The One Stuck with James

School - that one thing that everyone must face. Although this was James Potter's seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he was dreading it. It had finally hit him that this was the last year he had a chance with Lily Evans.

The love of his life.

James wandered carelessly about his back garden. The ancient, roman statues were heavily contrasted with the muggle garden gnomes his father had picked out. The cool breeze whipped through his jet, black hair. He had an air of arrogance about the way he hastily moved about. His tall, built body and sparkling, hazel eyes made him the centre of attention for many Hogwarts' girls.

"James!" Remus snapped, "Stop brooding and come inside...Did you get Hayley a present?"

Remus did not hold the same arrogant sense as him. He had a slight nervous stance as if someone was about to attack him. Eyes darting from one side to the other, he kept an eye on everyone around him and fiddled nervously with his fingers. His smooth face, soft yellow-brown eyes and velvet-like hair that fluttered in the soft breeze, overcame his shabby clothes. Two long scars ran from his ear to the middle of his left cheek giving him a sense of a heroic warrior.

Remus attended Hogwarts with James, and he too dreaded going back to school.

James nodded turning his back to Remus, "I feel so old Moonstar – my last year!"

"Stop calling me that! People think we're in love!" Remus exclaimed; his voice, although shrieking, had a ringing softness to it. Many girls called it melodic; James liked to call his voice girly.

A bark-like laughter rang from behind Remus.

Sirius Black. His black hair fell elegantly onto his face, framing his penetrating, grey eyes. He had the same, if not more arrogant nature as James. He flashed a cheeky grin at James and ran his hand through his hair. Sirius had picked up the last trait from him. They both were practically inseparable. For everywhere one of them was, the other was sure to be found.

"I'm sure red will go out with you this year."

James gave out an ape-like grunt as Sirius came to stand beside him, "Did you get Hayley something?"

"She's not my sister," Sirius said, roughly kicking the grass, uprooting a patch of it.

"I'm not your sister, you still gave me present," Remus said, furrowing his eyebrows.

James and Sirius turned around to face a scowling Remus, "He gave you a hug," James sniggered, "That doesn't count - it has to cost something."

"It costed me a date!" Sirius growled, "She thought I had a thing for Remus."

"It still doesn't count," said James, a grin now plastered on his face.

"Can we go down to breakfast now?" Sirius snapped, "I'm starving."

"You already ate," Remus grinned.

"Only a little," Sirius replied, defending his humungous appetite.

"It's only eight and you're having your second meal?" Remus said, amusingly, "Hey! Where'd Prongs go?"

Sirius gasped pushing past Remus to enter the house, "He's going to finish the maple syrup!" Remus gave him the I-think-you're-losing-it look. Sirius was well known for his love for maple syrup. It had to be on everything; even the mashed potatoes.

"That's my syrup!" Sirius squealed, lunging at James from across the table. He grabbed the bottle out of James' hands giving him a fierce look. James scowled at him. Sirius took a seat opposite him and piled his own plate with pancakes.

"Hey, where's Peter?" James asked, looking around. Peter was a fellow student at Hogwarts with James, Sirius and Remus. Together they made up the infamous Marauders. Peter was considerably shorter than the rest, and even though he didn't possess the most handsomely, good looks of the others, he still had his fair share of girls. His mousy brown hair and soft brown eyes gave him an adorable, chipmunk- look that most girls fancied.

"For the last time James, he's with his family in France!" Sirius snapped, "He's meeting us on the bloody train!"

"I was just askin', no need to get all moo – Happy birthday!" James exclaimed, as Hayley walked into the dining room.

Hayley was James' younger sister. With only eleven months apart, they couldn't be more different. The only viable things they had in common was their surname, their hair colour and both played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team (although Hayley played seeker and James, a chaser). James had a protective streak when it came to Hayley; he saw it as his duty to "protect" - such as protecting her from boys, harmful situations, boys, Sirius, having fun and boys.

