A/N: Hello everyone! It has been nearly a year since the last time I posted a chapter. My sincerest apologies for that. This new chapter is slightly different from the other chapters, but the plot in it is important to my main storyline so I hope that you can all enjoy it. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and messaged me with encouragement :)

In the previous chapter: Daphne was forced on blind dates by James and Lily, before coincidentally meeting a real candidate. She continued to work for the Order and had her first unexpected run in with Severus. Meanwhile, Jasmine was beginning to feel jealous of all the time Remus spent admiring his new boss, Alex. Also, she encountered some trouble with one of her coworkers, who was later murdered. Sirius dreamt that Raelyn was attacked by death eaters and soon discovered it was true, though they could find no trace of her.

Alexandra's Tale

Among the many neighborhoods in Surrey there was one, which centered around a small hill that was dotted with picture perfect homes. If someone drove the winding road to the top of the hill, they would eventually reach a quiet cul du sac. There each house was similar to the next. They were all two floors with large yards and neat gardens. It was amidst these houses that the Luvinia's lived. There was nothing extraordinary about their house and nothing that would reveal the mayhem that had been taking place there all morning. Till the front door opened in a mad rush to reveal Jasmine with her usual dark brown reddish hair covered in white flour and a line of custard across her cheek.

"Did you lose a battle with the flour?" Daphne asked as she stood on the front stoop with a bottle of white wine in hand. Her own hair was perfectly in place and because she had come directly from work, she was wearing a tight black skirt that fell above her knees with black tights and an oversized crème colored blazer. Since Jasmine had instructed her to dress casually, Daphne hadn't bothered stopping at the apartment to change. However, now Daphne wondered if she had heard incorrectly, since she could distinctly make out a teal dress with cap sleeves and a bubbled skirt under Jasmine's apron. It was a miracle her friend hadn't caught on fire.

"Don't just stand there! Come and help me!" Jasmine squealed and dashed back towards the kitchen leaving the front door wide open.

After a month of delaying the dinner with Alex, Jasmine had finally succumbed to Remus' hints and picked a date. And since her mother was out of town visiting some extended family, Jasmine took the opportunity to hold the dinner at her house. It was convenient considering Remus had told Alex he lived near London, not Godric's Hollow.

Daphne had been to Jasmine's house several times throughout the years, so she easily made herself feel right at home among the elegant furniture. It was not long before she had slipped off her heels and moved to the kitchen where she was met with an astonishing sight. The island in the center of the room was filled with as many dishes as a Hogwarts dinner table. From what Daphne could make out there was roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, stew, a vegetable casserole, shepherd's pie, fish and chips, not to mention peas, carrots, and an apple pie.

"Did I miss something? Are we having a small dinner or feeding an entire nation?"

"I may have gotten a little carried away. It was only supposed to be simple fish and chips, but I wanted to make a good impression." Jasmine confessed as she hurriedly pulled another large steaming platter from the oven. "Can you finish cutting those?" She indicated some strawberries that she had partially cut then abandoned to do something else.

Daphne did as instructed and meanwhile inquired about Mrs. Luvinia's thoughts on the dinner party because Daphne knew very well that Mrs. Luvinia was not particularly fond of Remus.

"I told her the dinner was for Lily and James. They are coming so it's not technically a lie."

"Where is Remus anyway? Shouldn't he be in here?" Daphne asked when she almost nicked her finger with a sharp knife.

"I threw him out of the kitchen," Jasmine announced while she roughly peeled some potatoes. "He kept distracting me!" In all honesty, Jasmine had needed his help, but she was still peeved with Remus for making her agree to this dinner in the first place. Of course, he would have been fine with her ordering food, but if she was going to have a dinner with his boss, she was going to do it right and that meant no magic either.

Just then, Remus popped in to announce the arrival of Lily and James. Jasmine quickly shut the door on him, but only after informing him that there were appetizers waiting in the living room. Not long after, Lily joined them. Daphne could see the exact moment Lily noticed the feast, her green eyes grew wide with astonishment.

"Honestly Jas I don't eat that much," she cried. Her hand subconsciously went up to her stomach that was barely visible through her baggy, cable knit sweater. If Lily announced that she wasn't pregnant, but had simply gained some weight, Daphne would have believed her.

Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"It's not all for you. There are other people coming you know."

"By other she means Alex," Daphne stage whispered behind her hand. Lily nodded her understanding before cleverly changing the subject.

"James and I tried visiting Petunia before we got here. You know she lives only a few blocks away."

"How did that go?" Daphne asked.

"She wouldn't open the door."

"Maybe they weren't home?" Jasmine suggested hopefully.

"Please, I distinctly saw a curtain flutter and I'm fairly certain I heard her husband thundering down the hall to turn off the telly."

Daphne and Jasmine offered their sympathies. They both knew how much Lily wanted to be friendly with her sister again.

"I thought since she's going to have a baby too- have you heard anything Jasmine?" Lily asked desperately.

"She won't even respond to my mother anymore."

"You're mum did always favor Lily," Daphne reminded them.

Jasmine nodded in agreement. "True, well we could use some more help here," she suggested to lighten the mood.

"I have to cook my own dinner?" Lily remarked.

"There was a clause apparently," Daphne informed her.

"You're only cutting strawberries!" Jasmine cried.

"No heavy lifting for me, I'm with child." Lily said, though she could hardly keep a straight face. "By the way where is Michael? I thought he would be joining us tonight."

Daphne couldn't help grinning. She had already been on several marvelous dates with Michael. After meeting him formally at Godric's Hollow, he had appeared at her door one afternoon, freshly showered from quidditch practice with a broom in his hand.

"Want to go for a ride?"

Daphne didn't need to think twice. Like James, he was confidant on a broom and he smoothly maneuvered them through the icy air. By the time they landed for dinner, his brown hair was dry and the ends were slightly curling up. Daphne boldly smoothed the loose strays down. He didn't mind. Nor did he mind when she ordered a double cheeseburger from the closest fast food place they found. In fact, he had one too. Since then, he saw her whenever his schedule and her work permitted it. Not that her work was a problem. Apparently everyone in the Obliviator Headquarters was a Puddlemere United fan, including her boss. Frank never minded letting her off for an hour or two when Michael walked into the office. It had only happened twice so far though. Most of their dates were in the evening. Sometimes they went to dinner or the movies, but when Michael was tired they would just hang out in the apartment with Sirius, which was fine with Daphne because after a short rest he would be ready to go out for some frozen yogurt.

Then one weekend, Daphne mentioned how she liked to roller skate and Michael insisted she teach him. He even bought his own skates and though he was athletic, he wasn't particularly stable on them. He fell many times and while he got irritated, he always managed to shrug it off in the end. One time when he was on the ground again, he pulled on Daphne to join him. Down on the cement was where they had their first kiss. His hands were a bit rough, but it didn't matter when his lips parted hers. That was last weekend. Daphne hadn't mentioned it to her friends yet.

"He's got a late team meeting, but he's going to try to make it after," she said in response.

Her friends grinned knowingly and Daphne was almost certain she could see the relief in their eyes before Lily left to get an appetizer.

"What else is left?" Daphne asked.

Jasmine finished arranging the fruit on the custard tart and surveyed the dishes around her. Before she could answer though, Remus strolled back in.

"Out!" Jasmine demanded.

"I merely wanted to inform you that James mentioned Lily isn't eating fish."

"She'll have plenty of options," Daphne couldn't help saying.

Clearly irritated, Jasmine pointed to the nearest clock. "Alex is late."

"Alex is always late. I didn't think you would mind, considering you don't look like you're done just yet." Remus spoke carefully measuring his words, but Daphne knew no matter what he said Jasmine would still find him at fault.

"I'll have you know that we are finished," Jasmine snapped back.

"Oh really?" Remus wiped the custard pudding off of her cheek with one finger and placed it in his mouth before exiting the kitchen with a cheeky grin.

"Smug bastard," Jasmine seethed.

"Appetizers!" Daphne joyfully announced as she abandoned her apron.

"What are you doing? We're not done!" Jasmine stressed.

"But-"

The doorbell rang.

"It must be him," Jasmine proclaimed after a quick moment of panic. "I'll get it!"

Discarding her own apron, she dashed for the front of the house. Along the way, she managed to get the flour out of her hair and straighten her dress. With one final steadying breath, she gracefully opened the door.

"Welco-"

Standing on the doorstep was a short girl with dark brown hair that reached just below her shoulders and bangs swept to the side. She had on skinny jeans that hugged her curvy hips, a blue and green plaid blouse, and black pointy toed heels. There were also square, brown tortoise shell framed glasses on her nose and she was smiling shyly up at Jasmine.

"Can I help you?" Jasmine kindly asked after her initial disappointment wore off.

"You must be Jasmine," the girl said.

"I am." Jasmine glanced down the hill to see if anyone else was on the road. There was no one. Only Daphne came up behind her.

"Are you looking for my mum?" Jasmine continued.

"No, I'm Alex. Alexandra, but everyone calls me Alex. Remus invited me."

"Alex?" Jasmine repeated, the shock apparent in her eyes. Behind her Daphne felt equally surprised, but did her best to conceal it.

The girl nodded and greeted them.

"Am I at the wrong house?" Her smile only faltered a little and she insecurely looked to Daphne, who did her best to appear welcoming in return.

"Alex, of course," Jasmine recovered and plastered her own smile on her face. "Please come i-"

"Alex!" Remus joyfully called from the hallway before hurrying forward and ushering the girl inside. "We're very glad you could make it. Did you meet everyone already?"

"Almost, you must be Daphne?" Alex extended her hand.

A little surprised by the girl's familiarity with her, Daphne confirmed who she was.

"Go on into the living room," Jasmine interrupted politely. "We'll join you in a moment."

Remus indicated the way, then lingered. Daphne was prepared to go too, but Jasmine dug her nails into her arm and held her back.

"Everything okay?" Remus asked.

"Just putting the finishing touches on dinner," Jasmine replied through gritted teeth and a fake smile. She dropped those pretenses once she was alone in the kitchen with Daphne again.

"Alex is a girl?" Jasmine hissed, doing her best to control her volume and not smash all the dishes she had worked so hard to make.

"Apparently," Daphne shrugged. "Remus never mentioned?"

"No! I mean, no he always said 'Alex' I just assumed it was a guy. Shouldn't he have said something though? Like 'by the way the person I am spending all day with happens to be female?'"

"Maybe he thought you knew," Daphne guessed.

"How could I know? We've never met before and he calls her Alex. It's perfectly alright if he spends time with other girls, but I'd like to be informed. At least to avoid looking like a fool when I open the door."

Daphne nodded in complete agreement. If she were in Jasmine's shoes, she would want to know too. That way she would feel secure that he wasn't keeping secrets, which was very important to Daphne lately.

"Wait, don't get into it with Remus now," Daphne warned.

"I'm not going to," Jasmine insisted. "You go on first, I'll be there in a minute."

A minute turned into ten and when Jasmine sailed into the living room with a tray of fresh appetizers, she had switched her dress. The new one was tight and black. It was also strapless and accentuated her curves, while staying long enough to be an appropriate cocktail dress. Then Daphne knew what no one else did: it was war.

Sashaying confidently across the room, Jasmine set the tray down on the coffee table. Then instead of seating herself in the available spot beside Daphne, she chose to settle in Remus' lap. She gave him a wicked smile, a peck on the lips, and placed an arm around his neck. If Remus was astonished by her seat choice, he didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry I didn't have time to change," Alex remarked uncomfortably. "My mum came late from work to watch the store for me so I just grabbed my heels and ran to the first tube to get here."

"Oh don't worry," Lily assured her. "I'm pregnant and wearing the most shapeless sweater from my closet."

This remark immediately launched the two into the subject of motherhood, instead of fashion, and eventually Alex announced that she couldn't wait to be a mother herself. Jasmine was ready to agree, but when Remus reached over and put a hand on Alex's arm to tell her she would be a perfect one, Jasmine bit her tongue. Instead, she readjusted herself in Remus' lap, making sure to elbow him sharply in the process. He gave her a questioning look in return, but Jasmine remained focused on Alex.

"How do you like Remus working for you?" She kindly inquired.

"It's great," Alex responded. "I was so glad I could finally hire someone new, not to mention he can reach higher shelves than I can."

Everyone, except Jasmine, chuckled because even with her heels on, Alex was clearly short.

"One sturdy ladder and I'm out of the job apparently," Remus replied.

"Never, a ladder can't think or organize," Alex insisted with a small giggle.

"Though it might be more pleasant to look at," James teased.

"Certainly more pleasant than you," Lily threw in and again laughter rang throughout the house.

Jasmine stood up suddenly.

"Would anyone like a drink?" She inquired to cover up how upset she felt. "Remus can you help me?"

Once back in the safety of her kitchen, Jasmine remained silent then busily began arranging glasses. She could feel the frustration brewing inside her. The more Remus smiled, the more she wanted to burst. At last, she knew she would have to say something, especially since Remus had just asked her a question.

"What do you think?" He said when they were alone.

"Thanks for telling me Alex is female," Jasmine answered her voice filled with sarcasm. "I really enjoyed looking like a silly ignoramus."

Remus appeared bewildered.

"Naturally Alex is girl. Did you think she was a man?"

"Yes!" Jasmine snapped back angrily. "You never said she was a she."

"I didn't?"

"If you did we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

"I didn't realize." Remus reached out to calm her down, but Jasmine just brushed him off. She didn't want to hear his apologies; she just wanted some space to breath.

"No, let's just get this dinner over with."

"But-"

With her wand, Jasmine levitated all the dishes of food and one by one they followed her to the spacious dining room.

A few minutes later, the entire party was seated around the long elegant dining table. Alex remarked that everything looked delicious before she asked to be excused to the loo. Being the perfect hostess, Jasmine accompanied her then quickly came back.

"Jasmine we need to talk," Remus stressed when Alex wasn't there. His mind had been preoccupied when he had ushered everyone into the dining room and now it was obvious to Daphne why.

"Just leave it. This isn't the moment," Jasmine coldly replied in a low voice.

"What's going on?" Lily asked leaning in closer to the table.

"Jasmine didn't know Alex was actually Alexandra," Daphne informed them all quietly.

James actually threw his head back to laugh out loud.

"Of course she's a girl!"

"Shhh," Daphne reminded him from across the table.

"You knew?" Jasmine cried then glanced to her cousin. "Did you?"

Lily nodded. "He told me."

"Perfect, so everyone was privy to this information except for me?" Jasmine snapped as she tried to keep her voice down. "I'm glad you could inform your friends."

"He didn't exactly say it," James interrupted in Remus' defense. "I pay attention. It's obvious from what Moony says."

"How?" Daphne asked before Jasmine could, she was still too busy being furious.

"Didn't she send you tea? I don't know a single bloke who would send tea. Alcohol maybe, but tea never."

"That makes sense," Daphne admitted.

"I wasn't trying to hide anything from you Jasmine," Remus seriously told her.

