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perfectworrytitle: Lessons Learned
fandom: Harry Potter
pairing: Sirius/Remus (not that there's any in this particular segment), Remus/Alice (← original character)
rating: K+
notes: in which Alice (my Mary Sue; I'm shameless!) and Remus go on a pseudo-date and then have detention together; this is actually the epilogue to a fic I always meant to write and never got around to, but the short version is that Alice attempts to get Remus to go on a date with her and it seems to be going well until she accidentally walks in on him and Sirius (whoops!)
Epilogue
Shocked by the news, Alice had retreated even further into her schoolwork. She spent hours in the restricted section so that nobody would bother her, working feverishly on her assignment for Charms, which was to create a new spell. It was much more difficult than Alice had expected it to be, so she told herself that she appreciated the extra time spent not thinking about Remus. (Considering how much time she had been spending thinking about Remus, not thinking about Remus was much easier than she might have expected. This came as a relief, as Alice found herself with an overwhelming desire to burst into tears whenever she thought about it.)
A footstep nearby startled her out of her reverie. "This is the restricted section," she said automatically. "You're not supposed to --."
"I'm a seventh year and a prefect, too, Alice." It was Remus. Alice stared up at him, Charms assignment temporarily forgotten. He crouched beside where she was working on the floor, laying flat on her stomach, propped up on her elbows. Her long ashy blond hair was in a bun held up by a pair of Muggle ball point pens. It was not particularly dignified. Alice decided she didn't care.
She had walked in on Sirius and Remus kissing in the restricted section late at night. Alice had been in the library, looking for books about transfiguration for her essay, and she had accidentally seen them. Although she hadn't spoken a word about it to either of them - she hadn't spoken a word to either of them at all since then - she knew that they knew that she knew. Alice hadn't meant to, but an embarrassed little squeak escaped her and she fled the library a lot less quietly and gracefully than she would have liked, books abandoned.
At first, Alice had avoided the library as much as possible. She would go at odd hours to return her books and check out new ones, but all of her studying was done in the relative comfort of the Ravenclaw tower, which tended to be quiet around the end of the year. Then she had decided that she refused to be intimidated by Sirius Black (even if that hadn't been his intention) and returned to working in the library at all hours, with permission from Madam Pince.
"Hi," said Alice, after an uncomfortable silence.
"Hi," said Remus.
"I, erm, didn't mean to see - that is I - uh. Never mind," Alice mumbled, looking anywhere but Remus's eyes. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, but Alice tried not to think about that.
"Thank you," said Remus, shifting from his uncomfortable crouch to sitting down with his back against the bookshelf. "For not telling anyone, I mean."
"I - I told Daisy," admitted Alice, blushing. She also shifted position, picking herself up off the floor and sitting up, leaning against the shelf opposite Remus's. She didn't bother to brush the dust off of herself.
"Andrews?" asked Remus, and Alice nodded. "She already knew. Alihosty leaves make Sirius ... talkative."
"Alihosty? What does that have to - oh." Alice sighed. Was everyone keeping secrets from her?
"You weren't supposed to know that," said Remus. It was his turn to blush a little.
"It's ... fine. I mean, I always figured." Alice laughed uncomfortably.
"Well, while I'm spilling her secrets, I will add that she only didn't tell you because she didn't want you to feel like you had to choose between her and the rules. We all know how you feel about rules."
"Hey, now. You're a prefect. Don't tell me you've never given your friends detention," she emphasized that they were his friends. Alice's opinion of Sirius and James in particular was well known, partially because she was the only girl in the school who favored Remus over them. (Though she would add that it was hard not to favor Remus over them, Sirius and James being loud and disrespectful as they were.)
Remus looked away sheepishly. "I think they've had more detentions since we started working on that project for Defense than they have in our entire schooling up to this point." He shifted his weight, and the rustling of his robes was all that broke the silence.
"No, I understand," said Alice, after a minute or so of contemplation. "I think it's what most people would do, if they had to choose between their friends and the rules." She laughed shrilly, then continued, "I mean, I know I'm a little..."
"You're more than a little," laughed Remus, but his eyes were kind, "but that's why Dumbledore picked you as a prefect."
"I guess. You Gryffindors and your chivalry," she giggled. "Most of you annoy the hell out of me."
"I don't mind most Ravenclaws, but James insists that you're a bunch of prats."
