𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 ( james potter! )

ii. ALL THE STARS

He'd given up trying to follow along and instead tried to figure out how Professor Soleil and Estelle knew each other. He hadn't noticed it until tonight, but their Professor smiled at Estelle more than she did anyone else when she answered a question correctly, and she was also the only person who she called by their first name. At first he thought it was because they had grown close due to their shared love of astronomy, but he had a feeling they'd known each other prior to Estelle coming to Hogwarts.

With narrowed eyes, he looked back and forth between the two, trying to see the connection. They weren't related, that much he knew. He was stumped, but he wasn't about to admit defeat and ask Estelle herself.

"James, quit your detective work. She's my godmother." Estelle held back a laugh at his shocked expression, her brown eyes glinting with amusement. "You're absolutely horrible at being subtle, did you know that?"

He frowned, sending her a dirty look. "I do now,"

"I'll explain it to you after class. For now, try to pay attention so you can actually learn something. Astronomy isn't that hard once you understand the basics."

He crossed his arms with a huff as she turned away, refocusing her attention towards Professor Soleil. Even though she was no longer facing him, he could see her smiling. She was loving this. And he was not.

When the lesson was over a good forty five minutes later, she laughed at his bored expression as she gathered her books. "Relax, James, no need to get your knickers in a twist."

"Don't tell me what to do!" He shouted. Estelle watched in amusement as he looked down as if he was about to cross his arms, dramatically of course, but then realized he already had. It was a rather entertaining display where she witnessed him lose just a little bit of his dignity.

"It was a suggestion, not an order," she responded, sounding as if she was holding back a laugh. Which she was, of course.

"Stop laughing at me and maybe I will," he mumbled, and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on, James, would you like to know or not?" She asked, urging him to move. He was still standing by his seat, looking at her with a slight scowl. "And stop pouting," she added.

"Fine," he said, arms still crossed, striding towards the door. When they exited, the Marauders were on the other side of the door, but James didn't even acknowledge them and kept walking. She stopped, shook her head, and turned to the three boys.

"Is he always like this?"

"Pretty much," Remus shrugged.

"It gets worse," Peter offered.

"He'll get over it eventually, he just likes being a moody prat." Sirius gave her a grin and she laughed.

She nodded at them slowly, turning towards the direction James went. "Right, thanks." As she left, spotting him further down the corridor, they heard her mutter to herself, "Good Merlin, what have I gotten myself into?"

When she reached him twenty seconds later, his expression was laced with amusement—not irritation or however you could describe the way he looked before. He cracked a smile and she rolled her eyes again as she smiled back. "I thought you wanted an explanation about Professor Soleil?"