Rainbow Illness [James]

[aurelia edith flint]

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February 18th, 2028

There were pros and cons every year following Valentine's Day. Most of the time, Aurelia was exhausted. This year, her deal with Blishwick had her closed up early and delivering to Hogsmeade. While the work and pay was welcome, she ended up staying in the town much longer she originally anticipated and had caught some sort of head cold from it. Overwork plus exhaustion was a nasty combination, yet she refused to let it slow her down. That was the Slytherin in her still controlling how she conducted her work. Even if she knew Penelope could handle running things on her own, Aurelia always fat bad for calling out, especially because she lived right above the shop. If she did need to call it a day, she could. The sales from Valentine's were more than enough to keep things going for a while, as they always were.

The other problem that she realized while walking around Hogsmeade was just how isolated she had kept herself over the last few years. She used to balk at the idea of dating, viewing it as getting in the way of her work and life that she really hadn't been able to enjoy prior to graduating from school. But Valentine's Day made her feel like her feeble attempts through the Blishwick dating app were a joke. Selling hundreds of bouquets to happy couples definitely started to weigh down at one point or another. Aurelia wasn't even sure what she wanted really, but she definitely felt some sort of absence. Her sister kept telling her to get out more. That was easier said than done. She didn't have the same enthusiasm towards things that her twin did. Self-sabotage was so much easier too...

The sound of her door jingling as a customer pulled her out of her misery, looking up from the counter she'd been staring a hole into for an unknown amount of time. James Potter had entered, though that wasn't an unusual sight. He frequently stopped by to purchase flowers, and she figured today was no different. "The usual James?" she asked as she started to prepare what she assumed would be for his girlfriend.

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

The distraction had worked for a while, but as it passed, James felt like he was sliding again. James had forgotten much of his pain for a while, almost feeling like his old self. But as the world quieted from the buzz of yet another Valentine’s Day, James’ thoughts reminded him otherwise. James walked toward the flower shop with his hands stuffed into his pockets. His tall frame made it hard to hide how he slumped when walking. His grandmother Molly had already poked him in the back to stand straight. Molly’s grandsons could have been ten feet tall, and they’d never dare question her.

Pushing the door open, James looked around. The plants were familiar by now, not that he could name them all. Aurelia Flint and her twin had been a year behind James, another one of those infamous names from their father’s days. Her greeting had brought him out of his head, not that he realized how disconnected he’d been for that moment. ”Erm—uh, no.” And for a second, he forgot why he’d come here. His hazel green eyes darted around while his brain caught up. ”Oh—I need some flowers delivered to this address.” James reached into his jacket for a small card. The name of the woman his brother had so kindly assisted during the Hogsmeade festival was written neatly in the center.

”Al asked me to drop by.” The lie rolled so easily out of his mouth, not that it stopped the corner of his mouth from turning up slightly. James Potter was never without that mischievous glint in his eye. ”How are you, Aurelia?” The change in route had forced James to remember his manners much later than he would have liked, but they weren’t strangers after all. Plus, silence would only remind him of the last time he purchased flowers for Ariadne here, before she ended their relationship. The thought was difficult to push from his mind, even as he focused on asking about Valerian for his grandmother’s garden.

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[aurelia edith flint]

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Aurelia wasn't obtuse - she saw a lot of different characters walk into her shop in various states of frazzle or worry. So many people thinking flowers would suddenly absolve them in their partners's eyes. She also knew how her regulars usually were. The way James looked told her everything she needed to know, and that was to stop asking about anything too personal. If she was a better gossip, she was sure she'd already have all the details. Not getting out much on non-business related excursions stifled her social awareness on virtually everything. Blishwick occasionally gave her 'the tea', though it was always nonsense about the remaining Pureblood families. Which she absolutely was not included in these days, being a nice little bastard child. Once upon a time maybe she'd had some sort of standing, but that was so nineteenth century. Anyways...

