【 CHAPTER FIVE 】
━━━━ ACCIO ━━━━
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"YOU'RE KIDDING," Dominique said in disbelief as she stared at the brightly colored piece of paper that Laurel had shoved into her hands, along with four other pairs of hands. "You really didn't just sign us up to tutor first-years, Laurel. This is ridiculous."
⠀⠀"All right, fine," Laurel sighed, snatching the paper away from Dominique's hand. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to."
⠀⠀"Good, I'm terrible at teaching," Callen said, relieved as she gave Laurel the paper back. Laurel felt defeated as she felt like she was the only one willing to help first-years. She turned to the three boys who had managed to squeeze themselves into the smaller couch across from the girls.
⠀⠀They were all in the Gryffindor common room, which was empty, since everyone else was outside, enjoying a cool day of autumn. The six of them, however, were stuck inside upon Laurel's request. James was already out of the hospital wing, making his way through recovery with great progress. It was halfway through the month of October, and the trees were changing hues so quickly that Laurel couldn't keep up.
⠀⠀"The three of us have Quidditch practice—" Asher began.
⠀⠀"It's only every other day," Laurel insisted, as Evan and Asher exchanged a look while James was still looking down at the paper, his glasses slipping down his nose. "The tutoring days are the days you're available."
⠀⠀"Laurel, I really like that you signed us up for this tutoring thing, but teaching first-years isn't really my bottle of butterbeer," Evan said honestly, as Asher made a grunt of agreement. Laurel sighed, nodding as she looked down at her shoes.
⠀⠀"I appreciate your honesty, Evan," she said, a tight smile forming on her lips. She took the papers that Asher and Evan were giving back to her, turning to James expectantly.
⠀⠀"Are you going to bail out too?" Laurel asked, trying not to sound too down about it all. She really expected more from the lot of them, but she guessed she was wrong.
⠀⠀"Actually," James said, looking up, pushing his glasses back up his nose, "I can make it. You can't do this on your own, can you?"
⠀⠀Laurel couldn't help but smile as everyone else looked at James incredulously, all except Dominique, who leaned back on the sofa. The redhead always seemed to know more, a smug smile planted on her face at her cousin.
⠀⠀"You can?" Laurel asked, her face brightening up immediately. "That's brilliant! The first session is on Tuesday afternoon right after regular classes end and we'll be helping in the Great Hall after it's all set up."
⠀⠀"Are you sure about this, mate?" Asher asked, his left eyebrow perked up. "You're really cutting down on Quidditch."
⠀⠀"Have you forgotten that I can't play for another month? I sort of got my bloody ribs broken by a bat," James said, lifting up his shirt and pointing at his side which was bandaged all the way around. "I've got a whole month to kill."
⠀⠀"Right," Asher said, sighing. "I still can't believe you,"—he jabbed a finger at Evan—"allowed Milligan to be on the team."
⠀⠀"He hit James hard enough to break his fucking left rib!" Evan exclaimed, pointing at James' shirt-covered ribs. "Besides, he was the only good player on the tryouts who could fill in the place for Beater. You're going to have to deal with him, Ash."
⠀⠀Asher sighed, getting a pat on the shoulders from James.
⠀⠀"You're not mad at Milligan?" Callen asked James. "He delayed your playing time."
⠀⠀"I'll admit, I was a little mad at first," James said, shrugging. "But it's alright. I guess he was too deep in the moment. I don't think he was thinking clearly."
⠀⠀"Are you thinking clearly?" Dominique asked incredulously.
⠀⠀James just laughed in response as everyone else did too, Dom rolling her eyes.
⠀⠀"So you forgive him?" Callen asked, almost incredulously.
⠀⠀"Yeah," James said, waving it off. "I mean, if he's going to be on the team now, might as well. Besides, I can't be on bad terms with everyone." He eyed Laurel, who caught his glance, both proceeding to look away right as their eyes met. Dominique, of course, noticed.
⠀⠀Everyone nodded, making noises of acknowledgement. Then Laurel perked up.
⠀⠀"Did Anderson make the team?" she asked. Callen and Dominique spared a glance her way, which she didn't notice. "His team, I mean."
