metanoia

Chapter Fifty

"Hey Mudblood, where's your precious Blood Traitors?" A Slytherin 7th year taunts Alex as she walks from the Quidditch Pitch alone after Practice that evening.

Alex tried to ignore him and go about her business, not really in the mood to deal with some ignorant Slytherin bully or anyone for that matter considering the way her night ended yesterday. But the Slytherin suddenly had four friends appear out of nowhere, including Regulus Black and Lucius Malfoy, all looking like they were ready to duel. Alex was clearly outnumbered five to one and her odds weren't looking that great. 

"I'm not a Mudblood, Genius, but I'm more than willing to mix your blood into the dirt if that's something you're wanting," Alex snarled, readying her wand, knowing that she would earn a fight if they hadn't already planned to attack her.

The five Slytherin all laugh at her remark, each of them displaying their Death Eater's Mark, as though to explain to her why the events to come were put into effect. The first one who'd spoke to her aimed his wand at her, "Stupefy!"

"Protego!" She exclaims, protecting herself from his spell at the last second.

Behind her a fist connected with her side, near her kidney, knocking her to the ground. Once she was on the ground, she was blasted with at least a dozen spells, was kicked and punched until Hagrid's booming voice rang out from the other direction, demanding for them to stop. Four of them turned and ran as Hagrid came to break up the attack. But the last one, Antonin Dolohov, bent down in front of Alex, looking her in her tear-filled eyes, hissing, "You got lucky this time Mudblood but know, if you don't pick the right side soon, you'll end up a lot worse than this. Good luck tomorrow, can't wait to see the game."

As Hagrid neared, the Slytherin ran away leaving a stunned, beaten Alex Worth laying on the ground. Hagrid sees the girl bloodied and bruised on the grass and scoops her up into his arms and rushes her to the Hospital Wing. "It's alright, Alex. Imma get you to Madam Pomfrey."

When Hagrid rushed past numerous students as they walked the grounds before dinner, trying to get her to the Hospital Wing, Lily and Marlene saw him hurry past. Marlene yelled to the half giant, worried for the poor student Hagrid was cradling, "Hagrid, what happened? Who are you carrying?" 

Hagrid looked over his shoulder to meet their worried eyes, "Alex."

The two girls looked at each other in fear before taking off, running to the Quidditch Pitch to tell the Marauders, Letti and the Twins, wondering what could have happened to her. They pushed people out of their way, not stopping until they met the laughing group of six.

"Lily, what's wrong?" James asked his girlfriend, seeing the panic in her eyes when she and Marlene stopped breathlessly in front of them.

"Alex... Ha- Hagrid.. Hospital Wing," she panted, catching her breath from running like a madman across the school grounds.

The laughter immediately ceased from the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, all six taking off in a sprint to the Hospital Wing, not waiting for any further explanation. Letti and James were the fastest, running ahead of everyone else, screaming, "Get out of my way, NOW!"

"Where's the fire?" Amos jokes, stepping out of the way for the stampede of sprinting Gryffindors.

Gideon fully intended to ignore him like everyone else, but he then remembered the Hufflepuff was close to his best friend. He looked over his shoulder, not slowing down as he yelled, "Alex is hurt."

By the time they made it to the Hospital Wing with Amos now included in the fold; Headmaster Dumbledore, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey all stood around Alex. The bloodied blonde sat upright in the hospital bed, bruises covering her face and arms, and she had a white bandage wrapped around her left arm. Madam Pomfrey saw the nine panting students standing in the doorway, shocked by their friend's appearance and went to send them away but Dumbledore stopped her, "Now wait, Poppy. They deserve to see their friend."