attached | james potter

twenty: interesting revelations

Chapter Twenty

That night, Brooklyn marched into the Great Hall, her shoulders tense and her expression stormy. Dropping her bag to the floor, she threw herself down on the bench opposite Lily with a scowl, mumbling obscenities under her breath as she pulled a plate towards herself. She did not look remotely happy.

The redhead surveyed her best friend with an almost amused expression on her face. "Everything alright, Brook?"

"Peachy," the dark haired girl mumbled, grabbing a fork and stabbing into her baked potatoes viciously. Lily scrunched up her nose. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you look as though you're about to commit mass murder?"

"I'm perfectly fine," Brooklyn insisted as she rested her chin in one hand and stared down at her food broodingly, clearly not keen to talk about it.

"Well, as your best friend, I declare that you have to tell me what's wrong. So spill." Lily leaned in closer, her chin in her hands as she studied her friend concernedly.

Setting her fork down with a loud clatter, Brooklyn shook her head, sighing. "It's nothing, I just feel really pissed off at the moment."

"At what?"

Brooklyn hesitated, causing Lily to raise an eyebrow at her in scrutinisation. "Or a better question is, at who?"

"No one," Brooklyn said defensively, her cheeks flushing, and Lily had to hide a knowing smile. "Uh-huh, sure. Let me guess. Did Potter try and ask you to go with him to the party again this year?" The previous years, James' infuriatingly obstinate attempts had caused Brooklyn to complain endlessly to the girls about how he was a conceited toehead with an ego the size of Russia, strutting around and thinking that he could get any girl he wanted.

Brooklyn flinched at the mention of James. "No, he didn't, actually."

Lily seemed fairly shocked. "Really? Well, I expect he will soon. He always does."

"Not this year," Brooklyn mumbled, pushing her food around her plate and refusing to look her friend in the eye. She hesitated before continuing on. "He wants to go with some mystery girl. He came to ask for my help earlier today."

Lily's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Oh? That's...... Interesting."

"I guess it is."

"Something wrong, Brook?" Lily inquired, coughing as her eyes sparkled mischievously, and Brooklyn immediately shook her head. "Er, no. Not at all."