Shattered Masks | James Potter

Chapter VII

Esra woke up fairly early, her mind groggily shaking off the remnants of sleep. The first thing she saw when she opened her emerald eyes was her beautiful British Shorthair cat, Sniffles, perched gracefully on the pillow beside her head. The cat's grey eyes darted around the room, always alert, always curious. With a soft smile, Esra reached out her hand and stroked the soft grey and white fur. "Good morning, Sniffles," she whispered, her voice a gentle murmur in the quiet room. She yawned and sat up, bringing Sniffles into her lap, her fingers still trailing through the cat's plush coat. Glancing at the clock, Esra saw that it was only half-past seven—plenty of time to ease into the day.

For a moment, she stared at her blue and silver bedcovers, letting her mind wander aimlessly. It took a couple of seconds for her to register what day it was. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "Thank Merlin, it's Friday," she whispered to Sniffles, careful not to disturb her sleeping roommates.

Esra lingered in bed for a few more minutes, enjoying the quiet companionship of her cat. But eventually, she knew she had to get up. Reluctantly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and padded to the bathroom. Deciding to take a few extra minutes in the shower, she relaxed under the warm water, letting it wash away the last of her sleepiness. When she finally stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed, her roommate Lisa was already getting dressed, while the other two had left. A small smile tugged at Esra's lips as she nodded in greeting to Lisa. Neither of them felt much like talking, both too tired to muster more than a brief acknowledgment.

Esra went through her usual morning routine as Sniffles watched silently, the occasional soft purr emanating from her feline friend. Once both she and Lisa were ready, they bid goodbye to Sniffles and left their dorm, heading down the corridor that led to the common room. The morning bustle of students was in full swing, the common room alive with chatter and movement. Esra and Lisa navigated through the crowd, making their way out of the common room.

If breakfast in the Great Hall was anything like the dinner she'd experienced the previous night, Esra knew she wanted no part of it. The thought of skipping breakfast and heading to the kitchens instead was tempting, but she couldn't leave Lisa to go alone, especially since she had been distant lately. Together, they entered the Great Hall and took their seats at the table. Esra greeted her friends and poured herself some peppermint tea, buttering a slice of toast as Jo coughed slightly to get her attention.

"Your brother put out the tryouts date on the bulletin board last night while you went to bed early—they're tomorrow morning. Will you come and watch?" Jo asked.

Esra finished her last slice of toast and nodded. "Yeah, but I just hope they're not all day."

"I doubt they will be," Hope shrugged, "since the Gryffindors will also be doing their tryouts right after ours."

Esra's day was packed with lessons, starting with Defense Against the Dark Arts in the morning, followed by Charms. By the time she reached her last class, Transfiguration, she was thoroughly exhausted. Professor McGonagall's voice rang out as the sixth years packed up their belongings. "I want this to be done for the next lesson!" she instructed, holding up the assignment they were to complete—a seven-page essay on spell conjuring.

A collective groan rippled through the classroom. Esra shared their sentiment; McGonagall was known for her tough assignments, and it only got worse in the higher classes. But Esra tried not to dwell on it. The weekend was just within reach, and she was eager for the break. However, her path to freedom was blocked by none other than James Potter. It was bad enough that she had to sit beside him in every lesson, but the Gryffindor boy had made it his personal mission to annoy her at every opportunity.