Chapter 6

Endora followed James quietly. Her mind was still a mess from her vision, so she wasn't paying attention to where they were going.

James raised a brow and turned to her, "Endora?" He stopped once they were in a more private spot, a frown on his face as his brows furrowed. He grabbed her shoulder, "Hey."

She shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

He sighed, "What's up?"

"No, don't concern yourself with me. It's nothing."

He grabbed both her shoulders and made her look at him. "I can't say what I want to say if you're distracted," he said.

"I…" she sighed and met his eyes. "It's embarrassing. The short of it is boy trouble, okay? I don't want to talk about it."

"Do I have to beat someone up?" James started pushing up his sleeves.

That made her laugh. "No, I already punched him once," she paused, remembering how her fist had connected with Wyatt's face only for him to laugh as if she had merely tickled him. "But he seemed to like that."

"Sounds like a weirdo."

She snorted and crossed her arms. "Anyway, don't worry too much about it. I'll work it out. Just… it's all new to me, and I'm unsure what I should feel."

"You know what would help with that?"

"What?"

"Amortentia." He said as a matter of fact.

"That again?"

"Not telling you to use it on the guy or anything. They say the potion has different smells for everyone, and the scent is usually most attractive to a person."

Endora looked thoughtful and asked, "So you think if I smell it and it smells like him, that'll be my answer?"

He nodded, "Yeah, wouldn't hurt, right?"

"Right, I'll think about it. I'll have to practice making it for the exams anyway." She looked off to the distance, eyes trained on the window before they turned back to him. "So what did you want to say to me?"

"I thought long and hard about things and want to try this."

"What?" She looked surprised. "You do?"

He scratched the back of his head and nodded, "Yeah. I don't want to turn my back on you." He took her hand. "We have to take this slow, though. Albus likes you, and Lily does, too, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I think they'll accept you with open arms. As for my dad, I'll ease him into the idea. I know he's been curious but too afraid to look for himself, you know?"

Wyatt was behind a pillar, listening in. He felt his chest clench. His eyes glazed over as he gripped his chest. It was true. They are a thing. Ugh, why does this hurt so much? He locked his jaw and closed his eyes tight. No, this can't be. He felt himself spiraling. He needed to confront her, to get answers, but his body felt frozen.

"You don't know how happy this makes me, James." She smiled at him. "I can't wait to write to my dad. He'll be so happy."

Wyatt grit his teeth as he finally turned his head to see her face all lit up and happy. Were you playing with me? Is this what it feels like? He didn't want to believe it. Endora had always ignored the people around her and focused on her studies, but here she was, having a secret meeting with James Potter, hand in hand, brightly smiling at one another as if no one else mattered. That should be him, not James. He couldn't take it anymore. He came out of hiding and approached them. He pulled Endora from James and socked him; he was panting heavily, face contorted into one full of anger he'd never felt toward another person, not like this, at least. His hair was out of place, falling into his eyes as he glared at James.

"Wyatt!" Endora's eyes widened as she watched him hover over James like a crazed animal. She reached out and grabbed his arm. "What are you doing!?" She began tugging him back from James.

James sat up, confused, "what the hell, man?" He rubbed at his cheek, his dark hair in his eyes.

He turned his attention to Endora, anger in his eyes, which all but melted away when he saw the look on her face. What was he doing? Wyatt had never lost himself like this before. It wasn't even like they were dating, for fucks sake. He huffed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "Endora, explain what's happening here. Are you two a thing?" His voice was dangerously low, with a mix of emotions in it.

"Wait… what?" The disbelief on her face over such a question was plastered all over her face. "Are you serious?"

"Just answer the fucking question!"

She jumped as he yelled at her, startled at his aggressive demeanor. It was almost like they hadn't been on a date the day before.

James stood and moved to stand between them, "Don't talk to her like that. She doesn't deserve it." His hands clenched into fists, ready to sock Wyatt, yet he restrained himself, sensing Endora's anxiety.

