Oliver frowned at the twins who sat on the other side of the table. “What’re you talking about?”

One of them, Fred maybe, turned towards him with a grin. “Just that Percy is the weakest physical in our family and that’s saying something with Ron being our brother.”

Ron, who had been talking with Harry and Hermione quietly, turned around and glared at his brothers. Harry and Hermione had both given Fred, (or was it George? Oliver wasn’t sure) the stink eye and shifted closer to their friend in comfort.

“I know what you’re talking about,” Oliver said with a hint of annoyance in his voice now, “I wanna know why you think that.”

Others at the table had started to turn their heads towards them in interest, Oliver was annoyed and a bit baffled to see that everyone was looking at him incredulously. As if he was the one who had said something that made no sense.

“Because it’s Percy?” George said in confusion.

Others around them nodded along as if that was all the information they needed to decide that. Before he could say anything a first year started snickering, Oliver turned his head and saw Percy walking into the Great Hall with a cup of coffee in his hands. Probably had five spoonfuls of sugar with his sweet tooth, at least.

Turning towards the twins he gave them a manic smile, “If I run and leap at Percy, he will most certainly catch me in his arms.” Oliver said with a confidence that he didn’t even have going into a quidditch match.

Lee choked on his pumpkin juice while the twins stared at him with open mouths.

“Oliver,” Hermione started off nervously as she looked at him with wide eyes.

But Oliver didn’t let her finish, he jumped off the bench and turned towards Percy who was busy talking to a first year, probably about homework from the looks of it.

Oliver sent the other a grin, everyone was watching now and he could see the professors glancing at him warily.

“Coming in!” Oliver yelled as he started running towards Percy at full speed.

Percy’s head shot, curls bouncing slightly, his eyes widen in alarm. “No! I’m holding coffee!” He yelled in alarm.

Too late now, Oliver thought as he jumped into his roommates arms with a wide grin. Percy had dropped the coffee just in time, he stood there with Oliver in his arms and a mournful look on his face as he looked at the shattered mug and spilled coffee.

“Couldn’t have waited until I finished my cup could you?” Percy muttered as he shifted the other boy in a more comfortable position.

“I don’t even know how you can call that coffee, it’s basically just a cup of sugar.” Oliver said rolling his eyes as he grinned at everyone else.

Percy blinked at him for a moment before looking around and turning pale, Oliver couldn’t help but stare at the way his freckles stood out on his now very pale skin.

But he had to be a good friend instead of a lovesick idiot first, Oliver tore his eyes away and looked at everyone else. Everyone, and Oliver meant everyone, was staring at them. His eyes flickered towards the Ravenclaw and Slytherin table, he saw Marcus and Penny looking at them with amusement.

Assholes, Oliver thought fondly. Of course those two would happily sit back and watch instead of helping.

“Oh bloody fucking hell,” Percy muttered dazedly.

An odd noise came from the Gryffindor table at that, Percy must have said that louder than he thought. He also must have realized this by the red blush that was climbing up his neck.

“What the fuck,” A student whispered to themselves.

That was the breaking point for Penny apparently. The girl snorted before slapping her hands over her mouth with a mortified look.

“Oh wow, real smooth Clearwater,” Marcus muttered before freezing.

“Real smooth,” Penny mocked.

Oliver decided to ignore them and instead turned towards the twins and other Gryffindors, “Still think he’s the weakest?”

Percy frowned in confusion before glaring down at Oliver. “You made me drop my coffee because you wanted to defend my honor!?”

Oliver shrugged, “Well, yeah- wait, wait Percy doNT!”

Jason Grace has straight hair or whatever I get it but listen

Jason with curly hair once it’s grown out. First it’s at the nape of his neck and end of his ears, so small and hardly noticeable. It feels wrong to grow out his hair just as much as it feels right. For so long he’s had short hair, cut so short that he might as well shave the rest of it off.

It’s how his hair is supposed to be. It’s what’s expected of warriors in this day and age. Not everyone does it, sure, but him? The son of Jupiter? The golden boy? The greatest of them all? The Jason Grace? Well, of course he’s just the picture perfect example of a little solider boy.

But he can still remember when he first really came to camp Jupiter. When there was dirt under his nails that were just slightly overgrown, where his feet were bare, his teeth just slightly too sharp, and hair long. It went into his eyes and almost touched his shoulders, it was dirty yet golden and it curled.