⠀⠀"No, he didn't," James said, he motioned at Evan, who sat next to Asher, who was in the middle. "Evan says that he wasn't good enough."
⠀⠀"I never said th—"
⠀⠀"Stop lying," everyone except Laurel said unanimously.
⠀⠀"All right, I might've said that," Evan said, raising his hands in surrender. "I mean, he was the one that provoked Milligan in the first place. Besides, Wade said that."
⠀⠀"You mean he was the one who struck up a fight with Milligan first?" Laurel asked. Liam was problematic, but she didn't think he was that problematic.
⠀⠀"Yeah," Asher said. "I was there and then Liam decided to go off on Milligan because he accidentally aimed a Bludger at him. But Liam actually moved to where Milligan was aiming just to start something up with him."
⠀⠀"You know, when everyone came down to see if James was all right, he didn't," Callen said warily. "Something has been really up with him lately."
⠀⠀"I am famous, I mean—"
⠀⠀"James," everyone cut in exasperatedly, rolling their eyes or slapping their foreheads with their hands.
⠀⠀"Anyway," Laurel said, "ever since he wanted to start a fight with my brothers and was following me around, I'm sure something already had been up." She shook her head. "But whatever. He's none of our business so why don't we leave it at that?"
⠀⠀"You're right. Can we go out now?" Dominique asked, sitting up from leaning back on the couch.
⠀⠀Laurel waved her hand for them to go and all of them got up except her. Dominique and Callen casted her a confused look. "I'll catch up with you later," Laurel told the group. "I need to put these papers away and grab my sketchbook."
⠀⠀"Okay," Callen said, getting pulled out by Dominique promptly, who just nodded at Laurel.
⠀⠀Just when Laurel thought they were all gone, she turned around and found James sitting on the couch still, staring at her head. He was startled by the swift turn of her head, quickly averting is gaze to the empty fireplace. Laurel smiled inwardly to herself, getting up and plopping down next to him casually, their shoulders touching.
⠀⠀"Do you actually want to do these tutoring classes?" Laurel asked, following his gaze and staring at the fireplace as well. "Because if you really don't, you don't have to."
⠀⠀James turned to look at her and she turned back, locking eyes. She had no idea that he was now drowning in her ocean colored eyes, his stomach lurching as he realized how close they were. His eyes trailed down to her rosy lips, which were shaped into a smile. James had a sudden urge to press his lips against hers, to touch her, to make her his. But she wasn't his to love, she wasn't his to think about in that way. She wasn't his. She was her own. And he loved that about her.
⠀⠀"I'll do it," James said, his gaze not wavering despite his feelings. "It sounds like fun."
⠀⠀Laurel chuckled. "You know first-years. Not all of them are pleasant. Are you up for the challenge?"
⠀⠀"Are you challenging me, Laurel? Are you actually challenging me?" James asked, a bit of cockiness flashing through his brown eyes. Laurel didn't miss it.
⠀⠀She smirked a little. "Don't be so cocky, James. Of course I'm challenging you. Nothing seems to challenge you." Her eyebrow quirked slightly with mischief.
⠀⠀"Well, I love a challenge," James said, his smirk evident on his face.
⠀⠀"Then a challenge you will get," Laurel said, her smirk growing as she pulled back from him, getting up to go to her dormitory to grab her sketchbook and book like she had intended to, leaving James feeling slightly helpless as the warm body that was next to him just before was gone.
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LAUREL HAD A WARM woolen sweater on that hung slightly off her shoulder, while a scarlet and gold patterned scarf was wrapped loosely around her neck. She sat on the grass watching Asher, Dominique, and Callen throw Evan's shoe around while he tried to get it from them. Laurel had no idea how they had gotten a hold of it, since James and her arrived later than the other four, but it was certainly rather entertaining. James was sitting close to the playful group, a longing in his eyes to join them. But due to his injury, he was advised not to move too much. And by the looks of it, Evan could injure him pretty badly.
⠀⠀The blonde grinned as she opened her leather bundle of sharpened colored and graphite pencils, laying her sketchbook on her criss-crossed legs. She always loved autumn, not only because it might've been her name if Luna hadn't wanted to keep the 'L' streak going, but because the colors of the trees were absolutely stunning. If you were on a mountain and stared down, you would see rows and rows of different colored leaves and Laurel found that so breathtaking. As breathtaking as the sunset. Even though neither were on a canvas or a piece of paper, both were beautiful works of art.