Wyatt glared hotly at James. He was shaking, and if his wand was in his hand right now, he'd send the stupid git flying across the room. He turned his attention to Endora and felt his face soften. She looked visibly shaken, even frightened by his reaction. "I… forget it. Do what you want." He turned sharply on his heel. His hands balled into fists as he stormed off, hurt, angry, but mostly disappointed.

Endora watched him leave. Her hands were shaking as she slowly lifted it to her mouth. She felt sick. Just what the hell was Wyatt thinking?

"He's the one, yeah?" James asked her once things had gone quiet.

She turned away, the tears building in her eyes. All she could do was nod as her eyes fell to the floor.

He sighed and rubbed at his face, his cheek still throbbing and growing red from being punched, "given his misunderstanding, I think he does like you." He looked down at her. His face softened, and he put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay." Endora was crying, and James felt a sudden sense of panic. "Ah fuck. Wait – c'mon, don't cry." He looked around and did the only thing he could do, hugging her against him and patting her back. "Shh… it's okay." Given her reaction, he didn't think she needed the Amortentia. "I think you need to talk with him and explain."

She calmed down and pulled back, rubbing her eyes, "What's the point? This is fine! He was annoying anyway." She reasoned, but it was more with herself than with James. It wasn't like anything concrete was happening between them anyway. She had said just the day before that she would never fall for Wyatt. They didn't know each other well, so why was she feeling so distraught? For some reason, it brought her back to the first year when she and Wyatt had been friends, only for him to distance himself.

James frowned. "Then why are you upset?"

"I'm not."

"Liar." He bopped her. "You need to go cool off somewhere." James looked off in the direction Wyatt had gone. His first act as family was to fix this mess. He couldn't help but feel somewhat at fault for this, too. "I promise it's going to be better." He stared her in the eyes. "Okay?" He gently tilted her head up to make her look up at him.

She sighed and nodded, "okay." She sniffed.

"Good girl," he grinned. "Go to the library; I'll find you later." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and went off in the direction Wyatt had gone. True to Potter fashion, he was determined to fix this.

Endora just stood there. She didn't understand what it was she was feeling. Why did Wyatt have to assume things? Sighing once more, she headed to the library.

James found Wyatt in the courtyard, muttering about how stupid he was. He rolled his eyes as he watched the idiot struggle with his feelings. "Oi!" He called out to him as he approached.

Wyatt stopped pacing and glared at him, "What do you want? Why aren't you with Endora?"

"I came to set some things straight." He had his hands in his pockets as he watched Wyatt staring at him as if he had taken his favorite toy.

"Oh, and what's that? Come to tell me I have no right to your girlfriend?"

James gagged at that. "Endora's not my girlfriend." He said plainly.

Wyatt paused, "then what was all that talk about taking things slow? Don't fuck with me, Potter. She looked all too pleased to be held by you. And it looked like you were practically about to kiss her." He sounded miserable.

"Kiss her? What the fuck is wrong with you?" James glanced around, pleased no one else was around, "Endora is my cousin."

Wyatt froze. He looked like his brain had just broken. "She… huh?"

He sighed and closed the distance between them. He put his arm around his shoulder and led him toward one of the arches, "Endora's father is my father's cousin, my cousin. Our families have been estranged for years. Honestly, we didn't even know about her until now. Endora's been trying to reconnect our family. I was talking about that when I said we needed to take it slow."

Wyatt went white as a sheet and pressed a hand to his face. "I fucked up." He grumbled dryly.

"Yeah, you did." He agreed. "But you can fix it. I told her to wait in the library."

"I can't see her now! Not after that." He ran his hands through his hair. "And after she said she'd give me a chance. Merlin's beard, how fucking stupid am I?"

"You keep doing that, you're gonna end up bald, mate." He teased.

He fixed him with a glare. "How the fuck do you propose I fix this?" He practically hissed, eyes blazing with a mix of various emotions, mostly anger at himself for being a huge dick. He was usually more level-headed than this.

"For one, go talk to her. Explain your feelings. Tell her you misunderstood and let jealousy blind you." James had his hands on his hips as he watched Wyatt drowning in his self-loathing.

