Glory |A. Potter|

Fifty-One

Jane bounced back from the incident in the Quidditch Pitch the next day and so her life returned to normal, and with her acting the way she usually did, her friends were reassured and their days moved on the way they usually did. Jane, specifically, continued waking up early for a morning run even during the weekend, kept on studying the way she always did, fulfilled her Head Girl duties and attended the choir practice for the last time. To say her friends were surprised when she told them was an understatement.

"What do you mean you quit choir practice?" Ramona asked the moment Jane told them during Monday at breakfast. Albus and Scorpius looked at Jane with wide eyes as she shrugged, her gaze remaining on her breakfast.

"I didn't find it all that interesting anymore."

"But you never leave things in the middle," Ramona insisted, "it doesn't make sense."

"I just don't want to be part of it anymore, all it does is waste my time."

"But you had told me you like singing," she continued, the furrow between her brows growing deeper the more she spoke. "What brought this on?"

"I just realised it'd be better if I quit. It doesn't offer me anything and I will need time to study in the next couple of months."

"But you always liked to be busy," Ramona wouldn't drop the matter, "are you sure-"

"I'm always sure when I'm taking a decision," she cut her off, a slight edge to her tone that brought Ramona to frown and turn her gaze to her plate. Scorpius softly cleared his throat.

"We just want to make sure you're happy, Jane."

"I'm fine," she kept on talking with the same edge as before in her tone, "you need to stop worrying about me all the time. I can handle things pretty well. After all these years, I would have thought you knew that."

"We do know that," Albus took his turn to speak, "we're trying to make sure you know you don't have to face this on your own."

"There is nothing to face."

Albus's eyes narrowed, the provocation almost slipping off of his tongue before Scorpius reached over to place a hand on his knee, effectively causing him to meet his gaze. He subtly widened his eyes and shook his head, pleaded with him to let it go. Albus scowled, displeased, but shook his head and turned back to his breakfast. Scorpius withdrew his arm.

The tension was palpable, all of them could feel it, but it seemed like Antonio was none the wiser as he skipped down the table and came to a stop beside Jane. He flopped down on the seat beside her own with a wide smile, placed a tupperware in front of her.

"Good morning. Mum sent you apple pie."

Jane blinked as she looked over at him. "What?"

"She made some apple pie for you. Once you've finished, send her the tupperware back in a bag with an owl, she will need it for the next delivery."

"Antonio, what-"

"I've got to go, I've got a class," he beamed over at them once more as he jumped up. "See you!"

Jane blinked, laughed slightly as she reached for the tupperware, carefully examined the apple pie inside. She shook her head, slightly in disbelief.

"I never thought Diana would send me apple pie." There was no response, and when she looked up, Ramona and Scorpius sent her a small smile at the moment Jane didn't realise was forced. Albus didn't look up. "Do you want some?"

"Not now, I need to leave," Scorpius offered her an apologetic smile, "maybe later."

"We do need to get to class," Ramona agreed with a small nod.