Lily and James' Prophecy

Chapter 9 - William's Letter

The morning they were to return to Hogwarts was a dismal one. Raindrops splattered the windows violently and thunder could be heard ever so often.

"Is James still not talking to you?" asked Lily as she helped Violet take her trunk downstairs.

"Yes, he's not talking to me," said Violet stiffly.

"Vi... I didn't mean for him to be a jerk-"

"Never mind," said Violet hurriedly as James came down the stairs dragging his trunk. Violet looked at him but he ignored her. She felt something in her stomach flip and she looked away.

"He's angry because you didn't spend time with him? Isn't he supposed to be understanding?" said Lily hotly when she and Violet were up in Violet's room. Violet said nothing and looked down at her feet. "Vi...?"

"Yeah?" asked Violet twiddling her thumbs, not looking up.

"Are you ok?"

"Not really," said Violet with a weak smile.

Lily sat next to her and took her hand. "If this is how he acts then he isn't worth it." Violet looked out the rain-splattered window and closed her eyes trying hard to hold back her tears. "Vi...?"

"Yes?"

Lily hugged her for a long time. "I'll go talk to Potter."

"No, don't. He-he-"

"Is a jerk?" finished Lily. Violet looked down at her feet again and a tear fell from her eye. "Vi, please don't cry. He isn't worth it."

The door opened. It was James. "The car's here," he informed them briefly. His eyes lingered on Violet for a fraction of a second, and then he left.

"Come on, Vi," Violet heard Lily say. "It'll be ok."

----

"You're both welcome to come back for the summer!" said Diana to James and Lily when they were on Platform 9 ¾.

Lily smiled and said, "Thanks for everything."

"Yeah. Thanks," said James. He left.

"Bye now," said Paris as the train's whistle sounded. There was a huge rush to get on board.

"Do you think I should go look for William?" asked Lily when she and Violet had found a compartment. Violet nodded. When Lily had left she looked out the window for some time. She sighed heavily.

"Hey," came William's voice.

"William... hi," she said. "Lily just went to look for you. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad."

William looked at her awkwardly and said, "You didn't get my letter, then?"

"What letter?"

"The one I sent you over the holidays."

"I didn't get any mail over the holidays," she said.

"That's weird..."

"What was in it?"

"Well..." he began, lowering his voice to a pitch just below a dolphin squeak, "I put an Illusion Spell on it so unless you touched it, it merely looked like a Christmas Card." Violet raised an eyebrow. "Well it was really important so I took precautionary measures. Vi... my dad's not dead," he finished off breathlessly.

There was a long pause in which William cleared his throat one too many times and Violet tried over and over to digest this tidbit of information. Finally, she choked out, "He's not?"

"Vi... I can't tell you much; I really can't since I don't know much myself. All I know is that this involves something that involves us."

"When you say 'us', you mean our families, right?"

"No... us. As in you and I."

"Oh god, William stop it already dammit."

"Vi... look, Lord Voldemort wants to kill both of our fathers-"

"Oh really? And why would he want to do that?"

"I don't know. Vi, like I said, even I don't know much. But my father faked his death to protect himself from Voldemort."

"Who else knows about this?"

"No one."

"And you saw it fit that I was the person to bestow such information unto?" she asked coldly and skeptically as if waiting for him to announce this was some kind of tasteless practical joke.

"Violet, there's a reason."

"Which is?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I needed to tell you so you would pass that information unto your parents. That way they don't jump to conclusions and start thinking things."

"Thinking things?" asked Violet. But just then she remembered something her mother has said. "He's told them..." muttered Violet.

"What?" asked William.

"My mother and father... they were talking and my mother said something about 'he told them'."

"Shit." Said William. "You have to write to them immediately."

"Why the hell can't your father write to them?" asked Violet hotly.

"Violet, think about it. How can your father receive mail from a dead man? People are watching the mail system and they'll know. My mother can't write either. It's too risky. That's why I wrote to you. People won't suspect anything in a mere letter from teenager to teenager."

