Aftermath
"Don't call me that." Scorpius had lost all emotion from his voice.
He was tired.
He had walked around the castle, trying to go somewhere quiet to calm down, to take a breath. No where felt right. He also didn't want any of his friends around. He couldn't think. His brain was screaming at him. Just a cacophony of unintelligible noise he couldn't wade through. He just wanted everything to stop. He didn't even notice where his feet where taking him until he looked up at the one place at school he never wanted to go to.
He stopped, and his brain followed suit. Then he spent the next undetermined amout of time just standing there looking at the bridge. He could see a few plaques, but he wasn't close enough yet to read the names on them. He hadn't noticed someone aproaching him until they spoke. Al was shocked someone had found him, and even more shocked that it was Andy.
"Sorry." Andy responded quietly.
Neither of them spoke again. Scorpius guessed neither knew what to say. They had never really spent time together, just the two of them. Al, Rosie, or both of them were always around. Their frienship was really contingent on their frienship with the golden kids.
It was a moment before one of them spoke up again, a tense air lingering between them.
"Any names you want to see?"
"No." Scorpius breathed out, still without any emotion in his voice.
"The bridge is a lot for some people. I even see some of the older students leaving here crying, especially around the anniversary. But I honestly love it here. There is a great view of the lake and the forest on the bridge, and I feel close to my aunt, even though I never met her."
"I don't really see the need to see the names of people my family killed."
"I get that." Andy took a deep breath and Scorpius heard him take a step closer, "Children bare the cost of the war our parents fought. The shit part about this one was that our parents bore that same cost when they were fighting too."
Scorpius felt his shoulders relax a little.
"Your mum fought didn't she?"
"Yeah," Andy came around Scorpius, still out of arms reach but now they could see each other's faces, "She was a 7th year in Dumbledor's army. My aunt was a 5th year. She was supposed to go hide, but she wanted to fight too, stubborn Gryffindor." Andy chuckled a bit before continuing. Scorpius didn't interupt him.
"She was killed inside the castle. My mum saw it. Bel- a death eater killed her. My mum would have been killed to if it wasn't for the auror next to her. It all happened just before the armistice too."
Something clicked for Scorpius. Something about talking to Andy made his mind begin to work again.
"Thats why you didn't like me."
"What?" Andy sounded shocked but not offended.
"I didn't notice it until after Xender was caught. You smiled at me like you smile at Rose. You never gave me that smile before. It was like a wall in our frienship came down then."
"How... how did you come to that conclusion from my aunt's story?"
"Because you almost said my great aunt's name."
"Guess I didn't catch myself in time huh?" Andy rubbed the back of his neck and then leaned back agains the stone entrance of the bridge. Scorpius shrugged at him.
"I didn't blame you, not really. You and I never met our aunts. But it was hard to let you in as my friend knowing our family's history."
"I get it."
Andy let out a heavy breath and looked up at the castle. He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose before speaking again.
"Mum says I look just like her. I'm named after her too. Andrea Dansbrey." He held out his left hand and examined his nails. He had grown them out a bit over the months of painting them, giving himself more room to try out patterns. "She loved to paint her nails too. Not sure if it is because I am trying to connect with her, or I'm trying to be more like her."
"I could start calling you Andrea if you wanted." Scorpius teased in a flat tone. He still hadn't gotten his emotions back, but talking with Andy was calming him. Andy looked at Scorpius with an emotion he couldn't place. Possibly because he wasn't feeling his own at the moment. Scorpius tried to smile at him but his lips barely moved. He glanced over at the bridge and let out a shuddered breath.
"We are all worried about you Scorpius. You didn't even get checked out by Madam Pompfrey."
At his words, Scorpius felt himself come back to his body. He didn't feel physically hurt, but the weight of events began to weigh on him. He had said a lot, and a lot of those words he didn't mean, not fully anyway. He looked around himself for some place to sit, but the closest was the step leading up the bridge. He stumbled forward as he sat down, putting his hands to his head and his head to his knees.
Andy sat down next to him and out a hand on his back, rubbing circles. Scorpius' breathing got quicker as if he was crying, but no tears left his eyes. He had cried them all out earlier.
"Just breath Ned."
He voice caught in his throat as he spoke, "He hates me now huh? I said some aweful things."
"No," Andy said in a soft voice, "Hurt yes, but Al doesn't hate you. He thinks you hate him."