"Can we not discuss this anymore?" Jasmine responded tiredly. The table fell silent and at once Jasmine noticed that she hadn't brought out the roast chicken. Taking her wand from where she had hidden it on her chair, she used a summoning spell. It didn't take long for the roast chicken to arrive, but just as it landed on the table, Alex stepped back into the room. Jasmine quickly lowered her wand behind her back, but Alex had been looking right at it.

"You didn't have to wait for me to start," Alex said after a second of uncomfortable silence.

As the girl made her way back to her seat, the rest of the table let out a relieved breath.

"Why isn't Sirius here yet?" Jasmine began right away to distract everyone.

Daphne couldn't help noticing the way Alex's head shot up at the mention of Sirius. Had she seen him with Remus before?

"He swore he would arrive on time when I left for work," Daphne informed the hostess, not that she had believed him. Lately, Sirius had taken to leaving the apartment for several hours at a time without explanation. Sometimes he would take his motorbike and sometimes he would just apparate. Daphne never questioned him because she knew exactly what he was doing. He was searching for Raelyn by roaming the countryside and by going to all the places he thought she might appear at. He had had no luck so far, though Dumbledore assured him she hadn't been found by the deatheaters either. One of his undercover agents had informed him. Daphne tried not to think of which one.

"I'll go get him," James declared with a concerned frown. "Go ahead and start, it'll only take a second."

"Does he live nearby?" Alex asked curiously.

"Very close," James winked and stepped outside to apparate.

Daphne was relieved it was James going. If anyone could rally Sirius and make him listen, it was James.

While he was gone, conversation turned back to Alex. Between Lily and Daphne's questions, they found out plenty about the girl. She was seventeen and had owned Moonlight Books for three years. After her grandmother had passed away and left it to her, Alex had left school to run it. It was a small bookstore and upstairs was a flat that Alex lived in with her mother. Her mother was a college professor and also in charge of Alex's homeschooling. There was no mention of her father and no one asked. Finally, the conversation was steered towards romance.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Daphne curiously asked.

Though it was obvious Alex was soft spoken, she had answered all of their questions. But now she hesitated and appeared slightly awkward. She blushed and averted everyone's eyes. At first, Daphne suspected she was just being shy, but then she thought she detected some distress in the girl's expression when she faced them again.

Jasmine abruptly stood up.

"Excuse me," she said. "I need to check something."

Without any further explanation, Jasmine started to leave when she unexpectadly stumbled. She didn't fall, but her hip accidentally knocked the shepherd's pie that had been sticking a little off the table. Everyone watched as the dish hurdled towards the ground, though it never hit the floor. Remus, who could not let Jasmine's hard work go to waste, instinctively took out his wand and with a wave the pie was back on the table.

The room was silent. Jasmine stared at Remus with a mix of gratitude and fear because of what he had just revealed. Remus stared back as he began to grasp it too. Lily and Daphne both looked from one to the other then they all simultaneously turned to Alex, the only muggle at the table. Remus' wand was long gone, back into his cardigan, but Alex was still staring intently at where it had been. The seconds ticked away.

"You're witches aren't you?" Alex asked finally.

"It's hardly polite to call new acquaintances that," Lily remarked.

Is that what they would do? Deny everything? Daphne wondered. She examined Jasmine for an answer, but her friend seemed to be doing some quick thinking of her own. Not that it mattered Alex wasn't finished.

"And you're a wizard aren't you? And that was a magic wand?"

"Merlin! We have the worst bloody timing," James stated from the doorway. Behind him Sirius appeared and, oblivious to what was going on, nodded towards his friends. Daphne managed a weak smile then returned her focus to Alex, who she noted was staring at Sirius now with a stunned expression. When he stepped further into the room, the girl stood up so abruptly, her chair fell over backwards.

"You have to be his brother," Alex declared out loud.

"You mean James?" Sirius asked absentmindedly. He was far too busy eyeing the roast chicken to pay Alex any more attention, even though she had rapidly crossed the room to stand directly before him.

"Everyone thinks they look alike," Daphne remarked to keep the distraction going, but she continued to observe Alex and found it very peculiar the way the girl was intensely staring up at Sirius. Sirius didn't notice.

"Actually, I meant Regulus. He's your brother right?" Alex eagerly questioned.

Astonished, Sirius turned his full attention to the newcomer for the first time.

"Sorry, who are you?" He inquired.

"Alexandra, it's so nice to finally meet you," Alex beamed as she took his hand.

"You're not a w- how do you know my brother?" Sirius continued cautiously. Like Daphne, he had already deduced that it wasn't because of Remus. One look at him and they could see he was equally stunned by this revelation.

"It's a long story," Alex responded and once again she seemed to return to her former shy self.

"For this, I've got time," Sirius assured her. It didn't take long for everyone to find their seats again and when they did everyone turned to Alex. A blush appeared on her cheek as she began in a low, nervous voice.

"It all started almost three years ago, during the end of summer."

"That was the summer before our seventh year," Remus quickly calculated for everyone's information.

A memory of roller skates and Severus flashed in Daphne's mind then Alex continued.

Alexandra woke with a start to the blurry early morning light peeking through the curtains. The living room of their small flat above the bookstore served as her room and office so she was not surprised to find herself on the worn gray sofa with her blanket on the ground. Reaching for the wooden stand beside her, Alexandra discovered her glasses. One leg was being held on with tape, but business was not doing well so new glasses would just have to wait. With the old ones safely on her nose, Alexandra could see the clock well enough to discover she was already running late, very late.

"Oh sh-"

"Alex I made coffee," her mother called from the kitchen from behind a stack of her own papers. The kitchen was her mother's office and as a result Alexandra almost never saw the wooden tabletop or the counter or any surface really. "Don't you need to leave soon?"

Alexandra didn't answer as she hurried to the bathroom they shared. It was situated in her mother's room, the only bedroom in the entire place, that her mother used to share with her grandmother. Alex had always had the sofa, not that she minded.

"Don't forget to finish all of your math before tonight," Alexandra's mother reminded her when she came to the kitchen.

"I know mum," Alex replied with a hint of annoyance. Since she had left regular school to homeschool this was a conversation they frequently visited. Her mother had been supportive of her decision, but constantly made sure Alex did not slack when it came to her homework. She didn't need to worry though, Alex was very careful about what marks she got.

"Your class starts in half an hour," Alex reminded her mom as she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. As she left, she could hear her mother scrambling to pack up her things.

Instead of going down to the store as she did most mornings, Alex hurried to the back door and down the stairs outside to the sidewalk. This was the door her mother normally used so she wouldn't have to cross the shop every time she wanted to go up to their flat. It led to an alley and luckily a tube station was close by.

As Alex boarded the first train, she cursed herself for staying up all night reading… again. Because it hadn't even been the receipts that kept her up, but "Andrea and the Viking", a new romance book she simply had to finish. Naturally Alex read serious books too, and the classics, but her guilty pleasure was romance, that and the supernatural. While the train moved along, Alex sighed as she recalled how the Viking had swept Andrea off her feet after saving her from a brutal attack on her village. If Alex's life were like one of her favorite novels, the tube would break down right now and in her rush to find alternative means of transportation, she would run into a tall man with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a Swedish accent, who would insist on helping her. Out of nowhere, he would produce a motorbike and drive her to her destination. Then instead of leaving when she went inside, he would wait for her to come back out.

"Please mind the gap," the tube announcer said stirring Alex out of her daydream, where the man of her dreams had been telling her how beautiful she was.

They were at her stop. Before the doors could close on her, Alex stepped out and wished she could open the shop late sometimes, like today. Technically since she was the owner she could, but she wanted to prove to her mother that she was responsible so instead she rushed to the distributors warehouse. If Alex collected her order of books directly from them, she saved herself the shipping fees.

When she arrived at their office, she immediately spotted her friend Dev. It was hard not to since he was long, dark, and lanky. He was Indian with short, black hair and deep black eyes. They had gone to the same secondary school, where he used to play cricket. Now since it was summer, he worked a part time job for his father.

"Late again?" He asked as he handed her a heavy box over the counter.

"The tube was packed," Alexandra replied in her defense and took it from him. She didn't bother to inspect the contents, she trusted Dev, plus as he had pointed out she was late. "Thank you."

"Are you working this weekend?" He called after her as she made her way to the door barely balancing the box in one arm.

"Always," she reminded him as she struggled.

"When are you going to hire someone already?" Dev complained.

He always complained about that. Alexandra would have loved to hire someone, but it was not in her budget just yet. Not to mention she wasn't certain if she wanted to go out with Dev. She knew he had a crush on her; even now he was appreciating the jean shorts and flat boots she had thrown on. Alexandra was short, but knew she had curves in all the right places. Plus, her hair that fell just below her shoulders was very thick and brown. Her bangs were always swept to one side covering some of her face, but she had very large, round, brown eyes that peered through her glasses and hair. From always being indoors she was extremely pale, but not in a sickly way. Dev didn't seem to object and he was very handsome. The problem was he had already taken out nearly every girl Alexandra knew.

"Gotta run!" She called out before he could suggest coming to the store.

It was two minutes to eight. If Alexandra hurried, she would make it in time to open the shop. She didn't expect anyone to be there waiting, but she wanted to be on schedule anyway, not to mention her arms were aching from the box that kept sliding as she half jogged down the busy sidewalk. The early morning London traffic was packed with people like her trying to get into work on time. Alexandra had to navigate the sidewalk carefully. One minute to go. Alexandra made a mad dash around the corner and smack. The box hit her chest hard before toppling onto the floor and spilling all the contents.

"Ouch, great," Alexandra groaned to herself. The impact had left her short of breath, but she hastily bent down anyway to recover her books. People were stepping around them in a hurry and she didn't want to risk losing any. Luckily they were wrapped in plastic so the new covers wouldn't get damaged.

It was during this time that Alexandra happened to peer up and realize for the first time, she had rammed right into someone, not something. And that someone happened to be a boy her age, who was slightly bent over rubbing his stomach. He glanced her way with some piercing grey eyes then stood up straight. At once, Alex's imagination went into overdrive as she noted he looked just like a vampire from one of her books. He had a small build, but he was taller than her with pale skin, short black hair that was perfectly in place, and a handsome face. The only problem with the face was that it was giving her the dirtiest look.

"I'm so sorry," she muttered breathlessly. "Are you okay?"

"Are you blind?" He barked back in a not so friendly voice and Alex was disappointed to hear the lack of a Romanian accent.

"I didn't see you. I had this box," Alexandra replied, completely embarrassed that she was still crouched on a public sidewalk and getting snapped at by a complete stranger. She suddenly felt as small and as insignificant as a flea. From the way he was looking at her, it was clear he would not be helping her gather her books anytime soon. Instead, he stood there disgusted by her and sneering.

"Clumsy muggle you might have killed me with your carelessness," he added.

Pissed at his complete lack of civility, Alexandra placed the last book safely into her box and stood. She swayed under the weight for a second and for another second thought she imagined this rude boy reach out to steady her, but she quickly righted herself. It was then that she noticed the clock outside of the bank across the street. Two minutes late!

"Damn it," Alexandra muttered under her breath and without another glance at the boy she ran the rest of the way to the bookstore.

Moonlight Books was in a small old building near a busy street. On either side of the wooden door, there were two display windows that Alexandra always decorated and filled with her pick of the week. Inside, the walls were lined with tall shelves and a few scattered round tables that were arranged with books on top. To the left, Alexandra had a wooden counter with an old register and a tall stool where she normally sat. Also, there was a door that led to the storage room, bathroom, and staircase to the second floor flat. On the right side of the store, there was a corner with a coffee table, a few cushioned seats, and a sofa. A few years ago Alexandra had suggested this reading section. Her grandmother had been quick to collect old furniture and the corner still remained, though Alexandra was the only one who read there regularly.

This was where Alexandra felt most comfortable and today she was glad to sink into her favorite chair, the one that had a squeaky spring, but also the fluffiest cushion. She didn't immediately shelf the new books; she was too irritated and tired. The only thing that would help her now would be coffee or a story, so she could forget about the world for a moment. Then she recalled that along with the new books for the shop, she had ordered a particular one for her own personal collection, "Stephanie and the Samurai". Rummaging through the box, Alexandra's anticipation mounted until she emptied all the contents and discovered her book was nowhere to be found. Alex's mind flashed with an image of her book lying on the London sidewalk. There was no way she could have overlooked it, was there? Alexandra felt like running back to the spot to check, but she couldn't leave the store open and her lunch break wasn't for another five hours. By then it would be gone, it was probably gone now. Disappointment sunk in just as the bell above the door gave a light tinkle.

"Welcome can I help-"

It was him, the boy from the street with the cold sneer and bad manners. He was lingering near the entrance, glancing around his surroundings as if he was completely dissatisfied by everything he saw, including her. Forgetting everything she thought about him, Alexandra forced a smile.

"C-can I help you? Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Not in this dump," he sneered.

"Um okay." Alexandra's smile dropped. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him what he was doing there then when he held up a book she hadn't noticed him carrying, "Stephanie and the Samurai". It wasn't lost after all.

"You dropped this," he announced and thoughtlessly waved it a few times.

With great relief, Alexandra rushed forward to claim it. Before she could take it from him however, he held it away from her.

"What kind of story is this anyway?" He asked with an arrogant tone as he inspected the cover and from his expression found it ridiculous.

"Romance," she answered without shame.

He scowled and let her take it this time. Alexandra moved back to the coffee table area eager to start reading, but the boy didn't leave.

"Oh thanks, you didn't have to," she said and she meant it. Not many Londoners would've taken the trouble, but that didn't make her forget his earlier behavior or what he had said about her beloved store.

"How did you find me anyway?" She asked when he still didn't leave. He glared at her with those grey eyes.

"I certainly didn't follow you here." And again he held up something that he procured from the back pocket of his black trousers.

"My wallet?" Alexandra felt her purse, but recalled tossing her wallet on top of the box at the tube station. It must have fallen with the books.

"I checked inside," he informed her then let out a small laugh. "There wasn't much there."

The thanks she was about to give him for the second time died on her lips. He was without a doubt the most conceited prick she had ever met. As if she didn't already know her wallet contained only two pounds, a picture of her with her grandma, a few Moonlight Books business cards, and her old school id. Angry Alexandra was about to go once more to collect her belongings, when he did something unexpected. He threw her wallet hard against the wood floor before him and watched her with a smug expression on his lips.

There were several scenarios that could play out right now and Alexandra saw them each in her imagination. She could strut across the store and slap him hard across the face, maybe more than once. On the other hand, she could stand perfectly still and refuse to move until he was forced to pick it up and hand it to her like a gentleman. Or she could use her voice to curse and insult his manners till he felt so bad he would repent. These were all tempting options, particularly the first, but Alexandra ultimately decided to go with neither. Instead, she quietly moved to him, bent down, and retrieved her wallet. Only at the last second, before she turned her back to him, did she meet his eyes with a hard look of her own. Then she returned to her chair and instantly began to read "Stephanie and the Samurai".