"Jealous? I'm not jealous." He crossed his arms, his face scrunching up incredulously at the mere word. Deny, Deny, Deny.

James all but rolled his eyes. "Yes, you are. You're so jealous you punched me, yelled at her, then stormed off like a spoiled brat." He paused, hand back in his pocket as he leaned against the arch, his eyes on Wyatt, "That really fucking hurt, by the way, and I expect you to apologize to me too."

Wyatt's jaw locked in place as he looked out at the scenery before him, to the vast amount of trees, the mountains, and the lake just down below where the resident octopus was flailing its many arms up above the surface for no real reason other than to intimidate the first years learning how to fly nearby. He leaned over the open arched windows and let out an exasperated sigh. "I-" he grit his teeth- "apologize, Potter."

"Didn't sound convincing, but okay, for Endora's sake, I'll let it slide." He crossed his arms and pressed his back into the stone wall, his eyes scanning the courtyard and the few kids heading out to the fields to run around and get rid of pent-up energy. "So what's your deal?"

"My deal? What do you mean?" He asked. His tone was miserable as he tried to focus on the conversation.

"You usually have a different girl on your arm every month. Why are you targeting Endora?" James' reaction would depend on his answer. James would beat Wyatt so miserably that he'd probably forget his name if this was just conquest. He may have only just found out his relation to her but that didn't mean he wouldn't protect her. Like with his other cousins, he would step up to be a protector for her. From what he knew, Endora was an only child, and he felt she needed them, probably more than she would openly admit.

"I'm gonna be honest with you, Potter, I don't even know. Endora confuses me. She doesn't fall for my charms, doesn't rise to my baiting, and talks to me in a way no other girl ever has, and I find I like that. Endora's never clung to me or fought for my attention like her stupid dorm mate. Or the fan club, for that matter."

James squinted at him the more he spoke, "So you like a girl that doesn't take your shit."

Wyatt let his head drop into his hands, "I fucking guess so! You know she made me get on my knees yesterday to beg for a chance for her just to get to know me?" He paused, exasperation on his face, "and I fucking enjoyed it." He couldn't believe he was admitting this to anyone, let alone James Sirius Potter. "Ah, I fucked up so bad. Not even two days, and I ruined it all."

James felt his own face scrunch as he listened to Wyatt's confession. "I think there's something more to this that you're not saying. I don't think you'd be like this if it was only two days."

Wyatt's expression grew distant, "We met in the first year, and we were starting to become good friends. Truthfully, I don't even know what happened. I was younger then, and I think I feared my feelings. So I just shut them down and figured if I stayed away-"

"You'd stop feeling them." He surmised, eyes appraising Wyatt and his slumped shoulders. "Welp, we can see that didn't work. So why are you out of your mind for her now?"

"School started, and she looked my way but really, she wasn't looking at me. After that, I tried everything I could to get her attention. But for once, I was the one being ignored." He sighed, "What can I do now after this?"

"The only thing you can do is to grow up and talk to her. Don't try to charm her. Just treat her like a normal person. Talk to her the way we're talking now. I think she'll appreciate it if you're honest with your feelings instead of hiding behind-" he motioned to all of him- "whatever this is you're doing." Wyatt's silent despair only annoyed James to no end. "Do I have to drag you to her?"

"What? No! I can go on my own, thank you very much."

"Yeah, sure you can." He scoffed. "C'mon." He wrapped an arm around his shoulder, dragging him off toward the library despite Wyatt's protests.

Students in the hall watched the Gryffindor practically dragging the Slytherin toward the library with a mix of amusement and shock.

When they reached the library, they searched for her together. What they found was Endora sitting with Vatera whispering in her ear. Endora's eyes were on the portrait of a former head librarian not far from them, and she seemed to listen to her words intently.

"Endora!" James waved with a grin.

Endora froze at the sound of her name and looked back to see James with Wyatt. Her face hardened at the sight of him, Wyatt in particular. Remaining silent, she quickly walked away, looking to avoid Wyatt by any means necessary.

Wyatt stared after her retreating form and pushed away from James to quickly follow after her, but Vatera stepped in the way and placed her hands on his chest, all smiles.

