OLD DRAFT, ella-rose, a strong-willed gryffindor, had always known james. they had been best friends since they were born and it's only when seventh year rolls around that the true nature of their friendship comes to light and drama rocks their once...
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. ( SUSPICION & SNUGGLES )
Ella was in Herbology the next day, her stomach twisting with anxiety as she sat next to Marlene. Her father was explaining something, Ella only half listening as her mind drifted to her exam grades. Maybe Lily was right and they had been tampered with and maybe James was too but the more she thought about it, the less it seemed possibly. Dumbledore surely would have noticed and James and Lily were her friends, they were having too much faith in her.
Plus, she had been too stressed during that exam week. Not only did she have the exam pressure but also the anxiety about James. About somebody telling him. That probably affected her grades and caused her to practically fail or barely pass in them all. That had to be the explanation because there was no way that they could have been tampered with. It wouldn't have been approved, surely.
As the lesson went on, Ella and Marlene were set to do practical work. Marlene talking and going on about how her and Sirius made up while Ella continued to let her mind wander. Her carelessness causing her to snip herself with her scissors. The blood pouring from her finger as Marlene pulled it away. The panicked words leaving Marlene's lips went over Ella's head as she noticed her father watching her. He didn't move though, just watched.
"You tosser," Marlene muttered as Ella felt the wound heal over. Marlene clearly must have used the healing spell. Ella looked down and then back at Marlene. The blonde tilted her head and surveyed Ella's face, "You've been out of it all lesson, what's wrong?" She asked. Ella shook her head and quickly said she was just distracted. After a short back and forth, Ella's father came over.
That was when Ella quickly went back to the task at hand. The two girls going quiet as they began what they were supposed to. But Ella's father still lingered and he began to tell them a few things. Marlene attempted to firmly ask Professor Hollander to move away but neither of them were lucky enough. Instead, he stayed around.
Ella only finding herself put under more pressure. Though she hated her father for everything he had done, she found herself desperate to prove herself. Whether that was due to her failing grades or that he was her father, even Ella didn't know. But the pressure she put on herself was leading her to be clumsy. Not following the technique properly, Marlene having to correct her more than once. Her father walking around and still lingering, his eyes burning into her hands.
Thankfully, Ella was spared his gaze not long after when there was a knock on the door of the greenhouse. Professor Hollander swivelled around in his dungarees and when he saw the woman at the door, he smiled. He told the class that he would be back in a moment and stepped out. Ella recognising the woman.
It was her Ancient Runes teacher. She had saw them together the previous day when she left for the forest so now, as she stared, she tried to work out what was going on. Was there something she didn't understand there? He had smiled when he saw her, he seemed pleased to see her. Had he remarried or was she having an affair with him? Maybe they had been scheming against Ella. The brunette had no idea what they were talking about but as she watched them, it seemed serious.