Violet sighed heavily and looked out of the window. She thought briefly of James before snapping back to the current situation. "Ok, that makes sense, but otherwise I don't understand why your father faked his death and how my family and I are involved."

"I don't either. But I do know that you are involved and your parents must know. Give me the letter when you've written it and I'll put an Illusion Spell on it."

"I can perform an Illusion Spell, thank you very much," she said.

He looked at her. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle. He looked away.

In spite of herself, she put a hand on his cheek and turned his face towards hers. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you want my family and I to be safe." He smiled. Just then James passed outside the compartment. Violet caught his eye and dropped her hand from William's cheek quickly but it was too late. James stalked off.

"How was Christmas with him?" asked William.

"Great," she lied.

"Oh," he said, his expression dropping.

"Oh my goodness, William!" screamed Lily as she burst through the sliding glass door. "I'm so sorry to hear about your dad!" she said, taking his hand and kissing his cheek. Violet tried her hardest not to laugh out loud.

"Thanks," said William in a solemn voice.

"I'll be right back," said Violet, stepping out of the compartment. Halfway down the hallway she found the compartment she was looking for. "James," she said as she opened the door. "Hey guys," she added to the other boys. "Can I see you outside?" she asked James.

"No, I'm busy," he said.

"Please?"

"No," he repeated.

"But-" she began.

"He said no, dammit," said Sirius loudly. Violet looked at him and then at James who had a satisfied smirk on his face.

"You heard him," said James. "You may leave, or do we need to show you out?" he said, his smirk widening as he reached into his robes for his wand.

She said nothing and looked down at her feet as she slid the door shut. She then headed for the girls' washroom and cried.

----

Rain continued to splatter the dark windows of the horse carriages that took them back up to the castle. Lily looked over at Violet and sighed. "Vi, you shouldn't have cried. Now people will think something's wrong."

Violet looked at her but said nothing.

"Welcome back everyone!" said Headmaster Dippet when everyone was seated in the Great Hall. Violet could see James from across the Hall.

"How was your Christmas?" asked Annie softly when they were seated at the Slytherin Table.

"Not so good," replied Violet.

"Aw. Sorry to hear that. My mum decided to take us to the beachside for a 'cooler Christmas.' It was horrid."

"Why?"

"This one guy was stalking me. And that's not the bad thing. He was older than Dippet." They both laughed. "Why did yours suck?"

"James," said Violet shortly.

"Potter?"

"Yeah. He came by me for the holidays. It didn't go as planned."

"Hmm," said Annie, narrowing her eyes. "So you and him are together?"

"No."

Annie laughed. "So you and Potter parade the halls together, you hold hands, you whisper in each others ears but you're not together? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard."

Violet sighed. "I suppose it is."

----

That night Violet wrote a letter to her parents informing them that William's father has faked his death. She looked out the Owlery window for a long while after Bernard had disappeared into the clear navy blue sky, her thoughts running wild. She was walking back to the Slytherin common room when she saw James come out from behind a tapestry. He looked up when he heard her approaching and headed in the opposite direction. Violet opened her mouth to call out to him but stopped short. Someone was emerging from another tapestry further down the hallway. As Violet squinted to see who it was, James walked up to the person and took their hand. As they walked off Violet let out a gasp. There was no mistaking that slim figure and haughty stride. James Potter and Septima Merivicodotch were going for a late night walk.

----

"With who?"

"Septima!" hissed Violet. She swore and threw her fork down with a clatter. "Bullshit! Not even a day back and he's apparently forgotten about me!"

Lily muttered and looked down the Gryffindor Table at James who was laughing with his friends. "Let me curse him. Just this once. Please?"

"Forget him. If that's how he's gonna play, then so be it. To hell with him." She got up and walked out of the Hall. Lily followed her.

"What are you going to do?"

"Find William."

"Why?"

"I want to date him."

"Wha-? Wait. But-"

"Not really date him. God, no. Just to get James jealous."

"Oh. But... I-I-"

"Lily, I promise if William says yes it's purely for the sake of making James jealous." Lily looked doubtful and rolled her eyes. "William!" called Violet seeing him down a crowded hallway.

