𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter twenty-three; Made Of Fire
" Don't you ever feel it? That being a witch means more than just having magic? "

  SOMETHING IN SALEM was off and James Potter could tell. It wasn't exactly clear to outsiders, Salem always walked around with a bit of a bitch face, but James had seen that change lately.

  Until it reverted.

  She was suddenly cold again. Salem stopped finding James to walk to classes with or hanging out with Sirius in the common room.

  But what really put James on edge, was Lily admitting she hadn't seen much of Salem either.

  "Something's wrong, shit, something really wrong—"

  "Hey, it's going to be okay," Lily attempted to calm an anxiously pacing James, "Just— James, seriously, knock it off."

  James halted, throwing his hands to the side in frustration.

  "Let me talk to her," Lily spoke calmly, "It's amazing how much you care for her and I love that you love her—"

  "Woah, hey, I, uh," James coughed, blushing a beet red that made Lily smile amusedly, "We haven't— we're not, she's not—"

  "Not what matters right now, James," She said softly, "Salem gets overwhelmed easily, alright? So, I'll talk to her, and she'll be back when she's ready."

  "I want her back now."

  "You can't be selfish in these things."

  "I hate that you're always right."

  Lily laughed, gently patting his shoulder before departing to the only place she thought she could find Salem Gerard.

  But it appeared things were worse than they seemed because Salem wasn't in the Three Broomsticks with her father. She wasn't in the library or her dorm. Lily began to wonder if Salem had just up and left Hogwarts totally, but just when hope began to dwindle, Lily found Salem in the least expected place.

  "Sal?"

  The redhead looked up through a single lock of hair falling between her eyes, not moving from the indent in the grass just beyond the Forbidden Forest. A book was splayed open on her lap, one that looked more like a storybook than a school one.

  "What are you doing out here?" Lily let out a light laugh, taking a seat across from her, "I think James is tearing apart the castle to find you."

  Salem let out a short laugh, shaking her head as her eyes returned back to her book.

  "Hey," Lily poached lightly, "What's up?"

  "You remember when people called me Witch Trials?" Salem asked abruptly, snapping her book shut, "And, around fifth year, it just sort of stopped?"

  Lily nodded her head hesitantly.

  "Well, before the joke got tired, when I couldn't handle it anymore, I'd leave the castle. I didn't have my dad then, either. So I came here."

  "Why?"

  "This is where Sirius told me to meet him," She shrugged, "I dunno, it just felt like no one would want to come back here."

  "So why are you?"

  Salem let out a sigh, fingers jamming into the pages of her book to rub the paper between her fingerprints.

  "Someone called me Witch Trials again."

  "What?" Lily asked, suddenly overcome with anger, "Who the hell—"

  "It's not important," She mumbled, "Just. . . It was a jab, I suppose. That I couldn't get Sirius so James started dating me out of pity. . . 'But I'll always be Witch Trials'. . ."

  "So what?"

  Salem looked up at Lily with shock, who only shrugged in slight anger.

  "So what, you're made of fire. You're a survivor. Don't you ever feel it? That being a witch means more than just having magic? Being a girl alone, in this time, we have to fight— there are protests for us to walk home at night, Sal! And being a witch, that's, I mean we're stronger. We come from women and girls who fight to have a place in the world— who fight for our magic! Witch Trials isn't a bad thing— the people who did it are disgusting, but it's a medal, it's a reminder of how strong you are!"

  This sent Salem's mind into a million different directions. A flurry of thoughts blurring together, how many witches proved Lily's point— and despite the fact that every ounce of confidence in Salem was weighed down by two of doubt, she could admit she was a survivor if nothing else.

  But where Salem's mind stopped dead-end was a twisting train of thought that lead her to the picture of her mother. Yes, Elizabeth Gerard was strong and funny and she and Salem were close when she was a child, but things had changed. They were rocky. And ever since Roman, Salem didn't want to talk to her mom, she didn't want to see her or write to her or go to a home that didn't quite feel like home.

  "I'll be back," Salem mumbled, standing abruptly, "Just— I'll find you guys!"

  "What?" Lily let out a short laugh, watching Salem start a quick jog away from her, "Sal!"

  "Thank you!" The redhead called back, "I have to do something!"

⥊

  Roman Mayes rested his chin on his hand, watching Salem's pen spill out smooth cursive onto a piece of parchment. He sighed again, pulling the writing utensil from her fingers and earning a scoff.

  "You cannot call your mother a. . . 'hellish liar'."

  "She deserves it!"

  "Sal," Roman sighed, pushing the parchment away briefly, "Don't you think this is better to do in person? With all three of us?"

  "It would be, but I can't wait until the summer, and she doesn't want any part in. . . this world. She'd never come to Hogsmeade— how would she even get here? She's a muggle."

  "I could take a trip," Roman suggested, "Bring her back, it'd give me some time to settle my side of this with her."

  Salem twisted her lips to the side, picking at a forming hangnail on her left thumb.

  "What if she makes you leave again?"

  "I'm not goin' anywhere," Roman told her softly, "Salem, look at me."

  She lifted her eyes reluctantly.

  "I'm your dad. Whether Elizabeth and I get along, whether she wants me to be a part of your life or not. I'm not leaving ever again, doesn't matter the reason, okay?"

  "Okay," Salem mumbled, hanging her head again only for Roman to kiss the crown of her head briefly.

  "I'll leave tomorrow," He informed, folding up the parchment, "You'll have to leave me the address."

  "Okay," She repeated, sighing, "There's a quite mean cat there, be careful."

  "Thank you for the warning."

  "Anytime."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
sorry for the lack of 
updates oof, BUT HEY,
we get to meet Sal's
mom soon???