James stood there in total and complete silence watching his best friend run away from him. He had no idea what to say or do, all he knew was that her words were banging around in his head.
"...Knows how it feels like to love someone who will NEVER love them back,"
"Maybe if you weren't so fucking caught up with Lily"
"Are you fucking happy now?"
His mouth became dry as he frustratedly ran his hands through his hair. She's in love with someone? How didn't I know this? What did I do?
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a warm substance trickling down his face. James lifted his hand up and wiped the wet tear off of his cheek, as another one slowly fell out of his other eye. Instead of stopping this one, he let it free fall out of his eye.
James knew he had messed up big time, he had never seen Elsie so genuinely mad at him before.
Another tear slipped out as his anger at himself boiled inside of him. How could I do this to her? How could I be so selfish?
Every single one of his insecurities began flashing through his head again, reminding him of how he didn't deserve any of the love he had in his life. He never meant to hurt her, he was just trying to protect her. Keep her safe from anything and anyone that could hurt her. But, he had messed up. He messed up big time. Of course I did, I always mess everything up...
James began pacing up and down the corridor that a ghost of his crying best still lingered in. Why do I get like this with her? Even if I do simply have some feelings for her, why do I take it this far? I've never been like this with Lily...
The pacing boy was so worked up and so angry that he didn't notice the two figures heading towards him down the corridor.
"Mr. Potter, would you like to tell us why are are sulking alone in the corridors after hours," Professor McGonagall said with concern as she gave him a pointed look.
James looked down at the ground in shame with tears staining his cheeks, as he slowly moved his fist down to the side of his body.
"I messed up, Minnie," James shyly admitted while shuffling his feet in embarrassment.
"For Godric's sake, we know that. Professor Dumbledore and I heard the entire thing," she began saying while crossing her arms over her chest, "But, why are you here instead of chasing after her?"
"I hurt her...and she won't want to see me right now," James softly said while wiping his face to get rid of the tears spilling out of his eyes.
"Must I remind you that it is and will always be your duty to right your wrongs," McGonagall sternly said while placing a comforting hand of James' shoulder, "Before it is too late, Mr. Potter."
James looked up at his favorite teacher and suddenly realized everything she was trying to say. Elsie was his best friend, and even if she didn't want to see him right now, he had to apologize for what he did before he lost her for good. His eyes lit up with purpose as he grabbed Professor McGonagall's face and kissed her cheek suddenly.
"LOVE YOU, MINNIE," he shouted at her as he turned around and sprinted down the corridor in the direction of Gryffindor tower.
Professor McGonagall let out a small smirk and shook her head as she saw the boy she's watched mature greatly run down the hallway to apologize to Elsie.
"Oh, to be young and feel love's keen sting," Dumbledore chuckled out while looking at the boy disappearing down the corridor.
After Elsie had ran away from James, she went straight to the Gryffindor tower. With tears streaming down her face, she slipped through the Portrait entrance and walked into the common room.
Remus had been sitting on the couch tucked under a knitted blanket while reading a book, when he turned around and noticed his friend in the state she was in.
"Els? What happened?" He jumped up from the couch and immediately made his way over to her. Remus took her hand and guided her back to where he was sitting, falling back into the couch so they could talk.
"James," she sniffled through her uncontrollable sobs. That was enough for him, he immediately pulled her into his chest and softly stroked her hair as she took a deep breath and continued, "I was with Snape and he's never had his first kiss before, so I told him I would be his first kiss. And I know it's stupid of me to be hanging out with him him because of all he's done to you guys, but it just felt nice having someone w-who understands."
After Elsie finished rambling, she looked down at her hands in embarrassment. Remus didn't need to ask her what she meant by her last sentence because he already knew what she meant.
"And, James was jealous of seeing you two together so he snapped at you," Remus said while a small chuckle while mumbling under his breath, "Bloody idiot."
Elsie's eyes widened at what he said and she immediately shook her head no, "No, he wasn't jealous. He'd have to like me to be jealous, and he loves Lily."
Remus playfully rolled his eyes at his two friends who were oblivious to what the other was feeling, as Elsie's eyes began welling up with tears again.
"Why won't he love me, Remmy?" Elsie looked up at him with sad eyes as a tear trickled out, "Why won't he love me?"
Remus' heart practically shattered while watching his best friend break in front of him. Never in his entire life had he ever seen someone look so besides themself, so completely and utterly broken.
"Because he's an oblivious idiot who doesn't realize what he wants, so he's hurting both you and himself while doing so," Remus said while laying down on the couch and pulling the small, crying girl on top of him.
He wrapped his arms around her body that was laying flush against his chest and stomach, while placing the blanket over the both of them.
"I can't do this anymore, Remmy," Elsie softly sobbed while resting her head directly on his upper left chest, his cheek pressed against the top of her head, "I just want to be happy."
"And, you will be, Els," Remus gently replied while placing a kiss on her head, "Even if it means you have to move on from James."
Elsie nodded her head slowly and closed her eyes on top of his chest with tear-stained cheeks, letting Remus' words coo her to sleep.
You have to move on from James...
