Raven | 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 65

As the seemingly horseless carriages came to a stop when they reached Hogwarts, Regulus got off the carriage, but when Alexandra wanted to get down, he offered his hands for her to take.

     Alexandra stared at his raised hand for a few seconds in bewilderment. But then giggling, she took his hand and he helped her down the carriage, a handsome grin playing at the edge of his lips.

     Although Alexandra felt a hollowness in her heart when Regulus withdrew his hand again gently. She wanted to keep on holding on to him. But trying to shake the matter off her head, they followed the rest of the students into the castle.

     Alexandra looked around, a sense of sadness filling her up. "I can't believe this is our last year here... It's our last time walking through these halls for a new year."

     "I'm not sure if I'm gonna miss this place, to be honest," Regulus mumbled under his breath bitterly as they entered the entrance hall.

     "Oh, don't be so dark!" Alexandra laughed, nudging him hard with her elbow and causing Regulus to hurtle to the side a little.

     He turned at her and raise a brow curiously. "I feel like I don't even know you sometimes," he said jokingly. "Who knew you would be so playful?"

      "Well, that's just because you still don't know everything about me," said Alexandra cheekily, trying to smile mysteriously, yet failing.

     "Whatever you say, Weirdo." Regulus grinned, walking into the Great Hall.

     The Hall looked as glamorous as ever, with the hundred candles floating above them and the ceiling bewitched to look like the night sky. The four long tables were set through the length of the Hall, some students already seated and waiting for the sorting ceremony to start, because they eagerly wanted to get to the delicious feast as soon as possible.

     "I guess I'll see you later, then." Alexandra waved Regulus goodbye, as they departed. She went to sit at the Ravenclaw table and Regulus went to join the other Slytherins.

     Although the moment they separated, Alexandra was once more filled with the unsettling feeling of loneliness as she sat there at the Ravenclaw table without Mike next to her. She missed his silly jokes and even those times when he would snatch the books out of her hand, or when he would insist that Alexandra was head-over-hills in love with him.

      Soon, the doors to the Great Hall opened and nervous-looking first years followed Professor McGonagall inside. The number of first years at the sorting ceremony seemed less than the previous years, perhaps because their parents were scared to depart with their children more than ever, and so had decided to keep them home.

     Even some of the older students were missing this year as well. Maybe they, like Mike, had fled the country with their families in hopes of staying away from the dangers of the Dark Lord and his followers.

     Alexandra felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought of having to join them. She didn't know how long she could keep on refusing them, now that she was seventeen and of age. Perhaps this was her last year that she could remain safe, for it was also her final year at Hogwarts. She would have no excuse the next year.

     "Now, before we are baffled by our excellent feast, I would like to say a few words." The Hall immediately fell silent the moment Professor Dumbledore got to his feet after everyone was sorted, and so he started speaking. All eyes turned on him, listening carefully. "Firstly, I would like to introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Adams."

     A short and thin witch got to her feet at those words and there came the sound of a lazy applause until she sat back down. A murmur ran about the hall. It was no shock that the Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts had changed once more. But the real question that remained was that what had happened to the previous teacher?

     Alexandra had never liked Professor Ezra, who she thought was rather creepy and scary when he spoke of dark creatures. He always spoke of a new aspect of these beasts that lived among them. But now that he was gone, it made Alexandra wonder what had happened to him or if was even safe right now.

      After his first-of-term speech, Dumbledore sat back down again and on cue, hundreds of dished full of delicious-looking food appeared before them on the tables and a rush of excitement ran through the whole hall as they started filling up their plates.

      But Alexandra hesitated a minute longer. She couldn't help but glance back at the Slytherin table frequently, looking at where Regulus was sitting. He, just like her, seemed more alone than any other year as he sat there in silence, eating his dinner.

      But just then, a thought made its way through Alexandra's head. So when she was sure that everyone was too busy eating to even notice her, she briskly got to her feet and nearly ran to the other side of the Hall, quickly sitting next to Regulus.

      Regulus nearly choked on his food and spat it out when he turned his head and realized who had just sat beside him. Struggling to swallow, Regulus raised his brows at her in bewilderment.

     "What are you doing here!?" he asked in surprise. "This is the Slytherin table!"

     "So?" Alexandra smiled cheekily, grabbing a few chicken wings and placing them on a plate before her.

     "So are you out of your mind!?" Regulus retorted, though he was grinning broadly, happy deep in his heart to have her next to him.

      The Slytherins around them were staring at her, some even glaring daggers at her direction. But Alexandra didn't seem to care and she had started humming a song under her breath.

     "Weirdo..." Regulus muttered to himself, shaking his head and finally giving up.