Regulus wiped the sweat from his forehead, catching his breath after the intense training session. The group had taken their parents' advice seriously and had been diligently training since returning to school after the Christmas holidays. Their parents had insisted that they should have a broad understanding of various magical skills, but each was encouraged to focus on what they were best at. They were a machine, each piece was essential for the whole to work.
Being all purebloods, they had extensive knowledge of curses and spells since their parents had ensured that they had a minimum knowledge of magic before going to , having lived through her experiences in her previous life, was almost on par with the purebloods in terms of magical prowess.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked, his stormy eyes narrowing slightly, eyeing Hermione with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion
Hermione feigned innocence, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? 'm just doing what everyone else is doing." she replied, a touch of defensiveness in her tone. Her mind raced, hoping that her secret wouldn't spill out.
Regulus wasn't buying it. "The way you fight is not normal," he continued, his Slytherin instincts urging him to press on until she confessed. "The way you handle yourself in a fight, it's as if you've had years of precision and power with which you do it—are you hiding something?"
Before Hermione could conjure a plausible excuse, Barty and Evan barged into the conversation, breathless and excited. "We've done it," they exclaimed breathlessly in unison. "We've figured out how to get from here to the Order's headquarters in Pandemonium."
As they discussed their findings, it was revealed that the Order's quarters and the headquarters in Pandemonium were connected, making it the only hidden apparition point in all of Hogwarts. Apparating inside Hogwarts was only possible for members of the Order.
The news of this discovery momentarily shifted the focus away from Hermione's fighting skills, but Regulus made it clear that their conversation wasn't over. His intense gaze locked onto her chocolate-colored eyes, promising a future interrogation.
As the group discussed their findings, Arabella grumbled leaning back on her chair. "Where the hell is Alice? She was supposed to be helping me. If this keeps up, we will never have Pandemonium ready for its opening next year."
"She's on a date with Frank." Lucy casually mentioned whilst brewing some potions for their emergency cabinet.
"Frank? Who's that?" Evan inquired, propping his feet on Arabella's lap.
"Longbottom. He's a Gryffindo," Hermione explained, sipping her water. "They make a good couple, and I'm happy for Alice. She was really excited about the date this morning."
Evan then turned the spotlight on Hermione's own love life.. "How's it going with Luchesse, cuore mio?" he smirked, "A little bird told me they saw you kissing outside the Three Broomsticks."
Much to the boys' chagrin, Giacomo and Hermione had ended up going on a date after the Slytherin left the Hospital Wing and they had already been dating for two months.
"Who are you? My father?" The brunette rolled her eyes while Evan blew her a kiss and giggled, "but we're doing great."
"You're dating one of the most coveted and hot guys at school, and the only thing you say when they ask you about the relationship is that it's going great?" Lucy raised her eyebrows.
Hermione defended her response, "He takes care of me, makes me laugh, and treats me well. I can't complain. Besides, we each respect each other's personal space, especially now that the end of the Quidditch season is approaching."
Barty, however, couldn't hold back his thoughts. "That's a bullshit excuse," he blurted out, drawing everyone's attention. "I mean, Reg is the Seeker, and he's here with us."
The difference between the girls who were excited for their friend's new relationship and the boys was that the boys had heard rumors about Hermione's new boyfriend being a heartthrob and a womanizer.
Regulus, displaying his usual arrogance, mocked Giacomo's Quidditch skills. "He's a terrible Chaser. Even a newborn baby knows how to fly better than him."
Hermione, not one to back down, retorted, "That's just your white pureblood privilege," eliciting laughter from the group, sticking her tongue out at his best friend
"He can't compare, if he can't compete, ma cherie," Regulus stuck his tongue out in response, and the banter continued until Alice burst in with excitement. "Guys, I had an excellent idea — well, it was partly Frank's idea, but well — Saints and Sinners!"
Arabella stood up, grumbling, "What the hell are you talking about, Alice? You were supposed to be helping me with ideas for the opening party."
Alice explained the concept. "That's what I'm talking about — the theme could be saints and sinners. We'll all wear masks, and it'll be a mystery who we're talking to. We can blend in among the crowd."
Arabella hugged Alice, giving her a loud kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Alice. Now help me with the details."
Barty, still bewildered by his friends, rolled his eyes. "I really don't understand how I'm friends with you lot," he muttered, earning laughter from the group. "Love you too, Barty Bear."
