𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 ( james potter! )

vii. TO BE OR NOT TO BE...A MURDERER

CHAPTER SEVEN
( TO BE OR NOT TO BE...A MURDERER )

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THE GROUNDS OF HOGWARTS ARE MORE packed than usual as Estelle sits with Piper, Lily, and Marlene on the grass outside of the castle. It's on the warmer side today, a blessing to all the students who know it's probably going to be one of the last, if not the last, of the warmer days before the Scottish winter hits them full-force. First years chase each other across the grounds, zig zagging past trees and passerby, while the older students tend to be less active, spreading out on the grass with their friends.

     Marlene had laid out a light blue quilt for the four of them to sit on once they had met up after finishing their last class of the day. It's the first time the four girls have managed to hang out together since the prior school year, so they obviously have tons to catch up on—namely, Estelle's newfound friendship with James and the upcoming Halloween Ball, which is now less than a week away. As much as she has missed spending time with Lily and Marlene, Estelle has been dreading this encounter because really, the last thing she wants to hear is Lily speak badly of James (we get it, Lils, he's a toe rag and you despise him). After that one Defense class, Estelle had realized what an awkward position being friends with both Gryffindors put her in. It's not fun for her, to say the least.

     "Elle, you know I adore you, it's still just a little hard for me to grasp. I knew by our last Defense class that you two were friendly, but I didn't realize you were such good friends." Lily says, laying on her back with her elbows propped up. The slight frown on her face almost makes Estelle feel guilty for being friends with James, but she knows that there is absolutely no reason to feel guilty about it. Okay, so maybe she and Lily have a difference of opinion concerning James' character. And maybe Estelle has only known the bloke for a little under two months, but she's pretty sure that's more time than Lily has ever spent around him, and so far she has been rather shocked by how good of a person he is. Sure, she knew Lily was exaggerating a lot when she had told her and Piper stories about him, but bloody hell, he is nothing like she had described him. Except for maybe a little arrogant—that much Estelle can't deny.

     "I wasn't exactly expecting it either when sixth year started, but he's not bad at all, Lily. In fact, I quite like him. He's good company." Estelle responds, shrugging nonchalantly. It's true. James is fun, and she can't count all the times he has made her laugh since knowing him even if she wants to. In all honesty, she sees more and more every day why he's so well-liked around Hogwarts, by both students and teachers (with a few exceptions of course, but anyone with eyes can see that Professor McGonagall wholeheartedly loves the Marauders).

     "You don't—you don't like him romantically, do you?" The expression on Lily's face can not be described as anything other than downright horrified, and to Estelle's right, she can see Piper rolling her eyes. Piper had theorized recently that despite insisting otherwise, Lily actually was developing feelings for James. It kind of made sense, because when Estelle thought about it, it was always Lily who had brought him up over the years, especially more recently, and not anyone else.