On his way back from Hagrid's hut, he had run into Vivian, who was heading to watch the Quidditch match.
Feeling unusually generous with his time, he decided to join her, even if the game itself didn't excite him much.
Alex's flying skills were average at best. He had decent balance and could stay steady on a broom, but he never cared enough to excel. Every time he flew, his mind wandered to combat scenarios—he imagined how vulnerable one would be in an aerial battle, moving too slowly and becoming an easy target. To him, broomstick flying wasn't worth the effort.
Vivian, on the other hand, was a natural. She picked up flying quickly, and by her second class, she was already pulling off simple maneuvers in the air. Discovering she had a talent for something Alex wasn't good at only fueled her excitement for broomsticks, and she had become obsessed with the idea of flying ever since.
"Who's playing today?" Alex asked as they walked, trying to make conversation. "I've heard these matches can go on for hours. How can anyone find that interesting?"
Vivian looked at him, shocked. "Are you serious, Alex? You're in Slytherin! Don't you know we're playing against Gryffindor today? Merlin's beard, do you live under a rock? You never seem to care about anything unless it involves hiding in your room all day."
Alex raised an eyebrow, realizing what was driving her excitement. "Ah, now I get it. You're not here for the game, are you? You just want to see the drama between the two houses."
"Of course I want to watch the game! And I do love some good drama," Vivian replied, not backing down. "Unlike you, who never has fun. You're only ever interested in your books."
"Trust me, if you knew where the real fun in this world was, you wouldn't be so eager to watch people chase after a flying ball," Alex shot back, rolling his eyes but still following her lead.
As they neared the Quidditch pitch, Vivian kept chattering excitedly about the rules of Quidditch, something Alex was already familiar with, thanks to Charles explaining it to him on the train ride to Hogwarts. Vivian's enthusiasm was relentless, and Alex found himself contemplating casting a Silencio spell on her just to get some peace.
"It's said that in one Quidditch match, someone pulled out a machete and tried to decapitate the goalkeeper!" Vivian exclaimed, moving on to Quidditch legends.
Suddenly, her attention shifted. "Hey, isn't that Charles? Why's he standing there alone?"
Alex followed her gaze and saw Charles near the entrance of the Quidditch pitch, standing by himself.
Without hesitation, Vivian rushed over to greet him.
"Charles! Long time no see. Are you here to watch the game too? Why are you just standing here?" she asked cheerfully.
Charles smiled when he saw them approaching. "Vivian, Alex, good to see you both. I'm just waiting for some classmates. We've got seats upstairs, and I'm leading the way for the ones who come later."
Turning to Alex, Charles added, "I haven't seen much of you lately, Alex. You're either missing from class or too focused on your own things. I also wanted to thank you for what happened last time."
"There's no need to bring that up," Alex said quickly, keeping his tone light but not wanting to delve into the topic. "The situation between our houses is tense enough as it is."
Charles nodded in understanding, and wisely dropped the subject. However, the brief exchange sparked Vivian's curiosity, and she began looking between the two of them with a knowing smile.
Before anyone could say more, a sharp, mocking voice cut through the air.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Gryffindor idiots hanging around with Slytherins? Don't you know mixing with these fools will make you just as stupid?" Travers sneered as he sauntered over, his eyes filled with disdain.
Charles frowned and immediately snapped back, "Shove off, Travers. I don't want to see your ugly face anywhere near us."
Vivian wasn't having it either. "Travers, mind your own business. I can talk to whoever I want."
Alex, however, remained calm, not even bothering to address Travers. He simply watched with a neutral expression, not letting Travers get under his skin.
Travers, seeing how Vivian and Charles dismissed him, grew angrier. He turned his sneer toward Alex. "Hmph, Gryffindor idiots and a filthy Mudblood. What a lovely combination. Alex, you're a disgrace to Slytherin. And you, Vivian, don't you feel ashamed to associate with this scum? You're tainting the Bulstrode family's name."
Alex finally spoke, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Ah, yes, because the great and noble Travers family is so honorable, right? Aside from being the Dark Lord's lapdogs, what else are you known for? Spreading rumors and barking like a dog. You'd better be careful, Travers. One day, the master might kick you for barking too loudly, especially with that big mouth of yours spewing nonsense like you've just come out of the toilet."
"You… how dare you!" Travers turned red with anger, his hand reaching for his wand. His temper was flaring, and he was moments away from starting a duel right there.
Alex, however, didn't flinch. If Travers wanted to make the first move, he was more than ready to teach him a lesson.
Just as tensions reached their peak, a stern voice interrupted the brewing conflict. "What's going on here? Why are you blocking the entrance to the stadium?"
Professor McGonagall appeared, her face serious as she eyed the group. Travers, who had been moments away from drawing his wand, paled. He was clearly furious but didn't dare act in front of a professor. His face twisted with frustration, but he held back, his eyes filled with hatred.
"Nothing, Professor," Travers muttered, storming off toward the entrance. His face was flushed with rage, but he kept his head down, not wanting to challenge McGonagall.
After watching him leave, McGonagall turned to the remaining three students. "I suggest you all head inside and enjoy the match. Don't cause any more trouble."
With that, she gave them a final stern look before heading into the stadium herself.
Once McGonagall was out of earshot, Vivian let out a breath of relief. "Whew, that was close. Travers is such a jerk. I can't stand him."
Alex just shrugged. "Don't let him get to you. People like him are all bark and no bite. Come on, let's get inside before we miss the start of the game."
With that, the three of them made their way into the Quidditch pitch, ready to watch the match—though Alex was far more interested in the entertainment off the field than anything happening in the game itself.