"Hey," he said when they approached him.

Lily grimaced. "I have to go."

"Bye," said Violet and William in unison. She made a face and stalked off.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I need you to date me," she said.

"What? But what about Potter?"

"Eff him. Apparently he's seeing Septima Me-"

"Oh, her." He laughed. "So you only need me to make Potter jealous?"

"When you say it that way it sounds like I'm murdering a cherub. Let's just say I need you to help me... um-"

"Don't worry. I get the idea. Fine, I'll agree to this charade under one condition."

"What's that?" she asked suspiciously.

"We do everything a normal couple would do."

"Like what?"

"Talk to each other... and stuff."

"What does 'stuff' entail?"

He laughed and reached for her hand. She slapped it away. "Fine. We'll do 'stuff' like talk. But if you so much as touch, kiss, touch OR kiss me, I'll hex you till you can't see straight."

"Fine. So you finished breakfast?"

"Yes. And I think James is practically gloating the fact that I saw him with Septima."

"Let's not talk to Potter."

"I sent the letter."

"Oh. Good. Did you put an Illusion Spell?"

"No, I didn't. And I didn't use ink and parchment, either," she answered sarcastically.

----

"So what exactly did you put in the letter?" asked William at lunch.

"That I want a pixie for my birthday," said she. He looked at her blankly and she laughed. "I told them everything we discussed on the train. Don't worry. They'll know."

"Good," he said, taking out Quidditch Through the Ages.

"I wonder why Lily didn't come over to our table," said Violet as Lily entered the Hall and went over to the Gryffindor Table without so much as an acknowledgement towards Violet. "And why does James look so... bleak?"

William looked up from his book. She was right. Lily sat down with some friends and ignored them completely and James was with his friends looking quite sullen. "Dunno," he replied. "Where's Septima?"

"Down there," said Violet, pointing down the Slytherin Table. Septima looked like she had just passed through hell. "She looks pissed, too."

"Yeah. And why does Potter keep looking over here?"

Violet looked over to the Gryffindor Table. William was right; James was looking directly at them. Violet smirked feeling a feeling of pure satisfaction overtake her. "He's jealous."

"Is he now?"

"Yup. Good job, team," she said, leaning over and whispering nonsense words in William's ear. "Giggle," she whispered after a long sentence which contained many 'sss' and 'ppp' sounds.

"What?" he whispered back.

"Giggle." William complied. Violet smirked even more and looked over at James. He was practically glowering now and got up, grabbed his bag violently and headed out of the Hall.

William laughed. "You're good."

"I know. I'm going over to speak to Lily," she said as she got up and walked over to the Gryffindor Table.

"Hey," she said as she approached Lily.

"Hello," said Lily stiffly, not looking up.

"You should see what William and I just did to James."

"I don't care. Do you have anything important to say because you're wasting my life here."

"What's wrong with you?" asked Violet. Then she understood. She sighed and said nothing for a while until-

"You know," said Lily, "apparently James Potter is free."

"Free?"

"Yes," she answered, looking at Violet for the first time since she had come over, her eyes cold, "free."

"I don't understand..."

Lily made a face. "Free. In other words single. Unattached. Not taken. Hopefully not wanted."

"But- wait. So he and Septima broke up?"

"They were never together."

"But last night-" began Violet. The image of what she had seen came back to her, clearer than ever.

"I don't care what you saw last night. All I know is what I've heard and that is that Potter isn't with anyone."

Violet muttered.

"What?" asked Lily.

"I said 'Why are you being such a bitch?'"

"You know why," answered Lily shortly in such a manner that reminded Violet greatly of Septima.

Violet's temper rose out of control. "If you want William so badly then CLAIM HIM!" she practically shouted, storming out of the Hall with half the students looking out after her. William got up and hurried after her.

"Violet, wait up!" he called, running to keep up with her quick stride. "What was that all about?" he asked her, gasping for air when he had finally caught up to her.

She sighed. "Nothing," she said, heading for the oak doors leading to the grounds.