Alice laughed. "Most Ravenclaws insist James is a prat, so I suppose we're even in that regard. Frankly, most of us are just envious of his apparent ability to do no work and get Os in everything."
"Yes, he does have that rather enviable trait."
The conversation went on like this for hours. Alice realized later that she probably spoke to Remus more in that night than she had in all of her time secretly obsessing over him. The sun came up and poured in through the high windows of the library. It illuminated the situation. By that point, Remus had removed his trainers and had his feet propped up on an empty space on the second shelf. Alice had taken her hair down and was using a particularly thick charms book as a pillow and her her feet up in the same space with his. She was laughing uncontrollably.
"We should probably - ahaha - go," suggested Alice. "Madam Pince will be here soon. I mean, breakfast. The first years -"
"Will find the Great Hall. If they can't by this point, then they've got bigger problems."
Alice laughed again. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Oh, thank God it's Saturday."
"Alice, it's Friday."
"It's what?" Alice jumped up, frantically straightening her uniform. "I have to go to Defense - you have to go to Defense," she added, staring down at him as she fumbled with her hair, trying to get it back up into the bun she had earlier.
"Professor Blackthorne said today would just be a work period, we don't have to go," pointed out Remus, still leaning against the bookshelf and showing no intent to get up.
"But it's a class," insisted Alice. She leaned over and yanked up her knee socks, trying to straighten them out as she walked around, gathering the books she had scattered.
"But we're done. We've been done for a week and a half. Ravenclaws," he added with a smile that still made Alice melt a little, despite herself. "Let's go to Hogsmeade," he suggested, pulling himself up. "We're both of age. It'll be fun."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Hogsmeade?" she squeaked. She had never even considered skipping a class, including the time one of her Hufflepuff classmates in potions had drenched her with boiling water mixed with dragon scale powder, though she had been forced be a little late to Transfiguration and had to use a Quick Quotes Quill (the legitimate sort) to take notes for a few weeks. "What are we going to do, walk?"
"Sure." Remus stood and brushed himself off. "We can go to Madam Puddifoots."
"That was such a disaster," laughed Alice. She shook out her hair. "How about the Three Broomsticks?"
"So you'll go?"
Alice wrung her hands for a minute. "Okay," she said, finally, "but only because it's just work time and I only have Defense today." Remus smiled. "I have to wash up first, though."
"There's a prefects' bathroom right around the corner," suggested Remus.
"I didn't know that." Alice bent down to pick up the books she scattered. Remus helped. They left them in a stack in the far corner of the restricted section, with a sheet of paper with Alice's name on it. Nobody would disturb them there.
"Well, it is the men's," said Remus, "but everyone will still be asleep, anyway. It's only ... five thirty or so," he added, checking his watch.
"So, what, are we just going to spend the whole day at Hogsmeade?" Alice followed him as they snuck out of the library and down the hall.
"Why not? You said yourself that you only have Defense," Remus whispered.
"But my Charms ..."
"Will get done. You'll be fine."
Alice swallowed hard and nodded, even though Remus couldn't see her. He said the password and she slipped into the prefects' bathroom while she tidied up. She emerged nearly a quarter of an hour later, hair still damp but otherwise respectable looking, except for the redness in her eyes from a night spent laughing instead of sleeping.
"Ready?" asked Remus. Alice nodded and he set off, up a flight of stairs.
"Shouldn't we be going down?" asked Alice, even as she trailed along behind him.
"What did you think, we were going to use the main doors? No, there's a secret passage on the third floor. Sirius and James found it," he added.
"Hmph," said Alice, crossing her arms. She was mostly joking. (Mostly.)
"Dissendium," whispered Remus, and Alice followed him through into the passage that was revealed.
"Where does this go, anyway?" she asked, after awhile. Her back and neck were cricked from crouching over.
"You'll see," he called back. "We're almost there."
"How can you tell?"
"Practice," said Remus, simply.
There was a creak and, suddenly, they were surrounded by dusty light. Remus clambered up the ladder and reached down to help Alice. She looked around, momentarily confused.
"Where are we?" she whispered.
"Look around and take a guess," he hissed back as they crept between the boxes and crates. In the dim light, Alice could barely make out what they said.
"Honeydukes!" she squeaked, but immediately bit her lip to keep quiet when Remus shushed her. They slipped through a back door into the shop proper. Crouching, they ducked behind boxes and displays of magical candy until they made it to the front of the shop. Remus waited until the shopkeeper had his back turned before bolting out the door, Alice close behind him.
