"Fifth Year"
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It had been a week since James exploded at me and we've been avoiding each other like the plague.
I stayed true to my promise to Remus and Sirius, giving James as much space as needed. That included switching my Potions partner to Marlene McKinnon and my DADA dueling partner to Remus.
I sat beside Lily in our Care of Magical Creatures class, ignoring all the jokes that my classmates made about my family.
"So, long lost sister?" Lily addressed me, turning away from the assignment.
It had become a regular thing since first year, for the students at Hogwarts to joke about Lily and I secretly being twin sisters.
"Yes, my dear lost twin?" I replied jokingly with a warm smile on my face.
"What's going on with you and the boys? I haven't seen you talk to any of them besides Remus and even then it's only during class." She asked me with concern on her pale face.
I pursed my pink lips and exhaled through my nose in a huff. "James went completely mental on me last week and got all angry at me for no reason."
"The boys told me to give him space, until he's ready to tell me why he's mad." I explained, getting a little frustrated. "And it's not helping that none of them will tell me whether I did something wrong or not!"
"He'll come around, Nora." Lily sighed, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and pulling me into a hug. "I'm sure he's just overreacting in typical Drama Queen James Potter fashion."
That earned a very unladylike snort from me, as I pulled away from the hug. The taller redhead ruffled my hair with a grin and a laugh. I rolled my eyes, chuckling as I smoothed down my strawberry blonde locks.
"Feel better now, sweetheart?" She asks in the same motherly tone as she always does when we talk.
"Much." I confirmed with a grateful nod and a small smile. "Thank you, Lily."
"Anytime, Love."
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Lily POV:
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"Alright! Which one of you dumb sods is going to tell me why the World's Sweetest and Most Optimistic Hufflepuff is sad?" I stated sternly as I approached the four boys in the Gryffindor common room.
"What the hell are you talking about, Evans?" Sirius asked with a raised brow.
"I just got back from calming down a crying Lenora Scamander! She's terrified that she's done something to make you lot hate her!" I snapped and my brown eyes glared coldly in Potter's direction, as I jabbed an accusing finger at him. "That girl's heart of gold is breaking because you just had to be a prick!"
"She was crying?" Potter asked, brow furrowed above his concerned blue eyes.
"Because of your temperamental ass! Not even Pickett or any of the other creatures could cheer her up!"
I watched as the four boys shared wide eyed looks, before Remus asked in disbelief. "Pickett couldn't even calm her down?"
"Nothing in her father's case could make Lenora even crack a smile." Letting out a sigh, I rubbed my temples and tried to get the memory, of a crying Nora seated on a stool inside of the case, out of my head.
"I'm going to ask once and only once." I said sternly, as I looked at each and every one of the Marauders. "What the fuck did you do and why the fuck did you do it?"
"I completely lost it on her like a fucking jealous prick." James sighed angrily to himself.
I rose an eyebrow and smirked at the bespectacled boy's words. "Jealous? You like her a lot more than I initially thought, don't you?"
Potter placed his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. After a few seconds of silence, he let out a sigh and answered quietly. "More so."
"It doesn't matter now." He spat in irritation as he stood up and walked towards one of the windows. "She's got a boyfriend and every right to hate me."
It was quiet for a bit, as Potter watched the rain hit glass. I rolled my brown eyes at his pity party and spoke up.
"Well snap out of it, because she's the opposite of hating you and don't worry about her and Timothèe. They haven't really spoken much outside of class since your little bitch fit."
"She's right, James." Remus spoke up, nodding to me in confirmation. "She doesn't really talk to anyone outside of class, if she can avoid it."
"Are you sure? Don't lie to me, Evans." James asked me, his sad blue eyes getting a spark of something that could just be hope.
"I promise! Now I suggest you go talk to her, before Timothèe does. She's in the Astronomy tower."
"Thank you, Lily Evans, you're absolutely brilliant!" The curly haired bespectacled boy cheered, before sprinting out of the common room.
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James POV:
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I sprinted towards the Astronomy tower where Lily said the hufflepuff girl was, my shoes thudding against the cold floor of the school's corridors.
"Come on, James." I muttered to myself as I came to a stop in front of the stairs that lead to the top of the tower. "It's time to get your girl."
Halfway up the stairs, I heard two people talking. Climbing up a few more steps and I reach the top. I knew that wasn't going to like what I saw, but I looked anyway.
Peering around the stairwell in front of me, I saw Nora and Timothèe talking quietly. My heart dropped when he cupped her cheeks and pulled her in for a gentle kiss.
Not being able to watch anymore, I thundered back down the stairs with my jaw clenched angrily.
Quick little footsteps followed me and the girl that I was in love with called out to me. But I didn't stop, I actually ran faster away from her.
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Lenora POV:
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"Shit!" I exclaimed and punched the wall beside me, watching as James once again got away. "This cannot be happening right now!"
"Are you sure he saw us?" Timothèe asked with a cringe.
"Of course he fucking saw us, Tim!" I groaned in anger and frustration. "This is just my goddamn luck, isn't it?"
"Nora, Love? Calm down and take a breath." The Lafayette boy told me, putting his hands on my cheeks and keeping his kind eyes on mine. "We might as well tell him, right? I mean, everyone it going to find out anyway."
"Timothèe, you don't have to do that." I sighed with a shake of my head. "You don't have to tell anyone if you aren't ready."
"Lenora Scamander!" He laughed, cutting me off. "Trust me, when I say that I've been ready for a long time."