#jamesxpctter

@jamesxpctter

The last time Selina sees James Potter is on the street inMuggle London. He holds his daughter [not knowing she is his], kisses her [Selina] on the temple, and walks away with thatdamned smile and a promise to get together again the next week. The look on hisface and the look in his eyes is seared into her memory. [She will forever seethat image when she closes her eyes.]

Scarlett asks about her father for the first time when she’sfour. Remus has just left and there’s a look of comprehension in his eyes,though he says nothing. Selina bites her lip as she considers what to say tothe little family she has left and in the end, she decides to go with a very watereddown version of the truth – that she loved her father, that he can’t be withthem, and that he loved her [and he would have if he’d known of her existence –Selina has no doubt about that].

She tells her daughter that her father was a fighter,someone who died in the war, and leaves it at that, not realizing that, yearslater, Scarlett will assume her father was a Death Eater. [It is only whenScarlett asks if her father is a Lestrange or a Rosier that a horrified Marywill disabuse her of this notion.]

Remus comes back around when Scarlett is 10, bringing Mugglecandy and hugs and promises to be around more often for his favorite niece. He takes Selina by the elbow when her daughteris playing in the garden and whispers that Scarlett should know her brother,Harry should know his sister, and won’t she try?Her eyebrows rise and her lips purse and by the time Remus leaves, it is withthe agreement that he will say nothing of James.

Scarlett turns 11 and Selina strongly considers sending herto Ilvermorny before she hears rumors of Harry Potter seen in Muggle London intattered clothing with relatives who hate him. Loathe those she is to admit it,Selina does not want to consign a child, herchild’s half-brother, to never knowing he has a family. And so Scarlettgoes to Hogwarts the same year as her brother, wears yellow and black withpride, and is pleasant to the boy with messy hair who pairs with her inherbology. Albus Dumbledore’s eyestwinkle.

She may be a Hufflepuff, but Scarlett Sapworthy has a brainthat can put together puzzles with little outside influence. It takes her twoyears to figure out the mystery of her father and Harry, for she looks forclues about her father every chance she gets. [No one seems to know who he isand her mission becomes that much more difficult.]

Harry rarely smiles, at least that she can see, and when hedoes so during herbology, Scarlett is reminded of the smile she sees in themirror, the smile she shares with the man in the photos her mother hidesunderneath drawers in her bureau, and the smile that matches the one on Harry’sface. He has her cheekbones, too, and just like that Scarlett is aware she hasa brother. There is no way to confirm her suspicions, of course, but she smilesa bit more kindly to Harry in the hallways and begins to send him packages forChristmas and his birthday. If he’s confused at the sudden display offriendship, Harry says nothing. She likesto think her father would be proud that they’ve found each other. 

They are not exactly close friends, but her parents wereboth Gryffindors and Scarlett has long ago been taught what is right. She is perhaps the onlyHufflepuff to believe Harry when he says he did not put his name in the Gobletof Fire, a sign of loyalty to family anddisloyalty to her house, and she isostracized by Hannah and Susan all the same. She spends her time in thelibrary, quietly sharing a table with Harry, and when he asks her why shehasn’t yelled at him yet, she replies simply. “There are more important thingsthan houses.” [Years later, he will remember that and understand.]

When she meets Sirius Black, her godfather, the young womanasks him if her suspicions are true. His reply – or lack thereof – is moretelling than the truth. “I promised your mother I wouldn’t speak of him,” hemurmurs, though his eyes are soft and remorseful.

And then she knows. Butshe says nothing, unwilling to suffer the pained look on her mother’s face. Shespends the summer alternating between Grimmauld Place and her grandparents inSweden with her mother and when she sees Harry, Scarlett hugs him tightly. Hemight not understand why but hesmiles all the same.

She joins Dumbledore’s Army, does her best to subvertUmbridge, and when Harry gets visions of Sirius, she makes him promise not todo anything rash. He doesn’t listen, butat least she’s able to warn her mother in time to stop Sirius from rushing tohis death. [She has never had problems trusting adults, not the way Harryhas.]

The one time Albus Dumbledore speaks to her is during hersixth year. “There will come a time when Harry will need you but won’t realizeit,” he says out on the battlements, as if he’s talking about the quidditchgame. “I trust you’ll be there for him, Miss Sapworthy.” The conversation isodd and he speaks in riddles, but Scarlett nods all the same. She is a Hufflepuff and she is loyal. [AndHarry is her brother. She already knows she would die for him.]

