 

Potter and Weasley protested, but she followed twins and Blaise into a dungeon corridor. They had to be careful on where they talked. The further they went in, the more Alex was concerned that Black would hear them—if he was still in there. 

Alex motioned for Amarra to speak, and while his sister recounted her words, Alex studied Hermione’s face. He saw when certain things were said that her face twitched or tensed. Her eyes were expressive, but he deduced that she knew something about tonight. 

“Harry was just telling us about what Trelaweny had said. He believes that she was talking about Black, but after a conversation with Alex previously, I know that to be untrue. Even if after all this time, why would Pettigrew wish to revive the Dark Lord? They’ve both been out of commission for twelve years, why now?” 

“Because no one else wants to do it,” Blaise said. Alex turned his head to his friend—his lover— in surprise.“After the Dark Lord’s death, most of his followers went into hiding. They pleaded they had been placed under the Imperius Curse, but no trial ever took place in order to see if it was true. Those that were arrested were seen as the most loyal of followers. 

“But those who hid—and not very well— were seen as cowards. If the Dark Lord was to come back, he’d either kill those seen as cowards or welcome them back with suspicious arms. Out of all of the cowardly ones, none of them are so willing to bring the Dark Lord back. Except for Pettigrew, seemingly.” 

“So, that’s why Malfoy doesn’t want you outing his father, Al.” Amarra looked between them. “He’s afraid of what will be done if people found out.” 

Alex shook his head. “No, the Malfoys’ have money. Most of them do. If the Ministry finds out about it—and I think they already know—the other supremacists will only pay off the officials if it keeps their names out of people’s mouths. We’re getting off topic. 

“Hermione, since the essay, how long have you known about Lupin?” 

Hermione looked at him strangely. Conflicted. “How did you know?” 

“Cause he gave us the same essay. We already know about Remus’ condition.” 

She huffed. “I’ve known for months about Professor Lupin’s wolfish condition, but what does this have to do with anything?” 

Alex tilted his head. He heard something close to them. He motioned them to fall silent, and walked up the corridor to see if anyone was around. Behind one corner, nothing. Behind the other, only students as they headed for dinner. 

“Tonight’s a full moon, Hermione,” Alex said once he came back. “If Remus even sees the lunar orb, he’s going to turn and there’s no stopping him. They plan to grab ahold of Pettigrew and kill him in the Shrieking Shack if things go to plan.” 

“Who’s ‘they,’ Alex?” 

Alex felt a hitch in his chest. He hadn’t told her about Remus and Sirius. 

“The whole school has been wondering how Black got into the castle, right?” Amarra said. “Well, we think that Professor Lupin let him in and that’s how he’s been getting close to Potter.” 

Alex braced himself when he felt Hermione hit his shoulder. “You’ve known for how long! And now you wish to tell me!” 

Amarra told her about how close Sirius, Remus, Pettigrew and Potter’s father had been. Alex felt terrible, but he knew Hermione’s anger to him would subside. Each time he took a chance to look at her face, her eyes glistened. 

“Listen,” he said. “Amarra and I had already planned to go down to watch the execution. It’ll be closure for us. If you and your boys go down there, any trouble you might get into, we won’t be too far behind.” 

“Perhaps we can finally be a team,” Hermione muttered. “If the dementors are called, do you know how to defend yourselves? If so, we’ll reconvene when we get the chance.” 

Hermione said her goodbyes, and then disappeared back up the corridor towards the Great Hall. The trio, however, stayed put. 

“We can take our pets with us,” Amarra chimed. “They could act as our eyes and ears.” 

Alex thought about a plan. He knew Blaise would go with them to Hagrid’s, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to risk such a handsome face for a dangerous job. 

“Will your new spell help you in any way?” Blaise asked. When Alex didn’t respond, the boy snapped his fingers in Alex’s face. “Earth to Alex.” 

“Sorry…err no. I need a physical item first before I can use it. I should be fine using the typical incantation and charm. I think we should go grab something to eat quickly and then head down to Hagrid’s. Aunt Fauna has trusted Amarra with giving Bucky his final affection, so we should head there soon.” 

They dispersed. Amarra sat at the Ravenclaw table, while the boys sat on their end of the Slytherin table. Blaise filled his plate halfway, while Alex wrapped and pocketed different variants of food. He ate very little before they headed back to the common room. 

With their wands and pets in hand, they met with Amarra in the courtyard before they walked down to Hagrid’s hut. Alex watched as his sister petted and fed the hippogriff, but he kept a close eye out on the forest and for the minister officials. 

Alex had heard a conversation taken place inside the hut, and when he turned, he saw the bushy hair of Hermione in the window. He nodded a greeting in her direction, and then turned back to his sister. 