Scorpius' head shot up in alarm, "I could never."
"I know Ned, I know. When you are ready we can go back inside and you two can make up."
Scorpius nodded and tried to slow his breathing. Andy kept his hand on his back.
The two of them walked into the classroom. Everyone else was in there waiting for them. The moment him and Al locked eyes it felt like the air was sucked from the room. Scorpius stopped, unsure what to say or do. He could hear some of his friends speaking but didn't register their words. Instead he looked right at Al.
Al's face was red from tears, though he probably hadn't shed any in a little bit as his face was dry.
"Gideon I'm-"
His apology was cut off as Al stood up quickly and rushed towards him. The two boys hugged each other tightly. Scorpius heard shuffling and footsteps around them along with hushed voices.
"I'm sorry Scorpius! I just wanted to protect you! I didn't realize my feelings were hurting you too."
Scorpius gripped him tighter, "I didn't mean it! I swear. Seeing you fighting Higson and then getting knocked over just muddled my brain and I... I love having you as my best friend."
Scorpius felt Al's grip loosed a bit as he pulled back to look at him, "You do?"
Scorpius felt his face get wet again. Stupid lake water. "Yes Gideon! You're my best friend, and I'm kicking myself over how I treated you! I should be used to the Potter Protection by now."
"I'm sorry I'm so protective. I should have realized how much you disliked me fighting people. You just don't deserve to be treated that way! Ever." Al gripped his shoulder tighter and lightly shook him, emphasizing his point.
Scorpius didn't respond. He still disagreed with that statement, but he was done fighting with his friends about it. He felt Al brush his cheek again, wiping his tears again. He liked when Al did that. He chuckled at bit and smiled at Al, "I got lake water on my face again."
"You sure did!" Al chuckled with him and the two boys hugged again. They didn't noticed they had been left alone by their friends until Scorpius was done crying and both boys had stopped apologizing.
*************
Aniara didn't want to wake up.
She was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. She covered her head with her blanket and groaned at the sunlight coming in from her window. She put a hand to her chest to feel her brother's heart beat. It was steady and calm, meaning he was probably still asleep. She thought back about the events of yesterday and groaned.
Pip had found her in her closet and helped clean up her sick.
"I will inform your mother of your health and make you soup for dinner Miss. You can eat it in bed."
Aniara was crying still. Seeing her brother hurt like that made her so angry, but him shutting her out made her feel worse. He had never pushed her away that hard before.
"He got hurt Pip" she chocked out between her sobs. Pip's eyes got wide and she pulled Aniara into her arms to comfort her.
"Mr. Ned? Is he?"
"I don't know! He shut me out. Al had gotten into a fight with another kid, it turned into a duel. Then the idiot decided to stun Scorpius. It was all so fast!"
Pip's lip quivered hearing about the fight. Then Aniara told her how... someone, important... who? James! That's it, it was James had stunned Higson back. She had run to Scorpius' side and was trying to make sure he was ok.
"Then he got mad at us. He yelled at Al, his best friend, and said some aweful things he didn't mean. Then he yelled at me and forced me back here. That's why I got sick."
Pip comforted her some more, then still insisted that she would have soup for dinner up in her room. Then she... did something.... what had Pip done?....
"I checked on Mr. Ned, he is alright. He is with is friends now and he apologized to his friend. All is well Miss." Pip had reported back as Aniara was relaxing into her bed after dinner. That's it. Pip had gone to Hogwarts to check on Ned.
"All is well." Aniara repeated back as she drifted off to sleep. That soup had been really good. It was really calming and comforting, and also made her a bit sleepy. It had been a busy day after all.
Aniara rubbed her eyes. Her brain felt a bit fuzzy, but it must have been the sleep. She didn't even notice Pip enter her room until she said something.
"How is Miss Aniara this morning?"
"Ready for bed. Good night Pip."
"Its almost lunch?"
"Not hungry. Head hurts, and sleepy." Aniara was now using a more childish voice and pulling her knees up to her chest, hiding under the blankets.
She heard Pip sigh and then leave the room.
*********
Scorpius wasn't surprised when he didn't see his sister for the rest of the week. He knew she wasn't going to be there for exams, she didn't trust that he wouldn't use her to cheat, but he had hoped that she would still visit. He needed to apologize to her too. But she didn't show. He tried reaching out to her, but she didn't respond.
