I Fancy You: James Sirius Potter

5. A New Trouble

Once we're all done with tea, we thank Hagrid and head out to the next spot. "Why didn't you tell me about that?" I whisper to James while the other guys walk ahead.
"I sound paranoid don't I?" He looks down at me.
"No, James. They said your last name. I'm going to make sure to keep a close eye on Albus, too. Hopefully he and Scorpius stay in the common room today." I furrow my brow and feel James rub my back a bit.
"Albus will be okay. I wouldn't let anything happen to him, okay?" James says reassuringly.
"What about you though? Who's going to protect you?" I look back up at him and we accidentally run into the guys. "Oof! Sorry. Second time I've done- WAIT! James you said Flick from Ravenclaw? I ran into him today. He was coming back from the lake while I was heading over there to meet you," I tell him. "He looked pretty rough, too."
James sighs, "I'm telling you two he's up to something. It's not about quidditch I can feel it."
"Mate, we'll deal with him alright? Can we drop this for today?" Desmond crosses his arms as we approach a huge tree. James agrees to drop the subject.
"Ellie?" James pulls me to him and I feel my whole body want to catch on fire. "You're one of us right? So... So we're about to show you something you cannot under any circumstances tell anyone ever, okay?"
"Uhhh... okay," I say slightly nervous. Conor gives Desmond a thumbs up and before my eyes I watch him transform into a beautiful bird. "What the hell just happened?" I look over at James who's laughing at my reaction.
Desmond the bird flies over to the tree and dodges a swinging branch. Before the tree can take another swing, Desmond pecks at a little knot at the bottom of the trunk and the tree stops moving. James grabs my hand and we all (including Desmond the bird) slide down a dark hole at the base of the tree. I land right on top of James and even in the dark I can feel us both blush. He helps me off of him and then helps me up. Conor lights his wand up and suddenly Desmond is Desmond again.
"You're an animagus?" I ask I'm disbelief.
"Yeah," he says while shrugging casually. "I'm not registered though, so you really can't say anything!"
"I promise I won't but holy crap that's impressive," I tell him. Desmond looks proud of himself and lights his wand up as well. "Where are we?" I look to James.
"Under the whomping willow and soon we'll be in the shrieking shack," James tells me as if I have any idea what any of that meant. He takes my hand and helps guide me as Conor and Desmond take the lead. I feel so good with his hand in mine. He must feel it too because he's yet to let go. Everything inside me wishes we were alone again.
James looks down at me smirking as if he could read my mind. I glance up at him and squeeze his hand. "So what's the shrieking shack?" I ask them.
"My dad told me about it," James answers. "The original James Potter used to come here with his friends. Lupin used it to transform during full moons so that everyone at Hogwarts would be safe," he explains.
"Now we all come here and sneak into Hogsmead sometimes," Conor tells me.
"Couldn't do it without Des of course. The tree would crush us if he couldn't unarm it," James says while patting Desmond on the back.
Desmond looks back and winks at me. Once we reach the shack entrance the guys watch my face light up at all of the personal touches they've put into it. They show me where the three of them left handprints in paint on the wall their second year. I smile as I trace them with my finger. Their hands were so tiny. Conor puts his hand over his second year handprint and laughs at how big he's gotten.
"You should put your hand on there, Ellie." Desmond nudges me.
"No way! You guys have something so special here," I say.
"Yeah but you're one of us now," says James. "Come on!" James starts chanting my name and the other two join in until I agree to let them paint my hand. James grabs the paint and slowly, looking into my eyes, paints my fingertips down to my palm. A rush of heat floods my body. Why is he so hot?
The guys all clap when I put my handprint on the wall next to James's tiny little hand. The four of us hang out in the shack for the rest of the afternoon, eating whatever snacks they've hidden and laughing and telling stories. At one point I look around at them laughing and my heart feels so big. These three and my two boys back in the Slytherin common room. This is my family here. I wish Dylan was here. He'd be absolutely obsessed with James.

That night in the Slytherin common room, the boys and I play a round of the muggle game two truths and a lie.
"Okay here's one! I've produced a patronus, I've never kissed anyone, and I actually don't hate pumpkin juice that much," Albus smiles.
Scorpius furrows his brows and says, "you've never kissed anyone?"
"Is that your guess?" Albus looks back at him.
"No! My guess is the patronus thing. There's no way," Scorpius grins.
"I'll say the pumpkin juice," I tell them.
Albus smiles so big and shakes his head. "You're both wrong," he says with the cheekiest grin.
Scorpius darts up from where he was laying on the floor. "What do you mean? Who have you kissed?"
"You're more worried about that than what my patronus is?" Albus sits up now too.
"Well... who was it?" Scorpius crosses his arms.
"Jenny Arbor," Albus says unemotionally.
"Jen- JENNY ARBOR?" Scorpius yells. We look around at the other Slytherins staring at us for just a moment. "When did you kiss her? And by the way Jenny is a name way too close to Ginny. You know, your mum's name?"
"You should be happy for me you know! And you still haven't asked about my patronus!" Albus glares at his best friend.
"What's your patronus, Albus?" I try to break the tension.
"It's an Asp. The snake. At least I think so. It wasn't a full patronus so I couldn't really tell. Anyway, my dad works at the ministry and they had a summer class of defense against the dark arts. I was the only one who could produce even a partial patronus. James was so burnt up about it," Albus giggles.
Scorpius doesn't say anything but lays back down. Albus looks over at me and I shrug. "I'm going to go change for the night. Goodnight you two," Albus says running up to his dorm.
Scorpius is still quiet. "Hey," I prod him with my foot.
"Yeah?" He says, not moving.
"You'll have to tell him some day you know? He can't read your mind," I tell him.
At this, he sits up giving me a look. "What do you mean?" He asks. I sigh and shake my head. Maybe he doesn't even know yet. He sighs too and joins me on the couch. Quietly, he confesses, "I do know what you mean. I just wish he did. Or I wish I didn't."
"You don't mean that, Scorpius. It's good to know. You won't waste your time on the wrong people." I move his hair out of his sweet face. "He'll figure it out one day, too."
"I'm scared," he tells me. His voice is so small. He is so small in general. I pull him into a big hug and squeeze him a bit.
"You're braver than you know," I tell him. "And one day when I'm at yours and Albus's wedding I'll remind you of that," I chuckle as he lets out a small laugh.
"I guess I should head up to bed," he tells me and gives me one last hug. "Goodnight, Ellie."
"Goodnight, Scorpius." I watch him walk off and feel a sting in my eyes. How can I love these boys so much after only knowing them all for a week?