Almost | James Potter

Love, Ophelia

James closed the last letter, not bothering to wipe the tears off his face.

"But you didn't make it out alive," he whispered, voice cracking.

I know.

I had seen his face go through varying expressions while reading. 

The gasp at the beginning when I had first confessed my feelings, the sad smiles or small grins through his pain when bringing back old memories, the longing looks, most likely wishing he might have spent more time with me rather than Sirius or Lily, and the blank stares, reading through the pages furiously as if hoping that finishing the letters would bring me back.

It won't work.

And now he was sobbing quietly, eyes focused on the last 'Love, Ophelia' written on the letter that I had said I would respond to, but never got the chance.

There was the sound of a key going through my door, and then footsteps. I only needed to see the small glimpse of red to know that Lily had arrived.

Was I angry? Embarassed? Worried?

Lily Potter was now walking into her husband looking at my love letters.

But I wasn't. I felt... calm.

For the first time in a long time.

I had accepted it... James and Lily were soulmates. They always had been.

And I was never going to take that away from them.

"James?" the redhead called out, and she opened the door. She didn't say anything, but sat down next to where James was on the carpet.

He handed her the first letter. 

She read it.

Her eyes widened, she gasped, she turned to James who nodded sadly through his tears.

He handed her the last letter.

She read it.

Tears formed in her eyes, she wiped them quickly, she looked to the pile of letters, scanning over all of the 'Dear James,' and 'Love, Ophelia's.'

"She...She loved you..."

James nodded.

"I never knew," he choked out.

Lily pulled him close into a hug and said quietly, "It's alright."

"We'll... we'll celebrate her, more than just that small funeral... it's tough right now but we'll get through it..." she whispered, "We have to get to the cottage..."

I agree. It's too dangerous here. Get back to your safety.

James nodded and pulled together the letters, Lily watching him softly from his side.

I watched them walk out of the flat. They apparated. I followed them to Godric's Hollow, Sirius was waiting with teary eyes and a concerned face.

"I'm... scared," he said in a shaky voice. "It happened way too quickly with Ophelia and it could happen to you..." 

He was rambling.

"I think we should change secret keepers."

.

Is there no such thing as emotion in the afterlife?

They had changed their secret keeper. They had signed their death sentence. They had given Voldemort the win.

And yet, I moved to a desk that materialized in front of me, giving a soft smile at the quill and parchment that appeared.

.

Dear James,

I didn't know I could write in the afterlife, but I'll be seeing you soon.

Know that you don't have to feel sorry for me; you belong with Lily.

And I'm alright with that.

Death sort of makes you realize things.

But I'll be here with you, by your side now. We'll be friends. I'll get to know Lily better. It'll be like old times, when we lived side by side before Hogwarts and visited each other every summer.

I've let go of those feelings I used to have, and I'm here for a fresh start.

Love,

Ophelia