Blaise nudged him when he saw four individuals come down the path—the Minister, a representative of the magical creatures department, the executioner, and Dumbledore. While the Minister smiled in the direction of Alex, whom he mistook as Prince nonetheless, the headmaster urged them to return to the castle. “It is not safe for children to be outside these days.” 

Alex watched as the lions cubs exited through the back of the hut while the Ministry entered through the front. Alex motioned for Amarra to rejoin them, and they trekked up to the wooden bridge. 

“I told him that Aunt Fauna was proud of him nonetheless, and that he would always have a place in my heart,” Amarra whispered into his knitted jumper. 

Alex whispered to Athena and Serpentine—who nestled himself in the eagle’s talons—to take to the sky. “We’ll be here when you return.” 

Erskine pushed his head against Blaise’s head when both the snake and the eagle took flight. They watched as the executioner came out and raised his axe high, and then the earth fell strangely calm. Alex could hear Amarra’s heart beat rapidly, and he felt her tears soak into his jumper. He wished he had better news to tell her, but he had had no dreams about the death of Buckbeak before that night. 

From their vantage point, Alex could see the willow tree burst into an excited frenzy as the lions ran towards it. The lions followed after the shaggy black dog, who held Weasley’s foot in its jaws, and above them, Alex spotted both Crookshanks and a band of dementors. After being thrown around by the tree, Alex saw Hermione and Potter disappear under the willow.

Shortly thereafter, both Athena and Serpentine came back, and the latter reported to Alex the details that the boy hadn’t seen. 

They’ve gone to shack. Lupin entered as I was leaving. Pettigrew will be outed. We wait now?

Alex nodded. “We wait now, Serpe.” 

The trio headed to the willow tree, and while Blaise rushed into the hollowed tunnel first, both Amarra and Alex took turns to banish the dementors. If one of the ghoulish beings tried to make a snap at his sister, either Athena or Serpentine would hiss at it until Alex directed his wolfish patronus at it. 

After a while, the dementors gave up, and Blaise reemerged with Erskine. “They’re coming back. I’ll tell you what I heard once we’re safe.” 

They hid out of sight. Around the bend, the three of them peered their heads out to watch the marauding group. Alex witnessed how comfortable Potter had become with Black. Instead, his eyes focused on an unconscious Snape, who had floated out of the tunnel bounded in ropes. 

Amarra nudged his shoulder, and he turned his head to watch the lunar being appear from behind the clouds. 

Alex threw a tiny rock in Hermione’s direction and prayed to the Fates that she would see the celestial orb and not Remus, but upon its contact with the ground, Remus stared blankly at the sky. Alex held his breath, and pulled both Amarra and Blaise back as the transformation began. 

He had seen his fair share of wolfish happenings before, and while he knew Amarra had seen at least one, he didn’t want her to witness it again. 

His ears perked at the sound of howls from the forest, and in a rush, the mutated Remus zipped past them. Then Black in his doggish form, and then Potter after him. Alex caught sight of the Pettigrew’s rat, and before he could stop him, Serpentine was gone. 

“Damn it!” 

Hermione came to them, and pleaded that they take a knocked-out Weasley and their father back to the castle. “And Crookshanks! I’ll get Serpentine!” She ran after Potter and the others before Alex could say anything else. 

Alex stood at the base of the tree, and eyed the ginger cat. Blaise had pulled Weasley’s body over to the trunk, while Amarra stood over their father’s body. “He looks so peaceful,” she said. 

“Crookshanks, come here, please.” Alex rubbed his thumb and pointer finger together, but the cat refused to move. “Come down, Evel Kneazle.” 

Amarra laughed. “I like that. Say, Alex, is Hermione going to become an honorary member of our group?” 

“What like the Clea-Monkey clan? Or the three of us?” Alex wondered if he should climb the trunk to grab the cat. “We could make this trio a quad, and invite her in.” 

“Like she’d leave these two.” Blaise motioned to Weasley. “Does she know about you, Alex?” 

The black-haired boy turned his head to his friend and sister. “Yeah, she figured it out. But I had to tell her about Black.” Alex picked up a pebble and transfigured it into a mouse. He threw it, and once Crookshanks was down, he grabbed him. 

“Good, kitty. Now, will you behave and follow Erk inside with us, Cookie?” He thought he saw the cat nod, and we released him. Both Crookshanks and Erskine sniffed each other before they led the way back to the castle. 

Amarra held onto Snape’s and Remus’ wands and guided their father back to the castle. All the while, both Blaise and Alex took ahold of Weasley and carefully walked with the rest of the group. 

