"For many Divination students in seventh-year, Ovomancy was their favourite topic to learn in this class last year," said the nasally voice of Professor Quinley as she taught the class. Her nose was turned up in disgust and she eyed the few students that made up her class. "Although I can't imagine why the heck this would be their favourite... There's too much sticky egg for my liking and it's just gross, but I suppose it is accurate."

As I looked down into the bowl in front of me, which was set on my table, I couldn't help but disagree with the woman. I didn't get grossed out easily by these type of things. If anything, I found it all much more interesting than gross. Shrugging, I took an egg and cracked it, inspecting it carefully.

Ovomancy was a type of Divination that had to do with cracking eggs open and observing the way the yolk fell. I found myself enjoying it for the most part.

N.E.W.T-level Divination consisted of learning about many more ways of predicting the future than I was accustomed to. Thus far, we had covered heptomology and cartomancy, as well as going into greater depth in subjects that we'd done in past years. I had even had a chance to polish up on palmistry, something that I'd never really had a knack for. This class was shaping up to be one of my favourites as I became better and better at it.

Once class was over, I made my way down to the Great Hall from the North Tower to eat dinner. Along the way, I met Sirius, Remus and Peter, all of whom had had a free period. I furrowed my eyebrows at the fact that James wasn't with them.

"Hey," I greeted them.

"How was Divination?" Remus asked me.

"Pretty good, we were doing Ovomancy," I told them. "Quinley wasn't too happy to be teaching it, though. She was being all snobbish about having to crack eggs open."

"That woman scares me, I wouldn't want to be taught by her while she's in a bad mood," said Sirius. "Sometimes I wonder whether she's predicting the future or actually causing everything herself."

"Me too," said Remus. "She once predicted that I would be having the worst day ever and was completely right about it. I never knew if she had predicted it or caused it to happen..."

"Why have we never heard about this before?" Peter asked Remus, frowning.

"Because... I didn't want to tell you all I failed a Potions essay right after it happened," Remus grumbled under his breath.

"Ooooooh, Mr Prefect wasn't so—" Sirius began.

"Shush, Sirius, not now," I interrupted him, whacking him on the arm. "By the way, where's James?"

"He went to send a letter home," Sirius replied, his eyebrows knitting together. "I dunno what about, he was acting very weird about it and he wouldn't let any of us come with him. He said he'll meet us in the Great Hall later, though."

I nodded, shrugging as we trudged our way to the Great Hall.

All throughout dinner, James was gone. For the first few minutes, we didn't take too much notice to it, but after a while, we each began getting suspicious. He had been supposed to meet us in time for our meal; surely sending a letter wouldn't take too long.

"Maybe he got in trouble on the way back," suggested Peter. "He was probably up to not good and ended up doing something that would get him a detention."

"Or," said Sirius, "maybe his owl died and he's crying in the corner."

"Sirius, that's not funny," I snapped as he began laughing. "This is serious."

"I thought it was James," said Remus thoughtfully.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm seri—I mean, I'm... not kidding. Where the hell is he?"

I saw movement in the corner of my eye and turned to see Isla sitting nearby, fidgeting uncomfortably and staring over at us. She appeared to be having an internal conflict, turning to us as though she had something to say but wasn't sure whether she ought to say it. Finally, the small first-year girl stood up and walked over to where we sat.

"Your friend... he's fighting someone," said Isla awkwardly.

"What?" I demanded, turning to look at her and hoping I hadn't heard her correctly. She had caught the attention of Sirius, Remus and Peter as well.

"Well, I was walking with Muriel down some corridor. I still don't exactly know my way around the castle and we got lost. The one with glasses was duelling some Slytherins," Isla replied with wide eyes. "I just saw them—"

She didn't even have time to finish her sentence before the boys and I exchanged panicked glances and stood up from our seats. We all practically ran from the Great Hall, Sirius swearing profusely.

"I'll bet you anything it's Snivellus!" Sirius muttered angrily as the four of us ran down the hallways, searching for any signs that a duel was going on.

My heart sunk at the prospect of James attacking someone as he had done to Snape the previous year. I didn't want to believe that James hadn't matured even the slightest bit since that incident. After everything that I had thought about James changing for the better—after seeing him protect Isla and Muriel from the seventh-years—I didn't want to round a corner and find that he was bullying someone again. I almost hoped we wouldn't find him so that I wouldn't have to experience the events of last year all over again.

I heard a body slam against the floor; the sound rung loud and clear as the boys and I reached a part of the castle that was usually empty.