She took the card that James handed over and inspected the address. That was easy enough. The name wasn't familiar, but that wasn't uncommon when it came to Hogsmeade residents. He didn't specify what kind of flowers would be needed, but that they were supposedly coming from his brother. She and Albus had been housemates in Slytherin, though their conversations had always been cordial more than friendly. Nowadays she probably wouldn't have minded if they were friends - she understood the pressure of being 'perfect' fairly well. But hindsight was twenty-twenty for a reason, and she was sort of lazy regarding the whole friendship thing. Much to her sister's dismay. "This should be easy enough..." she muttered, mostly to herself but also to assure James as she copied all of the pertinent information over onto an order slip before sliding the card back to him.

"Tired," she answered truthfully. "Valentine's is always a slog and Blishwick has me working like one of his employees like always..." Aurelia shrugged. The money was consistent and good, so she really shouldn't have been complaining in the first place. Whatever she asked for, Jimbo paid. "How about you? How's hit...hit-wizarding?" She wasn't sure if that's what it was actually called, but it worked for now.

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

James was grateful Aurelia didn’t ask for any clarification on the matter of ‘the usual’. After their graduation, the journey James and Ariadne had taken was not easy. Purifier activity, his father’s disappearance, and other matters provided the turbulence, and just when James felt the world was settling, she left him. Maybe they weren’t meant to survive without chaos, but that was simply his brain creating another reason for his broken heart. So far, a long list of rationalizations sat in the corner of his mind. And he shuddered to think of what the real reason could be if not one of those. Ariadne had said, “It's not you, it's me,” in such a way that she hardly believed it.


”Right—and Gran wanted me to ask about Valerian for her garden.” Molly had alternated between self-control and silence to “I knew it” statements about James’ ex-girlfriend. He told himself this would have occurred the same even if she had not been a Lestrange. Finally, he’d gotten her to change the topic while helping one of his younger cousins and grandfather de-gnome the garden. Even old Arthur needed to escape outside. ”You’re not the first I’ve heard that from.” James admitted. James was a regular in Diagon and Horizont Alley, and Blishwick had become a presence in the latter.

The mention of Valentine’s Day still felt odd, but his stomach flipped less and less as the numbness took over. Her question made him grin slightly. He supposed his job could sometimes be confusing to some—even the department. ”Going alright, lots of overtime.” James admitted, though he welcomed the work at the moment. ”They have some of us rotating out to Hy-Brasil every few weeks. Have you ever been?” Now that he thought about it, Hy-Brasil must be a popular place for magizoologists and herbologists, it only took entering a flower shop to make that connection.

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Valerian for the Weasley matriarch. That was honestly an honor in itself. Aurelia had only met the woman once, though 'met' was a loose term for it because she had accidentally bumped into her after graduation. The Flint twins' own cheering section had been minimized to their two brothers (newly found out half-brothers, mind you). She didn't actually know if Pansy and Marcus would have shown up had they still been alive. Probably, for optics, but it wouldn't have been for more than their own gain. And her mother would have been a bottle deep and well into her second by the time the ceremony began. In short, Mrs. Weasley, had seemed like the loveliest little old woman in the world, and instantly made Aurelia wish she'd been born into that family instead. Hers was so fucked up that it seemed comical at times, as if divine powers decided they would write it this way and she would just have to deal with it.

"Let me get that for you first then," she breathed before leaving the delivery order on the counter and heading around it, motioning for James to follow. "About being tired after Valentine's or Blishwick?" Merlin, that was bold of her. She was starting to sound like her sister, though her face definitely didn't show it. For once, Aurelia was glad to be leading the way, with her customer trailing behind her. Who would have guessed that the more reserved of the Flint twins would be the one making a crass joke? "He means well," she redirected back to Blishwick, since she knew that was what James meant. "And I'd be stupid not to take his money."

