Scars

Chapter Seven-Group Projects Suck

Unfortunately, none of us get much time to adjust back to school time. The next day is Monday and it's sink or swim time. Luckily, I had already factored that into my schedule. I rise just before the sun and go for a jog with my wand out ahead of me to melt the snow, then make it back just in time to shower. I'm fresh, clean, changed, and in the breakfast hall just as Lily and the others are just starting to stir from sleep.

I settle in my usual spot with the warm fire to my back quickly drying my hair as food blooms in front of me. Warm toast with butter, eggs, scrambled and fried, sausage, bacon, and a few fruit-filled pastries cover the table and I hum with appreciation. I'm halfway through my second plate when Lily shuffles in with a bleary-eyed Remus. I kind of feel bad since our talk is probably why he's so tired, but I can't do anything to change that now. Lily settles close next to me while Remus settles across from us both.

"I'm freezing. How are you not cold?" She asks and shakes her hair out from her cloak as if the red color will attract the warmth of the fire. I shrug.

"And how are you not tired?" Remus asks and blinks a few times as if he's still actively fighting the urge to sleep. I shovel a few scrambled eggs in my mouth as I scan over the new semester's schedule. McGonagall gave me mine personally just after I sat down with a pointed look.

"Went for a run this morning. Been up for a couple of hours. Lily, what are you taking?" I ask and turn to her before I notice the both of them are staring at me.

"You willingly got up before the sun? To run?" Lily asks with wide eyes and I smirk.

"I want to be fit for quidditch and running clears my head. Schedules?" I ask again and receive them with some rolling of their eyes. "Barely any extra classes together." I huff before handing them back their schedules. Lily scoffs and slathers a biscuit with both butter and jelly.

"The only class we don't have together is arithmancy." She corrects and Remus chuckles while sipping on his orange juice. "Mmhmm, laugh it up divination and muggle studies. You chose all the easy subjects." Lily accuses, but Remus' expression doesn't give away a thing excepting a little lift to the corner of his thin lips.

"Not a clue what you're talking about." He says and I toss a few crumbs at him for his smartassery. He grins and nibbles a bit of his food before the rest of the boys come in. They pause at the sight of Remus with us, but then pointedly sit at the opposite end of the table. Peter does wave though which I return.

"You can go sit with them if you want, Remus." I encourage as he looks over at them.

"Wouldn't want them to think you're too rational." Lily teases and he rolls his eyes. "I'm heading to Herbology early anyway. Ravenclaws always hog the good seats." I hum in agreement and pop up from my seat when she does.

"So, you're abandoning me because it's in my best interest to seem an idiot?" He asks and we both giggle.

"Exactly. See you in class!" Lily waves and I give him a pointed look so he knows to stay quiet about our talk before the boys head over to join him. "When are you going to try and fix that?" Lily asks once we're out of hearing range of the great hall.

"Didn't think you were too fond of them." I stall and she shoots me some side-eye because she knows it. "Fine. I don't even know how to fix it, so I'll figure that out first before trying any sort of reconciliation. If there even can be one."

"I'm sure they'll forgive you, Arell. Despite Potter's...shortcomings, he loves his friends more than anything." She assures me as we head in the greenhouse and pick a spot in the middle of the front. Close enough to see and hear, but not too close as to be scrutinized.