The Tree of Blacks (English version)

Unexpected Solutions

February, 1977. Hogwarts.

For the whole weekend, Alya did nothing but ruminate on the "Maynard Nott" question.

James Potter was right: she had to get rid of Nott and end their relationship as soon as possible.

But Alya was reluctant to proceed. Not because of her feelings for the handsome scion of House Nott, of course. That boy meant nothing to her, she had realised that long ago.

What worried Alya was, instead, the risk of jeopardising her own reputation within her Slytherin mates.

As much as she despised him, Maynard Nott was well liked and respected by all Slytherin students. Alya had to act shrewdly and find a more than valid reason that could justify the sudden break-up of that much admired and envied engagement. A far from simple task, since Nott had always endeavoured to show himself as a perfect gentleman towards the beautiful Black. Or, at least, in public. What had happened on Valentine's Day had brought out the boy's true temperament, which was anything but polite.

Alya racked her brains for the whole weekend, unable to find a remotely plausible excuse that would allow her to end her relationship with Nott and save face at the same time.

Asking her mats for advice was absolutely out of the question: all three of them worshipped the rich scion - Philippa even too much - and Alya had not even ventured to mention to them the quarrel that had taken place on Valentine's Day. She wouldn't have put up with the cascade of mischievous jokes that would surely have gushed unrestrainedly from Beth's mouth, let alone the impertinent questions from Melyssa and Philippa, who would have been indignant at her companion's refusal to give herself to the charming Maynard Nott, the most desired party among all the Slytherins.

However, judging by the absence of judgmental glances from Maynard's friends, even the latter did not seem to have mentioned anything about the rant he had with his beautiful girlfriend on Valentine's Day. Evidently, Nott must have regarded Alya's rejection as only a momentary insecurity, not at all worrying. So full of himself, the noble scion was sure that sooner or later he would be able to get his hands on what he considered to be rightfully his.

The only positive aspect in the whole absurd affair was that they had both stopped speaking to each other since their quarrel. Nott waited with cold serenity for the most opportune moment to return to the attack; Alya, for her part, showed herself indifferent and aloof, as always. In reality, she was pining inside herself to find a stratagem to break up with Nott and, at the same time, come out with her head held high and victorious.

They both behaved as if nothing unpleasant had happened between them: he pretended to be busy with the commitments that his position as Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team imposed on him; she was discreet and careful not to distract him from his sporting and school duties.

None of their House mates suspected the real problems that lingered within the couple.

The merciless cold, typical of the winter season, raged undaunted outside the walls of Hogwarts, with heavy rains and lashings of icy wind.

The weekend passed slowly and tediously and Alya was forced to stay holed up in the common room, hidden within the walls of the castle dungeon, together with Philippa, Melyssa and Beth. An activity that proved to be anything but pleasant. Beth did not stop whining about her poor school grades, hurling rants full of rancour at the professors - in particular McGonagall - who, in her opinion, had unjustly ganged up on her. Melyssa, whose presence was as significant as that of a shriveled mandrake, lent support in her own way to her complaining companion, with timely indignant comments that lacked any real transport.

The only one who appeared inexplicably in a good mood was Philippa, who looked completely distracted by other thoughts: she had an unusually relaxed and relaxed air about her, different from her usual tight-lipped expression of disgust, as if she perpetually had a slice of sour lemon in her mouth. Her watery, faded eyes seemed to shine brighter than usual. It was obvious that something nice and pleasant must have happened to her, but Alya did not bother to find out what was the cause of her companion's sudden happiness. She was too distracted by the tangle of her thoughts tangling in her head. On the one hand, she was trying to concentrate on the plan to end her relationship with Nott; on the other, she was struggling with the latent impatience to leave the Slytherin common room. If she had been wandering the corridors of the school, she would have had some chance of bumping into a dishevelled Gryffindor of her acquaintance, if only by chance and in passing.