𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒓 ⇝ 𝒋𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓

back luck

As the marauders carried Remus towards the hospital wing beneath the moonlit sky, James couldn't help but feel relieved yet anxious. Another full moon had passed, and Remus was less injured this time, thanks in part to Athena's help.

But Athena's absence weighed heavily on his mind. She had been like a ghost, hardly seen in classes and always keeping to herself when they were around. It was a stark departure from her usual vibrant presence, and it left James feeling unsettled.

Sirius, in particular, seemed to be taking Athena's absence difficulty. He looked guilty, as if he believed he was somehow responsible for James' troubles. James could see the concern etched on his face whenever they crossed her, and it hurt nevertheless.

As they watched over Remus, he couldn't shake the feeling that Athena held the key to understanding what was going on. He wanted to reach out to her, to offer help if she needed it, but he didn't know how to bridge the gap between them.

With each passing day, he felt the weight of Athena's unspoken struggles pressing down on him. He knew he had to find a way to reach her. But first, he had to figure out how to break through the walls she had built around herself.

James sighed heavily, realizing he was powerless to rectify the situation—it was all his doing. He had single-handedly destroyed everything.

As the boys lingered in the hospital wing, Athena strolled back to the common room, a cigarette between her fingers.

Longing for the quiet of the Astronomy Tower, away from curious eyes, she found comfort in her thoughts, smoke swirling around her. Addiction deepened, but she didn't seem to mind or care.

As she treaded through the dim, silent corridors, an unsettling sensation crept over her—she felt watched. Her pace quickened imperceptibly, a nervous glance thrown over her shoulder revealing nothing. Brushing off the unease, she pressed on, attributing it to mere paranoia.

Yet, the feeling persisted, growing stronger with each step. A tentative look behind her revealed an empty hallway, but the sense of being observed lingered. Turning forward once more, she came face-to-face with Hogwarts' mischievous poltergeist, Peeves.

His grin was positively wicked. "Well, well, if it isn't Dalty Walty breaking curfew."

Athena suppressed a groan, wholly unamused. "Go ahead, tell Filch."

Detention held little sway over her—either it meant more solitary time or highlighted the obliviousness of the professors regarding wandless magic.

Peeves chuckled mischievously. "Bad, bad girl, Walty Dalty," he taunted, circling Athena as if performing a ritual. Yet, to her relief, he didn't escalate the situation further. Soon enough, he launched into his customary song before vanishing into the shadows, leaving Athena to breathe a sigh of relief.

Approaching the Slytherin common room, Athena murmured the password before slipping inside, greeted by an unusual silence. As she made her way towards the girls' dormitories, she found Regulus waiting, his demeanor impatient and his anger palpable.

"Where have you been?"

"Why are you in my room, Regulus?" She asked calmly. She didn't answer his question, instead, she waved her pack of cigarettes as an answer.

As Athena made her way to her bed, Regulus's grip on her wrist tightened, halting her. "I'm not finished."

"Regulus, I'm tired," she said calmly.

He scoffed. "Yes, clearly. It's all you've been doing lately."

Arching an eyebrow, she replied, "So my need for rest bothers you?"