"That's a lot easier when the shop is busy," he breathed. They stood outside the shop, in the middle of High Street. It was eerily quiet. Most of the village was just beginning to wake up and, without the added hustle and bustle of Hogwarts students, the town always seemed quiet.
Alice stretched, cracking her neck and back. Her stomach growled.
"The Three Broomsticks should be open," said Remus.
They walked together down the nearly empty street. Alice sighed when she thought about what she would have given to do this. However, none of the usual tension was there; she didn't feel anxious being around Remus, as she no longer felt the need to impress him if he was completely off limits. The Three Broomsticks was open, and the two of them took seats at the bar. Madam Rosemerta winked and gave them a knowing look that made Alice blush, even though it wasn't what it looked like between her and Remus.
"What'll it be, loves?" she asked.
Alice dug around in her pockets and only found two galleons. "Hot cocoa," she said.
"Just a hot chocolate, dear?" Alice nodded.
"Two," said Remus.
Alice yawned widely and dropped her head on the counter. She was used to all nighters, but laughing took a lot more energy than studying.
"Betcha Daisy's wondering where the hell I am," she giggled.
"Probably," said Remus. "Will she worry?"
"Nah, she'll figure I'm in the library, at least until breakfast." Alice's stomach twisted into a knot suddenly. "I should have left her a note or something."
"That would defeat the purpose of sneaking off," Remus pointed out and Alice shrugged. "Andrews will be fine." He regretted asking about whether or not she'd worry.
"I guess," muttered Alice, starting to have second thoughts about sneaking to Hogwarts and cutting class. She sipped her hot cocoa slowly, swinging her feet.
"Are you going to get something other than hot chocolate?" asked Remus, desperate for a subject change.
"Nah. I only have a couple galleons on me, since I wasn't planning to go anywhere but class." Alice laughed a little bit. It was strangely exhilarating to be sitting here instead of the Great Hall, looking forward to a day spent in the sunshine in Hogsmeade instead of studying in Hogwarts.
"I've got a few galleons myself," said Remus. "Why don't we at least get some toast."
"Are you sure that's all right?"
Remus nodded and asked Rosmerta for some toast with jam, which they ate in companionable silence.
"You know," said Alice after awhile, wiping raspberry jam from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, "I didn't think you liked girls."
Remus shifted uncomfortably and Alice looked away, embarrassed to have brought up such a touchy subject. "Well, no," said Remus. "I mean, not like - not like -"
"Not like you like Sirius?" suggested Alice.
Remus was glad the Three Broomsticks was empty except for them and Madam Rosemerta, who had caught him and Sirius making out in the alley at least once before. "Exactly. It doesn't mean I dislike you, though," he added, hastily.
"I'm glad. I mean, I would have liked to, you know..." Alice giggled when she thought about how much she would have liked to, you know with Remus. Though still a little sad about the loss of an opportunity, she was nonetheless pleased that she had at least made a friend of him.
"I know, Alice. I'm sorry I lead you on." Remus frowned, but Alice shrugged. "If I was going to date a girl, I'd date you."
Alice smiled. "That's enough for me," she said, and it was true.
*
They spent the day pleasantly enough, wandering around Hogsmeade. There were a few raised eyebrows that made Alice blush, even though it wasn't what they were thinking, and a couple of times Alice felt guilty for skipping class when older witches and wizards clucked about the importance of doing schoolwork.
Slipping back the way they came through Honeydukes proved to be impossible, so they walked back through the main gates at Hogwarts. The damage had already been done. Professor Blackthorne intercepted them.
Alice groaned.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she and Remus followed Professor Blackthorne to her office.
"Sit," said Blackthorne, taking her seat behind the desk. "You two might be prefects and two of my best students, but I can't forgive cutting class and leaving the safety of Hogwarts grounds at a time like this." Alice cringed. Remus was used to this by now, but this was the first time he had gotten in trouble on his own account. "Now, normally I would make you two grade the first and second years' papers, but since Alice has been doing that for me anyway, I'm going to have you take care of the boggart that's moved in on the first floor corridor." Remus cringed.
"So that's why the first years never want to go up there," Alice mused as she and Remus made their way up to the corridor in question, wand out.
Alice crept into the corridor, followed by Remus. They made casual conversation to make sure that the boggart knew they were there and to keep their spirits up. The more worried they were, the easier it would be for the boggart to scare them. It popped of a suit of armor as a glowing, iridescent orb.
