Delicate | James Potter

2.15

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November dragged as though it were a whole decade long. Maybe it was just Alice, but she'd never found it to be such a tiresome month before. Their teachers were giving them even more work than last year (something short of impossible), and this time with stricter deadlines too. Then, on top of that, she was supposed to be researching future careers and also playing Quidditch and also avoiding the Slytherins who seemed intent on staring her down to dust each time she passed them.

Part of her, however, was glad for the chaos of it all. She'd had barely a second to herself for weeks now, but in a way it was good because it was distracting. For once, she wasn't constantly thinking about the rise of dark magic and the killings that came with, nor was she fretting over the deep scars that still stood strong against her skin. They were covered and hidden and for now, that was enough.

In brighter news, Gryffindor had their first Quidditch match of the year on Friday. They'd been building up to it for weeks now and James, newly captain, was determined for them to win. He'd had them out early mornings and late nights, through all sorts of rain and even one afternoon when it began to snow.

"It's just a little cold! Ignore it!" He yelled at Alex the Keeper, who wasn't really doing anything wrong other than shivering. Alice had noticed an increase in slight hostility towards Alex, and she wondered if James had yet caught onto the Lily situation. Judging by the suspicious looks he was sending that direction, he had.

Alex shrugged and continued looping the goals.

"Oi Hartley! Watch out for the Bludgers!" The shouts continued here, there and everywhere. Alice understood the pressure though: this was James's first match, of course he wanted to win. "Gideon stop making eyes at the stands!"

Gideon snickered and turned his broom around. He'd been pulling 'flirty' faces at one of the seventh year Hufflepuff girls sat in the stands; her face had lit up like a beacon.

"You'd be doing the same if it were little miss ginger sat over there." He muttered, rolling his eyes playfully. James hadn't heard, too busy instructing the other Chaser on how to dive deeper. Fabian, however, had and he sent a Bludger flying lightly at his brothers chest before turning and winking quickly at Alice.

Her own face warmed against the frozen air and she flew away from them, avoiding Fabian's glinting eye. Did he know? He couldn't, surely.

Practice ended just before dinner. It probably would have gone on longer if not for the snow picking up it's pace. Poor Theo, still one of the smallest, had a face almost blue and was shivering madly when he landed. He'd been circling higher than the rest of them, practicing his catches, and had caught quite the chill.

"I - I - need some h - hot f - food." He said once inside, and completely skipped on changing to go straight to the Great Hall.

Alice was craving hot chocolate, perhaps more than ever before, but was desperate to change out of her kit into her knitted Gryffindor jumper. It had become her favourite jumper, all fuzzy and warm. Plus, it matched many a pair of fluffy socks.