Little Riddle | James Potter

Twenty Five

STAGE 1 — INCEPTION

The establishment or starting point of an institution or activity.

The moment at which certain someone begins to take on a whole new meaning in your life.

     An unusual silence surrounded the group of teenagers sitting by the Black Lake. While half of the students were deeply concentrated on the complicated assigned Transfiguration homework, the other half had no choice but to follow orders and remain silent after being threatened and eventually jinxed by the homework-doers.

     Alexis peeked up from her book, amusedly watching James and Sirius trying to communicate with gestures. Next to them was Ivy, who thought making origami with the parchment was more entertaining than putting it to its actual use. But her eyes then landed on Catherine and Remus, who sat absentmindedly across from each other as they got much more work done than the others. She looked down at her book only to find herself glancing at the couple once more.

     "So, um, Catherine." Alexis gave up on her homework, setting her books aside as she tried to look casual. "I was thinking—"

     "Well, that's news," Sirius teased, although he looked quite relieved someone had finally broken the silence.

     Alexis glared at him before turning back to Catherine. "I was thinking about what we talked about the other day. About your Respect for Werewolves' Rights campaign."

     That certainly piqued the boys' attention, their boredom and lack of interest long gone. Remus didn't look up, but he had visibly tensed and was no longer scribbling notes down. The rest of the Marauders smirked, giving each other sly smiles.

     "Respect for Werewolves Rights, huh?" James smirked and lifted an eyebrow.

     "Listen," Catherine sat up straighter, making Alexis smile as she knew the girl was preparing another one of her speeches. "The treatment werewolves receive is neither fair nor just! There is absolutely no reason to discriminate against them when on their human form. And even when they're in their werewolf form, it's unfair to hold them responsible for things they didn't willingly do."

     "They're discriminated against because they're dangerous," Remus muttered bitterly, still not looking up from his book. "They're monsters."

     "No," Catherine replied. "They're just as human as the rest of us. It's the people who actively discriminate against them that are monsters."

     "You think it's all a game?!" Remus finally looked up, aggressively setting his belongings aside. "You think this is some sort of fairytale land?! That they're cute, friendly creatures that can do no wrong?! They're vicious monsters, the lot of them!"

     "You think I don't know that?! How stupid do you think I am?!" She raised her voice to match Remus’. "But do forgive me if I don't tolerate the prejudice against innocent people! Against those people who did not ask to have lycanthropy but are brave enough to wake up every single day and get on with their lives!"

     Remus breathed heavily, speechless at how Catherine had unknowingly told him everything he ever wanted to hear. But it was too much. He had tried so hard to ignore his feelings towards the girl, for her safety and his sanity. Constantly feeding himself lies about how she probably hated his kind hoping it would make getting over her easier. But no, Catherine Thirlway had to be pretty, smart, and non-prejudiced against werewolves. The thought of having someone so perfect right in front of him scared him. It scared him because he wasn't worthy. He didn't deserve her or her compassion when all he would bring her was pain and trouble. So he did the first thing his instincts told him to do, never really being good with emotions, and ran out of there.

     "What is wrong with him?" Catherine asked, distressed and slightly angry. Tears ran down her cheeks as she gathered her belongings and ran off as well.

     The rest of the group was left in an uncomfortable silence after watching the argument in disbelief from the sidelines.

     "I would've joined," Ivy spoke up, sighing as she picked up her scattered parchment. "I would've joined Respect for Werewolves' Rights."

     "We all would have," Sirius whispered.

     Alexis shifted uncomfortably as she waited for the Headmaster's office door to open. It had been quite bizarre to be called up to Dumbledore's office on a random Wednesday night just before dinner, and Alexis knew the Headmaster didn't want to congratulate her for her outstanding grades. She was aware there was only one plausible reason why Dumbledore would request her presence, and it had to do with Tom.

     "Ms Riddle." Dumbledore nodded politely before escorting her inside the room. Alexis walked in and took a seat without muttering a word. He looked at her knowingly, and although she knew he would never try to infiltrate her mind with Legilimency, she still felt like he could read her like an open book. "You're a smart witch, Alexis. Possibly the brightest of your age. I'm sure you know why I have called you here."