"Ridikulus. So why are you grading papers for Blackthorne?" asked Remus. "Punishment?"
Alice flushed. "Er, no," she admitted. Remus looked sidelong at her. "All right, all right. I wanted to be partnered with you for the project and so she had me grade papers in exchange for pairing us and keeping quiet about it." The boggart turned to her, turning into an angry looking Flitwick. Remus hadn't thought the tiny teacher could look so menacing. "Ridikulus."
Remus laughed and the boggart wavered. "You could have just asked. It would have saved you a lot of time grading papers." The orb appeared again. "Ridikulus."
"I figured you wanted to work with one of your friends," admitted Alice, "and the only other person in class was Snape. I definitely didn't think one of your mates would want to work with him."
"No," laughed Remus and the boggart wavered again. "Sirius was quite displeased."
It was Alice's turn to laugh. "I'm sure that's quite the understamtent."
"You have no idea," Remus said cheerfully. The boggart was trapped between them now. He mouthed the words three ... two ... one and both of them cried "Ridikulus!" in unison. The boggart burst into silvery smoke.
"Easiest detention I've ever had," said Remus, smacking his hands together. "Definitely better than McGonagall's or Slughorn's. Copying lines and scrubbing out cauldrons."
"You get detention often?" Alice tucked her wand back into her pocket as they headed down to the Great Hall.
"Guilt by association," Remus sighed, but he smiled.
The Great Hall had emptied out, but there was still food on the tables. They sat together at the end of the empty Gryffindor table, eating what was left of that night's dinner. They hadn't had anything but toast and that was hours and hours ago.
"So," said Alice, as they stood awkwardly outside the doors to the Great Hall. Their dorms were in opposite directions.
"So," said Remus.
"See you in class on Monday?" asked Alice, hopefully.
"Of course. Or maybe in the library tomorrow. I have some transfiguration homework I have to finish."
"Oh, I forgot all about that! I'll definitely see you in the library tomorrow, then!" Alice cried. Remus smiled.
"See you," said Alice, heading up towards the Ravenclaw tower. "And Remus? Thanks."
"You're welcome, Alice."
fin.
*
fandom: Harry Potter
pairing: Sirius/Remus (not that there's any in this particular segment), Remus/Alice (← original character)
rating: K+
notes: in which Alice (my Mary Sue; I'm shameless!) and Remus go on a pseudo-date and then have detention together; this is actually the epilogue to a fic I always meant to write and never got around to, but the short version is that Alice attempts to get Remus to go on a date with her and it seems to be going well until she accidentally walks in on him and Sirius (whoops!)
Epilogue
Shocked by the news, Alice had retreated even further into her schoolwork. She spent hours in the restricted section so that nobody would bother her, working feverishly on her assignment for Charms, which was to create a new spell. It was much more difficult than Alice had expected it to be, so she told herself that she appreciated the extra time spent not thinking about Remus. (Considering how much time she had been spending thinking about Remus, not thinking about Remus was much easier than she might have expected. This came as a relief, as Alice found herself with an overwhelming desire to burst into tears whenever she thought about it.)
A footstep nearby startled her out of her reverie. "This is the restricted section," she said automatically. "You're not supposed to --."
"I'm a seventh year and a prefect, too, Alice." It was Remus. Alice stared up at him, Charms assignment temporarily forgotten. He crouched beside where she was working on the floor, laying flat on her stomach, propped up on her elbows. Her long ashy blond hair was in a bun held up by a pair of Muggle ball point pens. It was not particularly dignified. Alice decided she didn't care.
She had walked in on Sirius and Remus kissing in the restricted section late at night. Alice had been in the library, looking for books about transfiguration for her essay, and she had accidentally seen them. Although she hadn't spoken a word about it to either of them - she hadn't spoken a word to either of them at all since then - she knew that they knew that she knew. Alice hadn't meant to, but an embarrassed little squeak escaped her and she fled the library a lot less quietly and gracefully than she would have liked, books abandoned.
At first, Alice had avoided the library as much as possible. She would go at odd hours to return her books and check out new ones, but all of her studying was done in the relative comfort of the Ravenclaw tower, which tended to be quiet around the end of the year. Then she had decided that she refused to be intimidated by Sirius Black (even if that hadn't been his intention) and returned to working in the library at all hours, with permission from Madam Pince.
