Wands and Wildflowers - J.S.Potter

Unraveling Threads

The days following Rosier's outburst in class were tense. Everyone seemed to be on edge, especially Daisy. She could feel the weight of Rosier's simmering resentment bearing down on her every time they were in the same room. The way he glared at her, as if blaming her for every perceived failure in his life, made her uncomfortable, but she wasn't about to back down. Daisy was determined to stay at the top of her class, no matter what Rosier or anyone else thought.

James had noticed the shift, too. He was already struggling with his emotions, trying to navigate the strained relationship between him and Daisy. He'd barely seen her smile since their fight over Oliver, and it was gnawing at him. But now, seeing how Rosier seemed to be targeting her, his protective instincts were kicking in stronger than ever.

"Oi, Rosier," James snapped one evening in the Gryffindor common room, after he'd caught the Slytherin sneering at Daisy during dinner. "Got a problem?"

Rosier raised an eyebrow, not even bothering to hide his disdain. "Problem? Why would I have a problem, Potter?"

"Maybe because you're acting like a git," James shot back, his voice low and dangerous. Gwen, Bella, Chris, and Ben looked up from their corner, sensing the tension brewing.

"Leave it, James," Daisy said, placing a hand on his arm. Her voice was soft, but there was a firmness in it that made him hesitate. She didn't want to give Rosier the satisfaction of knowing he'd gotten under her skin.

Rosier smirked, leaning back against the wall. "Listen to your girlfriend, Potter," he taunted. "Maybe she's the only one here with some sense."

James's fists clenched, and for a moment, he considered hexing Rosier into the next week. But Daisy's touch was grounding him, reminding him that he didn't need to stoop to Rosier's level. Not today, at least.

Daisy turned to Rosier, her eyes blazing. "You're not worth the energy, Rosier. Maybe if you focused more on your own work instead of obsessing over mine, you'd be top of the class too."

The remark clearly stung, and Rosier's face twisted in anger. But before he could retort, Mathilda Parkinson called him from across the room, pulling his attention away. With a final glare at Daisy and James, Rosier stalked off, leaving the common room tense and silent.

As soon as he was gone, Gwen let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "That was intense," she muttered, exchanging glances with Bella.

"Tell me about it," Ben added, looking at Daisy with concern. "You alright, Daisy?"

Daisy forced a smile, though her heart was still racing. "I'm fine. He's just... frustrated, I guess."

"Yeah, well, he better not take it out on you," James muttered, still fuming. He was itching to do something, anything, to make sure Rosier wouldn't dare to bother Daisy again.

Later that night, as they sat by the fire, Gwen decided to break the awkward silence that had fallen over the group. "So, how's everyone feeling about the final Quidditch match coming up?"

The change of subject was a welcome distraction. They all began to chat about the game, though Daisy's mind kept drifting back to the encounter with Rosier. The end of the term was approaching fast, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen before they left Hogwarts for the year.

When the conversation turned to Quidditch, Daisy's thoughts were interrupted as she noticed James sneaking glances at her, a thoughtful expression on his face. She tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach every time their eyes met, but it was getting harder. The tension between them was almost unbearable.

Chris noticed too and nudged Ben, whispering something that made him smirk. "Hey, James," Ben called out, "what's your plan for Quidditch next year? Gonna try out for captain?"