Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine!
The time traveling is coming soon, scouts honor.
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-AS
Platform 9 ¾
James Potter was standing among the crowds on platform 9 ¾.
It was the start of term, and first years were running around psychotically, shouting and crying and screaming. He had a mind to kick them in the back of the knee, but that wouldn't be very nice. He tried to imagine how he would've felt 7 years ago if a seventh year took a swipe at his legs. Probably not too happy.
He stood patiently, easily seeing over the student s. He was ruffling his black hair, waiting for someone.
"Prongs. Prongs. Prooooonnngggssss. Prongs? PRONGS!!!!"
James looked up with a start. A young man stood beside him, who looked practically like his twin. His hair was shaggy and long, just like James'. They both had dark eyes to match their black hair, tan faces, and lean, tall bodies that towered over the younger kids. Many had mistaken them for brothers.
Sirius Black was punching James' arm, trying to get attention. He had almost forgotten he was there.
Sirius had a look of pity in his eye.
"Please mate, TELL ME you're not looking for her."
James looked away, embarrassed.
Sirius lowered his voice, stepping in front of his best friend.
He put his hand on James' shoulders and said with reason, "James. You have GOT to let this go. You've liked her for SEVEN YEARS! Every year she's turned you down. Every year you do this."
Sirius continued to look James straight in the eye. "Now me and Moony can only be so supportive. I was in detention every other week last year for beating up Snivelly for you, and Moony almost got caught sneaking you in firewhiskey I had found. You can't keep doing this mate! Think of all the other girls in this school!"
James glared, and opened his mouth to retort, but Sirius was looking over his shoulder.
"Oi! Moony!! Over here!"
Another teenage boy wandered up next to James and Sirius. Remus Lupin was tall and thin, just like his friends. But instead of muscular he was frail, with a pale face, and blonde hair that wasn't shaggy intentionally like theirs was, but naturally messy. His eyes were grey, like they had lost their pigment over time. As usual he looked tired and sick, but all the same happy to be with his friends.
Remus and Sirius began to talk excitedly about their summer vacations, but James tuned them out.
He had found who he was looking for.
Lily Evans was across the station, perched on her trunk patiently awaiting her parents. They were muggles, so it took them a bit to navigate the station.
She was sitting politely with her hands folded. She had on a white shirt, a brown skirt and shoes. Her hair was a long, flaming red with a brown headband, and her eyes were shining green in the sunlight.
She looked up to see James watching her, and her calm demeanor changed. She screwed up her face in a glare, directed towards him. And even though James' heart sank like it did every time, he waved and flashed his perfect grin, cocking an eyebrow in a suggestive way. The same exchange they had every year. What was wrong with having a little routine in life?
Now Remus and Sirius were on either side of him, watching in concern.
"James," Remus began in a calm tone, "Sirius is right."
Sirius punched James' arm in unease.
"See? What'd I tell ya, mate? She's just not worth getting your heart broken over."
"Again." Remus chimed in.
James finally turned from Lily to face his friends, an expression of defiance on his face.
"Heart break? James Potter has never in his life experienced a broken heart."
Sirius cringed. "Prongs, that isn't what we meant-"
"No," James cut in, his voice gradually rising, "you think that I give a rat's ass about Lily Evans? No. You think that it hurts when she turns me down every year? No. She's pretty, and that's it. Why else would I even consider dating her? Just another name on the list to cross off, that's all!"
Remus eyed him wearily. "Prongs…you know that isn't true. We're your best friends, mate. And we know that it isn't true, either."
James' eyes were trained to the floor. "Yeah. I guess you're right."
He knew in his heart that it was so much more than her looks. Her eyes, her laugh...everything about her made him smile, even her glare. That's how he knew she was different.
He turned to face her once more, where she was now standing with her parents and greeting her friends, Mia Zabini and Isabelle Potter.
James couldn't help but nudge Remus. Ever since Remus and Lily had become friends in first year because of their similar studying habits, Mia had been tagging along with them. Though Remus seemed indifferent, Mia had been attempting to hide her crush on him for years. James almost couldn't believe his luck. He had been suffering unrequited love for seven years, and it's the shy, quiet Marauder who gets the girl.
Mia Zabini was beautiful, with black skin and black hair, just like the rest of her family. She had high cheekbones and a look of elegance and grace about her. She was much like Sirius, the first of her pureblood family not in Slytherin. Her ridiculous intelligence that rivaled her with Remus and Lily was what put her in Ravenclaw. Her family was ashamed, but not too much. At least she hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, God forbid.
Isabelle Potter was Lily's best friend. It was ironic that Lily could hate one Potter so much, and be so close to the other. But James and Isabelle were hardly related, they were such distant cousins. She also had some Black in her, which was what confused everyone so much. Coming from two pureblood families with dark hair and eyes, she was the standout. She was tall and thin, with shockingly green eyes (but not as beautiful as Lily's) and long, loosely curled dirty blonde hair that almost reached her waist.
James was finally awoken from his thoughts by the sound of Peter Pettigrew approaching, and realized he was staring at nothing. All three girls had moved to greet their other friend Alice, a seventh year with wild brown hair that flipped out Farrah Fawcett style all the way to her shoulders. Wow. Something I actually remembered from Muggle studies. The History of Muggle Television. Don't see anything special about staring at a photograph all day.
The train whistle began to blow, a warning that they had five minutes. Sirius and James began to curse and followed Remus and Peter, who had already began moving their stuff.
As James got closer to the train, he caught another glimpse of Lily, with her Head Girl badge shining in the sun. He looked down for the first time at the badge he had been hiding from Sirius all summer that said "Head Boy".
He smirked, knowing this would be a good year.