No one is able to convince Harry that Draco Malfoy is taken care of, and he lets Death Eatersinto the school all the same. Dumbledore dies, Snape flees, and Scarlett cursesDraco in the legs before he can meet Snape. He’s taken prisoner, the Malfoysgive up everything for his safety, and suddenly the war doesn’t seem thatunwinnable.

Scarlett attends the Weasley-Delacour wedding with NevilleLongbottom, wand hidden up her sleeve as she dances. She eyes the awkwardredhead that she can just tell is Harry and her eyes does not move from hisform as Kingsley’s patronus comes to warn them that the Ministry has fallen.

The Golden Trio is not as smart as they think they are and whenthey move to leave together – almost as if it was planned – Scarlett joinsthem. “Dumbledore left this to me,” Harry argues with her when they come out inMuggle London. She sees the Death Eaters before Hermione does and her wandworkis quick.

“I’m coming with you,” she decrees, ignoring the annoyanceon Hermione’s face and the confusion on Ron’s. [She has never gotten along withthem as well as Harry, though perhaps it is because she feels a protection overher family that they do not understand.]

“He left this mission to us, Scarlett. I appreciate your help,but I won’t be the reason you get yourself killed,” he mutters, his facestubbornly resolute. She remembers the words Dumbledore spoke to her and herlips thin.

And though she hasn’t spoken of this to her mother, hasnever considered speaking of this to Harry, Scarlett knows she’s going to haveto do so now. Because he’s stubborn [like she is, like their father was] andsomething tells her he’s not going to let her tag along if he doesn’t know thetruth. So she tells him, in a rush, that his dad is her dad, too and that, yes, she’s known for awhile and she’s sorryshe didn’t tell him but she didn’t know how.She tries to ignore the betrayed look in Harry’s eyes as she tells him thatthis makes him her younger brother and, since she’s the elder sibling, he can’ttell her what to do. So she’s coming withhim.

His jaw sets like hers and though she’s not sure he believesher, he lets her come along – they don’t speak of it, but they instinctivelyknow that the only safe place for them is Sirius.Some obscure spell found in the Black family library verifies her claims andthe trio becomes a quartet. It goes unspoken that Sirius will not be joiningthem – aside from Scarlett, he is all Harry has left in the world and Harry isnot willing to jeopardize that. They leave quickly. With four people to carrythe horcruxes, Ron does not get as angry and so he does not leave.

Since the Malfoys have fled to France, they are taken to aMalfoy Manor run by Bellatrix Lestrange where they find Ollivander, Luna, andDean. Each of them have been tortured and when Scarlett is taken, she can stillhear Harry screaming from the dungeon. “That’smy sister. Take me instead.” She remains resolute. I am a Sapworthy and a Potter. I will not give them the satisfaction ofmy tears.

They are saved by Dobby and Kreacher, the latter taking aknife to the chest, and spend a couple of days recovering with Sirius before itends. Scarlett hugs her mother in the Room of Requirement, raises an eyebrow athow Harry looks at Ginny, and clenches her jaw like her father used to when shehears Voldemort’s magnified voice. The battle is blood and spells and death andwhen she sees Remus go down, Scarlett’s anguish is second only to Sirius’.

[Harry still goes todie on his own, turns the resurrection stone in his hand three times and seeshis parents and Remus. He can’t look his father in the eye and yet he can’tstop himself because Scarlett has hiseyes. Lily looks at her son, tells him to be brave, and when she gets closeshe whispers that she’s glad he had a sister. She’s thankful he’s not alone.She tells him that she loves him, but it’s okay if he allows another woman inhis life. James is more difficult. His face is anguished and his steps areheavy. “I love your mother. But I loved Selina, too, a long time ago. If I’dknown, things would have been different, son. Tell your sister I love her, too.”Harry nods absently, not knowing that he will survive this encounter in theforest with Voldemort.]

And then the war is over. Neville kills the snake, Harryjumps up alive, and Scarlett resolves to smack him silly. But she’ll hug himfirst, if only out of relief that he’s survived, he’s made it, and maybe thingscan be some form of normal.

In the months that follow, Sirius moves in with Selina, notwanting to be alone and recognizing that now that the truth is out, things aregoing to have to change. He’s packing up boxes in Grimmauld when the siblingsarrive at Selina’s house in the country for the first time.

