The walk from the Potter's gate to the front door seems longer without James by my side, but no less beautiful. In fact, with the trees and plants in bloom, there's a whole new look to this path that I'd missed on my first trip up to the Potter's house.

But I really didn't come here to appreciate the effort Professor Longbottom put into their garden (that Harry and Ginny somehow manage to keep alive, despite their black thumbs, according to James).

When I reach the doorstep, I don't hesitate before ringing the bell.

It's been four weeks and three days of thinking (well, technically, three weeks of thinking, and another week and three days to actually build up the courage to come over here), but I'm absolutely certain about it.

I am in love with James.

Merlin, it sucks to be wrong, doesn't it?

No fucking wonder Liam claims to hate hanging out with us, since all he gets is shit for being wrong all the time.

The door opens before my thoughts can get side-tracked any further and my breath catches when I realize it's actually James.

I thought there'd be a little more time before I'd have to actually face him.

Maybe I'm not as ready for this as I thought.

He looks behind him, craning his neck to look even further, and then gently pushes me backward so he can step outside, closing the door quietly behind him. "What are you doing?" I ask, as he guides me even further away from the door, practically into one of the bushes in the path.

"My dad's cousin and his family are over for the annual visit," He scowls, and I suddenly recall him describing what a...pleasurable...experience this was for all parties involved.

"We can go somewhere else," I offer.

"I'd love to," He says honestly. "But I think Mum would off me,"

Which, fair point. From his description, it was hard to tell which of his family members was most miserable at this get-together, but his mom was a top contender.

Of course, so was his dad. And James. Albus too.

Really, it was a tough choice.

"Can't blame her," I nod, and he tries to glare at me, but it turns into a smile. "What? There are times I want to off you too!"

"Yeah? Well, fuck you too," James teases and I'm just so thankful that we're back to this that I can't help but say it.

"In this bush?" I sigh dramatically. "Alright, but only because I love you,"

To his credit, he doesn't even flinch when the words come out of my mouth.

To my own credit, I don't even blink, even though this was not even close to how I expected this to go down.

When the words do register, he starts to grin and suddenly his arms are wrapped around my waist. "When did you figure it out?"

"When Freddy yelled at me," I return his gesture, leaning in as close as possible.

"Freddy yelled?" He sounds as surprised as I'd felt at the time. "What'd he say?"

And how on Earth do I sum up the waterfall of feelings he'd drummed up? How he'd made me realize that James is so much more than a boyfriend, more than a best friend. That he's both scary and comfortable.

He feels like this constant presence that will always be there pushing me forward and making me better. He feels like all the best things and all the things I can't live without.

He feels...he feels like home, in all the best ways.

"He just-he just called me out on all my shit," I smile up at James. "Well, him and Uncle Justin and I'm so sorry because you deserve so much better-"

James throws his head back and groans as the words of my rant catch up to him, cutting me off. "Justin? Really?"

I nod. "Well yeah, I tell him everything, even if he does give shit advice,"

"He's going to kill me," James says, matter-of-factly.

I shake my head, knowing exactly the moment he's thinking of, a moment that, yes, I had shared with my fake uncle. "Well, he probably already would have, if he was going to do that,"

"Seriously?" He cries.

"We're very close!" I exclaim. Now, he's shy about sex? "Come on, like they hadn't guessed! We go to boarding school!"

"Just promise you won't let Justin or your Dad murder me," He says.

"I think Dad likes you better than me, so sure, easy," I nod.

"Meh," James' eyes narrow. "Unconvinced."

"Just remember," I smile sweetly. "That they love me, and I love you," And that immediately softens him. "But actually, they're both too excited about your homemade whiskey to kill you,"

He brightens immediately, and it's like my love for him means nothing. "That's right!"

"Asshole," I say fondly, standing up on my tippy toes to kiss him.

"And yet," James says, like the asshole that he is. "You love me anyway."

"Merlin help me," I mutter against his lips before kissing him properly.


"It's time to talk strategy," James announces to our compartment.

