Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

Author's Note: It's been an EXTREMELY long time, huh? Ah well. I've been trying to write the second chapter for a while, but it never seemed quite right. Finally I broke down and went back to the original drafts of this story, which I threw away for one reason or another, until I found the one that fit the closest with what I wanted, and changed it from there. Scary thought, huh? These next few chapters have actually been read over!Ah well, enjoy!

Are You Sure It's Love?

Chapter 2

"What. The. Fuck," James said, turning around.

"James!" his father exclaimed. "Watch your language."

"Oh don't worry so much," the new comer said. "I had the same reaction when I received Mum's letter."

"You mean you knew who your mother was marrying before today? DAD!" James yelled, forgetting that his arch-nemesis and future stepbrother, Severus Snape was standing behind him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you would have this exact reaction," his father explained calmly.

"So you would rather me lose my temper in a public place than at Hogwarts?" James asked, not believing his ears. "Never mind, forget it. Lets just go." With that, he marched through the barrier.

"Sorry about that," Jonathan said to Paula and Severus.

"It's okay, sweetie," Paula said, giving Jonathan a kiss. "I can understand that this is hard for him."

"Even so, he had no right to respond like that," Jonathan said.

"Don't be too hard on him, it's still a bit of a shock, you know. If he's still having these reactions in a month, then you can yell." Jonathan just smiled and started to follow his son out to the car, realizing that James had no idea where they had parked. Paula and Severus quickly followed as well.

Things were tense at best during the car ride home. James refused to say anything when asked, which was making Jonathan angry. Paula tried to keep conversation going, but it was actually making things worse. Severus was just naturally quiet.

When they got home, James started to walk up to his room. "James!" his father called after him. "You need to get your trunk!"

James just sighed and turned around. He hauled his trunk out of the car before everyone had even gotten out. He then dragged it up to the house, purposely dragging it through mud puddles. He opened the front door, and preceded to drag it across the clean beige carpet, leaving a muddy trail behind him. He didn't care. He quickly got up to his room, where he decided that he needed to write Remus, to tell him that he should have let him jump out the window when he wanted to.

"James!" his father roared from downstairs.

"What?" James yelled back.

"Get down here this instant!" Jonathan Potter yelled.

"Fine," James muttered, knowing perfectly well that this was about the muddy trail he had made through the house.

"What the hell did you do?" his father asked, trying to control his temper, probably for Paula's sake. She was standing behind him, wringing her hands.

"I brought my trunk in like you told me to," James said.

"Could you not have carried it?" Jonathan asked, getting closer to yelling.

"No, it was too heavy," James replied, his temper starting to get out of control as well.

"Did you even try?" Jonathan asked, knowing exactly what the answer would be.

James didn't answer.

"Get up to your room," Jonathan said in a dangerously low voice.

"Going," James shouted.

"You realize you're grounded, don't you?" his father yelled at his retreating back.

James saw Severus flinch out of the corner of his eye, but didn't really care. "You realize that's the best news I've had for two days, don't you?" James yelled back.

"Good, then you can just stay in your room until tomorrow," Jonathan yelled.

"Good, I was planning to. At least this way you can't say that I was being rude for not coming down!" James screamed, finally turning back around. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a letter to write."

"I do believe that's part of what you're grounded from," Jonathan said, glad he had finally thought of something that he could take away that James actually wanted.

"How long am I grounded for?" James asked.

"Until further notice," his father answered.

James stormed up the stairs. Before he slammed the door, he thought he heard Paula telling his father that she hated when he yelled like that.

James sulked on his bed for the better part of an hour, before he heard a knock on the door. "What?" he yelled.

"James, can I come in?" his father asked through the door.

"Whatever, your house," James said, not in the mood to be nice.

"I'm sorry I yelled earlier, but I really don't understand why you are so upset," Jonathan said.

"Hmm, maybe the fact that you are getting married to my worst enemy's mother, and you only saw fit to inform me of this yesterday, although you still didn't tell me who you were marrying," James said.

"Yeah, well," he trailed off. "Anyway, come down to dinner, will you? It would be nice to have all of us together."

"Fine, whatever, but only if I can write letters," James bargained.

"Actually, I was going to ungrounded you, but if you only want to be able to write letters," Jonathan trailed off. James smacked him upside the head with a pillow. Before long they were both laughing.