We're there any Ministry jobs that didn't require overtime? That seemed to be all she ever heard about working there. One of the many reasons why she decided to turn to plants. Even if her shop failed, she could still be a herbologist full time, and her potion making was decent enough too. There were plenty of career paths to follow without becoming a soulless government drone. The mention of Hy-Brasil caught her attention though. That in itself was worth an entire conversation or two. "I have. I think my first time there was...2024? Would have been right after I graduated. Went with a research group while I was apprenticing." In those few months between leaving Hogwarts and trying to figure out what to do with her suddenly orphaned (or not, if she decided to consider Ernie Macmillan as her father) self, being selected by Isla MacKay for the yearly herbologist getaway to Hy-Brasil had been what she needed the most. It essentially
kick-started everything she had now. "Its a fascinating place. I don't know too many others that have been there up until recently, so I'd love to trade stories sometime," Aurelia mused before stopping in front of the valerian that she had. "Did your Gran want it already potted, or to grow herself? Because I'd have to order seeds if that's the case."

james sirius potter ● 509 ● song by artist

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

James dutifully followed Aurelia after passing on his grandmother’s request. The woman had just passed seventy, but you couldn’t tell if not for the grey in her hair. James watched once as a young boy as his Uncle Ron questioned her strength and received an earful. It was undoubtedly one of the few times James had found himself scooting closer to his mother out of fear (although so did his father if he remembered correctly). A valuable lesson was learned that day by those present who only passed on the anecdote to others.

”Erm—both, I suppose.” Viv had complained about getting caught up in her own trap that day, though James could hardly feel pity when she’d done that all to herself. But the office had been abuzz the last few days. Who enjoyed their time, who was suddenly single, and other various rumors. James tried not to get caught up in it, especially when he felt like he was finally starting to move on. ”Seems like he’s around every corner I turn in Horizont.” Maybe he would have that many employees at some point. Aurelia was right, he thought. It did seem silly not to take the business opportunity if he was offering.

”It really is.” James agreed. Even though his visits were only a few so far, there was a natural serenity there that wasn’t natural here in London. Like how he used to enjoy finding a nice spot somewhere on the grounds of Hogwarts to enjoy the fresh air and weather. ”I always feel like I’ll get terribly lost if I wander too far from my post.” James admitted, pausing a moment as he mentally flipped through the few memories and stories he had. ”I can’t say I recognize all the plants…” Herbology had never been a strong area for him, but maybe Aurelia wouldn’t mind questions in the future. ”Seeds.” James responded quickly, pausing right after. ”I’m fairly certain she wanted seeds.” His confidence level was about nintety-nine or so percent.

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Jimbo Blishwick’s face being pasted onto every feasible, free space was an understatement. A day did not go by where he wasn’t smiling back from the back of a newspaper page, or a loose promotional paper could be found floating around the alleyways. Not to mention the pizza boxes now. Aurelia had the distinct honor of sometimes looking out her front windows and seeing him doing the same from his own. Even though she knew her face was obscured, Blishwick seemed to have some sort of sixth (seventh?) sense whenever she did that, and still managed to make eye contact with her. “He is,” she responded, feeling a small shudder go through her body. “At first it was sort of charming, but now its kind of annoying. He knows everything about everyone…” And yet she still let him set her up on blind dates. They never lasted more than one or two, the problem solely being from her and not those she was seeing. There were more important things in life anyways. Like taking care of plants and helping customers.

Talking about Hy-Brasil was far easier. Everyone that had been over the last several years, which was definitely a huge increase than those that previously had the honor, seemed to want to discuss it. And why wouldn’t they? The island provided a level of mysticism even to the community that dealt in magic every single waking moment of their lives. Of course, they wanted to all visit and see what it was about. “The group of herbologists I went with always needed a guide. And that was with some of them having visited every year for decades,” Aurelia offered up. Though she supposed the real reason that the druids wanted to hang around their guests was more to make sure that they didn’t do anything particularly heinous. Or keep any of the more dangerous creatures from them. “Sometimes I feel like I could talk all day about it. I’ve tried to get my sister to go the next time I do, but she doesn’t have much interest in it. At least not in the way I do.” Aurelia imagined that the other two Potter siblings were probably the same way. While she didn’t know Albus as well as she probably should. That was all on her though.

