Offspring (Mar.Era x Blue Exorcist) [James Potter]

Ch.27: Red flag

Behind Louisa passed Lily Evans, her hair in a bun. She smiled and nodded at James as a greeting and James did the same before turning his attention back to Love. She didn't look good, she looked exhausted and the Gryffindor boy didn't know what to do to help her. It took many time of his day to think about it. He spent much time from his Head Boy patrols thinking about how distant Love was becoming. Whenever he or she tried to do something for their relationship, she would come closer again, but then again something would hold her back.

''James?'' Lily quietly asked as she spotted him in a Corridor during their patrol. ''Are you okay?'' She could tell he was bothered by something.

''Yes.'' He sighed. ''What about you? How's patrol tonight?''

''Boring.'' The redhead chuckled, trying to cheer the black haired boy up, but in vain. ''Unlike yours. You seem busy in your head.''

James gave a sad smile to the part of the floor he was staring at. ''Yes, you could say that.''

"I will listen if you want to talk about it." The redhead said, making James smile with gratitude to the kind girl.

"I think I have some relationship problems with Love." He said, knowing that Lily would gossip around. She was too sweet to do that. "She has been keeping to herself a lot lately and I don't know what to do to help her."

Lily thought for a moment at James' words. "Do you remember last year that I told you to keep an eye on her because she seemed like she had trouble sleeping?" She asked and the Head Boy nodded. "Maybe something's on her mind and that's how she reacts. Some people find it easier to bottle things up either to make sure no one will make fun of them, judge them or anything."

"She tries to open up." James said. "But she closes back almost immediately."

"Do you know if she's going through anything at home? For me, whenever Petunia is distant, it makes me distant too."

"Yes, she has some problems with her brothers."

"I didn't know Love had brothers." The redhead thought out loud.

"Me neither." James said to himself and earned a questioning look by Lily. "I found out by accident a week ago."

"But you have been dating all these months." Lily remarked.

"That's what bothers me." He sighed.

"Love loves you, that's for sure. Anyone can tell by the way she's staring at you. She just need time."

"She wasn't like this before, she talked to me more."

"Then something must have happened."

"Sirius tries to get something out of her, but it seems that she either has nothing or she is hiding it well." He told her as they entered the Common Room.

Lily tried to cheer James up and give possible explanations on Love's acts. When James thanked her before going to sleep, the redhead sat alone and thought if she and her best friend Severus could face the same problems were they dating. There was something more between them, but the Slytherin boy seemed more drawn to the Dark Arts than usual and that was scarring Lily.

...

Saturday morning found Louisa running around the castle after a long time. She had a slightly hard time keeping up with the nephilim even if she was running on a slower pace than her usual. It was the outcome of mot working out for months the brunette was facing. "I need to do this more often." She laughed, bending over to rest her hands on her knees. "I missed this." She said.

"I missed it too." The nephilim replied and the brunette stood tall to give her a hug. The two friends had spent much time separate.

It was the first time in so long they entered the Great Hall for breakfast like they did the previous years; just them two, with a low profile that didn't catch attention. This had an impact on both, Love especially. She was such in a good mood that when she sat next to James in the Charms classroom, she hugged his arm to greet him besides the use of words.

"Good morning, darling." He greeted back. "You're in a good mood today." He noticed happily.

The black haired girl nodded. "I am." She said. "And I am sorry for being a bad company lately."

"You weren't" James said, hugging her, but Love knew he was lying. She wasn't a good company not even for herself, let alone someone else.

...

The Gryffindor boy laid on his bed with a relieved huff at the end of the day. He felt happy Love was better, but that joy would be ruined the same weekend. The Marauders, Louisa and Love had visited Hogsmeade on Saturday and returned by boat instead of a carriage. When they reached the Hogwarts grounds, James and Sirius spotted Severus Snape reading peacefully under a tree and for some reason of their own, they felt the need to bully him.

Not a moment after they stepped on land, James had his wand out. "Let's go to Snivelus." He said mischievously.

"James." Love called out. "James." She said again, angrier than before when her boyfriend didn't pay her any attention and kept walking to the Slytherin lad.

''Hey, Snape.'' James called out. The Slytherin got angry as soon as he heard the familiar boy yell his name. He was already fed up from all the previous years, he couldn't take any more. For that reason, he drew his wand out too, but to no avail. ''Expelliarmus.''

''Nice one, James.'' Sirius encouraged.

Students had started coming closer by now. Love had barely managed to glare and tell some of the random students to go away when she heard laughter coming from other students. All that because James had lifted Severus upside down, ten feet above the ground. ''James.'' She said, angrier than James had ever heard her.

''Come on, Love. Relax.'' He said with a confident smirk besides having Love walking towards him with an obvious glare. She took a hold of his forearm using more strength than she could realise and slowly lowered James' arm so Severus could reach the ground. Even if the blue eyed girl was glaring at James, she could see by the corner of her eye Lily's bright red hair moving closer to her friend.

''I don't need your help, you filthy mudblood.'' Severus' voice was heard. All the anger Love felt was replaced with shock for one second. Before she had turned her head to see if it was actually the Slytherin lad that said those words, Lily was walking away, wiping her face, under her eyes.

''What did you say, you greasy git?'' James snapped.

''Mind repeat it?'' Sirius said, taking his wand out, but to no avail. Severus hadn't heard them; he had run after the Gryffindor girl who was disgusted to be touched by her once friend. That left Love alone with the two responsible boys, Peter, Remus and Louisa.

''Get in the castle.'' She said with a normal volume, but such an angry tone.

''Are you mad at us?'' James questioned, not believing it was possible to be blamed.

''Get in the castle.'' Love repeated.

''What are you yelling to us for?'' James asked.

''Get in the god damned castle.'' Love said on a normal volume once more. If she had a gun at that moment, she would have pointed it on James; not to hurt him; she wanted to threaten him and show him that she's in command. She got scared of herself at that moment. Never before had she thought of using what she knew to use in the battlefield outside of it. The walk back in the castle was an antidote to Love; one against her own thoughts. She got very scared she thought of pointing a weapon at someone just because of her anger, she had never thought of anything like that before. She would need help; professional help for her mental health. It would be the first thing she would do after confronting James and Sirius.