Harry has long ago learned that his father was not the sainthe’d pictured in his mind as a child. And though he’s resigned himself to theknowledge that Scarlett is his sister, it’s difficult for him to swallow hispride and meet Selina, to ask her what his father was like. But he does, whenthe celebrations have died down and Scarlett has twisted his arm enough. Selinais beautiful and he can see why his father loved her when she pulls him tightand hugs him as if he were her own [as ifhis mother didn’t pull the love of her life away from her, as if his father didnot leave her a single mother whose sibling is The Chosen One].

“Your father was a great many things,” she says, voicechoking up as she speaks of James Potter for the first time in almost a decade.“Brave, noble, eager to show off. He wasn’t perfect – he had a pranking habitthat showed up as a mean streak, he bullied Snape most of our Hogwarts career,he had an arrogance to him that I could hardly tolerate at times. But he wasalso a good listener, a fierce, fierce friend, and even when things were bad,he would be there for someone he loved in a heartbeat. He was a magnificentquidditch player when he applied himself. He was a flirt. And he trusted hisfriends with his life. He loved you very much, Harry, and he was so proud ofyou. He had a great many hopes for you.”

Her eyes are watery as she smiles and Harry reaches out andsqueezes her hand. He’s never been good at offering comfort, but Scarlett andSirius have been trying to show him what family means and he thinks he can consider Selina part of his, too. [So hespeaks honestly, offering up a silent apology to his mother.]

“I never thought I’d have a family. Thank you for giving meone.”

It was dark and silent in the cabin, each movement seeming to echo in the empty spaces of the building that had once felt like home. 

How everything had fallen apart, he had no idea, but it left him feeling hollow and lonely.

Remus had left, his room vacated, the refrigerator empty --- he never had learned how to cook, what was the point? He hadn’t had the heart to message his friends yet, to let them know that their mate had run off to Merlin only knows where. That was, unless he went to be with them, and he had no clue.

He didn’t understand what had gone wrong, why he hadn’t even said goodbye, if he’d ever return. He felt like he couldn’t speak about it, unsure if revealing their relationship to those they cared about was even wise, if when he did come back, he would resent him for it.

He sat mindlessly in his favorite chair, smoking a cigarette, trying to figure out where he went from here. The one person he had revealed his heart to had rejected him. How could he cope with that?

A knock at the door had him sitting up, a wave of his wand opening the door as he tried to straighten his clothes to look more presentable. There was no need to cause anyone he cared for worry.

“Come in,” he called out, not concerned that it might be someone from the other side sent to assault him.

She pads briskly down the dark lane, the pavement the onlyseemingly steady thing in her life. She hadn’t let herself feel it. All day shehad been hoping that she would wait and wait and that Albus would not show up.That he wouldn’t confirm the rumors. That somehow it had been some otherfamily- someone that she didn’t know. That the end of the war, a long-soughtcelebration, would be marred by the gaping hole that had once been James andLily Potter.

She stops just as the garden wall ends and stares up at thesign before her. The marking where Privet Drive turned onto Wisteria Walk. Sheglances back, into the quiet street, knowing that to linger would not be wise.Turn and leave, just as Albus had intended. Just as he had done.

The streetlamps glowed, illuminating the tidy gardens, thesleepy houses. All was quiet. It seemed safe. There was not a sight or soundout of place. The world, in comparison to itself not 48 hours ago, was muchsafer because of the events surrounding the child now asleep on the doorstepfour houses down. But not for him.

Albus was right. In their world, he would never be allowedto be a normal boy. Guarded vigorously, placed upon a pedestal, and taught thathe was different from the beginning. She owes it to them to give their childone more night where he will be known and loved for who he is.

She is before the house again, before a plan is fully formedin her mind. To leave him alone, would be such an injustice to the memory ofthe Potters; James who befriended the misfortunate, Lily who protected theweak.

He is still sleeping quietly where they left him and shepads gently over to the blankets. The night is chilly, the first of November,and she places herself as close to him as possible. He is still so little- justover a year in July. Her eyes wander over his peaceful face, and thanks anyonewho is listening that the nightmares of war are not with him tonight. A sharptang pulls her attention and she recognizes the smell of blood. It’s dried intohis hair. She looks away.

She’s thankful that her emotions are somewhat diluted inthis body- grief is still felt, but it is not as deep as it will be by themorning, when she sheds this form and walks into her classroom.

‘They would not havewanted this for you.’ She settles down next to him, presses her side intohis. ‘Being alone in the world changesyou.’

The tiny susurrus of breath ruffles her whiskers as shegazes across him to the darkened street. She glances back down to his sleepingface and watches his eyelids flutter.