"Last exam done! I can't believe the year is over just like that!" Rosie said as she sat herself on the blanket by Scorpius. They had ditched their abandonded classroom to enjoy the June sun. The rest of their friend group was wading in the lake. Scorpius had chosen to stay on the shore. That day with Al had really shaken up his feelings about the black lake, so much so he was barely comfortable being as close as he was.
"I know. Seems like just yesterday I was sitting alone in the train."
Rosie chuckled and wrapped her arm around him, "No getting rid of us now. Once the Weasley's adopt you, you can't be rid of us."
"Oh yeah?"
"We love big families! You have only one option now. You gotta marry one of us."
Scorpius chuckled but Rosie gave him a serious face.
"You laugh, but its true. Uncle Harry and my mum met my dad one the train first year. Now look at them."
"So who am I going to marry then, you?"
"You wish Ned! You might end up with James," she teased with a sly smirk.
Scorpius scruched up his face and feigned being sick. The idea of marrying James felt weird and wrong.
"I think I'll pass."
Rosie winked at him before flopping back and looking up at the sky.
Scorpius took a deep breath at he watched the rest of his friends a few meters away from them at the water's edge.
"Have you talked to her?" He breathed out, not entirely intending to ask, but once he said it he couldn't take it back.
"Who?" Rosie turned her head to look at him.
"My sister. She hasn't" He let out a breath before continuing, "She heard my fight with Al and was trying to talk me down, but I got mad at her too before shutting her out. She hasn't talked to me since."
"Oh," Rosie sat up on her elbows now, "She didn't mention she heard. I told her about it that night. She responded as if it was news to her. Asked if you were alright. Then she went to bed. I've talked to her only about once a day for a short bit, exams and all."
"That's more than I've gotten."
"She's probably pretty mad at you."
"Yeah."
Scorpius got up and walked towards a tree, nudging his sister's concious a few times but still not getting anything back.
"I'm sorry Bear. Honest."
Nothing.
He felt her heartbeat, it was steady and even, like she was sleeping. It felt like that a lot recently. Maybe she was sleeping a lot, or possibly just reading a comfort book. Either way, she wasn't talking to him.
Al ran up and flicked the water of his hands towards Scorpius playfully. He ignored it and just looked at his best friend with a neutral expression... or what he thought was one. Al's fun loving smile faded, giving him a look of concern.
"What's wrong Cor?"
Scorpius looked up and examined the branches of the tree, "It's my sister. She is mad at me for shutting her out and now she won't talk to me."
Al leaned up agains the tree next to Scorpius and followed his gaze up to the branches. "I'm sure once you get home you guys will make up. She is probably just missing you something aweful..." Al paused, seeming to get caught on his next words. He must have decided to bite the bullet and spoke anyway, "I know I'm going to miss you like crazy over the summer."
"Me too, Gideon."
The two boys stood against the tree in silence for a moment longer. Scorpius could faintly hear the rest of his friends having fun in the water.
Al took a small sudden gasp and shifted to look at Scorpius, "I forgot to tell you. Just before the fight, my dad said, pending your parents agreement, that you can visit over the summer. And if your parents agree, maybe we can figure out a way to convince them to let Ani come over too. She seemed to be ok at your party, so maybe she could handle summer hang outs too... not that we can tell them about the party but still."
Scorpius turned to Al in surprise, "You're joking? I know your dad was ok with us being friends at school, but he's really ok with me visiting?"
Al nodded enthusiastically, giving Scorpius his signature crooked smile. He wondered if Al had hurt himself when he was younger to earn that smile, or if it was natural. Scorpius didn't care either way really, Al smile was his favorite thing about him. Though possibly second to his intensly green eyes.
Both his parents were at the platform to pick him up. He knew it wouldn't happen, but was still slightly disapointed that his sister hadn't joined them, although he was more disapointed that she hadn't projected with him on the train ride home.
His gran welcomed him back home with her typical stoicism and Pip began fussing over him imediatly, instantly taking his things up to his room. Scorpius couldn't wait to get back to his writing desk, it was the one inanimate object he wished he could bring to Hogwarts with him. But he was honestly really excited to put his new quill with the rest of his things. He knew exactly where he would place it on his desk with its special holder. He was still hesistant to use it much at school. He didn't want to use it in class and seem like a show off so he only used it during studying. But even then, he almost never wanted to touch it for fear it would somehow stop working for him, or break, or by his family's luck get lost. He knew the charm work on the quill was foolproof, but he assumed, with his luck, he would be the first person to ever actually lose one.
