CW: Toxic masculinity

My detention with Slughorn ended up being just before our second trip to Hogsmeade, on the weekend before Hallowe'en, and he made me write lines about muggle violence. As soon as I was done, I rushed off to Hogsmeade and met my friends in Honeydukes. It was bustling with students pushing and shoving to get their favourite sweets.

After Honeydukes, my friends and I got butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks again, but this time drank them at a reasonable pace and got into a conversation about what we wanted to do after school.

"I want to be a professional Quidditch player, obviously," James said proudly.

"That's not a career, that's a sport," said Peter, "I personally don't see why anyone would want to waste their entire life doing sport."

"What about you then, Peter?" James asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm not sure," said Peter. "Maybe I could work at a shop? The three broomsticks, or something?"

"Peter, that is the most boring job in the world." Sirius's eyes were wide. "I would be an Auror. And you, Remus?"

"I'm not sure…" I said, "I kind of want to be a teacher…"

"A teacher!" Sirius repeated, "Why? That's just coming back to school after you finish school! Why?"

"Well, if Professor Lancaster got fired because she's now a… well, I sort of want to prove everyone wrong," I explained, "and helping people does sound nice. Anyway, how about you, Sirius? An auror?"

"Being an auror would be the best," Sirius said, proudly. "A dark wizard catcher! And what's the rest of the Black family? Dark wizards!"

"They're going to kill you, mate," said James. "I think you should be a bit more careful…"

"What's it to you?" said Sirius, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you are my best friend." James took a sip of his butterbeer to hide his expression. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"You don't…" Sirius paused and looked down. He looked up and seemed to send a silent message to James, who nodded his understanding, and quickly changed the subject.

"I think I'm going to ask Lily out… but I dunno," he said. "What do I do if she says no?"

"Play it off as a joke," Sirius suggested. "Pretend it was a dare or something."

"Right," he said. "It has to be big, though. It can't just be a casual conversation, this is Lily Evans we're talking about, not some random girl."

"Hallowe'en feast." Sirius suggested, and James said nothing, his jaw just dropped.

The next Wednesday was Hallowe'en, and our last class was Herbology. James was a nervous wreck. We'd been planning this big event since the weekend, so frankly, we imagined it to be epic.

"You alright, James?" Amelia Bones asked, patting down her monkshood.

"Yep," he said. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You seem nervous about something…"

"I'm not," James responded sharply. Amelia just raised her eyebrows and left it at that.

After Herbology, we returned to the common room to get ready for the feast, and Sirius took to hyping James up by making weird flexing poses and yelling in his ear.

"WHO'S BETTER THAN ALL THE REST?!" Sirius shouted. "JAMES POTTER! WHO'S THE BIG STRONG MAN?! JAMES POTTER!"

"Shut up, Black," Alice yelled from across the room, throwing her textbook at Sirius, who completely ignored her.

"YOU CAN DO THIS JAMES!" Sirius screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Sirius! Please!" Mary was sitting with Lily, who seemed to be explaining the second year Transfiguration essay Mary was trying to do, and the two of them were staring at Sirius angrily as he hyped James up loudly.

We got to the feast, and just before the clock got to seven, when we were planning to put our plan into action, James was hammering us with questions.

"How do I look?" He asked, purposely messing up his hair.

"Like James Potter," Sirius responded, watching the clock.

"Do I smell OK?" James sniffed his own armpits.

"You smell fine, James." The clock ticked. Five seconds left. Four… three… two… one.

Sirius stood up on the table and put his wand to his neck to amplify his voice.

"GIVE ME AN L!"

"L!" the rest of the school shouted.

Taking in a deep breath and stood up on the table, feeling highly embarrassed by the whole school looking at me, but nevertheless I put my wand to my neck, and shouted, "GIVE ME AN I!"

"I!"

Peter stood on the Gryffindor table next, "GIVE ME AN L!"

"L!"

James was last to stand on the table, as we'd planned, and shouted, "GIVE ME A Y!"

"Y!"

"AND WHAT DOES THAT SPELL?" James yelled.

"LILY!" the crowd shouted.

James walked across the table to where Lily was sitting and began singing the song he'd written just for this event.

"Oh, Lily Evans! Ever since I first saw you in First year,

I knew you were special right from my own ear!

I've love you ever siiiiince!

And now Lily I would love if you would be my gi-irlfriend?"

It was embarrassing to just watch him, but he put out his hand for Lily, as Sirius, Peter and I danced dramatically around him, then let off the firecrackers, causing fireworks to go off all through the great hall, one even forming the shape of Lily's face.

"Uh…" Lily's face was bright pink with embarrassment as she looked up at James. "Um, this is all very sweet, but don't you think you could've done this more… privately?"

Snape was marching towards the Gryffindor table now, fuming. He stood behind Lily's seat and looked up angrily at James.

"What she is trying to say is that she hates your dumb arse, and you should just piss off and leave my best friend alone," Snape snapped. Lily opened her mouth to speak, but James interrupted her.

"I didn't ask your opinion, Snivellus!" James shouted angrily, annoyed by the interruption.

"Stop calling him that, Potter!" Lily cried. "No! I will not be your girlfriend! You're an arrogant toerag!"

Lily got up, pushed past Snape, and rushed off. The entire great hall burst into laughter and James turned a bright shade of pink and jumped off the table, then also ran off. I met eyes with Sirius, then he, Peter and I followed James back to the dormitory.

He sat on his bed, looking at the floor. I'd never seen James upset before. I'd seen Sirius crying because of his abusive household, I'd seen Peter down or stressed about school, and obviously I'd seen myself upset, but James always seemed to be happy. Was that because he had a perfect life or because we were always told that since we were boys, we couldn't cry? Even if James wasn't crying, his eyes were slightly watering.

"She's just not ready yet," said Sirius, placing his hand on James's shoulder. "Just wait a few years, and the two of you will be snogging at Madam Pudifoot's. Plus, I'm sure plenty of girls fancy you."

"You mean they fancy you, Mr Perfect," James said, his voice hoarse. "Snivellus had to ruin everything, he always does. I hate him."

"Revenge?" Sirius was already holding his prank book.

"Not a prank," James said, shaking his head angrily. "We just need to get him away from Lily. He's ruining her life and she doesn't even realise."

"What are you thinking?" Peter asked nervously.

"Get her to hate him," said James. He was talking through gritted teeth. "Get footage of him bullying someone and accidentally on purpose let the footage slip to Lily. She'll hate him then, surely."

"Or," said Sirius, smiling. "We don't just let Lily see it. We let the whole school see it."

"Isn't that a little mean…?" I trailed off, remembering what he'd called Hestia, and how he'd ruined James's chance with Lily, and I nodded at the idea.

"Snivellus doesn't know what's coming for him," James said, smiling and laying down on his bed, looking satisfied.

"How about we do it on Saturday?" Sirius suggested.

"But isn't that your birthday?" Peter said, slowly.

"Yeah," said Sirius. "Honestly, let's make the film and show it on my birthday. Best birthday present ever."

"Sounds like a plan," James said, grinning to himself.