Really, he looked a bit like an angel that had clawed it’s way up from hell.

But that wasn’t the look of a son of Jupiter. Of the warrior that everyone expected him to be. Of the solider.

But time at camp half blood, time with Leo and Piper, time on a ship for suicidal mission that he truthfully isn’t sure he or anyone else will survive, well, it can change a person. Especially a person with altered and fucked up memories.

His main concern wasn’t his hair. So it started to grow, and one someone mentioned it he found himself it the bathroom with scissors and an electric trimmer. It wouldn’t take long, his hair wasn’t long enough to touch his shoulders but it was getting there.

Floppy, blonde and bright, waves of curls fell around his face, framing his jaw and neck.

They weren’t styled, he had no idea how to style them. Neither did Piper or Leo. Piper didn’t have curls, she never bothered to learn how to deal with them. And Leo never had the money or time to do much with his own other than try and keep them from being tangled.

He could cut it all off, go back to his normal hairstyle. But a small part of him that he hasn’t allowed himself to acknowledge in years howled in despair at the thought.

Five times stalia told someone they loved each other and the one time they told each other

Tags are under the cut

Also me: TRAVIS STOLL AS A SINGLE DAD WHO CUT CONTACT WITH EVERYONE BUT HIS BROTHER AND EITHER TRAITE HAPPENS OR THEY JUST BECOME BESTIES AND ITS LEFT UNDECIDED

Me: please don’t do this

Me: IT HAS BEEN DONE

Me: how is there already 4000+ words

James Sirius Potter wasn’t as stupid or oblivious as everyone thought. Sure he wasn’t as smart as his other family members and he did miss certain cues that everyone else got but he wasn’t stupid.

What he was is an actor. He was a pretender. He wore masks and had walls around himself made of steel, but in front of all that was a wall of glass that was sparkly and screamed for attention. That wall everyone paid attention to.

He was James Sirius Potter, resident prankster just like his namesakes and quidditch crazed like almost everyone else in his family. He was the first Potter child, the one who’s fame went to his head. The one who was loud and demanded attention. He was James Sirius Potter the boy who was least like his parents and more like his namesakes before they got their heads screwed on straight.

Or at least that’s what everyone thought. No one saw the James who’s smile would waver ever so slightly. No one saw the James who’s shoulders would fall down in defeat as he walked behind a group of ‘friends’ that laughed and joked and said side remarks that they were sure he would never understand. No one saw the James that would sneak his sister the invisibility cloak because she was the real prankster of the family. No one saw the James who’s eyes would follow his brothers every move with fear and desperation in his eyes.

That James didn’t exist to anyone. Well to anyone except a certain Ravenclaw.

“Hey, Potter!” A voice called out.

James turned his head slightly to see a tall dark haired boy running towards him. Sighing he slowed down slightly so the other boy could catch up.

“Something you need Park?” He asked.

The other boy had finally caught up to him with a grin on his face.

“Fancy a date with me this weekend?” The other boy asked with a grin.

James snorted and shook his head, he had rejected every request and demand from the other students by pretending he didn’t understand them. Now in his sixth year no one bothered asking him out anymore.

No one but Adam Park that is.

Although Adam was different. James didn’t have to pretend with Adam and the other boy was never very insistent with asking him out. It was always at the beginning and end of the school year. A routine for them both, a constant in both their life’s that would have to change one day. Seventh year was only a year away after all.

“You know, anyone else would have given up by now.” James said with a smirk.

Adam laughed and shook his head, “Guess we’re both different then. So what do you say?”

James shook his head and walked away. He knew he’d see Adam later today, maybe he’d even get away from his other ‘friends’ for a few hours. He’s forgotten how tiring it was to pretend around a group of assholes after spending nearly the whole summer alone.

Not that anyone realized he was alone. It was surprisingly easy to get his parents to let him stay out nights on end, they never questioned that he’d be lying about meeting up with his friends. Not that he could blame them, not after what happened the year before with Albus.

“Don’t get stuck in that head of yours Potter. If you do I’ll have no other intelligent people to talk to.” Adam said.

James rolled his eyes, “I have several cousins and two siblings who are all much smarter than me. Everyone knows that.”