Remus watched as Elsie's eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. He rested his head on hers once again while shaking it in disappointment, "Fuck Prongs, you're too late..." Remus had fallen asleep a few seconds later with his body entangled entirely with hers under the woven blanket.
James had been sprinting down the corridors until he finally reached the Portrait Entrance, stopping in front of it to catch his breath. He had to find Elsie, he had to apologize to her. How could I be so oblivious to her feelings? How could her best friend not even realize she's hurting and in love with someone?
He barged into the common room of the Gryffindor Tower hoping to find his best friend, in which he did. But, who she saw her with made his heart sink in his chest. Elsie was nestled up on the couch with Remus. His hand was sloppily placed in her hair while her head was cuddled up under his, a blanket draping over their bodies.
James' mind went blank as his eyes remained glued onto his two friends in front of him. He felt as if the whole world was crumbling on top of him, gasping while struggling to catch his breath. His heart split in two as he realized exactly what was going on. Elsie is in love with Remus...that's who she was in love with...
A tear slipped from his eye as he turned around from the sight, not being able to handle seeing it anymore. It all makes sense now, why she kissed him on New Year's, why she sat with Remus instead of me the other day, why she always flirted with him...Elsie loves Remus.
James' feet started moving against his will, taking him out of the common room and back to his dorm. He was running faster than he did before, trying to get away from his problems. However, they only seemed to follow him. Elsie loves Remus...
He sunk himself into his bed, not even bothering to change, and cried himself to sleep. Elsie loves Remus, not me...
The next few days had passed, and James and Elsie had yet to speak to each other. Neither of them were mad, but rather they were both embarrassed to work up the courage to bring up what had happened. Elsie was scared because she didn't want James to ask who she had feelings for, and James was scared because he didn't want to think about how he felt that night. It was almost as if he felt something stronger than "just some feelings," and he wasn't ready to acknowledge that. So, the two best friends suddenly stopped talking to each other.
Unfortunately for their friends, it was very obvious something had happened between the two. And, the only one who carried the weight of knowing what happened was Remus. However, with the full moon approaching and this burden of knowing, Remus was more irritable than he had been in a while on the days leading up to the full moon.
The group of 5 were in the Great Hall for dinner the night before the full moon, focusing all their attention on the grumpy werewolf.
"Remmyyyyy," Elsie cooed while picking up a piece of bacon and waving it in Remus' face, "Come on, you haven't eaten since last night."
Remus crossed his arms over his chest and pouted, "I don't want to eat that."
"She's right, Moony. You've got to eat something," James pointed out while avoiding any eye contact with Elsie, who was sitting next to him like usual.
"Yeah, mate. You've been awfully picky these past few days. At least eat a bloody piece of bacon...who doesn't like bacon?" Sirius chirped from his seat while patting Remus on the back.
Remus shook his head no and huffed like a 5-year-old, "I don't want bacon."
Elsie giggled and rolled her eyes playfully while unwrapping a chocolate bar that Peter had secretly handed to her under the table, "Fine, but eat this. You'll feel better."
Remus slowly gazed over at the chocolate with a pout still locked on his face and his arms crossed over his chest, before reaching out a hand and grabbing the chocolate from Elsie.
He mumbled under his breath while looking at Elsie and biting off a piece of chocolate, "That's my catchphrase now, not yours. I stole it from you, remember?"
Elsie reached over to ruffle his hair and pinch his cheek, "Whatever you say, Remmy."
James gripped his own thigh tighter under the table, trying to ignore the feeling bubbling up inside of him from watching the two interact. He released his grip and took a deep breath, knowing he had no right to feel like that.
Sirius was about to open his mouth to speak, but stopped when he heard Lily's voice ring out from next to Marlene, "When will these attacks stop?!"
Everyone looked over at the mad girl, who had just slammed a copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table.
Elsie shot her an understanding look as Alice spoke up, "There's been at least one every single week since December started."
Lily sunk in her seat as she sadly mumbled, "Only on poor, innocent muggles."
Marlene's normally confident smile faded as Sirius swooped a comforting arm around her. Elsie reached out and grabbed Lily's hand, "You'll be okay, Lils. They'd have to go through all of us first to get to you."
Lily gratefully smiled at Elsie, when a voice echoed out behind them.
"Yes indeed, Ms. Evans. Dark and difficult times lie ahead. We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided," Professor Dumbledore said as the group of friends all turned their heads towards the older man.
The red-head nodded understandingly at the headmaster, before he started speaking again.
"Ms. Figg, Mr. Black, I would like a word with the both of you. After dinner perhaps?" He spoke with a glint in his eyes while beginning to walk away, "I sure do like Lemon Drops."
Sirius and Elsie shot each other a curious look as the rest of their friends stared at them. They quickly finished eating and walked off to the headmasters office. They whispered "Lemon Drops" at the gargoyle and entered, oblivious to what their professor was about to ask of them.
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AUTHORS NOTE:
Oooooooooo Elsie and James aren't talking, Remus is cranky, Dumbledore is planning...shits boutta go down...hehehe
How do y'all feel about a new character being introduced?🤔🤔🤔 Buckle up babies...
Also I'm officially making a playlist for this book yay!