     "Tom," she whispered. She always felt uncomfortable speaking about her brother, torn between feeling shameful and defensive.

     "Yes, Tom." Dumbledore sighed, taking a seat behind his desk. "A very odd case, he is. I still remember visiting Wool's Orphanage for the first time. The kids and staff were already terrified of him, and he was only an eleven year old back then."

     "He's always had some evil in him," Alexis muttered, her eyes unfocused as her mind flooded with memories.

     "That he has. An evil we've all had to face, except you." Dumbledore looked for any reaction coming from the girl, but she was just as hard to read as her brother. Never letting emotions show unless they want them to.

     Alexis chuckled humorlessly. "I'm sorry, Headmaster, but I believe I've had to face Tom's evil ways quite some times lately."

     "Of course you have. But if you would've been anyone else, you'd be dead." He pointed out bluntly. "You sent six of his Death Eaters to Azkaban and did not receive so much as a threat from Voldemort. That Saturday night when you and your friends ventured into Hogsmeade, Tom had more than enough time to kill the Calders and get rid of all the witnesses. With his knowledge on Dark Magic, I'm sure he could've gotten the job done in less than a minute. But he didn't, because he was too preoccupied with you and your state at the moment to think properly."

     "Bit ironic, isn't it?" She looked up at the Headmaster with sad eyes. "The most dangerous man in the Wizarding world is actually a caring brother."

     "Somewhat caring. Let's not forget the danger he indirectly put you through during the holidays. He's a somewhat caring brother, and that's why you play a major role in this, Alexis." Dumbledore stood up and walked around his desk. "You see, Tom has always been a very secretive person, and it is vital for us to know more about him to understand what we're up against. No one, not even his Death Eaters, knows him as well as you do. That's a huge advantage for us." Dumbledore watched as the girl struggled to maintain a stoic expression, clearly upset about the way things had turned out. "You're the closest thing Tom has to a weakness."

     "I understand, Alexis, that you had a loveless childhood and that he was the closest thing you have to a family. But I'm sure you understand Lord Voldemort has to pay for his crimes." The Headmaster tried to be gentle with his student, understanding this felt like speaking about a deceased relative for the girl. And in a way, that's exactly what happened. She had truly lost her brother.

     Dumbledore admired the girl's courage as she pushed her emotions aside and cleared her throat. "I understand completely. What would you like to know, sir?"

     "Anything that could help us. From the books he read to his favourite locations."

     And so, Alexis spent the following hour confiding any detail the Aurors were oblivious about to Dumbledore. She even allowed the older wizard to take some of her memories, dating back from their days at Wool's where she watched as her brother traumatized other kids, to their days at Hogwarts where Tom confided about his interests and knowledge to his little sister.

     Alexis was glad their meeting was over but was unfortunately stopped by the Headmaster when she was almost out the door. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me? Anything truly important about Tom Riddle?"

     As if on cue, images of Salazar Slytherin's locket and Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem flooded her mind. The Horcruxes. As long as those were safe, then Tom couldn't die. And that's where things got tricky. As a member of the Wizarding community, Alexis completely agreed on sending Tom to Azkaban. But as his little sister, she feared his death. Luckily for her, the only way her brother could ever die was if his Horcruxes were destroyed beforehand. Dumbledore didn't have to know about the Horcruxes. No one did. If her brother was being sent to Azkaban then those fragments of his soul didn't matter.

     The Horcruxes were her only guarantee that her brother would have no choice but to pay for his crimes in Azkaban and not get killed in the process. It was extremely selfish of her, not to mention foolish, but she believed that way everyone would win. The Wizarding community would have peace, she wouldn't have to carry the guilt of killing her own brother nor mourn his death, and Tom wouldn't have to face his greatest fear, which was death.

     Her expression remained stoic, knowing the Headmaster could not see the guilt consuming her. "No, sir."

