Little Riddle | James Potter

Twenty Four

     Peter held his breath, a lone tear sliding down his cheek as he stood on the other side of the Hospital Wing's door, listening to James' each and every word. James was willing to risk it all for the girl because he truly, wholeheartedly loved her. And Peter knew, he could feel it deep in his soul, that James' plan was going to succeed. Because it was as clear as day that James Potter and Alexis Riddle were made for one another. And that poor Peter Pettigrew wasn't even in the race.

     If he could have it his way, he would ditch his friends for the girl's love. But Alexis only ever saw him as shy, dorky Peter. He wasn't funny like James or athletic like him. He wasn't brave or charming, nor did he possess the brains and natural talents. He didn't captivate her the way James did. He didn't make her laugh the way James did, nor did he make her day with his mischievous ways or brighten her mood with his sole presence. No matter how hard he tried, Peter knew he was nothing compared to James. Because even if she couldn't feel it, Alexis Riddle was in love with James Potter. And that was enough to break poor Peter's heart.

     His thoughts and silent tears were interrupted when he heard heavy footsteps approaching from the other side of the door. Scurrying to hide, Peter saw James leave Alexis' side and for once, he didn't leave some sort of guard with her. Peter knew he had to stand down and give her up, but the idea of having some alone time with her, even if she was unconscious, was too tempting. He hesitantly sneaked into the room, and although he knew he was not breaking any rules, he still felt like he needed to be extremely cautious.

     Alexis looked like she was in peaceful sleep, with no trace of pain or discomfort in her face. Peter had visited her in the Hospital Wing before, but just like in their tutoring sessions, Remus had taken it upon himself to somewhat monitor Peter's interactions with the girl. But now he didn't have to pretend he wasn't captivated by the girl's beauty or keep a fair distance away from her for James' comfort. No, right now it was only Alexis and him.

     He was by her side now, holding the same hand James had kissed no more than five minutes ago. Peter struggled to maintain his composure, having never been able to be so close and intimate with the girl.

     He wondered how James felt. How did it feel to have a natural, wordless and passionate intimacy with her? How did it feel to stare right into those green eyes from up close, and have them stare right back at yours? He wondered how her hands felt wandering his body. Did James know how lucky he was to have been blessed with the sound of her moans? When his name escaped her lips in a gasp, did he feel his heart stay still and his veins pumping with adrenaline the way Peter imagined it? He wondered how James felt knowing he possessed the ability to give her spontaneous kisses. Place his lips against hers and make her come undone. Did James thank God or the universe and the stars every night for giving him everything Peter could only long for?

     It infuriated Peter. It infuriated him that James' hands had probably felt every inch of her body, but all he could do was hold her hand while no one was around and she was unconscious.

     He raised his hand to caress her delicate features, savouring every moment and every touch because it was no exaggeration to say that was the first and last time he would experience having her all to himself. He ran his thumb across her lips, feeling like he had just made a huge mistake as every fibre of his being longed to feel her lips against his. He wasn't thinking, really. Overcome with emotion and driven by an uncharacteristic impulsive behaviour, he leaned closer and crashed his lips against hers, desperately trying to memorize the taste of her lips and how they felt against his.

     "What the hell?!" Peter froze in place, slowly looking up to see a fuming Ivy. "Have you ever heard of consent, you freak?!"

     Peter tried to get ahold of her arms as she repeatedly hit him with a book she had been carrying. "Ivy, let me expla-"

     "You pervert! You're kissing an unconscious girl, how sick is that?!"

     "What are you even doing here?!" Peter spat angrily, his patience wearing thin, but not intimidating Ivy in the slightest.

     "James sent me here! Oh, and you'll be lucky if I don't snitch on you, Pettigrew-"

     "Do whatever you want! None of you understands! I love her and I will never, ever be able to have her. Do you know how that feels?" Peter allowed the tears to run freely down his cheeks, but even then, Ivy was not impressed.

