IN RUINS- James Potter

chapter forty seven

James Potter didn't know what jealousy felt like until the day he walked into potions class, witnessing Atticus Bulstrode ask out Nora Black — or at least practicing to. He didn't know the full story, but watching Nora look at the boy with so much lust in her eyes made him wonder if she ever looked at him like that.

It was no secret those two were peas in a pod, just like the way he was with Sirius. They were inseparable, James knew that since last year, he just didn't think much about a boy and girl being friends together.

James tried to ignore it by distracting himself, but watching Nora cut her finger right up made himself annoyed. He was annoyed with the fact he witnessed two friends joking with one another when he saw Atticus Bulstrode soon flirt with Mary McDonald almost anywhere he had the chance, watching the two in Hogsmeade.

"Isn't that weird? A Pureblood with a muggle born?" Peter asked the group; walking beside Remus as James turned to look at his friend, nodding. "No it isn't, I find it cute." Lily interrupted, walking with Marlene, happy to find Mary on a date.

"How? He's a Slytherin." Sirius asked, scrunching his nose up. "Would it be any different if you sister suddenly took a liking in Benjamin Parker?" Marlene asked, narrowing her eyes at Sirius.

Watching the boy have a wretched face, saying "Seeing my sister date anyone will have me puke onto the floor." James snorted a little, playfully hitting his chest with that comment, the girls rolling their eyes.

"How so? She's seen you date a million girls." Remus spoke up, furrowing his eyebrows at his friends. James stuffed his hands into his pocket, trying to pretend he didn't know any of this, playing his role safe.

A part of him wished he brought Nora to hogsmeade; but considering majority of the students came today, not wanting to expose— whatever they were to be called.

"The difference is, she's a girl; I don't want to see her love life." Sirius cringed, shaking his head in displeasure. James looked at his best mate, seeing a sense of disappointment for a moment, creating eye contact with him, both looking at each other with tension. For a moment, James wondered if he knew, pressing his lips into a fine line, trying to look away.

"That's a shame, it's not like she wanted to see you snog up on girls." Lily joked, creating a scatter of laughs between the friends, agreeing with the red head. James couldn't resist but laugh a little, considering it was a little funny, nudging Sirius with that.

After joking with Sirius for way too long, James was the first one to go into Honeydukes, opening the door for everyone else before they began their trip. James saw the way Remus was looking at him, trying to stay composed.

"What's going on with you?" Remus asked, his head down, staring at the candy. "I'm fine mate; I already told you." James said in annoyed tone, clearly trying to ignore whatever he was about to say.

"I don't think that's true. I think you're going through something— with someone." Remus sang in a tune, attempted to. James scoffed, shaking his head, clenching his jaw for a moment. "Yeah right, I told you, I'm done with girl, it's time to focus on me."

"Yeah, and if you focusing on yourself, you're failing a class." Remus said back to him, grabbing a few sour candies and putting it into the cart. "If I were you, I'd make it a little less obvious before someone were to catch on."

Feeling like his heart was gonna beat out of his chest, James watched Remus leave mysteriously; wondering what he meant by that; knowing James has never showed any emotion about Nora then until today.

Overthinking was going to be his best friend.

Nora had been ignoring James, he didn't blame her though, she knew the constant stress she was in, noticing her sleep less, especially when she was in potions class, watching Slughorn with a face that made her look like a corpse listening.