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James ran a hand through his messy black hair nervously as he and the rest of the Gryffindor 5th Years made their way towards the Ravenclaw tower. As much as he had joked with Jasper and Callie earlier at the Quidditch match, they all knew that James had a crush on Kitty Wood. James had never really been good at subtlety and his friends knew him rather well. Therefore, it didn't really surprise him that they couldn't refrain from laughing at James' nerves over attending Kitty's party.

The group of eight soon found themselves at the door to the Ravenclaw common room and were surprised by what they found. None of them had ever been into the Ravenclaw common room (James' family had always congregated in the Gryffindor Common room) and had not been expecting the simplicity of a silver door knocker to enter.

The group glanced at each other before Laurence stepped forward and knocked using the silver knocker. They couldn't help but jump when it began to speak:

"I cannot be seen, cannot be felt,

Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,

I lie behind stars and under hills,

And empty holes I fill.

I come first and follow after,

End of Life, End of Laughter…

What am I?"

The Gryffindor's glanced at each other in confusion. Of course they had all been aware of the need to answer a riddle to enter the tower but they were surprised by the fact that none of them had any idea of what the answer could be.

"I thought that…Chase guy…said someone would be here to help with this?" James asked Callie.

Callie shrugged, "He did but…come on…it can't be that hard…"

Apparently Gryffindor's (nor the few Hufflepuff's or Slytherin's that had joined them) were any good at answering riddles. They also discovered that the riddle just kept repeating itself until it received the correct answer.

The group couldn't help but jump as a figure ducked in between them to make their way up to the front of the congregated students.

"Langley…" James said gaining the attention of the Ravenclaw student.

Dexter Langley grinned, "Hey Potter…Adams, Coleman…having trouble with the riddle?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "I don't get how you guys cope with this…don't you have enough of a challenge in lesson?"

Dexter snorted in laughter, "Nah…but don't worry…first years normally congregate like this for a while at the start of the year…"

"What happens if you don't get it right?" Jasper added as Dexter reached up to the silver knocker.

Dexter stepped back, "You wait until someone either gets it right or someone leaves the tower…"

"I cannot be seen, cannot be felt,

Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,

I lie behind stars and under hills,

And empty holes I fill.

I come first and follow after,

End of Life, End of Laughter…

What am I?"

Dexter rolled his eyes and said confidently, "Darkness…"

The group watched in surprise as the door to the tower swung open and Dexter led the students into the tower to join the party. Dexter quickly ditched the group and passed through the throng of people. It was clear that there were Ravenclaw's of all ages in attendance and that many students from the other houses had showed up. James was unsure whether that was a sign of Kitty's popularity at Hogwarts or the Hogwarts students love of a party.

The Gryffindor's soon separated and began mingling with the rest of the students. James blinked in surprise when he saw his cousins Dominique, Mollie and Lucie sat with Rose on one of the sofas in the corner of the room. James picked up a bottle of butterbeer as he made his way over to them.

"Jamie hey!" Dominique said as James flopped down on the sofa next to Dominique.

"Hey…what're you doing here?"

Mollie raised an eyebrow, "What're you doing here?"

Rose rolled her eyes, "He's crushing on Kitty…that's what he's doing here…"

James spluttered and stared at Rose wide eyed as Dominque, Mollie and Lucie all turned to look at him in amusement. Growing up James had always been close to Dominique and Mollie (who were in their 7th and 6th years respectively) and the trio had always tried to annoy each other and push each other's buttons. James was the youngest of what they had dubbed the 'the-wars-over-lets-have-sex' generation, with the rest of the family being in their 3rd year or less. Teddy was the oldest having graduated two years previously and then Victorie the year previously, with Dominique, Mollie and James finishing the group. Lucie and Rose had always been more mature than the rest of the cousins in their year and hadn't hesitated by following the others around until they stopped complaining and just let them hang with them. Therefore, James knew that the girls would be pretty pissed that he hadn't told them personally about his crush on the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain.

"You're crushing on Kitty?" Dominique said in surprise.