When she checked from the corner of her eyes, she could see that she had had the desired effect. He appeared quite baffled. Typical bully, she thought to herself. They never know what to do when they are ignored. Secretly though she thanked the stars that he didn't attend her school, not that she went to school anymore. A minute later she heard the bell over the door ring and knew he was gone.

"Have you gone on a date with Dev yet?"

Alexandra sighed at her friend's question. Did Sarah listen to a single word she said? The two girls were outside of Moonlight Books because Sarah insisted Alexandra needed some sun. Sarah was already tan after spending most of the summer in Italy thanks to her father, who had no problem sending her and her sisters on vacation like that. It was odd for Alexandra to think her closest friend never had to worry about money, while she was constantly adding it up and budgeting. Come to think of it, Alexandra and Sarah really had nothing in common, except for a love of romance books. In fact, Sarah had come to visit Alexandra because she had finished reading one about pirates while on her trip.

"I think Dev would make a very scrumptious pirate," her friend sighed wistfully.

"Because he's always surrounded by so many wenches?" Alexandra joked.

"Jealous?" Sarah countered. "I warned you to get a move on or someone else would steal him away."

"You know I'm not jealous," Alexandra firmly said. "Those girls are welcome to him."

Sarah sighed dramatically. "Where is my swashbuckling pirate?"

This was another way the two girls were different. While Alexandra liked to read romances to escape her own world, Sarah wanted to make the romances reality. Which basically meant she was boy obsessed. Naturally Alexandra wanted a real life romance too, but she could keep her head focused on other things, Sarah could not.

"I'm afraid England has been lacking pirates for a while," Alexandra answered and rolled her eyes.

"And Dev?"

"I hate to break it to you, but he's not a pirate, except in your daydreams." Alexandra giggled when Sarah stuck her tongue out.

"I meant would you go out with him?" Her friend asked.

"He's not really my type," Alexandra answered.

"Oh give it a rest with that already. So he's dated around, who cares?" Sarah stressed.

"I do. You're the only girl I know he hasn't gone out with yet. He's a flirt."

"No one is telling you to marry the guy."

"I know, but I don't want to lead him on either, he's my friend." Alexandra insisted, even as she thought maybe she was judging Dev too harshly. He couldn't help it if many girls liked him and he wanted to see what was out there. Also, she liked Dev. He was extremely intelligent, funny, and embraced his culture. Plus, he was always happy to take her around his family and let her try some new foods. Still, Alexandra knew the real truth. She saw him as a friend and nothing more.

"Oh my god hottie alert," Sarah announced suddenly. She ran her hands over her shoulder length curly black hair and checked her lip gloss.

"Don't tell me it's Dev?" Alexandra groaned.

It wasn't. It was someone Alexandra had never expected to see again. It was the vampire bully who had returned her book and wallet only two days before. He was walking with his eyes glued to the sidewalk and a deep frown between his brows. He was clearly preoccupied, but that didn't stop Alexandra from trying to rush Sarah back inside the bookstore.

"What's the big deal?" Sarah cried.

Alexandra glanced back over her shoulder. Before they could disappear inside, the boy had heard the commotion and met her gaze. He stared for a second before checking his surroundings. It seemed to Alexandra that he was baffled as to how he had gotten where he was, but that wasn't her problem.

"I've got to go now anyway," Sarah began inside. "I need a new outfit for tonight. Are you coming?"

"Maybe, what time is it at?"

"Eight," Sarah chimed.

The bookstore closed at eight. Alex could probably make it, even if she was late. There was a tinkle over the door. Alexandra gave an automatic greeting and didn't notice till after it was the boy from the sidewalk. He was walking around the round tables with his hands behind his back not touching anything, but scrutinizing everything. Fortunately, Sarah didn't detect him.

"W-where?" Alexandra continued.

"I told you earlier, we're all going bowling and you have to come. It's been too long since you've hung out with everyone."

BowIing meant money.

"I can't, sorry."

"Dev will be there," Sarah tried, but Alexandra just shook her head.

"Gosh you're so boring!"

"I want to, but you know I can't." Alexandra replied defensively. It wasn't like she was not going on purpose.

"I know, I know, you should just let me pay for you," Sarah said and luckily for Alexandra she lowered her voice. "You better come next week then."

The girls hugged goodbye and even though Sarah irritated her sometimes, Alexandra was sad to see her go. She was one of the few friends who actually bothered to visit her. Plus now that she was gone, Alexandra would have to turn her attention to the only other person in the store. He was ready for her.

"So you're a pauper?" He began as soon as the front door closed. "No wonder your wallet was so empty."

Alexandra cursed Sarah in her head then took it back. This guy shouldn't have been eavesdropping and if he had overheard, he shouldn't have mentioned it. That's what a gentleman would do. Clearly, he was not one of those or a vampire to at least make up for it. Alex had concluded the second since she always saw him during daylight hours. It was vastly upsetting.

"I'm not rolling in money, but I have everything I need," she said in her best polite voice. Years of customer service had trained her to bite her tongue and keep the attitude to a minimum.

"Does this place ever get any customers?" He continued.

"You're here," she smiled. It wasn't like she was about to tell him the truth.

"I'm not going to buy anything," he scoffed.

"Then why did you come in?" She asked with a little edge in her voice this time. He didn't appear to notice, he was back to observing. He moved around the shop with an easy grace and self-assurance. All the worry lines she had seen on him outside were gone, leaving his face more smooth and handsome than ever before. Alex hated to notice, but it was true. There was almost an aristocratic air to his features. He was that good looking. Then it hit her. Perhaps this boy was some type of lord or duke or something of that nature. It would certainly explain his haughtiness.

"This place belongs in a junkyard," he concluded after a moment.

"No one is making you stay."

"I saw you with your friend outside," he continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Are you always here?"

"I work everyday," Alex admitted, then wished she hadn't incase he decided to come torment her again.

"Everyday?" He repeated and seemed a bit shocked to hear it.

"I own the store," she informed him mainly because his reaction had annoyed her. This was obviously a boy who didn't have to work for his living. Yes, he had to be some sort of viscount at least or his father was. Alex had once met a boy at school like that and she hadn't liked him either.

"That's nothing to be proud of, it appears ready to collapse," he commented.

"Then maybe you should go before the roof caves in on you," Alex said darkly under her breath. She wasn't sure if he heard her or not, but he didn't leave. Instead, he began to flip through a random book.

"These pictures don't even move," he concluded at last and he carelessly threw the book back onto the table he had taken it from.

"Of course they don't move, they're books not telly," she responded and couldn't help wondering if this boy had ever read an actual book.

"I'm not an idiot," he snapped at her. "Where I come from pictures happen to move."

"You mean like a pop up?" She dully asked.

"Pop up?" He repeated and watched her distrustfully as she moved to a particular bookshelf.

"Pop up," she repeated when she found the section. "But generally these are for children."

Alex selected one she enjoyed about "Alice in Wonderland". Cautiously, she shuffled back towards the boy. He hadn't taken his grey eyes off of her once and they were filled with suspicion. Alex stopped before him anyway with the book in her hands. The front cover depicted a colorful picture with Alice and the white rabbit moving along a winding path.

"You call that moving?" He snobbily asked.

Alex rolled her eyes at him and opened it to her favorite page. A large white castle with red hearts sprung up from the book causing the boy to stumble backwards.

"Bloody hell," he remarked before quickly recovering his composure. Alex, however, had already broken into a fit of giggles.

"I'm sorry," she struggled to speak. "But you should have seen your face."

Red splotches appeared on the boy's cheeks, but he wasn't laughing along, he was furious. His grey eyes silenced her with one look and before she could say anything more, he stormed out of the shop.

Alex was relieved to see him go and baffled. She tried not to think of the odd boy for the rest of the day, but it was difficult. Her mind kept coming back to him and wondering just what his deal was. If he was good looking and wealthy why was he roaming the streets of London and picking on bookstore owners? Something didn't fit in all of this, but Alex did her best to stop over analyzing him. He had left and she probably wouldn't see him a third time. What were the chances he would come back to a place he obviously found no pleasure from being in?

"When are you going to get the last book?" The scrawny boy in front of the register eagerly questioned. He was a regular customer who derived great pleasure from science fiction. Since the release of Star Wars in the cinema earlier that year, Alex had seen many boys like him and she made sure to keep her science fiction section stocked with all the new best sellers. Alex had really enjoyed Star Wars, but didn't take to science fiction books as much.

"I should have it by the end of the week," She promptly responded with a smile. She gave the boy his receipt and purchase just as the bell over the door rang. Two customers in one hour were rare and Alex felt immediate excitement, but it dropped when she recognized the figure at the entrance. It was him again! She hadn't seen his cruel sneer in three days and now he was back.

He seemed startled to see someone else there and Alex couldn't suppress a smug smirk, but the boy didn't see her. When her customer had walked past him, he had quickly turned his face away and was now perusing a magazine rack. They were alone in the shop again and Alex waited for him to speak first, but the minutes ticked away and he remained silent. This greatly unnerved Alex and she pretended to arrange some books closer to him in order to get a better look at what had fascinated him into such a peaceful silence.

"Do you play a sport?" She inquired when she realized what magazine he was flipping through and eyeing inquisitively.

"Not this football sport," he answered, though he remained focused on the colored pages. "I play something far more dangerous."

"What? Do you wrestle crocodiles in the swamps?"

"No, it's quid- it's nothing you would know," he answered with a hint of disappointment.

"Is it new?"

He smiled at her question and the absence of a scowl made such a change in his face, that Alex nearly dropped a heavy book on her toes.

"Not at all," he replied. "It's quite old."

"Then maybe I've heard of your sport."

"I doubt it."

"Let's see shall we?" Alexandra had already stopped pretending to work so she plopped down on one of the chairs to give him her full attention.

The boy's gaze moved over to her then around the empty room to the door. Alexandra wasn't sure what surprised her more, that she was curious or that he seemed very eager to tell her. Putting the magazine down, he joined her, though he sat as far from her as possible and remained upright instead of relaxing into his seat. And before Alex could say another word, he was off speaking rapidly about keepers, bludgers, beaters, and quaffles. Alex listened carefully and tried to keep up, but it was quite confusing. What he proposed sounded like baseball, basketball, and football all mixed together. For a moment, she even thought he might be pulling her leg, but then he was so excited it didn't seem possible he could be making all of it up on the spot. Then because she was still a bit confused, he asked for paper and drew her a picture. He even leaned over her to explain it and Alex was disturbed to realize he smelled quite good at such a close range. It was a subtle scent she hadn't noticed before.

"What do you do on the team then?" She asked to regain focus. From the corner of her eye, she saw him arrogantly tilt his chin up a bit higher.

"I have the most important position of all. I'm the seeker."

He gave her a brief run down of his job, making sure to highlight how difficult it was.

"So it's like an Easter egg hunt?" Alex inquired.

"No," he said in exasperation. "The snitch flies-"

"It flies?"

"Never mind, just forget it," he snapped abruptly like she had done something to anger him.

Alexandra was so confused now, but she wrote down the name of the sport anyway.

"Quidditch," she repeated. "I'll have to order a book about it for my sport section."

"You'll never find one," the boy told her. This statement was followed by an uncomfortable silence.

"Where are you from anyway?" Alex asked to break the awkwardness. "You speak like it's really far away, is it?"

"Not at all, I live nearby," he answered absentmindedly. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place."

Alex immediately proceeded with the next logical question. "What school do you go to?"

"You wouldn't know it," he concluded before continuing. "It's further north. It's very exclusive and the best school there is for people like me."

Deranged? Alex wanted to ask, but refrained

"I'm sure it's better than where you go," he pompously continued.

"I don't go to school," Alex replied. There was no point lying anyway.

"Can't afford it?" He mocked.

Alex brushed off the question by explaining that she homeschooled and why, mainly because she wanted to continue asking her own questions. She knew she was asking a lot of them, but he didn't seem to mind answering. What she really wanted to know, however, was why this boy was spending his free time in her bookshop. Instead, she settled on inquiring about his friends.

"I didn't feel like seeing them," he shrugged then narrowed his eyes at her. "I do have friends if you're implying I don't."

Before Alex could respond, he noticed the clock behind the register and was out the door without another word.

"Do you think a guy would keep going to a place he clearly hates?" Alex asked her friend the following morning. The question had troubled her most of the night and she had finally settled on calling Sarah for an opinion.

"Not unless he's a complete nut job," Sarah responded with a loud yawn. "Does this have to do with Dev?"

"No, it was just a random question," Alex lied. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell Sarah about the strange boy just yet. Mainly because she didn't know if he would return and she didn't want to make a big deal about it, but also because Sarah would probably advise her to date him and that wasn't what Alex wanted to hear.

"You woke me up at seven thirty in the morning to ask me that?" Sarah groaned. "What's this really about?"

"It's nothing," Alex insisted and quickly excused herself when her mother started calling her into the kitchen.

"I didn't get a chance to cook so make sure you go out to get something for lunch," her mom said as she gathered her stack of folders for work.

Alex nodded before returning to the living room to throw on a pair of high-waisted jean shorts, a cropped t-shirt, and brown leather sandals. It was a hot summer and the bookstore only had one fan. Fortunately, it was never crowded, particularly that slow morning. Before lunchtime came around, Alex had plenty of time to finish reading her latest novel and was glad to leave the store. She quickly grabbed her brown suede fringed purse and put up a sign saying she would be back in an hour. It was only when Alex was locking the shop door that she felt someone approach and discovered the arrogant boy from the day before. He was standing there in black slacks and a beige sweater with a look of complete bewilderment.

"I'm just going to eat lunch," she explained.

He nodded understanding. It might have been Alex's imagination, but she thought she detected a hint of disappointment.

"Do you want to come?" Alex hesitantly inquired then immediately regretted being so foolish, especially when he didn't respond. Taking that as a hint, she quickly started walking to a nearby cafe she often frequented. She had only taken a few steps though when the boy silently joined her. Alex tried to smile at him, but he kept his chin in the air and his eyes focused forward. Also, he made sure there was a large gap between them. Anyone watching would not have been able to tell they were together.

"Are you at least going to tell me your name this time?" Alex asked after a few minutes of silence had passed.

"My name? Why do you need to know my name?" He questioned warily.

"Relax, I was just curious. It's not like you're a wanted criminal are you?" She teased.

"Regulus Black," he promptly said.

Alex couldn't help smiling. It was certainly a unique name and she liked the sound of it.

"What's your name then? I doubt it's better," he defensively continued.

"Alexandra Villers, but my friends all call me Alex."

"I'll call you Alexandra," he instantly decided.

"Do your friends call you Reggie?"

"Never," he replied with a sneer.

The cafe Alex chose was a small place with an outdoor patio area. It was out of the way of the busy London traffic, which Alex liked, but it was also within walking distance of the bookshop. A young waitress immediately greeted them upon arrival and Alex decided to sit outside. Silently, Regulus followed her lead, though he appeared quite uncomfortable and would only sit in a chair that had a clear view of the sidewalk.

