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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO!
— Limerence
" do you still love me? "
EMBER HAD STARED AT the parchment, words failing to come out as her hands went limp. She became more aware of the marks on her neck the longer she stared.
"Where did you find that." She knew the parchment was in her dresser. Her voice was calm, surprisingly. She looked him in the eyes as she calmly removed it from his hand.
He didn't seem to notice she even asked a question. "Oh, my Merlin. You're not even denying anything... you- you broke up me and Lily because you were jealous?!" River breathed out.
"N-no." She drawled out. River smiled poorly and chuckled. His head shook slightly and he ripped the parchment out of her hands. "River..."
"I was in love with her, Ember. In love with her! You ruined that because you were jealous! At least your plan fucking worked. Because hey, guess what? I actually started to fancy you! I started to maybe actually love you. Good to know that was the biggest mistake." He said darkly as he turned around sharply and marched up the stairs. "Have a good day."
Ember stared at the dorm stairs as he left, the marks made by James burning and itching.
She didn't even love River anymore. He was still her best friend, he would always be her best friend.
The world blurred with tears as Ophelia hugged her tightly. Ember let everything go as her best friend held her. How could everything go this wrong? Ophelia scratched the back of Embers head to comfort her, "He's just being a drama queen, Em."
"I- I really want my sister right now." Ember chocked out.
Ophelia sighed and slowly started to lead Ember up the stairs. "It'll be okay, I promise."
The next few days were a blur, a straight blur. Lily had found out, as well as James. The blonde was told by Ophelia that Lily had made very rude gestures when talking about the subject to her friends. Ember didn't blame her very much.
Ember, however, hadn't left her room since that night. Ophelia had told Dumbledore and all of their professors that she wasn't feeling well and had some healing potions she took.
James had tried to talk to her. None of the other Hufflepuffs would let him in to actually see her, and when he caught sight of Ophelia she just told her Ember needed space. That and strawberries. And the next day; James gave Ophelia strawberries.
River had ignored the girls and overall the Marauders. The dark-haired boy was hurt beyond belief and turned to his guy friends for comfort.
Three days after the incident. Ember was tired of wailing. Tomorrow would be a Hogsmeade day, she would ask Lily and River to meet her there.
She stood up slowly and walked to the bathroom. Taking a glance in the mirror gave Ember whiplash. She looked dead. Her hair was messed up, greasy, and knotted. Makeup from three days ago smeared on her face. With a long sigh, she turned on the hot water and allowed herself to be drowned out.
James, however, had been freaking out. "How can I fix this, Moony?" James asked his friend desperately. To everyone in the dorm, James looked like he would begin to cry at any moment.
Remus sighed and placed an arm on James's. He looked the messy-haired boy in the eyes. "Do what you think you need to do to make it okay. Ember will be fine after a while. I know she will, she's strong. James, just be smart."
James would be smart. He nodded and stood up, patting Remus on the back. "I have an idea."
"Oh god..." Sirius groaned and threw his hands onto his face, "That can't be good."
"Shut up you whore!" James snapped in Sirius's direction. "It's a good idea- trust me"
The other boys looked at him skeptically but he simply brushed them off and ran out the door. His feet glided down the stairs. He knew what he had to do.
It wouldn't be the best for him, quite self-destructive really. But, James knew he couldn't see- or more know- Ember was hurting more than anything right now. She would lose her best friend from something both of them contributed to.
James walked straight to his dorm shared with Lily. Swinging the door open he saw the girl on the couch in their common room. "Lily." He breathed out.
Lily clenched her jaw and looked at him. The boy was doubled over and panting like a dog. "Potter." She greeted shallowly.
"It- it wasn't Ember." The words left his mouth before she could stop them. "I- No, no it was my idea. Ember just agreed to it- she wanted to help me."
Lily stared at him in disbelief. Blinking once or twice as the air around them stirred. She bit her lip, "Do you still love me?" The question wasn't appropriate for the time, but it had been nagging her.
James let out a long breath, "No."
"Okay."
"I'm sorry Lily. I thought it would be a good idea. I was jealous of you and O'Connor. I just- I just wanted to be in his position. I used Ember to get that. It was wrong, really wrong of me." James ranted. "It didn't even work in the first place- and nearly all of the rules were broken."
"You were using her?" Lily asked breathlessly.
James looked up to stare at lily. No, no he was not using her. He was in love with her. "Yes."
Lily shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "Say that to River, please. He's been turning the castle upside down. Just- just tell him that. He left the poor girl believing everything was her fault." Lily pointed at him, "When it was yours the whole time."
James nodded his head at the girl he once loved so very much. The air in the room seemed to leave as he walked out to find River O'Connor. Well, he didn't exactly know where the Hufflepuff would be. He turned back to Lily, "Where would O'Conner be?"
Lily sighed, she gives the boy bonus points for trying, just not time. "Try the Astronomy tower."
James nodded and let out a sigh, actually ready to find River now.
As he made his way up the stairs the wind chirped at his ears. Why someone like River would enjoy this spot was a mystery to him. Yet, there he was sitting by the railing. "O'Conner?"
River turned around slightly. His eyes brimmed with tears. "Come here to brag, Potter?"
James bit his lip, "No, I'm not. I wanted to tell you the truth." Lie. "Ember had nothing to do with it. She just wanted to help me with being a good friend."
"The paper said-"
"I don't care what the paper said. Embers been hunched up in her room crying because her bestfriend won't talk to her!" James pointed out. His arms dramatically flailing.
River looked back out at the Hogwarts ground, his hair flying around slightly, "You really care for her."
"Yeah, I do." James shallowly took in a breath, "Just please talk to her. She needs her bestfriend, even if it's not me."
"You quite literally took everything away from me, do you know that?" River mused. "Lily finally fell in love with you- hell I'm sure Ember is aswell. And shit I might aswell fall in love with you at this point."
River stood up from his spot. Walking over to James he looked him in the eye, "Thank you."
"O'Conner- I'm being serious, Ember had nothing to do with it. I coursed her into doing it. I sw-"
James never got to swear on anything before River brought his hand back. "Fuck you, Potter. You know damn well she doesn't deserve that."
James brought his hand up to his nose, "No she doesn't." He spoke quietly, wiping the blood off. "Yet, you led her on and hurt her multiple times."
"You did worse than I ever could. Now, go clean you nose." River snarled before turning away to go down the stairs.
"I'm still hotter than you!" James yelled out to him as his nose bled more, "Well that went swimmingly."
James let out a deep breath as he stared at his blood covered hand. "Let there be light my ass. That made no sense you idiot." He mumbled the last part to himself before turning and going down the stairs.
ASHLEE SPEAKS!
James: gets punched by a emotional River.
James: lol ur ugly and I'm not- now let me worship god ✝️✝️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💕 (im Christian pls don't cencel me🥸)
Anyway,,,, I'm staying home from school today because I wanted to 😀👍🏻 and it's been so draining recently and I have ACTs coming up plus two hours of pe with no breaks and I'm going to die.
Also also also also THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS ARE 😮😮 get ready to cry.