It was supposed to be private. He hadn't realised that the wards had fucked up - he was only in his fourth year and these wards were new, he was bound to get it wrong at some point. Girls again, girls and fucking Purebloods always sticking their self-righteous over-privelieged self-entitled noses into everything; so they read what was supposed to be private and didnt like it, so what? Would it have been that difficult to treat it privately? Clearly it would, he knew people like that had to comment on everything and anything to feel important, because they thought they were the most important, because they thought only their opinions mattered and everyone had to think like them.
Jimmy had only brought him back to more of the same and he felt more and more claustrophobic - when even his personal thoughts cost him house points and intereference from the very people he was trying to avoid because of a stupid mistake he felt like he had nowhere to go. Like a mouse pinned by a cat. Like he was pinned by his cousins when they were bored. He was suffocating and as much as he tried to fight to breathe he felt that he was only further held down.
He wished that Jimmy had left him at the Hog's Head, still felt that shock at seeing the other boy raise his wand to him but more than that, he remembered Jimmy's tears and his torn feet and his desperation to bring Alex back and all for him, just because Jimmy wanted him safe. Jimmy had always been his friend, often his only friend, the only person in his corner but he'd been sure that the boy had come to his senses after Alex had been unable to apologise and had dumped him. Alex couldn't think of any other reaction, but then Jimmy had burst into his room and cried for him, like he still cared.
It didn't make any sense to Alex but it had still happened and he'd been quiet, in detention and class and the dorm, trying to make sense of Jimmy's actions.
He made his way out to the bridge, not dressed for the cold becayse this was more important. He caught sight of Jimmy and, to his credit, didn't look around in case of ambush. He put what little trust he had in humanity into Jimmy and approached without looking over his shoulder. "Hey." As openers went it was all he could think of to say.