𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 / James Potter x Reader

Ch17 ★ Never Looking at a Chalkboard Again

chapter song:
December - Ricky Montgomery

It was mid-December, the cold dry air making everyone ready for the bet to be over. The fourth and final week of their silence was the most challenging yet. The novelty had worn off, and the constant need to communicate without speaking weighed heavily on them all.

Peter, in particular, was struggling. He often found himself on the verge of breaking the silence, only to be reminded by a stern look or playful nudge from James or Sirius. Y/n would comfort him and give him all his favorite candies, reminding him of who they were doing this for. For Remus.

James and Sirius, however, found ways to make the silence bearable through their playful antics. They would write jokes on their chalkboards and show them to each other during meals, earning silent chuckles and eye rolls from the others. Sirius would often tease y/n, scribbling out exaggerated complaints or mock arguments on his board, which y/n would respond to with equally dramatic flair.

One morning at breakfast when y/n arrived, Sirius wrote on his chalkboard with a mischievous grin, 'Y/n, you walk like a hippogriff with two left feet. How do you expect anyone to keep a straight face?'

Y/n raised an eyebrow as she sat down and quickly wrote back, 'Sirius, I'd rather walk like a hippogriff than have your hairstyle. It looks like a rat's nest after a storm.'

James watched the exchange with amusement, shaking his head as he wrote, 'You two are ridiculous. We're trying to eat here.'

Peter, sitting nearby, was fidgeting with his chalkboard. He scribbled, 'I can't take it anymore! I need to talk!'

Remus, who had been observing his friends with a mixture of amusement and appreciation, reached over and patted Peter's shoulder reassuringly.

"Hang in there, Peter. You guys are almost done. You can do it."

Peter sighed and nodded, but his resolve seemed to waver. The support from his friends kept him going, and he appreciated their silent encouragement more than he could express.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

The group had their meals often joined by Regulus, Archie, and Ellis. Regulus and Ellis often picked on the group playfully at every moment as they struggled to respond with their chalk boards.

One evening at dinner, Regulus sat down with them, raising an eyebrow at their chalkboards. "Still going strong, I see," he said with a smirk.

Y/n nodded, her eyes sparkling with determination. She scribbled back, 'You have no idea how hard it is to keep these three quiet.'

Ellis, who had joined them from Hufflepuff, chuckled and responded, "I can imagine. So, who do you think will break first?" He easily wrapped his arm around Archie's shoulders. A twang of jealousy flickered through Sirius' eyes, wishing he had that confidence.

Peter, who had been struggling the most, turned red as James and Sirius both pointed at him playfully. Remus rolled his eyes good-naturedly and said, "Ignore them, Peter. You're doing great. It's probably going to be James or Sirius who breaks first. They usually spend their nights talking to themselves in mirrors.

Their interactions were observed by Lily, Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas from nearby. Lily, curious about the group's silent antics, approached them one day after class.

"What's with the silence?" she asked James. "I mean, it's heaven to not hear you speak but seriously I didn't think this was gonna go on longer than a week."

James took the parchment and scribbled back, 'It's the bet. Who can stay silent the longest. We're very serious about it.'

Marlene, who had followed Lily, looked over James's shoulder and laughed. "And you haven't cracked yet? Impressive."