"Oh, Wyatt, I don't think you should be talking to her anymore. Why don't you try again later? Or never? That would probably be for the best, considering—" her eyes flicked to James — that she's spoken for and all."

Wyatt grit his teeth and glared at her.

"Of course she's spoken for," James said and put a hand on Wyatt's shoulder, preventing him from doing something stupid in the library. "By Wyatt."

Vatera's eyes went wide at that, but she quickly recovered. She opened her mouth only to see Wyatt smirk a bit.

"I rather like that." He glanced at James. His eyes went to Vatera, "I will claim what's mine." He pushed Vatera out of his way.

Vatera grit her teeth and grabbed his arm, forcing him back, "no! Why her? Why not me? You've dated literally everyone! Why are you ignoring me for that filthy mudblood?" She all but screeched, her jealousy palpable.

Both he and James froze at the word. James turned his eyes toward Vatera. "What did you say?"

"Fuck off Potter! This doesn't concern you!"

Wyatt shrugged her off, "How dare you call her that word. Do you want to die?" His voice dropped dangerously; the look of anger on his face, directed toward her, sent shivers down her spine.

"I… I didn't mean… I didn't mean to call her that." She tried to make herself small and vulnerable in front of Wyatt, trying to gain some sympathy from the pure-blood heir of Silverthorn. "It slipped, I swear!"

James stepped before Vatera, eyes set in a glare, "Wyatt, go get your girl."

"I'll deal with you later." He hissed at Vatera and stormed away.

Vatera looked absolutely crushed. "But why? Why not me?"

"Did it ever occur to you that you're just so fucking unlikable?" James asked dryly. He didn't expect an answer from her, but the way she looked up at James with a mix of tears and anger brought him a small sense of satisfaction. "You have real big… what is it they say?"

A girl nearby snorted, "pick-me behavior."

James turned his attention toward the pretty Ravenclaw girl with long, wavy blond hair and blue eyes. He blanked on her name; he'd have to ask her later. She was cute. He shrugged it off and looked at Vatera. " Right, what she said. Wyatt doesn't like you."

"That's not true!" She screamed out.

Madam Pince was not pleased as she made her way toward the yelling. "Ms. Valbis, you will control your volume whilst in the library. Have I made myself absolutely clear?"

"Y-yes…" she muttered quietly, subdued. She flicked her eyes back to the meddling Ravenclaw with a sneer and passed the same look to James. She quickly stormed off to go stew elsewhere.

Tonia had been watching the entire thing with a sigh and wasn't sure if she should follow her long-time friend. Her brows knit together delicately, torn between her old childhood friend and Endora, their studious, no-nonsense roommate. She decided in the end to keep out of it completely. Since witnessing the events at Hogsmeade the day before, it was obvious that Wyatt had it bad for Endora, and she had never seen him like that with any of the girls on his arm. She wished Vatera would just open her eyes and see that, too. She worried that she might do something stupid against Endora. It was one thing to call her a slur behind her back. It was another to cause physical harm to her.

James watched the spoiled, pure-blooded brat flee with her tail between her legs, annoyance in his eyes. He would have to keep an eye on her when he can. The problem was he was sure she shared a dorm with his cousin. As he stood there thinking, he realized that Endora was beginning to mean more to him despite how new this relationship was.

"James?" The Ravenclaw called to him softly, breaking him out of his thoughts. "You alright there?"

He shook his head and looked back at the girl. She had a soft, heart-shaped face with pretty naturally flushed cheeks. Her long, thick lashes veiled her crystal-clear eyes. Now he remembered her. "Yeah, I'm fine, Ophelia." He made quick strides over toward her and sat down in the seat near her. He pushed back his wavy dark locks and eyed her.

She just gave him a nod, returning to her reading. "She had that coming."

He quirked a brow. "Vatera?"

Ophelia nodded. "I overheard what she was saying to Endora, " she muttered as she leaned closer toward him over the arm of her comfy chair. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but..."

James felt his blood boiling as Ophelia told him word for word what she had heard. No wonder Endora had practically run off.