"Aren't you hot?" Alex asked once they had ordered. He had chosen to eat and drink the exact same thing as her: grilled chicken salad and an iced coffee. She had encouraged him to browse the menu, but he flatly refused to pick it up. Now he shrugged in response to her question. She suggested he would be more comfortable if he took off his sweater, but he didn't take her advice about that either. Then the only noise was the soft music coming from the café and the occasional distant car horn. Alex felt pressure to think of something clever to say, but her mind went blank. Fortunately Regulus came to the rescue, if it could be considered that.

"You're dressed rather odd," he remarked after a quick glance at her.

Alex felt her cheeks flame up. Dev and Sarah always complimented her quirky style. True she normally had to shop at used clothing stores, but she made it work or so she had thought.

"Said the man wearing winter clothes in ninety degree weather."

Regulus said nothing.

"Do you have any sisters?" Alexandra asked. He shook his head no and it all made sense to her. No wonder he had no tact.

Luckily, the question about sisters launched them into a discussion about his family. Unlike most teenagers, who enjoyed complaining about their parents, he had plenty of praise for his. Proudly, he spoke of various members of his family and how influential they all were to society. With each word he grew more and more in height and self-importance.

"We're a very significant family in our community," he arrogantly informed her. "We're purebloods."

Alex did not like the sound of that and she couldn't help frowning.

"What does that mean?" Only after she asked the question did Alex recall her idea that he was some form of nobility, the kind that only married within the family. It was no wonder this boy was a little off. Maybe he was engaged to his first cousin right now. That was a disturbing thought.

"It means we're better than most people," he clarified for her benefit and he was completely serious.

Alex scoffed. "You don't actually buy all that ordained by a higher power crap do you? Why do you think we have parliament now?"

Stunned, by her impertinence not doubt, Regulus glared at her. "I don't know what you are referring to. We are superior," he insisted. "Most of our kind are becoming mixed now."

"Are you going to marry your cousin?" Alex blurted out before she could stop herself. He flashed her another look and she thought he wouldn't answer her, but he did.

"There are other pureblood families," he snapped then added as an afterthought, "Naturally my mother expects me to marry a pureblood, but it doesn't have to be my cousin."

That ruled Alex out, not that she minded. In fact, she was relieved to hear it, though still a little irked by his snobbery. If they continued on this subject she knew they would only disagree more so she was grateful when the waitress suddenly appeared with their meals. After that, Regulus did not talk about his family anymore, though he did manage to complain about their food.

"It tastes fine," she finally said when she couldn't take it anymore. "You should be grateful, some people don't have anything to eat."

"You don't always eat?" He asked and Alex detected a miniscule hint of concern, but she was too annoyed with him to investigate further.

"I didn't mean me," she cried. "Other people."

"Why should I care?" He shrugged and pushed the rest of his food aside.

"What a prick!" Sirius in the present exclaimed.

"Don't interrupt her," Lily called down the table.

"It's okay, I thought the same thing at the time," Alex confessed before continuing.

When the waitress brought the check, Regulus didn't hesitate to reach into his pocket.

"Here," he said and he dropped a handful of large gold coins onto the table. The waitress gaped at the pile and Alexandra was equally stunned.

"Can you give us a minute?" She asked the waitress politely then lowered her voice so only Regulus could hear her. "Are those real?"

"Naturally," he responded. "Is there a problem?"

"Are you insane?" Alex snapped and she hastily swept all the coins into her hand to give back. "You don't just put solid gold coins onto a table in broad daylight. Don't you have any pounds?"

Finally, it was his turn to be embarrassed. "No, I forgot," he mumbled.

"It's alright, I'll pay," Alex said. Since she had only been expecting to pay for one, she didn't have much cash on her and she was forced to count her change for the correct amount. It was pretty humiliating and Regulus didn't help matters by intently watching her every move. Relief only came when she was back at the bookstore. Regulus didn't come in that day. He claimed he had somewhere to go after walking her back and was gone in an instant. As usual, Alex didn't expect to see him again anytime soon, but he managed to surprise her by rushing into the shop the following day.

"Aren't you going to eat lunch?" He exclaimed in irritation. He was in another cable knit sweater, light blue this time, and he had a thin film of sweat on his forehead, as if he had been standing in the sun for a while.

"Umm I made myself a sandwich today," Alex explained and held up her turkey on wheat.

"That?" He practically scoffed.

"Are you insulting my sandwich making skills now?"

"Come eat lunch with me," he instantly blurted out.

Alex was dumbfounded.

"I guess I could," she tentatively replied.

He nodded once and was out the door leaving her to chase after him once she had speedily locked up. He was waiting for her at the corner and instantly led the way back to the same café from the day before; even the same waitress was working. She seemed extremely pleased to see Regulus. Clearly, the memory of the gold coins hadn't faded from her memory. Regulus rushed Alex when it came to ordering and even prompted her to eat faster when their food arrived. Alex was baffled by his strange behavior. What was the point of asking her to lunch if he was going to act as if he wanted it to be over already? Her answer came with the check. A proud smile Regulus reached into his pocket and this time, instead of producing gold coins, he dropped a thick stack of twenty British pound bills on the table.

"Is it your intention to get robbed?" Alex hissed and quickly scooped up the bills.

"Just let someone attempt it," Regulus cockily stated.

"Here," Alex said and she handed him back his money.

"I'm paying," he firmly insisted.

"For lunch not a sports car," Alex responded. She had only left one bill on the table.

"That's it?"

"How do you survive on a daily basis?" Alex wondered out loud. It was a marvel he hadn't been robbed of all of his money by now.

"Kreacher usually cooks at home," he thoughtfully answered.

"You have a chef at your house?" Not even Sarah had a chef and her family was very well off.

"No, he's a house… slave," Regulus declared.

"You mean a house keeper right?" Alex clarified for him.

"What's the difference?"

"A slave doesn't get paid and is there against their will," she explained.

"He wants to be at my house. His entire family has served mine. I think he would sob his eyes out if I suggested he leave, but he's certainly not paid. What?"

"When a person offers you their services you pay them properly," Alex said.

"Pay him? That's preposterous," Regulus sneered.

"Here I was worried about how you survive when clearly this poor fellow is worst off. How does he survive?"

"He doesn't need anything," Regulus shrugged clearly bored with the subject.

"Have you ever asked him?" Alex persisted.

"Asked him? Definitely not."

"You might want to try. You may find he isn't completely content with his situation."

Regulus frowned at the thought, but proclaimed that Kreacher favored him in the house and that indicated he was satisfied with how he was treated. Alex wasn't so sure, but the subject was dropped as they strolled back to the bookstore. Only when they arrived and Alex rifled through her purse for the keys, did she suddenly feel self-conscious. No boy had ever walked her home twice, except Dev, and Sarah was normally there. Alex recalled now that Regulus was a boy and she was a girl and that they had just eaten alone together for the second time. Sarah would undoubtedly classify this as a date, but Alex didn't think so. He hadn't asked her as if it was a date and he certainly didn't see a future with a non-pureblood like herself. Did that make them friends? She wasn't positive and she didn't know how to ask.

It definitely felt like they were becoming friends, chiefly because Regulus came to the shop everyday for the next week. Sometimes he only remained for five minutes, other times he hung around for an hour. Once he came in just to tell her he had asked Kreacher if he wanted to be paid and Kreacher had been greatly insulted. Alex continued to be baffled by all of this, but whenever she hinted that he might have something better to do with his time, he either completely ignored her or found a way to tease her. Soon, Alex became so accustomed to Regulus walking into the store each time the bell rang she looked up expecting to see him.

"Hey did you know you're a star in my constellation?" She asked one day without even checking to make sure it was him.

"Excuse me?" Regalus' voice came back.

"Look," she pointed to the astronomy book she was browsing and Regulus joined her behind the register. "Regulus is a star in the constellation Leo and I'm a Leo."

"That's ridiculous," he responded even as he examined the picture.

"Your brother is in here too," she informed him after a minute.

"My brother?" He asked with a bit more curiosity.

"You said his name was Sirius?" Alex flipped a few more pages. "Look the brightest star in the night sky."

"The brightest huh?" Regulus repeated and he took the book from her now to inspect it closer.

"All stars are bright," Alex said because for a moment Regulus had appeared gloomy. "Your parents must have a thing for stars."

"I doubt it," he smirked then informed her that his school had an astronomy class so he already knew a great deal about stars and where they were located in the night sky. Alex instantly tested his knowledge with a pop quiz and found he wasn't exaggerating his expertise.

Most of the time he was like this: calm, but haughty. However, Alex rapidly discovered he had a temper that could easily be set off.

"It's a family trait," Daphne couldn't help commenting.

If even the slightest thing aggravated or upset him, Regulus would make a snide comment and depart. Alex learned this one Saturday when Dev came to visit her without warning. All morning she had been expecting Regulus to show up and had been quite stunned when Dev came bouncing in instead.

"What's the matter? You're not happy to see me?" He immediately asked.

Alex had no choice, but to force a smile. She hadn't understood till then how much she looked forward to Regulus' company.

"You just surprised me," Alex said. "I had no idea you were coming."

"Since you won't come out anymore, I figured I should stop by or I might never see you again."

"Nonsense, I see you when I go to pick up my orders," Alex countered.

"That hardly counts," Dev stated then moved in for a tight hug.

Once he released her, Alex scurried behind the counter to put some space between them. Dev never followed her back there, only Regulus did. That boy had no clue what work boundaries meant. It was probably because he was so completely self-entitled all the time.

"Alex?"

She blinked and found Dev leaning into the counter.

"Huh?"

"I was asking when you're going to fix your glasses?" He repeated.

"Soon," Alex lied. She knew it wouldn't be anytime in the near future.

"You said that last time," Dev rolled his eyes. "Just let me have them fixed for you."

"No, I'll get them fixed eventually," Alex insisted. She knew he meant well, but she didn't want to feel indebted to him or anyone.

"I don't mind. I have extra cash from working."

"It's okay, really. Besides, I can't work without them."

Alex was about to switch the subject to a lighter topic when Dev unexpectedly took hold of her hand. His own hand was slightly sweaty and Alex felt very uncomfortable, but Dev held on tight.

"I want to help you, why can't you just-"

The bell over the door let out a tinkle and this time it was Regulus. He saw them at once and stood perfectly still at the door in his usual winter apparel, one hand in his pocket, and his face utterly devoid of emotion.

Alex snatched back her hand.

"You came!" She cried in relief and joy.

Dev made a questioning face and Alex realized she was grinning from ear to ear, and that Dev had unfortunately noticed. To feel more at ease, Alex went on to introduce them. Dev offered his hand, but Regulus just went to lie down on a sofa and shut his eyes. Dev didn't detect the slight.

"Aren't you hot?" He asked Regulus, since Dev was in shorts and a red striped tank top. Regulus, who was completely draped in black, didn't bother answering that either.

"Dev was just offering to fix my glasses," Alex called over from the register.

"Help me convince her mate," Dev added.

At last, Regulus sat up with interest and Alex felt herself ease up.

"What's wrong with your glasses?"

"Nothing, except that there's tape holding them together," Dev sarcastically answered like he couldn't believe someone wouldn't notice.

"That doesn't surprise me." Regulus chuckled and laid back down.

Alex threw a pen at him. It missed by a mile, but it was just for show anyway. She already knew he meant no harm and that it was just in his nature to act like he was a jerk. There was no way Dev could know that though, so he got offended on her behalf.

"You think that's something to joke about?"

To Alex's relief, Regulus said nothing. She knew if he opened his mouth something cruel would come out, and the last thing she wanted was a fight between her friends.

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting the guys at the cinema?" Alex reminded Dev to break the tension. He had briefly mentioned the cinema earlier. Dev's expression said he didn't want to leave her alone with a guy like Regulus, but he nodded and after another hug, he left without saying another word.

"You could have been polite," Alex remarked as soon as the door shut behind him.

Regulus was already sitting up.

"Give me your glasses," he instructed.

"Why?"

Regulus stood and held out his hand for them, but Alex didn't budge.

"I can fix them this instant," he finally explained in exasperation.

Still she didn't move, but when Regulus carefully took them off her for her, she didn't stop him.

"Are you sure you know what your doing?" She anxiously asked when her vision became a blur. They were the only pair she had. If he ruined them, she would be temporarily blind.

"Cover your eyes," Regulus instructed.

"I can hardly see you!"

"Cover your eyes," he repeated so Alex did as he asked.

"Do they teach glasses repair at your school too?"

"Sort of," he replied and she could hear the laughter in his voice.

Truthfully, she meant to keep her hand over her eyes as he had requested, but when she heard the amusement in his voice she couldn't suppress her curiosity. She peeked, but he was cautious. His blurry back was facing her, however, Alex saw him put something into his jacket right before he announced he was finished. When he returned her glasses, Alex was amazed to see the tape was gone and the leg was back in place. Even the scratches on the lenses had mysteriously disappeared. In fact, they were like a brand new pair of glasses.

"How did you do that?" Alex asked in awe.

Regulus smirked at her. "That's my secret."

"Do you have the ultimate glasses repair kit in your pocket or something?"

"What's that?"

"Let me see what's in your pocket," she playfully demanded.

Regulus paled. "Did you look?"

Alex reached for his jacket, but he backed up.

"Come on, just show me," she insisted and teased by moving for his pocket again.

"I said no," he replied sharply.

Just to mess with him, Alex reached again. She hadn't expected her hand to find something though. She thought she would feel the repair kit and that was it, but when her hand closed on something and Regulus backed up at the same time, she was left holding a long, thin piece of wood. Alex stared at it. She had no idea what it was or why Regulus was carrying it around with him, but the expression on Regulus' face was enough to tell her she had done it.

"I'm sorry," she instantly stammered.

Violently, Regulus snatched the wood back from her before furiously storming out of the shop.

After the way his eyes had flashed at her, Alex was frightened to go after him, but she felt terrible so she went anyway. Without even locking the store, Alex followed him down a small alley and was about to call out to him when she heard a light pop sound and found herself alone. There were no doors or streets on either side of her, but Regulus had somehow disappeared into thin air. For a moment, Alex thought perhaps she had imagined it, but she was certain he had been there and then he wasn't.

"You've been keeping secrets!" Sarah accused her on the phone the following morning.

Alex, who had spent most of the night awake replaying the alley scene in her mind, was baffled.

"I spoke to Dev last night and he told me that there was a boy in the shop yesterday and that you were acting friendly. Spill!"

Alex groaned. "It's really nothing. I doubt he'll ever come again anyway."

A memory of the previous day flashed into her mind. Alex felt mortified every time she remembered it. What had gotten into her? Why had she reached into his pocket like that? She never acted that way. He had obviously wanted to keep what was in there a secret and she had pried into his business.

"Are you sure? Dev was pretty jealous." Sarah continued.

