limping from the aftermath

She wasn't sure he understood her. Which was fine. It was a sensation she was well acquainted with. Besides, she wasn't sure what she was trying to say. It was something between I don't mind helping and  I still disapprove of what you originally did with just a dash of but I can see you're just a messed up kid.

She studied him but he was turning away. And that's when-

"Lily!"

She turned to see Teddy jogging towards her. She glanced through the closing door at Alexander, grimacing at him as though to say the decision had been made for her.

Teddy looked tired, but not tired enough to admonish her. Before he could speak she said, "Just trying to help. Wanted to make sure he actually got here."

Teddy sighed, shaking his head. "Well, that's not your job." She offered a shrug and he sighed again, dropping his head before patting her shoulder. He moved towards the door.

"Teddy," she said, giving him pause. "He did do those things. And I'm pretty mad about it. I think... enough people might be mad. For right now at least."

He narrowed his eyes on her, trying to understand. But she only shrugged and turned on her heels to head towards her dorm.


Teddy waited a few moments. He'd heard enough from the others to gather that Alexander had given an attempt at an apology, but had once again struggled with the act of letting other people do as they pleased. The boy didn't know how to let others alone, which made sense for an only child. Still at fifteen, that lesson needed to be learned.

Enough people are mad.

He'd heard nothing from Greengrass' parents, which was concerning in and of itself. He ran through what he knew, trying to figure out a way forward, but it was Lily's face that kept coming back to him. He thought of Albus and James. If they'd done the same, he'd be livid. But he'd also be concerned.

He opened the door and was pointed to Alexander's bed, where he was being examined by the Matron. He nodded to her before glancing at Alexander. He summoned a chair and sat, waiting for the examination to be completed.

Alexander had been led to a bed where he sat watching the door, a pang of disappointment hit him when it opened, and it wasn’t Lily but instead Teddy Lupin. He shifted uncomfortably as Mr. Lupin came and sat on the side of his bed. Keeping his mouth shut as the older woman looked over the damage the girls had done in their altercation. He refused to look at Lupin during the process. He just wanted this to be over with.

The matron tended to the boy quickly before setting out a tonic to help alleviate the pain. She glanced at Teddy and he nodded back at her, before he was left alone with the Slytherin boy.

"I thanked Miss Potter and asked to speak with you alone," he said, a little bit of a stretch of the truth but certainly something he would have done. "I've had a chat with the others involved but I want to hear your perspective on what happened today, and what has been unfolding." He spoke gently and his eyes were earnest with their desire to understand.

Alex shifted his gaze towards Teddy, but quickly averted his eyes and huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I suppose you've heard everything," he grumbled, eager to get the punishment over with. His eyes drifted back to the door, wishing that Lily were beside him instead of Lupin. “Not sure what I could tell you that would change anything. Kane is good at telling you everything that happens around her.” his tone was sour and apprehensive all at the same time. "So can we just get this over with?"

Teddy, remembering what Lily had said, did not take Greengrass' defensiveness as an invitation to push in further.

"Miss Kane did tell me her version of events," he affirmed. "Which is why I'm here asking about yours. Mr. Greengrass.... Alexander." He tried to hold eye contact with the boy. "I want to know how I can help you. You seem... unhappy."

Alexander's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the professor once more. He let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head dismissively. "What's the point? It won't make any difference," he muttered, his voice laced with bitterness. He rolled his eyes, conveying his disbelief that his input would have any impact on the situation. "You, Kane, Lily... you've all made up your minds already. Nothing I say will change that," he continued, his tone tinged with resignation. As he spoke, the boy fidgeted anxiously under Teddy's watchful gaze, unsure of why the professor was pretending to care. Alexander couldn't help but feel like no one truly cared about him, and even those who did care ultimately ended up leaving him. His words and body language conveyed a sense of helplessness and frustration, suggesting that he has lost hope in the situation.

"I understand you feel that way," he said, nodding. He'd tried to reality check with the kid already and that had done little. He wondered what affirmations and holding space could do. "And I'm sure you don't think it'll help. But I am asking to hear your side. My mind is not made up."

Interesting his concern with how Lily perceived him. Teddy was starting to believe the two were more acquainted that he'd thought.

Alex let out a deep sigh, feeling impatient and frustrated with the situation. He spoke up, his voice laced with a sense of resignation. "I went over to apologize to her for what happened during our last meeting," he said, his words clipped and concise. He didn't mention the two other encounters he had with Maddison since his last meeting with the professor, perhaps indicating a sense of shame or embarrassment. "But she didn't want to listen," he continued, his tone tinged with hurt and disappointment. "She just punched me," he finished, his words choked off and strained, as if it pained him to admit that he had tried to do the right thing and still ended up getting hurt. Alex's demeanor and tone suggest that he is feeling hurt and frustrated by the situation, and his brief words hint at a deeper emotional turmoil brewing beneath the surface. Again, he left out the detail how he had lashed out in anger.

Teddy was getting a good idea of what had gone down. Obviously, Alexander's previous behavior was of great concern to him. But he'd grown up regaled of stories of redemption and change by two war heroes, of bad people finding the light. And even more stories of good people making bad choices, and how that didn't define him. While Teddy wished Alex had never done what he had done, he'd of course rather the boy get better and be better for it.

"I've spoken with them about violence. As you know, and as we've discussed, I have zero tolerance for abuse of any kind," he said. "Dyllan especially who seemed to intercede will be facing consequences."

He paused. "May I ask... Kane mentioned she rejected the apology and this seemed to upset you. Last we left off, I didn't get the impression you wanted to make an apology. Obviously, something must have changed. But why was it so upsetting to you that she didn't accept?"

Alexander let out a frustrated sigh, feeling annoyed at the topic of discussion. He knew that the school had a zero-tolerance policy, but it seemed like Kane was getting away with it once again. "It's not like it upset me or anything," he said defensively, "I wasn't trying to cause any trouble. I just wanted to apologize and make things right." He shifted uncomfortably, still feeling the sting of the punch from Kane. "I tried to get her attention again, but that's when she punched me," he admitted. "I just wanted to explain myself, but she wouldn't listen. I wanted to get it right," he said, the frustration in his voice clear. Alex's words and defensive tone suggest that he is feeling annoyed and misunderstood, believing that he was only trying to make amends, and that Kane's reaction was unwarranted. He hadn't lost his temper until she hit him, apologizing was proving to be hard.