issue | james potter

13 | ONE OF US

issue

act 2, part 3 | one of us

...

"JAMES!" DIANA YELPED in surprise, feeling James Potter's arms wrap tightly around her shoulders, holding her close to his chest. "Let go!"

He complied with a shake of his head, knowing her annoyed tone of voice wasn't really sincere. Still, James laced his fingers with hers and swung their hands as they walked along the halls to their potions class. Students were buzzing with excitement as the year nearly draws to a close. Christmas was approaching and students looked forward to the upcoming Hogsmeade visit. Snow had started to fall on the grounds of the Hogwarts castle, beginning to engulf the school in layers of glittering white. Faculty, with the assistance of the prefects, had also began decorating the castle's walls with various wreaths and baubles.

James grinned as he and Diana sat on their usual seats. Their classmates flitted in, but he paid them no attention. His eyes were trained on the girl that sat beside him as she grabbed a quill and some parchment from her brown leather book bag. A loose strand of blonde hair falls from Diana's ponytail, he reaches out a hand to tuck it behind her ear. Diana turns her face away from James but he still notices the pink tint that graced her pale cheeks.

"Is it awfully cold in here or are you actually blushing because of me?" James teased, nudging Diana's shoulder with his own.

"Shut up." Diana mumbled, shoving James away, causing him to nearly fall off his chair. Sirius and Arabella, who sat right behind them, watched the pair with amused expressions on their faces. They held in their laughter as James turned to them to flip them off. Arabella responded by blowing him a kiss, which makes Sirius let out a small chuckle with a shake of his head.

Their professor enters the classroom and a hush falls over the room. He launches into a lecture about Golpalott's Third Law.

"...simply put, the antidote to a blended poison is more than the sum of its parts. We cannot just mix the individual antidotes of their their respective poisons and assume that it will work..."

James drowns out his voice and focuses on the person sitting next to him. With her brows furrowed, quill flying from each end of the parchment paper as she hung onto every word that left the professor's lips, Diana was far more interesting than any potions lesson.

"Go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend." James said, just loud enough for Diana to hear. He was unsure if she really heard him, so he opens his mouth to say it louder but she cuts him off immediately.

"No."

"Why not?" James pouted. Diana's eyes are still trained on the professor, not sparing him a single glance; however, the slightest hint of a smile makes its way on the corner of her lips. One which James does not fail to notice.

"I have homework."

"Lame."

"Come on." James insists, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at her. "It'll be our first date."

"We already had a date there. I helped you look for dress robes then we went to Madam Puddifoot's."

"That's when we were faking it. I'm asking you for real this time."

Diana was about to open her mouth to answer when their professor turned away from the board and stared directly at the two, "Anything to share with the class? Mister Potter? Miss James?"

"No, sir. Sorry." Diana mumbled, her face slowly turning into the brightest shade of crimson anyone in that potions class has ever seen. James just snickered into his sleeves and quickly shook his head at the professor. The professor rolled his eyes at the two, a small smile gracing his lips, and turned back to the board.