5.11; the difference

                                    

                                          
Final essays and projects were piling up, signalling the fast-approaching Christmas break, but the festive cheer that usually accompanied this time of year seemed distant to Arabella. Her usual routine of spending time with Remus had changed, and the absence of his company left a hollow feeling in her chest. 
She wasn't avoiding him out of anger or disappointment; it was more complicated than that. Deep down, she regretted the distance, gnawing guilt swirling in her stomach every time she thought about how she hadn't been around him like before. But she knew it was necessary.
With O.W.L.s looming just after the holidays, she had to stay focused, and that meant putting her studies first, even if it meant putting some distance between herself and Remus. 
They both needed to have their heads in the right place, and there was no denying the workload was overwhelming. The final push before winter break was exhausting, with essays and projects coming at them from every direction—Transfiguration essays on human-animal transformation theory, Defense Against the Dark Arts spellwork practice, and, of course, the dreaded Potions assignments.
It wasn't just about staying on top of the work; it was about the mounting pressure of the O.W.L.s. Every professor had warned them that the exams would come faster than expected, and Arabella knew she couldn't afford to let her emotions get in the way of her focus. But that didn't stop the pang of regret she felt when she thought of Remus. Every passing day made her wonder if they were drifting too far apart, but the fear of letting her grades slip was just as strong.
She tried to justify the distance in her mind. After all, the work wasn't going to finish itself. Slughorn had assigned one of the most gruelling Potions projects she'd ever encountered, and it weighed heavily on her mind. 
Even though he was a kind and accommodating professor, known for his favouritism toward those he liked, Arabella knew that just being nice wasn't going to help her pass the class. She had struggled with Potions more than any other subject, finding it difficult to keep up with the precise measurements and complex ingredients. T
here had been many days when her concoctions bubbled over or turned an unfortunate shade of green, much to Slughorn's good-natured amusement. He never chastised her harshly for her mistakes, but the embarrassment still stung.
The thought of Potions class alone made her stomach twist into knots. Slughorn's relaxed teaching style might have helped some students, but for Arabella, it made the stakes feel even higher. She knew she had the roughest time in Potions—her cauldron rarely behaved, and her brews were often off in colour or texture. 
Even with the professor's reassurances that she'd "surely get it right next time," Arabella felt the pressure mounting. She was certain that she was teetering on the edge of failure, and she couldn't let that happen. "Bella, you have to study." The sounds of Clara, concerns flowed through the air. 
"I will," She repeated twice walking out of the classroom and dropping her shoulders. 
"I can help if you want," Lily interrupted joining the two of them, holding the books to her chest as they continued to walk into the dungeon classroom. Seeing that Remus was nowhere around, it had been two days since Sirius's birthday. The two of them hadn't gotten a moment alone since then. Arabella didn't know if that was what she wanted truly. 
Sirius didn't even mind to show to this class, fully skipping it. Only James and Peter were the boys that showed up. James was mostly cause Lily was always talking in this class more than any other. "Thank you, but I'm not going to waste my life with academics." Complaining and going right to her station. 
"But you'd waste them for another pair of shoes?" 
Counter-arguing with Clara with a smile on her face, hands resting on the sides of her robe. "Reckon, I have my mind set to the right things." She didn't like it when she and Remus weren't saying anything to each other. Yet, it felt like something that always happened to the two of them.