     It would be an understatement to say things were awkward and tense during dinner after Sirius thought it would be a good idea to make Catherine and Ivy sit with them. But that didn't bother James, whose only worry at the moment was Alexis Riddle, or more precisely, her absence. The girls had informed him about her whereabouts, but his nerves didn't ease as he hoped their plans to meet at the Room of Requirement after dinner was still on. His small trance was interrupted when Remus stood up abruptly and walked out without saying a word.

     "All I did was ask him to pass me the butter!" Catherine groaned, irritated, slamming her fork down before angrily storming after him. She had to jog to keep up, as his long legs took equally long strides. The corridors around them were empty as every other student enjoyed dinner, which was the perfect opportunity for Catherine to finally let it all out, seeing as Remus' plan was to keep running away from her. She reached out and took a hold of his arm, forcing him to stop and turn to face her. "What is wrong with you?"

     Remus was astounded to see the tears running down her face, not thinking things would ever escalate to that. He wanted to comfort her, to just forget about their issues and pretend nothing was wrong. But she wanted to get some things off her chest first. "Why would you do this to me? Why would you smile every time you saw me and blush every time I talked to you? Why would you glance my way every time you thought I wasn't looking? Why would you do all those things that kept me up at night, smiling to myself like a freaking i***t?!" Catherine's annoyance grew when Remus refused to look her in the eye. "Why would you get my hopes up?!"

     "Catherine--" Remus whispered with a pained expression. It had never occurred to him that the girl cared so much about him that trying to keep his distance was just as hard for her as it was for him. 

     "Why would you make me fall in love if you weren't planning to catch me?!"

     Remus looked up with wide eyes, expecting to see the girl regretting her words. But Catherine was looking straight at him, with a decisive look in her eye and no hint of regret in her expression. A burning pain grew on his chest as his own eyes filled with tears. He shook his head, wiping the few fallen tears with his sleeves. "I'm a werewolf." He said in a soft, shaky voice. This time he didn't look away, he watched her carefully, expecting her expression to change to a horrified one. But much to his surprise, a small smile grew on her face.

     "I know," she whispered, chuckling at Remus' panicked expression. She placed her hand on his cheek, running her thumb over a scar on the side of his face. "I've noticed them," she ran her hand through another scar. "I've noticed you're always sick once a month, and it's always around the full moon. I've noticed how tense you get when someone talks about it. How you go to the Hospital Wing but don't actually spend the night there. How restless you are after."

     "You've noticed all that?" He asked in disbelief.

     "I'm in love with you, of course I notice all these things, dummy." She chuckled. "Don't shut me out, Remus."

     He sighed, hesitantly raising his hand and running it through her hair. It was still too dangerous and he would hate himself even more if something happened to her because of him. She was so sweet and kind, she didn't deserve to go through all the troubles he went through. She could see the hesitation in his eyes, so she spoke loud and clear, no longer wanting to play their passive game. "I want you. And I don't care how dangerous you think it is. I choose to be with you. It is my choice, Remus. I don't care what you say, I don't care about all the other boys out there, I don't care about anything. I choose you."

     "So you're not---you're not afraid of me?"

     Catherine couldn't help but giggle, taking the opportunity to reach around his neck and pull him down slightly as she stood on her tiptoes. Their lips finally connected in a moment that was long overdue. Remus wasted no time placing his hands on her waist, returning the sweet and slow kiss. They both took their time as they wandered through the newly found intimacy they had discovered, bringing with it a world of new emotions. Running their hands through each other's body brought a million new feelings, each one of them as captivating as the next. It felt like cosy sweaters, a mug of hot chocolate in a cold day, the smell of a new book, hearing your friends' laughter as you walk into a room. It felt warm and welcoming.

     "Was that so hard?" Catherine chuckled once they broke apart, gazing adoringly at Remus as he gave her an adorable sheepish smile.

     Alexis' entire body eased as she entered the Room of Requirement with James' precise instructions on how to find him. She had been hesitant about going, not being in the highest of spirits after her chat with Dumbledore. She could still feel the guilt of lying to the Headmaster about such a crucial matter eating her inside. But none of that was James' fault, and he didn't deserve to be stood up for a night he had been clearly planning for quite some time. But despite it all, she was glad she showed up as the boy had certainly outdone himself this time. An elegant room appeared before her, with a huge chimney and a candlelit table adorning it. She took her time admiring the decoration when her eyes suddenly landed on the one thing that sealed the deal.

