metanoia

Chapter Eighty

"Are you okay?"

Alex looked up from the enchanted photograph she'd been staring at for the past few days, nodding when she caught Remus' eyes filled with concern. He wasn't alone in that expression. Lisette, Fabian and Gideon sat on Alex's bed, watching her as she avoided sleep. "I'm fine. I'm more worried about him and Sirius."

"Did you really not know she was sick?"

The blonde shook her head, clearing her throat before answering Letti's question. She'd been thinking back over the last year, trying to place the moment Euphemia Potter contracted dragon pox, but the time elluded her. "She never let on that she was anything less than perfect. She was always worried about me or James or Sirius and our wellbeing, what was going on with us that I never would have guessed she had dragon pox."

A knock at the door broke them out of their conversation. After hearing permission to enter, James stuck his head around the barely open door, "Hey guys, can you come downstairs for a minute? Lily, Charlie and Marlene are on their way here."

"Yeah, we'll be right there Jimmy," Gideon promised, sliding off the bed and beginning to stretch.

Fabian waited for James to close the door, hearing his retreating footsteps going down the stairs, "He doesn't seem upset at all. Which is surprising, if my mom died unexpectedly I'd be a mess."

"I know right, that's what scares me. And he adored his mother. He hasn't cried or spoken to me about it. He's been in his room for days," Alex told them, taking Remus by the hand and leading the group of them down the stairs.

When the five descended the staircase, they found Lily, Charlie and Marlene climbing out of the fireplace to join Peter, Sirius and James in the living room. Marlene looked around the living room, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, slamming herself beside Sirius on the couch, "Alright so why did you call us all here, Potter? I haven't slept in two days and I'd like to change that."

James stood in front of his eleven friends, the corners of his mouth pulling upward as he announced his surprise, "I got us tickets for the Quidditch World Cup."

"How the Hell did you do that?! How could you afford it?" Alex gasped in excitement, barely being heard over her other Quidditch obsessed friends clamoring over James' feat.

"Do you forget his father invented Sleekeazys and he's related to the man who invented Skele-Gro and blood replenishing potion?"

James rolled his eyes at Lily reminding his cousin that he came from easily the richest family in the Wizarding World, quickly changing the subject, "Whatever. It doesn't matter I got us and Eddie tickets and it's in three days, so I say we leave tomorrow."

Sirius slapped the top of his thighs, pushing himself off the couch to stand beside Alex, "Well, I'm sure as Hell in."

Seeing everyone agreeing to his suggestion, he clapped happily, "Then it's settled, we'll leave here tomorrow at noon."

When everyone left, going home to collect their belongings for their trip to the Quidditch World Cup, Alex pulled James aside when Sirius announced that he was going to make them lunch, "Jamie, is this just something to keep your mind off your mother?"

James nodded, pushing his hair off his forehead as he leaned against the wall beside the photo of them, Sirius and his parents at Christmas, "Not only that but to have a moment where we can still be kids. We've got to live while we can, Merlin only knows that."

The whole way to the World Cup, Eddie was bouncing off the walls with excitement. They set up their tent and made their way to the Pitch and the whole way there, Eddie was thanking him for inviting him and talking about who he thought would win the World Cup. Eddie looked around the Stadium, astonished by how many people were there, "I could kiss you, James Potter. Kiss you!"

"Please don't," James laughed, jokingly pushing Eddie away from him. "I don't think my fiancée would appreciate that."

"The Quidditch World Cup. And we know and are friends with one of the players, how crazy is that?! I still can't believe that MacDonald made the England team after only being a Holyhead Harpie for one year."

Charlie bumped James with her shoulder, speaking up into his ear as they listened to Eddie excitedly babble with Gideon and Marlene, "Thank you for inviting him, it clearly means a lot to him."

James let out an airy laugh, looking over to see Eddie and Marlene make a bet about the outcome of the Match, "Well, of course. He's your boyfriend and besides, he's one of the few who understand my level of passion for Quidditch."

Lily stood up from her chair, Sirius arose as well as she looked down at the row at their group of twelve, "Hey, we're to go get something to eat. Would anyone like anything?"

"No, but I'll come with you," Charlie offered, walking past Eddie and James to join Lily and Sirius.

Remus nodded, rising from his seat, "Me too. I need to go to the restro-"

"Mary's playing Seeker!" the eldest Prewett twin exclaimed, proud of the Hogwarts alumna.

Alex whistled as Mary flew past them in a warm-up lap, applauding her and she led the England team in their lap, "Rightfully so. She was the Ravenclaw Seeker before Lockhart weaseled his way onto the team."

"I never understood why she gave him her position. She is clearly better than he ever will be and that's why they never caught the Snitch after he became Seeker. I'll be right back," Remus promised, pressing a kiss on Alex's lips before following Charlie and Lily out of their row to find the restroom.

"Did you know he used to fancy her?" Peter quizzed nonchalantly, watching Mary as she chatted with the England team Keeper.

Alex snapped her head to look at Peter, surprised to hear what he decided to reveal, "What?"

"Mary MacDonald," he repeated, now having not only her attention but Fabian, Letti, Gideon and Marlene's as well. "Remus fancied her in Fifth year but he never asked her out. It's a shame too because they would have made such a cute couple."

Letti stared at the fourth Marauder in genuine disgust, wondering what Alex ever did to him for him to have this long standing hatred for her, "What was the point of that? Why did you feel the need to tell that fact, huh, Pettigrew?"

"Because he's a spineless rat. And a prick," Marlene spat at him.

Sirius and Lily returned from getting food, both carrying multiple bottles of butterbeer for everyone. When they returned, Sirius looked to the end of their row, seeing everyone from Marlene over with an angry look on their face. He met Alex's eye, knowing that he'd missed something, "Are you okay? Did we miss something?"

"Yes, as a matter of a fact you did," Gideon confirms, craning his neck around Peter to meet Sirius' grey eyes, "You missed something. Pettigr-"

Alex shook her head no, talking over Gideon as Remus and Charlie returned from the restroom and stood behind Sirius waiting to take their seats again, "Nothing. You didn't miss anything that mattered."

Gideon looked between Alex and Peter, not wanting him to get away with being a dick to her because he felt like it, "But-"

Alex shook her head, glaring at Peter, "Just drop it, Gid. He's not worth it. He's just trying to get under my skin and make me as miserable as he is. It's kinda pathetic."

Peter snarled at the blonde, spitting at her in a low voice so Sirius, James and Remus couldn't hear him, "Bitch."

"Rat."