The Stag and The Harpy | James Potter

Tension

Phoebe smiles sympathetically at Remus as he sighs and moves his food around on his plate.

It had been two days since Sirius had caught him and Gideon. Remus had gathered the entire group in the common room that night and explained what was going on. He'd been so fearful and so happy when everyone congratulated him. If there was one thing their group of friends wasn't it was judgmental.

Unfortunately, Gideon was still irritated with how it had been handled with Sirius. He sat down the table away from the marauders and Phoebe, grumpily forking food into his mouth while Fabian blabs on about something.

"Phoebe I'm not quite sure what to do here," Remus whispers, glancing down the table at his irritable boyfriend. She smiles sympathetically and wonders, "Have you talked to him?"

"Yeah, moony. Talk to him before the match today," James mumbles around his mouthful of eggs with Sirius nodding next to him. Phoebe sighs and turns to him, saying flatly,

"James, do not offer romantic advice. It is not your area of expertise."

Her boyfriend scoffs, eyes widening at her words, "Oh and it's yours, Griffin?!"

She can't help but sigh and wave him off, turning back to the distraught boy sitting next to her. She gently pats his hand and says firmly,

"Go sit with him."

"What?!" He looks at her like she's grown a second head, apprehension in his gaze. Phoebe nods and insists, "Just go sit with him. If he truly cares about you, he'll want you with him even when he's mad."

He ponders her words for a moment then let's out a big sigh before climbing to his feet. He nervously makes his way down to where Gideon and Fabian Prewett sat, his cheeks reddening when they both looked up.

Phoebe, Sirius, and James tried desperately to hear what was going on, but they were too far. They did however see Fabian smile at Remus and give him his seat before walking off to leave them alone. He stopped by the marauders on the way out of the great hall and teases,

"Looks like all your snogging partners are getting together, Griffin. You must be doing something right."

She blushes and hides her smile as James reaches back to punch the red head in the arm. He snickers and walks off, leaving James staring angrily after him.

Phoebe sighs and murmurs,

"Tu es le seul partenaire de baiser dont j'ai besoin, mon amour."

Sirius gags at the words, but James looks considerably more relaxed despite not at all knowing what she was saying. He looks across the table at her, his smile soft and his gaze loving. He stands and reaches across, cupping her face and bringing her lips to his for a chaste kiss.

"Look!" Sirius' whisper yell interrupts their brief kiss. They all peer down at Remus and Gideon and see that they are laughing and smiling, looking very happy to be talking to one another.

James let's out a sigh of relief, "Thank Merlin. Can't have one of my chasers thinking about their bloody boyfriend while their playing today!"

Phoebe laughs quietly and wonders, "Shouldn't you head to the pitch?"

James grins at the slightly eager looking veela, asking, "Want me to leave already, love?"

"No," She defends. "I want you to kick Slytherin's butt!"

Sirius nods, saying proudly, "Don't worry, Pheebs. We've got this."

James nods in agreement.

"Sirius is sending every bludger at Mulciber."

Phoebe grins at her friend, laughing when Sirius salutes her and says dramatically, "No one messes with my sister and gets away with it!"

James chuckles, heart warming at the sight of the veela's smile. He can't help it. He stands and bends over the table again, bringing his lips to hers for a final kiss before the match. She smiles and gently kisses him back, relishing the feeling of the love she has for the boy flooding her veins. Finally, she pulls back and whispers,

"Go get 'em."

James winks and nods, waving as he and Sirius depart.

He feels an odd sensation in his gut as he leaves, glancing back over his shoulder to see Phoebe reading peacefully. When they're out of the great hall, James glances at Sirius and says,

"I have a bad feeling."

His friend quirks a brow, but James can't explain it. He just shakes his head and mumbles, "I don't like leaving her alone. Makes me nervous."

Sirius nods, his brows furrowed now. He felt the same way. Phoebe was a target even more now that she'd had her run in with Lestrange and Rosier. An idea pops into his mind that brings him some relief,

"Give her my piece of the two way mirror." He suggests, "Just until we get the hell out of Hogwarts."

James smiles gratefully at Sirius, the idea bringing him some relief as well. He pockets the piece of Mirror Sirius offered, trying to ignore the lingering bad feelings his gut was sending to his brain. He brushes it off as nerves for the match and continues on towards the pitch.

Sirius notes his friend's brooding and decides to change the subject to something far happier,

"Don't think Remus and I forgot what you said over break."

James looks up from the ground, feeling mildly confused by his friends words. He sees the smile of his face and it dawns on him, giddiness consuming him at the reminder of his previous words.

"You mean when I said I was going to marry her?"

Sirius laugh and nods quickly, wondering,

"Did you mean it?"

James snorts, his brain concocting an image of Phoebe Griffin with a pretty ring on her left hand.

"Of course I did. We're both of age, I'll be 18 before school ends...I can't picture my life without her."

The feeling is back, sharp and aggressive in his whole being. Something just felt off, especially when the gravity of his words reached his own ears.

"There is no life without her," James says quietly, severely wishing that there was no war and no people that wanted the love of his life dead.