The Letters of James Sirius Potter

September 2016 ~ First Year

Hey Al,

Guess what? I'm in Gryffindor! You should have heard everyone cheering when I was sorted. It was brilliant! I don't think it'll be as good when you get here, though, because people will have got used to me, so you won't be as exciting. I mean I'm sure the Slytherins will be pleased to have you in their house, but it won't be the same as being the FIRST Potter.

What Fred told us was exactly true. The sorting really hurts. I felt really sorry for the girl behind me. Still, I'm sure she'll get out of St Mungo's eventually. I'm writing to Mum and Dad too, but I haven't told them that bit, because I didn't want to worry them. I don't think it was as bad when they were here. So don't tell them will you? I mean, I've got through it obviously, which is the main thing, but they might still worry about you and Lily. You wouldn't want to scare them would you?

Anyway, Louis is here too, so it's all great. We've made friends with some other kids, twins called Adam and Annabel and another girl called Fenella. You'd like Fenella, she likes books. We've already planned a prank. I'm not going to tell you what we're going to do in case you tell Mum and Dad, but it's a brilliant plan involving a spider, a decoy and a whole lot of water. I'll tell you about it afterwards.

Love James.

March 2018 ~ Second Year

URGENT and PRIVATE!

Lily

I need you to do something for me. Something bad's happened. It's really important. If you do it, I'll let you ride my broom when I come home for Easter. If you don't I'll turn Esmerelda into a frog.

Mine and Louis' entire stock of stuff from Uncle George has been confiscated. Yeah, I told you it was bad. So what I need you to do is, next time you go to Diagon Alley (If it's not going to be ages, break something you know they'll have to replace, like Dad's wand or something) get rid of Mum and Dad somehow and see what you can talk out of Uncle George. He always gives you stuff. I've sent you some money too, but I'm trusting you on that. Only buy stuff if you have to, and if you don't, I want the money back, OK? I've put a list of stuff I want on the back.

Don't mess this up Lily. We're depending on you here.

James

October 2018 ~ Third Year

Dear Mum and Dad,

You know how much I really really love you both? And remember those amazing birthday presents I got you both? And how much you miss me when I'm away? So... can you please write to Professor Clearwater and tell her she's got to let me go to Hogsmeade? They've told me I can't because they say I was rude and disrespectful to Professor Mundy in Potions, but it was totally a misunderstanding.

But they've stopped me going to Hogsmeade next week, and it's my first ever trip! Well, obviously not my first EVER trip, because I've been there before, but it's my first trip with school. It would be really really unfair if I couldn't go, just because Professor Mundy didn't understand what I was saying. But I tried asking Uncle Neville, and he just went all professor-ish and wouldn't do anything about it. So can you? Please? If you do, I swear I'll be good for the rest of the year!

Quidditch is going great. We're playing Ravenclaw in a couple of weeks so we're training pretty hard. I accidentally left my broom servicing kit at home though, so could you send me that? It might be on top of my cupboard. Or somewhere else.

Please don't forget about asking if I can go to Hogsmeade.

Love to Lily, and tell her not to touch my stuff.

Love James

November 2019 ~ Fourth Year

Dear Ted,

Why don't you write to me? You used to complain all the time that I didn't write to you when YOU were at Hogwarts, and now you don't bother writing to me. Talk about hypocritical.

Anyway, how's things? Your job sounds really cool. Maybe I'll go and work in a pub when I finish school. It sounds better than any of the things they keep encouraging us to think about. You must meet loads of great people. I bet the girls love you when you're working behind the bar, don't they? Shame you're going out with Victoire really. Not that I need to go and work in a pub for that. The girls all love me because I'm JAMES POTTER. Only joking, I'm not really that big headed. Although I have noticed that people do seem to want to talk to me a lot. And recently quite a lot of them have been girls. They sort of follow me round. It's not just me though - Louis gets them too, I think it's the Veela blood. It doesn't really bother me, but it bothers Louis - he gets all flustered and annoyed by it. It's pretty funny.

We beat Slytherin at Quidditch last week, it was great. We've got a new Seeker - she's only in second year, but she's Gwenog Jones's daughter so she's pretty good. She She's friends with Molly and Rox, and she's a bit quiet - I made a joke about her being Welsh and she just stared at me. Maybe she didn't get it. And Sapphie's on the team now too - you know, Sapphie Jordan? Scorpius Malfoy's the Seeker for Slytherin now, which made winning even better. You should have seen his face when Angharad got the snitch. It was brilliant.

