"I'm confused," Ginny murmured to Halley, "is June a witch or a Muggle?"
"She's a witch," Halley said, "she didn't go to Hogwarts though, I think her parents homeschooled her, but I'm not really sure."
"Okay, I was very confused for a moment there," Ginny patted Halley's back.
The family had gathered for Molly's birthday, and much to Halley's dislike, James had decided to bring June along and introduce her to the family.
"Anyway, how are you, Halley? Any closer to that cure?" Ginny asked.
"It's slow work," Halley sighed, "but I'm getting there, the main issue is how long it takes to brew each variation."
"Well, you're one of the smartest people I know Halley. You'll crack it." Ginny patted her back.
"Thanks, Aunt Ginny," Halley grinned slightly.
"I'm going to go and talk to June properly," said Ginny, "I'll see you later."
Ginny walked over to her son and his girlfriend. Halley remained standing where she was, with that same strange knot in her stomach. She watched Ginny laughing with June, and James grinning like a maniac.
This was when she finally realised why she didn't like June. There surrounded by her friends and family, she finally realised that she was hopelessly in love with her best friend.
She wondered if this was the way James had felt whilst she had been dating Adam if Hope and Alfie had been right whilst they were at school, that James did really like her in that way. If it had been true then, that ship had long ago sailed.
Halley could see the way James looked at June. It was the same way that her Neville looked at Venus, and how Harry looked at Ginny. He was in love with her, and Halley had been shunned to the side.
"Are you okay Comet?" Halley pulled herself from her thoughts, to see her mother giving her a concerned look, "only, you look like you're trying to set James on fire."
"I was just lost in my thoughts," Halley mumbled.
"That's not like you at all!" Venus shook her head, "my eldest daughter would never think by choice! What's the matter, Halley?"
"Nothing, it doesn't matter," said Halley.
"Well, you can lie to me, but you can't lie to yourself."
"Wow, mum that was really philosophical."
"Well, I am a Professor."
"Of Transfiguration, not of Philosophy."
"I'm highly versatile."
********
"Your family are great James!" June said as the three arrived back at the flat.
"They're an interesting bunch," James nodded.
"I can't believe that I met Harry Potter," June marvelled, shaking her head slightly.
"Uncle Harry is much more than he's cracked up to be," Halley said, "sure, he beat Voldemort, but he also tripped down two flights of stairs and ended up in St Mungo's with six broken bones."
"When did that happen?" James asked.
"Last week, it took quite a while to heal him up," said Halley.
"She is right, dad is extremely clumsy," laughed James, "I think he's going senile in his old age."
There was a spitting noise across the room, Halley cursed under her breath and hurried over to the bubbling cauldron, she began vigorously stirring it, trying to get it to simmer down.
"Is it going to burn the flat down?" James asked.
"No, but I've got to start another bloody batch!"
I'm an actual mess right now.
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~Em xx