Little Riddle | James Potter

Twenty Six

STAGE 2 -- CRAVING, HOPE

Craving: A powerful desire for something

Hope: To want something to happen or to be true, and usually have a good reason to think that it might happen

     Remus ran at full speed as fast as his legs could carry him. He was well aware he most likely looked like a lunatic but that was the least of his concerns. He barged into the library, receiving quizzical looks from the quiet students inside, but he paid them no mind as his eyes scanned his surroundings. His gaze landed on an empty table at the far right corner, one which was usually used by a certain Slytherin and a fellow Gryffindor for their History of Magic tutoring lessons. He cursed loudly before running out the door again.

     "Are you alright, Peter?" Alexis tilted her head to the side, inspecting the fidgeting boy. Peter had suggested they took their tutoring lesson out to the grounds, claiming the fresh air would do him good. At first, she didn't think much of it, but once she noticed the boy was getting increasingly nervous she knew there was more to it.

     "Lex, I need to talk to you." He swallowed hard. "A— About James."

     She frowned, looking up from her scattered notes. "What about him?"

     Peter's hands were unbelievably sweaty as he kept his eyes down, knowing she would be able to see right through him if he looked her in the eye. And that's the last thing he wanted, for her to see through his lies. He didn't know why exactly he decided to pull through with a plan he had thought of at 3 in the morning, but his desperation was growing and so was his lack of judgment. Besides, how bad would it truly be if he told a tiny little lie about finding James sleeping with Lily?

     "Well, the thing is, we were all hanging out in the common room last night. But then I suddenly noticed that James wasn't there," he blabbered nervously, "which was odd, you know? He's usually the life of the party. So I went to check in our dorm and— I'm so sorry to te—"

     "Hey, guys!" Remus ran in out of nowhere, throwing himself down on the ground next to them. "I've been looking for you like mad! Why didn't anyone tell me we were studying elsewhere?" He asked, clearly out of breath.

     "Peter suggested it at the last minute," Alexis shrugged, turning her attention back to her notes and away from Peter.

     "Oh, cheeky Peter," Remus said through gritted teeth, glaring at his fellow Marauder.

     "No offence, Moony," Peter's tone became hostile, "but I don't reckon you need help with History of Magic, so I really don't know why you're here."

     Alexis frowned. "I'm pretty sure you'd be able to learn much more from the both of us, Peter. Besides, it's a good thing you're here, Rem, 'cause I want to compare our Transfiguration essays."

     Remus nodded, glancing at Alexis' parchment but not before sending a death glare to an annoyed Peter.

     "He's gone mental, I tell you," Remus whispered to Catherine and Sirius, who sat on his side and across from him respectively in the Great Hall as dinner began.

     "Who's gone mental?" Ivy slammed her book on the table, startling her three friends as she took a seat next to Sirius. Remus turned to the other two, unsure on whether he should tell her or not, but Sirius beat him to it. 

     "Peter."

     Ivy frowned, understanding the look Catherine was giving her seeing as that was a topic the two girls had discussed quite a lot themselves. "Oh, yeah. About that—" she scratched the back of her neck uncomfortably as she remembered the Hospital Wing incident, which she had yet to tell anyone about, "—keep a better eye on him, yeah? He's creepier than he looks."

     Sirius frowned. "What did he do?"

     "Who did what?" James asked nonchalantly as he took a seat next to Sirius, followed by Alexis who sat next to Remus.

     "Now, what were you two lovebirds up to?" Sirius teased them, swiftly changing the topic.

     "Did you use protection?" Ivy deadpanned.

     "Ivy!" Catherine scolded her. "We're eating!"

     "And? They were fucking." She shrugged, nodding at Alexis who sat across from her.

    "We weren't—" Alexis started with a loud voice which she lowered to a whisper, "—fucking."

     James smirked, amused by Alexis' rosy cheeks. "We went to get ourselves a bottle of Firewhiskey if you must know. Need I remind you that today is Thursday."

     "So we're starting a thing when we randomly get pissed on Thursdays? Because I'm in," Sirius noted with a mouthful, making Remus throw a crumpled napkin at him.

     "No. The music sessions, people!" James looked at them, mocking offence. "Can't believe you forgot."

     "So today we're rocking my Queen album then." Sirius nodded to himself as he helped himself to a second serving.

     "No. You didn't even remember so we're starting with my Elvis one."

     "Can we go?" Ivy asked, pointing at herself and Catherine, who hadn't been present when the plans were made.

     "Of course. Meet us outside Gryffindor Tower at 8 o'clock," Remus instructed.

     James frowned as he looked around. "Where's Peter?"

     "Don't know." Alexis looked as well, suddenly remembering his odd behaviour from earlier. "He's been acting odd lately. Said he wanted to talk to me about you but never actually got to it. He seemed quite nervous about it."

     James' frown deepened. He couldn't possibly imagine what Peter wanted to tell her but he had a feeling it wasn't good. The rest of the group turned to look at one another with wide and alarmed eyes, knowing Peter was up to no good. Ivy wiped her mouth with a napkin before pushing her plate away and getting up. "You know what? I'm going for a quick shower before I have to go spend all evening with you demons."

     "You were the one who asked to go." James took a sip from his pumpkin juice as he glanced at the girl from over his glass.

     "Yeah, well, I'm bitter and complicated. It's one of my charms."

     Remus gave her an amused and puzzled look. "I don't think you know what that word means. Or how to count."

     Apparently, and surprisingly, Sirius was the only one who caught up with the girl's sudden departure. He didn't know what she was up to exactly, but it was definitely not a shower. "Wait, I'll go with you!"

     "You're gonna go shower with her?" James arched an eyebrow as a smirk grew on his face.