"Come on, Vi. You can tell me."

"I know I can but I don't want to," she said simply.

"Stop being a stuck up b-"

"Can you shut the hell up for once and give someone room to breathe?" she shot at him. "And if you think I'm a stuck up bitch then you can take your concern elsewhere."

"You're impossible," said William, trying his hardest to keep his voice and body from shaking but Violet could see his balled fists. A hint of a smirk crossed her face.

"I know I am," she said, pushing his limits. "Probably if you would back the hell of..."

"Fine!" he spat, turning on his heel and walking back up to the castle. She smirked again knowing she'd regret making him so angry at a later point. However, right now she needed time to think.

She approached the lake and sat down, putting her face in her hands, her hair falling down blocking light from peeping its way through her semi-closed eyelids. Why would James get together with Septima (which was obviously a play to get her jealous) yet leave her the day after Violet had seen them together? It made no sense. Unless...

"It wasn't Septima?" she asked herself. She gritted her teeth and got up kicking some dirt into the lake.

"But it had to be Septima."

"Or did it? You didn't see her face, now did you?"

"But her walk."

"Anyone can walk like that."

"No, not anyone."

"But- wait. Why the hell am I talking to myself?"

She muttered bitterly. She couldn't understand why James would be so angry at her because she didn't spend enough time with him on Christmas Day. It just didn't make sense.

"There has be more to this," she said while wracking her brain trying to find one, just one incident in which she could have offended James immensely. Before she realized it a tear had fallen from her eye. She scowled herself silently.

I should have never let him under my skin, she thought. Too much emotional attachment.

But what is she liked the attachment? What if she wanted the attachment?

"Shoot," she said. She hated trying to think of answers but only getting even more questions to ponder on.

----

By dinner time Violet had two people to make amends with and one who, for no reason, seemed to hate her. "William?" He ignored her fully. She cleared her throat. "William?" She sat next to him. The absence of girls around him told her he was in a bad mood. "William?" she repeated, louder this time. He made a move to get up but she was too fast for him and she pulled him back down in his seat by his forearm.

"Let me go before I make a scene," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Please... I want to apologise."

"Let me go," he repeated.

"Just hear me out-" But before she could finish he had flung her hand off his arm in a violent, swift motion and had gotten up and left the Hall. Many girls snickered as the plate that was in front of him shattered to the floor. She swore under her breath and headed to the Gryffindor Table to where Lily sat.

"Lillian..."

"I'll suggest you leave unless you want a repeat of what William just did to you," said Lily stiffly. Violet sighed and looked down the table at James. She swore she saw a glimmer in his eyes. But it wasn't long before he turned and looked away.

"I-I'm sorry," stammered Violet as she left the Gryffindor Table.

The common room was almost empty when Violet entered. Everyone was still at dinner. She headed for her dormitory but on the way up she passed William's dormitory door and headed for it.

"If that's you Marsden, will you turn up the heat for me?" came William's voice when Violet had pushed the door open. She entered silently and turned the flame up on the lamp at the very middle of the room. She could see his outline on the bed to the far left. He was on his stomach. "Thanks," he said. She tiptoed noiselessly to his bed and pulled back the hangings as silently as possible and sat next to him.

"Marsden, what the h-?" he began until he saw Violet. "What are you doing here?" he asked loudly, sitting up quickly. "Get off my bed and out of the dormitory."

"William, just listen to me."

"No. Leave dammit." He took her under the arm and, getting up, pulled her gingerly with him towards the door.

"William-just-ouch, you're hurting me!" said Violet, struggling against his grip but he was too strong. "William, it's hurting. You're hurting me-"

"Get out," he said again

"IT HURTS!" screamed Violet, whipping out her wand and pointing it directly at his throat, tears running down her pale cheeks. He stopped and looked at her as if he had just snapped out of a trance. He looked from her face to his grip on her shoulder and back to her face.

She flung him off of her and ran out of the dormitory leaving him alone.

----

"Hey," said William. Violet looked around.

"I have to go to Transfiguration," she said, getting up from the Slytherin Table.