Finally, I came across four students duelling. They all had their wands drawn and pointed straight at each other. The three remaining on their feet were Mulciber, Avery and Snape. Looking down, I realized the body that had slammed against the floor was James's, but that didn't keep him down for long. Soon, he was on his feet again and was obviously pretending not to be hurt. I noticed him wince slightly, but he continued yelling insults at the three others and hit Mulciber with a Full Body-Bind Curse.

It was three against one. It seemed exactly like something James would do—take on three Slytherins at once, thinking he could beat them so easily. His arrogance was his main downfall; for that reason, I couldn't help but think that he had started this whole thing, that he had provoked it.

"Oh, James," I said quietly, shaking my head in disappointment.

The spells that Snape, Avery and Mulciber were using against James, however, weren't regular magic. They were using Dark magic with spells that I had never even heard of, let alone thought of performing. James was no match for Dark magic, but he seemed to think he could beat them regardless.

I glanced sideways at Sirius and Peter and grimaced at them. However, Remus had disappeared. I sighed in relief, knowing that he was most likely doing the smart thing and getting a teacher to break up the duel.

"Three against one? Isn't this a little unfair?" Peter mumbled.

James heard him and perked up. "Are you kidding?" he sneered. "Snivellus only counts for about a quarter and the other two are a third each, so—"

He was interrupted when Snape, who was glaring at James with more hatred than I had ever experienced, shot a spell at him; a gash appeared on his skin, running down the length of his arm. I gasped, forgetting my righteousness for a moment and wanting nothing more than to destroy Snape.

I saw Sirius reach for his wand before I could do anything. He caught my eye, a determined fire in his gaze, before turning towards Snape and Avery and doing something completely unexpected. I would've thought he'd hex them into oblivion or at least attack them in some way, but he shocked me when he didn't do any of that.

Instead, he raised his wand and said, "Protego!"

The spell erupted from Sirius's wand, separating James from the Slytherin boys; he was doing it to protect his best friend rather than to harm the others. He held the spell for a few seconds before a scolding voice interrupted him.

"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall yelled, running over to the group of us, Remus and Professor Slughorn in tow.

Sirius lowered his wand, breathing hard. He turned to Professor McGonagall, but she ignored him and ran right over to James.

"Duelling in the corridors!" she shrieked incredulously. "Potter, how many times must you get detention from me before I get my point across? There will be no—"

"Professor, they attacked me! They attacked me, I swear it!" James yelled, wiping gushing blood from his arm.

I didn't know whether or not to believe him. He might've just been saying it to McGonagall so he wouldn't get a bad punishment.

"It doesn't matter who attacked who. Potter, I don't know how I can possibly punish you anymore. Nothing ever works with you," she stated, shaking her head disapprovingly. "No matter what, you continue to disobey the rules. Therefore, I only see it fitting to take away the one thing that matters to you... maybe then you will learn your lesson."

"No!" James yelled out, aware of what she was getting at. He grabbed his hair by the roots in distress. "No, Professor, please—"

"You will not play in the next Quidditch match—" she stated abruptly before being cut off by James.

"NO!" he screamed once more, shaking his head adamantly. He looked desperate as he pleaded with her. "No, Professor, no, I'd do anything... Please, anything but that... Give me detentions for a week, for a month, for the rest of the year, I don't care!"

"I will not have students using magic against one another in this school," said McGonagall forcefully.

"No, no, no... this can't be happening!" said James, putting his head in his hands. "No, this can't be happening, I have to play in this game. No." He got on his knees and put his hands together, seeming as though he would soon burst into tears. Blood from his arm dripped onto the floor and he gritted his teeth together from the pain of it. "Please, Professor, you wouldn't do this to me. You know Gryffindor needs me."

"Stand up, Potter, this is ridiculous," she snapped as he tugged on the bottom of her robes.

"This is so unfair!" Sirius bellowed.

McGonagall turned to Sirius. "Actually, I find it quite fair, Mr Black," she said, her eyes narrowing at the boy. "Perhaps after this, your friend will think twice before he reacts."

"It's not fair!" Sirius argued. "James didn't even start this argument! It was them!"

Sirius gestured in the direction of Snape, Avery and Mulciber. Professor Slughorn had lifted the Body-Bind Curse off of Mulciber and was in the middle of reprimanding all three of them.

"Mr Black, I would suggest not questioning my methods of punishment unless you too would not like to play in Gryffindor's next game."

This shut Sirius up quickly.

Snape looked entirely too pleased as he watched James squirm. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the fact that James was being punished in absolutely the worst way possible. He wasn't even listening to Slughorn's reproachful tone towards him and was instead eavesdropping on what McGonagall was saying to his nemesis. The smirk on Snape's face said it all; it made me so angry that I no longer cared who had started the argument in the first place. I shot him the angriest glare I could muster.

