The Little Lightning Girl

12-Tic Tac Toe Makes People Cry

(Above is Adrian Jackson)

James's POV

Nalani Faye did indeed come to our house the day I got released from the hospital. She didn't do anything but put a hand on my cut for a few moments and it was as good as new with the stitches evaporated. But now that I was healed, with only a few scrapes and bruises and a lot of weight to gain back, I was tired of being cooped up in the house.

Mum and Dad had been so worried that they'd waited on me hand and foot when I first got home. But I was squirrelly. So, one morning, even though it had never been a habit of mine, I went on a run through town. My family house was in a small town in Wales called Brecon. It was green this time of year but chilly enough that it wasn't awful to be outside running. I began doing it every day, for longer distances each time.

I hadn't told my family what happened during my absence, I was scared that they'd look at me and only see my scars. I had trouble ignoring them myself. The only person I'd told anything was my father, but I suspected Albus had eavesdropped on our conversation. My father had been through his fair share of painful experiences, but I still didn't tell him anything but the barest of details. I gave him the few names of the death eaters that I overheard, but I didn't want him to feel like he was responsible for finding them, because after the explosion I doubted most of the death eaters survived. And if they had managed to disapparate, I didn't want to see or think about them ever again. But I also felt the months of memories and painful experiences stewing inside me, and running a few miles a day was a welcome release.

Alana still hadn't woken from her coma. They'd moved her to St. Mungo's, the wizards' hospital in England, but they didn't think she'd wake up. Still, I knew Alana Faye, she was no quitter. I hoped and prayed that she'd wake up.

One day, after a run, I was getting ready to take a shower when Lily burst into my room. Nalani's healing touch was too late to save me from the majority of my scars. Besides, most of them were inflicted by curses, and cursed-injuries couldn't be fully healed. I forgot for a moment or two, about the angry red lines that criss crossed around my torso like a messed up game of tic-tac-toe. Because I'd forgotten about them, I was confused at the expression on my sister's face, a mix of shock and sadness.

But when she approached and moved to put her hand on my bare back, I remembered. I jerked away from her touch and she flinched several steps back. Quickly, I put my shirt back on and turned to face her. I wiped away the tears that had already run down her face.

"I'm sorry Lily. I just need some time to readjust."

Looking up at me with tear filled emerald eyes, she choked, "Mum told me what had happened but... James, your back..."

I pulled her into a hug, "Lilybug, it doesn't hurt anymore. It's fine."

Her voice was muffled as she spoke into my chest, "But it hurt when it happened."

I wondered how much of it she'd seen in my mind already without me knowing. My sister was only twelve years old, and she was the one with the remarkable gift of being a legilimens. From a young age, Albus and I had been taught Occlumency so we could keep our thoughts to ourselves. But, knowing Lily, she'd probably snuck into my room while I was sleeping and seen my dreams. Hopefully, she hadn't seen much because I was about to severely downplay what had happened to me.

"It hurt some. But you know what made me feel better?"

She sniffed and pulled her face away from my shirt to look at me, "What?"

I squeezed her arm, "Thinking of you."

Not a lie. I'd thought about my parents, her, and Albus every day in that cell.