Helena's words were all Alexandra could think about for days, but she could make no sense out of it. She didn't tell this to Mike either, because then she would have to confess that she had been hanging out with Regulus Black.

       But she finally tried to forget all about it when the first Quidditch match of the season arrived; Gryffindor against Slytherin. All the students were making their way down to the Quidditch pitch, a chatter of excitement between them all.

     "So let me get this straight," Mike started in disbelief, turning to face Alexandra, "you want to come and see the Quidditch match?"

      "Yes." Alexandra nodded hesitantly.

      "But you hate Quidditch!"

      "Oh, I don't hate it!" she tried to reason. "I always come to your games when Ravenclaw was playing!"

      "Yeah, that's because I always dragged you there for our games, Alex!"

      "Well, so what if I didn't used to like Quidditch?" She shrugged. "Maybe I'm starting to enjoy it. What, I can't have second thoughts?"

"Oh, you can have second thoughts, all right. But something's fishy here, Starling, don't think I haven't notice!"

      But Alexandra said nothing and so they just walked down toward the Quidditch pitch and took their seats in the stands.

Soon, the two teams walked into the field and on Madam Hooch's whistle, they mounted their brooms and shot into the air as the four balls were released.

It was an interesting match, but there was no denying that James Potter was easily the best Chaser on both teams and one of the best players.

Mike was certainly one of the most excited people in the audience as he stood on his feet the whole time, shouting "FOUL!" every once in a while and cursing whenever he got the chance.

"Whose side are you on?" Alexandra giggle in amusement.

"Neither. I'm just observing." Mike smirked. "Although, I'm quite a big fan of the Gryffindor seeker, if you know what I mean."

"Well, in your dreams, cause word has it Jenna Potter and Sirius Black are going out," she said.

"Don't act all high and mighty and knowledgeable, Starling! I told you that! Gossip king is my status!"

"Gossip queen, more like it," Alexandra muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Mike raised a brow at her.

"Nothing." She quickly shook her head.

"Anyway... Dunno why she would go out with Black — hang on!" Mike turned his head sharply on her. "Is Black why you're here!?"

"No." Alexa scoffed, looking away nervously. She was terrible at lying. "Why would I come to see Sirius Black?"

"I'm not talking about that Black, Alex, and you know it!" Mike gasped dramatically. "You're here to see Regulus play!"

But Alexandra was no longer listening. Her and everyone else's attention was caught by Regulus Black, who had suddenly dived in on his broom as he had sighted the Golden Snitch.

But the Gryffindor seeker just followed after and there was an erupt of excitement in the stands as everyone cheered their team on. They were both doing amazingly, but there was no denying that the Potter girl was more skilled.

But they all let out a gasp when Sirius Black waved his Beater's bat at a Bludger passing by and sent it flying at Regulus, knocking him off his broom.

"Oh, God!" Alexandra clapped a hand to her mouth and her eyes widened when Regulus dropped to the ground with a loud thud. "Do you think he's all right?"

But her voice was faded when loud sounds of cheers erupted the stadium and the Gryffindors roared in happiness when Jenna Potter finally caught the Snitch and won the game.

***

It was just any other day as Alexandra and Mike were sitting in the Great Hall at the Ravenclaw table, eating. Ever since the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, all Mike seemed able to talk about was Quidditch.

"Hufflepuff was great last year, sure. But Gryffindor's players are the best they've had in years," he was rambling on as always. "With Black, McKinnon, and those two Potters on their side, it would be hard to get past them."

"Aha..." Alexandra nodded, though she wasn't paying full attention. Instead, she had pointed her wand at her fork, playfully making it float in the air above the table.

"Gryffindors were actually really close to winning the Quidditch Cup last year," Mike went on. "Although the Potter girl somehow got herself into hospital wing its previous night, knocked out. She couldn't play, so they lost. No one knows how she got there, though..."

But their attention was caught when they saw Professor Flitwick making his way toward the Ravenclaw table, looking pale and anxious.

"Oh, this can't be good," Mike whispered. "Whenever a Head of a House calls a student to their office, it's never good news."

That was true. Considering the dark times that they were all dueling on in the Wizarding World, horrible things had been happening. Whenever students were called to their Head of House's office, they either received news on a family member's death or were told that someone close to them had gone missing.

But Alexandra and Mike were caught by surprise when Professor Flitwick walked toward where they were sitting and stopped as he reached them.

"Miss Starling... would you please follow me?" Professor Flitwick said gently, a sad expression upon his face. "There's something you should know."

Fear rushed all through Alexandra's body. She threw a quick glance at Mike who had gone pale, before hesitantly getting to her feet and following Professor Flitwick out of the Great Hall with everyone's eyes on her.

Her heartbeat sped up. Who could have been hurt? She had no one else in the world other than her grandfather. Was it him? What if something bad had happened to Edna?

"Please, take a seat, Miss Starling," said Professor Flitwick as they entered his office, pointing down at a chair.

"Wh-what's wrong, Professor?" Alexandra asked, afraid to hear the answer.

But what Professor Flitwick said next was something Alexandra never expected to hear.

"A few Aurors were sent on a mission, and... I'm so sorry to tell you this, Miss Starling... but they have found your parents' bodies."