Happy Memories // James Potter

x. 12.20.1977

"Ah, my apologies." Lily says, though I can sense that the apology is empty. "I didn't know you were dating again, Jamesie. It took you longer to get back out there than I thought it would. I didn't think she was your type, either..."

The similarity of her nickname for him to mine stings me slightly, let alone the other hurtful things spewing from her pink-painted lips

"She's not his type, they're not dating." Someone interrupts, someone I know to be my brother. "Get your hand off of her, Prongs."

"Remus, cut it out." I insist as Remus pulls Lily into a hug, though I find a bit of solace in the fact that he completely ignores snape.

"I see you two have met my little sister." He says, standing in between James and I strategically. "But if I may, I need to steal James here away from you all for a moment. Keep them company, will ya, Phelia?"

He doesn't wait for my permission before dragging James away. The latter grabs a shot of firewhiskey from a waiter carrying them around on the way by, taking it in one gulp.

"I never did understand what you saw in him." Severus grumbles, placing a protective hand on his girlfriend's waist.

"Me neither. So... you and James are only friends then, Ophelia? Pity, really, he's a nice boy when you get past his... issues."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"Oh, he hasn't told you?"

"James killed someone."

~☾~

JAMES POTTER'S PERSPECTIVE:

"What are you doing here with my sister, Prongs?" Remus questions as soon as he's got me away from the crowd, his eyes holding an anger I rarely see outside of full moons. He started taking wolfsbane a couple of months ago and hasn't had a full on transformation in a while, but it's still hard on him around that time of the month.

"We're both in the slug club, it makes sense for us to come to these things together." I explain, though I know it's a lie. I'm here with her because I want to be with her.

"You've been walking on thin ice lately, Potter. You think I haven't noticed how often you're with her these days? That I haven't seen you two in the common room playing chess in the wee hours of the morning? If you were anyone else, I would have beat you to a pulp by now."

"Can we do this another time, Moony? This is a school sanctioned event that provides booze, can you just loosen up and have some fun?" I ask, trying to distract him from what's been happening between Ophelia and I, though I know that it's probably of no use.

Plus, after what I have to tell her, I don't know that she'll be a concern for him for too much longer.

I've always known I'd need to explain my past to her before I could take her to my house, explain to her why I care so much about family, why I'm always up so early in the morning.

"You'd better hope there's nothing going on, James. I won't let you– or anyone else, for that matter –hurt her."

"Are you ever going to let her out of your sight, Moony? She's sixteen, she's smart, she's kind. What are you so worried about? That she'll fall in love and not need you to be her keeper anymore?"

"Who said anything about falling in love, James? You're just making things up now, stop sniffing around my sister." He insists.

"There's a war coming, Remus. Everybody knows it, so why can't you accept that you won't always be able to protect her. Are you planning on sharing a room with her in your childhood home till your old age? And don't even get me started on how you won't tell her about Sirius, and yet you've got the gall to talk to me about keeping her safe."

"Sirius isn't yours to police or protect, James."

"And Ophelia isn't yours!" I insist, though Remus just shakes his head.

"First off, if Ophelia ever falls in love, James, it most certainly will not be with you, so I don't see why it's an issue. Secondly, Sirius and I's relationship has absolutely nothing to do with Ophelia."

"And my friendship with her has absolutely nothing to do with you! At least we're not hiding anything from you, Moony. That's more than you can say."

Before he can respond, the sound of a small whimper takes over the space around us. Each of us turn immediately, finding Ophelia to have tears in her eyes as she skirts around someone, making her way towards us.

Remus opens his arms for her immediately, clearly not expecting her to barrel right into my arms.

"Can we go back to the common room? Please, James? I don't want to be here."

"What's wrong, Cupcake?" I question immediately, worry filling every inch of my mind as I look around, finding a giggling Lily several meters away, holding onto Snape's arm.

"Jus' want you to hold me." She says, her voice muffled by my suit jacket.

"Okay, doll. We can go." I say, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, nearly forgetting that Moony is beside me.

"We'll finish this conversation tomorrow, Prongs!" He calls after me as Ophelia drags me out of the large classroom, telling Slughorn some stupid excuse about starting her ladies days.

He didn't contest our leaving once he heard that.

As soon as we're out in the hallway and the door is shut behind us, she's jumping into my arms, arms wrapping tightly around my neck as she holds me as close as humanly possible.

"Oh, godric, James. I'm so sorry."

"What's wrong, Cupcake? What are you sorry about?" I question, not fighting the urge to wrap a hand through her hair, holding her even closer to me.

"Lily... Lily told me about what happened... when you were ten. Oh, James, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry you went through that."

There it is. That explains it.

"You're not upset about it?" I question, having expected her to yell or hit me when she learned of it, but she only holds me impossibly tighter.

"Never. I could never be upset with you about this." She says, laying a peck to my neck, just below my ear, then another to my cheek, then my forehead. If it were any other situation I would be laughing my ass off, but right now I can only be thankful that she isn't upset with me.

"I can't believe you're not mad. I hurt someone, Phelia, bad."

"It wasn't your fault, James. You were protecting her, she was a baby. You were protecting your cousin."

"I hurt him. He was going to hurt her." I cry into her hair, letting out the pent up tears.

"You're the most amazing person I've ever met." She tells me, and before I can react, her lips are on mine, moving hastily against them. She tastes of tears and wine, and yet she's still the best thing I've ever tasted. Her mouth moves quickly, the bruising pace no doubt darkening my lips, but I couldn't dislike it if I tried.

But I push her back.

"We can't do this, Ophelia. Not like this." I tell her, watching as her eyes go slightly wider and her cheeks turn pink. "'M sorry, baby. Not like this. Not right now, not when you're sad and drunk and whoever knows what else."

"I'm sorry, I know. I'll see you tomorrow, Jamie." She says, pressing one last kiss to my cheek before detangling herself from my arms and turning around, walking away. The second she turns the corner, my knees go out from under me and I can only watch as the concrete comes closer to me, stopping as I catch myself with my hands, no doubt scraping them up.

"Fuck!"

"James? What's wrong?" Someone questions, though I only shoe the red head off, knowing what she told Ophelia.

She goes back inside. Remus comes out next, slinging my arm over his shoulders and leading me back towards the dorms with the promise of booze and twister with Sirius and Peter. 

2009