Welcome to the castle
: ̗̀➛ James
I was in the great hall, along with everyone else.
We'd just come back to Hogwarts, and it was time for the first year sorting.
The events of the night before were still replaying in my mind, rent-free. Belle Hawthorn. I would be called a liar if I said she was pretty. Because she wasn't, no.
She was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The word beautiful wouldn't do her justice.
Her face was reminiscent of a Renaissance masterpiece, with delicate features that seem to be chiseled by an expert hand. Her hair cascaded in soft waves, glinting like spun gold in the sunlight.
Oh yeah, and she was nowhere to be seen.
I had expected to see her on the train, not that I wanted to. But it was always better to keep an eye on potential nuisances. I couldn't risk Lily hearing about the whole betrothed thing, from her.
I may also feel a little sense of guilt or remorse at the idea of potentially hurting her, as she didn't seem to mind the idea of the marriage all that much. I worried that my feelings for Lily would cause her pain.
Sensing a gaze on me, I turned my head quickly to my left and met the green eyes of the girl I'd been blushing over not even 2 hours ago.
I could feel my heart race slightly as Lily moved her head and met my gaze. I couldn't help but admire her beautiful red hair that had grown longer during the summer, or the way her emerald green eyes widened slightly when they met mine.
Yet I saw someone else when she looked back at me. Blinking fast, I clear my throat and draw in a deep breath to shun the headache that came with a flash of wavy blond hair and earthly hues.
"Were we that small when we started?" Sirius said from beside him, nodding toward the marching first years.
Remus turned his head, so he was facing his whispering friend. And a small grin along with a slightly mischievous look covered his face as he leaned slightly closer and whispered back.
"If I remembered correctly, you were smaller."
Sirius took a sharp breath, and he looked as if someone had insulted his entire life. Pulling away from his friend, he put his hand on his heart and gave a disbelieving look. "Take that back."
A smile grew on my lips as I witnessed the banter between my two friends. Though I wasn't going to say it, I agreed with Remus. The former Black heir had been the shortest until he had hit his growing stage the summer before third year.
I remembered it well, considering how much I used to tease them in second year as I was the tallest.
After the sorting, instead of Dumbledore's usual speech, there was silence. A hush came over the great hall.
I look toward the doors, eyes widening slightly once my gaze fell on my fiancée— well, no since I had no plans of marrying her. So more like a supposed fiancée, walking in.
From beside me, Sirius whistles.
: ̗̀➛ no one
"Now that's what I call a fine-looking lady." Padfoot acknowledged, causing James to narrow his eyes slightly at him.
"Remember the whole arranged marriage thing I told you about?" He asked, and once Sirius nodded, James pointed toward Belle.
"That's her."
Sirius' eyes widened, and he looked back in forth between the girl who was getting sorted and James. "You're actually giving up on that, for a chick that doesn't even like you back?" He asked in disbelief.
Remus on the other hand, was staring thoughtfully at Belle, eyebrows raising once the hat yelled 'Gryffindor.' He noticed the blond looking toward James hopefully as if she successfully convinced the hat to put her in the same house as him.
Before any of them knew it, she reached their table.
"Hi, James." She smiled not in a seductive way, but a genuine one, glad that there was at least one familiar face in the sea of students.
James was about to respond when he caught Lily's green-eyed stare watching the exchange intensely.
Blinking fast, James clears his throat and fixes his glasses. "We don't know each other like that." He mumbled, looking to the side in hopes of avoiding Belle's stare.
Belle felt the hot flush of shame begin to rise. People around her gave her surprised looks, not even attempting to hide their interest in the interaction.
"That's rich considering we're to marry each other." She retorted, refusing to be deterred and risk disappointing her mother.
Whispers instantly broke out.
James looked worriedly over to Lily, whose eyebrows were raised in surprise. She didn't look upset or anything, which stung James.
"And as I said, that's not going to happen." He sternly responded.
"I don't see what you're complaining about, She's much better than what we ever laid our eyes on." Sirius shrugged from beside him, causing Belle's frown to deepen.
"What's her nickname for you? Arrogant toerag?" Lily suddenly chimed in, zeroing in on the Gryffindor.
"That's only reserved for you." He winked at Lily, and she stared back at him, unimpressed. Sensing her resentment, James turned back to Belle, stood up, and draped his arm around her shoulder. "Tell her that you like me."
Belle stood frozen on the spot for a moment, the weight and warmth of his arm suddenly the only thing she could focus on.
She slipped out from under his arm though. Remaining silent as she didn't know what to say that wouldn't make him feel extremely embarrassed, but she didn't fail to catch his half-gleeful smirk.
"You don't get to treat people so high-handedly just because you're prefect this year," Lily huffed. She shook her head, giving her tumbling and tangling hair a vigorous and determined toss. She glanced back at Belle, her face taking on a patient and friendly expression. "Are you all right?"
"I am, thanks." Belle tried smiling, but it was obviously forced. Lily nodded, and even if she pretended not to didn't like it, her eyes told a very different story.
Now Belle knew why James was so adamant about refusing the betrothal. And damn didn't it irritate her.
Why would her parents force her to seduce a boy who liked another?
It wasn't fair.
She'd even begged the hat to sort her into Gryffindor. All of that mentally draining battle, all for this.
" If it comes down to it, would you run away from my marriage with me, Lily flower ?" James asked, tilting his head like a puppy would and earning an elbow to the rib from Remus.
All Lily did was roll her eyes and go back to talking with her friend.
Belle's hands formed fists, and the blond had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying something unseemly. All of this trouble for a girl who didn't even give him the time of the day.
Pathetic.
Wordlessly, Belle turned on her heels and walked out of the great hall, oblivious to the blue eyes of a certain Gryffindor which followed her every move.
She already hated Hogwarts.