"Hi," said Alice, after an uncomfortable silence.
"Hi," said Remus.
"I, erm, didn't mean to see - that is I - uh. Never mind," Alice mumbled, looking anywhere but Remus's eyes. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, but Alice tried not to think about that.
"Thank you," said Remus, shifting from his uncomfortable crouch to sitting down with his back against the bookshelf. "For not telling anyone, I mean."
"I - I told Daisy," admitted Alice, blushing. She also shifted position, picking herself up off the floor and sitting up, leaning against the shelf opposite Remus's. She didn't bother to brush the dust off of herself.
"Andrews?" asked Remus, and Alice nodded. "She already knew. Alihosty leaves make Sirius ... talkative."
"Alihosty? What does that have to - oh." Alice sighed. Was everyone keeping secrets from her?
"You weren't supposed to know that," said Remus. It was his turn to blush a little.
"It's ... fine. I mean, I always figured." Alice laughed uncomfortably.
"Well, while I'm spilling her secrets, I will add that she only didn't tell you because she didn't want you to feel like you had to choose between her and the rules. We all know how you feel about rules."
"Hey, now. You're a prefect. Don't tell me you've never given your friends detention," she emphasized that they were his friends. Alice's opinion of Sirius and James in particular was well known, partially because she was the only girl in the school who favored Remus over them. (Though she would add that it was hard not to favor Remus over them, Sirius and James being loud and disrespectful as they were.)
Remus looked away sheepishly. "I think they've had more detentions since we started working on that project for Defense than they have in our entire schooling up to this point." He shifted his weight, and the rustling of his robes was all that broke the silence.
"No, I understand," said Alice, after a minute or so of contemplation. "I think it's what most people would do, if they had to choose between their friends and the rules." She laughed shrilly, then continued, "I mean, I know I'm a little..."
"You're more than a little," laughed Remus, but his eyes were kind, "but that's why Dumbledore picked you as a prefect."
"I guess. You Gryffindors and your chivalry," she giggled. "Most of you annoy the hell out of me."
"I don't mind most Ravenclaws, but James insists that you're a bunch of prats."
Alice laughed. "Most Ravenclaws insist James is a prat, so I suppose we're even in that regard. Frankly, most of us are just envious of his apparent ability to do no work and get Os in everything."
"Yes, he does have that rather enviable trait."
The conversation went on like this for hours. Alice realized later that she probably spoke to Remus more in that night than she had in all of her time secretly obsessing over him. The sun came up and poured in through the high windows of the library. It illuminated the situation. By that point, Remus had removed his trainers and had his feet propped up on an empty space on the second shelf. Alice had taken her hair down and was using a particularly thick charms book as a pillow and her her feet up in the same space with his. She was laughing uncontrollably.
"We should probably - ahaha - go," suggested Alice. "Madam Pince will be here soon. I mean, breakfast. The first years -"
"Will find the Great Hall. If they can't by this point, then they've got bigger problems."
Alice laughed again. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Oh, thank God it's Saturday."
"Alice, it's Friday."
"It's what?" Alice jumped up, frantically straightening her uniform. "I have to go to Defense - you have to go to Defense," she added, staring down at him as she fumbled with her hair, trying to get it back up into the bun she had earlier.
"Professor Blackthorne said today would just be a work period, we don't have to go," pointed out Remus, still leaning against the bookshelf and showing no intent to get up.
"But it's a class," insisted Alice. She leaned over and yanked up her knee socks, trying to straighten them out as she walked around, gathering the books she had scattered.
"But we're done. We've been done for a week and a half. Ravenclaws," he added with a smile that still made Alice melt a little, despite herself. "Let's go to Hogsmeade," he suggested, pulling himself up. "We're both of age. It'll be fun."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Hogsmeade?" she squeaked. She had never even considered skipping a class, including the time one of her Hufflepuff classmates in potions had drenched her with boiling water mixed with dragon scale powder, though she had been forced be a little late to Transfiguration and had to use a Quick Quotes Quill (the legitimate sort) to take notes for a few weeks. "What are we going to do, walk?"
"Sure." Remus stood and brushed himself off. "We can go to Madam Puddifoots."
"That was such a disaster," laughed Alice. She shook out her hair. "How about the Three Broomsticks?"
"So you'll go?"
Alice wrung her hands for a minute. "Okay," she said, finally, "but only because it's just work time and I only have Defense today." Remus smiled. "I have to wash up first, though."
