𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 [𝐣.𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫]

33: 𝔥𝔬𝔴 𝔴𝔢 𝔣𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔞𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱

Tw: fainting, sadness, coming out, Ed/food restriction

It's a marvel, how quickly we all fall apart.

The strain from OWLs made it nearly impossible to talk to them at all without receiving a waspish reply. But with each passing day, it became more abundantly clear that they were working herself to a point of absolute exhaustion.

James is watching them crumble, the only thing adhering them to themselves being three very strong cups of coffee, cigarettes, and the paralyzing fear of failure.

The four of them were studying in the library (technically, Remus was studying, Peter was telling James about which Quidditch tactics to employ in their next game, James was bothering Brigitte by flicking crumpled bits of parchment into her hair and chanting Moonage Daydream under his breath, and Brigitte was telling James to shut the fuck up).

It's funny, James thinks, how little effort he's put into studying. Like he's wading through water, feeling himself drown under the weight of schoolwork yet unable to move faster in his panic.

And yet, he simply crumpled up his tiny bits of parchment, let his eyes wander over to where she sat, quietly captivated.

Brigitte had warned James twice that if he didn't stop, she'd disembowel him and use his organs in her next Potions assignment when finally, a parchment scrap bounced off her forehead and she slammed her book shut, rising quickly to evade James who would trail behind her and offer his highly disingenuous apologies.

She didn't storm away as he expected, just blinked, as though her vision had gone blank, and braced the edge of the table. She swayed , slightly, a perplexed frown printed thinly across her lips.

James immediately jumped forward, gently reaching for her arm.

She had immediately jerked away, as though he had pressed a hot poker against her skin.

"Don't touch me," she had snapped.

And that was when she fell.

It didn't happen all at once, like it had in the Hospital Wing. But she blindly fumbled for his hand, bringing him closer until they embrace, her chin propped up on his shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and suddenly James felt the entire weight of her body against his.

"I-" James was lost. He remembered Marlene, the expression she wore that was now plastered on Brigitte's face.

"Oh, for god's sake, don't just fucking stand there," Remus snaps, bringing him back to reality. "Prop her feet up on that stack of books."

They are in the process of shifting her ankles onto Remus's transfiguration textbook when she wakes up.

Immediately, she flushes, glaring at the three boys like they poisoned her. She brushes off her skirt, fingers shaking.

Remus chucks a chocolate frog at her. She fumbles, nearly dropping it before tossing it back with equal venom.

"You can keep it," Remus grits out, throwing it back at her.

She chucks it at him, jaw clenched. "I don't want it."

"Aren't you hungry? You didn't have lunch or breakfast today." He looks casual, but his eyes are flashing.

He stands up, slamming his book shut so fast they all jump. "In fact, why don't we all take a fucking break. James, mate, how does that sound? Pete?"

They both stand, obedient under Remus's hard glare.

Only Brigitte sits down, annoyed and utterly unimpressed. "No, we're not taking a break, Remus. We are all about to fail our OWLs. James, Peter, sit down."