cigarette daydream || james potter

"Standin' in the pourin' rain,"

Summer had arrived at Hogwarts in full force, as if the castle had finally surrendered to the season after months of resisting it. Even at night, the air held a lingering heat that clung to the stone walls and drifted through the open windows like a warm, restless breath.

Estella Lupin had thrown her dormitory window wide open before she'd even properly woken up, as though sheer determination might summon a breeze into existence. The curtains shifted lazily in the warm air, barely stirring, offering little relief from the thick, close heat that had settled over Gryffindor Tower.

She woke half-curled on top of her covers rather than beneath them, the night's sleep scattered and uneven. For a moment she simply lay there, blinking slowly at the ceiling, as if deciding whether consciousness was worth committing to.

Beside her, curled into a tight, content ball, was Oliver.

The cat's soft purring filled the quiet room in steady, rhythmic waves. Every breath he took pressed faintly against her cheek, warm and ticklish, grounding her in a way nothing else quite managed. Estella exhaled through her nose and, still half-asleep, reached out to scratch behind his ears.

The purring deepened immediately.

"Traitor," she murmured affectionately, though her hand didn't stop.

She leaned down and pressed a brief kiss to the top of his head before pushing herself upright, the movement slow and reluctant. Her body felt heavy with the kind of exhaustion that came from both heat and habit-late nights, early mornings, and the looming pressure of seventh year pressing down on all of them like an invisible weight.

Her gaze drifted toward the open window.

Outside, Hogwarts was already awake in fragments. The sun had risen above the jagged line of distant mountains that cradled the castle, spilling gold across the grounds. The lake below shimmered faintly, catching light in soft, broken ripples. A thin breeze finally moved through the air, lifting her tangled chestnut hair away from her shoulders and exposing the faint amber freckles scattered across her cheeks and nose.

For a moment, she just stood there.

Watching.

Thinking-despite herself-about NEWTs.

Seventh year had a way of doing that. Turning even the simplest mornings into something with weight behind them. Every conversation now seemed to carry a shadow of exams, careers, expectations. Even the castle itself felt like it was subtly reminding them that time was moving faster than they wanted it to.

Estella huffed softly to herself.

"Disgusting," she muttered. "Growing up."

A loud knock broke through her thoughts.

Before she could respond, the door swung open.

"Morning, my deary!" Lily Evans appeared in the doorway like she belonged there, already fully dressed, hair neatly brushed, and holding a steaming cup of coffee as though she had personally negotiated peace with the universe.

Estella blinked at her.

"...You're cheerful."

"I'm always cheerful," Lily declared brightly, walking in without hesitation and handing her the cup.