‘Their bravery is whatyou will hear about’ she presses herself closer to his side, allowing herwarmth to sink into him. ‘You’ll be expectedto be the same way. To stubbornly move forward when the whole world is againstyou.’

She can smell theash in his hair- it’s nearly overpowering this close.

They’ll tell you that your parents did a great thing. That theirsacrifice saved us all. They’ll say it in a way that makes you feel guilty forselfishly wishing that it hadn’t happened. You’ll hear that you look like yourfather. People will expect you to be someone that you’ve never had aconversation with. They’ll have stories to share and pictures to reminisceover. You’ll want to join in, because it connects you to them, but at the endof the day they will still be strangers to you.

She sighs and allows the grief to wash over her in waves. ‘I know that what I can offer is not—will neverbe good enough. But when you come to me with questions, I will tell you aboutyour parents. Not the heroes that saved us all- I will tell you about the twopeople who loved you the most in the world. Because they deserve to beremembered as they truly were.’

In silence they rest and wait for the dawn to break. Sheleaves alone.

“Mr. Potter.  I’m so thankful we have you here in class.  Much like your father, it’s evident how much respect you have for the art of potion making.  I would advise you to get a new pair of glasses, perhaps, seeing as you have failed yet again to correctly brew a simple sleeping draught?  The instructions on the board clearly state to add the Flobberworm mucus before adding the valerian sprigs. Ten points from Gryffindor for lack of attentiveness in class.”  

“Are you arguing with a professor about house points, Mr. Potter?  How very like your father you are.  He, too, seemed to have a complete disregard for any semblance of rule or order, strutting around the castle at all hours of the day. He shared complete lack of respect for his professors as well.  Five more points from Gryffindor for talking back.”

How they’d seduce/flirt with your character

Tension. It was what Lily believed brought them together; a build up of seven years of tension that had finally exploded in a rage of passion and untamed emotions. It is this same tension that adds fuel to their relationship today. Whether it is teasing words or a drag of a finger across his jaw, it is a slow sweet seduction that will eventually ignite and burn them so deliciously. 

What kinks they’d try with your character

Their bedroom--and let’s be honest any and all surfaces--is their playground. It is here they can explore each other in curious ways. There isn’t anything they wouldn’t try should the other ask for something new. Lily trusts James as he does her. If Lily had to choose, one of her favorites with James is public sex. The thrill of being caught ignites something within her.

Whether they’d dominate or submit for your character

They tend to switch, though Lily does enjoy when James is demanding and takes control. She may be stubborn and not one to give in, yet with James she can willingly drop to her knees on occasion. 

Whether they’d have rough or gentle sex with them

Both. Their arguments often lead to bouts of angry sex that are followed by comforting words and compromise. Often their passion simple ignites and their touch is rough, leaving marks and sex bruises that linger for days. Yet they will always find themselves engaging in gentler sex. Whispered words of love, soft caresses and slow movements. A promise that this will last forever, that they will last forever. 

How they’d comfort them afterwards

With laughter and food. Curling up against each other and talking through the night until they pass out, sometimes James on Lily’s chest and other times Lily on James’.

What they’d make your character for breakfast the morning after

Lily isn’t the best of cooks, so she’d make some eggs and toast. She would then deliver them to James naked to distract him from the slightly burnt bread.

If they’d brag about if or keep quiet

Lily is not the type to brag, but she is sure James would shout it from the rooftops that he finally had sex with Evans. She is half worried that should they have a child he will name it–proof I had sex with Lily Evans.

If they’d do it again

Hogwarts Castle

Transfiguration, N.E.W.T. Level

1976 (Sixth Year)

@jamesxpctter

Severus sat in his chair, silently fuming as he glared at the back of Professor McGonagall’s head.  Students around him left their seats, a chorus of indistinguishable chatter surrounding him.  Today had not gone the way he wanted it to.  First, he had gotten a “Poor” for a grade on the essay he had turned in last week.  Then, Potter had made yet another snide remark about Severus’s hair or nose or something.  While he hadn’t been able to hear definitively, he knew Potter had been talking about him.  Tired of letting the comments roll of of him, Severus had turned to quip back at Potter and promptly lost points for his house.  The teacher had claimed he hadn’t been paying attention, apparently oblivious to the roll of parchment he’d dutifully been scribbling on.  Severus had spent the rest of the class stewing in his frustration, which had quickly grown into a boiling anger.  