But no matter how excted he was to get back to his room, it wasn't the first place he went to. He walked the extra steps to the ajoining room to the right of his down the hall. The door was closed, but he couldn't see the light from underneith it. She hadn't been downstairs to greet him like she had at Christmas and Solstice Hollidays. He had assumed she would be in her room, but maybe she was somewhere else in the manor. The library perhaps. Or possibly breaking the rules and out on the grounds somewhere. But he might as well try her room first.
Just before he knocked on her door, he felt her heartbeat. It was still slow and even. She wasn't doing anything active, so not on the grounds. Possibly reading, but honestly it felt like she was sleeping. He thought back and realized he never noticed her heartbeat change much since the fight. It spiked a bit every now and then, possibly when she was moving around, getting up to eat or bathe. But compared to normal, she was extremely, unusually calm. Then he thought back even more and realized something else he had missed.
Ever since their birthday, he could feel, at almost random times, when her heart rate would spike instantly and her emotions would flutter and spark. He was familiar with the sensation. It was the same one she got when she was reading a romance book and the characters were making her giddy and kicking her feet. Though this was noticibly more intense and would last longer than the inital excitement from reading. He wasn't sure what it was about, but whatever it was, she hadn't experienced it again since the fight.
He knocked on her door softly.
Just like with their mental connection, he got no response.
His thoughts began to drift quickly. Trying to piece everything together. He heart rate, her sudden dulled feelings, her lack of response.
Something was wrong.
He opened her door in a panic. Her lights were off and her curtains were drawn. Her room was clean and felt almost untouched. Her books were stacked neatly, and there were not any on her reading table, bedsidetable, or vanity. Her vanity was also perfectly kept, which was unusual as she used it as a work desk and typically had papers or books open on it. Not even any of her hair products or accesories were out of place as if they had been recently used. The only sign that someone had been in her room recently was the lump of blankets on her bed.
He rushed over to her and placed a hand carefully on what was likely her shoulder. He couldn't see her face, it must have been hidden under pillows.
"Aniara? Aniara is everything alright?" He tried to use a calm tone, but it came out more squeeky and worried. It surprised her and she yelped as she sat up. Then she looked at him and groaned while clutching her head.
"Merlin, Peon! Who dropped you out the window and made it my problem?" She groaned again and flopped herself back onto the bed pulling the covers over herself once more.
Scorpius was mildly relieved she wasn't dead or seriously injured, but was still worried. She only ever used that nickname when she was really upset, annoyed, in a really really bad mood.
"I just... Ani you... I-"
"Can you just spit it out so I can get back to sleep?"
It was nearing dinner time, yet she was acting as if he had woken her up in the middle of the night.
"I'm home from Hogwarts. Its summer holidays," was all he could force out. Not the best choice of words, or the ones he wanted to say.
'Why are you still in bed? Are you ok? Are you hurt or sick? Why haven't you talked to me? Are you really that mad you have ignored me for almost a fortnight? What is wrong? Why won't you talk to me? How can I fix this?'
But instead he had just stated the obvious with a confused voice.
"Good for you. Now go play with your inkwells so I can sleep." She groaned out indifferently.
"Bear, is something wrong?" Again still not the words he wanted to use.
She sighed and moved some of the blanket away from her head, "Aside from the fact that you won't let me sleep, everything is fine. Now run along." She punctuated her words by drawing the blanket back over her head and didn't say another word.
Scorpius was stunned. He wasn't sure what to do. He had expected her to be mad, to yell at him and for them to argue, but he still thought she would be happy was home for the next two months. Yet, it didn't seem to phase her. He stood there for a moment longer, stairing at her and putting his hand to his chest to feel her heartbeat. Besides the rise in rate from being startled awake, it was still calm and even. Nothing was making sense.
He heard a soft 'eh hem' from the door to her room and turned his head to see Pip beconing to him. He didn't fight his insticts and followed her out the door. She closed it behind him and gestured to his bedroom door. Once inside he dazedly sat at on the trunk at the foot of his bed.
"Pip, what-" She cut him off softly and gave him a sympathetic look.