     "I have absolutely no sympathy for you, Peter. Zero. Nada." Ivy shook her head. "Now get out of he-" Marlene walked into the room at that precise moment, making Ivy groan annoyed. "Merlin, what a mess. The both of you, OUT!"

     Marlene's eyes instantly filled with tears. "I just wanted to check on her."

     "Well, she's fine. Now get the hell out of here before I drag you out myself, princess." Ivy glared at both of them as they made their way out, running into an amused Catherine who was walking in.

     "What was that all about?" Catherine asked as she took a seat next to Alexis' bed.

     "They won't leave the poor girl alone! You were right about Pettigrew fancying Lex, by the way." Ivy shook her head disappointedly while Catherine looked rather pleased with herself. "They both know she has a boyfriend! Well... sort of." 

     "What happened with 'making James pay'?" Catherine arched an eyebrow, a teasing smile adorning her lips.

     "Well... Turns out he's actually the best option of the lot."

     "Or the Marauders are starting to grow on you."

     "Shut it."

     Alexis pranced into the Great Hall with a smile on her face like it was nobody's business. Like she hadn't spent the last week in the Hospital Wing after risking her life to stop her brother for the second time. Everyone stopped to stare at her, but it just so happened that the four boys she had her eyes set on were too preoccupied murmuring amongst themselves to acknowledge her presence.

     "Fine day, Monday, isn't it? Now, will you stop whispering around like a bunch of gossip queens?" She neared the Gryffindor table with a cheeky smile, laughing at the boys' bewildered expressions when they saw her. Sirius and Peter were the first to engulf her in a hug, while James and Remus had to step over the table to reach her side and finally join the group hug.

     "We didn't know you'd be out today." Sirius held on to her for dear life, even after everyone else had already let go.

     "Sirius, let go of the poor girl," James chuckled, but once Sirius stepped aside, it was his turn to wrap his arms around her tightly. Alexis sighed, content with her face pressed against his chest due to the height difference. She smiled dreamily when she heard his heartbeat, which was just as fast as hers. Everything, from his smell to his touch, felt like home. She blushed when James looked down at her with a smirk, only then realizing she had her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

     She cleared her throat and took a seat with Sirius on her left and James on her right, while Remus pulled a hesitant Peter to sit across from them.

     "So, what did I miss?" She asked as she filled her plate with breakfast food. "What happened after I passed out? Did Tom and Dumbledore duel?" She tried her best to hide her uneasiness because although she would never admit it out loud, she still worried about Tom. She wanted to stop him, she really did, but her heart ached at the thought of losing her older brother.

     "Unfortunately, no." Sirius was the first to respond but they all looked eager to speak. "Voldemort knew the Aurors were on their way and that he was running out of time."

     "So he just... ran off?" Alexis frowned, not being able to imagine her brother doing such a thing.

     "Well, not exactly," Remus replied, a little uneasy. "He did escape but before he left, he- he wanted to take you with him." Her gaze shot up from her plate as she looked at the boys with wide eyes.

     "He looked worried sick," James whispered, a conflicted expression taking over his face. "Begged Dumbledore to let him take you. Said you'd be safer with him. That we didn't know how to look after you."

     A small smile appeared on Alexis' face, which contrasted with her sad eyes. That definitely sounded like something Tom would say. Her Tom. Tom, the five-year-old little boy who changed his sister's diapers and fed her in the middle of the night because everyone was too incompetent to look after his precious sister. Sadly, that person was gone, leaving only fragments of himself behind.

     The boys shifted uncomfortably watching her eyes become glossy with tears. It was Remus who found the courage to speak up first. "I never thought I'd see such a merciless man so devastated. We were talking, the boys and I, about how we all just expected you to fight against him because it's the right thing to do, but we never really considered how close you two were. I know you said he raised you but it was only after we saw his face when he saw you that we realized you two shared a strong sibling bond." He gave her a sad smile and reached over, squeezing her hand. "But he's not your only family now, Lexi. I know this is hard for you, but you're not alone. Not anymore. You got us."