⠀⠀Once someone had told her she was a work of art. That she was a masterpiece. That she was admired. That perhaps he would never stop admiring her. But then he did. And it broke her so much that she swore to never love again.
⠀⠀Sure, she recovered from it, rising like a phoenix from the ashes, fiery and vibrant in hot colors, but he had pushed it past the breaking point. Laurel knew she didn't need a boy to prove what she was worth, but maybe she had given too much of herself to him and all he did was smash it to pieces on the floor. It was after her revival that she realized that she was still a work of art, even if he stopped admiring. There was always one person who would admire her. And it was herself. It was all she needed to come back around and take a full swing at his pitiful face. She relished in the satisfaction of it all.
⠀⠀Laurel broke from her reverie when she heard someone sit down next to her, leaning back on the tree that she was under. It was James, who was wearing a navy blue woven hat, a black jacket, and a scarf that was identical to the one wrapped around Laurel's neck, his glasses sliding off his nose just for him to push them back up.
⠀⠀"Nice phoenix," he said, pointing at her sketch. She glanced down, not realizing that she had grabbed all the hot colors in her color pencil bundle and formed the curves of the phoenix's wings and body on the page. The colors were so perfectly matched; bright oranges mixed well with deep reds, with tinges of yellow highlighting certain parts that accentuated the majesty of the bird.
⠀⠀"Thanks," Laurel said, her voice quiet. "I didn't even know I drew this."
⠀⠀"Can I see it?" James asked, reaching for the book.
⠀⠀"You are seeing it," Laurel said dismissively, moving the sketchbook away from him, her eyes still on the phoenix.
⠀⠀"Laurel," James whined. "Please?"
⠀⠀"No," Laurel said firmly, closing the sketchbook and wrapping her bundle of colored pencils, shoving them back in her leather shoulder bag. "You're not getting it."
⠀⠀"Yes, I a—"
⠀⠀"James Sirius Potter, I will break your ribs again if you don't stay away!" Laurel threatened playfully, keeping her arm out straight, her fingers splayed, so he couldn't advance any further.
⠀⠀"Why can't I see it?" James asked, although he complied to Laurel's attempts at keeping him away, recoiling back to his spot on the tree, leaning back.
⠀⠀"Because you'll go through the entire book instead of just that drawing," Laurel said, pulling out a book to read instead. James was about to protest when she quickly cut him off. "And you know it!"
⠀⠀"Okay fine," James admitted. "I just think you're a really brilliant artist."
⠀⠀"Thanks," Laurel said again. She searched her mind for something James was good at. "You're a really great Chaser."
⠀⠀"Well, I can't play now that Milligan's broken my ribs," James said nonchalantly. There was no menace in his tone. It was just like he was spitting out facts.
⠀⠀"You can still teach me how to fly though, right?" Laurel asked, looking up at him from her book as she remembered. He couldn't help but melt a little as she looked at him.
⠀⠀"We can sneak into the Quiditch pitch if you'd like," James said, nudging Laurel with his shoulder playfully. Laurel rolled her eyes but chuckled a little.
⠀⠀"That's breaking the rules," Laurel said, shaking her head, a small smile spreading across her face, a mischievous glint in her blue eyes. "But then again, you're all for being against the rules."
⠀⠀"And right you are," James said, winking at Laurel, who didn't notice as she turned to look at the sky right as he winked at her.
⠀⠀"Do you see that?" Laurel asked, pointing up at the sky.
⠀⠀James looked up to see what she was pointing at, finding the translucent quarter moon residing in the sky, blending into the blue sky, the clouds surrounding it at just the right places. "The moon?"
⠀⠀"Yeah," Laurel said, her eyes still on it while James looked back at her. She looked absolutely breathtaking and James sighed a little. She could never be his. She wasn't his to keep.
⠀⠀He felt helpless around her. He sat there, his shoulders sagged, sagged in awe almost. James loved her, whether he would say so or not. And she would probably never know.