Her silky, black hair swayed down her back as she walked towards the table. Her deep, blue eyes scanned the table pausing at Remus and smiling. James stood up, like the perfect gentleman and kissed her on the cheek, she took a seat beside him.

"Did you like my present?" James asked excitedly.

Hayley nodded gleefully, "I can't imagine Slytherin faces when half the team walk out with Nimbus 1500s; catching the snitch shouldn't take long."

"Happy Birthday Hay-Lee," Sirius grinned, throwing her a wink.

"My name is one word," Hayley grunted.

"I know," said Sirius, giving her the obvious, forced smile, "But I said it slowly so you could catch it."

"Was that some dumb innuendo that I'm slow?" Hayley said, putting on the same forced smile as Sirius.

"I'm glad you caught on," Sirius grinned, "I thought it would take you longer."

"Unlike you -"

"That's enough," James said cutting across Hayley.

It wasn't as if Sirius and Hayley didn't like each other; they did. However, they enjoyed snapping at each other more –like a sport. But beside the snapping they were pretty "tight".

"Gosh," Sirius muttered, as he reached over and took a piece of toast off her plate, "I was just trying to be helpful -"

"Don't be an idiot, Sirius," Hayley sharply replied, as she snatched the syrup out of Sirius' other hand, she turned to face James, "James, Terry's-"

"I know he's having a stupid party, you can't go, you know what Terry's like right?" James said, "Exactly like Sirius, except he's in Ravenclaw."

Sirius gasped and opened his mouth ready to retort, but Hayley cut across him, "Terry is not an idiot."

"Hey!" Sirius shrieked, flicking a chunk of pancake at Hayley with his fork.

"Not an idiot," James said, throwing Sirius an apologetic smile, "A playboy," he muttered the last word as if it were venom.

"How do you know?" Hayley asked, pursing her lips.

"Look – I- wait – No – look – I'm not going to convince mum for you!" James snapped as he shoved the last pancake into this already, overfilled mouth.

"Thanks for getting dressed," Mrs. Potter said sarcastically to Hayley, as she walked through the door. Hayley wore her pyjama shorts and a tank top which may have revealed a bit too much skin. Mrs. Potter was a short woman with frizzy, auburn hair. Her smile could warm anybody's day.

"They're not dressed!" Hayley said, referring to James and Sirius who were just wearing their pyjama bottoms.

"Yes, but ministry officials walking in and out of this house aren't going to gawk at them," Mrs. Potter said buttering a piece of bread.

James choked on his cereal, while Sirius, grinning, thumped him on the back.

"I don't know why you're laughing," Hayley snapped, "It was an insult to you."

James stuck out his tongue at her.

"Terry's having a party," Hayley said, "Tomorrow night."

"I'm proud of him," Mrs. Potter smiled, and continued to look through the prophet.

"And?" Hayley asked, "Can I go?"

James laughed, "Terry's a lunatic, mum; and he jumps on every girl he sees."

"Quite like somebody else we know," Hayley said, eyeing Sirius.

"Hayley!" Mrs. Potter snapped, "You can't go now; and apologise to Sirius."

"Why?" Hayley said, "You always side with James -"

"It's not about taking sides!" Mrs. Potter said, "Your father wouldn't think twice about it anyway, you ask him and if he says yes…"

Hayley glared at her before she stormed off to Mr. Potter's office, James called after her, "Hayley! Wait, I want to see the show," He grinned.

"Daddy!" Hayley chirped, as she knocked on his door, with James grinning manically behind her.

Hayley was quite the 'Daddy's little girl'. Both she and James were spoilt rotten, but it was obvious that Mr. Potter spoilt Hayley and Mrs. Potter with James.

He looked up at her, and dismissed the two men he was speaking to immediately, "Yes, darling," he said.

"You know Terry Price?" Hayley asked him, taking a seat on his desk.

"Price? Unspeakable aren't they?"

"Yeah," Hayley nodded, "Well, he's having his seventeenth party tomorrow, and he's invited me to come along."