“That’s fine. I usually put my orders in on Thursdays…but I can see if I can amend what I sent yesterday.” Nothing was ever processed until Monday morning, at least according to her vendor. A quick flick of her wand towards the front counter and a quick-writing quill immediately started to write the letter that she needed for it. Getting that out before end of day would be necessary. “So…what does Hy-Brasil need hit wizards for?” she asked as she switched gears and started to prepare the bouquet that Albus apparently needed.

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

James grimaced. He didn't imagine he would ever exist as a truly private citizen, but he wondered what Blishwick had on him or his family. Maybe it was better not to ask. Ignorance was bliss. ”Well, hopefully he doesn’t bother you too much…” James hadn’t ever heard anything truly negative about the man—so that was a plus, he supposed. There were worse things to be considered than merely “annoying”. But what came to mind with Blishwick were still his dating services, leaving James a little uneasy. Which James only disliked because he’d never really been the “look before you leap” type.

”Are you familiar with a lot of the plants then?” James asked, a little surprised. He would’ve figured these Herbologists with decades of experience would know more than their generation, but maybe not. ”Herbology wasn’t my strongest subject.” James admitted, although he’d needed the NEWT to train as a Hitwizard—not that he’d used that skill yet. ”But it's still interesting.” But Hy-Brasil was more than just plants. The entire place fascinated James. ”I don’t think Al would bring the right…erm…energy to the island.” He added with a bit of a smirk. Those poor plants would likely wither and die around that sort of disposition. ”My sister might enjoy it too much.” Since they were talking about siblings. And Hy-Brasil and Fae had enough on their plates without Hurricane Lily approaching.

”Appreciate it.” James thanked her, quickly adding, ”If not, just let me know.” It was easy for him to swing by, although a text message was also quick enough. Leaning against the counter, James idly watched Aurelia prepare the flowers to finalize Albus’ Valentine’s Day prank. ”With the barrier down, we’re just helping secure the borders for now.” Many rare plants and animals lived on the island, making it a target for smugglers and the like. ”They can’t send all the Aurors, or we’d have none left here.” A split force and Bianca was in charge of them all, so it was her say, really. ”The fresh air and everything has been nice.”

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[aurelia edith flint]

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Being bothered by Blishwick sort of just came with the whole experience of running a shop in Horizont. Aurelia was sure there was a sort of mysticism he had about her doing this at such a young age. But there was a market and customers seemed to understand and rewarded her hard work by coming back frequently. Not that she wanted pity from her neighbor. She could never say no to the business he brought her (or the money). "Who doesn't he bother?" she shrugged. It was never a nefarious sort of annoyance. He was just there, existing in a manner that was quite a bit more than the average witch or wizard did.

"Sort of," she started to answer. "The ones that are endemic to Hy-Brasil are fascinating. But even the plants we're used to have a lot more magic to them." It was like they were on magical steroids. A dittany plant she had seen during her last trip was the size of a mid-sized vehicle, and would never be able to get like that anywhere but on the island. She suffocated a grin at the mention of Albus probably not liking it. The impression she'd always got from him in class was that he got frustrated frequently, and always by the little things. Something like not having running water for a few days would probably throw him over the edge.

She listened to James talk about the security of the island and the weather, which made sense. During her few visits, it always seemed like everything was perfect there. The fact that the Ministry had patrols on it now was slightly jarring. There was nothing that could be done about it, as far as she could tell. The barrier that had once existed a seemingly gone, and that opened the island up to a lot that it never had to deal with. "Can I give you my number?" she asked as she finished up the order and brought it back towards the front counter. "For the seeds, or whatever?"

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

James shrugged in agreement. If Jimbo Blishwick attempting to set up the eligible bachelors that were the Potter boys was the worst of James’ problems, then perhaps his life wasn’t that bad. Especially considering all he had seen in his almost twenty-three years of existence. The idea of something so high profile didn’t appear to James. He carried enough pressure on his shoulders, as it were. Such thoughts made Hy-Brasil’s tranquility much more appealing, or even talking about it. Aurelia approached the counter again with his initial order, just the bow on top of the plan he’d initiated with Vivian the previous month. A welcome distraction in light of things.