"Remus, confess. It really doesn't bother you at all?" James held a Snitch in his hand, absentmindedly launching it into the air before skillfully catching it.
"What do you mean?" Remus continued to read his book, apparently unfazed by James' remark.
"I'm talking about your sister dating Luchesse," James clarified, plopping down on his bed and fixing his gaze upon one of his closest friend
Remus sighed, closing his book and giving James his full attention."Mimi and I have talked about it, James. Honestly, she's old enough to make her own decisions. Between the two of us, I may be the werewolf, but she's the one who bites," he replied.
The Potter heir sat on his friend's bed and leaned over, invading Remus' personal space. "Luchesse apparently has a side chick, or at least that's what they say in the locker room," James confided, his brow furrowed.
Remus shook his head, trying to reassure his friend. "That's just locker room talk, James. Why are you suddenly so interested in my sister? A year ago, you couldn't stand each other, and now you seem to be paying attention to every move he makes," Remus observed, Lily had talked to him about her suspicions that maybe she wasn't the only girl James liked.
"I worry about her, Remus. She's like a little sister to me," James stated with a frown emphasizing the word 'friends', seemingly oblivious to his own emotions. Remus fought the urge to bang his head against the wall or better yet, banging James's head and knocking some sense into him .
Remus raised an eyebrow, studying James intently. "And wouldn't it be that maybe you're jealous because Luchesse is a Chaser like you, and Hermione doesn't pay as much attention to you as she used to?"
Fidgeting uncomfortably and becoming visibly flustered, James whined pathetically, wearing a kicked-puppy expression that made Remus growl in frustration. "She's supposed to help me win over Lily, but with Luchesse and Regulus around, I can't find the time to talk to her. Lily is going to think I don't love her anymore,"
"Have I heard the name of my dear little brother?" Sirius entered the room with a triumphant grin, his disheveled hair and poorly buttoned shirt giving him a devil-may-care appearance.
"Sirius!" James exclaimed, jumping up and hugging his other best friend. "Do you think you can tell your brother to get away from Hermione so I can talk to her?"
Sirius, taken back by James' enthusiasm for him, widened his eyes. "Funny you mention that. I just saw her outside her near the Quidditch pitch," he revealed.
"Thanks! I'll catch up with you later. Love you!" James expressed his gratitude before bolting out of the room, in search of Remus's sister.
Sirius collapsed onto Remus' bed, resting his cheek in his hand. "He hasn't realized it yet, right?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Chuckling lowly, Remus leaned back against the headboard of his bed. "Maybe you should hit him with a Bludger during your next match," he suggested playfully.
"We all know it except him. Well, neither my brother nor Crouch know it, but Evans does." A sly grin spread across Sirius' face.
"I'd like to see your brother's reaction when he finds out," Remus mused, running his fingers through Sirius' hair, eliciting a contented sigh from his best friend.
Sirius snuggled closer, relishing the comforting touch. "My brother is going to murder him. Did you not see how Luchesse ended up in the infirmary just for asking your sister on a date?" he remarked, causing both boys to burst into laughter. "I've never asked you, but what do you think of Jamione?" he inquired, genuinely curious about Remus' opinion.
"The fuck is Jamione?" The werewolf abruptly stopped his ministrations, causing Sirius to protest and climb out of bed. He reached under his bed and retrieved a large box. He pulled out what appeared to be a t-shirt and handed it to Remus. The shirt bore a photo of James kneeling in front of Hermione, with the words 'Jamione is my religion' written below the image.
A mixture of amusement and disbelief crossed Remus' face as he examined the shirt. "Lily and I are thinking of selling them for 15 galleons. What do you think?" Sirius asked, his excitement evident. " We also have mugs and caps that we'll sell for 5 galleons,"
Remus rolled his eyes, realizing Hermione's influence on Sirius. "I should never have let Mimi show you that shop," he muttered, shaking his head in mock exasperation. Nonetheless, he reached into his pocket, pulled out five galleons, and handed them to Sirius. "Give me a mug, but not a word of this to my sister," he instructed, a small smirk playing on his lips.
Sirius nodded vigorously, accepting the galleons with a gleeful grin. He couldn't wait to see James' reaction and the potential profit they could make from their "Jamione" merchandise. "Your secret's safe with me, Rem. I'll even throw in a discount for being family."
