Happy holidays! =D Today I got the Hogwarts acceptance letter I ordered online. I've been waiting eleven years for it lol

Anyways, here's the next chapter.

With lots o' love,

Miki

It's freezing outside, but everyone turned up for the Quidditch game. I don't like Quidditch, but the excitement is contagious. I sit beside Alice, who's not as enthusiastic as her fellow house mates. She's staring at Fred almost worriedly. As if she's afraid he's going to fall off his broom at any moment.

"Is it always like this?" I ask Alice.

She nods. "Always. It gets a bit more intense when it's Gryffindor versus Slytherin."

"I'm sure."

I adjust my trooper hat and continue watching the game. Gryffindor is winning almost overwhelmingly. Despite James being the most annoying human being I know, I can't help but appreciate the fact that he's truly a good team player and captain.

I've gotta at least give him credit for that.

My heart skips a beat for a moment when he hovers over the field, directing his teammates, pushing his hair away from his face.

He looks gorgeous.

I immediately cringe afterwards, a bit disgusted with myself.

The game comes to an end when Albus catches the snitch. Gryffindor has won.

Everyone immediately begins shoving their way towards the castle. I get pushed and shoved all the way to the Gryffindor common room. It's a full-on party in the Gryffindor common room. There's mead and Butterbeer and firewhiskey and a radio blasting wizarding music.

As soon as the Gryffindor Quidditch team arrives, the entire room erupts in deafening cheers.

James kisses a couple of girls (mostly from his fan club) and I cringe in disgust.

"Some mead, Evie?" Freddie offers me a glass.

"Please. Congratulations on winning."

"Thank you, love." He kisses my cheek, causing me to giggle.

James sees this and immediately makes a beeline towards us. "I want a kiss too." He demands.

"From Freddie? Please, go ahead."

"C'mere, James." Freddie grabs James' face and puckers his lips.

"Not you." James shoves his cousin away. "I'm here to collect my reward for winning."

His latter comment pisses me off a little. "I am not a reward to be collected and I didn't agree to such a thing. Thank you for objectifying me in public. You are truly a pig." With my glass of mead in hand, I leave the Gryffindor common room.

I walk the corridors as I sip my mead.

I need the entire bottle.

"Evie." James has followed me out. "Please, don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, James." I think for a moment. "Well, I am. But I'm more annoyed with you. You really need to think before you speak."

"I know. Mum always says that I lack a filter between my brain and mouth. I'm really sorry. You know I didn't mean it in a derogatory way. I was just…" He sighs, running his hand through his hair and tugging on the ends, messing it up even more. "I got a little jealous when I saw Fred kiss you."

"It was on the cheek." I point out. "Like a greeting."

"Still…" He shakes his head furiously. "No. No. You're right. I overreacted."

I drink down the rest of the mead.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"I feel terrible. I don't want you upset with me, Ev. I really do like you."

"No, you don't. You're interested in me because I'm new."

"No." He grabs my hand, causing my heart to skip a beat. "It's not that."

He leans forward as if to kiss me.

The air suddenly feels electrically charged. It's a change we both notice.

I look around, trying to figure out what feels so wrong.

What feels so off.

The corridor shakes.

It feels as if I'm in a small earthquake.

"What-?" James is just as confused as me.

The glass windows at the end of the corridor shatters with enormous intensity.

James pulls me down onto the floor, pulling me tightly into his chest.

The glass rains down on us, hard.

Then silence.

"Are you alright?" James pulls me away from him, quickly assessing for damage.

"I-I think?"

Someone's running towards us. It's Professor Longbottom and Professor Sprout. "What happened here?" Professor Longbottom inquires. "Are either of you hurt?"

"We're not sure. We were just talking and the corridor started shaking, then the window exploded all over us." James stands up, shaking the glass off of him.

"Miss Bones, your hand…" Professor Sprout rushes to me. The glass of mead I was holding must have exploded in my hand. I have a deep gash in the palm of my hand, the blood dripping onto the floor. "Let's get you to the hospital wing." She helps me up.

I'm still in shock, trying to comprehend what just happened to us.

Professor Longbottom brings in a healer from St. Mungo's to speak to me.

And I quickly realize why she was brought in.

They think I'm crazy.

They think I'm causing all of this because of stress.

She prescribes me a stronger dreamless sleep potion as well as a potion for anxiety.

By the time she leaves, I truly believe that I must be going crazy.

That I am, unbeknownst to myself, causing all of this problem onto myself.

That my emotional instability is the root of everything.