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 2

Lily's eyes flashed when she spotted the headmaster sitting at the teachers' table in the Great Hall. His eyes were focused on the Gryffindor table and she didn't even have to guess at whom. Sure enough when she followed his gaze her eyes landed on the four Marauders.

Obviously whatever had happened on the train was forgiven and forgotten. The boys were talking loudly, but not loud enough for her to hear what they were saying. The loudest of the four were predictably, the two black-haired boys sitting on one side of the table; Sirius Black and James Potter. If she didn't know better she'd have said the two were Siamese twins separated before birth. At times it was as if the two were attached at the hip, nearly inseparable.

'So Potter's Head Boy,' a voice spoke in her ear. 'Tell me, when are you going to complain to Dumbledore about it?'

'Dorcas,' Lily smiled at her friend and quickly hugged her before continuing on her way to their house table. 'I'll go see Dumbledore first thing in the morning.'

'Give them a break, Lils,' another girl complained when they sat down next to her. 'They're not so bad.'

'Just because you've got the hots for Black, Serena, doesn't mean the rest of us turn a blind eye to their actions,' Dorcas replied.

'You won't be half as prejudged like that if you know who James's parents were,' Serena shot back.

'Does anyone know?' Dorcas argued. 'I mean, he never talks about them now, does he?'

'I know from my dad, but I'm not about to spill my guts just because you ask me to. Obviously James doesn't want the school to know, so I'm not going to get on his bad side,' Serena replied smartly.

'Will you two both stop?' Lily groaned. 'Potter and Black really aren't my favourite subjects of discussion if you haven't noticed yet.'

'No, we hadn't notice,' Serena replied sweetly. 'So how was your summer, got around to any Petunia Pestering?'

'No,' Lily replied, making a face. 'She was always out with her new boyfriend, Vernon. More like "Fat Pig" if you were to ask me, but at least it got her out of my way.'

Dorcas petted her friend's shoulder compassionately. Down the table, the Marauders were having similar conversations.

'So James, what did you do this summer?' Sirius inquired. 'You know I really wanted to stop by, but…'

'You were busy with that little apartment of yours, yes, I know,' James sighed, smiling weakly at his friend. 'Like I assured you before the summer, I don't blame you. My grandfather came to get me and we spend two weeks together instead of just one and for the remainder of the summer I pretty much had the mansion to myself… as always.'

'And as always you won't tell us what you and this mysterious grandfather of yours did, for that is between his and his favourite grandson,' Sirius grumbled. James gave him a wicked grin while shaking his head.

'I still don't get why you won't tell us about him,' Remus interjected. 'What is it about him that you can't tell us?'

'It's the same reason I don't want every student in school to know who my parents are, too much prejudice is attached. People will think they know why things were and are done while that's absolutely not true. Everything I've achieved, I did on my own,' James told them. Behind his glasses his hazel eyes were flashing. His friends were familiar with that look and knew he was capable of ranting about his parents and the many reasons why they should not have been allowed to reproduce for ages if not stopped.

They were in luck, for at that moment McGonagall walked in with the tiny first-years for the sorting ceremony. James fell quiet and watched the sorting-head intently. It seemed to calm him down and by the time Dumbledore rose, he had put the outburst behind him.

'In my years as headmaster I've learned there are times for speeches and times for food. I've also learned that the times for speeches come when the mind is not distracted by the stomach's demand of food. Therefore; tuck in.'

Food appeared on the tables and the students happily tugged in. Both Sirius and James loaded their plates with everything in their reach, Sirius wolfing down his food and James eating at a slightly lower pace.

'You do know you two look like you were starved over the summer, right?' Remus pointed out.

'I still have to keep reminding myself my food isn't made for me anymore,' Sirius replied through a mouth full of food.

'Missy and Oddball won't let me,' James shrugged. 'But somehow food at home never tastes as good as it does at Hogwarts.'

All too soon did the serving of desserts melt away and Dumbledore rose again. Every student looked up at him expectantly and Dumbledore smiled at them, spreading his arms wide.

'To new students; welcome, to old students; welcome back. I hope you have all enjoyed your summer and have managed to clean out your minds to make room for the new facts you'll be learning this year. Mr. Filch asks me to inform you yet again that certain items have been banned from possession in this school. For the list of banned items I am to direct you to his office…'

'Like anyone with half a brain voluntarily would walk in there!' Sirius called loudly so everyone in the Great Hall heard.

'Thank you, Mr. Black, you get the chance to be the first student to enter there this year, tomorrow night, 7 p.m.,' Dumbledore replied without missing a beat. 'Also, we have a new Head Boy and Girl this year. Please rise so everyone knows who you are,' the headmaster requested and James and Lily stood up from their respective seats. Momentarily the hall was filled with shocked whispers of "Potter?" until Dumbledore cleared his throat. 'Yes, you may take your seat again. Any students with a problem or question they, for some reason, can't ask a professor, you can also turn to these two students.'

'If you want your problems all over the school within the next hour, you definitely should turn to Potter for help,' Lily snipped softly to her friends, glaring daggers at the dark back of the messy haired Head Boy's head.

'You'd be surprised,' Serena muttered softly so Lily wouldn't hear. If only James hadn't made her swear when they came to Hogwarts, it would make life so much easier for the both of them.

'The prefects can lead the first-years to the common room, I want that badge of that insufferable jerk before curfew,' Lily said, shooting one last nasty look in James's direction before turning back to her friends. 'I always hoped Lupin would find the courage to stand up to them when he was made prefect.'

'And you so stand up to us when we happen to break a rule,' Serena replied. 'Remus is just loyal to his friends, just like you are. You never give us more than a warning if we do something wrong.'

'That's totally beside the point,' Lily snapped, irritated by her friend's comment. 'You are nothing like those Marauders.'

Serena sighed and shook her head, deciding to ignore her friend's remark and turned to Dorcas for a more pleasant conversation. If only Lily knew what James's life truly was like she wouldn't be so prejudged. But somehow in all these years at Hogwarts, no one had ever even come close to guessing the truth.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review. I'll see what I can do about updating soon between school and life.