⠀⠀James smiled wistfully at her, looking back down at his shoes, his hands together as he fiddled with the hem of his plaid shirt. Laurel turned back from looking at the moon and stared at him for a little, trying to figure him out. She gave up eventually, shrugging it off as she pushed her blonde hair back, staring at her four standing friends, now playing around with Asher's hat. She chuckled a little then returned to her book.
⠀⠀James reminded Laurel of the moon sometimes. He hid in the day like the moon and only shone in the dark. She knew he hid his emotions well; he had layers to him. He came off as a little shit, but inside he had a kind heart. You just needed to know where to look and poke at. Other times he was like the sun, so bright, he was blinding. But sometimes, he burned too bright and everything that touched him would burn.
⠀⠀Curiousity filled Laurel, her blue eyes scanning his face as he looked at the glassy Black Lake with his chocolate brown eyes. She wanted to figure him out. Badly, now that she came to terms with it.
⠀⠀She smiled a little as she turned back to her open book. She was going to be able to figure him out soon enough.
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"I SWEAR, THEY'RE GETTING SMALLER and smaller every year," James commented as he entered the Great Hall with Laurel, who rolled her eyes in response. She turned around, stopping him in his tracks before he was able to continue walking.
⠀⠀"Yes, they're small, James," Laurel said, a small glint in her blue eyes, "but never underestimate the power of the small ones." She patted him lightly on his chest, turning back around and walking confidently through the Great Hall. She was wearing a brightly colored pair of dangling earrings, purple ribbons tying of her hair into two neat gold pigtails. Her cork necklace hung loosely around her neck, but the first-years didn't seem to mind.
⠀⠀As soon as James and Laurel reached a table where two professors sat at, they were immediately assigned to two first years who were both in Hufflepuff. As Laurel found hers, she couldn't help but chuckle. Who knew an eleven year old could be so adorable? The small girl was plump, her rosy cheeks and big dark brown eyes giving off an innocent vibe. She had dark skin and uncontrollably curly black hair that tumbled effortlessly down her back. She didn't seem to care. Her legs hung at least five inches above the floor, dangling from where she sat. She was so small for an eleven year old.
⠀⠀"Hi! You're Lavanya Patil?" Laurel asked merrily, plopping down next to the girl.
⠀⠀The girl smiled brightly, her smile quite innocent. Her brown eyes flashed the good kind of ignorance and immaturity. She had yet to be touched by the darkness of the world.
⠀⠀"Yes," she said with a heavy South Asian accent. "That is my name. It is the first time someone has said it right."
⠀⠀Laurel grinned. "Well, it's a beautiful name. I'm Laurel Scamander and I'm going to be your tutor for the rest of the semester, I believe."
⠀⠀"That's brilliant! I have heard all about your brothers. Did they actually flood the bathroom?" Lavanya rambled childishly.
⠀⠀The blonde laughed and lowered her voice. "Actually, the bathroom was already broken. They just made it worse."
⠀⠀Lavanya grinned mischievously. "Have you ever broken the rules, Laurel?"
⠀⠀Laurel shook her head as memories of her younger Hogwarts days of breaking the rules flashed through her mind. "Of course not."
⠀⠀Lavanya didn't respond for a moment. Then she smiled her adorable mischievous smile again. "You are lying."
⠀⠀"Am not!" Laurel replied playfully.
⠀⠀"Am too!"
⠀⠀Before Laurel could bite back with a response, James shushed her across the table. Laurel and Lavanya's heads snapped towards him, softly glaring.
⠀⠀"Shh! Castor and I are trying to study here!" James whispered loudly a little smirk on his face, scooting over to the girls with the little Asian boy he sat next too. The boy wore a pair of rectangular glasses and sat with a posture that told Laurel he was mature for his age. He had raven colored hair, dark brown eyes, and fair skin that matched Callen's. Laurel then realized that it was Callen's younger brother, who had just started Hogwarts. Merlin, she should've paid attention at the Sorting ceremony instead of playing with her silverware.
⠀⠀The boy casted a glance at Lavanya, who looked at him curiously before he averted his gaze quickly, his ears turning a little red. Laurel took note of it and glanced at Lavanya, who turned back to her open notebook. She smiled a little, turning back to James.
