metanoia

Chapter Thirty-six

In the next few weeks that followed the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match, including James birthday, were quite awkward and even more tense for the Marauders than before the Match. Everyone noticed it, wondering what was so bad that it split up the infamous band of brother,the Marauders.

Rumors spread like wildfire. Rumors that there were arguments over Alex. That she had slept with all of them. Or...  that a prank had gone wrong and made them a house divided. They were right on that one, the prank did go way too far.

"How much longer are these moronic rumors going to be going around? You have a girlfriend. I'm your cousin. And friends fight, friends grow apart. People really must learn to mind their own business," Alex loudly grumbled, in the Great Hall so the people around them could hear.

"I heard that she shagged each of them, then they learned that Potter was her cousin and that he was in love with her but she'd moved on to Black. What a slut," some blonde 4th year Ravenclaw gossiped at lunch one afternoon as Alex and James were leaving the Great Hall for Herbology.

She stopped walking towards the door, hearing the rumors that this girl had been relaying to her friends, and became pissed. "Why don't you turn around and say that to my face, Sweetheart."

The fourth year slowly turned around to see a very angry Alex, glaring down at her. She slowly climbed off the bench she was sitting on, sizing up the Sixth year with a sudden surge of confidence, "Okay. You're a fucking slut."

Pandora Malfoy, who's been sitting further down the table as she read her Advanced Charms textbook, looked up and frowned at her classmate, "Donna, you don't even know her. You shouldn't have said that, she's not a slut."

Alex looked to James, seeing Sirius and Peter approach from over his shoulder making her angrier. He was the reason this was even happening, people ignored her existence before he insisted on being her friend. She chuckled at the Ravenclaw, who was easily six inches taller than her, "Thank you, Pandora.  She's right, you really shouldn't have said that."

Alex grabbed the blonde by her hair, pulling her head down to connect with her rising knee. The Ravenclaw, Pandora referred to as Donna, groaned when her face hit Alex's kneecap, desperately trying to grab Alex in some way. But the Gryffindor had all the leverage. The girl swung her hand up, managing to connect with Alex's mouth. Not letting go of her hair, Alex punched her once in her jaw before throwing her back on the bench and walking away to Herbology. Lisette watched the whole thing from her seat next to Fabian and ran to catch up to them, knowing that she is the only person with the slightest chance to calm her down.

James ran to catch up with her, noting that there were multiple of Alex's friends who were trailing behind them, "Andy, what the Hell was that? Since when do you get into fights with randos?"

She continued walking, not turning around to face her friend when she answered, bound to get to class on time despite alresdy being late, "I'm tired of everyone spreading rumors about me, Jamie. You guys might not get it but that kind of stuff follows girls, even if it isn't true. And honestly I never would have gotten into that fight if Sirius hadn't abused Moony and Star's condition."

"I get it, Andy. I'm mad at him too," James sighed, finally matching her strides as they walked towards the Greenhouse. "You need to stop reminding him every chance you get that he screwed up. And you can't blame him for your actions. You didn't have to fight her."

"I don't have to do a damn thing. I was perfectly fine before you guys forced your way into my life."

Lisette finally caught up to them, hearing the last sentence only, "Alex, you know you don't mean that."

"Al, what the Hell happened to your face?" Remus asked when they finally arrived to class, seeing that her lip was freshly split open.

Sirius stopped at the table they shared, looking at the pair with sad eyes, "She got into a fight with a fourth year over the rumors that they've been spreading about her. I'm sorry, I caused this. And Remus, Letti, I really am sorry. I never meant to hurt you two. I took it too far."

"Piss off, Black," Alex spat at him as Professor Sprout tried to call class to order. Sirius looked sadly at his friends, both looking angry or upset with him and they had every reason to be, before heading to his seat.

The full moon was approaching once again and it showed on both Remus and Letti's faces; their skin became pale and nearly transparent, the bags under their eyes got more sunken and pronounced due to the pain they were in causing many sleepless nights. Alex made the pair a new batch of Wolfsbane, becoming a helicopter parent and made sure that neither would mess up the Potion again so they'd have an easier night. Because of the events that had unfolded, neither of them wanted her to come this time and they weren't giving in.

He didn't want her to see the monster he believed he truly was.

"Oh come on, why can't I come with you? Nothing has changed, I'm still an animagus and you guys have been taking your Wolfsbane. It's not like I'm going in blind," Alex argued with Remus the Room of Requirements.

Most days they would study with Lily, Charlie and Amos there; or avoid Sirius here with James, Letti and whatever friends wanted their company. But today, in an unusual turn of events, it was just the two of them.

Remus laughed at her persistence, "Because I'm not going to risk you getting hurt, Al. If something happens to you, I don't know how I'd live with myself."

"I'm not afraid of you, for the one millionth time, Remus! You're not a monster. And nothing is going to happen because I've been on your asses about not messing with the potion, there won't be another situation like last time!" She yelled at him. "I'm not your responsibility! You have one less person with you, let me help you God dammit! It's not like I've never done this before!"

"Well you should be afraid, Al!" Remus screamed back, flipping over a table.

As it clattered, Remus turned back to Alex with tears streaming down his face, almost whispering this time, "You should be. That's what I am. You know it, I know it, Sirius knows it, Hell now even Severus Snape knows it. I don't care if last time won't happen again. You shouldn't be around me because if I hurt you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself Alex."

Alex watched him cry, crossing her arms, "You done?" She asked sitting down in front of him. "I've been fine thus far without you telling me what to do, Remus Lupin. Letti gave up on telling me what to do when we were 6 years old. I'm not going to stop being around you because you're one of my best friends. And I don't give a bloody fuck what you think because I know you and you are not a monster. You are anything but that, Remus. I meant it, you're more than your condition."

Alex leaned into Remus, not thinking, pressing her lips against his. For a second, Remus kissed back then he pulled away, shocked that she had done that. Alex looked at the boy, saddened by the broken man in front of her. She got up and quietly left the room, embarrassed.