uptown girl

12

The library was quiet, the soft rustling of pages and the occasional clink of quills against parchment the only sounds that filled the air. Emmeline sat at a table near the back, a thick book titled "The Complete Guide to Becoming an Animagus" propped open in front of her. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she scribbled notes in her journal, her quill moving rapidly across the page. The section she was reading was particularly dense, filled with complicated instructions and warnings about the dangers of the process. But Emmeline was determined. She wasn't going to back down from this challenge. Not when it came to helping Remus. The flickering candlelight illuminated her focused face, casting long shadows across the table.

Lost in her thoughts, Emmeline didn't notice when James entered the library. He had been looking for a specific book on Quidditch tactics, having promised Sirius he'd help him practice for an upcoming match. But as he scanned the shelves, his eyes landed on the familiar figure of Emmeline, sitting by herself. Curious, James wandered over, weaving through the rows of shelves until he stood behind her. He leaned over her shoulder, his eyes flicking to the book she was reading. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the title. So, she really is serious about this, he thought, a mixture of admiration and concern washing over him.

"You really want to do this?" James asked quietly, his voice breaking the silence. Emmeline startled slightly, not having noticed his approach. She looked up at him, her quill pausing mid-sentence. Their eyes met, and she saw the concern etched in his features. But she didn't waver. "I do," she replied softly, her voice steady. There was no hesitation in her tone. James sighed and pulled out a chair next to her, sitting down with a slight thud. He had been through the process himself, and he knew how dangerous it could be. "You have to leave it underneath your tongue for a month," he muttered, leaning closer to her so no one else could overhear.

Emmeline raised an eyebrow and tilted her head at him. "A month?" she echoed, confused. "The book says a week." James shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's the thing. The books don't give you the full story. If you take it out too soon, the whole process can backfire. Trust me," he said, his voice serious now. Emmeline nodded, absorbing his words, and immediately began jotting down the new information in her notebook. "Anything else?" she asked, her eyes flicking up to meet his again. She knew James wouldn't be this involved unless it was truly important.

James hesitated for a moment before he reached out and gently took the notebook from her hands. His fingers brushed against hers briefly, causing a faint blush to rise on Emmeline's cheeks. He didn't notice, though, as he quickly scribbled down several more notes in her journal. When he was done, he handed it back to her, his expression unreadable. "There. That's what I did," he said simply. Emmeline looked down at the words, her eyes scanning his scribbled handwriting. She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks, James," she said, her voice sincere as she closed her notebook and shoved it into her satchel.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it was charged with something neither could quite define. Emmeline broke it first, glancing up at James curiously. "So... what's your Animagus form?" she asked, her tone casual, but her curiosity was evident. James scratched the back of his neck nervously, avoiding her gaze for a moment. He wasn't sure why he felt so self-conscious telling her, but something about this conversation felt different. After a brief pause, he finally answered, his voice low and hesitant. "A stag," he murmured softly.

Emmeline's brow furrowed as she processed his words. "A stag?" she repeated, trying to imagine James transforming into such a majestic creature. Her mind immediately flicked to the only other connection she had to a stag—the Patronus. "Wait," she said, her voice suddenly sharper, more urgent. "Is that your Patronus too?" James hesitated again but nodded. "Yeah, it is," he admitted, watching her reaction closely. Emmeline's eyes widened in surprise, her thoughts racing. A stag Patronus... her heart pounded as a realization hit her. Her own Patronus was a doe.