"Wait... please," he said, reaching out his hand to hold her back.

"Walk with me," she said, 'or I'll be late."

"Vi... about last night. I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was doing. I was just so angry-"

"Everyone gets angry. Not everyone who gets angry tries to rip off someone's arm, though."

"My temper just got the better of me."

"I realized." She sighed as they came to a stop outside the Transfiguration classroom. "William, I'm to blame for this. I got you angry for no reason."

"No, Violet. I'm an ass."

She smiled at him. "I don't think you are." He sighed heavily and put his hands in his robe pockets.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't think we should be a 'couple' anymore."

To her great relief, he answered, "Me, too. Not now, anyway." There was an awkward silence for a moment before he spoke again. "I better get to class. I'm sorry, again."

"I am too. You're a great guy William."

Just not the guy you want, he thought. "You're an equally great girl." He smiled and left just as James brushed pass with a grimace. Violet followed him inside.

"Today we'll be doing the extremely Disillusionment Charm. However, this isn't the usual Disillusionment Charm. If it was you'd simply be doing this in Charms Class. This Disillusionment Charm does not simply camouflage you so you resemble your surroundings. It literally makes you a part of your surroundings," said Zabini when everyone was seated and stopped at this point to let everyone murmur in interest. "So," he continued as the class fell silent, "get into pairs... Or, better yet, I'll put you into pairs." Many people groaned. Whenever Zabini put them into pairs he always paired everyone up with the least likely person. "Evans, Fabien. William, Tucker-"

"I hate Tucker!" came Williams' voice. "He has sweaty palms!"

"And-" came Zabini's voice, a glint in his black eyes, "Violet and Potter."

"What?" asked James. "I demand a new partner."

"Potter, if the world was fair I'd have demanded your expulsion months ago. Unfortunately, this won't happen and since my demands can't be taken into consideration, then neither can yours."

"But-" began James in a heated voice. Zabini's eyes flashed dangerously. He seemed to be waiting for an objection from Violet.

When none came, he said, "My word is final." James opened his mouth to object but before he could say anything Zabini said harshly, "Five points from Gryffindor for defying my orders. I promise I'll take more if you don't comply. Now."

James heaved a sigh and got up heavily and walked over to where Violet sat alone and sat down, not facing her.

"The reason you're in pairs is simply because none of you know how to undo spells with your mind as opposed to actual speech. This way you have a partner to undo the spell for you," explained Zabini.

After giving them specific instructions, Zabini put them to work.

Violet looked at James who made sure not to look in her direction. For a long time they said nothing to each other until Violet spoke. "We should probably start." James continued to ignore her. She sighed heavily and looked down at her book.

"Why the hell haven't you started?" asked Zabini twenty minutes later, swooping down upon them. Violet looked down and James said nothing. "Ten points from Gryffindor."

"What? And what about Slytherin?" asked James, motioning to Violet.

"Judging that you were reluctant to start, I'm guessing you held back your group."

James opened his mouth to argue but realized Zabini was right and closed it. "Good," continued Zabini. "Now start."

Violet looked squarely in James' eyes.

"Well turn me into something. Maybe William would make you happy? Turn me into him?" he suggested sarcastically.

Violet screwed her face up. "Why are you angry at me?" she asked, half frustrated, half angry.

"You can answer that yourself," he shot back.

"Can I?" she retorted.

"Yes, you can," was his short reply. "Why don't you ask William? I'm sure he'd be all too happy to answer your question."

"You're being an ass."

"I know," he fired back. "And you're a liar."

"How am I a liar?" she asked stiffly.

"Again: ask William."

"Fine! I'll ask William while you go on your night time stroll with Septima."

James opened his mouth to answer but Violet had pushed the table onto him, gotten up and stormed out of the classroom just as the bell rang. She headed for the girls' toilets but stopped when she heard Zabini's voice calling her.

"Violet," he said when he had caught up to her.

"Professor?" she inquired politely. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lily enter the girls' toilet with a group of her friends.

"Are you ok?" he asked with sincere concern etched in the lines of his face.

