Little Riddle | James Potter

Twelve

       Tom was right, wasn't he? Love was nothing but mere Muggle nonsense. Nothing but a weakness. An heir of Slytherin was above that. And the most disheartening thing about not being able to feel love is that it leaves a void inside of you. A void that can only be filled with an emotion just as strong. When you can't feel love, it's easier to feel hate. The lack of good and positive emotions make room for an unhealthy amount of darkness to take over. When there is very little light, most of the room is filled with darkness.

       And that's what had happened to Alexis, who scurried angrily through the halls. Because now heartbreak had turned to anger, and for the first time in her life, she felt exactly how she imagined Tom normally felt. And for once, she didn't deny it or run away from it, she embraced it. She embraced the hatred and the anger that consumed her. She wasn't being rational, but neither had James Potter, who had probably already run off to Lily Evans

       A lone tear escaped her eye and she furiously wiped it away. She had been willing to give the boy everything. She had offered him the best of her but it had not been enough. She was still not good enough. Pathetic, utterly pathetic. She ran into a new Room of Requirement, one that was warm and cosy, and hesitantly pulled out a locket she secretly carried everywhere and was met with her mother's picture. Sad eyes and a plastered smile had become the standard look for Merope.

       The tears returned, running down her cheeks as she slid down the wall, quietly sobbing. Was this how her mother felt? Was this how Merope felt when she found out Tom thought she was a freak? A monster? Was this how she felt when she saw him every day, knowing that she couldn't have him? That he didn't love her?

       Her heart ached for her mother. It was always bittersweet to think about Merope. The love and warmth you feel when you think about your mother combined with the repulsion of how foolish and selfish she had been. But she needed her. Goddammit, she needed her. The day her mother died became the day Alexis was cursed with excruciating loneliness. She died the day Alexis was born.

       She had been so preoccupied with her dramatics, her vision blurred by tears, she initially failed to notice the red velvet box that was placed on the couch. She approached it cautiously, finding it odd than an artefact that looked so primaeval and intricate had appeared in her room.

       A letter was situated on top of the box, with Tom's impeccable and distinguishable handwriting all over it. She frowned, wondering how he had managed to leave the box there for her to find.

               Dear Alexis,

               I'm confiding this with you, seeing as you're the only person I trust and the only one competent enough to take care of such a crucial matter. In the box, you'll find a treasure that has been deemed missing for centuries. A relic anyone at Hogwarts would kill to get their hands on.

              I'm sure you remember my trip to Albania a couple of weeks ago. I travelled there to search for and eventually found, the treasure that is Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem.

              I send it to you because it is of great importance that this diadem is safely hidden. You see, just like the Slytherin locket I gifted you, the diadem also has... let's call it, a fragment of me.

              I am not asking for you to keep the diadem, for it would be extremely foolish to have the two prized relics at the same place. I ask that you use your matchless intelligence and wit to hide it with the best of your abilities.

              Yours always,

              Your brother Tom.

       Her eyes widened in shock as she reached to open the box, which contained a beautiful platinum diadem with a blue sapphire shaped like an oval. Or more precisely, Lord Voldemort's Horcrux.

       Remus knew something was wrong. Yet again, it didn't take a genius to figure that out. Or maybe it did, seeing as Sirius and Peter were too preoccupied playing Exploding Snap to give the current situation any importance. The lycanthrope fidgeted impatiently, the adrenaline of the argument he'd had with Lily in the Great Hall over her rude accusations, mixed with the worry he felt for his friend kept him on edge. He had a growing suspicion about what had happened, and with James' extremely hard-headed and impulsive behaviour, he had a feeling things were not looking good.

       He decided to take matters into his own hands and went looking for his two friends, figuring it was better to be safe than sorry. He walked around aimlessly, hoping to have luck on his side. And he did. As he ran into a crying James who pushed him away.

       "Go away, Moony!" Was all the dark-haired boy said before he continued on his way.

       Remus hesitated on whether he should follow him or not, but once he realized that James was safely heading towards the Gryffindor tower he decided to continue his search. Alexis could've been anywhere and Remus was starting to get desperate after running around the castle for what felt like hours. He reached a dead-end corridor and groaned exasperatedly. He turned back, taking long strides, as he paced back and forth. He tried to think about where he could find Alexis but he was, unfortunately, running out of ideas. He was about to walk away when a door appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He didn't hesitate whatsoever before walking in. because, of course, she was in the Room of Requirement.

       "How did you find me?" She whispered without turning to look at him.

       "By accident." He sat next to her, taking in his surroundings. A locket caught his eye, with a black and white picture of an odd-looking woman decorating it. "Is that your mother?"

       She gave him a small, sad smile and handed him the locket. "Yes, that's her."

       Remus ran his fingers through the picture. The infamous Merope looked somewhat sick and malnourished. Her eyes stared in opposite directions, giving the woman a rather odd look. But other than her eyes, the rest of her features were quite fair. Remus could swear Alexis resembled her slightly. "Do you look more like your father or mother?"

