The Stag and The Harpy | James Potter

Dead

Phoebe looks at James dully, her eyes full of emotion that he can't decider fast enough before she shuts him out.

"I'm sorry," She whispers flatly. "I shouldn't have done that."

James furrows his brow and cups her face, shaking his head as he replies quietly,

"You have nothing to apologize for. If anything, wormtail should be apologizing."

"He's not wrong. Sometimes I hated my mum...." Phoebe counters, a tear slipping down her cheek to James thumb. He quickly wipes it away and kisses her forehead.

"I know. Sometimes I hated her for you."

"I'm a terrible daughter. And now I'm alone." Phoebe chokes out, shoulders shaking as she cries fully now. Her mother's voice was no longer in her head telling her to be strong, to pull it together. Because her mother was dead. James frowns and murmurs, "Neither of those things are true. Come on, let's get ready for bed."

He nearly asks her to eat something before she takes the potion, but decides against it for now. Instead he grabs the pajamas he always sets aside for her and helps her change into them. He leans down and brushes his lips across her forehead, her nose, her cheeks and chin. His heart aches for her and her loss. Finally, he gently kisses her lips. It's chaste and slow and full of emotion.

He pulls back and whispers, "You're never going to be alone. Never."

Phoebe's guilt and fear lessen slightly under his intense stare. She sees only truth and adoration there, and it makes her want to stay in his embrace for the rest of time. He was safe, warm. He wasn't disappointed in her. But her mother...

"Take this," James says gently, stirring her from her thoughts and handing her the vial Mcgonagall had gifted him. She hesitates, but nods once and takes it from his hand. James smiles softly as she drinks the potion quickly before placing the empty vial on his bedside table.

He too changed into some sweatpants, tugging his shirt off and tossing it aside to get tomorrow. He helps her into bed first, tucking her in. He slides the curtains around the frame shut and then crawls under the covers with her.

James and Phoebe lay facing each other, their arms pulling them into an embrace.  James stares into her eyes, mesmerized by the smoky grey and the whispers of faint blue. There was unbridled pain in her gaze that he'd never seen before and he briefly wondered if this was the first time she was allowing herself to fully experience an emotion. He feels fear in his being as well, fear that whatever fate Phoebe's mom met is one that she will be faced with as well.

"My mum is dead," Phoebe whispers slowly, testing the words on her tongue. James frowns and nods, replying gently, "Yes."

"I never got to say goodbye."

"I know. But I know she loved you, and she knew that you loved her. I swear it."

Phoebe's eyes water, but more tears don't fall. She sniffs quietly before saying, "I never told her about you."

"That's okay. She probably would've hated me," James teases gently. Phoebe smiles faintly and her blinks grow slower and slower. Her mind clears and her heart rate returns to normal. Warmth envelopes her body as sleep beckons her forward.

"Go to sleep, love," James murmurs, his fingers gently stroking her back.

Phoebe sighs once before her shoulders rise and fall slowly, signaling that she's finally calm and resting. As soon as she's fallen into deep slumber, James gently untangles himself from her, just enough to grab parchment and a quill. He begins furiously writing, his brows furrowed.

Mum and Dad,

If you haven't heard by now, Phoebe's mum has been found dead. This is a...sticky situation for her. Their relationship was never the best, and I think she feels guilty not that she would tell me. I don't want her to even have to think about the upcoming holidays, so I'd like to have her to ours. She loves you both, and I think it would do her some good to get away from the castle for a while. She's not very happy with Dumbledore, and I cannot leave her here alone if anyone in Slytherin has anything to do with Voldemort and her mother's death. Please write me back as soon as possible.

Love,

Your son.

P.s. I wish I were telling you under better circumstances, but I've got a girlfriend now.

James quickly seals up the parchment and tiptoes out of the dorm. He looks down at his group of friends, still huddled in the common room.

"Hey!" He hissed. They all look up, eyes wide when they spot them. James chucks the letter down and whisper yells, "Someone take that to the owlery. That's for my parents."

Peter moves to get up but James sneers, "Sit down, Wormtail. You've done enough for tonight. Sirius, please."

The mousy boy pales at James' words, quickly looking down at his lap to avoid eye contact with the rest of the group.

Sirius clears his throat and snags the letter, hurrying from the common room with sadness in his eyes. His best friend—his sister—was hurting. And he hoped that she wouldn't shut herself out from the world, but Sirius knew what he would do in this situation and they were very much alike.

James returns to Phoebe without a second glance, huddling under the blankets and smiling slightly when she whispers in her sleep, "James."

His heart hurts with how much he loves her, how much it saddens him to see her in pain. He grows angry as his mind wanders back to The headmaster. If Dumbledore did know that her mum was missing...He decides to not think of it anymore until tomorrow.

Instead he watches the girl he loves sleep soundly, the crease between her brow and the lines around her frowning mouth replaced with soft, unworried skin. He knows she's unconscious to the world, so he parts his lips and tests the words on his tongue that he's been dying to say for weeks.

"I love you," He whispers, ruminating on the words as he practices saying it out loud. He smiles slightly, repeating, "I love you."

He strokes her hair back away from her face and decides that if he could only say those 3 words to this girl for the rest of his life he would die happy. Especially if he got to hear them from her sweet voice as well. He pulls her tighter into his front, resting his chin on the top of her head as sleep pulls at his mind.

He sigh sleepily, eyes closing. Tomorrow would bring more pain, but here and now she was safe.

{{my heart. Guys this story has only been up for 5 days and I can't believe that people are actually reading and enjoying. Thank you. So so much. And don't worry, we'll have happier chapters soon!!!}}