”Sure!” James pulled out his phone, brow furrowing a moment as he initially clicked on the wrong icon, eventually navigating to the correct screen where one could enter a name and phone number. ”Here we go…” He mumbled, handing the device to Aurelia, a little half-grin settling onto his face. The seeds wouldn’t take long to arrive. James observed her inputting her information. Strange what he saw and noticed these days, his focus was not entirely taken by one girl. With his phone returned James quickly sent a short message with his name and a simple emoji. His grandfather was fascinated by them, as was James at times.

---

Unfortunately, the seeds had taken some extra days. Molly Weasley only grumbled a moment before proceeding (and attempting) to interrogate James on his personal life. An interruption from one of his Uncles allowed James an easy escape. After apparating back to Horizont Alley, James looked at his phone again. The last message from Aurelia informed James the seeds were ready. It followed a bit of back and forth, including a question from James, her response and some funny plant-related joke he’d overheard in Boudicca’s Grace on his most recent trip to Hy-Brasil.

James could only manage responses when off the island. At least his current assignment there meant those periods were at least consistent. Gently, he pushed open the door to the storefront. Aurelia wasn’t out front, but surely the bell chime would let her know someone was there. While he waited, James stared idly at some colorful flowers off to the side. Every female in his immediate and extended family seemed overly interested in how James would move on after his last relationship. Still, the thing was, James was really just now accepting that he had to move on. He could never understand sulking for as long as Albus usually did.

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[aurelia edith flint]

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Seed and plant distributors were a tricky business. Aurelia had fought tooth and nail over the last several years to get a better delivery schedule than the one she currently had. Alas, it was not meant to be. Not to mention that any deviation from the normal seemed to throw her contact off, as if adding a few packets of valerian seeds was a huge ask of her. She found it downright offensive that she made the payment, and it didn’t show up in one go. That was a fun phone call. While she never thought of herself as the type to yell at others, when it came to messing with her business, she definitely channeled a bit of Pansy. The threat to change to a different distributor ended up getting her what she needed a few days later, but it was still annoying.

James had been patient though. She was a horrible texter – her sister’s words, not hers – and the daily updates on the order since they’d exchanged numbers had been sprinkled with a few other messages. She realized that he must have been on Hy-Brasil during this time, as the frequent long gaps between responses definitely indicated not checking one’s phone. As if there was supposed to be anything more than a business transaction going on between the two of them. Her only contacts that ever texted her back promptly were her sister and Penelope, so when she did hear her phone chime, it triggered something in her brain that she didn’t know she was missing. Eventually, the seeds did arrive, and she sent a message to James to let him know. Strangely, the idea of when he’d pop in to pick them up hadn’t crossed her mind. She just knew it would happen sooner or later.

Hearing the soft jingle of the bell above the shop’s front door go while she was midway through pushing a bag of mulch on to a shelf was always her worst nightmare. Penelope was off today, so that meant she had to finish up what she was doing and make her way back to the front. Nothing was worse than the dreaded second ding as the customer left without her ever seeing who it was. That had happened only a few times, but it always stung. She wanted to be useful after all. Why she wasn’t using magic to do all this was another great question. Somewhere along the line it felt like it was all too easy to do it that way. Getting some physical labor in felt good and made her appreciate her work a lot more. Obviously, if she wanted to get a job over with, she’d just wave her wand and be done with it. The twenty-pound bag of mulch currently being tossed over her head was the perfect way to get some exercise in. Except when a customer walked in.