Whoops, James thought, he hadn’t meant to sound so bitter with that last part.

Adam frowned at him slightly. “Don’t say that. And maybe everyone else would know you are smart if you’d stop being who everyone expects you to be.”

James pressed his lips together tightly and shook his head. No, he thought, he can’t do that. This is the best way to protect his family without getting physically injured and being a reckless idiot like his dad and brother.

“You know I can’t do that Park.” James muttered.

“I wish you realized that you could.”

———————————————————————

Adam Park didn’t mean to fall for James Sirius Potter. But after sneaking into the library one night and finding the other boy curled up with a history book of all things he knew his heart was taken.

Well, he didn’t know then. But in his third year he knew that was the moment he had started to fall for James Sirius Potter. The James he saw that no one else got to see.

For weeks after that incident he had watched the other boy, watched him and realized how easy it was to pick apart his mask if you just paid attention.

“You know, you aren’t as secretive about stalking me as you think.” James said one day.

Adam was so startled that he tripped and fell.

It had taken awhile but James did start to trust him. It hurt to realize that the other boy expected everyone to only want to be around him for his fame. For his parents and family’s fame. Never for him.

But Adam refused to let James have no one. His mother always told him that everyone needed someone, no one should be alone.

It was at the end of their first year when he asked the other boy out for the first time. It was a joke then and they both knew it.

“You really are crazy Park,” James had said with a smile before turning around and walking towards his parents and siblings.

He had asked again in the beginning of their second year. It was still a joke then, a private inside joke just for the two of them. Adam never even told his mother about it and he told her everything.

At the end of third year something has changed and they both knew it. Adam knew it was a good thing James had rejected him again then, they were both so young then. But fourth year they both knew the no was a silent maybe. A maybe that might never be answered or a maybe that was keeping them grounded.

By fifth year it was routine for Adam to ask James out and for James to reject him. It was their Thing that only the two of them and maybe a few ghosts knew about.

And Adam was okay with that. But now it was their sixth year and next year their seventh. This routine that he always looked forward would have to come to an end at some point.

But for now they could pretend together. Pretend that this unspoken thing between them was nothing at all and that they weren’t hiding themselves from everyone around them.

It was so easy to keep pretending than it was to break the cycle they were in. Adam could see why James found it easier to be who everyone expected him to be instead of himself.

It was their loss, Adam thought to himself, because the real James is one of the best people he knows and he wouldn’t trade him for the world.

He just wish that James himself would realize this as well.

I’ve decided I’ll post this on my ao3 and I’ll make it a series. I’ll add the link in my bio when that gets done. And I don’t know if anyone is going to be interested in this but if so I can tag you for any future updates or send you a message if you’d like.

But it doesn’t really go with the flow of the chapter? But it could?

James laid awake, listening to his two cousins snore as they lay a few feet away. Sunlight peeked through the worn down curtains and warmed his face, like a warm hug that he wished would last forever.

He’d have to get up soon, breakfast would be ready and his entire family would be up. But for now he was more than happy to lay down and ignore the feeling of doom as the time ticked back. With every second he got closer to the confrontation between himself and Teddy, maybe even his cousins as well. James would rather not think about that, but alas, his brain didn’t seem to be his friend at the moment and would only think of that.

But before he knew it an hour had passed and he was walking down the stairs for breakfast along with his half asleep cousins. Heading towards his doom.

Maybe it won’t be that bad, James tried to reason with himself, maybe Teddy will change his mind and decide that everything is fine, because it is fine. He’s fine.

He has to be fine.

But sitting down with his family around him and desperately trying to not look at Teddy he couldn’t help but feel anything but fine. It felt like he was drowning and anxiety was climbing up his throat and choking him, holding him down and breaking him. So James did what he did best, he smiled and laughed as he ate breakfast with his family. And if he had to hide his hands under the table because they wouldn’t stop shaking then no one had to no, it’s not like anyone would actually care anyways.

“So!” Charlie clapped his hands together with a large grin on his face, “What have the next generation of Weasley kids been up to at school?”

Almost immediately every kid at the table started talking, even Albus was sharing what he and Scorpius had been doing the last week.

Fred leaned across the table and gave James a strained smile, “Why don’t you tell everyone what happened in potions a while ago?”

