#c. james

“Fucking hell, bruv,” Felix added breathlessly, laying eyes on his friend for the first time after years of playing video games with him. “I dunno whether to kiss you or cry. Maybe both.” 

“You ever wannae lock yourself away with enough food and books to last you a couple weeks and just like learn a bunch of shite?”

“You’re doing that wrong.”

He chose to take Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies, when he added electives third year, (then Healing after his OWLs).

The families had all met, bridges that were deemed uncross-able were fixed. Everything seemed to be coming together for their big day. However Zoey was struggling, not because she didn’t want to marry James, god that was the last reason. It wasn’t even on the table. Zoey was simply nervous because, well, she couldn’t explain it. She couldn’t explain any of it... Their lives? Had taken a turn for the better lately. James’ mother was in rehab, staying clean and sober. Zoey’s own mother was back in the picture somewhat and that was terrifying for her. Yes, it was better to have the woman around but at first? At first it had been hell. All of Zoey’s bad dreams came back, far too many nights in a row did she wake James up sobbing because she remembered all those horrible times as a child. Now though? Maybe she wasn’t entirely healed but God knows she was doing to much better now. Mirabella being the light of her life and bringing hope and joy into something once dark and dim. Everything was coming together. So why did she feel so nervous?

“It’s so weird.” Zoey spoke into her phone as she sat at the small table in her room. “I can’t remember the last time we didn’t sleep in the same bed.” Leave it to the two of them to let their family members convince them to keep old traditions. The old, you can’t seed the bride twenty-four hours before the wedding, and to be far they had about less than twelve now to go. But it had been a very long day for Zoey. James wasn’t just the greatest love of her life, he was also her best-friend. Her reason for getting up every morning, aside from their daughter. So to not have him besides her tonight? That was going to be hard, and damn near impossible. Hence why she was prolonging the inevitable by calling him. His suite was only a couple of doors down from her room and she knew if she needed to she could go down and lay with him for a while, because after all, they weren’t exactly all that traditional, right? The only tradition about them was the fact that they loved one another more than anything, and that meant the world to her. “I mean maybe it’s a good thing I get a break from your snoring.” She laughed softly as she was fixing her vows, for the millionth time. 

“I’m just kidding, you don’t snore. If you did we would’ve gotten one of those Tempur-Pedic beds where I can adjust you with a remote.” She teased him, Zoey had a day of pampering, manicures, massages, her hair lightened a bit. She was ready for tomorrow and yet all she wanted was James. Literally. All day she kept wishing he was with her, it was stupid how she couldn't go for a long time without her love, but talking to him on the phone would have to suffice. “Make sure you call and say good-night to Mirabella. She’ll probably just say Daddy the whole time, but I feel like you’ll enjoy it.” She laughed. “God! She’s getting so big and smart, I can hardly believe it.” 

“You ever ask a ghost what there unfinished business is? Like why stay behind? Is it fear of the unknown? Fear of the beyond? What would possess a person to want to stay behind. Never be able to touch someone again. Never be able to eat or sleep. Just wander.”

Appearance: 5'11", disaster black hair, hazel eyes

Gender: male, he/him

Orientation: bisexual, gray-aromantic

Occupation: auror

Religion: culturally muslim, agnostic

James was a miracle child. His parents were already nearing their hundreds, when he was born. But they were well-off and they loved him more than anything, and despite their physical limits, James never doubted that he was wanted and loved and he never lacked attention. He spent a lot of his childhood around the house elves, and Mimsy did as much of the work of raising him as his parents, if not more, leading to him developing a special bond with her.

James grew up surrounded by magic and privilege, knowing he was important, but he was also isolated, in some ways. When he arrived at Hogwarts, he was caught just as much off-guard by some of the politics, racially-charged discrimination, and even basic interactions between children as some of the others. He took sides quickly though, and made it clear that he'd protect those he decided were worthy of protection in whatever ways he could. This resulted mostly in pranks in poor taste, fighting in the corridors, and a great deal of angry looks. But it also lead to the incredibly tight-knit friendships he developed with three of his dormmates.

James made some mistakes in school. He took things too far sometimes. He was, perhaps, a little too quick to judge and a little too slow to forgive or admit to his own fault. But he was well-liked for a reason, and he matured fast after his parents' deaths, growing into someone that Lily could be interested in--and into someone who could responsibly fight in a war rather than just in schoolyard brawls.