Of course McGonagall would take Potter’s side.  Not only was he from her house, he was on the quidditch team and Merlin forbid the quidditch team’s golden boy get punished for anything.  Severus had always suspected McGonagall had played favorites, in a subtle sort of way, to the quidditch players of any of the teams.  The students knew by now that she had played for the Gryffindor team when she was in school, but Severus was convinced she gravitated to and favored those who also enjoyed the sport.  Never mind that the obnoxious, self-centered prat had started it all.  

As the class started to clear out Severus resigned himself to leave without confrontation.  It would be too difficult and fruitless to address the issue with the professor.  She would stand resolutely by her claim and refuse to see reason.  Severus had tried going to her enough in his early years when the lot of those gits had continued their antics mercilessly.  His claims had always fallen onto deaf ears.  It would do better to leave now and find someplace to calm his thoughts.  

With a free period, and minimal work as it was early in the term, he resigned to head for a quiet place on the bank of the Black Lake.  After years in the Slytherin common room, the sound of the water lapping the banks was soothing to him.  It would put him in a good place for his Potions class with Slughorn, get his mind focused so he wouldn’t get distracted with the other students (namely the ginger-haired one) who were in the class as well.  

Severus made his way down the moving staircases without paying much attention to the bustle around him.  Students were milling about, rushing to classes.  Severus managed to keep his head down, wanting nothing more than a few moments of solitude.  He made it nearly out of the castle without interruption.  Most of the students left him alone, sensing his desire to be left alone.  One student, however, decided to step directly into the middle of the doors leading outside.  Without looking up, Severus could guess which twat it was.  

Three Headcanons for Our Muses’ Relationship (Peter + James)

+ Upon meeting James for the first time, Peter was startled, and taken aback. James was a little wild for Peter’s taste at the time, but he soon learned to emulate him. He would never admit it, but sometimes he channels his “inner James” when he’s feeling particularly insecure.

+ Peter is secretly jealous of James’ relationship with Lily. He envies James’ ability to form close relationships with anyone outside of their immediate friend group. He will never admit this to James, or anyone.

Who is the better wingman when they’re out together?:

They are both equally as good as wingmen for one another, but if one had to be chosen, Sirius would choose himself. He likes to think that he’s very good at talking James up and making others see the good qualities in him that he sees. After all, raving about James is one of his favorite pastimes. There’s not enough he can say about his mate when he gets on a roll. Though sometimes women find that a bit confusing.Which of them is more likely to pretend to be in a relationship with the other to avoid something/someone?:

Sirius. It’s not that he really ever tries to avoid other people, he just honestly likes pretending he’s in a relationship with James at all times. He’s gotten so convincing at it, that some of their classmates actually believe they are dating but have an open relationship. Sirius has always particularly liked to claim he was dating James around the Quidditch team so all of them would stop harping on him about getting to practice on time. He’d discreetly blame James for ‘keeping him in bed too long’.

Who is more likely to fall asleep at the other one’s place?:

Sirius. He falls asleep at James’s all the time. It was literally every night during the summer since he was living there. But even if he hadn’t been, James’s house had always felt like home to him in many ways. Many times he’s even fallen asleep ON James. He has no qualms when it comes to cuddling up to his best friend and snoring away. He doesn’t even have the decency to be embarrassed about it.

Which of them comes up with the more terrible of the bad ideas?:

Sirius. While James has always had his fair share of terrible ideas, Sirius’s are almost always harebrained and half-cocked, ending in horrible disasters if he doesn’t get the other Marauders involved. Thankfully, most of the time, they have managed to take his brilliant ideas and execute them in safer, more sane method, though that doesn’t stop him from fucking up and being reckless other times.

Which of them remembers more details about the other (e.g. birthdays, favorite foods, how they take their coffee)?:

James. From the moment he found out Sirius had never had a fun birthday, he’d become a bit obsessed with making sure that none of the special events between them were ever missed. However, Sirius is very good about remembering and celebrating James’s birthday and trying to remember details, because he’d never had a friend as important as James before he’d come into his life, and he’d like to keep it that way, thank you very much.

Who is more likely to bring home a stray?:

James. Sirius is very willing to take in strays, but James has always had the bigger heart of the two. In Sirius’s mind, James is the heart of the Marauders, the glue that holds them all together. He took in each of them under his wings and taught them all how to fly. He knows just how generous and caring a man James Potter can be, which includes taking in all manner of wild beast, including himself.

Who eats all of the popcorn when they go to the movies together?:

Half of it would end up on the floor as they threw it at the screen when something happened they didn’t like, but they would share it equally. Though both can scarf down food like no other, they are both mindful of letting the other have their fair share.