I look over at Freddy, who's resting his head in Meg's lap as she runs her fingers through his (recently very short) hair. "Is it safe to do that here?" Freddy asks hopefully, clearly looking for an out.

"You say that like I'll even know what any of what you're talking about means," Lizzie laughs. "A Hoppin' Wilt-"

"Harper Wilde," I correct, by habit.

"Whatever, " She waves it off, then looks at Freddy. "So, yeah, I think you're fine, since I don't know the names, let alone what they mean,"

"Also, we're team Gryffie," Vero says. "Well, Team Carson, so Team Gryffie by default I guess,"

"Rude," Freddy says, feigning outrage. "And I thought we were friends, V!"

"Meh," She shrugs. "We're okay,"

My girl.

As is typical when Quidditch is being discussed, James is 100% focused on the sport and has no tolerance for our nonsense. "So back to the plan."

"I don't recall discussing numbers," I frown, because we'd actually done a lot of things in that bush in front of his house (and then in the broom shed in back of his house, what what), but discussing Ravenclaw's Quidditch stats was not one of them.

"Nah, this is just basic math," James waves me off and I give him a look. "No, listen." I give him another look. "Listen," He stresses. "For the Claws to win the final they would need to catch the Snitch and score 12 goals. So we go on the defense! They're going to be aggressive trying to score, so we've got to be aggressive on the forecheck, that's where you come in, and try to force them to the sides where Scotty and I can challenge them to stop them from moving forward. We don't even need to score if we have the Quaffle; we can just pass back and forth between the three of us to eat the clock up while Maddy searches-"

I groan and am surprised to find that I'm the only one. "Ugh, no,"

"It's the best way to win!" James argues.

"We have the talent to win offensively and it's shit to play conservative to protect the lead when we have the ability to completely overtake it,"

"It's an effective strategy!" James maintains.

"It's just very unlike you to pull out this early-80's Wigtown trapping nonsense," I say heatedly. "That's a terrible way to win. It'll be boring, first of all, and it's so simple. We're better than that and more importantly, Ravenclaw are worse than that! It's absurd to purposefully put off scoring when we can put on a much better game than that!"

"That game is a guaranteed win!" James exclaims.

"Nobody wants to watch that game!" I look around me. "Right?"

"What is early-80's Wigtown trapping nonsense?" Maeve blinks.

"That was actually less than helpful, thanks, Maeve," I nod sarcastically as James grins triumphantly.

"We'll win with my way," He grins.

"Your way is the bitch way out and we are better than this," I argue. "And I will have the numbers to prove this by the end of the week."

He pulls me into his lap, confident in his victory. "Uh huh, sure,"


"Fuck you," I mutter under my breath, as we round the turn for our fifteenth lap.

"Isn't that your job?" Coop manages to pant out.

"I thought-"Freddy starts, gasps a large breath of air, and then finishes. "That things would be better since you were back together now."

I frown. "James wouldn't let something as trivial as our relationship affect Quidditch,"

And if that wasn't the truth. There was absolutely no difference in the James of now, the James of those-four-weeks-we-don't-speak-of, and the James pre-birthday. At least at Quidditch practice.

He was still utterly unreasonable when it came to running laps.

With the increased number of laps, our running group collapses at the end, and the look of disappointment on James' face would be comical if he weren't so serious. "Get up."

"I love you," I try, and hear the boys under me all breathe in hopefully.

"Cute," James says. "Get up."

"Asshole," I pant, pushing myself up reluctantly, knowing that he's getting ready to work us all to the bone for the rest of practice, despite his continued plans to spend the Final playing the most boring game of trapping Hogwarts will have ever seen.

It's much of the same for the rest of the week, which means that as Freddy and I grow tired of his absurd attitude, we make up excuses about why we can't walk down to practice with him to get a little time to ourselves to gossip about how absurd he's being.

And get a little time to gossip about everyone else, but what James doesn't know in this case, won't hurt him.

