It was Friday. And that meant that James was headed for Slughorn's office for his first official Slug Club meeting.
Slughorn had been excitedly winking at James all week, which had been absolutely nauseating and a source of constant embarrassment. Jerry had taken up the habit of strutting around the Gryffindor dorm and winking exaggeratedly to further rub salt in James' wound.
"It's all in good fun, mate," Jerry said after James snapped at him one evening.
"Yeah, well, it's not so fun when you're the one he's constantly winking at," James said.
"Oh lighten up James. You need to be more positive about this. I bet the meeting will be a riot! And you'll get some food out of it too," said Jerry.
"Thanks," James sighed. "I feel so much better now."
"It can't possibly be that bad," Jerry responded. "Slughorn's annoying, but he's not the worst teacher here. I'd rather have dinner with him than Binns."
"That's not saying much."
"I agree with Jerry," Alice chimed in, sitting across from James, the three of them had gathered in the Gryffindor common room after an especially tiring and Slughorn-filled day.
"You're looking at this all wrong. All of the Slug Club students have gone on to do great things. This is an investment in your future!" Alice pointed out.
"I could use one right about now," James sighed."
"Is this about the Quidditch team?" Alice asked. "They really were thinking of approaching you. But Finnigan stepped in for some reason."
James had once again been considered to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team despite the fact that first years weren't supposed to even bring brooms to school. James loved Quidditch, and would normally have agreed, but Professor Finnigan had stepped in at the last second and upheld the rule.
"Don't remind me," James groaned. "And he said he was my dad's friend! I just want to forget all about Quidditch."
"Good luck with that," Jerry snorted. "I bet it's all Slughorn will talk about. We really do suck at Quidditch this year"
"That's not helpful, Jerry," Alice said.
"To be fair, Gryffindor really does need help," Jerry pointed out. "Leo and Dominique still haven't stopped fighting. I think if they don't drive Tommy Brown to off himself he might just go and kill the two of them."
As if summoned, the portrait swung open and the Gryffindor Quidditch team trudged in from practice. Dominique and Leo led the bunch, arguing furiously.
"Oh piss off!"
"You piss off!"
"Very clever. That was a witty comeback if I've ever heard one."
"Well I think we know who the brains of this operation is, and it's certainly not you."
"Then who is it? Because it's definitely not you!"
"I swear Dominique if you don't shut that mouth of yours-."
"Oooh I'm so scared! What're you gonna do? Yell at me some more? I'm literally trembling in my shoes right now. I'm absolutely petrified. I am-."
"Enough!" Tommy Brown roared. "Both of you! Go to your rooms! We are not doing this tonight."
Jerry turned to James, "Your cousin is terrifying."
"You should've seen the time I spilled food on her favorite sweater. I thought her head was going to pop off."
James looked up and saw Victoire looking grimly down at him.
"Hey, Vic."
"We have to do something about Dominique."
"Okay, so I guess you're just not going to say 'hello' to me?" James said.
"We've got more important things to deal with. Like what to do about Leo and Minnie," Victoire came around and sat on the floor across from James. "This Quidditch thing is out of control."
"Why do you care?" James asked. "I thought you didn't care about Quidditch anymore."
"Just because I don't play doesn't mean I don't care. Besides, as much as Minnie and I don't get along, she's still my sister."
"Maybe if you called her Dominique instead of Minnie she would like you more," James suggested.
Victoire rolled her eyes, "I'll keep that in mind. In the meantime, I want you to talk to Minnie."
"What? Why me?"
"You're her favorite out of all the cousins. Also the twins. But I don't think they've got the time."
"What could the twins possibly be busy with?" James asked.
"Detentions. They've got a lot of detentions."
"What would I even say to Dominique? It's not like she listens to me. She thinks I'm just a kid," James said.
Victoire nodded, "True, but she at least thinks you're a smart kid. I'd ask Molly to do it, but she just doesn't understand Quidditch like you do. So what do you say?"
James sat quietly for a minute, wondering why he couldn't have been born into a small and quiet family who didn't care so much about each other. Then he rolled his eyes and gave the answer he knew he was going to give all along.
"OK. I'll talk to her."
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Victoire gasped, crushing James into a hug. "If we win against Hufflepuff this week, I promise I'll owe you one big favor."
"It'd better be a good one."
"Anything you'd like."
James grinned, a wonderful idea popping up in his head. "I like this deal."
A bout of violent coughing interrupted his thoughts as James turned to see a boy wheezing into a handkerchief come up behind him.
"Here for the Slug Club?" the boy gasped, attempting to break out of his coughing fit.
"Er, yes. I'm James."
James offered his hand and the boy took it. Much to James' horror it was damp and sticky. He didn't even want to imagine what it was, and as he pulled his hand away, he had to use every ounce of his strength not to wipe his hand on his trousers.
"Oh, I know who you are," the boy blew his nose, making a shrill honking sound. This time, James couldn't not help but wince.
"You're the Potter kid. I'm Casper Prince. I'm in my fourth year."
"Are you in Gryffindor? I don't really remember seeing you around," James asked.
"I'm usually in the library," Casper admitted. "When you're the heir to the largest wizarding legal firm, you've got to do a lot of extra studying. But yes, I am a proud Gryffindor. Us Prince men have been for generations."
"That's nice," James said, avoiding Capser's watery eyes.
"It is."
Casper Prince was either acutely unaware of James' discomfort, or he just didn't care because he continued to plow ahead with the conversation.
"If you'd like, we can sit next to each other. I can introduce you to all the members. And tell you which ones to watch out for. Like that Sims girl. Don't tell anyone, but there's a rumor going around that her parents were-."
What Rebecca's parents were, James never heard because just then, the door to the office swung open, and shrouded in a cloud of perfume, Slughorn emerged.
"Ah, James m'boy! I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me. Come on in, there's so many people I want you to meet."