Normally, Alex would have liked to consult with a girlfriend, but she felt like such an idiot and couldn't bring herself to tell Sarah how foolish she had been. Instead, she assured her friend that nothing was going on and hastily hung up. Regulus didn't show up that day and Alex spent the whole time feeling crummy. It was only at night that she began to stop worrying about Regulus and began wondering why he carried around a well-shaped stick anyway. Did it contain a hidden instrument, like a pen or a screwdriver? She had no idea and she would probably never get a chance to find out.

The next day she was still exhausted from her lack of sleep, but forced herself up to open the store. By midmorning she had had three customers, two nice and one impatient. Regrettably, it was the impatient one that was at the register when Regulus finally decided to make his appearance and startle Alex to such an extent that she dropped the customer's book.

"It better not be damaged," the angry customer barked at her when she retrieved it. She swiftly scanned it and assured him it was not. Meanwhile, Regulus had relocated to the classic literature section.

"Could you hurry up?" The customer continued.

"Twenty four fifty," Alex replied.

"Do you think I'm stupid? The price said two fourty five. I checked."

"Excuse me, I typed that wrong," Alex apologetically said. She was so flustered then that her attempt at retyping the price only made the number go up.

"Are you a moron or something?" The customer sneered at her.

"One second," Alex tried to smile, but he was not buying it.

"I don't have time for this," he growled at her. "Is there a manger here?"

"I'm the manager," she meekly notified him.

He cursed then and Alex hurriedly fixed the problem and gave him the correct amount at last.

"I'm sorry about that," she said when she handed him some change. He mumbled something not so nice in return. Normally, Alex would fret about losing a customer, but instead she turned her attention to Regulus. He was skimming one of the classics, but she couldn't make out which one.

"I didn't think you would come again," she confessed since they were alone now. "I feel really terr-"

With a loud bang, Regulus dropped the book on the floor then picked another out of the shelf. Just seeing the book lying there bothered Alex, but she was determined to apologize.

"Look I'm sor-"

Another book plummeted to the wood floor and she knew he was purposefully provoking her.

"Would you just list-"

Again there was a loud bang and Alex had had all she could take.

"Don't do that," she coldly snapped before he could let another one slip through his fingers.

"I don't have to listen to you," Regulus arrogantly responded and he dropped one more book just to prove it to her.

"Then you can leave!" Alex retorted in a raised voice.

At last, Regulus met her stern gaze head on.

"There you are," he remarked. "I couldn't hear you when that customer was being a first class prat."

"He wasn't flinging books around like confetti," Alex angrily pointed out. This apology was not going as intended. She had to calm down. Instead, she heard one more book drop and lost it. "Stop!"

"It's just a book," Regulus shrugged, indifferent to the mess he was causing.

"It's not just a book!"

"Does it transfigure?" Regulus warily inspected the book he was grasping.

"Huh? No, it communicates a story."

Regulus was not impressed.

"And?" He prompted.

"An author doesn't write for the sake of it. They write because there is something that they want to express, something that they want you to notice or consider. These aren't just words on a page, these are someone's ideas and someone's life."

Regulus was thoroughly unmoved. It pained Alex to see someone who had no appreciation for literature. She removed the book from his hand and then a thought occurred to her. Opening the book, she read.

"'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.'" She flipped a few pages and continued. "'I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.'"

"Did a Gryffindor write that?" Regulus muttered in disgust. Alex ignored him and selected a different book.

"'Those who don't build must burn. It's as old as history and juvenile delinquents.'"

Regulus frowned. "Sometimes burning is necessary."

Alex didn't reply, instead she located a work she knew he must be familiar with.

"'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'"

At last, Regulus was silent and she could almost see his mind pondering what she had just read, so she continued.

"'My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy.'"

Regulus rolled his grey eyes. "I know Shakespeare. No one speaks like that."

"The world is the worse for it," Alex pronounced and scanned the bookshelf for a specific work, which she located without difficulty. "Look, this is my favorite."

Alex paused for a response, but Regulus didn't move so she began.

"'I tell you I must go!' I retorted, roused to something like passion. 'Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton? A machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! I have as much soul as you, and as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty, and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal - as we are!'"

Without having realized it before, Alex discovered that while she had been reading, she had unconsciously relocated herself right in front of Regulus. He was only centimeters away and observing her with a curious expression. Alex felt the heat spread across her cheeks. She didn't want him to see how unnerved she was, but had to look away.

"Here," she shoved the book Jane Eyre into his chest before returning to the register. "You should read it yourself. Consider it a gift."

Regulus didn't refuse and when he left soon after, he took it with him.

In Surrey, Alex browsed around the table to find all of the girls on the edges of their seats.

"That's one of my favorite books too," Jasmine remarked.

"Did he actually read it?" Sirius wanted to know.

Alex smiled. "He did. It took him three days and everyday he came in with an opinion. First, he thought Aunt Reed was doing the right thing by casting Jane out since she was poor. Then he couldn't believe a rich man like Rochester would want to marry unimportant Jane, when he could marry someone from a better family. Then he was horrified that Jane would leave a great marriage opportunity over a small moral principle."

"Already being married is a small moral principle?" Jasmine frowned.

"Remember who we're discussing here," Sirius replied.

"Don't worry, he really liked it. When he thought Jane might marry St. John, he was quite upset. He called her fickle."

The table laughed and Alex carried on with her story.

Regulus came in late the day he finished reading. Alex was about to lock up for the night when he appeared and declared he was done. He also professed that he couldn't accept that the main characters could end up together and happy after everything that taken place between them.

"I was sure she was going to go with that St. John fellow," Regulus stated. "I mean Rochester was allegedly a bad guy, wasn't he?"

"He made some regrettable choices, but he wasn't a bad guy."

Regulus carefully contemplated the idea for a few more moments while sitting on the sofa. Eventually, as if tired from reflecting, he shrugged.

"This is for you," he said, and from his coat, he procured a very old, dark brown leather bound book. It had a delicate, worn appearance and the pages were yellowed with age.

"For me?" It felt so fragile in Alex's hand. "This is very old. Are you positive you want to give me this?"

"Take it."

"The Tales of Beedle and the Bard," Alex read on the first page. She also noticed Regulus Arcturus Black signed in the front cover. "This is yours. I can't take it."

"They're fairy tales," Regulus explained. "I bet anything you haven't read them before."

Sensing he would not take no for an answer, Alex relented and thanked him several times.

"It'll add to my collection- um want to come upstairs for a bit?" She hesitantly asked. Her mother would be distraught if she found her in their apartment with a strange boy, but Regulus didn't appear ready to depart and she felt ridiculous standing in the darkened bookshop with him.

Upon entering her flat, Alex attempted to tidy up a little, but eventually gave up. She expected Regulus to criticize the size of the room and the mess, but he didn't mention it. Alex showed him her personal bookshelf and added his book to it before ushering him into the kitchen, where she had to shove aside a stack of papers so he could sit. Again, she waited for him to comment, but he seemed preoccupied observing random objects. The flashlight was particularly interesting to him. He turned it on and off several times, until Alex gave him a questioning look. At the same time, she detected the lock on the door sliding open. Alex rushed forward to quietly warn her mother that they had a guest, but her mother was in mid sentence when she stepped inside with an enormous pile of folders.

"-go to the market, but I had to drop these off first."

Her mother then pretended to faint from the weight of her stuff and Alex was left struggling to hold her up.

"Mum-" she complained loudly.

With a laugh, her mother straightened up and Alex was about to whisper to her about Regulus again, when her mother halted in her tracks.

"I didn't know someone was here," she said and her smile dropped a bit.

Alex swiftly introduced her to Regulus, who was thankfully the very model of politeness at the moment.

"I was going to go to the store, but maybe I should stay," her mom announced.

"You can go, we were only going to have tea," Alex seriously said.

After a few minutes, in which Alex knew her mom was stalling, she was finally ready to depart.

"I'll be back soon. Be careful with that boy," her mother whispered to her at the door.

"Mum," Alex groaned and rolled her eyes. "He might hear you."

Only when she turned back did she realize Regulus had been watching, but he didn't give the impression that he wanted to tease her, he appeared melancholy.

"You and your mum are really close huh?" He asked.

"We've always been like that, how's your mum?" Alex asked to change the subject off of herself. She crossed her fingers that he hadn't heard anything.

"She's always busy," he replied honestly.

"I thought you said she doesn't work," Alex recalled.

"Busy criticizing my brother," Regulus clarified. "He ran away."

Alex had been about to pour the tea, but she stopped. In all of their conversations, Regulus had never mentioned this and she sensed he was about to reveal something very important.

"Why did he run away?" She cautiously prompted. To make it simpler for him to speak, she kept her back to him, but spied from the corner of her eye.

Regulus shrugged, though after a few seconds of reflection came up with a conclusion. "He was different."

"Different how?"

"He just didn't fit in with the family."

"The black sheep?"

"Literally."

"Do you fit in with your family?" Alex asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer. This time she joined him at the table and handed him a cup.

"I respect our ideals and aspirations," he answered proudly.

"You miss your brother," Alex concluded.

"No, we never got along." Regulus sighed then seemed to get even more upset. "I just wish sometimes that my mum would stop focusing on him so much now that he's gone and notice… never mind."

His face was conflicted and pained. Impulsively, Alex put her hand on top of his to offer comfort. He didn't move away.

"I do everything right and they don't notice," he continued angrily. "I got into the right house, I play for the right quidditch team, I even joined- anyway it's not important."

Alex didn't completely understand his situation and she felt helpless to change anything. However, she couldn't stand what she was seeing. It was just too disturbing to see this normally cocky boy looking so downcast. She never imagined there was anything that could affect him to such an extent. It was clear to her that what he needed was some attention from his parents. She couldn't give him that, but perhaps she could help in a different way.

Alex stood, abandoned her reservations, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

It only took her a second to realize how rash she was being, and that maybe Regulus would not take so kindly to her touching him. Fortunately, it only took him another second to stand and wrap his own arms around her. One went right around her waist and the other he pressed against her head. Even more amazing than him hugging her though was that he hugged well. He didn't pat her back or stand there limp. He actually squeezed tightly and she could feel all of him pressed against her. She would have never guessed from his looks that he would have responded like that. He had awkward hug written all over him. Plus, she expected someone as pale as him to feel cold, like all the vampires she had read about, but he was warm. Well you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. How ironic that he was teaching her that.

"He always was a little soft and daft." Sirius remarked with a sneer.

"He simply lacks real guidance," Remus stated.

Sirius scoffed and declared that Regulus was much better off not having his mother's attention.

"Aw are you upset because you're the black sheep?" Lily teased.

"There's an animagus form you never considered," James said with a wink.

"A sheep wouldn't suit at all," Remus added. "They have such nice dispositions."

"One more word and you'll be 'bahhing' for the rest of the year Moony," Sirius warned.

Remus opened his mouth, but instead turned to Jasmine who had remained silent.

"You're not going to defend me?" He asked.

"I considered it, but think of how many scarves I could knit myself with a sheep present." Jasmine grinned.

"Please ignore them," Daphne told Alex.

Alex politely smiled, before Lily prompted her to go on.

After the hug, Alex turned bright red every time Regulus came to visit. To her relief, he didn't mention it and was already his normal self, or as normal as he got anyway. There was always something rather peculiar about him.

One day, he came in wearing strange black robes and he had dark bags under his eyes. With a short greeting her way, he dropped onto one of the couches in the reading corner and slept for half of the day. Alex brought a blanket down from upstairs to cover him and luckily no one wanted to use the corner. The only person regularly over there was Alex. Regulus slept so soundly she worried and kept finding reasons to walk over and check on him. Sometimes she adjusted the blanket, sometimes she bent down really close to see if he was breathing, and another time she was just inspecting his face when he spoke.

"What do you find so fascinating?"

Alex stumbled back into the coffee table.

"You're awake? I wasn't staring, I just wanted to make sure you were alive."

Regulus yawned then slowly sat up. His black hair fell right into place, which Alex couldn't help envying. After sleeping her hair usually resembled a lion's mane.

"What's with the clothes?" She asked, though she was really wondering how long he had been awake. It was a good thing she had suppressed the urge to run her fingers through his hair a few minutes before.

Regulus looked at his strange robes as if he had forgotten all about them.

"Don't ask," he mumbled darkly.

"Costume party?"

"Don't ask," he repeated sterner than before. Then he slid the robe over his head. He had black slacks and a long sleeve black shirt under. Alex pondered how he could wear clothes like that in such scorching weather, she was in her usual jean shorts, but didn't bother commenting. Instead, Alex was distracted by a mass of curly black hair crossing the street outside.

"Oh no!" She said under her breath. "You have to hide!"

"Pardon?" Regulus lazily questioned.

Alex didn't have time to clarify, instead she yanked Regulus up and realizing she did not have enough time, she forced him to the register.

"Hide under here," she instructed. The curly black hair was almost at the door.

"I will not," he insisted. "This must be a jo-"

Before he could finish, Alex pushed him under the counter and with a final pleading look at him, bounced back up just in time.

"Where have you been hiding missy?" Sarah demanded as soon as she was inside.

"You're the one who said you would call," Alex nervously reminded her. Any moment now she expected Regulus to come out from under the counter and tell her off, but nothing happened.

"I did?" Sarah thought back for a second then shook her head till her black curls bounced. "Never mind all that, tell me about that guy. Dev wants to know if he is still around?"

"Sometimes, but he's just a-" Alex stopped. Not only because she didn't know how to define Regulus with him listening, but also because she could feel his steady breathing on her legs.

"A what?" Sarah prompted.

Without moving too much, Alex tried to knee Regulus to get him to stop. Unfortunately, instead of hitting him, she felt his warm hands grip her outer thighs. Alex coughed.

"Something is going on, you're completely red right now!" Sarah declared victoriously. "Tell me!"

"It's nothing," Alex meekly replied. She wiggled around a little to get Regulus to let go. He did. Luckily, Sarah was staring at someone across the street and didn't notice her erratic behavior.

"Is that Dev?" Sarah asked and squinted her eyes. "It is!"

Sarah was a terrible actress. It was clear to Alex that they had planned all of this before hand. At least, they had excellent timing.

"Why don't you go get him and I'll go get a Tylenol?" Alex promptly suggested.

Sarah was hardly out the door before Alex grabbed Regulus by the arm and pulled him into the back of the store.

"Why did you grab my legs you pervert!" She hissed.

"You almost hit me with your knee!" He cried in his defense. "I nearly fell over trying to dodge it and you were the only thing I could steady myself with. I'm fairly certain your friend would have noticed me if the entire register toppled backwards."

"Alex!" Sarah's voice came floating in from the shop. "Dev wants us both to have lunch with him!"

"I'll be there in a sec!" Alex called back. "Sorry about all that," she then whispered to Regulus.

"Why did I have to hide?" He demanded quietly in return.

"I can't explain right now," Alex lied. The real reason was too complicated even for her. Truthfully, Alex worried that if Sarah saw Regulus, she might flirt with him, and since she was quite pretty, Regulus might flirt back. This thought made Alex very uncomfortable. She wasn't dating Regulus, he was just her friend, but the idea of losing his company made her feel slightly ill.