Giving it one last heave with her shoulders, the bag slid into place, and she immediately shot a spell at the remaining ones to follow it onto the shelf. Tripping hazards were only okay if she was the only one walking through the shop. Not bothering to smack the mulch dust that covered her arms and neck, Aurelia quickly walked to the front of the store. Of course it had to be James, and her immediate thought was that she wished she’d at least cleaned herself up a bit. “Those are iridescent impatiens,” she said as she noticed the flowers James was looking at. “They change colors with the mood of the person looking at them.” Which could either be good or bad depending on who was buying them, and if they were for someone else. Aurelia typically tried to dissuade anyone from giving them as a gift. “I’ve got the seeds right here,” she added as she squeezed around the counter and pulled them out.

james sirius potter ● 650 ● song by artist

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

James didn’t note the minutes that passed after his entrance, probably because he wasn’t in a hurry to be anywhere. His eyes focused on the flowers, but his mind was elsewhere. The flower’s petals were an interesting green, though not quite as green as its stem. But enough that the green in James’ eyes appeared brightly next to it. He hadn’t inherited his father’s eyes, though. Albus had Harry’s eyes, and James’ hazel eyes merely reacted to his environment. ”Hmm?” James was brought out of his thoughts by Aurelia’s voice. He hadn’t even heard her approach. Some Hit Wizard he was, he thought sheepishly.

”Really?” That was sort of fascinating. James looked at Aurelia. Something like dirt sprinkled her shoulders. But he couldn’t help but glance at the plant again quickly as a tinge of orange slowly crept from the petal’s ends to the middle. ”I didn’t know flowers could do that.” James commented, intrigued. She came around the corner as James took a few steps forward. ”Erm—you got a little bit of…” James motioned to his shoulders vaguely with his hand. It wasn’t entirely surprising that someone in a flower shop would have dirt on their person. He recalled his school days when all the students left the greenhouses looking the same for all the dirt that covered any hit of their house colors.

”Thanks again.” James added, looking at the bag of seeds. He supposed he could deliver these to his grandmother that day. She loved it when her grandchildren would visit. ”I’m sure my Gran will send me back for something else.” James half grinned. He didn’t mind the errands. ”She doesn’t trust my grandfather not to get distracted by something colorful or shiny.” Arthur Weasley was perhaps the most curious person, magical or muggle, to exist. But really, James was sure Arthur’s head would have rolled off his shoulders by now if not for Molly keeping it in place while he counted his rubber ducks. ”Sorry for not responding sooner. Phones don’t work on the island.” James added. The apology probably wasn’t needed, but he felt the need anyway.

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Watching the petals of the impatiens change whenever customers approached them was one of Aurelia’s favorite things. That was also why they were situated directly in front of her counter. Just far enough away that they didn’t react to her when she stood there, but close enough to draw in customers like prey, hoping to get a glimpse of what their mood currently was. Scarily, it did help her gauge the sort of things she was going to be dealing with. Seeing James standing in front of them, she didn’t expect them to change orange. That usually meant happiness, or a level of excitement. Whenever a group of rowdy students popped in, the entire plant shot to that color. It was a great warning when it came to that.

”Mhmm. I feel like most of the time people buy them to find out if their partners love them or are hiding something from them…at least that’s what I’ve been told.” She had no idea who was peddling that theory, but who was she to argue against it when it was making her a profit. ”They’re sort of like the metamorphmagi of the flower world, if that helps,” Aurelia offered. That was how she liked to think of them at least.

As she spoke, James was staring at her and motioning to his shoulders. Something about her having stuff on her. It took a moment for her to realize that there was still a fine layer of mulch on her. Suddenly feeling self-conscious about it, Aurelia patted it away, causing a small cloud of dust. Apparently, she was wearing the entire bag now.

Trying to distract herself with the real reason James was here, the seeds, she listened to him talk; about how he’d probably be back for something else, and that his grandfather wasn’t allowed to go anywhere where he could be distracted. She didn’t really think there were many distractions in the shop normally, aside from when James was around apparently. ”No, no, you’re fine. I expected as much,” she responded, looking down at the seeds that she had just pushed across the counter to him.

Was it stupid that she’d been thinking about this exchange since they first talked about it? Her sister would probably say it was, but Aurelia still had very little contact with people outside of a working capacity. The fact that James was being friendly and texting her back on his own time made it feel like it was a lot more than it probably actually was. That or he really couldn’t wait to get these seeds.