"Well I thought his parents were in France doing ministry business," he frowned.

"I'm not sure," Hayley said quickly, "But it's just a few of his friends, a small get together," she added a smile at the end; James snorted at her tactics.

"I'll get someone to drop you off," he smiled at her. She grinned, jumped off the table and kissed him on the cheek as she made her way to the door, when James caught her by the arm.

"Wait a minute Hayley," James said, "Isn't Terry Price the guy who got suspended for setting his ex-girlfriend on fire? Or was he the guy who tried to smuggle alcohol to the Christmas Ball? Or wait, did he do both of those?"

"What?" Hayley hissed to James, pulling her arm back.

"Yes, James, what was that?" Mr. Potter said getting out of his chair.

"Yeah, and I think he got caught naked with another ex-girlfriend in a broom closet, boy-"

"Hayley, maybe you should just spend the day with James," he said sitting back down.

"I don't want to spend the day with him!" Hayley snapped, her cheek growing red and her eyes welling up.

"Don't talk to me in that tone," Mr. Potter said sternly before returning to his papers, "And anyway, I don't like the idea of you partying with this hooligan."

Hayley took a deep breath; she glanced over to James who was grinning like a madman. But it was easy to make her upset. Hell, she would even get upset at James' messy room.

Hayley's POV

Around noon, there was a light knock on my door.

"Come in," I grunted.

"Mum said to get ready for Diagon Alley," James announced, like it was the most important news of the day. He puffed out his chest resembling Tarzan.

"I'm not going."

"Well, I'll just have to get you robes in my size then," he sighed, "Imagine walking around Hogwarts, with your robes trailing around on the floor."

"I'm not that short."

"You're barely five feet."

"James."

"Yes buttercup?"

I tried to give him a death glare but it was too damn hard not to laugh at his foolish grin. I pushed him out, and closed the door behind him.

James could be the biggest pain at times. No..more like all the time. Not only would he not leave me alone; he wouldn't leave the guys I liked, alone. He would either knock them out or stalk and then knock them out. It was my seventh year and I had not been in a relationship that had lasted longer than a week (that James knew about). So my mission this year was to meet the perfect boy. Someone smart, kind, caring, funny and definitely had to be bigger than James. I got ready in ten minutes and waited down stairs for James and Sirius. I was wearing denim shorts and a white top. James came bounding down the stairs, and took a glance at me.

"MUM!" he shouted, "Hayley's going to Diagon Alley with only her underwear on."

"Shut-up," I snapped, grabbing an apple and throwing it at him.

He caught the apple with ease and threw back, only at the window.

"MUM!" he yelled again, "Hayley threw an apple out the window!"

"Mummy's boy," I muttered under my breath. I walked into the next room, to find Sirius lying on the floor. I walked over and stood over him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, now I'm looking up your shorts-"

"Sirius!" I jumped away and helped him up.

"Beautiful thighs, I must say," he grinned, "Before I was waiting for you to come and stand over me, hoping you were wearing a skirt-" I hit him playfully on the arm, "Just because I looked up your shorts doesn't give you the right to hit me," He said, rubbing the spot where I hit him.

I grinned.

I got along better with Sirius. He wasn't trying to ruin my life.

Sirius said, wiggling his eyebrows at me, "Did you hear Terry made Quidditch captain?"

I could always talk to Sirius. Usually. He typically let it slip to James, but he was good if I just wanted to talk or have a pointless conversation...Although he sometimes did get protective – but I knew he was only being sweet.

"Yeah, he owled me, and he wasn't surprised James made captain either," I replied.

"He owled you?" Sirius said surprised, "I didn't know you guys were owling?"

I smiled, and whispered, "We're more than just owling."

"Better not let James hear that," Sirius grinned.

"I can only imagine what would happen," I sighed.

______________________________________________________________________

James' POV

We arrived at Diagon Alley ten minutes later. I was glad that Hayley wasn't angry at me anymore. I watched her walking a few steps ahead, making comments about this and that, occasionally throwing an insult at me and then complaining about me following her.