"I'm leaving now anyway," Regulus replied. "I only came to say you won't be seeing me anymore."

"What?" Alex started, afraid she had heard incorrectly.

"I'm not going to visit again," he repeated more slowly and confirmed Alex's worst fear.

"Is it because I hid you?" She asked guiltily.

"I'm leaving for school tomorrow," he shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Alex lied again, but the word barely came out.

Regulus frowned. "Are you upset?"

"No," Alex lied for the third time.

"Your friends are waiting," Regulus said when Sarah impatiently called her name.

"I can stay if you want to hang out?" Alex proposed and did her best to hold back the tears she felt building up.

"I need to pack," he bluntly replied.

That was the final straw. Since she was now officially pissed, Alex swiftly pulled herself together. If he was going to act as if never seeing her again wasn't a problem, then she could act that way too. How foolish she had been to suppose that she was important to him.

"Fine go," she said now that she had regained her normal voice. Annoyed, she started towards the shop and her real friends.

"Goodbye Alexandra."

She couldn't resist turning back then, but Regulus was already gone. Alex swore she had locked the back exit and when she checked, she discovered that she was right.

Sarah barged into the back room, where Alex was still holding onto the locked doorknob. "What's taking you? You're so slow! Oh- are you crying? What's wrong?"

Alex sniffed back her tear. "Just a migraine. Let's go."

"That was a terrible goodbye," Jasmine declared across the table.

"You did see each other again though right?" Daphne asked.

Alex nodded and checked the large grandfather clock. "I'll skip ahead. It was a particularly busy Saturday when he returned. I was working during the winter holidays and business was really picking up."

Alex thanked the customer before her right as the door opened. The greeting she was about to shout got caught in her throat when she recognized Regulus in a long black cloak. There was no hello from him, no wave, nothing. For a moment, Alex believed he had completely forgotten who she was, then as he passed the register, the corner of his mouth turned up. Alex was astounded. Regulus hadn't changed at all in the past few months. He was still handsome and still in black, though now the weather suited his apparel.

"I thought you weren't coming anymore," Alex remarked first when she didn't have a line. There were still a few customers in the shop, but Regulus was nearby and she kept her voice low.

"Winter break," he admitted to Alex's disappointment. That meant he would leave again. "It seems you're doing well," he continued.

"Did you miss me?" Alex smiled coyly from behind the register.

"Miss you?" He sneered back.

"You can't seem to keep away," she joked and turned back to the pile of books she had to return to their shelves.

"Maybe I did miss you," he quietly replied seconds later.

It was fortunate that a customer came to pay because Alex could feel the flames spread across her cheeks. She had expected him to tease back, not give an honest reply.

"Where do you have the romance books?" A teenage girl questioned while Alex was calculating her customers total.

"One second please," Alex replied as another person got in line. The girl sighed.

"Romance? I'll show you," Regulus said abruptly and he did just that.

Alex was stunned by his offer and it didn't stop there. When he returned to the register he assisted her further by bagging her customers books and occasionally answering questions. When they had a break in customers and she politely told him he didn't have to keep helping, he completely brushed her off.

Sirius interrupted.

"Let me get this straight, my little brother was working in a muggle bookshop? Now I've heard it all."

"Not officially, I never paid him. Not that he asked to be paid. He just started helping and never stopped. He came in everyday, open to close."

"I can't imagine him in customer service," Jasmine remarked.

"He wasn't exactly polite," Alex stated. "He was blunt and straightforward most of the time, but no one seemed to mind since everything was done at a rapid pace. We only had a problem once, a week after his arrival."

"Are you listening to my question?" The man furiously yelled at Alex from the other side of the counter. "I asked where the drama section is!"

Several customers in the shop gave disapproving glances at the man and Alex was glad to have them on her side, though none of them were stepping forward to defend her. As Regulus had unexpectedly left the shop half an hour before, she was on her own.

"Sir, I told you the drama section consists of these three shelves over here." Alex had walked him to the section after he had asked the same question three times. Clearly, that was not enough.

"I said drama! Where is the drama section?" The man repeated loudly.

"This is drama," she assured him for the millionth time.

"Drama! Where are the drama books?" He shouted. A large vein was visible in his forehead and Alex felt baffled and nervous to give him the same answer.

"They are in these three shelves. Maybe if you told me what book you are looking for?" She tried.

It didn't help. The man was probably insane.

"Is there someone else I can speak to?" He snapped practically spitting in her face. "I'm asking for drama books!"

"No, I'm sorry. I'm the only person working and I'm telling you these are the drama books. What do you want me to do?"

It was the final straw. The man lost it. He began ranting and insulting Alex in every possible way. She stood dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. The thought of moving and provoking him further frightened her. He could become violent for all she knew. No one else moved either. The other customers had abandoned their books to watch the scene unfold in silence. In her nervous dread of what he might do next, Alex kept her eyes glued to the floor. Till at last someone spoke up.

"What are you looking for?"

Alex was relieved to see Regulus standing near the doorway with a grave expression.

"Do you work here?" The customer asked and when Regulus nodded, he seemed pleased. "I need the drama section."

Regulus pointed to the three shelves beside him, the same ones Alex had pointed to earlier. The man was startled and Alex had no clue why he thought she had been lying.

"What book do you need?" Regulus asked. His upper lip was curled in disgust.

The man muttered a title.

"We have it! It's the last one," Alex interjected and she quickly located it, but Regulus confiscated the book from her before she could hand it over.

"I think I'll buy it," Regulus said and there was a glint of cruel malice in his eyes as he spoke.

"Just give it to him," Alex mumbled through clenched teeth. Regulus didn't.

Alex wanted to protest further, but said nothing. There was something about Regulus' mere presence, something sinister that made her hold her tongue when he glanced at her.

If the customer was furious before, this denial only enraged him more. He demanded the book, but Regulus refused and the man charged forward. As the two wrestled, Alex backed into the bookshelf. She demanded they stop, but neither of them listened to her. Then in one swift motion, Regulus had the man lying on his stomach with his arm behind his back. Because of Regulus' long, black cloak, no one saw what he was holding, except for Alex. It was the lengthy, thin piece of wood she had glimpsed once before. Regulus had it pointed into the man's back and was muttering to him words Alex couldn't properly hear, but the man was sobbing in pain and begging to be released. The other customers all gasped and edged forward.

"Regulus let him go!" Alex demanded.

It took only seconds for the man to throw a quick apology her way before running out of the shop forever. Regulus straightened up. The wooden stick was long gone, but the look of pure self-satisfaction and amusement was written all over his face. Alex apologized to the other customers and asked them to continue browsing. But she didn't know whether to thank Regulus or reprimand him.

Instead she said, "That'll be three dollars."

Lily reentering the dining room interrupted the story. She had been in the loo for the fourth time that night.

"I didn't miss any snogging, did I?" She inquired.

Alex let out an awkward giggle and carried on.

Alex stretched her arm as far as she could.

"You could help," she complained.

"This is what house el-slaves are for," Regulus declared from where he was lounging on the couches.

"At least hand me the books," Alex continued from the top of the ladder. All this dusting was really working out her arms and they were starting to feel sore.

Regulus groaned, but she heard him get up. Seconds later, he was giving her a medium sized box that was quite heavy. Alex swayed under the weight.

"Got it?" Regulus double-checked before completely letting go.

Alex nodded. She thought she had it and she managed to get up two steps before she realized her arm was about to give out. The whole box went tumbling to the ground and in her attempt to rescue it; she lost her hold of the ladder. As she fell backwards, Alex closed her eyes and let out a shriek. She expected to feel the solid, wood floor, but instead she collided into Regulus. He wrapped one arm around her waist in an attempt to catch her, but the force of her fall threw them both back and caused them to collapse into a sitting position. It also caused Regulus to accidentally kick the ladder with his outstretched leg and the entire bookshelf teetered forward dangerously.

Alex cringed and waited for inevitable rain of books, but it never came. When she opened her eyes, she saw Regulus pointing what looked like a twig at the shelf and suddenly everything was back in place. It was magic. It had to be, but Alex didn't have the mind to analyze it right then. She was so thankful to have escaped all of that unscathed.

So instead of panicking, she breathed a sigh of relief and let herself sink back into Regulus' chest. Meanwhile, he hastily hid what had to be a wand, but he didn't remove his other arm from around her waist. They sat there for what felt like a long time, not moving, just breathing steadily.

"You're hopeless around boxes. I think it'd be safer for everyone if you stopped going near them," he finally proclaimed.

"By everyone you mean you," she answered.

Because Alex had rested her head against his shoulder, she felt his breath against her cheek and heard the chuckle. It felt so comfortable sitting there, she couldn't imagine moving.

"You saved my life. Thank you," she said.

"It was nothing," he scoffed in embarrassment.

"It would have been easier to leave, especially the way you do it."

She leaned her head back to see his face then and found that he was already staring at her. Their eyes met for a few seconds before Regulus abruptly stood ending their connection.

"Don't look at me like that," he commanded.

Alex was bummed, but stood anyway.

"You're my hero," she teased.

"I'm not," he insisted with his back to her.

"You are," Alex continued. She was preparing herself to tease him some more when he turned to meet her eyes again and she saw that he was deadly serious. Not only was he serious, but he was angry.

"Don't pretend as if you know me. You know nothing!" He shouted the last part, but quickly regained control of his voice. Though his face remained disturbingly distorted as he continued. "I've done things that would make you cringe. I'm not one of the heroes in your pathetic story book romances."

"What do you mean?" Alex was so amazed by this turn of events, the only other words she could manage were: "They're not pathetic."

But Regulus was pacing now and something was truly bothering him.

"If you knew what I'd done-" He didn't finish.

"I'm sure it's not that bad," Alex remarked and rolled her eyes. He was young after all. The worst things she could imagine on a teenager's record were skipping school or stealing cars. "Everyone's done something they're not particularly proud of."

"Stop trying to make me good!" He furiously demanded.

"Stop trying to be so bad!" She snapped back. "You can talk all you want about what a terrible person you are, but a person's actions show who they are, not what they say."

Frustrated by this entire conversation, Alex went to collect her fallen books. But as she crossed Regulus, he grabbed her by the shoulder and swiftly threw her hard against the bookshelf. This time several novels did topple to the ground and Alex knew she would have a bruise on her back tomorrow. Regulus roughly held onto her shoulder.

"What the hell?" Alex demanded and she tried to get out of his grip with no success. "That hurt!"

"Do you want me to hurt you? Will that convince you?" He spoke to her in a steady, but cruel voice that would have frightened her more if she were not already irritated from being flung around.

"Go ahead then," Alex defiantly challenged. "Go on Mr. I'm-so-bad. Hurt me."

He banged his other arm against the shelf and more books tumbled down. Alex quivered at the sudden noise, but did not budge. Regulus was bursting with fury now and the only reason he hadn't hit her yet was because of some amazing self-control. While Alex thought this, he suddenly brought out his wand, the very same one she had seen make her large, rude customer weep. Then holding it over his head, he pointed one end directly at her face.

"It would take seconds to destroy you, you pathetic muggle," he hissed. But seconds passed and Alex remained.

"Well?" She snapped, unable to keep her mouth shut. Her anger over shadowed her fear.

Regulus gritted his teeth and brought it even closer to her. Alex shut her eyes and bravely waited. Nothing happened. She felt no pain, no hurt, and no death. When she could no longer keep her eyes shut, she saw that Regulus' hand was shaking and his distorted face was conflicted with varying emotions. He was struggling with his two options. He wanted to hurt her, but he wouldn't or perhaps he couldn't.

Alexandra in the present broke off her story. She got this far away look in her large eyes, like she was recalling the exact moment of her story and remembering every single detail of it. No one prompted her on and at last she sighed.

"That was when I knew," she explained.

"Knew what?"

"That he wasn't bad at all," she answered with a weak smile.

Daphne felt a pain in her chest. That feeling was all too familiar. In fact, this entire story was pulling her back down memory lane. She was envisioning Hogwarts on a cold day when Slughorn had made them search in the lake for palmaria. Daphne had slipped, Severus had saved her, and that was when she knew. Looking into his deep black eyes, she knew he wasn't bad at all. But she had been wrong, clearly. And as the memory faded, taking with it the scent of Severus, she almost wanted to warn Alex. She stopped herself though. It was a different situation. Perhaps Regulus was better. Daphne had always had faith in him.

Minutes passed. Outside the sky had grown very dark, but neither of them had moved. Regulus was breathing easier, but his face had not relaxed. Finally, Alex made a decision. She genuinely believed Regulus had the power to hurt her. Something in her gut told her it was possible. However, he hadn't and with that in mind, Alex slowly raised her hand up to meet his. When it closed over his fist, he tensed up and the wand shook violently before her eyes. Then slowly, very slowly, she guided him till it was down at his side. Regulus let out a breath. His entire body was shaking now and his grey eyes misted. It was not long before the wand clattered to the ground and instead he fiercely gripped onto Alex's hand. It was a tight, sweaty grip, but Alex didn't let go. She felt as if she was anchoring him through this important moment and all he needed from her right now was steady support. It took ten minutes for Regulus to collect himself and stand upright again. When he finally released her hand and met her eyes, he merely nodded.

"My apologies," he croaked and moved to the exit.

"That's it?" Alex called after him. He had just thrown her against a shelf, made a mess in her store, and taken her through an emotional roller coaster and all he could say was my apologies? "You have to be kidding m-?"

It took Regulus three large steps to close the distance between them. He raised an arm and Alex cringed again, but then felt it gently caress the back of her head. His other arm went around her waist and crushed her against him before his lips came bearing down against her own.

"Gross!" Sirius interrupted his face filled with disgust.

All the girls groaned.

"What are you five?" Jasmine snapped impatiently.

"It's my little brother," Sirius defended himself.

"Shhh," Daphne commanded. "Go on Alex. Just ignore him."

The night of the kiss, Alex could not sleep. She kept happily grinning to herself as she lied on the sofa. Of course, nothing had been established between her and Regulus since he had left so abruptly following the kiss, but she had a hunch he would return. It wasn't till sometime after three in the morning, that Alex recalled that she was forgetting the most important part of the day, the wand. The fact that she had seen magic preformed before her eyes had been overshadowed by the kiss, but now it was clear in her memory. Regulus had done magic. He carried a wand. What did that make him? Trying to be as silent as possible, Alex crept to her bookshelf where she selected a few of her grandmother's old books. Her grandmother had been obsessed with the supernatural and believed in the possibility of powerful beings. Alex also read into it occasionally, but now she would have to pay serious attention. Witches, wizards, warlocks were all known to use wands. Which category did Regulus fall under?

When he appeared late the following morning, Alex was deep into her studies. On the counter beside her, was a large stack of supernatural books. Despite how tired she was, she had put extra effort into looking nice that morning. Her hair was curled and she was in skinny jeans and a flattering gray sweater. She didn't notice Regulus come in though, until he spoke.

"Test?"