"Miss Aniara hasn't been well." His eyes went wide and he glanced towards the door to their adjoining bathroom. Pip continued with a comforting voice, "I found her in her closet, asleep with a puffy face and sick on the floor next to her. She was exhausted and barely stayed awake long enough for some food. Poor Miss has been out of it ever since."
Scorpius' stomach dropped. How had he not realized? He put his face in his hands let out a shuttered breath, "Is she going to be ok Pip, or is it really bad?"
Pip held up her hands defensivly and stepped closer to him, "She is taken care of. Don't worry Mr. Scorpius. Her brain is quite fuzzy and it hurts her so. I give her some calming draught to help her relax and a sleeping draught once a day to help her sleep. She is only up a few hours in the day. She writes to Miss Rosie, eats what I give her, and cleans herself a bit, before sleeping again. You notice she gets very agitated, thus the calming draughts."
"It's because of me! I forced her out too hard and now she-"
"No," Pip put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him, "Your mother called the healer. He says she just has migraines from being exhausted. She just needs time for her body and mind to relax and heal, the she will be Miss Ani again."
"Exahusted. Did he-"
Pip shook her head, "I told him she is cooped up all the time and furriously studies as if she was taking school exams. He is none the wiser of her skills. I think she was just very worried about you and had been visiting for too long."
"So it was because I pushed her away?"
Pip dropped her eyes and sighed, "A little. But this was bound to happen to her. A few more days of rest and potions and all will be well again."
Scorpius nodded, but wasn't fully convinced.
*************
Blinking quikly, Aniara opened her eyes and noticed the difference. Her head was no longer throbbing and she felt a bit refreshed upon waking. Before she had imediately felt like she only slept for 10 minutes rather than 10 hours. She moved the blanket off her head and glanced around her room slowly.
Her curtains were drawn, but there was some light peaking through them. She took some deep breaths before sitting herself up. Before she could move the blankets aside and stand up, Pip appeared by her bed.
"Afternoon Miss Ani. You look better."
"Feel better Pip. Still tired, but my head no longer hurts."
Pip smiled at her and made her lunch tray appear. She ate in bed and relaxed, trying to enjoy feeling like herself again. The last few weeks were hazy and she didn't remember much besides her head hurting, feelings tired, trying to write to, and not feeling like herself.
"Are you up for visiters?"
Aniara quirked a brow at the elf and wondered who would want to visit her. Maybe one of her parents to check up on her. She hesitantly nodded and Pip disapperated. After a moments there was a soft slow knock on her door. She welcomed them in and was surprised to find her brother.
"Ned!" She was excited to see him. She knew he was supposed to come home soon, but was now sad to have missed welcoming him back.
He stopped and gave a soft smile while looking at her as if he was waiting for something. She motioned him over, not wanting to through her food tray to the side, today was the first day she could actually enjoy eating and not have soup poured down her throat. He walked over and sat at the foot of her bed, his smile slowly getting brighter, but still waiting.
"Something wrong?" She asked inbetween bites of her salad.
"You-" his eyes darted to the side in thought for a second before coming back to her, "are you feeing better?"
"Obviously." She covered her mouth so as to not spit food at him.
"I'm sorry." He said in almost a whisper. She questioned if she had even heard him correctly. Why was he appologizing?
She tilted her head at him and swallowed before questioning his appology.
"You, well, you got sick because of me. If I hadn't have shut you out so forcefully, then..." he trailed off and seemed to shy away from her a bit.
Then, as if a light switch had been flicked, her last memories before getting sick came back to her. Albus dueling, Scorpius getting stunned, the two boys fighting, Scorpius yelling at her to leave. She pursed her lips and set her fork back on the tray calmly.
"Oh,"
"I shouldn't have said those things, to either of you. I have already appologized to Al and he surprisingly forgave me. I didn't know what had happened to you. I kept trying to talk to you. Rosie said you talked sometimes, but she was really busy with exams. But you didn't respond to me and I got really worried when you hadn't even welcomed me back home. Of course Mum and Dad didn't think to tell me, they thought you would have told me you weren't feeling well."
"I'm sorry. I probably should have when I was awake, but I wasn't really myself, and I don't remember much. It's all a bit hazy." Scorpius huffed a small laugh and she poked him with her foot.