"Meg's been acting really weird," Freddy laments, on our way to practice, one Saturday morning, about a week before the actual Final match.

I frown, because, uhh, no, she hasn't. "How so?"

"She just...she's been super awkward?" He says hesitantly. "And I don't think she's met my eyes in at least a week!" Hold on. "I mean, I know I'm tall, but I don't think she's ever had a problem looking this high before!"

"You idiot!" I breath.

"What?" He asks, annoyed.

"She wants you kiss her, holy fuck, how did you miss this?" I cry.

Watching the realization draw over his face is worth literally everything James is about to make me do at practice. "Holy fuck," He repeats, the sweetest grin growing on his face.

"What are you waiting for?" I gesture behind us. "Go get her!"

"But-" He gestures in front of us.

I wave him off. "I'll cover for you. Go!"

He's beaming as he starts to jog away from me, back toward the Tower "Thanks, C-Dub!"

James' eyes narrow immediately as I arrive to practice alone. "Where's Freddy?"

"He had something to take care of," I stare him down. "He's going to be a little late."

James frown, clearly trying to decide what he can get out of me, but evidently decides it's not worth it, choosing instead to set the rest of us off on our laps and taking his usual place at the front of the pack.

Freddy arrives just in time for Fitz, Coop, and I to finish our laps, scooping me up right when I would normally collapse to the ground and spinning me around in a circle, laughing the entire time and pressing a smacking kiss against my lips when he finally sets me down.

"Uhh," James says.

"Huh?" Fitz frowns.

"Ew!" Coop pulls a face.

"What the hell?" I cry. "Am I the second girl you've kissed today?"

"Yes!" Freddy beams excitedly. "Thanks to you!"

I gag, throwing my arm around James and pulling him in for a kiss. "What was that for?" He glances over at Freddy and then back at me.

"Cleansing my palate." I wipe my mouth, sending a glance over to the still beaming Freddy.

James sighs and rubs his temples. "Oh, Merlin, give me strength,"


It seems like perfect balance when the morning of the Final is just as perfect as the morning of our first match of the school year. It's not overly sunny, there's very little wind, it's neither too hot nor too cold, and despite the current season, it hasn't rained in days.

Optimal Quidditch weather.

Looking around the locker room at this team that I love more than almost anything, it's hard to believe how much we've grown from our first game. Maddy and Scotty are not only better players, but more confident-they're sitting in the locker room right now, heading into the Quidditch Cup Final, looking as calm as can be. Coop looks poised to have a breakout season next year that should get him a few offers for the reserves of a few teams. Fitz and Freddy have never been so in sync.

And then there's James.

He looks calm and focused as he looks at last minute notes in his play book, but there's nothing for him to even change. He's ready, we're ready, and he knows it.

James had confessed to me last night how strange it was for him, to be preparing for his last game ever at Hogwarts. He'd joined the team as a baby Second Year and now six years later, he was preparing to walk out to his last game, waiting to see if (not if, what, I'd insisted, because I was sure there would be) he'd get offers to play professionally.

It was the first time I'd seen him nervous about something.

Thankfully, it was gone by the time we'd woken up this morning. A nervous James would have been bad for team morale.

Since, you know, it was frankly unheard of.

Instead, he was his usual focused and motivating self. He'd shoved a meal in front of Maddy, who'd pushed it right back at him in favor of a different one. He'd tried to give Freddy, Fitz, and Scotty last minute tips on the game today-unsurprisingly, Scotty was the only one receptive to anything he'd had to say.

Finally, I'd grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the Great Hall, surprised to find that we were followed by Freddy and Meg. She was beaming as she walked with him hand in hand, the warm spring weather allowing her to show her team spirit in one of his practice jerseys, a Gryffindor scarf, and leggings.

It'd been exactly a week since they first kissed and honestly, she hasn't looked happier since I've met her.