"I don't understand... Why should I get the worst punishments? What about them? What about Avery and Mulciber... and Snape?" He spat the name like it was the most revolting thing in the world.

"As Slytherin Head of House, it is for Professor Slughorn to decide what punishment would suffice for Mr Snape, Mr Avery and Mr Mulciber," said McGonagall coolly, her lips pressed together so tightly that they were turning white. "I am your Head of House. Potter, it is no use arguing. You will not play in the upcoming Gryffindor Quidditch match and that is final."

"But look—look what Snape did to me!" He pointed to the gushing wound on his arm where it had been sliced open. "That was Dark magic, that was," he barked. "I know because I would've been able to beat them all in any regular duel. Those bastards had an unfair advantage because I would never use Dark magic against anyone. They're just a bunch of Death Eaters, I don't get how no one sees it! I dare you to check their left arms and let me know what you see there!"

"MR POTTER!" McGonagall said, interrupting James's rant. She took her wand out and healed James's arm without tearing her eyes away from him. "Death Eaters!" she shouted out incredulously. "Do not accuse students of being You-Know-Who's followers. Those are incredibly serious accusations that should not be made by a child who doesn't know the true repercussions of being a Death Eater. That is enough from you. Saying such things will not allow you to convince me to let you play in the next match."

James wasn't going to give up. "No! I'll really do anything! I can't... Don't do this to me or to the team! You should want Gryffindor to win. You know Gryffindor needs me!"

"Potter, do not speak to me in such a disrespectful tone!" McGonagall chastised. "You know full well Gryffindor doesn't need you, there are many more excellent players on the team and I am quite certain that you can find someone willing to replace you. You will not be playing in Gryffindor's first game of the season. That is final. There is nothing more to discuss."

With that, Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and walked away.

A strange noise escaped James's mouth. Sirius walked over to him and placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder.

I looked at Remus and Peter, who each looked as dumbstruck as I felt. I couldn't believe what McGonagall had just done. I shot one last glare in the direction of the Slytherins before gesturing for James and Sirius to follow me. They were glad to get away from Snape, Avery and Mulciber.

I walked beside Remus and Peter, James and Sirius not far behind. As soon as we got far enough from the three Slytherin boys, I turned to James.

For once, James Potter looked absolutely, positively defeated. His shoulders were slumped and he no longer appeared as confident in himself as he had a moment ago. I could see it especially in his eyes.

"What happened?" I demanded. "Did they actually start it or did you just say that to McGonagall?"

James sighed, shaking his head. He let out a small, sad chuckle. "I didn't start it, Bianca," he said, his hazel eyes meeting mine. "I was telling the truth. I was just coming back from the Owlery and the three of them just intercepted me. They saw I was alone—usually I'm with all of you—and they took their chance to attack me. Honestly, I didn't provoke them."

I nodded. He spoke so sincerely that I believed every single word he said without question. I let out the smallest sigh of relief.

"You don't think I should've just sat back and taken it, do you?" James asked me specifically, looking to me for approval.

"No, James," I said forcefully. "If they attacked you, never sit back and just take it. You have to fight back. I know that some people say you shouldn't be violent if someone attacks you because the moment you fight back, you become just as bad... But I would never, ever do that. If someone attacks you, fight back with everything you've got."

There was a silence, thick and tangible, lingering in the air as my words sunk in. I believed everything I had told him with all of my heart. There was not a single part of me that doubted what I had said. I would always fight back in order to defend myself.

James's gaze darkened suddenly and he swore loudly. The sound of his voice echoed across the walls of the castle. "Of all things—of every single possible punishment she could've given me—it just had to be that! It had to be Quidditch!"

His whole body shook and he was panting out of pure anger and frustration.

"It could've been to spend two days camping out in the Forbidden Forest, polish all of the floors in the entire castle, allow Filch to whip me! I would've even preferred taking a beating by the Whomping Willow—anything but this!"

None of us knew what we could say to him to comfort him.

"Do you want to go back to the Great Hall to eat dinner?" Peter asked tentatively, his voice soft.

James shook his head. "I can't eat now, I feel sick to my stomach. I'm going back up to the common room."

James took off, striding quickly. I had to jog to catch up with his long strides since my legs were much shorter than his. Remus and Peter stayed further behind with me, giving their bespectacled friend some space. Sirius, however, trotted forward and stood next to James, not saying a word.

***

Author's Note:

Thank you devious_diggory for this gorgeous aesthetic!

If anyone else would like to send aesthetics, collages and/or fanart that you've made for this story, feel free to send it! All you have to do is PM me. You can either PM me the link or ask me what my email is on PM so that you can send whatever art you've made.