Disclaimer: HP isn't mine. hah.
"You have got to be kidding me." James Sirius Potter moaned as he threw himself down onto a couch of the Gryffindor common room. "You have detention again? You're worse than Peeves."
Fred Weasley gave him a grin. "Come on." He said, taking a seat next to him. The fire crackled loudly near them. "I'm named after the original Fred Weasley. He was the best prankster in the wizarding world, well, other than my dad. I have to honor him, okay?"
James grunted. "Yeah, well was it worth it? You're not going to be able to go to Hogsmede if you keep doing this." He fished in his pocket. He pulled out a small golden ball and watched it fly around the room. "Your dad is going to murder you."
"Yeah, well, those trips got old in fifth year. Come on, James. It's our senior year. I can't just sit around and let the Scamander twins have all the fun." Fred watched the snitch dart around the room. "You nicked it again? You're going to get kicked off the quidditch team if you lose that thing."
James was quiet for a moment. "I can just call Morgan to catch it for me." He yawned. "Morgan Wood. She's a looker, isn't she? She's the best seeker since my dad. I almost knocked her off her broom in Quidditch practice, remember?"
Fred made a face. "She looks like a toad." He said. "Besides, don't you like Sophie Davies?"
James moaned. "Yeah, well she probably doesn't know I exist." He sighed. "Whatever, go have fun at your detention. I have to meet up with Dominique. She said she could hook me up with one of her friends at Hogsmede."
Fred snorted. "Yeah, okay." He said, smiling, and they both left the common room.
"Hey James."
"Oh Sophie, hi!" James grinned, finding himself face to face with the most beautiful girl. Sophie was exquisite. She had long, dark brown hair and a heart shaped face. She had a small, petit figure, and she was pretty much half James's height. She had freckles scattered on her nose and cheeks, and her big blue eyes stared down James brown ones.
"I was talking to Dominique earlier; she said you were looking for someone to take out Friday." She smiled shyly. "Would you want to come with me?"
James stood there, blinking. His heart did summersaults in his chest. "Oh wow, bloody hell, yeah of course." He said stupidly, running a hand through his messy hair. It wasn't jet black like his dad's or Albus, but it had a sort of red to it, like his mother.
Sophie grinned. "That sounds great." She started walking away, put touched his arm on the way. "Pick me up by the Hufflepuff common room by 7." And with a swish of hair, she was gone.
And when James had made sure she was gone, he pounded the air with his fist, whooping with victory. He had scored the hottest girl in Hogwarts!
"What's with you?" Dominique asked, appearing at the end of the hallway with a handful of books.
"Sophie Davies." He said, his grin spreading ear for ear.
Friday could not come any slower. James was wearing his best shirt, his quidditch hoodie and his least raggedy jeans. His hair looked pretty nice, he had to say, and he felt confident.
So at 7, he made his way to the Hufflepuff common room to find Sophie there in a summer dress printed with butterflies. They occasionally flapped their wings. Her hair was curly, her eyes big, and her lips red.
"Don't you look nice?" Sophie said, grinning. She grabbed his hand as they started to walk down to the great hall to meet the rest of the students. "What did you do to your hair? It looks great. It's not sticking out in random places like it usually does."
James gave a sheepish grin. "Dominique did some fancy little spell." He said. "It's okay, but it's too much of a hassle."
Sophie gave a sniff when James said Dominique's name. "Isn't she part veela?" she asked in a strange tone of voice. Was it jealousy? James wondered incredulously. Sophie was by far prettier than anyone, part veela or not.
"Yeah, but she's my cousin." James said.
Sophie looked at him, suddenly wide eyed. "So, are you part veela?' she asked hopefully.
James scoffed. "Oh, god no." he said, shaking his head. "My aunt's the veela, but we're not really blood related."
Sophie grunted. They met up with the sea of students. James could make out the eager 3rd years, all ready for their first visit to Hogsmede. He heard a couple of kids talk about Wheasley's Wizard Wheezes. Uncle George had expanded his shop; there was now one in Hogsmede and in other wizarding towns.
Sophie broke the silence. "Did you know, Clara saw Lily snogging one of the Scamander twins?" she said, her eyes wide again as they walked towards Hogsmede. "She thinks it was Lorcan, but with them, you never know."
James's eyes popped out of its sockets. "Lorcan Scamander? That was who she was writing to all summer? But no way! He's in our year, she's only in 4rth!"
Sophie rolled her eyes. "She's kind of snogging every boy ever." She said nastily. "I heard she hooked up with Daniel Corner and Mike Zambini. She's going for the bad boys."
James could not believe it. Lily? Sweet little Lily Luna, the one who had been crying over her stuffed dragon not only… five years ago? She was growing up too fast.
He was distracted all through Hogsmede. Sophie pulled him to this store and that, but he could not keep his mind off of Lily. Come to think of it, last year at Teddy and Victoire's wedding, she had been too close with that Beauxbatons guy-
"James, let's go to Madame Puddifoot's!" Sophie squealed, dragging him inside the shop. They were greeted with a bell, and as soon as James entered, he wanted out. It was decorated tackily; hearts flew every which way around the air. The tablecloths were lined with lace, a cupid statue told compliments in a sugar-coated voice. The air smelt like his nasty great aunt Petunia's perfume.
"Isn't it just adorable?" Sophie sighed dreamily. They ordered two butterbeers from a bright pink menu. "My dad and my mom had their first date here."
Sophie's hands crept towards James's on the table but he snatched them away unknowingly as he saw Lily and Lorcan walk in. They were holding hands and laughing. No, this will not do.
He excused himself from the table, ignoring Sophie's calls, and made his way to Lily's table. She was pressed up against Scamander, arms around his neck, completely ignoring James. They looked like they were trying to eat each other.
"Excuse me." James said. Lily and Lorcan pulled apart and looked up at James. Lorcan suddenly seemed very interested in the cupid, untangled himself from Lily and stalked off. "What are you doing with Scamander? He's in my grade."
Lily scoffed. "Keep your big fat nose out of things, you prat." She looked over his shoulder. "Your date's getting mad. Why don't you go back over there?"
James ignored her. "I heard you snogged Mike Zambini." He made a face. "Why?"
"That is none of your business." Lily spat, her face turning as red as her hair. "You're worse than Uncle Ron."
James felt a pair of hands on his back. "Let's go, James." Sophie whispered into his ear. "Come on, we can visit your uncle's shop."
"Can you please leave us alone?" James said rudely, brushing off Sophie's hands. He turned back to Lily. "What about you and that Beauxbatons guy at Teddy's wedding."
"Ahh, he was dreamy." Lily said softly. "James, your date just left."
James spun around to see his table empty, a galleon and two cups resting on it. He turned back to Lily, outraged.
"If you and Scamander hadn't been coddling each other so much, this wouldn't have happened!" he yelled. "Can't you just keep your hands to yourself?"
Lily took out her wand, and before James could do the same, she flicked it and James fell to the floor, howling. Bats of all shapes and sizes started creeping out of his nose.
"Maybe that will teach you from sticking your nose into my business!" Lily yelled, and with Lorcan at her side, they stormed out of the shop. James, all alone, grabbed his face, clawing at it as bats fluttered their way out. He was left to tend to the bats, and his ego, alone.
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