"Dinner is in about twenty minutes," Jonathan said, when he finally got up to leave.

"Good, then I can tell Remus that he should have let me jump out the window when I had the chance," James said, walking over to his desk.

"Were you going to send that letter regardless of the ban?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes," James answered, sitting down. "I just haven't started it yet because I was busy sulking."

"I'll leave you to it, then," Jonathan said, leaving the room. "Oh, by the way, we're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get clothes for the wedding."

James just shrugged. He then started writing the letter.

Dear Remus,

Thank you ever so much for not letting me jump out the window when I wanted to. Now, I have met my new stepbrother. You'll never believe who it was. Just so you know, I was closer than you were, only even my worst-case scenario was better than what I wound up with. My new stepbrother is Severus Snape. I hope you know that you will be going through the window at the next opportunity. Tomorrow, I am even being dragged out in public with him to get clothes for the wedding. It's about the absolute last thing I want. I have also already had a fight with my dad, although we have already made up. Anyway, just writing to let you know that you had better spend as much time with Lily, because it is not going to be pretty in September. Just kidding. Maybe. I haven't decided yet.

James

James sent the owl off, then walked downstairs to the dining room. Everyone else was already there.

"Sorry I'm late," he murmured as he sat down.

"That's fine," Paula said, relieved that he was in a better mood. "Your actually early."

James felt his father kick him under the table. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew exactly what that meant. "I'm also sorry for being such a brat earlier," he said, not really looking at anybody.

"Quite alright," his dad said, as if James had come up with that all on his own. James just rolled his eyes.

Severus smirked. "So you do have manners?" he asked. James glared at him, but didn't say anything.

"Severus!" Paula exclaimed.

Jonathan glanced at his son. When James refused to look at him, he kicked him under the table. James finally turned, glaring at his father. The look his father gave him was all too clear, but James chose to ignore the meaning. His father clearly wanted him to say that he didn't expect anything else after the way he had acted, but James wasn't going to say it. In his opinion, he acted as was only fitting.

Jonathan chose to change the topic instead of yelling at his son again, which had made both Paula and Severus nervous earlier. "So, we're all going to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" When everyone nodded, even though it took another kick under the table to get James to, he continued. "I figured we would leave at about 10," he said. He didn't get to finish.

"In the morning?" James exclaimed.

"Yes, A.M. The set of hours that you do your best to never see," Jonathan said, teasing his son.

"Well, don't expect me to see it tomorrow unless I stay up past midnight," James said, fully intending on being as stubborn as possible.

"For once, we agree," Severus said to James. "I do not want to go to Diagon Alley."

"Your gonna tell us what we're getting anyway," James said. "Wouldn't you rather not have to bribe us, or more to the point me, into actually trying on, much less wearing the dress robes you pick out? Dad, I've been shopping with you. I know you have no taste in clothes."

"No, your coming," Jonathan said. "If it helps, Paula is picking out the robes."

"Well, that helps a little, probably. However, do you remember the last time we went shopping?" James said, not going to give up easily.

"James, you were three," Jonathan said patiently.

"So? Do you realize that one trip went so badly that we have never been clothes shopping again? When I went shopping for Hogwarts, Mum sent you to the Leaky Cauldron for that part of the trip. You realize that you take me to get school supplies, and then send me with either Peter's or Remus's family to get clothes? You HATE it," James said. Severus was laughing. James glared at him, but with none of the usual malice. He recognized the fact that they were on the same side in this, no matter how much they didn't like each other.

"Mum," Severus started. "You know that you don't like to shop that much, especially since we," he motioned to himself and James. "Have made it clear that we don't want to go. Do you really want to drag two sulking teenagers out to look for dress clothes?"

"Regardless," Paula said. "You are both coming, and that is final."

James opened his mouth to argue some more, but closed it after seeing the glare his father sent him.

James and Severus both sulked for the rest of the meal. Paula and Jonathan tried to make conversation. Finally, James had enough. "I'm going to my room," he announced. He stalked out of the room.

"I'm sorry about that," Jonathan said to Paula and Severus. "I really don't know why he insists on acting like this."

Severus didn't respond. He simply followed James out of the dining room. He heard his mother consoling Jonathan, but he didn't really care.

In his room, James heard Severus come up the stairs. James was lying in his bed, staring out the window. He was dreading the next day.