James didn't burst into the dormitory; he simply appeared, slammed the door behind him, and collapsed onto his bed with the broken stillness of a magically overpowered duelist. The ache from the unrequited bond was a physical thing, a cold, empty pressure on his wrist that seemed to be actively mocking his determination.

"He showed me his arm. Clean. Nothing there," James repeated, his voice tight with frustrated fury. He finally looked up at his friends, his hazel eyes burning. "He looked me straight in the eye and said I was trying to torment him with a fantasy."