Roxanne joined in, “Or about that friend of yours who none of us knew existed until this year,” she gave James an innocent smile as she scooped a spoonful of oatmeal in her mouth.

Teddy narrowed his eyes at James from his spot at the table, “Yeah,” he said slowly, “tell us about what happened in potions Jamie.”

James clutched at his hands under the table as he gave everyone a large grin, the others had all paused their own conversation to stare at him curiously.

“Oh, you know,” James said dismissively, “just a small accident in potions that I fixed. Freddie can probably tell you more about it, it’s kinda my fault that we needed to fix the potion in the first place.” James said with an embarrassed smile.

He ignored the way Fred and Roxanne frowned at him, turning his head he froze when he found himself staring straight at Teddy.

James gripped at his pants tighter, nails digging into his skin through the material, and gave his godbrother a forced smile before looking away.

“Well, actually,” Fred said stiffly, “James and I were talking and neither of us realized the potion was bubbling until it burnt us. James fixed it and I think he might be Slughorn’s new favorite.” Fred paused for a moment and seemed to remember something, “that and convinced that Jamie here is a secret potions expert and takes after his grandma on Uncle Harry’s side.”

Before anyone could say anything James spoke up, “Yeah, well, I’d say it’s just the Potter luck. Me being good at something only in an emergency. Everyone knows Lily is the best at potions in our family, I heard she’s got nothing but O’s on all her work in there so far,” James said proudly.

He also may have been directing the attention towards someone else, but it worked. Almost everyone turned towards his younger sister and began talking to her.

Another hour passed and the conversations started to die down as plates stopped being filled with food.

“Kids,” Hermione started once she saw everyone was just about done with breakfast, “We know this is rather unexpected so we’ve all decided,” she gestured towards herself and the other adults at the table, “That for today you can do whatever you wish as long as you don’t leave the house.”

She stood up along with Ron, Harry and Ginny, “The four of us have some things at the ministry to do but we’ll be back by lunch,” she told Molly.

Hermione and Ron hugged and kissed Hugo and Rose goodbye as Harry and Ginny did the same with their kids, taking a minute longer with Albus.

“We’ll be back soon,” Ginny promised.

George sighed as he stood up as well, “You all aren’t the only ones who got told about this rather last minute,” he said dryly, “I’ll be back around lunch as well, I have a business meeting that couldn’t be rescheduled.”

George gave his mother a kiss on the cheek before doing the same with his wife and kids.

Dominique stared at the rest of the adults with an unimpressed look, “Anyone else have to leave even though all of us are forced to be here?” She snapped.

Percy stood up with Lucy, “Lucy has a project for school so we’ll be at the muggle library for most of the day, if anyone likes I can take one other person with us as well,” he said.

James moved to stand up but Fred reached over and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “Thanks for the offer Uncle P, but I think we’re good staying here.”

Percy cast a sideways look towards Molly and Teddy before looking back at James and Fred, “I’m sure you are,” he mumbled before saying goodbye bye to everyone and leaving with Lucy.

Teddy stood up, “Well, I’ll be in the garden then. James, can you come help me with something?”

Fred tightened his grip on James, “How about we both go, yeah Jamsey?”

Bill and Fleur watched the three of them with confused looks, they were the last adults still at the table, “Is there something we should be aware of?” Bill asked tiredly.

“Nope!” Fred said happily

“Merlin, he gets more like his mother everyday. I’m starting to wish he was more like George,” Bill grumbled as he got up and started gathering dirty dishes and walking away.

James felt just a bit betrayed by his uncle for leaving him.

Before he knew it he was being dragged to the garden by Fred and Teddy. Molly, Roxanne and Vic were already there waiting for them.

“Oh, wow guys, this is starting to feel like an intervention,” James joked weakly.

He got four glares and one guilty look in response.

“Tough crowd,” he muttered.

“James, what the fuck has been going on with you?” Teddy snapped, his usual turquoise hair had turned into a mix of vomit green and dark orange.

Teddy was angry and worried then.

“Whatever do you mean my dearest godbrother?” James asked with a strained smile.

Teddy glowered at the younger boy, “What I mean is why did it look like you were having a panic attack in the kitchen when me and Vic walked in? How come as soon as you saw us you smiled and said a joke? Why the hell did Molly tell us that this isn’t anything new?” Teddy hissed.