Remus chuckled, shaking his head. "I can't believe you're turning James and my sister into a merchandise line and they're not even dating. What's next, 'Jamione' posters for every Gryffindor dormitory? A fan club?"
"Hey, that's not a bad idea!" Sirius replied, his eyes lighting up. "We could have different designs, meetings, merchandise discounts, and exclusive access to the latest Jamione gossip. The possibilities are endless!"
Remus laughed, imagining the reactions of his sister and best friend if they ever found out about the 'Jamione' merchandise empire in the making. "Just make sure you're discreet about it or we'll end up in the Hospital Wing."
"Deal," Sirius said, pocketing the galleons. "But come on, admit it. You'd prefer James dating Mia rather than Luchesse."
Remus raised an eyebrow. "I'm not getting involved in your merchandising scheme, if that's what you're asking."
Sirius grinned. "Don't care, you just bought a mug. Now, let's brainstorm some more ideas for 'Jamione' merchandise. We could even make a theme song!"
"I think James might hex you if you go too far with this."Remus remarked, but he couldn't help but find the whole situation amusing.
"Nah, he'll love it. Imagine walking into the common room and seeing everyone wearing Jamione gear. It'll be legendary," Sirius said, a dreamy look in his eyes.
Remus shook his head, looking at Sirius with a mix of disbelief and amusement. "You're fucking crazy."
Sirius grinned, unapologetic. "But you love me anyway."
Remus couldn't help but chuckle at the truth in Sirius's statement. "Yeah, I guess I do."
The echo of James's footsteps reverberated through the stone corridors of Hogwarts as he sprinted toward the Quidditch pitch, his mind a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts. In his haste, he crossed paths with Lily. "Evans," he greeted her with a small smile, his attention momentarily diverted.
It took a moment for James to register that the person he ran into was none other than Lily Evans. He abruptly halted in his tracks and turned around, his eyes wide. Lily, equally astonished, looked up at him, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "James, is something wrong?"
"What? No—Of course not!" James stammered, his response coming out in a panicked rush. "Why do you say that?"
Lily raised an eyebrow, studying him intently. "No? Are you sure you're not sick?"
"No—Yes—I'm not sick, Evans," James mumbled, his cheeks tinged with a hint of embarrassment. It dawned on him that this was the first time they were talking without her immediately telling him to "fuck off."
"To be honest, I prefer you this way," Lily admitted, giving him a small smile. However, to James's surprise, she didn't follow it up with a clever retort or a scathing remark.
"Like what? What do you mean?" James asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion, his laughter nervously bubbling up as he struggled to come up with a pick-up line.
"You're so oblivious, it's hilarious," Lily teased, a twinkle in her eyes. "The day you realize, that will be the day."
"I don't know whether to be offended or flattered," James said, cocking his head, and Lily couldn't help but laugh internally. Despite his usual bravado, he could be surprisingly cute when caught off guard. "Why do you say I'm oblivious?"
"That's something I'll leave for you to figure out, Potter. Good luck," Lily quipped, turning on her heel with a toss of her vibrant red hair as she walked away.
James stood there, gaping at her retreating figure in disbelief. He waited for the familiar fuzziness in his brain, the wild fluttering in his heart, but to his surprise, they were absent. A realization hit him like a lightning bolt. "Oh my God," he screeched, his voice echoing through the corridor. The realization hit him like a Bludger – he no longer liked Lily Evans.
"What do I do? What do I do?" James muttered to himself, pacing back and forth in the middle of the hallway, his hands tangled in his unruly hair. The Gryffindor found himself on the brink of a mental breakdown.
Suddenly, he heard voices approaching, and he instinctively turned toward them. As the voices grew louder, James strained to make out the conversation. What he heard sent a surge of anger through him.
"You've been dating for almost a year and you haven't even gotten past first base?" It was a voice unfamiliar to James, but the context of the conversation was clear—they were talking about a girl.
"The bastard has Jessica too, that's why he doesn't complain about how frigid his girlfriend is," another voice sneered, the disdain evident in his tone.
"Hey, be careful, but you're right. Jessica meets my physical needs, and Hermione... it's better not to talk. I've tried millions of times, but she says she's not ready." James' eyes widened as he recognized the voice—it was Hermione's boyfriend. Anger surged within him like a wildfire. How dare that sick fuck disrespect two girls like this?
"And have you heard the rumors about her brother? They say he's a werewolf," the first voice added, disgust dripping from every word.
