Written for the QLFC, Season 5, Round 8

Position: Beater 1

Position Prompt: Albus has cropped hair and is taller than James
Title: Envy

Word Count: 1,552

Beta(s): The Wanderers

Prompts:

3. (song) All I Want for Christmas is You
10. (quote) This was not a normal day

It was the winter of 2022, one of the worst in living memory. London had become almost unrecognizable under its thick blanket of snow. Around the street of Grimmauld Place, the winds of change were blowing; a change that would bring with it a battle the likes of which the Potter family had never known. The bitter cold only served to further fuel the discontent that was felt in the very heart of one James Sirius Potter. Safe and warm inside his bedroom, he watched as his relatives Apparated onto the street below and entered the house. The decorations were up, his parents and grandparents were preparing dinner for the following Christmas feast. All appeared as it ought to - all had yet to break.

The dispute began the night before - on Christmas Eve - when James, Albus and Lily all returned home from Hogwarts. James watched with satisfaction as his father looked in poorly masked horror at Albus's new cropped hairdo. His mother either genuinely thought it was a good haircut, or she was a very, very good liar. Lily tried to shuffle around them and escape the scornful looks that would be passed her way but too late -

"Why did you cut your hair, son?"

"Ask Lily." Albus shrugged, then nonchalantly picked up his suitcase and headed upstairs, leaving his sister to her fate.

"Lily Luna-"

"It was an accident!" She didn't let her father finish. "I was practicing and...um…" She looked to James for help, but he shook his head and began to gather his things to retreat as well.

To be fair, Lily's intentions had been good (as they usually were). She just misjudged this or that, and ended up destroying Albus's hair. Transfiguration was a tricky business.

This was not a normal day; it was Christmas Eve, and as such James expected it to progress as every Christmas Eve did in the Potter house. The children came home, their father would head out to pick up some Muggle take-out food and return home for a festive film. At the end of the night, James would place the star on top of the tree - in the traditional Muggle fashion of using a stepladder.

"Albus." His mother turned to look at their youngest son, star in hand. "You're taller, maybe you ought to-"

"What?!" James snapped. "No, no, I always put the star on the tree." He looked around. "Where's the stepladder? Dad?"

His father rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "We can't find it, Albus will be able to reach it."
"I can reach just fine, give it to me."

"James!" his mother snapped; everyone froze. "Albus is putting the star on top of the tree - end of story." She handed it to Albus.

James glared at Albus as he placed the star effortlessly onto the top of the tree. Lily sat cross-legged on the sofa, watching with her lips pursed. She looked between her brothers for a moment, then at her parents. She opened her mouth to say something to ease the tension, but closed it again. This had been happening a lot more often as of late; their parents seeming to favour Albus over James. James was a bit insensitive, self absorbed and arrogant - but no more than he normally was. Albus was his usual, relaxed self. Lily really couldn't understand what was going on here. Regardless, she knew what the result would be. The tense peace between her siblings would break.

On Christmas Day, Albus introduced the family to his friend. She was a girl named Kagura. She had a sharp, intelligent sort of face, dark olive skin, a mop of short black hair and eyes as dark as midnight. She was very pretty. She took one look at a starstruck James, rolled her eyes and proceeded to walk to the kitchen, her heels clicking on the hardwood floors as she went.

"Is this a joke?!" James grabbed Albus by the arm and dragged him to a secluded corner by the staircase. "Why'd you bring her?"

"She'd be all on her own otherwise, you know her family doesn't celebrate Christmas."

"Yeah, but New Year's thier big thing-"

"We're all back in school by then! Half her family's not even in this part of-"

"I know. Look, just..." James trailed off and ran a hand through his hair in an effort to fix it as the sound of Kagura's heels echoed down the hallway towards them.

"Al," She placed a hand on his arm, James glared, "Where's the bathroom?"

Albus directed her to the bathroom as James turned on his heel to head to the sitting room. First, he had stolen the tradition of placing the star atop the tree, and now he was stealing his one and only crush. James was not an emotional person, he rarely (if ever) had crushes. But there was something about the way Kagura tore him asunder with both her relentless kindness, wit and sharp tongue. All it took was a few words for her to leave him standing there looking like a fool - and for some absurd reason, he loved it. She was so clever, so cunning, and so stupidly kind. How did she balance all of that?

He tried to talk to her a handful of times that day. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he talked at her, barely able to stop the words falling out of his mouth. It took an intervention by Lily and a pep talk from Fred to calm James down enough to attempt to speak to her properly.

"Okay," He ran a hand through his hair, approaching her as she exited the bathroom with a fresh coat of red lipstick on her lips after dinner,"I think we got off on the wrong foot here."

"We didn't get off on any foot…" She said bluntly.

"Can we start again? I'd like to have a proper conversation with you."

"You didn't even have a conversation to start with," she laughed mirthlessly, "You just came over here and held me verbally hostage."

"Harsh."

"True."

"James Sirius Potter." He held out a hand for her to shake.

"Kagura Shiki." She shook it - her hand was rougher than he'd expected it to be, her hold firm.

"So," He let go of her hand reluctantly, "What's your stance on Quidditch?"

Kagura shrugged, "I don't have one."

"Um...then…" He studied her for a moment, "What about...makeup?"

She looked at him with interest, "Makeup?"
"Oh, I wear it. I am, as you have said before, as vain as Narcissus," Promptly followed by a comment that she'd hoped he would fall into the lake staring at his own reflection, "So of course I take pride in my appearance-"

She held a finger out in front of his lips and turned to face him, "Now, we're having a conversation."

It was wonderful, beautiful, a moment of pure bliss. She didn't insult him or tear him apart. They had a real conversation, a connection. They laughed, they joked. She touched his arm to playfully shove him. Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas is You began to play, and James joked about how fitting it was. She smiled - she didn't make a snarky comment, she actually smiled and shuffled awkwardly. Then, of course, his siblings had to come and ruin it.

"Um, James, we need a hand." Albus put a hand on his shoulder, looking apologetic. Lily stood behind him, looking guilty.

"Albus Severus and Lily Luna Potter," he sighed, shaking his head and gritting his teeth, "I hate everything you two choose to be." he hissed quietly, turning away from Kagura to face his siblings.

"I made a terrible mistake…" Lily whispered.

"Yeah, that's about standard for you." James said, "Albus tried to help, and now you're in even more trouble, right?"

Both of them nodded.

James took a deep breath, turned around to face Kagura again and smiled. "I, uh, have to assist my siblings for a moment."

"Oh, is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, no, it's fine. I've got this. Just...enjoy the party." He gestured around the living room, then made his speedy exit with Lily and Albus in tow.

Lily had attempted to charm one of the Christmas decorations, and ended up charming the entire tree. Albus and James had a job of trying to keep that from their parents. By the time they had managed to save the Christmas tree Kagura had long since left the party.

"Why...why, why was I cursed with you for a brother!" He almost shouted it as he stormed up the stairs.

"Hey, it's not his fault she doesn't like you."

"Stay out of it, Lily!"

"James! Be nice to your sister!" Mrs. Weasley surprised James at the top of the stairs.

He muttered something under his breath and trudged into his bedroom. Albus attempted to broker peace, but the damage had been done. Shouts echoed throughout the house, eventually Ginny had to break up a fight between them. Both boys were grounded for the rest of the holidays.

It wasn't until the week after that James found the small origami fox sitting on the kitchen counter with a set of numbers on it.

'Nice try, Potter. Talk to you later.'