Going Soft | JAMES SIRIUS POTTER HP NEXT GENERATION

xx || the room of requirement

"James? I heard about Albus, is he okay?" Annabella asked James seemingly very concerned, and she reached out to grab one of James's hands as they were shaking—something he hadn't even noticed.

He retracted his hand quickly as if he had been burned and bit the inside of his cheek when he saw hurt flash through her eyes.

She shook her head. "James, don't tell me we're back to—"

"No! Bloody hell, I'm sorry," he said panicked. "I just—can we talk in private? It's—we can't—just please trust me on this," he quickly told her. "Come with me," he grabbed her hand this time, his palm slightly clammy from his nerves of everything that happened and what he needed to tell her.

She laced her fingers through his, not angered or hurt like she had been moments ago, but concerned once again. She walked quickly by his side to keep up with his rushed pace.

"James, where are we going? You're scaring me." Annabella questioned him, not liking being kept in the dark and feeling anxious, as his mood was being passed onto her unknowingly. She could read him like a book and seeing him at unease made her feel the same.

"Seventh floor. It's uh, it's a secret room. Hold on, we're almost there," he told her, hoping they wouldn't pass many people on the way there because he really had no idea who the person was he threatened, and anyone seeing him with Annabella could be bad news.

With no such luck, some people spotted them. Luckily, they happened to be Bella's friends.

"Bella, James! I see you two made up." Natalie said, smiling smugly at their linked hands. James stopped reluctantly, even though he knew they needed to hurry to where they couldn't be seen.

Tommy was frowning. "Where are you two off to?"

Annabella chuckled. "Honestly, I haven't a clue. James is being all secretive. Anyways, where's Olivia? Is she still feeling under the weather?"

Natalie pouted. "Yeah, Tommy and I are on the way to go grab food for her. She wasn't much hungry earlier but she is now, so."

"Why don't you come with us, Bella?" Tommy asked her.

James furrowed his brow. "I really need to talk to her, it's important."

"Surely you've been with her for a while, though? Don't you think you should get back to tending to Albus?" Tommy questioned him.

"What?" Natalie questioned. "James is Albus okay?"

"How do you know about my brother?" James questioned Tommy. "Did you do it?"

Annabella squeezed his hand. "James, please calm down. Word travels quickly, yeah? I'm sure that's all." She said to soothe him, sensing his tension. "I think we should get going now, I'll see you two later. Send our best wishes to Olivia!" She chirped before pulling James back down the hallway in the direction they had been walking.

"Now can you tell me where we're going to?"

"You'll see."

~~~

"I don't understand," Annabella gasped, turning around in the room that hadn't been there before. "It's called the Room of Requirement?"

James nodded. "A trick my dad told me about. Becomes whatever you need it to, suits your needs."

"And in this case, you needed a place we could go to where no one could find us because you need to tell me something important?" She questioned.

James nodded, and sat down on the couch, Bella sitting next to him.

"So, Albus was hit with a very bad curse called Sectumsempra," he began and Annabella gasped.

"The curse for enemies? I've heard about it but I don't know what it does. I just know it's bad, oh god is he okay?" She panicked.

"I-uh, he's fine. Bad scarring though and he lost a lot of blood. It causes deep gashes and lots of blood loss. But um, he was targeted. Like specifically. Him and Scorpius, it could've been either of them but this time it was Albus." He forced out, his voice shaking slightly.

"Targeted? This time? What do you mean James?" She whispered, confused and alarmed.

James took a deep breathe. "I got a note, found it on my bed. It said 'if you continue to see Annabella White, your brother and his boyfriend will pay. Don't believe me? You'll see soon enough.'

"Immediately after I read it, Charlie and Scorpius raced to my dorm to tell Noah and I Albus was in the Hospital Wing. So basically what I'm saying is I—we—we can't—" he stuttered.

"We can't talk until this is all resolved because someone doesn't want us to. Oh god, James don't worry I understand. I completely understand. Hell, I even feel a little guilty? I have no idea who would do something like this," she finished for him, already on the same page as the two of them were completely in synch, whether they realized it or not.

James nodded, staring down at his hands. "I'm sorry. I just got you back after messing up, but it's like the universe wants us apart or something," he whispered, his ears turning red at the underlying tone of his words.

She put her hand on his arm. "Well, we'll fight back, okay? I promise you we'll find out who would threaten you like that as soon as we can."

James nodded. "I'd still like to talk to you, just in secret though. Which means don't tell anyone unless you know for sure it's not them and um, I don't think you should tell Tommy. He really doesn't like me and while I don't know if he's go that far..."

"You don't want to take any chances. I-I get that. I don't think it's him but I understand you're concern." She nodded.

"But um," her cheeks turned pink. "Am i still invited over for Christmas?"

James smiled. "Of course. I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else."

~~~
don't worry! no drama between james and annabella for now :) hope this chapter was okay and not too rushed! but you're kinda starting to see how in tune james and annabella are with each other, like soulmates :')

i saw the crimes of grindelwald this weekend, and completely forgot that charlie mclaggen was my own character, and i may have accidentally referenced him and my friend did not know what i was talking about. whoops lmao