"A werewolf's head hanging on a wall in my house would be something to talk about, right?" Giacomo boasted cruelly, accompanied by laughter from his friends.
That was the breaking point for James. He turned the corner, seeing red and charged toward Hermione's future ex boyfriend . He had heard enough. "What the fuck did you just say, Luchesse?" Each word was punctuated with a punch. "Say it again if you dare, you bastard son of a bitch. I'm going to kill you for what you said."
Giacomo's friends attempted to intervene, trying to separate the enraged Gryffindor from their friend but James's rage made him unstoppable. Giacomo, now attempting to shield his face, could only manage feeble protests. "You're fucking crazy, Potter. Get the fuck off me."
"You disgust me," James paused in his assault to deliver a final, punishing kick to Giacomo's stomach, eliciting a scream of pain. "Just know that Hermione is going to find out about the conversation you just had with your two little friends. If I were you, I'd watch my back on and off the Quidditch pitch." Leaving behind the writhing Slytherin, James stormed off towards the pitch where Sirius had said he'd seen the girl.
Hermione soared over the Quidditch field, her mind lost in the thrill of flying, when she noticed James below, frantically searching as if looking for someone. He gestured for her to come down.
"Oh my god, you have blood on your knuckles, are you okay?" Hermione exclaimed, concern evident as she observed James's battered knuckles, unmistakably bearing signs of a recent fight.
"You should see the other guy," James joked, attempting to play it off, though nervousness flickered in his eyes. "I need to tell you something you're not going to like."
"Let's get those knuckles fixed first," Hermione said softly. Retrieving her broom, she led the way to the Gryffindor locker room, with James following closely.
Once inside, Hermione left her broom in the closet and returned with a first aid kit. "Sit here," she motioned to the bench. James nodded and sat down, watching as she took out bandages and alcohol for his bruised knuckles. In a surprising move, Hermione sat on his lap to attend to his injuries.
"I can get up if you're feeling overwhelmed," she offered with a small smile, noticing his nervousness.
"Don't worry," James stammered, trying to regain his composure. "I—you can continue."
Hermione got to work with the alcohol-soaked cotton swab, eliciting light grunts from him. "Don't be a big baby, Jamie."
She continued tending to his wounds, the gentle touch causing a peculiar warmth to spread through James. As she cleaned the cuts, he found himself captivated by her concentration. He noticed subtle details like the freckles on her sun-kissed skin, barely visible but cute. His gaze then lingered on her mouth, a small dimple forming when she smiled and he found himself fixated on her soft, plump lips. A thought crossed his mind, one he wasn't prepared for: What would it feel like to kiss her? Hold on, where did that thought come from?
"All patched up," Hermione's voice brought him back to reality. James attempted to speak but found himself entranced, locking eyes with Hermione's chocolate gaze, a mix of concern and amusement. "Oh my God, she was breathtaking,"
Then it happened. The butterflies in his stomach, fuzziness in his brain, and a hammering heart—everything he had felt with Lily multiplied tenfold. It hit him like a wave crashing against rocks during a storm.
James knew that something had changed inside him that day in the library where she and Lily had made fun at his expense and that had only been accentuated when he found out that Hermione and the asshole were an official couple. At first, he had convinced himself it was a protective instinct because Hermione was Remus's little sister. But, remembering his conversations with Remus and Lily, he understood the truth—he was irrevocably, head-over-boots in love with Hermione.
"Jamie, you're scaring me, are you okay?" Hermione gently cupped his face, offering a warm smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
He was in love with Hermione. His best friend's sister—Remus' little sister. Said best friend who was a werewolf.
"Your brother is going to kill me," James whined, burying his face in his hands, eliciting laughter from Hermione. The sound echoing through the locker room walls.
"My brother can't kill a fly, and you're best friends. If I had to bet on who was most likely to end up in Azkaban for murder, it would be Reggie or Evan. Barty is a cinnamon roll at heart," Hermione reassured him. James raised his head in horror, looking at the girl still sitting on his lap. He had completely forgotten who Hermione's friends were.
How was he so foolish to think that Remus, Hermione's older brother and a werewolf, a fucking werewolf was his biggest concern. No. His biggest concern wasn't Remus; it was Sirius' younger brother and the second heir to the House of Black— Regulus. Regulus Black was going to kill him.
"Well, fuck," James thought.