Seers Secret ✧ James Potter

~Chapter 59~

Alina stares at her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles hang beneath her eyes, stark against her pale skin—a testament to another sleepless night.

Not that she expects any different. Not after yesterday.

She pushes the thought away, clamping down on the tangle of emotions clawing at her chest. Feelings are pointless, childish things, better left buried. Hopes, dreams, sentiments—they never survive the harshness of reality. Alina learned that lesson early, and she isn't about to forget it now just because her mind decides to betray her.

She blinks at her reflection one last time, forcing herself back into the mask she knows so well: blank, detached, unreadable.

After slipping a headband into her hair, she stands up, shoving her feet into her shoes and grabbing her bag. Her gaze lingers on the necklace lying on her nightstand, a recent mystery that showed up in her dorm without explanation. There are still questions she needs answered, but for now, she'll have to wait.

With a sharp breath, Alina tears her eyes away and leaves her room.

The common room is blessedly empty, and she slips past the couches and chairs, making her way into the dimly lit hallway. A few students wander the corridors, dragging their feet with the heavy steps of early morning exhaustion.

Stairs. Merlin, how she despises them. There are too many in this castle, an endless climb from the dungeons up to the Great Hall.

Eventually, she reaches her destination, striding towards the towering doors of the Great Hall.

"Oi! Alina!" A familiar voice cuts through the morning hush. Alina looks up to see Marlene, flanked by Mary and Lily, waving her over from the entrance.

Without a word, Alina heads towards the three girls.

"Want to sit with us?" Marlene asks, a slight smirk tugging at her lips.

Alina feels a flicker of surprise but quickly suppresses it. "Sure," she replies, her voice steady. The three girls smile and begin walking towards the Gryffindor table.

Alina follows them to their seats, sliding in beside Lily and Mary, with Marlene across from her. They each reach for the food in the middle of the table, and Alina opts for some yogurt.

James and his friends aren't there yet, but a few seats at the end of the table remain empty, reserved for their usual spot. With any luck, she can avoid interacting with them—especially James. That should be easy enough, she hopes.

"So," Marlene begins, drizzling syrup onto her plate, "I've got a question for you, Alina."

Alina narrows her eyes slightly. "Alright, what is it?"

Marlene's smile grows. "Are you friends with Dorcas Meadowes?"

Lily and Mary groan in unison, as if they've heard the name a thousand times and are thoroughly tired of it.

"Please, stop with the Meadowes talk," Mary pleads. "I'm sick of hearing about her perfect hair and skin."

"But they are perfect!" Marlene retorts, slapping her hands on the table.

"Maybe if you stopped pretending to hate her, you'd be touching that perfect skin and hair," Lily teases, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, whatever, Evans," Marlene huffs, before turning her attention back to Alina with a grin. "So, are you friends with her?"

"Not really," Alina replies. "But my friend Barty is." She takes a bite of her yogurt. "I could tell him to tell her that you like her."

Marlene's eyes widen in panic. "No! Don't do that!"

"But you do like her, don't you?" Alina asks, her voice deliberately slow.

"Well, yes, but..." Marlene trails off, biting her lower lip nervously.

Lily leans forward, peering around Mary to look at Alina. "Alina," she begins, her tone soft, "have you ever had girl friends before?"

Alina stares blankly at the red-haired girl, her body tensing defensively. "No."

She's relieved to see there's no pity in the girls' eyes, nothing condescending or sympathetic.

"Then let's make a deal," Marlene says, leaning forward with a mischievous grin. "We'll be your first girl friends. We'll be besties."

Alina raises an eyebrow. She has never seen the point of friendship, especially with people who have bright smiles and endless energy. But Marlene's enthusiasm is hard to dismiss. It's like she's decided, right then and there, that Alina is part of their group, whether Alina wants to be or not.

"Besties," Alina repeats, her tone as dry as ever.

Marlene nods eagerly. "Yeah! We stick together, annoy each other, and, as your besties, we promise to give you an out if Potter starts driving you up the wall."

Alina's eyes flicker with amusement, and she tilts her head slightly. "I don't need an out. James Potter is more of a minor inconvenience than a real problem."

Lily snickers, leaning in. "You say that now."

Marlene grins. "Don't worry, we've got your back. If he gets too annoying, we'll swoop in, pretend we need you urgently, and whisk you away. Gryffindor rescue mission, courtesy of yours truly."

Alina exhales softly. "I'll keep that in mind."

They continue their breakfast, chatting about classes and gossiping about the latest Gryffindor drama. It's surprisingly easy to fall into conversation with them, even though Alina keeps her responses curt and her tone guarded. She isn't used to this kind of camaraderie, but she can admit, if only to herself, that it isn't entirely unpleasant.

And though she knows she shouldn't be seen with them, Alina can't bring herself to leave or be too cold towards them.

Perhaps this is the one thing she can have for herself—the one thing not controlled by her parents.

Maybe...this is the first thing she ever truly does for herself.

As breakfast ends and they head to class, Marlene and Alina walk out of the Great Hall together, sharing the same schedule. Alina pretends not to notice James Potter as he enters the hall, just a moment too late.