"Not exactly," Alex admitted when she popped her head up from behind the book.

After taking off his black cloak, Regulus skimmed the titles. The further down the list he got, the deeper the frown between his eyes appeared. Worried about how he might react, Alex began explaining how most of the books belonged to her grandmother and that her grandmother was a true believer in the supernatural world. Regulus listened for a while, but eventually interrupted.

"Do you believe in this?" He asked.

"Anything's possible," Alex admitted. She didn't mention that she used to tease her mother about her belief in ghosts.

"It doesn't frighten you?" He continued.

Alex shook her head.

"What if I were a wizard?"

Alex grinned. "Then maybe you could stop a bookshelf from falling on me one day."

He had turned his back to her, so Alex wasn't able to gauge his reaction to her answer.

"What if I were a vampire?" He asked seconds later.

Now he was teasing. Alex had ruled out vampire long ago, but she smiled anyway. "Tell me you are and I'll be that happiest girl in the world."

Regulus seemed disappointed to hear it. "Vampires are just blood sucking fiends. That's not supposed to make you happy."

"Oh you've met a lot of vampires lately?" Alex chimed. He didn't answer so she spoke again. "How about werewolves? I'd be over the moon to meet one of those."

"Werewolves," Regulus scoffed. "Disgusting creatures, I would never associate with the sort. "

Down the table, Remus growled and his knuckles turned white from gripping onto his fork.

"Excuse me," he said politely. "I did not mean to interfere with the story."

"Vampires are overrated," Daphne remarked, recalling the time one had nearly made a tasty morsel out of her.

"You've met a vampire?" Alex excitedly questioned.

"Of course not," Daphne lied. "What did Regulus say after?"

"Why the sudden fascination?" Regulus abruptly asked. "It seems like a vast waste of time to me."

"I was curious, though some of the history in here is pretty horrendous."

Regulus took the book from her.

"Salem witch trials? Burnings? Ridiculous," he declared. "You can't hurt a skilled witch with fire."

"You believe in witches?" Alex asked.

"I have met several girls who could fall into that category," he confessed.

"Really?" Alex excitedly asked. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Certainly, they are quite cruel and vicious at my school." He winked.

"I was being serious," Alex complained. "Do you believe in magic?"

Regulus stopped grinning and observed her very carefully then. Alex didn't break the gaze.

"Enough studying," Regulus decided and turned toward the back door. "When is it lunch time?"

"That was the day he admitted he only had two more days left of his holiday," Alex told the dinner party before her. She had expected the news this time and had not found it as shocking as before. Instead she smiled when Regulus informed her and suggested a farewell dinner the following night.

Alex closed the shop early that day. She was not an expert in the kitchen, but could make basic dishes and settled on spaghetti. In an effort to impress Regulus, she attempted some garlic bread as well. She knew it was completely ridiculous, but she also knew he had a personal chef at his house. Her other concern was what to wear. She didn't have too many options though and finally settled on a simple, short black dress with a ruffled skirt. Since they were staying inside, she didn't bother putting on any heels, but she did curl her hair again and let it fall loose on her shoulders.

That evening, Regulus was punctual and when he entered the flat, he placed a light kiss on her cheek. Alex almost forgot to breath. To hide her nervousness, she put on a record of her favorite band, The Monkees. It helped too much. At one point, while she was serving their plates, she started to sing along without realizing it. Regulus chuckled from his chair. Alex blushed, even more so because Regulus, in his black slacks and royal blue sweater, was so handsome when he smiled.

"Do you intend to join a band when I'm gone?" He asked.

Alex was mortified now and did her best to hand him his dinner without dropping it.

"Maybe I will," she answered with a hint of defiance.

"You're singing voice is not bad," he decided.

Alex should have felt insulted, but it was probably the nicest compliment he had ever given her, so she accepted it with a grin. Luckily after that, conversation flowed easily. She asked about packing and school. He asked her what it had been like when she attended regular school and what she missed about it. That was an easy subject, Alex missed socializing with the friends she had. After that, they spoke about music. Alex had never heard of any of the bands Regulus mentioned, but he promised to let her listen to them one day.

Once, when there was a pause in the conversation, they both realized they had been done eating for a long time and outside night was approaching. Alex stood to take the dishes to the sink.

"I'll do them," Regulus surprisingly offered, but once he got to the sink, he appeared quite baffled.

"Have you ever done dishes before?" Alex hesitantly asked. He didn't answer. "I tell you what, I'll wash you dry."

This seemed agreeable to him and he readily held the towel. Alex assumed this must have been his first time cleaning anything and when he dripped some water on his sweater while drying, she resisted teasing him. Eventually, when he realized he was getting wet, he pulled the sweater over his head to reveal a white short-sleeved shirt underneath.

Since he always wore sweaters or long sleeves, Alex couldn't resist peeking at his pale arms and slender hands. Whatever quidditch was, Alex never did find a book about it, it definitely shaped his arms. Then Alex noted something else. On his left forearm there was a red tattoo.

"You have a tattoo?" She curiously cried out. "Let me see!"

Softly, she placed her hand on his arm for a better look, but as she did, he yanked it away and backhanded her hand so hard the room echoed with the sound.

Alex didn't move. She was too stunned to even react immediately. Regulus had pushed her into bookshelf before, but now he had just hit her and Alex wouldn't stand for it.

"Alexandra," Regulus began.

"I think you should go," she interrupted in a barely audible voice.

"Wait, I didn't want-"

"Just go," she repeated, firmly this time. "Please, I need you to go now!"

"I apologize," he sighed heavily.

"Get out!" She shouted barely holding back the tears she knew would soon escape. The night was ruined.

Regulus complied with her demand. He snatched his sweater, Alex heard a pop sound, and he was gone without her even opening the door.

As she told this part of the story, Alex was visibly upset, but not nearly as disappointed as everyone else around the table, particularly Daphne. She felt a pain deep in her core and abruptly left the room to compose herself. Just listening to Alex' story had felt like déjà vu to her. The hope was there, the fear, and the inevitable disillusionment.

"I'm sorry mate," James said and put a hand on Sirius' arm.

"I knew it already." Sirius shrugged it off with a hollow laugh, but Daphne knew it to be a lie. It was something she had long suspected, they both had, but it had never been confirmed until now.

Daphne could hear Alex asking what the tattoo meant to them, but no one had the gall to answer her. When she returned to her place at the table, Daphne could not even meet her eyes.

When morning arrived, Alex felt dreary, but persistent knocking downstairs forced her to throw on her robe and hurry down. There, she was astonished to see Regulus already waiting outside despite the early hour. He was dressed in a sharp school uniform and a black cloak. Alex hesitated. Regulus' quick gray eyes detected her and he patiently waited. Finally, Alex unlocked the door, but hurried to the rear of the shop and said nothing. Regulus entered carrying a large object covered with dark green velvet fabric. As he passed Alex to place it on the coffee table, Alex was certain she heard fluttering.

"Please forgive me for last night," he began awkwardly. "I was startled. I never intended to bring you pain."

Alex kept her arms firmly crossed and her eyes averted, but she recognized the sincerity in his voice anyway. He waited for her to speak, but when she didn't, he continued.

"I bought you something," he said indicating the large object he had placed on the coffee table.

Alex felt intrigued, but refused to show it. Regulus pulled back the rich fabric then to reveal a large gold cage and inside was small golden brown screech owl with big yellow eyes that stared straight at her. Alex couldn't help smiling. The owl was so cute and fluffy. Regulus was watching her reaction, however, so Alex quickly dropped her cheerfulness.

"I can't accept this," she firmly declared, though it made her sad to say it.

"You must," he insisted. "Let her out at night and she will hunt for herself."

Alex hesitated. "Is this a bribe so I'll forgive you?"

"I do admit I had an ulterior motive, though I'm not so sure now…" Regulus hesitated.

Alex prompted him to explain and eventually he informed her that if she wanted to write him while he was at school, all she had to do was send the letter with the owl.

"Like a pigeon carrier? Why don't you just give me the address?"

Regulus refused and explained that his school did not have regular post. Also, he had never trained the owl, but it would know how to find both him and her. This was all quite puzzling for Alex. When he told her not to put her name or address anywhere, she was ready to roll her eyes and go back to bed, but he begged her not to.

"I leave it to you whether we communicate or not," Regulus stated finally when it was clear he had to leave.

Alex nodded, then he handed her something else, a small glass vile filled with gold liquid.

"Put this on your hand if you feel pain," he told her and quickly kissed her forehead. "Remember, don't write your name in any letter."

Alex could only wonder what he meant by that because he hastily exited the shop and never turned back.

"I considered not writing," Alex confessed to her listeners. "I held back for a week, but eventually, I sent a quick hello and I received a page in return. I couldn't believe when the owl tapped at my window. I was certain she had gotten lost and I would never see her again."

Alex explained how with each letter, they both had more and more to say. Soon, the correspondences became quite lengthy. He wrote about school and his friends. She told him about what happened in the shop and outside of it.

"I even told him when Dev and Sarah started dating."

"I saw that one coming," Jasmine remarked. Daphne nodded in complete agreement.

"I also told him when Dev's father offered to buy the bookshop from me." The first piece of news didn't seem to bother Alex at all, but the second made her smile.

Alex hurried to the shop door, certain that the early morning light was playing tricks on her. Her shaking hand barely managed to undo the lock before Regulus stumbled into the shop. He was completely disheveled in pajama pants and a school dress shirt. After several months of not being in his physical company, Alex was shocked to see him within her grasp.

"Regulus what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school? Where are your shoes?"

Regulus completely ignored all her inquiries.

"I just got your letter and I had to come right away," he said and there was her letter right in his hand.

"How did you get here?" Alex asked.

"Aparated."

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind that," he insisted.

"Look at you, you don't even have your uniform on right," Alex said and she hastily began to fuss over his shirt buttons that were done wrong.

"Doesn't matter," Regulus stopped her after a few seconds and held both of her hands instead. "Alexandra don't sell the shop."

Alex was surprised to hear the words come out of his mouth. Regulus knew she barely had money, and she assumed he would encourage the sale. After all, Dev's father was kindly offering her a small fortune.

"It isn't too late?" Regulus worriedly asked when she didn't respond.

"No, it isn't."

"Don't sell it," he sternly repeated.

"I won't," Alex heard herself promise. She hadn't really considered selling it, but now she was positive she never would.

"Brilliant," Regulus said and abruptly started for the door.

"That's it?" Alex called after him.

He grinned at her words and Alex knew she had just revealed her inner feelings.

"Why didn't you just write back?" She asked to distract him.

"I wanted to tell you myself."

Alex informed her present company that she wrote Regulus dozens of questions after he left. She didn't understand how he could have received her letter that morning and arrived in London that morning too. From what she knew, his school was far. His reply was a short note with only four words: Don't worry about it.

"Leaving the school grounds without getting caught?" Sirius mused. "Perhaps he is my brother."

Alex glanced at the large grandfather clock. It was getting very late, but no one made the move to leave, so she continued.

Alex didn't see Regulus again until it was summer. He arrived the very day his classes ended and seemed genuinely content to be back in the bookshop. Alex was happy to have him there too. Not only did she have extra help, but also her days were no longer lonely or dull. That summer they saw each other nearly everyday. It was the happiest summer of her life, Alex shyly confessed to the table.

Then one day, as fall neared, Regulus didn't appear. It worried Alex since he hadn't mentioned anything about being absent, but she figured his parents might have wanted his company. When he didn't appear the next day either, she wished she had his telephone number. And the day after that, she wanted to send him an owl, but he had made her swear not to when he was home.

To her relief, he came in the following morning. He wore strange black robes she had seen him in once before and he barely nodded at her before he collapsed onto a sofa. Just like the last time, he slept for the majority of the day. Once or twice he even mumbled and frightened her customers.

Only when the store was empty, Alex would sit with him and this time she didn't resist stroking his black hair. Regulus would stop frowning in his sleep and seem to be at peace for those few minutes. It was while she was doing this in the afternoon, that he finally spoke.

"Let's run away together," he said softly. His eyes were still shut.

Alex smiled to herself. "How long have you been awake?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Where would we go?" She asked to humor him.

"Anywhere, I'll take care of us."

"Paris?"

The corner of his mouth moved up. "Oui." He knew she would pick France. From her letters, it was quite clear she had always wanted to travel there. Regulus sat up.

Alex eyed his wardrobe. "Costume party again?"

Regulus stared at his robe in disgust, before throwing it off with more aggression than necessary.

"Will you really come to Paris with me?" He asked seriously now and with a hint of urgency.

"When?" Alex snickered. She needed time to find someone to watch the store. Also, to save money for the trip, she didn't want Regulus paying for her.

"Tonight."

Alex laughed. She assumed he was joking, but noticed he didn't smile.

"Next week then?"

Alex was consistently stressed after that conversation. Each day Regulus would come in now and insist they take a vacation far from London. He never explained his reasoning to her, but treated the subject like an urgent matter. When she refused, he would be visibly upset and ask when she would be willing to go. Sometimes, he would ask odd questions about morals or the good and evil in people's souls. Alex didn't always have an answer for him.

Nothing was worst though, than the days he came in dressed in the strange black robes. On those mornings, the bags under his eyes were heavy and his spirit completely broken. He was like the walking dead. As much as Alex tried, she could never get him to smile on those days. Later, she would pester him with questions, but he would only say that they needed to go far away where they wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. Alex didn't know how to tell Regulus the only thing she was worried about these days was him.

When fall came and school was back in session, Regulus wasn't any better. Alex expected not to see him while he was away, but every other weekend, he would come home and visit her. During these breaks, he would alternate between being his usual self and being irritatingly silent.

"I ran into this girl I know yesterday," Regulus said one Sunday afternoon. He had been pensive most of the day and Alex was grateful for some conversation, even if the topic slightly irritated her.

"Oh?" she replied a little coldly.

"Her name's Daphne Rue. She's my brothers friend actually," he confessed.

That made her older, Alex thought. "What happened?" She curiously inquired.

"She was being completely annoying and prying into my business."

In the present, Daphne strongly protested.

"Then she said, 'Regulus it's never too late to turn everything around. It's just about whether you have the courage to do it or not.' I've never heard such a cliché Gryffindor statement." Regulus scowled as he repeated the words, but after a few moments, his features softened and he glanced at Alex. "Do you think she's right?"

Alex did and told him so, but she wondered what this Daphne knew that she didn't. "Regulus, I don't like when people keep secrets from me. Tell me what's going on."

He refused and as punishment Alex ignored him till it was closing time.

When the last customer exited and Regulus still didn't speak, Alex turned off all the lights and prepared herself to retire upstairs. It was only then that Regulus held her back. She could barely make out his outline in the dark store, but the hand that held hers was unmistakably his.

"It's enough to know I did something wrong," he quietly confessed. "Imagine that you are young, naïve, and desperate to prove yourself. An opportunity arrives and without much thought, you take it. For one sweet moment, you are the pride of your parents and the envy of all your mates. In your mind, it was the correct path, until you begin to discern more about your hasty decision. By chance, you discover a secret that could potentially redeem you, but to act on it would make you a traitor to your comrades and risk your life."