"Not yourself is right. No one warned me and I... well I came up to appoligze when I got home and you were alseep. I woke you and..." He met her eyes and shrugged as if that was all he needed to say. Aniara pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her face before groaning, "What did I do?"
"You called me Peon, and didn't seem to care that I was home. And then almost yelled at me because I kept annoying you."
Aniara shook her head and looked at him through her fingers, embarrassed, "I guess I'm the one who should be appologizing then. I don't remember that at all. How long have you been home?"
"Three days."
"Oh Salazar!"
"You got owls from everyone while you were alseep. Rosie owled me asking if you were ok because you hadn't talked in a while."
This time she didn't care about her food, Pip could just make her more right? She pushed aside the tray and scrambled to grab her books from her bedside table drawer. She grabbed Rosie's first, scared of what she might find in James'.
R- Exams are done! Can't wait till I get the results.
R- Hope your exams went well.
R- I finished the book I was telling you about. The ending was so cliche! It was the husband, duh.
R- I know we don't always spend hours talking here, but you haven't said anything in a while and I'm a little worried about you. I hope you are ok. I also hope Scorpius appologized He told me you were not talking to him for a while because of the fight.
R- You don't have to say much, just something to let me know you are alive.
R- Aniara, if Scorpius doesn't respond to my owl promptly I will send my uncle do a wellness check! Please be ok. I'm worried about you.
Aniara couldn't blame her. She had tried to still write to her, to James as well, but her migranes felt like hippogriffs running around in her skull. She had Pip respond a time or two but after a while, apparently right as exams were finishing, she didn't have the capacity to do it anymore, and it wasn't like Pip could read the messages to respond to them. Aniara had to point to where to write next. Though maybe Pip could have writen a note on the next page after her bookmark to say that she was ill.
She grabbed her quill and penned a quick response so Rosie didn't send her uncle after her.
A- I'm sorry Rosie! I got sick and was basically drugged with sleep and calming draught for days. I'm feeling better now.
She didn't want to wait for a reply and set her book on her bedside table. She leaned her head back on her headboard and groaned.
"Is it hurting again. I'll call-"
"No, I'm fine. Just upset that I worried everyone."
Neither of them spoke for a moment, but the air felt a bit tense. Aniara looked back at him and noticed his eyes kept glancing to her maroon book in the open drawer.
"You going to..." He pointed at it and Aniara just crossed her arms defensively.
"I will... in a bit. Not particularly excited to see what he has to say. I think I tried to talk to him once but it hurt to much, and I didn't want Pip to write to him so..."
"So you just ignored him?"
"No."
Scorpius gave her a look she knew too well. She gave it to him everytime he was lying to her. They could always tell when the other was lying, but it didn't stop them from trying. They were still siblings after all.
"Yes. I wasn't myself and didn't want to say something wrong to him. Rosie would understand."
"Why wouldn't James?" Scorpius questioned honestly. Aniara felt herself blush. She hadn't confessed her crush on James to him and she wasn't keen on doing it now, though it seemed unavoidable. She glanced quickly at the journal in the drawer and then back to her brother. She saw his hand twitch for a moment and then a smirk grew on his face.
"So he's why your heart does that?"
"My huh does what who?"
Nope she really didn't want to talk about this right now, "oh, uh, ow my head is hurting again, can you leave and maybe."
Scorpius' smile got even bigger and he scooted closer to her playfully poked her foot over the blankets, "No Ducky. Twins remember, you can't lie and I can feel what you feel."
"Don't call me that! And you can't feel anything so just drop it."
Scorpius poked her again and she pulled her foot away from him, "Just payback for Peon."
"I was sick ok! And I said I was sorry."
"I know," he laughed, "Your heart rate will spike for a second and then you get this giddy, fluttery feeling. Its the same one you get when you read you, blech, romancy stuff. And I understand now. You fancy James."
"Do not!"
"Liar"
"Sneak"
"Swot"
"Bubotuber"
"Cabage eater"
"Ignorant sack of pigmy puffs"
"You take that back!" Scorpius feigned offense.
"Never." They chuckled at each other before Aniara gave up. He was, unfortunately, right. "Ok fine. Yes I fancy James."
"Well stop fancying him because he is a better duelist than me so I can't intimidate him to not break your heart."
"Awe, baby brother trying to defend me," She playfully kicked at him and swatted at her foot before standing up to get away from her.