"There's a prefects' bathroom right around the corner," suggested Remus.
"I didn't know that." Alice bent down to pick up the books she scattered. Remus helped. They left them in a stack in the far corner of the restricted section, with a sheet of paper with Alice's name on it. Nobody would disturb them there.
"Well, it is the men's," said Remus, "but everyone will still be asleep, anyway. It's only ... five thirty or so," he added, checking his watch.
"So, what, are we just going to spend the whole day at Hogsmeade?" Alice followed him as they snuck out of the library and down the hall.
"Why not? You said yourself that you only have Defense," Remus whispered.
"But my Charms ..."
"Will get done. You'll be fine."
Alice swallowed hard and nodded, even though Remus couldn't see her. He said the password and she slipped into the prefects' bathroom while she tidied up. She emerged nearly a quarter of an hour later, hair still damp but otherwise respectable looking, except for the redness in her eyes from a night spent laughing instead of sleeping.
"Ready?" asked Remus. Alice nodded and he set off, up a flight of stairs.
"Shouldn't we be going down?" asked Alice, even as she trailed along behind him.
"What did you think, we were going to use the main doors? No, there's a secret passage on the third floor. Sirius and James found it," he added.
"Hmph," said Alice, crossing her arms. She was mostly joking. (Mostly.)
"Dissendium," whispered Remus, and Alice followed him through into the passage that was revealed.
"Where does this go, anyway?" she asked, after awhile. Her back and neck were cricked from crouching over.
"You'll see," he called back. "We're almost there."
"How can you tell?"
"Practice," said Remus, simply.
There was a creak and, suddenly, they were surrounded by dusty light. Remus clambered up the ladder and reached down to help Alice. She looked around, momentarily confused.
"Where are we?" she whispered.
"Look around and take a guess," he hissed back as they crept between the boxes and crates. In the dim light, Alice could barely make out what they said.
"Honeydukes!" she squeaked, but immediately bit her lip to keep quiet when Remus shushed her. They slipped through a back door into the shop proper. Crouching, they ducked behind boxes and displays of magical candy until they made it to the front of the shop. Remus waited until the shopkeeper had his back turned before bolting out the door, Alice close behind him.
"That's a lot easier when the shop is busy," he breathed. They stood outside the shop, in the middle of High Street. It was eerily quiet. Most of the village was just beginning to wake up and, without the added hustle and bustle of Hogwarts students, the town always seemed quiet.
Alice stretched, cracking her neck and back. Her stomach growled.
"The Three Broomsticks should be open," said Remus.
They walked together down the nearly empty street. Alice sighed when she thought about what she would have given to do this. However, none of the usual tension was there; she didn't feel anxious being around Remus, as she no longer felt the need to impress him if he was completely off limits. The Three Broomsticks was open, and the two of them took seats at the bar. Madam Rosemerta winked and gave them a knowing look that made Alice blush, even though it wasn't what it looked like between her and Remus.
"What'll it be, loves?" she asked.
Alice dug around in her pockets and only found two galleons. "Hot cocoa," she said.
"Just a hot chocolate, dear?" Alice nodded.
"Two," said Remus.
Alice yawned widely and dropped her head on the counter. She was used to all nighters, but laughing took a lot more energy than studying.
"Betcha Daisy's wondering where the hell I am," she giggled.
"Probably," said Remus. "Will she worry?"
"Nah, she'll figure I'm in the library, at least until breakfast." Alice's stomach twisted into a knot suddenly. "I should have left her a note or something."
"That would defeat the purpose of sneaking off," Remus pointed out and Alice shrugged. "Andrews will be fine." He regretted asking about whether or not she'd worry.
"I guess," muttered Alice, starting to have second thoughts about sneaking to Hogwarts and cutting class. She sipped her hot cocoa slowly, swinging her feet.
"Are you going to get something other than hot chocolate?" asked Remus, desperate for a subject change.
"Nah. I only have a couple galleons on me, since I wasn't planning to go anywhere but class." Alice laughed a little bit. It was strangely exhilarating to be sitting here instead of the Great Hall, looking forward to a day spent in the sunshine in Hogsmeade instead of studying in Hogwarts.
"I've got a few galleons myself," said Remus. "Why don't we at least get some toast."
"Are you sure that's all right?"
Remus nodded and asked Rosmerta for some toast with jam, which they ate in companionable silence.
