Chapter 4

"It won't work," she whispered, moving ever so slightly as James' head rested on her shoulder, his eyes on the couple walking hand in hand down the hall, closer than ever as the wide smiles rested on their lips, "I'm telling you."

"Will you just let the prank master do his job," James snapped, "this isn't even a wizard prank, be grateful."

"You know I don't just know muggle pranks" she scoffed, "muggle pranks or not, I'm still prank master."

"You're barely even a pranker," he smirked, his eyes quickly glancing at her before he eyed the two once again, watching from under the cloak as they neared the piece of string lying on the ground.

Only a few moments later was it Caden that walked over it, stepping onto the glue covered string that stuck to his shoe, yanking it as he walked and soon was the two drenched in water, and that was when Nora's hand covered James' mouth quickly to stop his laughter from getting them caught, she was having a hard time holding in her own laughter as she watched the twos reactions, but it was then as Caden and Lily stared at each other that they burst into a fit of laughter, Lily's head on Caden's chest as she tried to contain her giggles.

"Well that didn't work," Nora grumbled, turning to look at a frowning James, who soon grabbed Nora's arm and pulled her to the side of an isolated hallway, lifting the cloak from over them so that they could stand, "that cloak will come in handy."

"Yeah, if it bloody works," James huffed, "Evans hates pranks!"

"Or she hates pranks that she knows you have played," Nora pointed out, "look once we get to Hogsmeade, and get some supplies, then it'll be fine," she waved off, "it'd obviously be great if we were able to go yesterday, but someone couldn't stand the thought of a little rain."

"You know, I have a small feeling that you're thinking of me," James tutted.

"I am," she huffed, "you practice for quidditch in worse than rain, but you can't even walk ten minutes to Hogsmeade?!"

"That reminds me, we could go to Hogsmeade today?" suggested James, folding the cloak in his hand as he leaned against the wall, watching her frown ever so slightly.

"I can't, actually," she sighed, "I promised Aubrey I'd help her with potions."

"Oh, well, okay," James nodded his head a little too furiously, his glasses falling ever so slightly to the side of his face which he scrambled to fix, his cheeks flushing red, "I'd say we could go tomorrow, but classes."

"Yeah, you're right," she mumbled, "we'll definitely go on Saturday, though, I'm sure if your friends want to come along then it wouldn't be that bad," she smiled softly, lifting the strap of her bag higher onto her shoulder as she bid him a goodbye, waving slightly as she walked down the hall.

She wondered why she felt so guilty for turning down his offer, she could feel it bubbling in the pit of her stomach like a sea crashing roughly on the shore. She wondered why she thought the way he nodded, that the way he fixed his glasses was probably the most adorable thing she had seen all day, it made her wonder why they had to go to Hogsmeade in the first place, but then as she walked down the hall did she remembered it was for Caden, her Caden, the boy that she had liked for years, her first crush, and kiss, way back in third year when she was worried about never kissing a boy before so he did it, he kissed her, and that was when she knew she really liked him, a whole lot, but she didn't do anything about it, instead she just kept silent, and allowed him to tease her about how much she loved it.

And she really did.

But why, right now, was her thoughts wandering back to James Potter, even though she had promised Aubrey, she wondered if she would really need her today, she could always reschedule for this evening, or maybe tomorrow, and Nora would be free to go to Hogsmeade, but she didn't understand why she wanted to go so badly, especially with the insufferable James Potter.

Pull yourself together! She thought, she really had to, she couldn't think of James Potter, their relationship, if there was one, was strictly business, fighting for their respective person in the couple that seemed not at all phased.

She turned the corner, her steps wavering ever so slightly as she saw both Lily and Caden, Lily was using her wand to dry the two of them, a wide grin spread across her lips as Caden countlessly praised her for her intelligence.

"Nora!" the girl forced a smile as she approached the two, faking a shocked laughter as she stepped over the water still on the ground.

"What happened?!" she asked, unsure if her tone of voice was good enough to sound casual but pushing it to the back of her mind nonetheless.

"Probably one of Potter's pranks gone wrong," Lily rolled her eyes, a scowl upon her lips as she thought of the boy, he wasn't that bad Nora thought, forcing her smile to widen as she let out a short laugh, "the boy doesn't know when to stop!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that in front of Nora," Caden teased, throwing his arm around Lily, "seems she is friends with the boy."

"Don't worry about it," Nora waved him off, rolling her eyes, "James and I are barely acquaintances, a bit insufferable if I'm honest."

"I can't say it wasn't a shock when I saw you two together," Caden nodded, scoffing ever so slightly.

"He's alright," Nora shrugged, "quite funny."

"More like arrogant," Lily tutted, shaking her head, "course I can't say anything, he's best friends with Addy."

"Oh yes," Nora nodded, "that must not be fun."

"Well, I just make sure to stay away from him," Lily giggled, "I need to go, I promised I'd help Severus with something, it was nice seeing you, Nora!" she grinned, moving to kiss her boyfriend quickly whilst Nora ignored the bubbling jealousy in her stomach.

"You're not leaving me too, are you?" Caden exclaimed as Nora moved, attempting to walk down the halls as he stopped her, a frown attacking his lips as she turned to face him.

"I'm going to meet Aubrey," she shrugged, "at the spot."

"Oh, I haven't been in a while," Caden exclaimed, sudden excitement taking over him as he followed her.

"Excuse me, who said you were invited?" Nora gasped, "you haven't been following tradition, we may as well banish you."

