Caught in the Middle

she should know better than to let someone get under her skin and yet her patience was waning just like any chances of a decent mood were, “i was till you got here” she muttered, closing her book - she had a feeling she wasn’t going to be able to concentrate anymore –

“it was a joke” blunt as she eyed the girl carefully, “clearly you don’t have a sense of humour as everything is literal to you, don’t you have O.W.Ls to be studying for or would you rather waste time on my apparent embarassement?”

“You assumed I was judging you, but it probably would have been the same for whoever passed by. You were looking to defend yourself.” Jamie felt too comfortable with making the assumption, which was really more of a truth she’d learned in all her years of observing the students.

074. What is your character’s favorite game?

She probably likes wizard’s chess as she likes anything with strategy. She probably grew up playing muggle chess with her father. As a pretty shy kid, it was a good game for her brain that let her interact with the world in a way she was comfortable with.

075. Is your character ticklish?

Jamie can control her emotions almost only because she’s never really had the option to let them loose, that was taken away from her around age 12. 

When she was told about her parents, she had a burst of incidental magic that flooded Dumbledore’s office and literally exploded most of the books of the shelves and cracked most of the tables. That was really the signifier to the Shafiqs to hold onto her as someone who’s capabilities may outweigh her blood status. 

“Cruciatus is ‘urting less when the spell-caster is a bi’ distracted, jus’ a word of advice.”

“Better to keep you away than see wha’ migh’ ‘appen if you get too close.”

“that’s an extremely cynical worldview.” she commented, she certainly hadn’t complained to fit in, or whatever that meant. she was a bit confused with the other, and shrugged in frustration, choosing not to deal with it instead of arguing. “fine.” she said simply.

“Wow, you catch on fas’.” Jamie condescended, turning back to her own book. It wasn’t a matter of patience, she could sit in agony with a complete look of calm on her face if she had to. It was about students’ constant urge to repeat every little nuance about daily life. They all experienced it, no one was special because they had an exam. 

            ❝   so   you   don’t   study   at   all   then   ?      for   any   test   ?      preparation   always   helps   .      the   world   is   out   to   test   us   ,      no   reason   to   give   anything   but   your   best   ❞      insufferable   ,      that   was   the   only   word   for   it   ,      the   girl   was   insufferable   .      but   andromeda   forced   herself   onwards   ;      the   slightest   ,      almost   imperceptible   crease   to   her   brow   .      ❝   maybe   it’s   just   easier   for   you   to   think   that   ?      that   no   one   can   play   their   game   better   than   them   ?      makes   the   fact   you   maybe   haven’t   been   able   to   all   the   more   palatable❞

“Let is a relative term, James- I’ve got my own money and I’m of age, I’d fancy seeing them try and stop me.”

“i’m not the one lacking self control” the statement was a tad more defensive than she’d like to admit, but that tended to be the emotion whenever josephine vance was involved – her grandmother was one of a kind in that sense.

she would call this exasperation if it didn’t sting as much as it did – she wasn’t wrong, was she? half the time she was worried about the secrets that she kept for others, a boyfriend that was not so much her boyfriend at the moment - her fears – “i don’t recall asking for your advice, but thank you for your opinion” she muttered, turning the page as if she was actually focusing at this point. 

Jamie could have grinned at the girl’s quick response. “Only because you’re so calm righ’ now.” She was rarely in the mood to play with others, it was better for people to stay at a certain distance.

“perhaps i am, or maybe i’m just lamenting like others are, perfectly normal.” she agreed tenuously. dianna wasn’t stupid and she was allowed to be stressed like everyone else, so what was the point of calling her names? “i never said i had low expectations, perhaps you shouldn’t put words in other people’s mouths.” she shot back.

“Per’aps everyone complains over nothing because they think it will make them fi’ in more.” School social structures were set up for failure, Jamie convinced herself. “And I told you to no’...never said tha’ you said i’. Seems you’ve pu’ words in my mouth instead. You should think before you speak.”

            ❝   you   really   think   i’d   bother   ?      that   if   i   somehow   had   some   advice   you’d   actually   listen   ?      everything’s   always   about   you   and   your   struggle   ,      isn’t   it   ?   ❞      jamie   could’ve   been   fun   ,      could’ve   been   an   ally   and   yet   here   they   were   .      ❝   i   was   asking   how   you   felt   about   your   owls   ❞

“it’s not as pathetic as it looks –” she promised - sheepish smile at her lips, she could feed the curious gaze on her and she had a feeling that it had something to do with the book in her hands – Living With Legilimens: Choose Your Minds Wisely. it wasn’t that she frowned upon on self-help books, merlin their intent was nearly always useful, but the fact that she was eagerly trying to finish it before the year ended said a lot. 

@petrificusstarter​​

“I’ just looks like you don’ ‘ave the self control for i’.” Jamie shrugged, turning back to the book shelf. She wanted to dabble in occlumency and legilemency  sooner than later. After all, it may...help. “Or per’aps you ‘ave terrible thoughts and you never wan’ anyone to know. A’ that poin’ you should seek other ‘elp.”

“i thought exams in sixth year were supposed to be easier.” she grumbled, taking a step away from her studies to stretch her legs.

“Per’aps you’re jus’ stupid.” She had little tolerance for complaints. “Don’ ‘ave such low expectations.”

“Fair enough, who would you bother if I was swept away because you choose to poison me” Ivy winked with a laugh. “I’m sure I’ll figure out some type of plan… maybe get a flat.” 

“I don’t really care. I cannot express how much to you that I literally just don’t care.”

“Hyenas”