Twitterpated

Written for QLFC Season 4 Round 9.

Beater 2

Appleby Arrows

Prompt: Bambi

Prompts: (Quote) Okay is wonderful, (Word) Kaleidoscope.

WC: 1706

James Sirius Potter ran through the barrier and burst onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, ready to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Due to his mother's untimely death, his father had stepped in to take care of him and his younger siblings. It was hard to tell who was more uncomfortable about this sudden change. Not that long ago, Harry Potter hardly saw his children, except on very special occasions, and suddenly he was their main caretaker.

A hand rested on James's shoulder and he turned to see his father smiling awkwardly at him. "How're you feeling, son?"

"I'm feeling okay," James answered before returning the smile.

Harry visibly relaxed at his son's words. "Okay is wonderful, considering where we were not that long ago."

James shrugged his shoulders and started to walk up to his younger siblings, who were waiting nearby.

"I'm proud of you. Not only for how you've coped with everything you've had to deal with, but for also being a great older brother to Lily and Albus. I know I haven't said it enough, but I love you very much, James."

James forced back the tears that threatened to fall and hugged his dad—not caring about who could be watching. His father wasn't usually one for showing affection or speaking words of love, and James wanted to cherish the moment while he could.

"I love you too, Dad." His voice was little more than a mumble, while he forced back the urge to cry. He was determined to keep the tears at bay and not break down.

At that moment they caught up to Albus and Lily. James was fairly certain that his father was as relieved about this as he was. While Albus and Lily were involved in a conversation with their father, James looked around the platform to see if his friends had arrived. He couldn't see them, so perhaps they were already on the train.

"BOO!"

Without warning, he was accosted by a stockily built redhead and a tall boy with black hair not dissimilar to his own. So there his friends were, and as usual, they had chosen to remain hidden in order to surprise him.

"Fred! Felix! Where've you two jokers been hiding? I was looking around and I couldn't see you anywhere."

"Now that would be telling," Fred told him, tapping his nose mysteriously.

Felix piped up next. "So, did it work? Did we make you jump?"

After rolling his eyes at his friends, James answered truthfully. "It'll take more than that to scare me after the year I've had."

An awkward silence descended on the three of them, making James wish that he could turn back time and take back what he'd said. Fred and Felix averted their eyes and started talking loudly about the fun they'd had during the summer. All three boys were very glad when they heard the final whistle that meant they would soon be on their way to Hogwarts.

.oOo.

The three boys waved goodbye to their families and decided to play a game of Exploding Snap. It was the game they played on their first journey, and for some reason, they'd carried it on ever since. They weren't known for following the rules—in fact, they were proud rule breakers, but some traditions were important to them. As usual, James was winning.

Fred cursed loudly as he threw his cards down on the table. "How is it that you win every time we play? Is there a cheat that I don't know about?"

Felix snorted. "A cheat that Fred Weasley doesn't know about? Surely there's no such thing."

"Come on, let's have another game," said James. "Perhaps we should start playing for cash?" he questioned hopefully.

"Yeah, right! We weren't born yesterday, Potter," answered Felix.

A loud, girly giggle echoed around them before James could retort. Turning his head quickly to the compartment door, James saw a couple walking past holding hands. The girl leaned in to kiss the boy on the lips, causing him to turn pink and return the kiss enthusiastically. Fred and Felix groaned in disgust.

"If they carry on like that I'm going to bring my breakfast back up," shouted Fred, loud enough for the couple to hear.

Felix nodded in agreement. "At least find somewhere completely private if you're going to swap spit!" he shouted to the couple. They stuck their middle fingers up at him and walked off.

"It's not that gross," James told them contemplatively. "Haven't you ever seen your parents kiss?"

Felix and Fred howled with laughter at his question.

"Jamesy-boy wants a girlfriend!"

"Soon you'll be talking about true love's kiss and all that rubbish."

Embarrassed at the reaction his musings had received, James quickly backed down. "Of course not, you prats! I was just saying!"

.oOo.

As they walked off the Hogwarts Express, the familiar sound of Hagrid's booming voice could be heard calling to the first years. Knowing the gentle giant well, the three of them walked up to greet him.

"Hello, Hagrid," called James, genuinely thrilled to see his old friend again.

"Oh, hello you three," said Hagrid.

