Losing Game/// James Potter

Chapter 83

OCTOBER 31, 1981

James eyes fluttered open slowly and he abruptly sat up, feeling around and noticing that he was in his childhood bedroom. He sat still for a moment in confusion. His hand slid to the back of his neck while scratching it, contemplating how exactly he got where he was. It was like time flipped upside down and he was back in his Hogwarts years again as if nothing had happened, as if the war never happened.

A thump sounded from his bedroom window, stealing his attention away from his thoughts. He hopped off of his bed and hesitantly walked towards the windowsill. Slowly, James lifted the shades and looked around the clear night sky.

"James?" a familiar voice that he knew so well snapped his head towards the window across from his.

"Els?!" He rubbed his eyes in shock, hoping that this wasn't just an illusion, "Elsie?"

"Well, don't just stand there," she chuckled into the air as James stared in awe at the angelic sound, "Get your arse over here, git."

Without missing a beat, he smirked at her and disappeared out of view. And when he came back, he had a wooden ladder in his hands. He carefully lined it up in between the two windowsills and hopped onto it, a much more difficult task then he remembered it being at 11 years old. Elsie reached out a hand and helped James into her room, not a second passing before their lips were attached to each other's.

"Fuck, Els," James whispered onto her lips as his hands grasped either side of her face, "How did we get here? Where even are we?"

"Home?" She laughed into the kiss, her hands wrapping around his torso.

"Home is where you are," he chuckled and separated their lips to lock eyes with her, "But where are we?"

They both looked at each for a moment, before a knock sounded at the door. James raised his eyebrow curiously, but Elsie simply took a step towards it and opened the door slowly. Her eyes noticed the fancy, black shoes first. They trailed up his neatly tailored pants next until they finally landed on his wrist. A tightly woven, colorful string bracelet was wrapped around his pale skin. Elsie's eyes snapped up to the smirking boy and immediately threw her arms around him.

"What are you doing here, Regulus?!" Elsie excitedly smiled into the crook of his neck, not believing he was standing right there in front of her.

James walked over and welcomingly slapped his back. When the two pulled out of the embrace, the younger Black boy smiled and snickered, "Figures you two would find each other already. I came to get you."

"Came to get us?" Elsie asked, sharing a confused glance with James.

"Yeah, and I had to fight a few people just to get here first," he rolled his eyes and scoffed before squeezing Elsie's hand, "When you two are ready, I'll be behind the door. Everyone's waiting for you."

He turned around and left the room, leaving both James and Elsie shocked with realization. The small brunette slowly walked over to the open window and simply stared at the stars. James followed and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"So this is it, huh?" James whispered to her after a moment of silent contemplation.

She tilted her head up towards him, "This is what?"

"The beyond that we've always talked about," he pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek, a small smile forming on her face.

"And would you look at that? We still love each other, " She joked, her gaze fell back on the starry night sky while taking a deep breath, "You think he'll be okay?"