"Yes, I am. I'm just angry."

"How come?" he asked putting his hands in his pockets.

"I... I really don't want to discuss this," she said. "Not to sound rude," she added hastily.

"Understandable. Don't forget you can tell me anything anytime you need to talk," he called as he walked away.

When she entered the toilets Lily was surrounded by a huddle of her friends who all stopped whispering when Violet entered. They all threw her nasty looks.

"Come on, let's go," said one, making sure Violet heard.

"Yeah," agreed the rest.

"You guys go on. I'll be there in a bit," replied Lily. Her friends watched her suspiciously and left reluctantly, all pushing pass Violet without a word. "Hey," said Lily when they had all exited.

"Hello," said Violet coldly, heading for the sinks.

"I saw what happened in Transfiguration," said Lily.

"You and everyone else," answered Violet bitterly.

"Vi, James is an idiot. Why do you even bother?"

"The same reason you bother with William"

"And the reason is...?" asked Lily, raising an eyebrow and stepping closer to Violet.

"Forget it."

"I don't understand-"

"I said forget it."

Lily took another step towards her. She was directly behind her, now. "Vi, I'm sorry for the way I acted-"

"You mean overreacted," corrected Violet.

Lily smiled weakly and put a hand on Violet's arm. "Ouch," muttered Violet, pulling her arm away. It was the same arm William had hurt the night before.

"What's wrong?" asked Lily in alarmed voice.

"Nothing, just a little bruise," answered Violet. "I forgive you," she said hurriedly for Lily had opened her mouth to inquire further.

Lily's face broke into a huge smile and they hugged. "You were right. I had no right to be angry at you," said Lily as they left the classroom and headed to their next class. "If I want William I should make him my own."

Violet nodded and locked their arms together. She sighed, "I just wish I knew why James was angry at me. He kept telling me to ask William for the answer."

"William? But... why?" finished Lily lamely.

"I don't know."

"Then you should probably ask William if he knows."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Violet. "James obviously just said that to make me feel bad for getting together with William."

Lily looked doubtful and Violet made a mental note to meet William outside his Herbology class before dinner.

----

Violet pulled her cloak around her tight while she waited outside Greenhouse three for William. The weather was worsening. "Hey," she said when she spotted him among the throng of students hurrying back up towards the castle.

"Hey," he said, giving her an inquiring look.

"I need to ask you something. James and I had a fight this morning and he kept telling me to ask you why he was angry at me."

"Me?" asked William incredulously.

"Yeah.... Do you have any idea why he would be angry at me?"

William's face became serious and Violet could tell he was thinking. "I don't know," he finally said when they had entered the Entrance Hall. "He's probably just being stupid about us being 'together', you know?"

"Probably..." she answered slowly, unconvinced. "I'm going to the common room. I'm not really hungry," she told him turning to walk to the door on their left.

"Vi," he said, stopping her, "if James can't see what he's missing out on, that's his fault."

She smiled. "Tell Lily I went to bed if she asks."

As she lay in her bed she couldn't help but think (for about the millionth time) she had to have done something extremely bad for James to be angry at her. It couldn't have been not spending time with him on Christmas day. That was too much of a trivial reason. There had to be one more-

"Violet?" came a voice.

She sat up and saw William in the doorway. "William?"

"Vi, I know why Potter's angry at you."

"You do?" asked Violet excitedly. At last.

"I remembered when I got this," he said as he raised up what looked like a letter.

"Who's that for?" she inquired.

"It's for you from your parents. Your owl brought it while you were down here. But-" he said continuing, "this helped me realize why James is angry at you. At least it's what's most likely."

"Well...?"

"Remember the letter I sent you over the Holidays?"

"The one I didn't get? With the Illusion Spell?"

"Yeah. Well you said you didn't get it. If you didn't get it, Lily didn't mention anything to you and neither did your parents, that only leaves one more person who could have gotten it."

"James. Yeah, but why should it matter? It was only a stupid letter. Plus he'd have given it to me"

William turned red. "Wasn't it?" asked Violet. "Just a letter, right?"