James turned towards Molly with a betrayed look, she immediately winced and tried to explain, “I didn’t mean to say anything James. They just kept asking questions and then they were going to tell your parents and it slipped out! I’m sorry”

Victoire stared at her cousin in disbelief, “You’re sorry?” She yelled, “James had a panic attack and he didn’t tell anyone! His first response when he saw us was to tell a joke instead of telling us that something was wrong!”

Fred and Roxanne stared at the two older girls before glancing at each other worriedly, “Hey,” Fred said, “Let’s all just calm down. We agreed that we would do this without blaming anyone or getting mad,” he sent a sharp look towards Teddy.

“James,” Roxanne started, “What’s wrong?”

They all turned towards him and James stumbled back, he felt warm. Why was it so warm? And why was he having trouble breathing suddenly? Merlin, it felt like he had just ran one of those marathons Adam was always talking about. But it was worse, it was so much worse.

It felt like something was squeezing his chest and an alarm was going off inside.

He’s felt like this before, it was the day his mask started to finally crack. The day Teddy and Victoire walked in on him in the kitchen. He’s even felt like this in front of Adam once, when he found out Albus was missing and in danger. Adam had helped him, but Adam wasn’t here and James still couldn’t breath.

“-ames!? James! Merlin!” Fred shouted as he ran towards his cousin.

James flinched back and felt the fog in his mind clear up, his chest still felt like it was being squeezed and his hands wouldn’t stop shaking but he could breath easily again. James swallowed and looked at his cousins and Teddy.

“Think I can convince you all to pretend this didn’t happen?” James asked weakly.

Teddy stared at him with a hurt look, “That was my fault, wasn’t it?” He whispered.

His hair had turned an ashen gray that had become limp.

James shook his head furiously, “What? No, no. That’s happened before, it wasn’t…I mean it was but,” James eyes darted around frantically, “it’s complicated Teddy. This? All of this? It’s not worth it. Just forget about everything you think you know and we can go back to before.” James said finally.

Roxanne shook her head, “No, James I can’t pretend that this didn’t happen and even if I could I don’t want to go back to before. You aren’t okay and I’m sorry that we didn’t see that before. I’m sorry James. But we’re seeing it now, so let us in,” Roxanne stared at him pleading.

James stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. “I’m fine, there’s nothing to be sorry about-“

“You’re not fine!” Molly snapped.

James stared at her shock.

“You are not fine James and truthfully? I don’t think you ever were,” Molly said, “and you just keep pretending that you are. You let kids at school be so, so terrible to you,” Molly sniffed slightly, “you let us be terrible to you. James, barely any of us even know you. The real you. James you aren’t okay and I can’t ignore that anymore. I won’t ignore it.”

James let out a bitter laugh, “Don’t you get it? There’s nothing to ignore because I’m fine! I’m James Sirius Potter! The first born of Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter! I’m the spoiled rich kid that gets everything handed to him because of who his family is, I’m fine.”

James spread his arms wide and gave them all a grin, “I’m fine!”

Molly shook her head sadly, “Oh, James,” she whispered before she hugged him tightly.

James let his hands hang at his sides as she hugged him. The others came towards them hesitantly before hugging him as well.

James stared past their heads and up at the sky dully, he was fine. Why couldn’t they understand that?

“We’ll fix this,” Teddy whispered, “I promise you.”

The funny thing was, James didn’t believe him. There was nothing to fix. Even if his family didn’t know the real him, even if he sometimes feels like he’s drowning. Even if James feels like there’s no one he can ever trust with his true self except for Adam.

It was fine. He was fine.

Right?

As the group continued to hug each other for another few minutes no one saw a boy shrink away in the shadows and turn around. No one saw Albus Potter walk back into the house with his head bowed down.

Silverware scraping on plates and a few murmurs was all that was heard in the Weasley’s childhood home. James lazily moved his food around, fork barely scraping the plate, as he tried to ignore the glances from Teddy.

He was only glad no one had become suspicious, everyone was too busy trying to ignore each other out of fear of a fight happening. No one was exactly happy about being pulled away from their friends unexpectedly. Even little Lucy who didn’t go to Hogwarts looked slightly miffed.

