Little Riddle | James Potter

Twenty Two

     James was a charming, good-looking, and popular guy. So why he was flicking through a book about 'How To Win The Girl Of Your Dreams' was beyond anyone who walked past him in the library, which was an odd sight to see in itself. He was accompanied by a sickly and weak-looking Remus Lupin, who read several books of muggle literature. Now that was a common sight.

     It was the day after a full moon, which led Remus to the only place where he could find comfort and serenity after such a tiring day. But this time he was followed by James, who tagged along to begin his research on the neurochemistry and psychology of love. The Gryffindor had accepted it was going to take much more than just his charm and chivalry to make Alexis go through a sudden but definite change. He needed to genuinely understand the process of falling in love and create a plan that would lead to spending the rest of his life happily married to Alexis Riddle and have ten children with her, who would all be a mixture of the Potter charm and the ambition of a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself, which was a killer combination. That was his plan now, according to him, and much to Remus' amusement.

     "You seem quite happy about your future children having Slytherin ancestry for someone who used to despise them just last year," Remus noted mockingly, his eyes never looking up from his book.

     "I think the guy was a little loony," James mumbled as he continued scribbling some notes. "But he's still a Hogwarts founder and a very powerful wizard, so that's pretty wicked."

     "Ten children, then?"

     "Have you looked at her? Have you looked at me? With our looks and brains, we need to pass down these genes." Remus couldn't tell if James was joking or being cocky, both options being completely plausible.

     "Have you talked to Peter?" Remus asked abruptly, noticing James tense and freeze before he continued writing casually.

     "I don't want to get my hopes up, but I really think Alexis and I already went through some of this," James commented as he flicked through 'Seven Stages Of Falling In Love.'

     "You know he didn't mean what he said the other night," Remus pressed. "He was just caught up on his emotions."

     "The last stage is 'Helplessness'? That doesn't sound very nice."

     "I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you!" Remus finally placed down his book to glare at James, who chose to bury his nose deeper into his notes.

     "And I'm trying to subtly avoid it!"

     "James Potter in the library?" Alexis slammed a book on the table, startling the soul out of the two boys as she plopped down next to James. "I must be going mad."

     "Hey, sweet-cheeks. I missed you too! You look beautiful today, did you do something to your hair?" James wrapped his arms around her obnoxiously, making her giggle as she tried to forcibly remove herself from his grasp. Remus picked up his book, 'My Name Is Asher Lev' again, covering his smirk.

     "How was the full moon?" Alexis opened the Potions textbook once she managed to free herself from James.

     "Turned into a beast, destroyed the room, tried to hurt myself for some reason, ran around with those three," Remus replied impassively. "The usual."

     "I would like to join you in acknowledging the difficulties of your life." Alexis reached over to hold his hand, making James chuckle and Remus shake his head while giving her a content smile. "You are the worst at this comfort thing."

     The three of them fell into a comfortable silence as they all busied themselves with the books in front of them. "Oi, Lexi. How many kids would you like to have?" Remus asked suddenly, although not really disturbing the girl, who didn't so much as frown at the random question.

     "Well, I've never had a family— or a childhood, for that matter." She replied nonchalantly. "So I would like to have as many kids as possible to make up for it."

     "How many?"

     "I don't know, man. Like ten."

     Alexis found herself in the Gryffindor Common Room quite often as of late, which she wasn't particularly proud of. But when Frank Longbottom was kind enough to invite her to his birthday celebration she just couldn't say no.

     The problem with the constant Gryffindor visits was that there was always alcohol involved, which ended with her making questionable decisions by the end of the night more often than not. But her plan for the night was to hang on to Remus because nothing could ever go wrong if Remus Lupin is by your side.

     "Are you really going to follow me everywhere I go?" Remus watched, amused as Alexis followed him around like a lost puppy.

     "I will. You're the key to not doing anything stupid tonight." She held onto his arm, looking like a small child next to the tall boy.

     "Why? Don't feel like kissing any girls tonight?" He teased as he guided them to an empty seat in the corner.