"Oh shush, you could never banish your best friend," Caden scoffed, throwing his arm around her shoulder as they walked, "you love me too much."

"Who told you that?" she joked, rolling her eyes as he feigned sadness, "you eat my food, you drink my drinks, you bask in the comfort, and then you go ahead and break tradition!"

"It was a stupid tradition!" Caden exclaimed, laughing loudly until the frown fell onto Nora's lips, her lip between her teeth as the sadness bubbled in her stomach.

"Yes, but it was ours," she whispered, pushing his arm from her shoulder and hurrying off down the hall, ignoring his protests behind her as she pushed herself outside.

She pushed herself down from the courtyard, going along the small trail that took her into the forest surrounding the black lake, it was at least a fifteen-minute walk until she would get to her spot, the spot she had built when everyone had left for Christmas break back in her second year. She spent the entirety of the break working on it, spells she had to memories, staying up late each night until she had perfected them, gathering wood from broken branches, sticks, leaves, the lot, she had even gotten a job one summer, working as much as she could just to buy things for her spot, and putting a charm on her trunk to make it bigger.

She climbed over the small hills, making sure no one was around her, and there was no way they could be, the forest surrounding the black lake was bigger than anyone had really known, so as she ventured the trail she knew by heart, it wasn't surprising that the only sounds heard from the forest was the soft chirps of birds.

She secured her bag strap on her shoulder as she gripped onto the ladder that was perfectly nailed to the tree, almost missing her step when the stairs where a little slippery, but soon did she find her balance as she climbed onto the landing, moving the small curtain that contained the inside of the tree house from the outside world.

She had made sure this was her sanctuary, she needed a place to go, to cry, as much as it pained her to cry, it was something she desperately needed, but it was also a place to relax, to reflect on her life, to study, to work, a comfortable place for her to be.

And comfortable it was.

She showed Aubrey first, the girl had been her longest friend, and a true best friend for life, they were inseparable even before they had met Caden, so it was only wise for the Slytherin to know first of the tree house that Nora had built from scratch, she showed her after the summer going into her third year, when the place was furnished with the décor she had bought during that specific year, when the money she had raised was finally able to get her what she needed.

It was rather hilarious as Aubrey tried to figure out how it was possible for the girl to get the furniture here.

Nora took off the converse she wore, setting them to the side and allowing her feet to sink into the rug that the floor offered, the tree house was made from the wood of the forest, coming together with spells, wood, and even some string in specific places. It had everything, a couch big enough for herself and Aubrey, as well as a bean bag chair she had taken from her room, the only thing it didn't have was electricity, but there was a small heater charged by batteries in the corner, allowing the treehouse to become cosy for Nora. There was a stack filled with her favourite sweets, chocoballs, cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, full bars of chocolate, and even muggle sweets that she had bought.

There was drinks too, she had everything one could possibly want in a tree house, it was the only thing she had ever done that she was truly proud of, the only thing she could take credit for that wasn't a complete disaster.

She grabbed one of the books she had as she looked out the small window she had made, drawing back the curtains and letting in the light from behind the trees as she awaited Aubrey's arrival, she had made sure the treehouse was perfect, especially since it was the only thing she truly had. She didn't have a home, really, well, she had her parents' home but she didn't truly belong there, they didn't want her, that much was obvious, so her treehouse was her home, it was her place.

Her tradition with Aubrey and Caden was to come here every single Thursday after classes, they would work on their homework, or just enjoy each other's company, and it was lovely, it was some of the best times Nora has had at Hogwarts, but not long after Caden had started dating Lily was that tradition broken.

"Hello sweetums!" Aubrey greeted as she pushed herself past the curtain, slipping off her shoes as the warmth engulfed her from the coldness of the forest, ducking ever so slightly as she took a seat on the couch, a grin spread over her lips as she watched the smile twitch onto Nora's lips, "you alright? Caden said you were mad?"

"I'm fine," Nora rolled her eyes, "he was going on about how the tradition was stupid."

Aubrey rolled her eyes, a small scowl taking over her lips as she hooked the door curtain back in place, "I'm not blaming Lily Evans for this, because she is bloody lovely, but Caden is not the same Caden anymore."

"He has gained a little attention," Nora commented, "popularity, if you get what I mean, I think he's basking in it."

"Oh yes, definitely," Aubrey tutted, "weird, though, seeing as neither Lily or any of her friends are at all phased by it."

"Maybe they are just used to it," Nora shrugged, moving to bring out her potions text book, "do you think he'd tell them about here?"

"He has no right to," she grumbled, shaking her head, "this is your place, you built it yourself, from scratch, I might add, you where the one to stay up countless nights looking for the perfect spells, Caden and I are just guests."

"Oh please, this place is as much yours as it is mine," Nora laughed softly, "I'd need to make sure I fully trusted the people I told about this place, but Caden's recent behaviour is making me think twice."

"Does that mean you're over him?" asked Aubrey, reaching for the blanket that hung over the couch, and throwing it over the two of them, watching with a sigh as Nora shook her head.

"Unfortunately, no," she whispered, "I want him, and I was stupid enough not to act on what I felt, and now I can't have him, but that doesn't mean I'll just stop."

"I know," Aubrey frowned, reaching over to grab her best friends hand, "everything happens for a reason, Nora, I promise that."

Nora smiled softly as she nodded, squeezing Aubrey's hand as she picked up the potions book, opening it to the front page and finally speaking, "now, potions!" trying to suppress her laugh at the loud groan tumbling from Aubrey's lips.