James attempted to deflect their attention onto Lucie, "You looking forward to your first Quidditch match?"

Lucie shrugged, "Yeah…but that's not what we're talking about Jem…"

James blushed and focused on a spot in the corner of the room so that he wouldn't have to look any of them in the eye, "Okay…maybe I do…but then so does every guy in the room…"

Mollie rolled her eyes, "Well yeah…but they're not James Potter are they?"

James just shrugged not liking that their attention was focused solely on him. He glanced around the room surprised not see any of his other 3rd year cousins, "Where's Freddie and Louis? And Al?"

Rose shrugged, "Don't know…but…er…have you spoken to Al recently?"

James shrugged, "Briefly…he seemed…"

"Depressed?"

"Morbid?"

"Distant?"

"Not like Al?"

James rolled his eyes at the girls, "I was gonna say upset but those all work too…why? Is something wrong? I mean…I asked him but he mumbled something about Potions and I left it…"

Rose shrugged, "I don't know…I've tried talking to him…but he just clams up…but your…you're his big brother so you might have more luck…I'm worried about him Jem…"

James nodded, "I'll talk to him…I promise…"

"Good…I…" Lucie was prevented from answering as the guest of honor Kitty Wood joined their little group.

"Hey…"

James grinned, "Happy non-birthday!"

Kitty rolled her eyes and laughed, "Thanks…I'm glad you all could make…though I hear you had a little trouble with the riddle…"

Rose raised an eyebrow at James, "You didn't get the riddle?"

"Haha…laugh it up…Langley told you didn't he?" At Kitty's nod James rolled his eyes, "Where is he anyway?"

Kitty gestured towards one of the staircases, "Drowning his sorrows at the bottom of the boys staircase…Brandon and Jeremy are keeping an eye on him…"

Rose rolled her eyes, "I don't get it…what actually happened? I mean…everyone with sense knows that Dexter didn't cheat of Isabelle…"

Kitty shrugged and took a sip of butterbeer, "No idea…Dex hasn't really said much about it…he's just continued as he normally would…but me and Ace will get it out of him eventually…"

Dominique couldn't help but smile as she watched the James looking at Kitty. It was clear that James was crushing hard on the Ravenclaw and Dominique could see why. But Dominque could also see the shy little glances that Kitty was casting at James suggesting that she might be returning James' thoughts.

"Jamie…aren't you going to ask the non-birthday girl to dance?"

James stared wide-eyed at Dominique, "Er…I…wh…what?"

Mollie grinned realizing what Dominique was trying to do, "Yeah…come on Jamie…what sort of gentleman doesn't ask a girl to dance? And it would be weird if you asked us…Kitty…you don't mind dancing with James do you?"

Kitty blushed lightly, "Er…no…not really…"

Dominique nodded, "Go…of you go then…"

Dominique pushed James from his seat while Mollie gestured for Kitty to follow him. They both rolled their eyes but did what the two Weasley cousins said. Once in the middle of the rest of the dancing students, James was shocked as Kitty grabbed a hold of his hand as they started to dance.

"I'm sorry about them…"

Kitty smiled, "Don't be…I was kind of hoping you'd ask…"

James stared at Kitty in surprise, "You er…you were?"

Kitty nodded blushing, "Er…yeah…"

James blinked and then smirked, "Is there something else that you're waiting for me to do?"

Kitty smiled, "What if I take the initiative?"

"I do love a strong woman…"

Kitty leaned forward and pressed her lips to James'. James was vaguely aware of a few wolf whistles, clapping and squeals occurring but his focus was entirely on Kitty and the taste of her lips. They were soft, far softer than James had imagined (of course not that he had imagined Kitty's lips). They tasted of raspberries and if James wasn't already crushing on Kitty, he sure was now.

But, all too quickly Kitty stepped aware a blush tinting her cheeks as her brown eyes gazed into his hazel eyes. James just smiled and pulled Kitty tight against his body and whispered in her ear, "I think we need to talk…"

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