RUN - James Potter

Chapter 15

Antonella had not slept that night. Instead, she spent the night staring at her cycling until she heard the sounds of Asterin rustling, about to wake up. She knew she should have slept, god, today wasn't the best day to be lacking in any sleep. And yet, she lays, without any other thought but James Potter with daggers.

"You're up already?" Asterin groaned into her pillow, her eyes slightly open and lazily looking directly at Antonella, "Or have you not slept?"

A small innocent smile crept onto her face, and Asterin did not need Antonella to admit that, 'Yes, I did not sleep because I was busy thinking about James Potter holding a dagger to my throat', and she was thankful for it.

Antonella pulled the sheets away, and slowly raised.

"I'll see you at breakfast," she whispered to Asterin, as she left the room.

She did not touch her breakfast that morning, instead her eyes seemed to always land on James Potter, and wondering if his beloved friends knew about his dagger obsession. Or did he only offer it to her, as physically, one could make the assumption she was not fit... healthy.

A sour frown appeared on her face. The thought that James could subtly suggesting for her to work out made her both ashamed in her own body image, but annoyed that James thought he had the right to even suggest it. However, she knew there was an alternative, he wanted her to excel in yet another activity.

But again, why would James Potter want to help her?

Sitting next to Taylor and Erika, she kept her head resting on her palm as she starred down the Gryffindor table.

"What are you staring at?" Taylor asked, as he moved his face to where Antonella's was, to figure out who she was looking at, "James Potter?"

The announcement was enough for Matilda, Erika and Elsie to begin cackling, Asterin also following suit, making heart shape gestures at Antonella. Too tired to fight them, she continued staring at him.

Where did he even buy the daggers?

An interesting question for an interesting conversation.

During her Potions class, Antonella watched from her bench with Matilda as James showed Sirius how to cut the berries correctly... using a dagger-like knife. Antonella watched intently, as his fingers wrapped gently around the end of the handle. He cut as if it was sand, clean and with perfection.

"What is your obsession with him today," Matilda whispered, as she wrote down her results on her parchment, "You keep watching him."

Antonella did not reply. She just continued watching him. The dagger seemed to be held with such elegance, and as if it weighed nothing. Her desire for knowledge, would be the death of her.

Yet, Antonella did not say anything to James during their potions practical earlier. The eerie silence overcame the both of them instead. She let him do most of the potion, whilst she watched his every move. How the knife seemed to melt into his skin – a skill she hadn't admired before. It was as if he was one with anything metal.

What other secrets did James Potter have?

It wasn't until Transfiguration that Antonella stopped staring at him, focusing on the board and what Professor McGonagall was going over; the end of the week was always revision of what they had learnt over the week.

"Can anyone tell me what Lockes Noni is known for?"

Antonella did not raise her hand, instead she spoke loudly and clearly as she always does in transfiguration, her safe class.