THE SHADOW PATH ⎯ james potter

[026]

chapter twenty-six:

running out of time

The group gathered outside on the grass near the lake, the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the grounds. They sat in a loose circle, each person with their own thoughts about what had just happened and what was yet to come. The discovery of the golden pyramid had intensified the urgency of their situation, and it weighed heavily on everyone.

"We need to go back to the Forbidden Forest," Charlotte said, breaking the silence. "There's got to be more in that clearing that we missed. If someone's trying to finish this ritual, we need to stop them before they do."

Regulus nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful. "We should head there as soon as possible. The more time we waste, the more time whoever it is gets closer to completing the ritual."

"I'm all for it," Sirius said, leaning back on his hands and gazing up at the sky. "But maybe we should bring some sort of protection. If that pyramid thing was part of the ritual, who knows what else could be lurking around?"

"Right," Remus added, looking serious. "We should prepare for anything. There's no telling what kind of dark magic we could be up against."

James, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. "We'll go, but it'll have to wait."

Everyone turned to look at him, surprised by his sudden decision. Ellie furrowed her brow, confused. "Why? We need to figure this out before it's too late."

James gave her a small, knowing smile. "Ellie, do you know what day it is today?"

Ellie blinked, caught off guard by the question. With everything going on, she had completely lost track of time. "Uh... no, not really. Why does it matter?"

James chuckled, his grin widening. "Well, it matters because it's our birthday."

Ellie stared at him for a moment, the realization slowly dawning on her. She had been so wrapped up in the mystery of the runes and the artifact that she hadn't even remembered James' birthday. She felt a mix of embarrassment and surprise.

James seemed to pick up on her emotions and nudged her playfully. "Come on, don't look so shocked. We've got to celebrate, right? I've been looking forward to this day all year."

A wave of warmth spread through Ellie at the thought of James still wanting to share a birthday, even amidst all the chaos. She felt a bit guilty for forgetting, but James' enthusiasm was infectious.

Peter, who had been quiet for most of the discussion, piped up, "We should definitely do something fun."

Evan, who had been fiddling with a blade of grass, smirked. 

"How about dinner in the kitchens? Like usual," James suggested. "the house-elves always make something good."

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "Sneaking into the kitchens, Potter? Thought that was below you."

James grinned, unbothered by the jab. "Hardly. It's a special occasion, and we need a break from all this... darkness." He turned back to Ellie, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "What do you say? A birthday dinner with everyone. It'll be something we can actually enjoy before diving back into this mystery."

Ellie couldn't help but smile. The idea of a quiet, fun dinner with their friends was exactly what they needed—a moment to breathe before the storm they knew was coming. "Yeah, that sounds perfect."