Their fake fighting about the smell of Meg's borrowed jersey ("It's the stench of victory!" Freddy insisted, and Meg tried her hardest to rub said stench in his face) brought a smile to my face as we made our trek to the pitch and I leaned closer into James's side as he wrapped his arm more tightly around my waist. Freddy slung his arm around my shoulder, pulling us both into him, and suddenly the four of us were a mass of limbs, laughing.

"Hey! Over here!"

At the sound, we'd looked up, following the voice. It was Uncle Justin, and a flash went off as soon as we'd all looked. "What the-"

"Thanks," He grinned, lowering the camera. He was dressed in official team gear, and it occurred to me, just now, that my dad was probably there as well.

From the sudden steely look on James' face, the thought had already hit him.

"Well once again," I'd said, as we all collected ourselves. "Thanks for letting me know you were going to be here."

Uncle Justin had grinned. "More fun to surprise you,"

Freddy had laughed, and I flipped him off, but then James was grabbing my hand again (the other one, he'd let me keep flipping Uncle Justin off as he pulled me away) and that's when I realized, it was time.

And now, as we line up by the door, in our usual order, in our usual routine, I can't help but reach out and squeeze James' hand. He grins down at me, squeezing mine back. "Hey," I say.

"Hey," He nods back.

"We're going to crush them." Because the numbers don't lie and there's no way we won't.

"Fucking right we are," James agrees.

"Even if it will be the most boring game of neutral zone trapping Hogwarts has ever seen," I goad and before he can respond, the announcer is calling our names.

The match is everything we thought it would be and Ravenclaw have come out with a vengeance after our last game. They fight to take control of the Quaffle and like planned, I go aggressive with the forecheck forcing Dylan Davies to throw to his right, looking for Alison Mayer and finding James there instead, whose long arms snap the interception easily. And if I'm honest, expectedly.

What's unexpected is the way he begins immediately taking off down the field, which was not part of the game plan to essentially just pass the Quaffle around to give Maddy time to search for the Snitch.

With a grin, I push forward, speeding to catch up to him. I snatch the Quaffle as he whips it over to me and return it to him just as quickly, and then we set on a race down field of speedy passes between us.

Ravenclaw's Keeper stays at the ready, but he loses sight of one important thing-Scotty-so he's as surprised as everyone else when James drops the Quaffle and Scotty is there to pick it up and easily shoot it right into the center hoop.

The crowd goes wild but for once, I barely even hear it as I grin at James. "Some game plan!"

"Fuck the plan!" He shouts back at me. "I want an STSR so unbelievably high no one even believes it's real!"

Fuck, I love him.

But this is...so not the time.

So instead I settle for, "Fucking finally!" as we move back into position.

From then on James plays like a man possessed and his energy is positively magnetic, contagious-whatever word you want to use that will somehow describe how truly amazing he is. Because when people talk about a player making their teams better, they need to look no further than James in this game.

After his tenth goal (an impressive leap off his broomstick as he dodged a bludger and tossed the Quaffle in at the same time), I stopped attempting to count both our Harper-Wilde's at the same time in favor of calculating his.

It was already clear that he was doing something special.

In fact, it's so special and exciting that Maddy catches the Snitch and has to race over to us, arm raised over her head, the most excited look on her face.

James drops the Quaffle suddenly, realizing what's happened and I hear Coop yell, "Champions, motherfuckers!" before Fitz is crashing into me, sending us both careening into James and Maddy. Freddy's huge frame is quick to pile on and by the time Coop reaches us from across the pitch we're spiraling downwards in tangle of crying, laughing, cheering limbs.

The final score of 460-80 will go down in the Hogwarts history books, but James' Harper-Wilde of 86% is what I'm most amazed about.

He's got all the smiles in the world as he finally makes his way over to meet with the scouts and unable to help myself, I call over as Freddy and Meg are dragging me away, ready to start the victory celebration. "Hey!"

He turns. "Yeah?"

"STSR, 123!"

James gives me the biggest grin. Around him, about half the scouts look wildly impressed and the other half look incredibly underwhelmed.

Ugh, the old school crowd.

And on that note, I've officially earned myself a drink.


