Reaching across time

Chapter 62: On an impulse

James Potter was not a worry wart, not at all. That title belonged to his werewolf best friend who he often stated was going to go grey by the time he was thirty. So one can imagine the horrid mood he would be in when he found a voice in his head constantly nagging at him.

It was after a good many weeks that the Potter Manor had once again found itself an opportunity to celebrate. The general crowd had gathered and the room was buzzing with excitement. James knew he was supposed to be sauntering through the crowd beaming, after all he had been dreaming of this day for as long as he could remember.

The official word had arrived from the auror academy and they were to start their training on Monday. It was a fresh start, James told himself. The busy days ahead would get their lives back on track. That meant he should be celebrating and yet he found himself standing against a wall and pretending to listen to whatever his eight year old cousin was telling him.

Those hazel eyes scanned the room as was the latest habit. They rested on his mother first. She was trying hard to look pleased about their acceptance letters from the academy but James knew she wasn't.

Despite the fact that he was going to be a fourth generation auror from his family, none of them had started out during a war and Dorea was worried for her sons. Charlus too was on the same page as his wife but was making a much more convincing effort at hiding it.

He switched his gaze next to Lily who was listening to Cassie's animated chatter. She wasn't depressed anymore, Sirius had ensured that much but he knew that deep within she was still mourning her parents and there was no helping that. He knew he didn't have to worry about Lily. Not really.

He turned to Remus next. The werewolf's spirits were drooping for he was yet to find an employment. James couldn't help but wonder how Remus was going to feel once they all got caught up with their work. He vowed to set aside at least an hour for his best mate, regardless of what came up.

Finally his gaze rested on his brother. These days, Sirius was either highly cheery or he took of on his bike for hours at a stretch. As a rule, he never asked Sirius anything. In reality when the handsome Marauder acted weirdly, no one questioned him. But unlike others James didn't keep his silence because there was no point getting Sirius to talk when he wasn't ready to, he kept his silence because he knew that whatever it was Sirius would tell him when the time was right. But that did not stop him from worrying.

Speaking of Sirius obviously involved Hermione. Though James found no reason in particular to worry about her, he had noticed that she seemed to be on an edge and there was a strange silence between the couple.

Yet it didn't look like a fall out. Her eyes were constantly on him, watching and waiting but for what he couldn't tell. And Sirius seemed more...passionate. That was the only word James could come up with. For though they never spoke, he always held her a bit tighter, kissed her a little longer and when their eyes met, the gaze held like it was a contest.

But even while they sat in the opposite corners of the room, there was a stiff but steadily escalating tension between them and James knew that Lily and Remus noticed it too. Remus had pointed out that they couldn't get involved because Sirius and Hermione were both highly stubborn people who wouldn't talk. Lily had sided with Remus on that, saying they should wait a little longer before considering any sort of action.

James knew they were right and yet it was frustrating. Luckily his elf seemed to know what he needed, for she had arrived laden with drinks. He saw the glasses floating towards them and twinkle following after it with two bottles held in her arms.

As a habit, James and Sirius never took the glasses - not unless they were self refilling ones – and always resorted to taking a bottle each. Twinkle handed James a bottle before trotting over to Sirius with the other one.