"You know," said Alice after awhile, wiping raspberry jam from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, "I didn't think you liked girls."
Remus shifted uncomfortably and Alice looked away, embarrassed to have brought up such a touchy subject. "Well, no," said Remus. "I mean, not like - not like -"
"Not like you like Sirius?" suggested Alice.
Remus was glad the Three Broomsticks was empty except for them and Madam Rosemerta, who had caught him and Sirius making out in the alley at least once before. "Exactly. It doesn't mean I dislike you, though," he added, hastily.
"I'm glad. I mean, I would have liked to, you know..." Alice giggled when she thought about how much she would have liked to, you know with Remus. Though still a little sad about the loss of an opportunity, she was nonetheless pleased that she had at least made a friend of him.
"I know, Alice. I'm sorry I lead you on." Remus frowned, but Alice shrugged. "If I was going to date a girl, I'd date you."
Alice smiled. "That's enough for me," she said, and it was true.
*
They spent the day pleasantly enough, wandering around Hogsmeade. There were a few raised eyebrows that made Alice blush, even though it wasn't what they were thinking, and a couple of times Alice felt guilty for skipping class when older witches and wizards clucked about the importance of doing schoolwork.
Slipping back the way they came through Honeydukes proved to be impossible, so they walked back through the main gates at Hogwarts. The damage had already been done. Professor Blackthorne intercepted them.
Alice groaned.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she and Remus followed Professor Blackthorne to her office.
"Sit," said Blackthorne, taking her seat behind the desk. "You two might be prefects and two of my best students, but I can't forgive cutting class and leaving the safety of Hogwarts grounds at a time like this." Alice cringed. Remus was used to this by now, but this was the first time he had gotten in trouble on his own account. "Now, normally I would make you two grade the first and second years' papers, but since Alice has been doing that for me anyway, I'm going to have you take care of the boggart that's moved in on the first floor corridor." Remus cringed.
"So that's why the first years never want to go up there," Alice mused as she and Remus made their way up to the corridor in question, wand out.
Alice crept into the corridor, followed by Remus. They made casual conversation to make sure that the boggart knew they were there and to keep their spirits up. The more worried they were, the easier it would be for the boggart to scare them. It popped of a suit of armor as a glowing, iridescent orb.
"Ridikulus. So why are you grading papers for Blackthorne?" asked Remus. "Punishment?"
Alice flushed. "Er, no," she admitted. Remus looked sidelong at her. "All right, all right. I wanted to be partnered with you for the project and so she had me grade papers in exchange for pairing us and keeping quiet about it." The boggart turned to her, turning into an angry looking Flitwick. Remus hadn't thought the tiny teacher could look so menacing. "Ridikulus."
Remus laughed and the boggart wavered. "You could have just asked. It would have saved you a lot of time grading papers." The orb appeared again. "Ridikulus."
"I figured you wanted to work with one of your friends," admitted Alice, "and the only other person in class was Snape. I definitely didn't think one of your mates would want to work with him."
"No," laughed Remus and the boggart wavered again. "Sirius was quite displeased."
It was Alice's turn to laugh. "I'm sure that's quite the understamtent."
"You have no idea," Remus said cheerfully. The boggart was trapped between them now. He mouthed the words three ... two ... one and both of them cried "Ridikulus!" in unison. The boggart burst into silvery smoke.
"Easiest detention I've ever had," said Remus, smacking his hands together. "Definitely better than McGonagall's or Slughorn's. Copying lines and scrubbing out cauldrons."
"You get detention often?" Alice tucked her wand back into her pocket as they headed down to the Great Hall.
"Guilt by association," Remus sighed, but he smiled.
The Great Hall had emptied out, but there was still food on the tables. They sat together at the end of the empty Gryffindor table, eating what was left of that night's dinner. They hadn't had anything but toast and that was hours and hours ago.
"So," said Alice, as they stood awkwardly outside the doors to the Great Hall. Their dorms were in opposite directions.
"So," said Remus.
"See you in class on Monday?" asked Alice, hopefully.
"Of course. Or maybe in the library tomorrow. I have some transfiguration homework I have to finish."
"Oh, I forgot all about that! I'll definitely see you in the library tomorrow, then!" Alice cried. Remus smiled.
"See you," said Alice, heading up towards the Ravenclaw tower. "And Remus? Thanks."
"You're welcome, Alice."
fin.
*
