The Stag and The Harpy | James Potter

Occupied

James and Phoebe sat nonchalantly across from a glowering Peter and Remus. Sirius, one to frequently use their dorm for certain activities, hadn't said anything about their little snogging session this morning. Remus and Peter...they were another story.

"It's shared space!!" Peter cries, piling high his plate with every single food on the table. Phoebe stares in surprise, but doesn't say anything. Instead she offers,

"We weren't shagging."

"Unfortunately."

They all turn to a grumpy looking James. His shower did nothing to quell his appetite for the Veela and it left him sexually and mentally frustrated. They never got to be alone without any interruption...unless they were in a broom cupboard.

Phoebe fights her smile as she pats James on the back gently, jumping when the hand he has on her knee squeezes roughly. "Don't worry, Potter," Phoebe whispers. "We've got time."

James softens slightly, suddenly nervous that she's getting the wrong idea. He quickly scoots closer and whispers in her ear, "I just want to spend time with you, without interruption. Not just to snog or shag."

Phoebe smiles, genuinely impressed by how well he knows her. Fortunately, she didn't doubt James. The thought that he just wanted a shag never crossed her mind anymore. She knew that they were in this together.

"Well I wouldn't mind either," Phoebe says quietly, smirking as James stares at her in disbelief. He frowns and shakes his head, mumbling something about "bloody tease"

"Look they're practically doing it at the table!" Remus points out, gesturing at their closeness and whispering. Marlene and Sirius snicker, rolling their eyes at the dramatic boys. Peter is nodding at Remus, saying, "You should have seen this morning. I had to wash my eyeballs."

"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy the show, wormtail," Sirius says cheekily, laughing as a blushing Peter chucks a biscuit down his way.

"I think perhaps you two just need to find someone to keep you occupied," Alice pipes up, waggling her brows suggestively while Marlene and Lily nod.

"Pete has Mary," James Lily out. "We just need someone to distract Remus."

Phoebe scoffs, not even looking up from her plate, "Rem already—ouch!"

She quickly realizes her mistake and looks up at Remus, the owner of the foot that smacked into her shin. His eyes are wide and Phoebe quickly recovers, "Remus already is looking. I say we let them figure it out."

Her lanky friend relaxes slightly, sending her a grateful look as Sirius pipes up, "Looking to catch some birds, moony? I've got a couple I could send your way."

Phoebe breathes out a silent sigh of relief at Sirius words, appalled that she nearly revealed a secret about Remus that he was not yet ready to share. That Remus had come to Phoebe last term, confused and excited by the prospect of a certain someone. But also deathly afraid of what that meant for him. Remus and her make brief eye contact before looking down the Gryffindor table at someone with strawberry blonde hair.

"More like a couple hundred," Marlene snorts, dodging an elbow from her friend. Remus laughs nervously and says, "Nah, mate. I'm kind of just seeing what happens."

Everyone seems to accept his response, but James is looking back and forth between the Veela and the werewolf curiously. He bends down to ask Phoebe what was going on, but a tiny voice interrupts them.

"Um...Phoebe?"

James is the first to turn, frowning at a young lad with black hair standing behind where they're sitting. Phoebe turns and looks at the boy, saying kindly, "Hullo, William. Are classes going okay?"

"Y-yes! Thank you for asking!"

Phoebe smiles warmly and asks, "Are you sure? I'm happy to help."

James scoffs at her niceness, grunting to their friends, "She was never this nice to me when I was a first year."

"You were a git first year," Lily points out.

The boy, William, replies hurriedly, "I-I'm sure! Really! But if I need help I'll come straight to you."

James scowls as his girlfriend nods and he mutters to Sirius, "I bet he'll come straight to her. Bloody first years." Sirius snickers at his jealous friend, leaning back and enjoying the show. William quickly continues,

"I'm sorry to interrupt your breakfast, b-but Dumbledore asked me to tell you to see him in his office as soon as possible. And that he also enjoys sugar quills."

Fear grows in the pit of Phoebe's stomach. She'd succeeded in avoiding Dumbledore since James' injury. She was uncomfortable with what he wanted to discuss. Her ancestry was a touchy subject, as was her potential magic that she was scared her mother had passed down to her. Phoebe smiles tightly at the first year, replying softly,

"Okay. Thank you, Will."

The boy blushes and nods before quickly hurrying away to his eager friends. Alice chuckles and says, "Look all of his first year friends can't believe he's talked to Pheebs."

Phoebe smiles weakly and climbs to her feet. James grabs her hand and asks quietly, "Do you want me to come with you?"

The answer was yes, she did. But she knew for a fact that he had schoolwork and quidditch to work on. Phoebe shakes her head and murmurs, "No, I'll be fine. I'll come find you later."

Phoebe begins to walk down towards the door, pausing at the end of the table. James scowls as his girlfriend stops and leans down next to where Gideon Prewett is. His hands ball into fists as he watches, feeling jealousy and irritation swarm is head like a hornets nest. The Veela says a few hushed words to the boy and they both glance down towards James and the rest of the group. James thinks the rest of his friends are completely oblivious to what he perceives as his girlfriend getting hit on by some prick.

What he misses is a certain werewolf peering down the way, looking nervous yet hopeful.