In which James Potter
is a pyromaniac
and realizes
there is something
more scorching
than Lily's red locks.
because if Lily's bright hair were a burning flame, Ella's blazing blue eyes would be found at its centre, where everything turns to ash...
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𝔼𝕝𝕝𝕒 𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤' wounded feet dragged her to her Defence Against the Dark Arts class the following morning. Images of a hungry werewolf, a barking black dog, and a majestic stag were replaying in her mind. Her new preoccupation had been enough to keep her nightmares at bay, but the three hours of sleep remaining after the entire ordeal had left her hungry for more.
She yawned upon reaching the line of sixth-year students and leaned against the wall. The cold stones helped keep her groggy eyes open, and she glimpsed James Potter's curly hair. Her heart fluttered upon reading the concern in his hazel eyes, and she gave him a subtle thumbs up.
The opening of the doors redirected her attention to her young teacher. Meminger stood aside while the students entered the classroom, his ocean-blue eyes scanning every inch of her face. She felt the familiar heat on her cheeks and ducked her head, intent on ignoring his silent query as she walked past him, but a pull on her wrist rooted her to the spot. She swirled around and met Ulrich's concerned frown in surprise.
"You're limping," he stated, pointing at her wounded leg.
Ella freed her wrist to pull her sock higher on her thigh and resumed her course with one flip of her long hair.
"I'm fine."
"Did Evan hurt you again?"
She halted halfway to the doors, irked at the question.
"Since when do you care?"
Most students had entered the classroom by then, but she could still feel a few stares burning the back of her head. Ulrich diverted his gaze to a location up her right shoulder, then met her eyes again with obvious annoyance.
"I always care," he whispered. "I took my distance from him after that night."
Against her will, Ella felt her expression soften. "You did?"
That was all she had ever wanted. For her twin brother to choose her over his best friend and for him to protect her, not the other way around. She cursed upon feeling a tear rolling down her cheek and was about to wipe it off, but Ulrich beat her to it.
"I hope your new friends are treating you better than we did," he mumbled, brushing her skin with his thumb.