     "Don't feel like kissing anyone tonight." She plopped down on the armchair. "I gotta work on my independent woman game. Anyway, enough about me, when are you going to ask bloody Catherine out?"

     "I'm in a bit of a predicament at the moment." He took a sip of his firewhiskey. "I'll get back to you when I have an answer."

     "And what— or who— is this predicament about?" She asked in a singsong way.

     "Sirius! What on earth are you doing?!" Remus scolded the lad after he tried levitating some drinks towards them but ended up spilling them on some random girls.

     "Well, you two look awfully bored here." Sirius approached them, casually walking by the drenched girls throwing daggers his way. "Good thing you got me. And where there's a Sirius there's a party." He pulled them both up and dragged them to the fireplace, where the rest of their friends sat around.

     There was a spot next to James in which Alexis was about to mindlessly sit in before Ivy got up and dragged her someplace else. She could only manage to give James a sheepish smile, making the boy smirk back at her. Ivy made Alexis sit down in between herself and Gideon Prewett. "Not today, Potter. Not today."

     "Let the poor boy be a lovesick pansy." Sirius shook his head disapprovingly, making Ivy glare at him with so much intensity it was creeping Sirius out. "Why are you glaring at me?"

     "I'm hoping you'll spontaneously combust."

     "Try harder," Remus encouraged her.

     "Lex, your lover girl is looking this way," Catherine commented nonchalantly, subtly pointing at Marlene who was indeed looking her way while she had what seemed to be an intense conversation with her friends.

     "Hide me." Alexis tried to cover herself with a cushion. It had been no secret the girls had shared an intimate moment at one of the infamous Gryffindor parties that also served as Marlene's coming out announcement.

     "Why? You weren't this shy last weekend," Sirius teased her, knowing very well that although the snogging session left Marlene on cloud nine, Alexis was beyond embarrassed about her little 'letting her hair down' moment.

     "I was completely wasted last weekend, Mr Black. But now I have Remus, who's going to stop me from doing anything stupid." Alexis beamed proudly at the lycanthrope, who gave her a not very convincing thumbs-up.

     "Yes, because Remus is known for stopping people from doing stupid things," James said sarcastically.

     "Whatever. I'll be on my best behaviour tonight."

     "Good luck with that."

     "I'm serious!"

     "No. I am."

     Her back ached and her legs felt numb as she slowly came to her senses. She opened her eyes wearily, letting them adjust to the incoming sunlight. But her morning serenity ended fast after having a heart attack when she saw Fabian Prewett laying next to her. Her brain went into instant panic mode, but after frantically looking at her surroundings she realized Catherine was laying on her other side, while a couple of other students lay scattered on the floor around them. The only four that seemed to be in a peaceful and comfortable slumber were the Marauders, who slept in their respective beds. It looks like they took the party to their dorm at some point during the night.

     "f*****g James." Alexis yawned tiredly, whispering under her breath as she got up. "Wanker couldn't let me sleep in his bed." James' invisibility cloak had been tossed right outside his trunk and, doubting he would be upset if she borrowed it for the morning, Alexis took a hold of it to do her walk of shame back to the Slytherin dungeons in peace.

     It was only 8 a.m. and the corridors were considerably empty since it was a class-less Saturday. The Slytherin Common Room was no exception, considerably empty but not quite. Malfoy, Snape, Avery, and Mulciber sat around the fireplace, whispering to each other even though they were the only ones around. Alexis shuddered at the sight of them but mustered the courage to approach them under the cloak. Somehow she had avoided any encounters with them, which she believed were most likely her brother's orders, but the glares they sent her way were sinister enough. But now the four Death Eaters were unaware of the youngest Riddle's presence.

     "What do you suggest we do then, Severus?"

     "I suggest we wait for the Dark Lord's orders." Snape's voice was just as cold and eerie as ever.

     "He already gave us the orders. We have to be at the small village outside of Hogsmeade by 10 p.m.; the only problem is getting there." Malfoy leaned back on the armchair, blankly staring at the fireplace.