James pushed the food on his plate around, only taking a few bites, after the mini confrontation with his cousins and Teddy he found his appetite nearly nonexistent. He knows that if Adam were here the other boy would have distracted him and tricked him into eating. James ignored the ache in his chest, he already missed the Ravenclaw as if he was some lovesick teenager.

Which he was but James wasn’t ready to admit that just yet.

“So, James,” Roxanne said as she turned towards him, “Why don’t you tell us more about Ravenclaw? I wouldn’t even know about him if Fred and I hadn’t seen you in the library together.”

That got everyone else’s attention.

James in the library? With a Ravenclaw? With the boy who out of all his friends (ha! Right, friends ) was the one he said goodbye to? Of course the rest of his family instantly became curious.

But James was not curious, he didn’t want to tell them anything about Adam. Wasn’t it bad enough that nowhere felt safe anymore? Why couldn’t they just leave it alone? He was fine, he still had Adam. As long as he had Adam by his side he knew he’d be okay.

“What’s there to know? He’s one of my closer friends and happens to be a Ravenclaw,” James said, forcing himself to smile brightly.

When Roxanne opened her mouth again she suddenly clamped it shut and glared at her brother. James decided to ignore the silent fight between the siblings, it seemed that everyone else was willing to take his answer and ask for nothing more. Something he was incredibly thankful for.

“Albus, how have you been?” Grandma Molly asked suddenly.

The boy in question shrugged, “fine,” he muttered.

James watched as his younger brother looked down at his plate, watched as his hands shook just the smallest bit, watched as his brother desperately tried to become invisible even with the attention on him. Now that just wouldn’t do.

“You know,” James said loudly, “I heard that a certain little sister of mine has a crush,” James teased Lily with a smile.

Almost immediately everyone turned towards her, everyone but Albus who was calming himself down. James watched his brother out of the corner of his eye for a few moments, once he saw that the younger Potter was okay he looked away.

After another hour of eating and talking everyone had started to doze off at the table. James looked around for a moment, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, were ALL of them staying here?

James looked at the adults and felt his stomach drop. All of them had hesitant and guilty looks, looking at his cousins and siblings he saw the realization slowly sink in.

“Dad,” Dominique said slowly, blue eyes flashing dangerously, “we aren’t all staying here, right?”

Bill, to the amusement of his siblings, avoided eye contact with his daughter. “We're going to tell you all sooner,” he said weakly.

“So let me get this straight,” Rose snapped, “not only did we all have to leave school once a weekend every month without our say but we also all have to be cramped in less than seven rooms?”

“Just for now,” Hermion said softly, “at least for the first few times. We want to keep you all safe.”

“And apparently push us all away,” Louis snapped.

Fleur frowned at her son, “Louis! Apologize!” She hissed.

“Mum?” Hugo asked.

Hermione rubbed her face tiredly, “Yes, Hugo?”

“Who’s sleeping where?”

That one little question was enough to stop all arguments.

There were currently twenty four people at the table, how on earth would they all fit into less than seven rooms? James looked around and nodded to himself.

“What about the older kids who are already of age and have graduated and can go somewhere else for the night and come back in the morning? Uncle Percy and Lucy can go back home and come back in the morning as well, I doubt anyone would go after them. Same with Uncle Charlie. That’s six less people in the house so that means we’d have to make room for eighteen people instead of twenty four .” James said.

Uncle Charlie stood up and clapped Uncle Percy on the back, “What do you say little brother? Think I can sleep on your couch?”

Percy rolled his eyes but nodded nonetheless, he turned towards Teddy, Vic and Molly, “You three, especially Molly, can stay as well if you’d like.”

Ron snorted, “You just like having a full house, admit it Percy,”

“I will do no such thing.”

Soon enough the small group left with promises of coming back in the morning, and a extra tight hug from Teddy who made sure to tell James that they would be talking tomorrow.

“That was actually a smart idea James,” Dominique said.

James gave her a small smile, “Yeah, well, the rest of you have to figure out where all of us are sleeping. My brain needs a nap.” He joked.

“Don’t we know it,” his Uncle Bill said fondly, ruffling James hair.

James gave him a wide grin.

————————————————————————————————

James slowly crept down the stair, pausing with a grimace when one let out a loud creak. He held his breath as he listened for any sounds before quickly making the rest of the way down. Stepping into the kitchen he flinched slightly at the cold tile on his bare feet, slowly he walked towards the widow and grinned widely at what he saw.

