O P H E L I A L O V E G O O D

Ophelia was certain that she had never felt this awful in her entire life. Every part of her body ached and she wanted to curl up in a ball, fall asleep and never wake up. But if she fell asleep, she would wake up and she would hurt someone.

So instead, she forced herself to pick up the blanket and carry it from her room as quietly as she could. Remus suggested she bring one because the clothes didn't normally make it through the transition.

She was terrified. Remus told her to meet him outside the passageway to the Shrieking Shack where he had led her and Reggie to Hogsmeade the one time they snuck out. There was a pang in her chest at the memory but she forced herself to calm down.

Remus waited patiently, leaning against the wall and staring off at nothing. He looked exhausted beyond measure but she was certain she looked just as bad, if not worse.

He looked up upon hearing her footsteps and sent her sad frown. The heightened hearing was definitely one of the worst parts of it all. She overheard things she would have preferred to go a lifetime without hearing.

He nodded his head in the direction of the tunnel, not saying a word as she followed him. Remus stopped outside a door within the shack, "You don't have to go through this alone."

She shook her head, "Yes, I do."

He frowned but nodded nevertheless, "The moon doesn't reach its peak for a few hours. It'll probably take longer for the effects to hit you, I'm not entirely sure." He turned to leave but stopped and glanced back at her, "If you decide you want company, you know where to find me."

She smiled tightly and nodded. She wouldn't go find him but knowing he was nearby certainly provided her with a little bit of comfort, as minimal as it was.

As the night went on, she couldn't determine if it was just her nerves making her feel the way she did or if it was all a part of the process. There were scrap piece of metal that scattered the floor which she later realized were from the disassembled bed that was across the room.

She let out a frustrated groan as she chucked the piece of rusted bed frame at the wall. Ophelia froze as the object clattered to the ground with a bang. Up until this point she had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be as quiet as she could.

J A M E S P O T T E R

All four of the boy's heads perked up as they heard the clattering sound. "I'll go see what that was," James announced and Remus's head shot up.

"No!" he exclaimed and the three boys turned to look at him in confusion. "I mean, uh," he shook his head, a blush creeping up his neck. "It's probably nothing."

"Even so, it's better to be safe than sorry," James pointed out, eyeing the boy curiously. "I'll be back."

"No you won't," he muttered and James grew confused but left the room anyway. He morphed into a stag as he made his way through the Shrieking Shack and listened for any noise.

He stopped outside a door and changed back into human form. He wasn't entirely sure what was on the other side but it certainly wasn't an animal.

James raised his hand to open the door but it was stuck. He could hear a shuffling from inside and he knocked. "Is somebody in there?" he asked. He half expected no response but there was a shuffling noise before someone spoke up.

"No, why would someone be in here?"

He was taken aback, "Ophelia?"

"No, not Ophelia," she replied, making her voice deeper than it actually was. "I'm...Gertrude."

"Gertrude," he repeated. "Okay, Gertrude, can you open the door?"

"I'm okay," they replied.

He huffed, "Ophelia, what are you doing here?"

"I was just going for a walk," she excused. There was silence for a moment, "I found this place."

"Well you really shouldn't be here," he pointed out. "It's not safe."

There was what sounded like a scoff from the other side, "I think I'll be fine."

"What's going on?" he asked in confusion.

"Nothing," she replied. "Go back to Remus. He needs you."

"You do realize I can easily break this door down, don't you?" he reminded her. It wasn't as though the Shrieking Shack had the strongest structure.

"Don't," she requested. The pleading tone didn't go unnoticed.

"Ophelia," he tried, pressing his hands against the door. "Let me in. Please."

"Just go," she replied. "I don't need you."

He shook his head and closed his eyes, "I'm not going anywhere."

O P H E L I A L O V E G O O D

She leaned against the door and slid down until she sat on the floor. She rested her head in her hands and her elbows on her knees. She could tell he was still on the other side even though he was silent.

Ophelia could feel every part of her longing to change. She could feel the pressure in her bones that were pushing against her skin, eager to change shape. And she was terrified.

She took a deep breath and slid her hand under the crack of the door. She felt his hand cover hers a moment later, "I'm scared."

"I'm right here," he told her. "And I'm going to stay right here."

Her arm snapped and she wanted to scream but she wouldn't let herself. She clenched her teeth together and groaned in pain. "Ophelia," he said. "Ophelia, can you hear me?"

"Just keep talking," she requested. "Please."

Remus had gone into as much detail as he could bring himself to say. But nothing he told her or could have ever told her would have prepared her for what she had to go through.

J A M E S P O T T E R

He wasn't sure what had been worse, hearing her in pain or not being able to do anything about it. He had sat outside the door the entire time, in stag form to avoid any incident.

He had wanted nothing more than to go in and help her but she had made him promise. And he was an idiot and agreed.

Or maybe he was an idiot for not noticing that this was what was happening in the first place. His best friend was a werewolf and he couldn't even notice that - whatever Ophelia was to him - was in the same boat. How oblivious was he?

The room had been silent for at least ten minutes when James finally stood up off the floor.

"I take it she wouldn't let you in?" Remus asked and James turned around to find Remus, Peter and Sirius. Sirius held the boy up and he had his head rested on his shoulder.

James merely shook his head before he easily broke in the door.

They entered the room and James was quick to rush over to the girl who remained in a fetal position in the middle of the room. "Go get the blanket," James ordered to no one in particular. Peter crossed the room and grabbed it before handing it to James. James draped it over the girl's shaking body. "Take Remus to Pomfrey," James suggested, "I'll be right behind you."

The boys hesitated but ultimately decided to listen, leaving Ophelia and James alone. James looked down at the girl, "Ophelia..."

"Leave me alone," she replied, her voice was shaking. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"I need to get you to Pomfrey," he explained. "She can help you feel better." He helped her sit up and he adjusted the blanket so it covered her completely.

He could just see the slight shake of her head, her sight fixed on some empty spot on the floor, "I don't want to feel better."

James cautiously raised his hand and brushed her hair behind her ears, "Let me help you."

"I deserve all of this but what I don't deserve is your help."

"Look at me," he told her before he grabbed her chin and gently forced her to look at him. She was reluctant to meet his eyes, "Ophelia, it's me." He scanned her face for a moment, "You did nothing to deserve this."

Ophelia shook her head. Her mouth opened to speak but all that came out was a choked sob. James wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head against his chest. "It's my fault he's dead. It was supposed to be me."

"Hey, don't say that," he whispered, shaking his head. He looked down at her as he wiped a tear off her cheek, "He was protecting you. Don't let that be in vain." He honestly didn't know what to say and he wasn't sure if it was the right thing or not.

Ophelia closed her eyes as she leaned against the boy, "I don't think I can do this again."

He frowned, "Let's get you to Pomfrey. The boys are waiting."

She nodded reluctantly and James helped her to her feet. Once it was clear that Ophelia wasn't going to be able to walk even a little, James lifted her up and carried her bridal style to the infirmary.

He slowly lowered her to the bed next to Remus who was watching her warily. At some point during the walk from the Shrieking Shack to the hospital wing, she had fallen asleep.

James took a seat next to her bed. "You should go back to your room and sleep," Remus suggested, "She'll be here in the morning."

"No," he replied simply. "I'm not going anywhere." And he meant it.