Alina Nightshade doesn't think much about James Potter. Only that he seems rather keen on being annoying.
James Potter thinks Alina Nightshade is a mystery all wrapped up in a very pretty girl. And he is keen on trying to be her friend.
James Potte...
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Alina plucks a pomegranate from the bowl in front of her, the ruby-red fruit a small distraction from the chaos in her mind.
She sets it on her plate, eyes flicking up to where Barty is animatedly discussing something with Regulus, likely some new theory he read the night before.
But Alina is only half-listening. Her thoughts keep drifting back to the necklace—still heavy in her pocket, still frustratingly unanswered.
Who gave it to her?
Why did they do it?
It's just a stupid trinket, but the questions gnaw at her, refusing to be silenced like the rest. Why is this different? Why can't she lock it away like every other inconvenient thought?
And why, of all things, is she staring at James Potter?
Alina blinks, startled by her own actions. She curses under her breath. She has been staring at him, hasn't she? But James isn't looking at her. For once, his focus is elsewhere—on the Gryffindor table, and more specifically, on a girl with light brown hair, tan skin that seems out of place in the winter months, and eyes that are deep and unreadable.
An uncomfortable knot twists in Alina's stomach. She tears her gaze away, pretending the feeling isn't there, or that it doesn't matter. Why should it? Why should it bother her if James is staring at someone else?
It's not like she likes him. In fact, she's certain she doesn't.
She forces herself to shove those thoughts away. At least this time, it works. Or she convinces herself it has.
Alina finishes the pomegranate quickly, the seeds vanishing with little mess. She stands up, giving a brief wave to Barty and Regulus before slinging her bag over her shoulder and making a swift exit from the Great Hall.
The corridors are mostly empty, filled only with the faint echoes of her footsteps as she navigates her way through the castle.
"Lina!" Sirius Black's voice rings out, breaking the quiet.
Alina sighs, her patience already worn thin. She glances back to see Sirius tugging James forward by the arm, Peter trailing beside them, shooting anxious glances at James. Remus is nowhere in sight—likely stuck in another class.
"Stop calling me Lina," Alina snaps, her tone sharp as they catch up to her. She turns on her heel, resuming her brisk pace. Sirius only grins, steering James to her left, while Peter flanks her right.
They walk in an uneasy formation, and Alina notices James isn't meeting her eyes. He keeps looking back, as if something—or someone—is pulling his attention away.
She shoots him a sideways glance.
James' eyes are dilated, unfocused, and his brow furrows with something like agitation. "Can we go back?" he finally asks Sirius, his voice tight, almost pleading. His pupils are blown wide.
