The discovery of the Leviathan had left a tangible tension hanging over Alex and his companions. Though they had pledged to stay away from the lake and let Professor Radwick handle the investigation, the group couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched—not by the professor, but by something far older and far more dangerous. For Alex, the weight of the mystery pressed heavily on his mind, but it was the subtle shifts in his relationships with Imogen and Lily that truly gave him pause. Their interactions, once easy and unguarded, had taken on a strange intensity. Even Malcolm, typically oblivious to tension, had started to notice.
The Great Hall buzzed with the hum of breakfast chatter, but the Slytherin table was unusually quiet. Alex sat with his usual poise, carefully buttering a slice of toast, his silver eyes scanning the room. Beside him, Imogen picked at a bowl of porridge, her gaze distant.
"You're distracted," Alex said, his voice low enough that only she could hear.
Imogen glanced at him, her gray eyes narrowing. "What gave it away?"
"You haven't insulted Malcolm in at least ten minutes," Alex replied dryly.
Imogen smirked faintly, but the expression didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just tired. Too much thinking, not enough sleep."
"Thinking about the lake?"
"Among other things." She hesitated, then leaned in slightly. "Do you ever get the feeling that we're missing something? That there's more to all of this than we realize?"
Alex nodded, his expression unreadable. "Constantly."
Before Imogen could respond, Lily appeared, sliding into the seat across from them. She was slightly out of breath, her curls wild from the brisk morning wind.
"Morning," she said, flashing a quick smile. "Did I miss anything exciting?"
"Just Imogen being introspective," Alex said.
"Must be serious," Lily said, raising an eyebrow at the other girl.
"Don't get used to it," Imogen shot back, though there was no real bite in her tone.
Lily grinned and turned her attention to Alex. "Any word from Radwick?"
"Not yet," Alex said. "I'm not surprised. He's thorough. He'll want to make sure he has answers before involving us again."
"Do you trust him?" Lily asked, her tone suddenly serious.
Alex considered the question carefully. "I trust that his goals align with ours—for now."
"Not exactly a glowing endorsement," Lily said, though she didn't seem surprised.
"It's the truth," Alex said simply.
Later that morning, the trio found themselves in Charms class, practicing more advanced variations of the Levitation Charm. Professor Flitwick flitted around the room, offering encouragement and corrections in his usual enthusiastic manner. Alex's feather floated gracefully above his desk, his wand movements precise and fluid. Imogen's hovered erratically, wobbling as if caught in a breeze.
"Imogen, your wrist needs to be looser," Alex said, glancing at her feather.
"I know," she muttered, her tone clipped. She flicked her wand again, and the feather shot upward before plummeting back onto the desk.
"You're overthinking it," Alex said.
Imogen glared at him. "And you're being annoyingly perfect, as usual."
Alex raised an eyebrow but said nothing, sensing that further advice would only irritate her more. From across the room, Lily watched the exchange with a thoughtful expression. Her own feather floated steadily, but she barely seemed to notice, her attention fixed on Alex and Imogen.
After class, the tension finally boiled over.
"Is something wrong?" Alex asked as they walked down the corridor toward their next lesson.
"No," Imogen said curtly.
"You've been on edge all morning," Alex said, his voice calm but firm.
Imogen stopped abruptly, turning to face him. "And you haven't? You've been acting like nothing's wrong, like we didn't just wake up something that could destroy the entire school."
"I'm not ignoring it," Alex said evenly. "But panicking won't help."
"Panicking? Is that what you think I'm doing?" Imogen snapped.
"Imogen," Lily interjected, her voice sharp. "This isn't helping."
Imogen whirled on her. "And you're fine with all of this? You're fine with just sitting back and waiting for Radwick to tell us what to do?"
Lily hesitated, her expression conflicted. "I'm not fine with it, but Alex is right. We can't afford to lose our heads."
Imogen let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "I just— I hate not knowing what's coming."
Alex stepped closer, his voice softening. "We'll figure it out. Together."
Imogen met his gaze for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But if Radwick takes too long, we're going back to the lake."
That evening, Alex was summoned to Professor Radwick's office alone. The professor's expression was grim as he gestured for Alex to sit.
"I found something," Radwick said, his voice low.
"What is it?" Alex asked.
Radwick placed a worn book on the desk between them, its leather cover cracked with age. The pages were filled with dense, flowing script and intricate diagrams.
"This is one of the few surviving texts that mention the Leviathan," Radwick said. "It confirms what I suspected—the runes were meant to bind it indefinitely. But the bindings are failing faster than I anticipated."
"How much time do we have?" Alex asked.
"Days, perhaps," Radwick said grimly. "Maybe less."
Alex's chest tightened. "What can we do?"
Radwick's gaze hardened. "We need to rebind it. But the process is dangerous. It will require both immense magical power and precise control."
"Can you do it?" Alex asked.
"I'll need help," Radwick admitted. "And I'll need you and your companions to stay out of the way. This is not something I can risk you interfering with."
Alex nodded slowly, though unease gnawed at him. "What happens if it doesn't work?"
Radwick's expression darkened. "If it fails, the Leviathan will awaken fully. And there will be nothing left to stop it."
When Alex returned to the common room, Imogen and Lily were waiting for him by the fire. Their faces were expectant, their tension palpable.
"What did he say?" Lily asked.
Alex hesitated before answering. "The bindings are failing. Radwick is preparing to rebind it, but he says it's dangerous. He doesn't want us involved."
"Of course he doesn't," Imogen muttered. "And you're just going to listen to him?"
"For now," Alex said, though his voice lacked conviction.
Lily frowned. "You're not telling us everything."
Alex met her gaze, his expression conflicted. "If he fails, the Leviathan will wake. And we'll have to deal with the consequences."
The room fell silent, the gravity of his words settling over them like a heavy weight.
Finally, Imogen spoke, her voice quiet but resolute. "Then we need to be ready."
Alex nodded, his silver eyes reflecting the flickering firelight. "Agreed."