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CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE !
— Limerence

" I need you to run and stay safe
for me can you do that? "

IT WAS NIGHT BY THE TIME EMBER FINALLY GOT THE GUTS TO APPROACH RIVER. She was still sweating bullets but at least she took a shower.

She carefully went down the stairs, knowing River he would go to the Astronomy tower for a while and come down to read in the common room. And that he did.

When the blonde finally reached the end of the stairs, River layed sprawled out on the couch nearest to the fireplace. His hands were beating a rhythm on his chest, Ember realized this was the boy she had loved for so long, and now she loves another.

"River?" She called out to him softly. His head snaked around to face her.

"Hello, Em." Said River quietly. "Did you have fun in your dorm?" He was clearly trying to make her feel worse about the situation they were put in.

She clenched her jaw at his words. They stabbed her right in the chest. "Yes, I did actually. It was very refreshing to get away from your bullshit."

River chuckled lowly, moving a little so Ember could sit on the couch. "So what did you want."

"I want to explain everything to you and Lily. It's what you deserve." Ember whispered timidly. If he said no, there was a chance they would never be friends again. If River said yes, he wanted an explanation, they would at least be friends again, and that was better than what was happening now. "Please."

River looked at the girl shallowly. "I know what happened- James coursed you into it."

Ember stared at him dumbfounded. "Where did you hear that?" Ember asked him. There was no chance in the whole universe James used Ember, or even coursed her into fake dating. It was both of them, an agreement. She was more than happy to start the breakup game. She signed it. She came up with most of the rules.

"He found me and said he coursed you into it." River responded with an eyebrow raised.

The blonde girl looked into the fireplace. It only took seconds before she realized that James lied to protect her.

She felt like the fireplace jumped out at her because she was becoming increasingly red. "James Potter lied to protect me..." she whispered under her breath. River didn't even seem to notice she had even spoken in the first place. "You need the full story- I'll give it to you. I'll explain everything. I will give you start to finish." Ember said louder.

River let out a deep breath, the silence in the room becoming less of a virtue by the second. He reverted his eyes from the fireplace to the blonde sitting opposite on the couch. "This is a horrible time to ask this- but did you ever fancy me?"

"I'll explain tomorrow, River. Get some sleep, big day tomorrow, champ." Ember smiled lightly. She stood up and ruffled his hairs before going up the stairs with new-found confidence and happiness, she finally did it.

Her alarm awoke her with a groan. Memories and reminders of the past few days engulfing the blonde girl. The crying, the pain, the heartache.

She stood up and stretched, most of her roommates, including Ophelia, were already gone. Ember glanced to her clock, she had an hour until she would meet River and Lily in Hogsmeade.

She brushed her teeth, got dressed, did her whole routine. However, the whole time she was doing it she was hearing a buzz in her ear. It sounded like a horse voice telling someone "Save the girl no matter what." Which, was actually quite concerning now that she thinks about it.

"Em?" A voice one would only known as Ophelia Raver called out. How she got there, Ember would never know. Last the blonde checked, Ophelia's bed was empty.

Ember turned around to face her dark haired friend. Ophelia was looking at her with a concerned expression. The blonde bit her lip slightly, "Hello."

"I know what your doing. Just be honest with them, Ember." Ophelia smiled as she placed a comforting hand on Ember's arm.

Ember smiled and moved to hug the girl. "I love you, Lia."

"Yeah, yeah. Now go get your man." Said Ophelia with a smirk. Ember shook her head and waved goodbye to the girl.

The whole time she was going to Hogsmeade only one thought remained in her mind, make James not seem like the bad person. She had came to the conclusion he lied to protect her in some way.

As much as it hurt her, she didn't want to be the reason Lily and James would never be an item. She knew how much he liked her. So, just like how James protected her, she would protect him. She would be taking the biggest blow for him, always and forever.

She would do it a million times if it just meant for James to be happy. That was her main goal. Even if she had to suffer in silence.

When she finally reached the three broomsticks, Lily and River were in silent conversation. She lost the confidence she had been gathering up like dropping marbles.

"Ember." Lily acknowledged her after a while of Ember just standing there. "please, come sit."

"Yeah! Of course." Said Ember a little too cheerfully than she'd like to admit.

She slid into one of the four chairs occupying the table and fisted her hands together. An awkward silence filled the air. None of them wanted to speak first, but no one wanted to suffer in the silence either.

Ember took in a long breath, the silence finagling taking a toll on her, "I'm sorry." Good. She was doing good, she started off strong with an apology. "It was selfish and unneeded. If we just communicated-" her voice sounded fake, uncertain. But, that was everything she wasn't. "if we just communicated better you guys would at least be friends."

Lily smiled uncertainly at Ember. "River and I are still friends with or without the breakup game."

"Yeah..." she breathed out. "You also need to know that James was lying."

Both of them shockingly looked at her. River's eyebrows flurrowed as he asked her, "What do you mean he lied?"

"You need background information. I fancied River." His intrest seemed to peak at this. "James obviously fancied Lily. And one day we just met in the kitchens and boom this great idea. The breakup game was his idea, yes. But I fully agreed to it. I knew what was happening the whole time. He just suggested it really and I was like "oh a game cool! Yeah! This will get River to notice me in a different way!'" Ember sighed noticing their faces, "I came up-" But what Ember came up with would never be heard by River and Lily.

A deafening explosion shook the whole building. The three looking at eachother with shocked expressions as people screamed and rushed out of the doors.

Ember grabbed her wand from her boot and held it tightly. She joined the crowd along with River and Lily. "Oh shit..." Lily muttered among seeing what was happening.

Ember didn't exactly blame her, there was the cause of the commotion standing tall and proud at the entrance of Hogsmeade. Black robes flowing blissfully in the wind. Masks covering their faces.

Death eaters. Tons of them surrounded the area. Ember glanced around quickly. People were running, getting knocked down. Some were sending patronus and others already beginning to battle death eaters.

Ember noticed one stray Ravenclaw, way to young to be at Hogsmeade in the first place. She was looking around weringly whilst fumbling with her wand. People were blantening ignoring the girl. Someone even shot a spell at her and only missed by inches.

Ember hastily ran over to her, knocking through people of all ages and sides to get the scared girl. Blonde hair flowing behind her as she quickly grabbed the girls arm. "You need to get out of here." She began pulling the girl through the chaos.

Ember quickly shot a spell at one death eater who looked surprisingly happy to see her. The death eater flew backward into a wall and didn't get back up. "What's your name, ravenclaw? Ember asked trying to make the girl feel better.

"A-Ava." She croaked out as they ran. "Whats your name? What's happening?"

"Ember and bad guys-" She stopped as she noticed they were behind a building. Ember crouched down and moved hair out of the young girls face, "I need you to run and stay safe for me can you do that, Ava?"

Ava nodded and quickly hugged the girl around the neck. "Thank you, Ember. I promise I'll be okay. I might even visit you. You're nice." Ava whispered into her neck.

It only seemed to last seconds because Ava let her go to run off. Ember breathed in. Her wand was still held tight, ready to be of service. And she ran back into the madness, she wouldn't give up very quickly.

ASHLEE SPEAKS!

Am I sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger?

Lol nope ;)

I do be feeding y'all 😩😩 double updates on Tuesday and now on friday?!!!