Ding-dong.
"James Henry Potter, will you answer that damned door already?!"
James rolled his eyes. "That's what house elves are for, in case you never knew," he hollered into the other room. James's older sister, Janine Potter appeared in the doorway of James's study where he was relaxing in his large leather chair with his feet up on his oak desk. "Besides, why can't you do it?" he asked.
"Because, I can't," responded Janine.
"Why not? You're just as capable of getting up and answering it as I am."
Janine narrowed her eyes. "But I can't."
James scoffed. "It's more like you won't. Just get a house elf to do it. Why didn't they answer it by now, anyway?"
"Because I told them not to," Janine answered with her chin held up in the air. James sighed in exasperation. "Oh, come ON Janine!" he said. "The only reason house elves were put on this planet was so that they could take care of us humans, and most importantly, answer our doors. Now let the God damn thing do its job."
Janine tightened her fists. "Don't you dare say anything like that about another living creature ever again! It is not a poor house elves sole purpose in life it pick up after your lazy ass. They are allowed not to answer a frickin' door if they don't frickin' want to! And for another thing -"
"No, no, please, no, not the speech again," James interrupted. "Okay, I get the idea. The house elves won't answer the doors anymore. So you do it."
"No."
Even from his study on the second floor of his gigantic mansion, James was still able to hear the Muggle doorbell he had requested being put in. Janine covered her ears with her hands. "God dammit, James, why the hell did you have to ask for that blasted fucking doorgong or whatever the hell you people call it."
James clicked his tongue. "Language, Miss Potter," he said lazily as he stretched.
"Why you little -" Janine started as she headed over to James and yanked him up by his hair. "Ah!" James cried. "Gerroff, Jannie."
Janine tightened her grip on his hair. "Answer it," she commanded. James pushed her away. "Fine, fine. Jeez, you didn't have to get violent," James mumbled as he trudged down the grand staircase and opened one of the double doors that led into the front yard. Without magic, it would be terribly difficult to open the doors, since they were at least 15 feet high and about a foot thick each.
But, since the doors were magical, James opened them with ease. He was very startled to find his best friend, Sirius Black, standing on his doorstep with his suitcase in one hand and a broomstick in the other. He was looking at James's shoulder as he spoke. "I couldn't take it anymore," he said simply.
"You need a place to stay?" James asked. Sirius nodded, still refusing to look James in the eye. James, however, completely understood. It was hard for a person like Sirius to ask someone else for help and appear defeated.
James stepped back and Sirius walked past him and straight into the kitchen. "My parents are at an Order meeting," James said as he followed Sirius. "You hungry?"
"Yeah," Sirius said quietly. He started rummaging in the cupboards, then settled on an apple from the fruit basket set in the middle of the kitchen table. He sat down at the table and quietly ate his apple, still not looking directly at James.
"The rest of out food isn't up to your standards?" James joked, referring to the apple. Sirius shrugged his shoulders and picked up a stray magazine on the counter. James watched Sirius read Witch Weekly for a couple minutes, then asked the question that had been playing with his mind since the moment he saw Sirius. "What happened?"
Sirius didn't answer right away. He finished reading the page he was on, threw the apple core away, picked up a banana, then answered. "I couldn't take it anymore," he repeated casually.
"I hate to break it to you, Padfoot, but that's not descriptive enough," James said.
"Well I don't know what to tell you!" Sirius shouted as he stood up. He paced around the room. "I don't know what to tell you," he said again.
James stood up too. "Okay then."
Sirius stopped pacing. He looked at James. "Well nothing happened, it's just that . . ." he started to pace again. "Regulus just got to me again. At dinner, there's my mother -" he spat out the word, "saying all this bullshit crap about my brother -" he spat that word, too, "saying things like 'He's so perfect' and 'He's so smart' and 'No wonder he was a Slytherin'. Then she looks at me and says something like 'I wish this whole family was just like him.' Oh, that really made that piece of slime smile . . ."
James shuddered. He was always very sympathetic towards Sirius about his family. Of course, James never let him know that. Sirius hated sympathy towards him. "Well, that's over with," he said helpfully.
