On that fateful Halloween night, Lily and James survived while Voldemort apparently 'marked' Harry Potter as his equal.
Aria Potter, twin sister of the boy-who-lived was proclaimed a squib, abandoned by her family and given to the care of the Dursl...
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Aria sat against the headboard of the bed in the hospital wing, staring blankly at the wall in front of her.
Her hands lay limp in her lap.
The door creaked open, and she didn't even glance up.
"Brought you something," she heard James Potter say, his voice awkward but with a forced cheeriness. She heard him walk in, placing a tray of food on the bedside table.
Aria didn't respond, didn't move. Her eyes remained fixed on the wall.
If she was to stay here, might as well play the victim.
James stood there for a moment, obviously waiting for some kind of reaction. "It's pumpkin pasties and some shepherd's pie. I don't know if you're too big on the Hogwarts menu, but thought I'd bring you lunch still. Figured you might be hungry after what you've been through."
Still nothing. Aria just sat there, staring.
He cleared his throat, trying again. "I know it's been rough lately. The whole... situation and everything. But you don't have to go through it alone. I'm here."
"If you were my real dad, you'd know I hate anything pumpkin," Aria finally muttered, her voice dry, "I can't eat any of..this."
She gestured vaguely toward the tray, not even looking at it.
James paused, the hurt evident for a split second before he masked it with a soft chuckle. "It's not me who raised you."
"I wonder why."
"Aria—"
"Don't," Aria cut him off, her tone sharper this time. "Don't act like you're trying. You're not him. You're never going to be him. And honestly, he wouldn't have even bothered with any of this. He'd know when to leave me alone."
James glanced at the tray of food, then back at her. "I didn't come here to replace anyone, Aria. I just... I just want to help."
"Well, I don't need it." She folded her arms across her chest, finally looking at him, her expression blank but her eyes cold. "I don't need you."
There was a long pause.
James stood there for a moment longer, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, trying to figure out how to respond.
"I know I can't change the way things are," he said softly, giving her a small, sad smile. "But if you ever need anything... anything at all, I'm here."
Aria didn't respond. She didn't even blink. Her gaze drifted back to the wall as if she hadn't heard him, as if he wasn't even there.
Finally, he nodded, stepping back toward the door. "Alright then. I'll leave you be."
He hesitated for just a moment, glancing back at her one last time before he turned and quietly left the hospital wing, closing the door behind him.
"Shit, that was about time." The girl muttered as she grabbed the tray and put it in her lap.