A owl was perched by the window waiting patiently, but what made him grin was when he realized who the owl belonged to. All but leaping he grabbed the letter, making sure to be gentle with the owl still, and read eagerly.

Hi ya, Potter,

I figured it would attract less attention if I got a letter from my owl instead of a Potter or Weasley owl in the morning, and if you send it early in the morning or late at night seeing as you don’t understand the meaning of sleep.

It’s not too bad is it? I know it’s never easy to deal with your family. If I’m being awkward I’m this you can’t blame me, we both know I’ve never been good with writing down my thoughts. You on the other hand can do that.

Hey, maybe if you end up traveling the world with me you can write about it. Don’t think I didn’t miss the way you’ve been collecting newspapers and have taken notes from them. Can’t hide from me Potter.

You didn’t miss much so far, dinner was as uneventful as usual. I really am missing having someone with an actual brain to talk to. My roommates are great but they're so obsessed with doing everything by the book, where’s the fun in that?

And I’m sure you’re missing my oh so beautiful face. Who wouldn’t? It’s why mirrors are one of the greatest inventors! Right behind pencils and pens of course, those things are gifts from the heavens I tell you.

You know, I forget how much I miss you when we aren’t with each other. I got used to being with you every day, I guess we’ll have to get used to this feeling since we’ll be graduating soon. Unless we do end up traveling the world together, we’d be with each other ALL the time! Not that it would be a bad thing.

Anyways, knowing you it’s the middle of the night so do try to get some sleep? I’d rather not get my best friend back dead on his feet because he was an idiot. And remember, don’t get stuck in that pretty head of yours Potter. I won’t be there to snap you out of it.

From the most amazing best friend ever (who also has thee most breathtaking face ever seen by the world),

Adam Park

James smiled softly and shook his head in amusement. He folded the letter gently and placed it in his pocket, looking up at the clock he winced at the time. He needed to write back quickly if he wanted to get any sleep at all.

How goes it Park,

You’re right, doing it this way means less attention. And my writing really isn’t as good as you say it is, most would probably say it’s terrible. A real horror. But writing while traveling around the world with you doesn’t sound half bad, look at that, you had a good idea! And I sleep just fine. Thank you very much! You act like a bloody mother hen, you know that?

You’re definition of having fun usually ends with chaos, and not always the good kind. I assure you I am not missing your face whatsoever, rather glad that I don’t have to see the thing for another two days.

As for the family, well, it certainly hasn’t been easy. Tomorrow, or maybe today by the time you get this, will probably be full of Al trying to avoid questions from everyone and me avoiding Teddy. Tonight was more of the calm before the storm, something I’m not exactly excited about.

I wish you were here with me, you know. This would be easier if you were here as well. You always make things easier.

I’ll probably send you another letter later, not much happened tonight either but the same probably won’t be said over the rest of the weekend.

And I’ll try not to get stuck in my head as long as you try not to lose yours, as funny as it is watching you run around looking for a paper you’re holding I don’t think it would be as funny if it’s your head.

From your better half (and friend who has a NORMAL sleep schedule),

James Sirius Potter

James signed his name before rolling up the letter and giving it to the owl, after giving the owl a few treats it flew into the air. He watched as the owl slowly disappeared from his sight, with a smile on his face he slowly walked up the stairs and back to the room he was sharing with Fred and Roxanne.

Both were still fast asleep, James noticed with amusement that both had their mouths wide open with drool and limbs spread out. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, finally he knew he could go to sleep peacefully. Just reading a letter from Adam and writing one back to him was enough to make him feel at peace.

But it wasn’t enough to stop his worries for very long, he still couldn’t shake off the anxiety for what was to come. He loved his cousins and god brother but he would happily go about his life without them confronting him. But James knew that Teddy wasn’t letting this go, the older wizard’s hair didn’t even turn its usual teal once during dinner.

James pressed the palm of his hands to his eyes and breathed shakily, sending one more look towards Roxanne and Fred’s sleeping forms; he let his mind drift to Adam as the exhaustion started to creep into his bones. With his eyes fluttering close he thought about Adam in his own bed tossing and turning.

Just get through this weekend, then I can see him, James thought to himself.