”Orange usually means the person is happy…or excited,” Aurelia stated abruptly, pointing behind him at the iridescent impatiens. ”Guess you really wanted these, huh?” What in Merlin’s scraggly beard was she even saying right now? This piss poor attempt at teasing, or flirting, was going to end with her wanting to bury herself under the pile of mulch she’d just put away. Or let Alexander finally take her out to pasture on the back patio.

james sirius potter ● 508 ● song by artist

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[james sirius potter]

all the secrets

and nobody else to tell

February 18, 2028
aurelia edith flint

James raised an eyebrow. It was an odd thought to use the flowers in such a way, but people’s need to know certainly got the best of them. For a split second, James thought of Ariadne. What could the flowers have told him that would have made that whole thing any easier? Probably nothing. But that didn’t matter anymore, and he found he didn’t linger on that for long these days. Not like before. But James rarely wallowed for that long—unlike others such as his brother, it wasn’t like him to not live his life.

”Right—that makes sense.” James knew at least two metamorphmagi. Dustin’s younger sister was one, although her hair didn’t change color often, or at least from what he remembered when they were kids. And Fae, of course. ”Did you know the High Druid is a metamorphmagus?” It probably wasn’t common to see many druids in London, let alone those whose hair could change quite frequently. But Fae was quite a sight to see at first, in that mesmerizing kind of way. From what he could recall, James hadn’t focused too much on her hair until it had shifted color so quickly when she first tried butterbeer.

Aurelia patted away the dirt that had lingered on her shoulders. James leaned a bit to his side to the counter to better face her when she spoke next. His eyes looked at the flowers still on the shelf ahead of him for a moment. Fortunately, he didn’t change color himself—to a shade of red, for example. Even if the question was unexpected. ”Yes. Well. A little-known fact about me—“ James paused for dramatic effect, even lightly scoping his surroundings to ensure their privacy. ”—I find seeds—especially Valerian terribly exciting.” He continued, even winking at the end of his statement. Chuckling slightly, James looked down at the seeds. It wasn’t true, but the flower’s orange tint didn’t lie. ”Can’t blame a man for being happy in good company…” His answer was honest this time. ”…and such beautiful company, at that.” He looked back at Aurelia. Really, he’d been building up to asking if she’d like to grab a drink, but who was James to shy away from an opening? Not to mention, he wasn’t noticing the flower’s color begin to darken closer to red.

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[aurelia edith flint]

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”I’ve heard others mention that. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her, but have seen her from a distance before.” Supposedly the High Druid wasn’t unapproachable by any means, though Aurelia felt like doing so would trigger a diplomatic issue without going through the proper channels. She was also terrified of stepping on the fringes of the elaborate and decorative dresses that the druid leader tended to wear whenever Aurelia had seen her. Strangely, there was once where she spotted her walking down Diagon Alley in what looked to be normal clothes. So clearly that was formal wear meant for Hy-Brasil only. ”Maybe the next time I manage to go I can arrange a meeting or something. Always wanted to hear her thoughts on the plants that grow there…” And whether or not she could maybe take a few home with her. Everything on the island was so fertile and stuffed with magic. She wanted to know if their properties carried over once removed and grown in the soil she had here.

She gave James a funny look as he teased about really liking Valerian seeds. Totally convincing. There were a few plant freaks in the area, not all that different from her, and they absolutely did not talk about seeds like that. Especially Valerian. Except the one strange American herbologist. Dave Something-Or-Other. Supposedly he liked the medicinal effects of the plants. She was pretty sure he just didn’t want to spend the money on getting calming draughts.

As she made sure everything that had been ordered had been handed over, she stopped and stared across the counter at James. He meant the plants, right? Because that was what they were talking about. That was exactly why she kept the iridescent flowers where they were. The little voice in her head told her that wasn’t what James meant, and also that she had been secretly hoping this would happen. ”I umm…” she began, words failing to form at first. Why was Potter so smooth with the way he had said that? ”I lock up at six,” Aurelia finally said after her pause.

james sirius potter ● 353 ● song by artist

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