Enchanted | James Potter

Chapter 23: Love, James Potter.

Edward couldn't face Flora after the incident at the library. He had almost said that he loved her. He had almost confessed his feelings but he couldn't. He backed out like a coward. He thought about his family and his father. They would kill Flora if they found out he loved her. His life had become more miserable. He didn't eat or sleep for nights. He had even stopped talking with Mulciber and Avery. He spent all his time either in the classes or in his room. He had burnt the letter he recently received from Felix about his new jobhat the Ministry. 

Flora was sitting near the lake after the Quidditch practice. She was wondering about the question Edward asked. Did she like James? 

She had hated him at one point in her life but now she was not so sure anymore. She had only talked with James twice after the accident. One was when she went to thank him. He was really embarrassed and managed to say that 'she didn't need to thank him. That's what friends do' with a red face. Flora thought that was extremely cute. 

The other time, after the Hufflepuff match when he came to congratulate her. "You did well." He said and then smiled and ran away. Flora laughed at the thought. Flora sat there for a while after which Mathias joined her.

He had seen her sitting alone after coming from a shower after practice. He went to her and sat beside her. 

"What are you thinking?" Mathias asked after they sat quietly for a while.

"It's me" Flora said before she could stop herself.

"Huh?" he replied.

"The mystery girl. James's mystery girl." She replied and Mathias smiled and looked at her.

"What?... why are you..did you know?" 

"I guessed a little. I wasn't sure though." Mathias replied.

"How?"Flora asked. Does everyone already know that she was the mystery girl? First Edward, now Mathias. 

"A bunch of stuff but mainly because…well.." he got a little uncomfortable. "I asked him to tell me something more about the mystery girl. Something private, you know.. and he.." Mathias looked at her. "He told me about her parents"

"And then you heard about my parents during Professor Slughorn's dinner." Flora completed his sentence, relieving him of his discomfort. 

"Yes," he whispered. "I'm sorry"

"That's okay," Flora said.

"It's not. What happened with James and the diary and then, your parents. It's none of my business. I'm sorry if…" 

 Flora stopped him mid sentence and laughed "it's really alright, Matty"

He sighed. "Good. Thank Merlin."

"You should really tell him, you know." He said after a while. "I won't tell. Don't worry. But you should." 

"Do you think he likes me?" Flora asked. "Me…. Flora. Not the mystery girl."

"I don't know Flora. You'll only know when you tell him everything." He said "it's for you both to decide." They both stayed silent.

"When did you become so wise?" She asked jokingly.

"I'm older than you." He replied with all seriousness.

"By seven months" Flora replied.

"That's still older than you, kid" he replied and ducked as Flora threw a candy wrapper at him. Flora felt a lot better after talking with Mathias.

James had changed a lot in a few months especially after the incident with Edward at Whomping Willow and then the fight after the O.W.L.S. Flora's words affected him more than anyone could have thought and he changed his ways, at least a little, after that. 

Operation "Prongs's Mystery Girl" was a fail and James was desperate now. He wanted answers. At Least some closure. Why was she not replying to me? Was it because he was James Potter? Did she really hate him that much? All these questions nagged at his brain, day and night. 

He knew he was grasping at straws since he had written many times in the diary with no reply, but he had to write this letter. He had to know that he did everything he could. And so he wrote, with as much determination as he could muster.

"Dear mystery girl,

I'm gonna be honest here. I've been thinking of how to write this for weeks and I still can't get it right. So I'm just gonna write everything I feel.

I want you to know that I know who you are. No, I don't mean I know your identity. I mean that I know who you are, as a person. When I first wrote to you in that enchanted diary, I didn't know that it would change my entire life. That I would meet you. 

I'm bad at feelings especially when it comes to writing them down so I don't exactly know what I am doing here. But I want you to know that I like you. I really like you. And no, I'm not just saying this so I could know who you are. You have to believe me when I say that I have fallen in love with you. It might make you laugh and think that it's not possible to love someone you don't know but I am in love with you. 

And well this will be the last time I write here because I want to respect your decision if you don't wanna see me. There's a Hogsmeade trip next Sunday and I will be at The Three Broomsticks alone. If you wish to see me, really see me, then you'll find me there. 

I hope you come, even if just to say goodbye.

Love, 
James Potter

He wrote the letter and waited in anticipation of the reply. He accidentally fell asleep and woke up in the evening. He got up and went to the Hospital Wing. The recent full moon had been harsh and Remus Lupin was still resting. He sat with Remus and Sirius for the rest of the evening till dinner. They were interrupted when Mathias and Peter tiptoed in, carrying a tray of food for Remus. Peter was holding James's invisibility cloak. They left the tray for Remus and went for dinner to the Great Hall.