⠀⠀"We were just getting to know each other and you decided to go and ruin it," Laurel said playfully. "Don't you want to get to know Castor?"
⠀⠀"No need," James shot back with the same playfulness. "Everyone knows me. I'm Harry Potter's firstborn."
⠀⠀Laurel rolled her eyes, resting her head on her hand as Castor and Lavanya laughed. "Prick."
⠀⠀"Excuse you," James replied, pretending to sound offended. "Laurel! There are children!"
⠀⠀"Children?" Castor and Lavanya said unanimously, a little too loudly. Luckily, they were in the back of the Great Hall.
⠀⠀"We are not children," Castor said, Lavanya nodding vigorously in agreement. James glanced at Laurel, who shrugged.
⠀⠀"If you say so," James said, shrugging.
⠀⠀"Just ignore him," Laurel told the two Hufflepuffs. "The whole firstborn thing is getting to his head."
⠀⠀"Laurel—"
⠀⠀"Shut up, James. Lavanya and I are trying to study here," Laurel said, faking annoyance.
⠀⠀"Fine," James said. "I'll leave you alone." Laurel didn't respond as Lavanya pulled at her shirt, making her lean down so she could whisper in Laurel's ear.
⠀⠀"Is he your boyfriend?" she asked innocently.
⠀⠀Laurel choked down a snort. "No, Lavanya, of course not. I thought you'd ask if he was really Harry Potter's son but you're asking me if he's my boyfriend?"
⠀⠀Lavanya giggled. "I just think you two would be lovely together."
⠀⠀"You think what you like, child," Laurel said, taking a glance at Lavanya's notebook.
⠀⠀"Again! I am not a child!" Lavanya exclaimed, crossing her arms, her accent heavier with her voice rising. "Just because I'm a first-year does not mean I am a child."
⠀⠀"Yes, yes, of course," Laurel said. "Now we need to get to your studies. What do you need help with?"
⠀⠀Lavanya sighed. "The Summoning Charm. Everyone seems to get it except me."
⠀⠀"Oh," Laurel said. "Don't worry, Lavanya. You'll be a pro at it in no time."
⠀⠀A small smile appeared on Laurel's face. "I don't get the wand work. Do we point and say 'Accio whatever'? Or is there some sort of waving involved?"
⠀⠀"Well, what I do is point and say the incantation," Laurel explained. She was pretty good with charms. She was glad she had checked that off on the form to become a tutor.
⠀⠀"Have you ever used it?" Lavanya asked.
⠀⠀"Of course!" Laurel exclaimed. "It's so useful."
⠀⠀"Have you?" Lavanya asked, looking at James. Him and Castor had gotten distracted by the girls' conversation.
⠀⠀"No. It's for lazy people," James said, shaking his head. Then his hand flew to his face and he made a motion to push up his glasses. "Wait—where are my glasses?"
⠀⠀Laurel tried not to roll her eyes. "Have you tried 'Accio Glasses'?"
⠀⠀James gaped at her for a bit, his face then turning into a simple smile as if he were humiliating himself. "No, but that sounds pretty legitimate."
⠀⠀Lavanya and Castor bursted out laughing, while Laurel stared at James, scrutinizing him. He just stared back, a smile of triumph smacked onto the bottom part of his face. Laurel glared at him, turning back to Lavanya. They continued to study for another hour until Lavanya finally got the hang of the charm. Her reaction was priceless. Her obsidian eyes lit up in delight and content. Laurel was so happy she helped, grinning at the girl with satisfaction.
⠀⠀By the end, she left with James, a dreamy smile plastered on her face. She watched as Castor and Lavanya headed to their dormitory together, talking avidly about Professor Longbottom's sweet smelling lavender plants. As much as she noticed the two first-years, she didn't notice the way James looked at her, his brown eyes melting a little like chocolate as he witnessed her satisfied smile.
⠀⠀He just wished that he was the reason she was smiling.
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CALLEN SLID AN ENVELOPE towards Laurel across the table during dinner. "It's from New York. You forgot to grab it at lunch."
⠀⠀"New York?" Laurel echoed, almost dropping her spoon. "You mean it's from my grandmother?"