"Right," Sirius muttered.
James rumpled his hair. "So, sine you're part of the family, do you want to share the west wing with me or do you want to sleep in the east wing?"
"Nooo way are you getting me in the east wing," Sirius said as he backed away. "Janine the People Eater has already claimed her territory."
James chuckled. "Okay then, we're roommates," he decided. "Again."
Sirius grinned and sniffed. "I think I'm going to cry," and he wiped away a fake tear. James punched his shoulder and pulled Sirius into a brotherly hug. "Glad you're here, Padfoot," he said. "Oh!" He pulled away. "Did I tell you I have a girlfriend?"
"Another one? I'm just kidding, Prongs. Who is she this time?"
James frowned. "Well it's not like I always have a girlfriend."
Sirius snorted. "Sure, Prongs. Just tell me who she is, already. Do I know her?"
James pulled himself up proudly. "Tanya Huggins."
"Who?"
James's shoulders slumped. "You know, she's in our year, Gryffindor? She's that pretty blonde with the amazing body. Am I ringing any bells here?"
Sirius shook his head. "Sorry, Prongs but I need a better description."
"Well . . ." James began to tick off adjectives. "She's really pretty, was really shy until about a year ago, then she turned slut, but I don't mind." Sirius sniggered. "Uh, she has blonde hair that goes down to her lower back, I think. Brownish, greenish eyes, she's really pretty, and she doesn't have much of a personality, but she is an excellent snog."
Sirius grinned. "Sounds like your type of girl."
James grinned too. "Tell me about it. She is so pretty, too."
"Yeah, James I think you've mentioned that. Once, no twice. Three . . . four times."
"Sod off, you," James said as he pushed Sirius playfully. "I think it's safe to say she's the prettiest girl in our year."
"No!" Sirius said. "There's Hannah and Tina and Brooke and -"
"Okay, okay, in our house. Does that suit you?"
Sirius thought for a minute. "Well, let's think about it. There's Nicole Kay, who personally could use a lot less powder, and even though she's an okay kisser, she's a no. Then there's that quiet one, uh, oh yeah, Jenny Blitz, who I know nothing about so she's a no."
James laughed silently and lowered himself into the seat across from Sirius at the table. Sirius continued, "Then there's that bitch. You remember her? Lauren Adams. She may be super hot, but she's still a bitch. Then there's Sara Williams. Now she is hot, but Remus already calls dibs on her, even though he won't admit it."
James nodded. "We have to do something about that this year."
"Can't we just do it next year?" Sirius protested. "I mean, come on, it's Easter break, we only have a little over a month left, and I don't want to waste it on someone other than me!"
James rolled his eyes. "Good God, Sirius when did you become so conceited?"
"Since five seconds ago when I said it."
James slumped in his seat and set his feet up on the table. "Whatever. We have to at least try next year."
"Agreed," Sirius said. "Anywho, then next girl on the list is , um . . . Lily Evans!"
James's eyes widened. "You actually think she's pretty?"
Sirius shrugged. "Well, once she stops wearing those baggy sweatshirts, lets her hair down once in awhile, puts on some makeup, and takes off those stupid 1950s glasses, then I'll make a decision."
"I thought she stopped wearing those glasses a couple weeks ago. She got contacts, I think."
"Well, once everything I just listed is accomplished, she's not exactly a jaw-dropper." Sirius stood up and stretched. "Come on, man. I want to get in some Quidditch before dark. By the way, when do we have to go back to school?"
"Uh," James checked the calendar. "Tomorrow, actually."
"Well then let's go!" Sirius said as he pulled James outside.
Hi people. Yeah, it's me. Uh, yeah I know the chapter is short, shorter then I expected, anyway. I really hope - scratch that out, I am praying that I have it in me to write a MUCH MUCH MUCH longer chapter next time. I want another one out this weekend, Monday at the very latest. I'm looking at mid Saturday - Sunday.
By the way, much love to all those loyal reviewers out there. I thank you.