THE SHADOW PATH ⎯ james potter

[044]

chapter forty-four:

open your eyes

The next morning, Ellie found herself seated next to Remus in Charms, her mind still lingering on the events of the night before. 

The argument between James and Regulus had left her more frustrated than she wanted to admit, and though Barty had helped calm her down, the tension hadn't completely faded. 

She absentmindedly twirled her quill, her attention drifting as Professor Flitwick droned on about wand movements.

Suddenly, a small piece of parchment flew through the air and landed on her desk. Ellie glanced at it, then over her shoulder, already knowing who had thrown it.

James sat a few rows back, his eyes quickly darting away as soon as she looked in his direction, pretending to be fully engrossed in whatever Professor Flitwick was saying. 

Ellie raised an eyebrow, unfolding the parchment carefully under the desk so that Remus couldn't see.

Inside, James' messy handwriting sprawled across the small note:

Ellie,
Sorry about last night. I was being an idiot. Shouldn't have let things with Regulus get to me. Can we talk after class?
– James

Ellie sighed softly, the tension in her shoulders easing a bit. She glanced back at James, who still wouldn't look directly at her, but there was a sheepish grin tugging at his lips as he scratched the back of his head.

Remus leaned slightly toward her, noticing her distracted expression. "Everything alright?" he asked quietly, his voice gentle.

Ellie quickly crumpled the note and slipped it into her pocket. "Yeah," she replied, offering a quick smile. "Just... tired, I guess."

Remus gave her a knowing look, as if he sensed there was more she wasn't saying, but didn't push further. "If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."

Ellie nodded, grateful for his quiet understanding. Her mind, however, was already racing with thoughts of James and what he might say after class. 

The apology was a start, but she wondered if it would be enough to bridge the gap that had opened between them.

As Professor Flitwick called on the class to practice their wand movements, Ellie's focus wavered, her thoughts drifting to the possibility of clearing the air with James—and whether she was ready to deal with everything that came along with it.

After class, Ellie walked out of the Charms classroom, her heart pounding slightly as she made her way toward where she had agreed to meet James. 

She spotted him leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his gaze fixed on the floor. He looked up as she approached, a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

"Hey," Ellie greeted, feeling a mix of awkwardness and anticipation.

"Hey," James replied, straightening up. He hesitated for a moment before diving in. "Look, I just... I really need to apologise for last night. I was being a complete prat, and I'm sorry."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you kind of were," she admitted, though her tone wasn't harsh. She crossed her arms, waiting for him to continue.

James rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. "I know I shouldn't have gone off on Regulus like that. It's just... the Slytherins—they make me nervous. Especially when you're around them."