     "Who are they?" Mulciber asked. Alexis could sense a little uneasiness coming from the boy. "Who lives there?"

     "The Calders," Avery answered with disgust. "A very loved, very respected family of filthy Mudbloods."

     "Any kids?"

     "Three. Two of them are here in Hogwarts. A first-year Hufflepuff and third-year Gryffindor." Malfoy sneered. "And the third one is back home. He'll be there for our little visit tonight."

     "Will the Dark Lord be joining us tonight?"

     "Yes, Mulciber. The Dark Lord and some fellow Death Eaters will join us tonight." Malfoy's answer caused delight in his companions, which ended when they heard the Portrait door slam shut.

     Alexis' legs carried her as fast as they could, not caring about how odd she may look with the invisibility cloak flying around her, only covering some parts of her body. The distance between the Slytherin dungeons and Gryffindor Tower felt longer than it actually was as she hoped and prayed her housemates weren't following her. She tripped on several stairs and fell on several others, but only stopped once she arrived back in the Marauders' dorm, slamming the door shut with all her might. Some of the students sat up with alarm while others simply groaned.

     "Get up, you fuckers! This is a f*****g emergency!" Alexis aggressively shook the ones who ignored the slammed door. Ivy, Sirius, Peter, and the Prewetts, to be more specific.

     James was the first one to react, leaping out of his bed immediately. "What? What is it?"

     Remus yawned, tiredly rubbing his eyes. "What happened, Lex?"

     "I'm gonna kill that woman," Ivy groaned, throwing herself back to her pillow.

     "There will be another Death Eater attack tonight!" That woke everybody up. In a blink of an eye, the room went chaotic with running and screaming.

     Everyone was shouting questions over the others until Remus managed to restore some order. "Alright— Sirius, shut up! You," he pointed at Alexis, "explain."

     "I heard Malfoy and the others talking! They're going after the Calders at 10 p.m. tonight, they live close to Hogsmeade I believe," Alexis blabbered, pacing back and forth.

     "Okay, let's all change and meet up at the Great Hall in thirty minutes," Remus instructed, nervously running his hands through his hair. "We'll sort things out there."

     "We have to tell Dumbledore!" Sirius cried as he paced next to the Gryffindor table.

     "Sirius, sit down!" Remus pulled him down. "We don't want to look suspicious."

     "I'm with Sirius, though. We need to notify Dumbledore immediately." Frank Longbottom, who, along with Alice and the Prewett twins, were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time but chose to join them anyway, looked around anxiously as he spoke.

     "McGonagall's coming this way!" Catherine whisper-shouted. "Remus, quick! Tell her you need to speak to the Headmaster!"

     "Why m— Hey, Professor!" Remus waved at Minerva, who was walking around checking on her students.

     "How can I help you, Mr Lupin?" Although stern, the woman was always extremely attentive and helpful.

     "I was wondering if I could have a word with the Headmaster immediately?" Remus' hands fidgeted under the table as he tried to ignore the Professor's questioning looks.

     "I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not in the school at the moment. He will be returning on Monday." She eyed them all warily. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

     "No!" Alexis replied abruptly, giving McGonagall her most convincing smile. "That would be it. Thank you, Professor."

     "Very well." As soon as Minerva turned her back everyone shot Alexis accusatory glares.

     "Are you mad?! What were you thinking?! She could help us!" Alexis frowned at James' tone, feeling herself get increasingly irritated by the second.

     "They were all looking this way." She subtly nodded at the Slytherin table. "Still are, so I would appreciate it if you kept your voice down." She scowled at James. "They can't know we know. We don't want them to change their plans."

     "We don't?" Peter asked, confused.

     "We don't." She avoided James' eyes, knowing it was silly of her to get upset over something so insignificant, but her emotions were getting the best of her. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread at the thought of facing the Death Eaters again, this time accompanied by her brother. She was going to have to fight her brother and she was certainly not mentally prepared for that. Most likely not psychically either.

     "We don't." Sirius nodded. "We go out there and we stop them ourselves."