Going Soft | JAMES SIRIUS POTTER HP NEXT GENERATION

i || herbology

It was a bright, Tuesday morning, and James had just finished eating, and was leaving the Great Hall.

"Oi mate, what do you say we skip Herbology?" His friend Charlie suggested, as he elbowed him in the hallway.

"Ah you know I can't, Professor Longbottom would tell my dad and he would have a fit." James replied, feigning annoyance.

"Aw come on man, don't be a sissy." Charlie protested.

James frowned inwardly. He didn't want to be called a sissy, but he also didn't want to skip Herbology. He didn't mind the class, and didn't want to be scolded by his parents when they found out. He desperately tried to think of another excuse, when a voice spoke up.

"You sure you aren't the sissy, mate?" A passing Ravenclaw spoke up. "Maybe you're just secretly scared of the Venomous Tentacula we're working with today and you just want to get out of it." She suggested, before she continued on her way.

Charlie started spluttering, trying to defend himself but the girl had left him speechless. "W-well I don't even know who you are so, your opinion doesn't matter!" He called down the hall.

James heard her laughter bubble out of her and for some reason, he found himself laughing with her.

"Oi, what are you laughing at mate? You're right stupid too." She jested. "But my name, is Annabella White."

"Nice to meet you, I'm James Potter."

Annabella looked him up and down, with a bored expression. "I know." She said, turning on her heel, and walking towards Herbology.

"Hot damn." Charlie said.

"Shut up." James replied.

"Dude, you so gotta get in her pants." Charlie said.

James rolled his eyes. "Okay Charlie, whatever." He often found Charlie immature when he said things like that.

"I'm being serious mate! You could charm the pants off of her."

"Did we just meet the same person? You're kidding, right?"

"Nah mate, you can do it."

"Why don't you go do that."

"Cause she's outta my league! But she's not outta yours, you're a smashing lad."

"That's a bit gay, mate." James joked.

"Albus would know." Charlie quipped.

James's expression momentarily turned sour, he despised it when his friends joked about that.

"Come off it, I don't know what you mean." James defended.

"Right, okay. Sure you do. Albus and Scorpius-that blasted son of Voldemort-are all heart eyes for each other. It's disgusting. And not in the cute way." Charlie sneered. "I'd be ashamed he was my brother if I were you."

James felt his fingers twitch into a fist, but he said nothing, desperately trying to think of something to change the subject.

They entered the greenhouse for Herbology and James had yet to defend his brother. He felt bad, he really did. But he couldn't just stand up the Charlie like that, he would lose all of his friends.

James spotted the brunette girl regarding them with a harsh expression, and he offered her a smile to which she frowned at, and turned the other way.

Has she heard Charlie and assumed James agreed with him, because he hadn't said anything?

James didn't have much time to think about that, as Professor Longbottom cleared his throat from the front of the room.

"Hello everyone. As you know, today we're working with the Venomous Tentacula. We are going to be observing them, feeding them and gather the carapaces they spit out, and collecting some of their leaves. I'm going to partner you up, your partner will be from the other house." He informed them, and proceeded to read the partnered names off of his list.