       "Tom and I mostly take after Tom Senior. It's hard to know, though." Her voice was hoarse. "I never met either one."

       Remus placed his arm around her shoulders comfortingly as it became obvious that the girl was suffering for reasons that went beyond James.

       "Can you miss someone you've never met?"

       "You can long for them."

       "Well," she leaned sideways and hugged him tightly. "I long for my mother."

       It was needless to say Sirius and Peter had been beyond startled when a sobbing James barged into the room without any desire of consolation. He had aggressively pushed past Sirius, making the two boys even more confused. 

       "It was all a lie! All a f*****g lie!"

       Sirius and Peter stared silently at each other, unsure of what to do as James went under his covers and muffled his cries. Sirius was about to try to speak to him again, but Peter shook his head and pointed at Sirius' bed. He had a feeling James wanted some space.

       James felt pathetic. Hurt and pathetic. He did not think any less of the girl, and even sympathized with her, but he couldn't help but feel betrayed. It hurt, it really did. Being the impulsive and somewhat naïve person he was, he had gotten his hopes up already. He had daydreamed about her and rejoiced in the fact their relationship seemed to be going somewhere. Relationships were not a game for James. Whenever he committed himself to someone, he did it wholeheartedly. If a person was part of his present, he wanted them to be part of his future. But luck was yet to favour him with someone who shared his ideals, and Alexis had not been the exception.

       It was painful to think that just a couple of weeks before he had been deeply infatuated with Lily Evans, who continuously turned him down, but had found solace and comfort with Alexis. And now, the thought that it was more likely that Evans reciprocated his feelings rather than Alexis felt simply bizarre. He sincerely thought it was unfair that Alexis had put him in that position despite being well aware of her situation. Couldn't she keep her adorable laugh and Quidditch knowledge to herself instead of making him fall for it?

       He wanted Alexis just like she wanted him. But she couldn't love. The sentiments weren't mutual. She didn't feel the adrenaline, the butterflies or the electricity he felt whenever they kissed. It was a lost cause. He had to let go. 

       Lily Evans was beautiful, there was no denying that. Her delicate looks contrasted with her fierce personality beautifully. And her intelligence was the icing on the cake, with the redhead being one of the brightest witches of her year. Yet, James Potter felt absolutely nothing when he looked at her. It was as if a light switch had been turned off, and all the infatuation he felt for the girl had drained from his body.

        James fidgeted uncomfortably as he reached Lily's desk. The Potions classroom was still half empty and Slughorn was yet to arrive.

       "Lilyflower." He tried to go back to his cheeky, charismatic self. But even he could tell the smile he had plastered on his face looked questionable.

       Both Lily and Marlene, who was Lily's partner for the class, looked genuinely surprised to see him. "Potter."

"      You look radiant today."

       "Thanks?" Lily glanced from him to Marlene, who looked as equally confused as her.

       James switched the smile to his arrogant smirk. "I bet you've been missing my compliments these last few weeks."

       Lily turned a deep shade of pink as a giggling Marlene nudged her on the side. "I actually have, James."

      James gave her a genuine grin that quickly faltered as he saw Alexis entering the room. "I guess I'll see you around then, Lily."

      Lily beamed, obviously pleased at the use of her actual name. "I hope so."

      Alexis watched silently, her jaw tightening as James walked right past her without even glancing her way. "I told you he was going back to Lily." She whispered to Remus, her Potions partner.

      He sighed. "He's hurt, Lex. Cried himself to sleep last night. Give him time."

       "Does being hurt mean you get a pass at being an i***t?" She scribbled the date at the top of the parchment, trying to look uninterested.

       "Have some compassion. He can't help being an idiot."

       James had taken it upon himself to go back to his loud and extremely obnoxious ways of flirting with Lily. But now, the difference was that Lily actually looked pleased with James' attention, and Hogwarts' gossip club was buzzing. To make matters worse, the worst event that could happen in Hogwarts history was taking place before the Christmas holidays— the infamous Yule Ball. James had publicly invited Lily to the Ball, making a scene during dinner in the Great Hall with flowers and music. And she accepted.

       Alexis tried to remain unbothered, keyword being tried. If it wasn't for the rest of the boys, who had created a routine of rotating between James and Alexis, she would have probably gone mental or fallen into a deep depression. Or both. She tried to convince herself that she had more important things to worry about, more important than James Potter. Things like the red box she was currently hiding in her bag, for example.

       She strolled around the castle on a search for the perfect hiding spot for the diadem. She wasn't particularly pleased to help her brother, but she was going through a rebellious phase in which she wasn't caring about anyone's opinion. Not even hers. And that's what she was worried about now, definitely not stupid James Potter.

       However, her little mission was interrupted when she accidentally ran into Josh Davis, who looked very pleased to see her.

       "Ah! Just who I was looking for!"