Disclaimer: Not mine, pretty much everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Summary: Everyone has a reason to be the way they are and so does James Potter. What if pieces of his mask start slipping and a certain redhead sees beyond?
Behind The Prankster's Mask
Chapter 1
He watched the two coffins being lowered into the ground. A soft sigh escapes his lips as a lone tear rolls down his cheek. A hand grabs his upper arm once the coffins have disappeared from view and he looks up. The eyes aren't cruel, but they aren't too friendly either. This really isn't all too fair, he decides as he leaves with the man the eyes belong to. Another sigh escapes his lips and he looked back just one more time.
Silently he curses life with every curse he knows as they apparated away.
'PRONGS!' Sirius bellowed the moment he spotted his friend on the platform. 'You're late!'
'Sorry, Padfoot,' the messy haired teen grinned, easily lifting his trunk into the train before climbing in after it. 'But who am I to deny a half-naked babe when she's begging.'
Sirius let out a barking laugh and picked up James's trunk on one side, helping his friend bring it into their compartment in the train.
'Hey Moony,' James smiled at his other friend, already in the compartment, sitting by the window reading a book.
Remus looked up from his book and nodded. His misty grey eyes were slightly glazed over and dark circles surround them. His sandy blonde hair was tangled up as if he just rolled out of bed. By the looks of his clothes, he probably did.
'You look like hell,' James commented after he and Sirius lifted his trunk into the luggage racks overhead.
Remus shrugged and watched his friend flop down in a seat as he closed his book. Eyeing the door for a moment, he bent forward. 'Full moon tomorrow night, if you've forgotten,' he whispered and straightened up again.
'Never, my dear friend. Isn't Wormtail here yet?'
'He's always late, you know that,' Sirius barked with laughter. 'Did your brain stop working over the summer?'
James's eyes suddenly turned void of any emotion and Sirius winced slightly.
'The usual,' James shrugged almost mechanically.
'What time is it?' Remus asked, effectively changing the subject.
'Almost 11,' James replied, checking his watch. 'I'd take my spot at the door if I were you, Padfoot, Pete's bound to arrive any minute now. Just wait for the whistle.'
'I should get going. I have a prefects' meeting again at the head of the train. I'll see you guys later,' Remus told them, getting up.
'Why don't you go stand on the look out for Wormtail?' Sirius retorted at the same time.
Remus sighed. This discussion wasn't unfamiliar to him. Every year it was the same and James was always the one to lose. Unbeknownst to them, James had a triump card though. 'Moony, wait up, I'm tagging along,' James called, jogging after his friend.
'James, it's a prefects' meeting. You're not going to impress Lily by barging in on it,' Remus sighed.
'Yeah, and what about Peter?!' Sirius asked, having followed James on the heels.
'Like I said, you can get him into the train on time this year, Padfoot. I've got other things to do,' James replied, his hands digging through the pockets of his worn jeans. 'Where's that bloody thing hiding?'
'What bloody thing?' Sirius inquired, making no move at all to see if Peter was coming yet as the whistle announcing their departing sounded from somewhere on the platform. At that same moment James triumphantly fished a shiny silver badge from his pocket and tried to pin it to his shirt. Sirius and Remus started at it, the engraving flashing at them.
'Don't tell me you're the bloody Head Boy?!' Sirius exclaimed. 'Dumbledore must be off his rocker.'
'I so can be responsible!' James protested.
'Yeah, whenever you're not pranking, planning a prank or getting laid, which leaves…' Sirius started, making a pained face as if he's calculating something.
'Five seconds every other month,' Remus offered and Sirius nodded whole-heartedly.
'Just about.'
'At least Dumbledore seems to give a damn about my future,' James hissed, turning on his heels and storming off to the front of the train.
'JAMES!' Sirius yelled after him. 'You know we didn't mean it like that!'
'What's gotten into him?' A squeaky voice behind them asked.
'Nothing, Wormtail,' Sirius growled as he turned and brushed past him to their compartment.
'I'll see if I can talk to him after the meeting,' Remus assured the retreating Sirius before quickly following James to the front.
Sirius growled softly when he noticed a few tiny first-years had taken hostage of their compartment. He threw open the door and saw the colour drain from their faces.
'Out, this compartment is already claimed, can't you read? It says right here; "The Marauders".' He scowled, pointed at words he and James had scribbled into the wood on the outside of the door in one of their more destructive moods.
The first-years quickly scattered out of the compartment. Sirius chuckled softly, feeling slightly better now he had taken out his temper on those little brats. He flopped down on one of the benches, sprawling across it now James wasn't sitting in his usual seat. With amusement he watched Peter try and drag his trunk into the compartment.
'Are you a wizard or not?' He finally laughed, taking a little pity on his fat little friend.
Peter looked at him as if he just spoke fluent Latin and Sirius sighed, pulling out his wand.
'Wingardium Leviosa,' He muttered, lazily flicking his wand.
Peter's trunk slowly lifted up in the air and disposed itself in the baggage racks. Peter dropped down on the other bench and watched Sirius for a moment. The other was pointedly ignoring him. It wasn't too strange though, Sirius was always mopping around after managing to piss James off.
-Prefects' compartment-
'What do you think you're doing here, Potter?' Lily snapped the moment he stepped through the door.
'He's Head Body,' Remus quickly answered before James could offer a retort which most likely would resort in yet another shouting match.
'WHAT?!' Lily shrieked. 'No way, Dumbledore must have lost his mind. I will not work with him, no way!'
'You're Head Girl? Congratulations,' Remus spoke just as James was opening his mouth.
'I don't think it's so great anymore. The moment we get to Hogwarts I'll go to Dumbledore and demand someone else,' Lily ranted. 'There must be made a mistake. Yeah, that's it, it's all a big mistake.'
Remus noticed his friend's eyes flash dangerously. 'You want to do this without my help? Fine, do it on your own, I'll just sit here,' James snapped and flopped down on a seat next to the window, his arms crossed as he stared at the landscape flashing by.
Lily glared at him for a moment, but turned to the prefects gathered around and started instructing them about their tasks. Every once in a while she'd shoot a glance at James who was still steadily glaring out the window. She handed out sealed bits of parchment to the prefects of the different houses.
'Remember, don't open them here, but somewhere more private. We're not supposed to be entering each other's common rooms,' Lily reminded them. One of the Slytherin prefects opened his mouth, but quickly shut it again. When Lily looked behind her she was just in time to see James turning to look back out of the window, his hand slipping out of his pocket so he could cross his arms again. It slightly confused her, but she refused to let it show as she dismissed the prefects to enjoy the train ride.
'And remember to patrol the corridors every once in a while!' She called after them.
She noticed Remus was still hanging around, waiting as James lazily got to his feet. He stretched and brushed past her without sparing her even a glance. It startled her, never before had he ignored her like that. Remus easily fell into step beside his friend when they left the compartment. 'James…' He spoke almost desperately. 'You know we were only joking. We didn't actually mean any of the things we said, especially Sirius…'
Lily watched them go, wondering what the hell the deal was with James 'Bloody' Potter.
A/N: Hope you liked it. Review!