Engraved Love | J. POTTER

23 | death bed requests and last trips home

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

Ophelia had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to say. What did you say to your boyfriend's mother when she was clearly on her deathbed?

They had arrived at the hospital the following morning and James was in a disheveled state. She had no clue what to say that could possibly make him feel better.

James had left a short while ago to go get his mother something to drink leaving her alone with Euphemia.

"Dear," she wheezed out and Ophelia looked up. The woman raised her hand and waved her over, "Come here."

Ophelia nibbled on the inside of her lip but walked over, sitting in the chair next to the hospital bed. Euphemia grabbed her hand and Ophelia was surprised with how tight the grip was.

"Be good to him, will you?" she requested. "He needs someone like you to mellow him out." Ophelia smiled sadly at the women, "He's always been a bit of a dreamer."

This caused her to laugh. Ophelia was always considered the dreamer because of how she presented herself. To have someone she just meant know that she was more of a realist than anything else was comforting in an odd way.

"He is," Ophelia agreed. She placed her hand over the women's, "I'll take care of him. I promise."

"Good..." she trailed off. "That's good...He's got a big heart."

J A M E S P O T T E R

James was about to re-enter his mothers hospital room but stopped when he heard voices talking. It was Ophelia and Euphemia.

"He always has his heart in the right place," Ophelia explained. "While he can be a bit oblivious from time to time, he means well."

"And you love him?" Euphemia asked.

"Of course I do," she replied. "I always will."

James knew that Ophelia was the only person he could ever imagine spending the rest of his life with. Did this mean she felt the same way? Or was she just trying to placate his dying mother?

He shook his head slightly before he knocked on the door and entered the room. Now probably wasn't the best time to be thinking about that.

Ophelia looked up upon hearing him enter the room. She smiled at him and he felt his heart stop. He was certain that would never change.

He walked over to the bed and handed his mother the drink. "I'm not thirsty," she told him, waving her hand slightly.

He frowned, "You really should drink. You need to stay hydrated." She shook her head and he placed the drink on the side table. "At least try later."

S I R I U S B L A C K

As soon as James told him that Fleamont was dead and Euphemia was not looking too good, he hadn't known what to do with himself.

He knew they were older than most parents but they weren't that old. At least not old enough that they should die soon. But that happens when your immune system isn't strong enough to fight off Dragon Pox. According to James anyway.

"Sirius," someone spoke up and his head shot up at the noise. He had run off into the Forbidden Forest soon after talking to James. It was the only thing he could think of to make things even remotely better.

Or maybe running away was just second nature to him.

Sirius wiped under his eyes quickly, hoping to conceal anything that indicated that he had been upset. "Hey, Moony," he greeted as he stood up, pushing himself up using the tree.