⠀⠀"It says Scamander so I'm assuming it is," Callen said as Laurel snatched up the envelope from its spot on the table.
⠀⠀It was her grandmother, Cressida Scamander. She quickly wolfed down the rest of her dinner before running out of the Great Hall to the Gryffindor Tower to read the letter. She wanted to be comfortable when she read it. The Great Hall was far from her definition of comfortable and it far too noisy.
⠀⠀She told the Fat Lady the password, hurrying inside the tower, running upstairs. She threw off her shoes and plopped onto her bed, ripping the letter open on the sides instead of the flap. It was just easier for her.
⠀⠀Laurel opened the folded parchment paper and smiled as she saw her grand mother's beautiful cursive engraved into the paper. She always loved her grandmother's handwriting.
September 21st
⠀⠀⠀⠀My dearest, Laurel,
⠀⠀My days are numbered, but while writing to you, sweetie, they feel infinite. You grow more and more beautiful day by day and to me, you are still that little golden haired girl that grew an orchid plant in five days for me. Your lovely mother swears it was something in that water that you fed it. I disagree. I still have that orchid plant.
⠀⠀Your brothers always send me those helpful little potions; they help me immensely with my back pain. They still have a lot to learn and, don't tell them this, but I'm putting together a little potions book for their birthday in a few months. I think they'll like it. They keep telling me that they always ask you to buy them ingredients because they've been banned from going to Hogsmeade (quite rebellious, don't you think?). Thank you so much. I just hope they didn't blow up another toilet just to make those potions. Hogwarts has suffered enough for the past years.
⠀⠀New York is just as always. Today rained. A lot. It wasn't very pleasant but at least I didn't have to go out and water the grass. You love the rain. I thought of you. But then again, I'm always thinking about my beautiful granddaughter. I wish you were here. Maybe if Rolf hadn't been born in Britain, you'd be here. But then he wouldn't have met your wonderful mother.
⠀⠀Please don't scold me for asking this, but isn't it time you had a boyfriend? Your mother's best friends with Ginny Potter. Perhaps her oldest son? Isn't he about your age? Okay, your grandmother's dreams are getting out of hand.
⠀⠀Your father wouldn't want me to tell you this, but the Healers are saying I'm not getting better. This illness isn't curable, even with the Muggle healing methods. They're calling my sickness 'cancer' and it's not curable by magic or the healing methods of the Muggles. There's something called 'chemotherapy' or something, but they're saying its a rare form of cancer and chemotherapy won't completely heal me. I would just be given extra time to live.
⠀⠀Laurel, I know you might cry, but please don't. I love you so much and I want to see you happy before I see your grandfather again. Promise me this.
⠀⠀Come to New York soon, my love.
I love you so much,
Grandma
⠀⠀Laurel felt her breath catch in her throat. Her stomach seemed to fall out of place, dropping into depths of her body that she didn't even know existed. What had she just read? Magic could heal. It could heal everything, couldn't it? Magic could solve everyone's problems, right? If you wanted to be rid of memories, you could easily get rid of them. If you broke a glass, you could repair it with a single incantation and a tap of your wand. But why couldn't it get rid of a simple disease?
⠀⠀She felt a tear trickle down her cheek, apologizing inwardly to her grandmother for not listening. She couldn't not cry. Her grandmother, whom she was so close to, could die at any moment from now. And it broke her heart.
⠀⠀Loud voices and footsteps broke her from her reverie. She quickly wiped her tears, and sat up, trying to look inconspicuous as her two best friends walked in. She failed to keep her emotions from them, their gleeful smiles vanishing immediately.
⠀⠀"Laurel? Why are you—oh my Merlin, what's happened?" Callen asked, rushing over to Laurel who had begun to cry all over again. Dominique stood at the doorway for a bit longer, glancing out before shutting the door behind her, rushing over to sit across from Laurel on her own bed. Laurel had her head resting on Callen's shoulder as quiet sobs shook violently from her body, her usual happy blue eyes submerged in clear and salty drops of water.
⠀⠀"Laurel," Dominique said gently; she was never the comforting type, but now she tried her hardest, "what happened?"
