LONG STORY SHORT, james potter

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She carefully took Betty's elbows and lead her over to the couch. She sat them both down as Betty shook and collapsed into Philippa's side. Philippa ran a comforting hand up and down her back and through her hair. 

They stayed like that for quite some time, Betty just trying to calm down in her arms, until  her breathing calm and her hands stopped shaking and her chest unconstricted and she looked up at Philippa with blood shot eyes, from all the tears that had welled up. 

"Hey, lovebug, everything's going to be ok," Philippa said as she pushed some of Betty's hair back. "What happened?"

Betty just gave her a look as her breathing went completely back to normal. However, because of the backlog of tears, she started to sniff a little. 

"I mean other than that," Philippa reasoned softly.

Betty chuckled a little bit and cracked a smile.

"There we go," Philippa soothed.

"Re- Remus has just be-been leaving al-all the time," Betty said as she hiccuped. 

Philippa nodded, listening intently, but quietly got up.

"I'm listening, I'm just getting you a glass of water," she said as her red boots strode over to the kitchen and filled a glass of water.

"I just- he's been leaving a-all the t-time now that mum is- you know- oh thank you," Betty explained as Philippa handed her the full glass of water. 

Betty took a big gulp, feeling her body take in the water readily and the headache that she'd developed ease. 

"It's all Potter's fault," Betty said bitterly.

"Well we know that," Philippa teased. "It's all been his fault since first year."

Betty rolled her eyes, "you know what I mean. He's a-" Betty complained.

"A bad influence and is making Remus different," Philippa finished for her. 

"Then you get it Pippa!" Betty exclaimed as she sniffed. "He just ruins everything. And doesn't he have any sense of- of- of humility? My mother just died for god sakes and now I can't spend time with my brother? How could he be so selfish?" 

"A man in love is selfish indeed," Pippa replied cheekily.

"That's a flimsy and horrible excuse," Betty countered as she sniffed and drank more water. "He practically knocks down the door and struts- struts in like he owns the place and just whisks him away!" 

"Well Potter is an arsehole," Pippa declared. "The entire student body knows it and best of all, Lily Evans."

"Oh tush," Betty muttered as she calmed down more, thinking about Remus. "Maybe I'm being selfish. It's probably good for Remus — the boys distract him and Merlin knows he needs a good distraction." 

"You're not being selfish at all," Pippa coaxed. "It's right for you to want to spend time with your family after what happened." 

Betty nodded and cleared her throat, looking back up at Pippa, breaking into odd laughter. Pippa laughed along nervously with her.

"Why are we laughing?" Pippa asked through her own.

"The world is so fucked up!" Betty declared. "My mum just died, Potter's an arsehole and bloody hell! There's a dark wizard on the rise!" 

"Yeah," Pippa said quietly, looking down at her hands. 

Betty quickly noticed her closing up again and placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort.