It was a universally acknowledged fact that Potters all fell deeply and madly in love with redheaded beauties every single time.
"James, for the love of Merlin, will you stop staring at Lily?" Remus whispered to his best friend disgustedly. "You've already been rejected so many times"
Sirius nudged his best friend with a mischievous smile. "Potters always fall for redheads. That's what Mr Potter told me and James"
James gazed on at Lily, mostly unaware of his friends' commentary. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. One day, he vowed that she would fall in love with him. The day he had met her on the train had been a revelation. She was beautiful, yes, but she was ferocious too as evidenced by the many hexes she had thrown at him over the years. He had always scoffed when his dad told him Potters married redheads every single time but looking at Lily he began to believe his dad was right. She was gorgeous with milky, almost translucent skin and that fiery red hair thrown up into a messy bun. She stood up as if to leave and as if they were in sync he stood up too.
"Potter? Do you want something?" Lily's way was blocked by the staring James Potter. "Potter?"
James opened his mouth to speak when suddenly he felt a hand covering his mouth. "He doesn't want anything, do you?" Sirius pulled his best friend back down to the seat. There was no way that he was letting James say anything today. He had already been rejected just yesterday.
James yearned to say he wanted her. He wanted to go out with her. He wanted to take her on a date to Hogsmeade and kiss those pink lips of hers. He wanted to feel that red hair tickle his face as he leant in closer. He wanted to trace those freckles that lined her face. He wanted her. One day, he would convince her. One day, she would love him the same way he loved her.
They were drawn to those redheaded women like moths to flames. It was a cycle that repeated itself time and time again without fail.
"Ginny" Harry muttered her name as he felt her arms wrap around his body. He was safe. It had just been another of those nightmares that had plagued him since the end of the war. He opened his eyes and felt her place his glasses gently. She came into focus, soft brown eyes and silky ginger hair.
Ginny stroked his hair. "You're safe, love. The war is over" She pulled him closer and laid a kiss on his forehead reassuringly.
She had always been the prettiest girl he had ever seen. She had only grown and grown into her beauty as the years went on. He looked up at her. She was truly stunning with that long ginger hair and those mesmerising brown eyes. He had never heard tell of the Potter curse until long after he met Ginny but he could see why it was so effective. Redheaded women had a beauty of their own. Certainly, he had feelings for other girls before Ginny grew up but she was the one for him. And, he needed her to be his forever. The same way he would be hers until they died.
"I'll be back in a second" Ginny flashed him that tantalising grin as she stood up.
Harry quickly scrambled to his feet. This would be the perfect opportunity. He had been waiting for the perfect moment to ask her to marry him. But, waking up this morning made him understand there would never be a perfect time. He wanted to marry her as soon as possible. She had been there for every nightmare, every scream and every shout. He wanted to do the same for her. He heard her footsteps. He sunk to his knees. "Ginny Weasley, will you do the honour of marrying me?" He presented the ring to her. It was rose gold set with a single diamond surrounded by smaller emeralds and opals.
"Yes" She felt herself well up as Harry placed the ring on her finger carefully. Tears escaped from her eyes as she felt Harry kiss her.
No matter how hard a Potter man tried to change the cycle it was inevitable that he would fall for a redheaded woman.
"Mum, Dad. Annika has agreed to marry me" James Sirius Potter stood nervously as his parents greeted his girlfriend. He had fallen in love with Annika Carstairs the moment he met her on the train. She was gorgeous. Her dark red hair contrasted beautifully with her olive toned skin and those dark brown eyes were captivating. She had been his best friend from the moment they met and neither of them really knew when friendship turned into love. All they knew was that they needed each other.
Harry winked at his son knowingly after Ginny had taken Annika inside. "What happened to never marrying a redhead, Jamie?" He smirked with a teasing smile as his son turned red. James had vowed that he would never go near a redheaded woman after hearing the stories of the Potter Curse. He didn't want to live up to tradition. But, both Harry and Ginny knew the summer after James's first year when he introduced Annika as his best friend. "I'm happy for you" He pulled his son into a hug.
"I guess fate has a way of getting what it wants" James followed his dad inside where his siblings were sitting with Annika and smirking. Lily, in particular, shot him her famous I-told-you-so glances from across the room.
Ginny passed out glasses of champagne. "Let's raise a toast to James and Annika"
Even when they hated each other, they loved each other. Sparks would fly and love would grow from those seeds.
"Maybe, I ought to find you a Healer to fix your stupid mind!" Laurel Greengrass was currently engaged in a stand off with the idiot that was Albus Potter. He was so frustrating. "What were you thinking?"
Albus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. Throwing himself into the Great Lake had been a dare and it had been a laugh really. Plus, though she'd never admit it Laurel looked impressed. It was a look that wasn't often aimed towards him. She had always been too beautiful and out of his league. Too otherworldly with her pale, freckled skin and scarlett curls for someone like him. "It was fun"
"Fun?" Laurel grabbed him by the shoulders. She felt herself soften slightly as she noted the smile upon his face. "I'll give you fun. You lost us points"
He grinned with a devil-may-care smile. "Is that an offer, Red?" He had since grown in confidence since those initial days when he believed she would never look at him. James had told him it was all in the confidence.
She let him go and kissed him. It was an unexpected surprise. Her lips tasted like strawberry. Strawberry to match her hair. He kissed her back before she broke away panting. "This changes nothing" She felt him lean back in for another kiss and she didn't resist.
The cycle would always complete. Those redheaded sirens would attract those Potter boys every single time.