⠀⠀The blonde didn't answer for a few moments as she continued to cry, her hands clutching the letter desperately, staining Callen's shirt with her tears; Callen didn't mind. Once her eyes ran out of tears, she pushed herself gently off of Callen's shoulder, sniffing, her eyes puffy and red. She was overreacting. Her grandma wasn't dead right now so why was she sobbing like she was at a funeral?
⠀⠀"I'm sorry, I just—" the words caught in her throat. She sighed before letting go of the letter, placing it on her nightstand. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes before opening them again and looking at her two friends.
⠀⠀"My grandmother wrote to me," Laurel said after another deep breath. "She, well, she told me that she's suffering from something called 'cancer'."
⠀⠀"Oh my Merlin," Callen muttered. Of course she knew what it was, being a Muggle-born. Dominique remained confused.
⠀⠀"Yeah," Laurel acknowledged Callen, her voice trembling, wringing her fingers. "Er—they say even chemotherapy from the Muggles won't help because it's a rare form of the illness. And...she could...she could be dead...at any moment right now. And I don't know what to do. You both know how much she means to me."
⠀⠀Callen and Dominique nodded solemnly. Of course they knew. They knew about that as soon as Laurel had gotten a considerably large parcel from New York, which happened to be filled with art supplies and a heartfelt letter. They met Cressida Scamander once or twice when they visited Laurel during the summer; Cressida always came by during the summer.
⠀⠀"Sorry, I shouldn't be sad. She's not gone yet, right?" Laurel said, more to herself than her two friends, forcing a rueful smile. Dominique and Callen looked at each other for a moment before turning back to Laurel.
⠀⠀"Hey, don't be sorry for your feelings," Dominique said, reaching over to touch Laurel's knee. "It's okay to be sad. You don't have to be happy all the time. That's impossible."
⠀⠀Laurel looked at her friend gratefully as Callen nodded in agreement to Dominique.
⠀⠀"She loves you so much," Callen said gently, Laurel nodding. "Write back when you're feeling better, okay?"
⠀⠀The blonde nodded and didn't say anything, signifying to her friends that she wanted to be alone for awhile. Dominique and Callen then proceeded to their own things, winding down for the night. They left Laurel alone, which she was immensely grateful for. Some fights were better off fighting alone.
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LAUREL COULDN'T SLEEP. She tossed and turned, got up to go to the bathroom a few times, and spent minutes just staring at the corner of her pillow, which she could see the faint outline of from the moonlight spewing into the room. She hated it when she couldn't sleep. It was like she couldn't breathe. She promised herself she wouldn't cry for the rest of the night and it was suffocating.
⠀⠀She stared at Dominique, who was snoring loudly. Not like it bothered Laurel. She had been next to the redhead for the past five years. It was about time she was used to it. She turned over and found Callen, whose chest rose and fell peacefully, like nothing in the world was bothering her. Nothing was major was bothering Callen of course. But for Laurel, it felt like her world was starting to crash down around her.
⠀⠀The blonde wondered if her brothers couldn't sleep. They probably couldn't if they knew. They loved their grandmother just as much as Laurel did. Laurel wanted to get up and see them but then she realized, she couldn't possibly know their dormitory password, let alone walk into the boys' dormitory to wake them up if they were asleep. Maybe tomorrow would be a better shot at talking to them, she concluded.
⠀⠀Laurel rolled over onto her stomach, stuffing her arms under her pillow, closing her eyes like she had multiple times before, trying to get to sleep. But sleep would not come. She let out an inward groan and decided then that she had had enough, throwing her pillow off her bed frustratedly. She whipped off her blankets and pulled on her hoodie, walking downstairs to the common room, which was pitch black. But even in the dark, she could tell where everything was, walking over to the couch and turning on the lamp, which immediately illuminated the gold and scarlet room with a soft yellow tinge. It wasn't too bright but bright enough to see where everything was.
⠀⠀Including the boy who sat so still on the couch across from Laurel. As soon as the blonde caught sight of him, she yelped, causing him to cry out in shock also.
⠀⠀"James?" Laurel asked, her heart beating violently against her chest. He sat so still that she didn't notice him before. He was in a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, his already untidy hair an utter mess, and his eyes alert but also distant at the same time. His glasses were nowhere to be found. "What are you doing here?"
