''𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚, 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖𝙡𝙡. 𝙄'𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬- 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣.'' Loving you was the most exquisite form of self destruction.
- VOLUME I of the HOUSE OF B...
''Just to be clear we will all receive the Mark this Christmas?''
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• ── ≪ ✧ ◦《✩》◦✧ ≫ ── •
AS THE LESSON DREW TO A CLOSE, JAMES'S mind was well and truly scrambled and Estella was left ecstatic. Sirius had been glaring daggers at the pair throughout the lesson and each time Estella felt eyes burning the back of her head she turned around and sent him a sickeningly sweet smile.
The only thing that dulled her high was the overwhelming urge to nip and have a quick smoke. Estella wasn't a smoker, not by any means, yet she often used it as a quick coping mechanism to drown out the strains of being perfect. The strains of holding the world on her shoulders.
Now with Sirius disowned, all eyed were on the House of Black, thus it was more important than ever to uphold reputations. Sometimes the pressure just got a tad... overwhelming.
''Oi! Prongs!'' James turned as everyone began to depart the lesson and locked eyes with Sirius. ''Hey Pads.'' He spoke, slinging an arm over his friends shoulder. ''How'd the lesson go sitting all on your own in the corner.'' James mimicked boo- hooing and Sirius shoved him off playfully.
''I'd rather sit on my own than with my cousin. Merlin how did that lesson go?''
James shrugged nonchalantly. Sure the beginning had been rocky between himself and Estella, yet the further the lesson progressed, James found himself leaning into her company a bit more. Less sitting as far away from her as he could, and more just normally in his seat. It was progress. And anyway, she wasn't nearly as horrible as Sirius had made her out to be.
James was ashamed to admit it, but he'd never engaged in a proper conversation with Estella after Sirius had told him all those terrible tales. He'd never tried to find out for himself if what Sirius had said was true, although her behaviour spoke for herself.
No kind person would kick over a first year. No kind person would shred someone's homework knowing it was due in next period. No kind person would push someone they knew couldn't swim into the black lake.
Now that he'd had an individual conversation with the girl, James found his mind to be scrambled. Although, that also meant that he'd get to know whatever version of herself, she showed him.
For all he knew Estella could've just been forcibly nice to get him to think she was not so bad. Who knew the real her. To be frank, James didn't even think her inner circle knew who Estella really was. No one did. Not even herself.
