J A M E S  P O T T E R

"I have a question," James spoke up. It was around three in the morning but he couldn't sleep.

Sirius groaned, "What is it?"

"So you know how I've been talking to the girl on the table?"

"No, we had no idea," Remus replied sarcastically. "Because you've absolutely never talked about her before."

James huffed, "Do you guys think...I mean I know this may be sort of far fetched but...Do you think it could be Ophelia?"

"As in Lovegood?" Peter asked. If there was anyone more oblivious than James, it was Peter.

"Do you know another Ophelia?" James asked pointedly. Peter clamped his mouth shut and waited for someone else to speak.

"I suppose it's possible," Remus answered his original question. "Why do you ask?"

"Something she said to me is all," he shrugged. "Reminded me of a conversation I had with the girl. And then the more I thought about it, the more I realized they have a lot in common."

"Why wouldn't she just tell you?" Sirius asked. "I mean, you two are friends, aren't you?"

"Yes," he answered as he shifted in his bed. "I don't know why she wouldn't tell me."

"There's an easy way to figure it out," Remus pointed out.

"How's that?"

"Just ask her."

James snorted at this, "No."

"Why don't you just ask the girl on the table if she's going to the ball?" Sirius suggested. "And then ask Ophelia if she's going."

"How would that help me?"

"Assuming they both plan to attend, request a dance with the unnamed girl," he explained. "During that dance, look for Ophelia. If they're the same person, she won't be there."

"And if she says no to the dance?"

"It's a masquerade ball," he reminded the boy. "If she says no, there's obviously some other issue."

"Right..." James trailed off. "And what if they don't plan to attend?"

"Even more reason to believe it's Ophelia," he shrugged, "And if all else fails, ask her.

"Hmm," he replied in thought. Was it possible that this would actually work? "Goodnight."

O P H E L I A  L O V E G O O D

Things appeared to have swiftly returned to how they were prior to James' sudden urge to know who she was. They had returned to their normal conversations and she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

'Are you going to the Yule Ball?' Of course it wasn't going to last long.

She had been contemplating the answer to that question for a few hours. She was going to be attending the Yule Ball because her parents were out of town on business. But was the girl James had been talking to going to the Yule Ball?

This whole charade had become more and more confusing as Ophelia found it difficult to make a distinction between the two even though they were more or less the same person.

It didn't help that her and James had actually been getting to know each other. There were moments where she thought he was bound to figure it out but then she would remember that he was kind of oblivious. Not kind of, extremely.

She met him outside the Gryffindor common room where she had been going every morning since the first time they ran together. He had concluded that it was actually just the distraction he needed. While most of the cravings had subsided by this point, he still liked having something to do. At least that's what he told Ophelia.

She jogged in place, and rubbed her arms as she gave him a minute to cool down. "How are you not hot?" he asked her as he pulled off his hoodie. He had gotten somewhat better at running and he lasted longer than five minutes now.

"It's freezing outside," she pointed out, rolling her eyes. "How are you not cold?"

"You wear this then," he suggested tossing his hoodie at the girl. She caught it, "If you don't take it, it'll find a new home in the woods."

"I'm pretty sure it'll be just a little too big on me," she informed him as she held the material in his hands.

"What? Are you afraid it'll slow you down?" he asked as he began jogging in place as she was. "Last I check, I'm doing that for you."

She slipped the hoodie on and fell down to mid thigh, "You make a valid point."

"Hmm," he replied as the two continued on their path. "I think we should head back."

"Can't handle it?" she mused.

"No," he shook his head. "But you're shaking and I'm afraid you'll freeze to death if we don't get you warmed up."

He made a good point. She nodded in agreement and he smiled triumphantly before the two headed back to the castle.

"So...are you going home for the holidays?" he asked her as they transitioned from a jog to a walk.

"Parents are out of town," she explained. "I'll be here." She glanced over at him for a moment before looking ahead. "Are you?"

"No, my parents are going to visit my grandparents," James explained as they made their way through the woods. "I think they caught that dragon pox going around or something."

Ophelia nodded as James opened the door to the castle and held it for her. She smiled at him, "Thank you."

She was grateful when the warmth hit her skin. They navigated their way through the castle and approached the Gryffindor common room. "You can just come in," he suggested after saying the password. "The fire is no doubt already lit and you can warm up."

She nodded in agreement, too cold to argue. She followed him in, rubbing her hands together to dethaw them. He reached forward and took her hands in his own, "Jeez, how is it that you're so cold? It's only like fifteen degrees out."

"I've always been like this," she explained as he rubbed her hands carefully. "As soon it drops below twenty I'm basically a human popsicle."

"Good to know," he laughed a little and the feeling in her fingers began to return. She looked down at their hands for a moment and James opened his mouth to say something when the door to the rooms opened and students began to spill out.

James dropped her hands immediately and she couldn't help the frown that made its way onto her face. Of course he would want to be caught holding her hands. Even if it was just to warm her up.

