James

Chapter one

James rolled up the daily prophet that laid on his bedside table. He could hear Sirius snoring in the next bed over, trying to desperately cling to a few more moments of sleep. He didn't want to be up this early either but he knew his parents would be beating down his door if they didn't move soon. He rolled out of his bed and stood next to Sirius whose mouth was opened in the shape of a large O. He positioned the paper right over his forehead and with a large wack, Sirius's eyes popped open.

"James...I really want to hit you right now." Sirius said, pulling the sheets over his head. James could see Sirius roll over so his back was facing him, trying to return back to his former state.

"I already hit you first. Come on Sirius...We got to get ready to go." James said, ripping the sheet off of him.

Sirius whined, grumbling a few mushed words under his breath before realizing he had no choice but to join the living. The pair of them got dressed quickly and ran down the steps, the smell of breakfast leading them directly to the table. Mrs. Potter placed the last bit of the morning spread on a plate and placed it with the line of food as the boys grabbed two empty plates. Sirius and James eyed the eggs and meat pie as if they hadn't eaten in days and Mrs. Potter just laughed at their barbaric nature. It was quiet before James noticed something was missing, two empty chairs that failed to be filled. He looked over at his mother who was too busy making more toast to notice the same thing her son had.

"Where's dad and Scar?" he asked, shoving another piece of bacon into his mouth.

"Your father had to go to work early and Scar...was down here." She responded, looking puzzled at her daughter's disappearance. Sirius didn't bother to comment, James noticed. He seemed to be oddly quite when the subject of his sister came up lately. He tried to ask but Sirius turned into a complete grump prompting James to always drop the subject. James was about to leave the table when his sister came into the room, her hair out of its confinement and clinging to her back. Her grey eyes zeroed in on Sirius first before she sat down across from James, loading her plate with an equal amount of food that each boy possessed. James ignored his suspicions and forced a smile in which his sister returned eagerly.

"Your happy. I thought getting up early would turn you into a troll." Scarlett commented, taking a sip of tea.

"Not today...You know who we might see at Diagon Alley." James said, winking.

"James, she hates you. I swear she's going to stop being my friend because my brother is a stalker." Scarlett said, rolling her eyes. Mrs. Potter had vacated the room and James put on his devilish grin, as if he had been plotting something all holiday that no one knew about. Scarlett sighed and tapped her nails against the wood, waiting for James to speak again.

"All I need you to do is put in a good word for me Scar. You're my twin...how hard can it be to talk me up a bit."

"Extremely difficult Potter, your head is the size of a watermelon...Give it a rest." Sirius chimed in.

"Quiet. Wait until you find a girl, you'll be the same way. Well, maybe not. All you seem to want is a snogging partner." James retaliated.

"I haven't done that in ages. I'm a retired old man now." Sirius defended himself. Scarlett didn't finish the rest of her food but decided to leave the table, her hair skimming her waist as she went. James hoped that, for his sake, this would be the year he'd finally get Lily to love him. They finished breakfast quietly and all gathered on the front step. James pocketed his wand as they all looked at each other briefly. Without anymore discussion, the three of them aparated to London for a shopping day in Diagon Alley.

James was the first to arrive in the deserted alley, followed by his sister and Sirius. They waited briefly until two more notable cracks were heard in the distance. Scarlett walked forward first and James followed until they could make out a boy standing with his cloak fasten around his neck. He stepped into the light and immediately James face broke into a grin.

"Remus, Peter with you?" James asked, looking for the little runt to their pack. Petter stepped next to Remus and smile brightly at his friends, causing Scarlett to scowl. The lot of them traveled through the leaky cauldron gabbing excitedly about their final term at school. James was so proud of being Head Boy and Quidditch captain that he babbled on about it for a good twenty minutes before his sister lunged a paper ball at his head. He scanned the crowd for Lily and finally found her, surrounded by her friends at the local ice cream shop. James tugged at his shirt as if to straighten up before his sister walked past him and slid between the girls, giving greets and laughing almost instantly with Lily. He had to give talking to Lily a try despite the negative comments this morning because he wouldn't be James if he didn't give it his best shot. James strode forward with his mates in toe, finally stopping in front of his target. Remus walked directly to Paige, who hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder. Charlotte stayed by Lily's side, while Scarlett stood back against the building, trying to muffle her giggles.

"Hey Lily." James said, smoothing his wild hair back. She raised an eyebrow, as she often did when it came to speaking with him, and nodded her head as if she couldn't believe he was still chasing her. She finally sighed, giving up her internal struggle and put down some of her animosity toward him.

"Hello James. Scarlett told me the news about you making Head Boy...I have to admit, I was shocked." Lily said to him, her words darting between a friendly chat to an acid filled tone.

"Not as shocked as my mother. I think she had a mild heart attack." James commented.

"I told him Dumbledore was finally playing a prank on him...I still think he's going to get to Hogwarts and the old man is going to crush his dreams." Sirius interjected.

"No, I think Dumbledore is trying anything to calm James down a bit. You however, I think he deems hopeless." Scarlett said with a smirk.

"I would like to keep it that way too." Sirius replied with a wink.

"Alright, you two. So Lily, I was thinking...that maybe after you grabbed your things you wouldn't mind grabbing a pumpkin juice with me so we can talk before we see each other at school. We could catch up." James offered.

"No, I think I'll be okay. I promised the girls that we'd spend the day together. Maybe next time Potter." Lily replied. James watched as the lot of them walked away, including his sister who actually looked sorry for him. Paige was reluctant to join them but eventually left Lupin's side to trail behind the group, obviously with her mind elsewhere.

James sat down at a table, shaking his head. He had asked Lily on millions of dates but for some reason he believed today, out of all days, she would say yes. Maybe he was hoping this Head boy thing would help her see he wasn't a bad person, but he had to admit that his track record wasn't spotless enough to send her running into his arms. He couldn't help that his past school years were laced with him acting like a complete ass, but he would change it for a chance to be with her. She, for some reason, had that kind of hold on him.

"How did you get Paige to like you?" James asked Remus who had pulled out a small book to read. Remus set it down on the table and looked on at James with the same pity his sister seemed to employ only moments ago.

"I didn't do anything. I was actually trying to fight her away, you remember that James...but then you told me that I couldn't get caught up with the things I hated about myself and...I listened. Lily will come around though. She won't admit it but I think she believes your cute." Remus replied.

"Yeah Moony would know...they study together...but I'm not too sure he's right about the cute thing...unless she is blind." Sirius teased.

"James looks fine." Peter squeaked.

"Eh, Sirius stop the jealousy. I know that you envy my dashing looks and my ability to attract the opposite sex." James said, puffing out his chest.

"Oh right. I'm just as dashing as you are pretty boy. Come on guys, we better get moving before I spend my money on all the wrong things." Sirius suggested.

James lead his group around Diagon Alley, to absorbed in thoughts of finally getting to Hogwarts to get another chance. He didn't realize Sirius had disappeared until the stood in Flourish and Blotts, crowded around Lupin's list of books for the year. He waited for Sirius's comment about how Remus would be the only one of them to remember something that important but it never came, prompting him to realize they were only a party of three. Nobody seemed to know where he stalked off to, but none of them made a movement to find him. Eventually he would catch up.