Written for the "Fifty Emotions Challenge" (IfWeLivedaLittleEveryDay) at the HPFC Forum.
Fred II has never been more proud to call James Sirius his cousin.
Disclaimer: All according rights to J.K. Rowling. I however, do claim what is mine :)
Emotion #17: Pride
It was a late spring afternoon, but for whatever reason, James Sirius and I were not outside. I guess we figured we could sneak out whenever we wanted, and one time wasn't going to kill us after all. So there we were, walking down the corridor, when we came across a group of fifth year Gryffindors who seemed to be surrounding something, laughing. As we came closer, we realized that they were not in fact surrounding something, but someone. It was Matt Stell, a Hufflepuff in our year. James continued to walk towards them, and tensed as he heard the fifth years' jeering.
"Hey, Stell! Why don't you show us inside the Hufflepuff common room? Oh wait; you don't even know where it is!"
That comment sparked a new round of laughter among the older boys, while Matt tried to get away. As soon as the fifth years noticed what Matt was trying to do, they quickly pulled him back to the centre of their circle and started pushing him around, laughing even harder as Matt cowered. Finally James couldn't take it anymore and stalked over to the boys, even though they were a year older than us, as I tried to catch up.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" He yelled.
Everything was silent for a moment, and then the Gryffindors burst out laughing once more. James' face got even redder as he started yelling again.
"You are all a shame to Gryffindor house, as well as to Godric Gryffindor himself! This house is supposed to be for the courageous, but you are all a bunch of cowards who can do no better than bully a boy who is younger than you!"
With that, James helped Matt up and walked out of the circle, I following quietly, trying to remain unnoticed. James seemed to be heading towards the Hufflepuff common room, but before we got farther than a few metres, a stunning spell whizzed past James' ear, and I lost it. I spun around and whipped out my wand, ready to counter with a jelly-legs jinx, when James put a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't, Fred." He said. "It's not worth it. They're nothing but a bunch of cowards who can only curse somebody when their back is turned."
And in that moment I turned to face him, realizing he was right. What surprised me though was James' ability to just keep walking with his head held high, even though he had every right to fight back. I have never been more proud to call James Sirius Potter my cousin.
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