     "Champagne!" She squealed excitedly. She had never tried the alcoholic drink but had heard only good things about it.

     "I'm glad you liked it." James chuckled from the sofa, where he sat in front of the chimney. He walked towards the table holding a half-empty glass of champagne and poured one for her. "I was beginning to worry it was all a bit too much."

     "Are you kidding? I feel like royalty." She accepted the glass he handed her and allowed him to pull her to the sofa he had previously been sitting in.

     For the following minutes, all was well as they filled each other in on their day and laughed about a few memories. But as her alcohol level increased her worries returned, only now it was more difficult for her to hide her distress. James realized this in a heartbeat. "Everything alright, love?"

     She sighed and pouted, leaning back on the sofa. "Oh, James."

     He frowned, concerned about her worries. "What is it? Does it have to do with your visit to Dumbledore's?"

     "Yeah, sort of. I'm just---" she ran her hands through her face irritatedly, "---I'm just not being a hundred per cent honest. I'm trying to be, I swear I'm trying to help, but this is all too much and it's happening so suddenly." By now she was a blabbering mess, although James wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the nerves. "I want him to rot in Azkaban, I really do, but he's my brother! I can't kill my brother! I would never forgive myself, no matter how much he deserves it, I-"

     "Love, love, love, love." He placed his hands on her shoulders to help her calm down. He honestly had no clue what she was going on about, but it clearly had to do with her brother and it bothered her deeply. He understood, really, that this wasn't a piece of cake for her. He admired how courageous she had been when it came to facing her brother, but he understood it wasn't easy for her to turn on him.

     "I've never supported him. But I used to say I would never fight against him because I've always been grateful for all he's done for me, which is a lot. He used to be such a good brother, in his own twisted ways of course. James, I- I know this is wrong, but I still care about him." She sighed deeply, making sure no tears escaped. "Oh, how I wish I could just kick him out of my life and never give a damn about him anymore. But I can't. The thought of losing him, it just- it kills me."

     James sat silently for a couple of seconds, unsure of how to handle the situation. Even though he could never imagine Lord Voldemort as a caring being, he understood Alexis knew an entirely different Tom Riddle than everyone else did. If anyone of the Marauders, whom he considered his brothers, turned out evil he would definitely have a hard time coming to terms with it. He sighed and took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly. "Stop being so hard on yourself." His lips kissed all the way up her arm, stopping when they got to her shoulder. "Maybe you don't have it all figured out right now, and that's okay." He proceeded to kiss her shoulder and move up to her neck, smirking when she gasped his name.

     "Things are shitty right now." She blushed as he whispered in her ear, teasingly nibbling on her earlobe before moving his lips to her cheek. He stopped there, placing his face merely inches away from hers. His eyes pierced into hers as they both admired each other's features from their proximity. When he smirked Alexis forgot she even had a brother, as the only thing on her mind was the desire to feel her lips against his. She leaned forward but he playfully moved back, earning himself a scowl from the girl. "As I was saying, things are shitty right now-" he continued teasing her by brushing his lips against hers. "-but I'm right by your side. Always."

     He smiled as he felt her rapid heartbeat and saw her longing eyes, feeling like the moment couldn't have been any more perfect. As his lips finally met hers, it marked the beginning of a long, maybe even tedious journey, in which he refused to allow the girl he adored with the entirety of his soul to never experience the beauty of love.

     They had both been eagerly waiting for that moment, and the way their lips moved in a passionate synchronization was more than enough proof. Neither had planned for the kiss to escalate so fast, but his body felt numb and his senses had been thrown out the window, but he wasn't complaining. He didn't even recall the exact moment when his lips left hers and trailed down to her neck, and when a moan escaped her lips, he smiled as his insides melted and every piece of the puzzle was placed together.

     For once, he felt complete.