I actually think I might be in with a chance at getting Quidditch Captain next year. Lydia's leaving, and Fred and Rashan are both older than me, but we all three joined the team the same year. And I know Fred doesn't want it, and not to be mean but Rashan doesn't have many ideas about strategy. Don't say anything to Mum or Dad about it because I don't want them thinking I'm assuming I'll get it or anything. But there's a chance.

Ted, what marks did you used to get in DADA? Because I keep getting Acceptable - the most I ever get's Exceeds Expectations. I haven't told Dad, because I mean, it's his subject, isn't it? But I know he's going to be really disappointed when I get my OWL results. And I get a bit sick of hearing how he could conjure a Patronus in his third year. Not everyone can be that good, can they?

Love James

May 2021 ~ Fifth Year

Fred,

Listen, I'm stuck in St Mungo's, so you're going to have to captain the game against Hufflepuff on Saturday. And you'll have to find a Chaser to replace me.

Sorry about this. If you want to go and punch someone, go and punch Louis, because if you punched me, I'd probably keel over right now. Actually, they won't let me sit up, so I wouldn't have anywhere to keel to. Although you might want to go a bit easy on Louis too, actually, because I think he's in quite a lot of trouble about it.

I would be there if I could, but apparently they've basically had to mend holes in my stomach, and it feels a bit like they've hauled my guts out and stuffed them back in in the wrong order. I had a glass of water a couple of hours ago, and threw it up, so I don't think I'm going to be riding a broom in two days.

So yeah, it's down to you. Sorry, man.

And just for reference, you know that big warning on your dad's Exploding Chewing Gum that says 'DO NOT SWALLOW'? Well, believe it. DO NOT SWALLOW. Even if some stupid wanker called Louis Weasley dares you to.

Good luck!

James

September 2021 ~ Sixth Year

Dear Mum and Dad,

Not much time to write. Did anyone tell the professors here that NEWTs aren't until next year? You should see the amount of work I've got.

Wow, way to be nosy? I don't know what girl Lily's been telling you about, because there is no girl. At least, there are lots of girls, a different one every day in fact, but not a special one. No, Mum, I'm joking, you can get rid of the Howler! Lily's talking rubbish as usual.

Anyway, changing the subject, I reckon we've got a brilliant team for Quidditch this year. We're going to miss Fred obviously, but we had some pretty great players try out-I picked a guy called Seb Graves, in Rose and Al's year. Hugo's friend, Rufus, tried out too, and he was good but Seb's got more experience. Still, we're going to need another Beater next year, when Niamh McLaggen leaves, so I'm keeping an eye on Rufus. The main problem is Angharad, and it's really frustrating because she's such a good flyer, but she's a Chaser, not a Seeker. She's OK about sticking with Seeker this year, because there were no Chaser vacancies, but I know she's going to try and get Rashan's Chaser place next year. But unless we get some great new Seeker trying out next year, I'm going to have to make her stay where she is, even though she's not the best Seeker in the world, because we just don't have anyone better.

Still, I think we should do pretty well. And hopefully I won't be in St Mungo's for any of the games.

Better go. I've got a practice schedule to write out. And a Charms essay to write too, I think.

James

Early April, 2023 ~ Seventh Year

Hey,

It's James Potter here. Hope you don't mind me writing to you. You probably were't expecting it, but hopefully you aren't too freaked out. I didn't really get to see you again properly last week, you were rushed off too fast.

I hope you're okay. I think you were more okay than me, so you probably are. I basically wanted to say thanks. I mean, I don't really remember much of it, but I'm pretty sure you saved my life.

I also wanted to say, well, I'm not really as bad as you think I am. I don't quite know what to think about it all – but hey, you even liked me at first. At least, you didn't hate me. I know I can be a dick sometimes, but I'm not a complete bastard. At least I don't think I am. And I wondered if you wanted to meet up at Easter or something. Just seems weird never to see you again after what happened.

Anyway, like I said, I hope you're okay. And thanks. Write back if you like.

James

A/N: To know the context of the final letter, see House of Cards.