𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂'𝓈 𝒜 𝐵𝓇𝑒𝓌𝒾𝓃'

December 25th, 1994

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝐸𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉

Click.

The hum of noise returned just as the camera once more blinded all in sight, the large gathering of teens leaning away from one another, their fixed smiles falling away to something more natural.

Valeria, Iris and Tracey bounded over to Remus Lupin to check the results, contemplating amongst each other before they would orchestrate the group into a new picture.

Jane didn't fully understand why they needed pictures on both a muggle and magic camera, not when the magic ones were clearly superior, but wasn't complaining much watching Valeria bounding around throwing orders. Jane just wished she wouldn't have another picture trapped next to the red head that Valeria had introduced formally as her date.

Susan Bones.

The way it sounded coming from Valeria just irked Jane in a way she had never been before. And Jane was a good person, she really tried to be, to be better than her family... but honestly as she watched Valeria bounce back, her smile wide as she approached Susan Bones, Jane found just a bit of her family slipping out. Upholding the family name in thought even if never in actions for just a moment as she imagined Susan Bones living up to her name and—

"Your father is showing in that glare Yaxley."

The glare that had tainted Jane's features faded just as quickly as it had come on. Theodore giving her the needed slap to return to something more herself, a sheepish smile making a quick appearance before turning into her usual kind glean.

"Just wish we could hurry this up already."

Theodore hummed in a way that was all too unbelieving, but Jane would be unbothered as his lack of interest in her feelings was all too clear. His eyes remained on the only place they had been since Jane joined his side.

Iris Blackwell.

The way she looked, walked, talked, held attention all the time but that night... oh that night it was a whole new level of captivating. Everyone felt it, and for Theodore it had to be so much worse, something only he could describe... the unreal beauty that was Iris Blackwell.  Theodore was always a composed guy, so good at holding back his feelings and going with the flow, and showing nothing to anyone else. But watching Iris Blackwell turn around, smiling wide as she started pointing for people to go this way and that, returning to no one... Theodore almost looked—

"Didn't know you were capable of anger Nott."

The glare that had been creeping onto Theodore's features quickly dissolved into his usual blank stares. Jane the needed check on his emotions for the night, but not so much as a glance sent her way as he continued to watch his friend.

Watching Iris return to Remus while Valeria and Susan stood alone, taking their couple picture together... Jane was hit with an overwhelming sense that perhaps her and Theodore were a good match.

Both him and her subjected to the same torture in that moment of unspoken feelings leading to events like this. A person they each desired to an excruciating degree, that only teenage hearts could feel, unattainable. Those people they wanted both focused elsewhere while Jane and Theodore could not think of anything else. Those people that made their hearts flutter combined with a moment of a deep sort of rage...

For Jane the rage and love were separate. Simple in how she could split the two emotions... she could childishly blame the third party Susan Bones for all her misfortune.