     She wiped the few tears that managed to escape as James and Sirius placed reassuring hands on her back. "We got right into the sappiness, didn't we?"

     Everyone chuckled when Alexis was suddenly pulled up from her seat and into another group hug, only this time it was two Ravenclaw girls who tried to asphyxiate her.

     "I went looking for you at the Hospital Wing! Scared me half to death when I saw your bed empty, woman!" Ivy stated dramatically, sending Peter a nasty glare that didn't go unnoticed by anyone but Alexis.

     "So much catching up to do!" Catherine squealed excitedly. "Meet me at the library after lunch to give you some of the notes I took in our shared classes for you."

     "Slow down. You're gonna overwhelm her with excitement," Sirius muttered sarcastically, earning himself a smack in the back of his head from Ivy.

     "We need to get going now. Bye, guys!" Catherine waved goodbye when her eyes suddenly landed on Remus. Her smile disappeared as she looked at him with a pained expression before clearing her throat and walking away indignantly with Ivy following awkwardly behind. The group was left in a rather uncomfortable silence, with Remus' expression resembling Catherine's pained one.

     Alexis subtly leaned closer to Sirius, whispering in his ear. "What happened there?"

    "Well, our dear Moony accidentally confessed he fancies her," Sirius whispered back. "The only problem is that now he's blatantly ignoring her and avoids talking to her. He's not letting the poor girl say a word."

     Alexis frowned. "Why?"

     "Because I'm a monster," Remus replied, not looking very pleased with their conversation. The rest of the boys looked at Remus with sadness and disappointment, while Alexis just looked around, not understanding a thing. "I can't be with her because I'm a monster. Nothing can ever happen between Catherine and me because I'm a werewolf, I could hurt her. It's dangerous."

     "Remus, you're not a monster," Sirius whispered with a pained expression.

     "Yes, I am." He slammed his hands on the table, quickly gathering his belongings before walking out.

     All of them had similar sad expressions as they watched Remus walk away. Alexis turned to James for comfort, who turned to look at her with a smirk. "You have a shitload of homework to do."

     "I know. It's a good way to keep busy. That means I'm not going to have time to see you anymore. Pity." She gave him a fake sad smile before walking out herself.

     "No, wait!"

     Alexis opened her mouth but closed it immediately after, looking down at her book with a frown. It only took her ten seconds to repeat the action, making Catherine, who sat across from her in the library, sigh. "Out with it, Riddle."

     "What do you think about werewolves?" Apparently, Alexis had been spending too much time with Ivy because her subtlety had been thrown out the window.

     Catherine looked up from her book with a frown, before setting the book aside and sitting up straighter. "I think the Wizarding community's treatment of lycanthropes is despicable! When in their human form, they're contributing members of society, just like the rest of us! And it's unfair that they're being held responsible for their actions during the full moon when they can't help it! They have no control over their actions! I think we should be more understanding and supportive instead of so damn prejudiced!"

     Alexis' mouth fell open at Catherine's heartfelt speech, making the girl blush and giggle. "I was thinking of starting a Respect for Werewolves' Rights organization back in third year but they talked me out of it," she said with a sheepish smile.

     Alexis was already trying to come up with a plan to let Remus know how Catherine felt about his kind, which would lead to them falling deeply in love and making her the Maid of Honor on their wedding day, obviously. "I raised you right, my child."

     Catherine rolled her eyes when they suddenly focused on something behind Alexis' back. "Someone is requesting your presence." She smirked, making Alexis turn confused and see James leaning against one of the shelves.

     "It's still really odd seeing you here." She giggled as she approached him.

     James feigned being hurt, dramatically placing his hand on his chest. "Okay, then I and all the notes I took for you will walk right out!"