A twig snapped behind them, and when Alex turned his head, he could’ve sworn he saw Hermione’s hair and jumper from behind a boulder. He squinted, and then huffed. Unless she had a time-turner, there was no chance she was in two places at once. 

McGonagall greeted them at the entrance. She sent the twins to their common rooms, and ordered Alex to keep the ginger cat with him. She escorted both Weasley and Snape to the hospital wing—with Amarra’s help. For the duration of the night, both of the boys and the two cats stayed in the common room and played chess. 

Hours passed, and by the stroke of midnight, a visitor entered the Slytherin common room. It was tall and semi-built man. A hood covered his eyes, but Alex caught sight of a thin mustache and sallow skin. 

“Can we help you?” Alex asked. His wand nestled in his hand, Alex stood to greet him. The man’s head turned in Blaise’ direction, and while the boy hid behind Alex, the latter raised his wand. “I asked you a question, sir.” 

Alex’s emerald eyes caught sight of a scarred tattoo on the man’s left forearm. His eyes scanned over the man’s features, and for a second, he thought he recognized him. An executioner was a perfect job for a former dark lord follower, at least in Alex’s opinion. 

“You better have a good reason for pointin’ that thing at me, boy,” his voice was gruff and harsh. He laughed, and Alex felt his neck veins strain at the sound of such a hideous laugh. “I’m not above killing students, especially ones that get in my way.” 

“Can we help you?” Alex repeated. He saw how the man stared at Blaise. He saw the smile. And the fidgety fingers. “If not, then get out of our common room.” 

The man stepped closer. His breath was rancid. Alex tilted his head away, in hopes to be rid of the smell. Both Erskine and Crookshanks stood, and hissed. 

“What can I help you with, Walden?” Snape voice’s broke through the silence.

“He’s got nerve, Severus.” 

Snape jerked his head in the direction of the dormitories. Alex took the ginger cat into his arm, and they entered the dormitory hall. 

“A death eater,” Blaise whispered. “And a minister official. Now that’s some serious commitment to the cause.”

——

The following morning, however, a rumor had been created by none other than the Slytherins. They had received valuable information from an unknown source that Remus was a werewolf, and while students began to receive letters from their parents all throughout the day, Alex knew who had snitched. 

Amarra had called in after all. And she wasn’t too pleased. 

Alex and Blaise caught up with Hermione when they had the chance. They traded off the cat and the snake, while Hermione told them about what had happened. She informed them that both Buckbeak and Black were safe. She only proved his speculation about the time-turner, and told him that Potter had successfully defended himself against fifty dementors. 

Before she left, however, Hermione kissed Alex’s cheek. “Friends?” She asked.

He extended his hand, and they shook on it. “Friends.” 

Alex felt flustered for most of the day. Blaise joked with him that he might become the lover boy of Hogwarts, but Alex knew that would never be true. There were plenty of people who still hated him at the school. 

He saw little of Malfoy over the course of the following weeks, but on occasion, he would get a small note from the blonde-haired boy to meet somewhere. On the day before they returned to London, Alex received a letter. 

On the train back into England, Blaise told them about his mother’s letter. 

“Mum is going to Italy for the summer. She’s getting a late prospect on husband number four, and she asked if I wanted to stay with anyone while she was gone. She wants to meet your Nanna at the station, and I’m hoping she’ll be nice to her.” 

“As long as she doesn’t know Nanna’s a squib, I think all will be fine.” Amarra turned her attention on her brother. “Now, what did you letter say, snake boy?

“It was from Sirius,” Alex began. “He told me that Nanna had offered her our home for a couple of days and Alastor wasn’t too pleased about it. But he’ll be gone before we arrive. And he wants to apologize in person, hopefully in the fall, but I doubt he actually wants to mend things. Not after what he said.” 

Once they were in the station, Alex noticed how much Blaise’ mother didn’t expect her son’s friends to be like this. To the likes of this extremely rich, blood-elitist, covered in rare furs of a woman, she had not expected a family who was so caught up in the Muggle world to even be considered at good friends of her son. 

“She’s a peculiar character,” Nanna said on the way back to the car. “I hope Blaise has fun with us this summer. And, I’ve been talking with Alastor and your father, and we think it’s time for you to brush up on your French.” 

“What do you know that we don’t, Nanna?” Alex asked. A smile appeared on his face when she smiled into the rearview mirror. 

“Oh you’ll see, my darlings. You will see.” 

The rise in dark beings and followers gave Alexander the sense that something devious was in store for the next school year. Yet, he hoped the Fates would give him a year similar to this one. But one can only hope, and the Fates always have something in store for young Alexander and his family.