Once more, the sound of a giggle could be heard, and a couple walked past them hand in hand.

"Why is everyone acting this way?" asked Felix curiously.

Hagrid seemed mildly amused at the question. "They're twitterpated."

"Twitterpated?" the three boys asked at once.

"It's a fairly common event for older students," Hagrid told them. "There yer are, walking along, minding yer own business. All of a sudden, yer run into a beautiful face. Yer get weak in the knees, and yer head's in a whirl. Yer feel light as a feather, and before yer know it yer walking on air. And then yer know what? Yer knocked for a loop, and yer completely lose yer head."

"Awful!"

"Merlin!"

"Terrible!"

"It can happen ter anybody. So yer'd better be careful."

He points at James.

"It could happen ter yer."

He points at Fred.

"And yer…"

He points at Felix.

"And yes, it could even happen to yer."

Fred stared disdainfully at Hagrid.

"Well, it's not going to happen to me."

"Or me," answered James.

"Or me," replied Felix.

They walked off quickly before Hagrid could utter another word.

.oOo.

James stormed ahead while Fred and Felix lagged behind. He'd never heard anything so ridiculous as Hagrid's 'twitterpated' theory, and he couldn't wait to prove him wrong by remaining un-twitterpated for the rest of the school year. Judging by the whispering and snickers he heard behind him, James guessed that his friends agreed wholeheartedly. However, a few minutes later a rare silence descended on the three of them. James turned around so quickly that Fred nearly bumped into him. After a glare from Fred and an apologetic look from James, they looked over at Felix and their mouths dropped open.

Oh, no.

Cecily Fullerton, a girl from their year, was standing in front of their best friend. In fact, she was standing as close as she could possibly get without embracing or kissing him. James and Fred waited impatiently for Felix to move away so they could continue walking. To their horror, Felix turned pink and nodded enthusiastically at the brunette before receiving a peck on the lips. With a bashful grin and a shrug at his two friends, Felix allowed the girl to lead him away.

"Twitterpated," Fred growled frustratedly as the two boys continued on their journey.

.oOo.

Thankfully, they were almost at the castle without any more incidences happening. James sighed with relief about retaining his sanity.

"Well, looks like it's just the two of us now, Fred."

"Yeah, and we're much too smart to go and—"

He was interrupted by someone clearing their throat, and both boys whirled around to see who was there. James forced back a groan when he saw Charlotte Green standing there with a determined look on her face, her baby blue eyes never leaving Fred's.

Here we go again.

"Come on, Fred," he urged his friend hopefully.

Fred didn't seem to hear him. He clearly only had eyes for the pretty girl who was moving closer, swaying her hips confidently and smiling. His friend was a goner, and there was nothing James could do to save him.

Charlotte stopped in front of Fred. "Hello," she said with a soft purr, causing James to gulp.

Deciding that he'd witnessed enough, James cast a sympathetic look in Fred's direction and walked to the castle, glad to get there without making a fool of himself.

Unlike the lovestruck idiots that I call friends.

His stomach chose that moment to start rumbling loudly, so James headed towards the Great Hall with blissful thoughts of the feast he was about to have swimming around in his head. Unfortunately, he didn't get there before a familiar face appeared.

"Hello, James," Alice Longbottom said, looking very pretty with her silky, brown hair flowing freely down to her shoulders. Her hazel orbs twinkled as she waited for him to respond, and James was having difficulty tearing his gaze away from her.

"Don't you remember me?" she asked when the silence started to become uncomfortable.

Knowing he had to get away before he ended up like Felix and Fred, James backed away quickly—realising too late that he'd moved into a dead end with Alice slowly gaining on him. With a giggle at the petrified look on his face, she stood in front of him and kissed him on the cheek.

There was no other way to describe it; James was in heaven, and the room spun in a kaleidoscope of clouds. He felt as light as a feather and wondered if this was what being drunk felt like. If it was, James couldn't blame addicts for desiring their next fix. He beamed dopily at Alice—not caring about how foolish he looked. She grinned back at him, seeming just as dazed as him.

"Do you want to go the Great Hall, James? Or would you like to go for a walk?"

James grabbed her hand, eagerly leading her past the Great Hall and towards the Herbology greenhouses.

Perhaps this twitterpated thing isn't so bad after all.