      He pretended to walk away but Alexis grabbed his arm, pulling him between two bookshelves and out of everyone's view. "You took notes for me? That's so sweet, considering you never even take notes for yourself," she teased.

     James blushed, although he wasn't sure if it was because of the slight embarrassment he felt or because of his sudden nerves at the girl's proximity. "I know Catherine took notes on the classes you share with the Ravenclaws, so I took notes on the ones you share with me. I don't know if you share any with the Hufflepuffs though. I tried to use my best handwriting if you don't understand something just ask me." He gave her a sheepish smile and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I missed you."

     "I missed you too." She placed her arms around his neck.

     He smirked. "You were unconscious."

     "My unconscious self was missing you." Alexis giggled, unaware of how the sound was making James melt.

     They both looked at each other with a glint in their eye and wide, silly smiles. James' gaze lowered to her lips, making him lick his own. But as tempting as they looked, he needed to stick to his plan. He needed both of them to long for each other. He could only hope it was all worth it in the end. He settled for a long peck on the corner of her mouth before walking away with a sheepish grin.

     "Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?" Alexis looked around the corridors frantically, searching for her bag which she had carelessly put down while she had a conversation outside a classroom, and forgot when she made her way to dinner. "It's almost past curfew now, and I'm- wait, I'm a prefect. I'll just say I'm patrolling or something." She stopped in the middle of the hallway with a quizzical look on her face. "Why am I talking to myself? And oh Merlin, am I a witch or not?" She groaned annoyed. "Accio bag!"

     She smiled contently when her bag landed on her feet, and once she checked her belongings were intact, she turned to head to the dungeons. However, she was interrupted when the silhouette at the end of the hallway made her jump.

     "Sorry for scaring you." Marlene smiled. "I was wondering if we could have a word?" She pointed at the nearest empty classroom.

    Alexis walked in without saying a word. She wanted to believe Marlene was going to apologize and say she was going to leave her alone, but Alexis knew better than that. And she proved herself right when Marlene wasted no time crashing her warm lips against hers. But this time Alexis was not under the influence of alcohol, and her mind knew exactly who's lips she wanted to be kissing, and it wasn't the blonde girl's.

     Marlene groaned annoyed at the lack of answer on Alexis' side. "What is wrong with you?"

     Alexis frowned, feeling her irritation increase by the second. "What is wrong with you?"

     "What is wrong with me? Oh, nothing! It's just that I'm in love with a girl who's too blind to see that she's in love with a boy who's playing her!" Alexis was taken aback by the sudden outburst, but Marlene looked like she still had a lot to get off her chest. "Do you know how many years James spent chasing after Lily? He was persistent, always trying to outdo himself, to impress her, to win her over. But then suddenly he just stopped fancying her out of nowhere, after five years, and began fancying you? Do you really believe that? Do you really believe James, the known prankster, just casually fell in love with you one day?"

     Alexis shook her head, not sure how to feel. "I don't understand where you're going with this."

     "Just a couple of months ago he was saying he was going to marry Lily someday! And you don't want to give me a chance because you're with him? James and Lily could be happy together, and you could be happy with me. But no, you had to fall for his little games. How can you be so blind?!"

     Alexis stomped out of the room in a heartbeat, completely ignoring the girl screaming after her. She was angry, the only problem was that she didn't know at who. At James? For making her life so complicated? At herself? Because she knew there was some truth on Marlene's words? At Marlene? For speaking about something she knew nothing about?

     Her way to the dungeons was interrupted once again, only this time it was by an owl who dropped a letter at her feet and flew off without waiting for a reply or a treat. She didn't know what was more odd, receiving mail at that hour or the letter itself, which was just a folded piece of parchment with no name to indicate who sent it. But the few words written across the parchment were enough for her to know who this was from, and for her body to fill with dread.

     'Stay away from all of this. I don't want you to get hurt.'