⠀⠀"Couldn't sleep," James said, sighing as he moved over on the couch and offered Laurel the space next to him. She took it without hesitation, staring into the empty fireplace without actually looking at it. James easily noticed the slight change in her eyes. They were a shade sadder, a tinge darker. And he wondered why. "You?"
⠀⠀She sighed, casting her glance down to the hem of her sweater sleeve, tugging at it nervously. "Couldn't sleep," she said finally, heaving another sigh, pulling up her legs to her chest, resting her head on her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs.
⠀⠀"Why not?" he asked, looking at her.
⠀⠀Laurel's blue eyes found its way to his calm face, staring at him for a moment. They locked eyes and James felt as if he was drowning. He couldn't breathe.
⠀⠀She finally looked away, closing her eyes and cradling her head between her arms and legs. She wanted to tell him everything but she didn't know if she could trust him. He probably could trust her with his life, since she had saved him and everything, but she didn't know if he would do the same for her.
⠀⠀"Look, Laurel, you can trust me with anything," James said sincerely as she lifted her head up to look at him again. "I promise I won't tell a soul." He shifted in his spot, bringing his leg up as he turned his body to completely face Laurel.
⠀⠀"I mean, there isn't much to tell," Laurel shrugged. She paused before continuing. "Remember the letter that Callen gave me?"
⠀⠀James nodded, faintly remembering how Laurel's expression had changed when Callen had given her the letter. "I remember."
⠀⠀"Well, it was from my grandma," Laurel stated, forcing her voice not to tremble. "She's been sick for months with this...illness. And they recently found out it's what Muggles call cancer. There's no cure because it's a rare form. Even magic won't help."
⠀⠀"I thought magic could heal anything. Fix anything," James said resignedly. "I suppose not."
⠀⠀"I thought that too," Laurel said, her voice quiet. "It's just a matter of time now."
⠀⠀"A matter of time? For what?" James inquired, confused.
⠀⠀"A matter of time until—" the words caught in her throat and she choked on them, feeling the tears come to her eyes. She couldn't pull herself together. She couldn't do it. But she couldn't cry in front of him, could she?
⠀⠀Laurel felt like she couldn't do anything. She couldn't cry in front of James. She couldn't hold herself together. She couldn't keep herself in one piece. She couldn't save her grandmother. She felt utterly useless.
⠀⠀"...until she dies," Laurel squeaked, the words shocking as they rolled off her own tongue.
⠀⠀James stared intently at her for a moment. "I-I don't know what to say, I—"
⠀⠀"James," she said, looking at him despite the tears welling up in her eyes, "it's okay. I'll be okay."
⠀⠀"No, it's not," James said immediately. "It's not okay. You're not okay. Don't tell me that you're going to be okay when you're not."
⠀⠀Laurel couldn't help but smile a little. She felt a small tear trickle down from her eye down her cheek, where it continued to flow down and fall onto her sweater, staining the sleeve. She didn't care whether she cried in front of him or not anymore. She couldn't keep her feelings locked up inside of her.
⠀⠀James had had multiple encounters with crying girls. Lily made up at least eighty-percent of them, Rose a couple of times, and Dominique once. Dominique had been the first and he had no idea what to do then. But now he knew what to do.
⠀⠀Even so, this was quite a shocker. He had never seen Laurel cry, let alone cry around him. To him, it seemed like she was always happy but this clearly proved that he was wrong.
⠀⠀Laurel was a different kind of cryer. All the girls James had helped always clung onto his shirt but Laurel clung onto herself, wrapping her hands around her shoulders as if to protect herself. Maybe other girls did that too but for James, this was something new.
⠀⠀Her shoulders began to shake, trembling violently as more tears began streaming down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, covering her face with her hands, finding it hard to breathe. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders, pulling her into him. She leaned her forehead on his shoulder, wetting his shirt with her tears. He leaned his head on hers, rubbing soothing circles on her back as she cried, not saying a word. That, she was immensely grateful for. His actions already spoke volumes and it was enough for her.
⠀⠀The two remained that way until Laurel fell asleep, her head sliding down to his chest, where she was lulled to sleep by the faint beat of his heart. And she completely fell asleep right when it skipped a beat.