𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐌 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊!───james potter

chapter one!

OCTOBER is Vera's favorite month of the year.

That transition from the warmth of the sun casting a golden glow on her skin to the cool breeze kissing her neck and littering her skin with love bites of the autumn. The clouds seem to get bigger, a little more gray, cry a little more. Vera loves finding leaves of various colors hiding in her dark curls. She loves jumping into piles of leaves, though some might say she is too old for that now. She doesn't care what anyone says.

She is forever a child in October.

Both her mother and her younger sister were born in October. Her father, ever the outcast, was born in March. Vera herself missed the deadline by a mere two days. She was born November second.

And that's not to mention her absolute favorite holiday of the year is in October. Halloween.

A day where she gets to dress up and be whoever the hell she wants to be while getting free treats? Could it get any better?

Before she started at Hogwarts—before she even knew Hogwarts existed—her parents used to take her, her brother, and her sister to this carnival every year. It only came during the last week of October, and Vera looked forward to it the entire year.

Those were the few times where her mother and father never argued, never disagreed on anything, never fought.

As a kid, Vera didn't truly understand what love was. She thought her parents had it, but then they started fighting, which later led to a divorce.

It wasn't messy in any way but rather amicable. They agreed on shared custody of their son and two daughters, so Vera, Adonis, and Elodie spent alternating weeks with their parents. It helps that they live in the same city.

The months after the divorce were intense, with Vera walking on eggshells with both of her parents, but they soon became friends again the way they were in their university days when they met.

Sometimes, selfishly, Vera wishes that her parents were not on such good terms. It's not that she likes the fact that they're divorced or wants to hear them arguing constantly. It's just that it's ruined her entire perception of love and marriage.

How can you love someone, break it off, and still be friends afterward as if you never once shared your greatest moments and deepest regrets with them?

Vera shakes the thought out of her head, promptly going back to October.

Crisp air, pink tinted cheeks, pumpkin pie, pumpkins. October is everything anyone could possibly want in a month.

This is what she's thinking as she walks down the streets of Hogsmeade when Nora Silvers—Vera's best friend to her misfortune—locks her arm around Vera's and beams at her.

Nora is...how can Vera describe her?

Loud.

Obnoxious.

Irritating.

The epitome of sunshine.

She is also the most amazing person to ever exist on this doomed planet.

If asked, Vera will deny she ever thought such a thing.

Blowing away a loose strand of blonde hair, Nora quirks an eyebrow at the taller girl. Just as her name suggests, her gray eyes twinkle into a rare silver color that resembles nothing but mischief.

"I swear, Vera, if you were thinking about that toe rag, Potter, again I'll strangle you."

Well. She wasn't before, but now she certainly is.