"I should go," Ophelia informed the boy as she backed away from him toward the portrait. Everyone's eyes were on them and she felt her skin crawl.

"I'll see you later?"

She nodded quickly before looking around the room and then leaving.

J A M E S  P O T T E R

As soon as he dropped her hands, he wasn't sure if he had done the right thing or not. He could see the frown form on her face and he too frowned. He didn't want to push her. He knew she wasn't big on attention and if people had seen them while he was still holding her hands, there would have been people talking about it for the rest of the day.

He glanced around at everyone who whispered around him, shooting looks his way. He huffed before making his way upstairs to shower.

"Did you ask her?" Peter inquired once the boy entered their room.

"She said she'd be staying here for the holidays," he explained as tossed his clothes onto the floor in his room. He sat down on his bed, "If it really is her, couldn't she just say she isn't coming?"

"It's possible, yes," Remus agreed. "Hence why you should just ask her."

"And if it's not her?" he countered. He huffed, falling back on the bed and resting his hands on his stomach. "She'd think...Well, I don't know what she would think. I'd make a fool of myself."

"Hate to break it to you, Prongs, but you always make a fool of yourself," Sirius reminded the boy. James grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. "You never cared about looking like a fool when it came to Lily."

Lily. He never did care. He would call for the girl he would embarrass himself just to get her attention. Why did he care when it came to Ophelia? "Ophelia and Lily are different," he replied simply.

"Hmm," Remus replied as he got up from the bed. "I'll see you guys later."

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked and the boy rolled his eyes.

"Nowhere that concerns you," Remus replied and the door slammed shut behind him.

The room remained silent for a moment until James sat up. "Okay, that's it," he announced. "What the hell happened?"

"We fought," Sirius shrugged although James could see there was more to it. "It's nothing."

"Did you guys break up?"

Sirius faltered at this, "I don't know."

"It had to have been bad for it to come to this."

"Just drop it, Prongs," he huffed. "Some things just aren't meant to work out."

R E M U S  L U P I N

Remus stared at the boy in front of him, unsure of what to do. It's not as though he wasn't used to the names, he'd heard pretty much all of them before. But whenever it happened, Sirius was always there. He was on his own.

Did he run? Did he hex him like Sirius always would? Did he pretend he didn't notice them to begin with? The last one probably wouldn't work but he didn't exactly have many options.

"I have places to be," Remus announced and he moved to go around the boy but he stepped in front of him. His fists clenched at his side, "Excuse me."

"Did you hear me? I said-"

"I heard what you said. I just don't care," he informed him. This seemed to anger the boy but Remus truthfully didn't care. "You could have been a little more creative with it, if I'm honest."

Before Remus could try and walk away again, the boy had his wand drawn. He should have hexed him. Remus put his hands up in surrender, "Just let me go. I'll be out of your way and we can pretend this never happened."

He saw the boy's mouth move and knew there was nothing he could do because he didn't have his wand on him. He had left it in his room. He braced himself for impact but it never came. He opened his eyes to find a girl standing in front of him, he blinked a few times before he realized who it was. It was Ophelia.

She had conjured a shield to protect him and the boy in front of her didn't seem too happy about it. "Oh, that's right," the boy mused. "I forgot about your little girlfriend. Does she make you feel better when you realize how much of a-"

They didn't get to hear what he had to say because Ophelia rammed her knee in between his legs. Remus's eyes widened and he reached forward, pulling the girl back before the boy did anything. He doubted he cared if she was a girl.

"Behind you," someone spoke up and Remus looked up to see one of Ophelia's friends there. Reggie was his name if he was remembering correctly. The boy turned around and Reggie punched him square in the nose. He stumbled back clutching his nose.

Remus could see the blood seeping through his hands. "What is going on here?" McGonagall demanded and she looked between the four in astonishment. "Ms. Lovegood, care to explain?"

"Uh, you see-" she began but Remus cut her off.

"They were just helping me," he explained quickly. "He said something and then pulled his wand on me and they stopped him."

Understanding seemed to flash in the Professor's eyes and she nodded. "If you would come with me, Mr. Goyle."

"What about them?" he demanded, gesturing toward the area where Ophelia and Reggie stood. "The stupid bitch-"

"Language," she reminded him. "I'll deal with them later. Right now we'll be getting you to the clinic before you pass out from blood loss."

"If that's why you're rushing him out, maybe linger a little longer," Reggie suggested. "I'm sure he is far more enjoyable company unconscious."

"That's enough Reginald," McGonagall informed him but they could see the faint smile on her face as she turned and walked off with the boy.

"You guys didn't have to do that," Remus announced as he turned to face the two.

Reggie waved his hand in front of his face, "I've been wanting to punch that kid for years now. This just gave me a chance."

Remus laughed a little at this, "Thank you." He turned to look at Ophelia as well, "Both of you."