Alex's heart stopped. "Is your life in danger? You have to go to the police."

Regulus held her in place and continued in a hushed tone that left Alex feeling nothing but dread. "What would you do?"

"Go to the police!" She insisted desperately.

"No, you know what I mean. What would you do?" He repeated gravely.

"I don't have enough details," she stalled.

"Tell me what you would do," he insisted.

Alex bit her lip. She wanted to say that they should go to Paris now, that he should run away. Or stay with her and never return to his school or house, but she couldn't and he knew it.

"Thank you Alexandra," he quietly said. She felt his hand skim the flesh of her arm. The darkness only served to heighten her senses and his touch left a burning trail. Alex's heart pounded against her chest and she felt him staring directly at her. He placed a warm kiss against her cheek, then dragged his lips over to her own. His parted mouth caught hers and pulled her bottom lip into his mouth. A shiver ran down Alex's spine and she was only too eager to respond. She opened her mouth to his and allowed him to consume her. She even stood on her toes to lean further into Regulus. His tongue brushed against her lips before moving further into her mouth. To keep herself steady, Alex's arms encircled his neck and she felt his hands firmly grasp her waist. The desire vibrated between them and Regulus deepened the kiss. When he finally pulled away, Regulus was breathing heavily against her. Alex waited, but he only placed a final soft kiss on her forehad and left.

There were pensive frowns all around the table.

"Did he ever elaborate on the secret?" James eventually asked.

Alex shook her head, but dug into her pocket to produce a letter she told them she received the next morning.

To Alexandra, I know I will never see you again, but I want you to know how truly sorry I am about this, more sorry than you'll ever know. Please do not attempt to send me an owl or to discover my location. R.A.B.

Again there was a lengthy silence. They all had questions burning in their minds, but knew Alex did not have the answers. Any hope Daphne had been entertaining about Regulus redeeming himself was momentarily destroyed. The letter was so vague. She could not tell if he meant to change or if he meant to continue on with the easier route.

"I sent several letters and they all came back unopened," Alex admitted with a heavy sigh.

Days passed and Regulus did not appear. Alex had no idea where his school was or what it was called. Even his telephone number had been withheld from her. It was only later that Alex recalled he had mentioned his home address. She closed the store early and walked to the exact location, but she was met with an unwelcome sight. Grimmauld Place had a number 11 and 13, but there was no 12 anywhere. His existence suddenly seemed unreal. Alex felt the weight of the abandonment. To make it worst, each time the bell over her bookshop door rang, she looked up and expected to see him. He never came. Soon, she both mourned his loss and cursed his selfishness.

Somber months passed and Alex thought about Regulus less and less each day. She continued to read every book she could on the subject of magic and wizardry, but told herself it was just to keep her mind preoccupied. Life had become monotonous again. Every now and then she would go out with Sarah and Dev just to break her routine, but it didn't help. The couple always wanted to introduce her to someone, but Alex was not interested.

Then late one night, the excitement she had been craving arrived in abundance. Alex had been lying awake on the sofa willing herself to close her eyes and not think of Regulus, when she heard a loud crack. The noise was enough to make her sit up. The room was dark, but Alex could sense that someone else was present. Squinting for better vision, she scanned the area around her and was horrified to see a dark shape crouched in the corner. Alex was ready to let out a powerful scream, but it was stifled when she recognized the figure.

Regulus clutched onto his stomach and fell to his side. Alex forgot her anger towards him and rushed forward in fear. She asked him what was wrong and what had happened, but his only reply was to grit his teeth in pain. As Alex placed her hand on his shoulder, she suddenly felt and saw that he was wet, though she wasn't sure if it was from the sweat that was forming on his brows or from having been submerged head first into a lake. On closer inspection, she also saw that there were tears along the collar of his shirt and his sleeves. Nothing could compare though to the expression of extreme pain that was in his face as he began to writhe on the floor. Alex stumbled for the phone to call for help, but before she could reach it a second voice from the opposite side of the room rang out.

"It must not call anyone!"

Alex reached for the nearest weapon. It was a book. "Who's there?" She sternly demanded. For all of her efforts, she could not make anyone out this time. "Show yourself!"

"Kreacher does not take orders from nasty, muggle girl," the voice hissed back.

"Kreacher? Regulus'… butler?" Alex was stunned. How did they both get inside her apartment? She asked Kreacher several questions, but he was too busy mumbling to himself to answer her.

Alex hurried for the phone again and again the voice told her no.

"He needs help!" She insisted back into the darkness. Before she could dial, there was a snap, and the phone was gone.

Regulus twisted on the floor. "Water, please, water," he begged and streams of tears poured down his cheeks.

Alex ran to the kitchen and brought back a glass, but it too vanished after a snap.

"Foolish muggle girl, water won't help."

Alex swung out in frustration, but knew it would do no good. Wherever Kreacher was, he was well hidden from her.

"I have to do something! I can't leave him like this," she stressed as she crumpled to the ground beside Regulus. In her entire life, she had never felt so helpless. "He could be dying. I don't even know what's wrong with him or what happened. What am I supposed to do?"

Kreacher didn't answer her. He was mumbling questions of his own, but not to Alex.

"What would Mistress say if she saw Kreacher in this filthy muggle house?"

Regulus' face contorted in pain and he let out a fierce scream. Alex held onto him and did her best to shush him. She thanked the stars her mother was a heavy sleeper. If she walked out of her room to witness this, Alex wasn't sure what would happen next. Alex checked for any physical injuries, but saw nothing except the light scratches. Regulus pleaded for water again, but Kreacher kindly answered him that water would not help.

"Kreacher should not have taken him to that terrible place, but Kreacher obeyed Master. Master Regulus asked to be brought to filthy muggle girl so Kreacher did as he was told. Kreacher already disobeyed Master Regulus once when he did not leave the cave. Kreacher cannot disobey him again. Poor Kreacher. What would my Mistress say?"

Alex heard all of this mumbling and would have been fascinated by it, if she had not just noticed a cut on Reuglus' hand that was bleeding more heavily than the others. Alex hurried to get her first aid kit. Under the watchful eyes of Kreacher, who she still could not see, Alex bandaged Regulus' hand and wiped the sweat off his brow. He constantly pleaded for water, but there was nothing she could do, but apologize again and again and promise everything would be okay. Sometimes he cried out for his parents, his brother, and mainly for her. Alex didn't know how many hours passed as she stroked his black hair and whispered soothing remarks into his ear. It was the longest night of her life because very second Alex feared Regulus would stop moving and pass into oblivion. But his nightmares and agonizing pain continued throughout the night.

"Was he cursed?" Alex hesitantly asked the new acquaintances that surrounded her.

"Judging by his symptoms, he drank a particular potion," Jasmine expertly responded. She spoke in her healer voice, but her face was very grave.

Lily nodded her agreement. "This potion causes great pain and forces you to envision terrible things. Also, it dehydrates you, but nothing will quench your thirst."

Alex's tried to hide her watery brown eyes by turning away from them, but Daphne could see her swallowing hard and knew she was trying not to cry.

"Why would he drink that?"

No one at that table had anything to say and Alex felt the heavy burden of their silence. She was certain they were keeping something from her. She could feel it each time they exchanged glances. It began when she mentioned the tattoo and hadn't stopped since.

Alex didn't know when she fell asleep, but she partially woke when she felt a hand touch her face. Through her half closed eyelids, she recognized Regulus. In the dim light of morning, he was deathly pale, but conscious. Over his shoulder, Alex thought she saw a tiny figure with large, blue eyes and bat like ears peeking curiously at her. Regulus stroked her hair now. His grey eyes were filled with sorrow. She felt his cold lips kiss her forhead. He weakly stood up to leave. Alex tried to stand too and stop him, but she saw a familiar, long piece of wood and only knew darkness.

"It's an incredible story," Lily admitted before she let out a light yawn. She had gone several hours without a nap and the weariness was beginning to show in her eyes.

"I haven't seen him since," Alex sadly admitted. "I had given up all hope, when Remus came into the bookshop. He was trying to select something for his girlfriend and I helped. In exchange, he assisted me with some boxes. In the process, he took off his coat and I glanced a wand. For a few seconds, I thought I had dreamt it, but then I knew he had to be part of the same world as Regulus. I continued speaking to him, and when I learned he needed a job, I instantly offered him one." Alex directly faced and spoke to Remus now. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to deceive you."

Remus accepted her apologies with one kind nod, but Alex felt the need to explain further.

"I wanted to ask you about Regulus right away," she said. "But I was afraid of scaring you. If you apparated, or whatever, I would've lost my one chance. Then when you spoke of your friends, I could hardly believe it. Sirius Black isn't a common name and you knew a Daphne Rue too." Alex had arrived to the point she had been patiently waiting for all evening. As she continued, she made eye contact with each person around the table. "I just need to know what happened to Regulus? If he's alive and if so, where is he?"

They all knew Alex was leading up to that question, but when she finally asked it, it hurt them all. Daphne could see the distress on all her friends' faces.

"We can't answer that," Remus admitted with a sympathetic smile.

"Don't you know?" Alex cried.

"We graduated and I never really knew him," Jasmine slightly shrugged.

"I haven't seen him since that day he told you about," Daphne added.

Alex waited for more, but no one knew what to say. She desperately turned to Sirius.

"You're his brother."

"I can't help you," Sirius numbly answered.

"Please," Alex begged from across the table.

"I don't know anything," he barked.

This time Alex crossed the distance between them and held his arm tightly.

"Please," she repeated and her voice wavered.

Sirius would not look at her, but in a few seconds he apparated. Stunned, Alex stared at the empty space and her empty hands.

James patted her on the shoulder. "Just wait," he advised.

"Dessert anyone?" Jasmine asked to ease the uncomfortable tension. No one was hungry. Fortunately, Sirius was back in a flash.

"He isn't at home," he informed the room.

"Could he be at school?" Alex asked right away.

"He's gone. Accept it," Sirius insisted and there was a hint of cruelty in his voice.

"I can't," Alex replied right away.

Sirius was not moved. "You have to. There's nothing we can do."

"What if I led him to the wrong decision?" Alex cried. "He could be dead now and it will be my fault."

"It will be his fault!" Sirius snapped at her.

That was the final straw. Alex hid her face in both of her hands and began to cry. It pained Daphne to watch. The girl slumped into her chair and sobbed until she was gasping for air. Daphne hugged her tightly and did her best to comfort her. Lily said a few words too and when Alex finally calmed down, Remus offered to apparate her home since it was so late. Alex agreed and did her best to thank them individually and say farewell, though her smile and voice were both weak. When she got to Sirius, she hugged him and told him he really looked like his brother.

"Regulus really admires you," she declared. "He never said it, but I could tell."

As soon as they were gone, Sirius scowled darkly. "That idiot Regulus!"

"Why didn't you tell her the truth?" Lily snapped at him angrily.

Sirius insisted Regulus was not there again, but they all knew he meant at the moment.

"It's better if she forgets him and us," Sirius concluded.

"From what Alex told us, there is a possibility that Regulus quit being a death eater," Lily suggested.

"It's not an organization where you can just hand in a resignation to Voldemort," Sirius scoffed. "Plus, there was the dark potion at the end of the story. That just proves what side he picked."

Jasmine logically argued against Sirius' last point. Regulus would not willingly drink that potion, but someone might have given it to him if he threated to stop being a deatheater.

Sirius didn't buy her reasoning. "I doubt Voldemort would take the trouble to brew a potion just for my brother. He's easy enough to kill with a wand. Listen, we all heard what Alex just revealed. You would have me lead her to him? She's defenseless and in danger and she doesn't even know it. Do you know what deatheaters do to muggles? Have we not seen it? Regulus was right when he told her how easy it would be to destroy her. We ourselves die like flies daily. What chance does she have if she goes ignorantly gallivanting after him? Prongs, Daphne, am I right?"

It was rare for Daphne not to share her opinion, but she was considering the story carefully. She felt the instinct to protect Alex from repeating her own story, but though it had similarities, she knew it was not the same.

James spoke first. "Someone needs to reach out to Regulus."

"I will not," Sirius insisted.

"Then I'll do it," Daphne cried. She had failed before, but she would try again. Lily volunteered as well.

"No," Sirius growled. "He can decide his own fate."

"Sirius," Daphne began calmly. "He's your brother. He cannot be beyond your reach."

She put a hand on his arm and James clapped him in the back. They both knew Sirius well enough to know that him anger was just a mask for the pain and disappointment he was obviously feeling. No matter how often Sirius denied it, Daphne knew he loved his little brother. That was why in the next minute, he sighed and gave in.

"I'll talk to Dumbledore and maybe a few other people."

Daphne knew by other people, he meant the less reputable ones. Sirius knew quite a few interesting characters. The only one Daphne didn't trust was Mundungus Flethcher, a small twitchy man with straggly ginger hair, who always made their entire apartment smell like alcohol. Daphne would have preferred to stay locked in her room when he was around, but she always went out to keep an eye on him. She was fairly certain he had pilfered a few things from their kitchen. Sirius didn't care, but Daphne wouldn't stand for it. Mundungus knew it too, which is why he quickly stopped trying to sell Daphne any of the other stolen goods he kept in his pocket.

Sirius apparated away again and he was followed by James and Lily, who was now so tired her eyes could barely stay open. With everyone gone, the house felt empty. Daphne offered to help Jasmine clean up, but her friend insisted her wand would take care of everything. As half eaten dishes and plates lifted off the table and floated to the kitchen, Daphne felt relieved that she didn't have to work the following day. Maybe she would see Michael. He never showed up to the dinner, which meant practice had been long and tiring. She inwardly thanked the coach. Daphne waited until Remus returned before apparating to her apartment. Sirius wasn't there and she smiled because she knew Regulus had a chance now.

Back in the kitchen, Jasmine felt arms warp around her waist and heard Remus inhale deeply against her skin. Slowly, he began to trace kisses along the sensitive area on her neck. Jasmine gasped as the heat shot through her veins. When he reached her ear, Remus changed direction and began to nip at the skin of neck.

"I'm sorry," Remus said in a husky voice between bites. He extended some small pink flowers as a peace treaty. Jasmine was sure he had picked them from the garden. Her mom would be furious, but she inwardly smiled at the gesture anyway.

"Don't let it happen again." Jasmine stayed stern long enough to shove a piece of custard tart right into Remus' face and let out a howl of laughter. After listening to Alex's story, Jasmine felt extremely grateful to have Remus, with all of his flaws, right beside her. And as they started their custard wrestling match, she thanked Merlin that she already knew Remus' darkest secret.

E/N: I know there was no Severus, don't hate me! He will be in the next chapter. As I said, this is plot is important to my main storyline, but the upcoming chapters will continue to focus on my usual main characters, particularly Daphne and Severus. Thanks for reading!

The books Alexandra quoted: To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (RIP Mr. Bradbury), Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. All fantastic works.