     "Yes. See you later," Sirius replied absentmindedly as he ran after Ivy.

     Where was that rat?

     Ivy and Sirius barged into an empty Gryffindor Common Room and raced up to his dorm. Sirius claimed to have a map that would help them locate Peter faster, which Ivy was still hesitant about, and that way they'd be able to talk some sense into him before he either made a bigger mess or Alexis caught up with what was going on.

     But the bizarre scene that awaited them took them completely off guard. There, in the Marauders' dormitory, sat Lily Evans. The only problem was that they had seen the redhead enjoying her dinner down in the Great Hall no more than five minutes ago.

     "Lily?" Sirius asked confused, though it only took the clever chap a couple of seconds to figure out what was going on.

     "H— Hey Sirius." The girl waved awkwardly.

     Sirius shook his head, his nostrils flaring. "You really didn't think this through, Wormtail."

     "W— What are you talking about? I'm not Peter! I'm Lily! I'm waiting for James." Everything about her seemed off, from her posture to her accent. It would have been a very laughable matter if Ivy and Sirius weren't seething at the moment.

     "Then why are you on Peter's bed, Lily?" Sirius inquired, still holding an angry posture.

     "Oh, this is Peter's bed? I— I thought this was James'. My bad." She walked towards James' bed and awkwardly sat on the edge of it.

     "And how do you know that's James' bed?" Sirius pressed defiantly.

     "Alright, enough!" Ivy wailed. "Polyjuice Potion, Peter? Really? That is by far the stupidest idea I've heard." She turned to Sirius and pointed at Peter. "You call this guy a Marauder?"

     Sirius sighed. "Pete, look, I know you're upset, but you're getting yourself into a huge mess you're not gonna know how to deal with. Now lock yourself in the bathroom until the potion has worn off, and don't even think of trying anything because we'll know it was you." Sirius' voice was cold and authoritative.

     He walked out of the room, followed by Ivy, and left a defeated looking Lily to sulk by herself.

     Alexis noticed a pattern in her drunk behaviour. Every time, at some point during the night, she would stare at James as if he was the most intricate being in the universe and drown in her thoughts only to die inside whenever there was the slightest interaction between the two. And that evening was no exception.

     After a brief argument, which concluded in James' victoriously playing his Elvis record, and after finishing the whole bottle of firewhiskey, the seven teenagers were left in a sleepy but happy trance while Elvis played in the background. Sirius and Ivy played Exploding Snap with Peter, who walked out of the bathroom twenty minutes after they arrived, claiming he had a nasty stomach bug.

     Catherine and Remus were being publicly intimate for the first time. They were cuddling together in his bed while wearing cosy sweaters, which both belonged to Remus, and giving each other butterfly kisses every now and then. The scene was so sweet, Ivy fake-gagged a couple of times.

     And then there was Alexis and James, who seemed to be stuck in the same predicament. It was all stares and deep thoughts for the couple, who seemed to communicate with their eyes as minimal words were exchanged. All they could do was hope for more, hope for the other to get closer, to get rid of any distance between them. They didn't need words to show they craved each other in more ways than one.

     Alexis sighed and leaned closer to James. "What philosophical thought is James Potter having now?" She asked with a smirk, finding his deeply concentrated expression along with that slightly tipsy look incredibly amusing and alluring.

     "You," James smirked at the girl lying next to him.

     "That's not very philosophical."

     "I'm trying to be romantic here, woman," he giggled, making her do so as well. "But you are quite an enigma, do you know that?"

     "So I've been told." She gave him a smitten smile as she leaned even closer to him. Both of them were unaware of the sudden palpitations of the other's heart.

          Wise men say

          Only fools rush in,

          But I can't help falling in love with you.

     "What a fitting song," Sirius chuckled, jokingly covering Peter's eyes.

     Alexis saw Catherine giggling at Remus' pink face from the corner of her eye, making her smile at the new couple's adorable ways. But her eyes went instinctively back to James. What was she playing at? Was she being stupid? Was she being dense for holding on that boy? For having a little bit of faith in them and their future? Was it wrong to play with love like that?

     The safest and smartest move would've been to forget all about him, to save herself the trouble. But there she was, lying next to him, enjoying the feeling of the fire as she played with it.

          Shall I stay?

          Would it be a sin

          If I can't help falling in love with you?

     James chuckled to himself, his inebriated state caused him to ponder amusedly at how deep he had fallen this time. It was terrifying, really, to feel as much as he was feeling. To place your happiness and well-being in someone else's hands like that, leaving you vulnerable and defenceless. But he had always loved to take risks, and Alexis Riddle felt like jumping out of a flying aeroplane. Absolutely f*****g terrifying, but a once in a lifetime experience. That was a risk he was willing to take.

          Like the river flows surely to the sea,

          Darling, so it goes

          Some things are meant to be.

     Time flew by as the couple moved their lips against each other. Neither knew exactly when everyone had fallen asleep around them or who enchanted the record player to play that song on repeat, but they weren't preoccupied about it either.

     Alexis genuinely believed there was no sight more beautiful than James Potter with swollen lips. If the last thing she saw before she passed away was that exact face resting inches away from hers, then she would die a happy woman. Because that's what it had come down to for both parties, to refuse to picture a future without each other in it. How miserable would that be?

          Take my hand,

          Take my whole life too,

          For I can't help falling in love with you.

     "Do you love me?" James asked unexpectedly.

     She gave him a sad smile as she ran her hand through his hair. "You know I can't."

     He leaned in closer, their faces mere inches apart. "Then lie to me."

     She looked right into those warm hazel eyes that took her breath away. "I love you, James Potter."