"James, look!" she squealed suddenly, jumping up and down.

"What?" I asked as she pointed to the crowd.

"It's Lily!" She exclaimed.

My head snapped up as I squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of that auburn hair, "Where?" I turned back to look at Hayley, only to find she had taken off in the other direction, running off into the crowd, "Hayley!" I yelled after her, "Sirius!" I snapped as I saw him chatting up a blonde girl, he looked around to me, annoyed. I beckoned him to follow me as I raced after Hayley.

"I'LL OWL YOU!" I heard him yell back to the blonde.

I caught up with her as she stopped to chat with one of her school friends. She waved goodbye, while I waited, un-noticed, behind her. She swivelled around and jumped to see me standing there.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I hissed.

"Getting away from you," She snapped, "You're like a damn magnet, Potter!"

"There could be death eaters, anywhere!" I reasoned, trying not to attract attention.

"I can protect myself, believe it or not," She said.

"I know you can, but if anything happened to you, do you think I'd ever see light again? Dad would bury me alive!"

"He won't, because I'll be fine!" She replied, trying to escape from me again.

"Hayley!" I called after her, "Why don't I go pick up the books, and I'll meet Sirius and you in Madam Malkins."

"I can go alone."

"I know, but Sirius can't."

"I can too!" Sirius squealed, "Gringotts is that-a-way."

"That's great Sirius," I grinned; I bet he was still thinking about the blonde, "I'll meet you there in fifteen minutes."

I heard her grunt as I walked away. I could tell that something had changed with Hayley; maybe I had said or done something to make her angry. Sure, I mean, I annoy her and order her around a bit, but – oh I don't know, she's just changed. I paid for the books and walked out, I was a little late in meeting them, but it should be fine. I walked into Madam Malkins. I found Hayley and Sirius squabbling about something near the counter.

"What's going on?" I asked as I walked over to them.

"Sirius won't let me pay!" Hayley snapped.

"Hayley won't let me pay!" Sirius snarled.

I handed some money over to the lady, who was quite amused by the situation.

"I paid; did you get my robes Hayley?" I asked her, as I pulled her and Sirius out of the store. She nodded, aiming a kick at Sirius.

"No!" I shrieked, I pulled her towards me as Sirius laughed, "Stop – Sirius...Shut up!"

"Do you want to eat lunch and head home?" I asked her, still holding her arm tightly. She and Sirius nodded.

"HAYLEY!" came a rough voice from behind us. She swirled around, dragging me with her.

A guy with a blonde hair came running towards Hayley, and hugged her. I immediately, pulled her out of the embrace.

"Terry?" I snapped, "Don't you have a party tonight."

"Tomorrow," He shrugged, grinning at Hayley, "You're coming right?" he asked, "I'm not going to celebrate my birthday without my girlfriend," as he winked at her.

"Oy!" I yelled, "Don't make eyes at her, you quaterwit – haha get it? It's usually half-wit but -"

"James, please, don't embarrass yourself; let's just go to lunch," Hayley said, pulling me away from Terry.

"Don't you dare come near her," I growled, as I looked down at him; he barely reached my chin.

She managed to pull me away from him, with Sirius' help, "Come over for dinner tonight," Hayley said, as she pecked with him on the lips, "Around seven." He nodded and walked off.

"You didn't tell me you two were going out!" I hissed as we walked into the Leaky Cauldron.

"I don't have to tell you everything James," She snapped, as she took a seat beside Sirius, "I told Sirius."

"What?" I snarled, looking over to Sirius, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"She only told me this morning," He shrugged as he threw Hayley a glance, "I would have told you tonight."

Bless Sirius. He tries so hard not to make me angry.

"Let's have lunch at home," I said, walking out.

"See what you did?" I heard Hayley snap at Sirius, she followed me out of the Leaky Cauldron.

"I don't understand what just happened here," Sirius muttered from behind us.