The minute James enters the Common Room, everything stops to erupt into the loudest cheer of the entire day. From our spot across the room, we can't see anything, except the crowd parting as he makes his way toward us.

"You don't even have a drink!" Freddy demands, somehow managing to see from where he's sitting, with Coop on his lap and me on Coop's lap.

The advantages of being tall. What a life.

James shrugs. He's still grinning, but it's a different kind of smile than the reckless, winning beam that the rest of us have on our faces.

He looks...settled. Content.

Under me, Coop and Freddy look wild, thrilled, and excited. The contrast is clear.

So when he gives the slightest nod of his head in the direction of the staircase toward the dorm, I grab two of the beers that Liam has just put on the table and make to follow him, feeling blessed that our friends are so deliriously happy (and drunk) that the arrival of more alcohol is much more thrilling than making fun of James and I sneaking off (for once).

Instead of going all the way up to their dorm, James stops on the steps about halfway up, high enough that the noise level has dropped enough to talk, but close enough to see the entire Common Room still. He drops onto one of the steps and I sit down next to him, passing him the beer.

He doesn't immediately start talking, choosing instead to take in the scene in front of us, with this crooked half smile on his face. But after a moment, I can't take the silence. I know exactly what this is about. "How many did you get?"

"Four," He takes a large gulp of the beer. "And two more said they would send final offers this week once they talked to management,"

"That's incredible, James!" He shrugs, and I give him a look. "Well, don't be an asshole about it!"

He sighs. "Yeah, you're right,"

"Twice in one day?" I place my hand over my heart. "Stop the party; quick, someone alert the Prophet!"

"Alright, Meg." I flick his arm at his teasing and he laughs.

"Who gave you an offer?"

"Wigtown, the Cannons, Kenmare," He trails off.

"And?" I prompt, thinking I already know the last one.

"Your dad," He finishes, and I nod. "Did you know?"

"No," I shake my head. "But it doesn't surprise me. Billings' contract is up this season and I know they weren't planning on extending it."

There's a long pause after that, where neither of us says anything as we watch Freddy pull Meg onto the dance floor, lifting and twirling her with no regards for anyone around them.

"What are you going to do?" I ask him, looking over.

"What are you going to do?" He returns, meeting my gaze. "We haven't-we never talked about this. We should have talked about it."

I bite my lip and look away. Lou and Maeve have joined the dancing, which has sent Vero away, laughing as she settles herself into Dan's lap back in our circle of chairs. Maeve's shouting something we can't hear over the music, but Lou pulls her into his arms and she smiles up at him.

If Vero can hear anything Maeve yelled, she ignores it, in favor of starting to make out with Dan.

Around the room, the rest of our friends look equally as happy and satisfied. Lizzie is surrounded by a group of Coop's friends, playing a drinking game (and losing terribly). Liam turns the charm on to one of the Sixth Years that he hasn't dated yet (I think). Freddy and Meg have calmed their exuberance down on the dance floor and just look positively elated to be in each other's presence.

Truly, the perfect couple.

"No, we didn't talk about it," I bite my lip. "And we're not going to yet,"

James frowns. "Carson-" He makes to argue, but I cut him off.

"What I'm going to do can be done from anywhere," I say quietly. "I don't-you need to make this decision on your own, without taking that into account, and do what's best for you. The max salary for a rookie is set; you need to look at what kind of play time they can offer you, if it's a starting position or a bench position, what kind of coaching and-"

"I got it." It's James turn to cut me off. There's no doubt he's already thought about these things, but in this moment, I can't help but ramble about them.

It's so soon after the last problem that I'm not sure if we're ready to handle another one.

Truly, I'd expected him to put up more of a fight about this-to push more about what my plans were or even at the very least, for him to press me more for my thoughts about what he should do.

Instead, he merely asks, "So where does this leave us then?"

I swallow the lump in my throat and shrug. "I don't know,"


You guys. You guys! This is the second to last chapter! I am in total awe that it's gone this far and can't believe it's ending!

Coming Up Soon: the end