"Well... it was..." William gulped. "Vi, I'm sorry."

"What did the letter have in it?"

"You should probably ask James if he still has it."

Violet rolled her eyes and got up. As she brushed pass him she took the letter in his hand from her parents. "Thanks."

"James?" called Violet when she had turned the corner after the marble staircase.

James was surrounded by his usual group of friends. He turned around, spotted Violet and turned back around and continued to walk and chat with his friends.

"James... please," said Violet, her voice cracking. She looked away, trying to stay calm. She could hear them snickering.

"What?" she heard James ask finally. She looked up and saw that he was looking at her. She let out a small sigh.

"Can I speak with you for a while?" she asked, making sure to look at him and only him. She could feel the glare she was getting from Sirius. "Alone?"

James folded his arms. "No," he answered shortly. Sirius gave a triumphant smirk.

"Please?" pleaded Violet. Peter Pettigrew looked as if he would burst from the abundant tension in the space between them and her.

Lupin leant forward and whispered something in James' ear. "Come on guys," he said loudly, gesturing to Sirius and Peter. "Let James speak to Violet."

Violet couldn't help but think just how much of a lifesaver Remus was.

"What is it?" asked James when they were alone.

"I asked William," she answered stupidly.

"For what? A snog? Bet he'd love to give you that. Probably a bit more..."

Violet swallowed, trying hard not to blink so as not to force the tears in her eyes out. "I asked him why you were angry at me." She waited for him to comment. When he said nothing, she continued. "He reckons it was because of a letter he sent me over the Holidays."

"Oh, he reckons, does he? I didn't know he had it in him."

"So-so it was the letter?" asked Violet, the tears in her eyes almost ready to start flowing down her pale cheeks.

"Perhaps," said James with the air of one discussing the rising prices of frozen foods.

Violet blinked and looked down, her tears flowing down slowly. "So," she said shakily, looking back up and sniffing, wiping her eyes, "do you have the letter?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I suppose you want to read it or has Benedict already whispered these sweet nothings in your ear?"

Violet said nothing and walked forward putting out her hand as James reached into his robes and produced a neatly folded piece of parchment. "Give Benedict my congratulations. He certainly got a good catch with you plus he figured out it was the letter." He handed her the letter roughly. "Feast your eyes."

Violet unfolded the letter with trembling hands. She began to read.

Vi,

I miss you so much. I miss everything about you; all the times we shared together, all good and bad. I miss it all.

My only condolence on these cold winter days is that my heart awaits the return of your warm and loving arms after these short, yet ever so long weeks apart.

Have a Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year! I can't wait to feel your warm embrace and soft caress.

From my loving heart to yours,

William.

As she read the last of these words the letters began to rearrange themselves, forming the real letter that was intended for her. She let out a sickened cry and crumpled the letter, looking up. James had a satisfied look on his face.

"James... no. You can't- this isn't- no. Just no," she said, her face paler than ever. "You don't truly believe-"

"Save it for the Giant Squid, I have a life to attend to." He turned to leave but she grabbed his forearm.

"James, look at me," she pleaded, her tears flowing freely as her pupils turned a light shade of lilac. "Please..."

James pulled his hand out of her hold. "No, Violet, it's your turn to cry. Not mine."

"Please..." she whispered but he was already walking away and disappeared behind a tapestry. She leaned her back against a wall and slid down, crying softly. As she looked down she saw a crumpled piece of parchment in her hand. It was then that she remembered the letter her parents had sent her. She fumbled to open it rather clumsily through her soft sobs, wiping her eyes in a bid to see clearly but to no avail. It was written in her father's handwriting which was even more messy than usual, giving the hint that it was scribbled rather hurriedly.

My Dearest Violet,

Thank you for informing me of these happenings. The worst has been confirmed... I apologise fully for not being able to explain everything in this poor excuse of a letter.

However, there is one important piece of advice I must give you, Violet: these are dark times. Very dark. Be on the lookout, trust no one and remain constantly on guard. But most of all, stay away from Forrestor Zabini.