On Wednesday, July 29th 2020, at 10 A.M. James requested that Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Lily come into his room.
James's room gave off a distinct impression of boldness. His walls were painted a vivid shade of Gryffindor scarlet. His bed sheets and pillowcase were this same shade of vivid Gryffindor scarlet. He had a large mahogany desk on top of which sat a large digital clock with vivid gold numbers as well as a wand polishing kit and a currently empty wand holster. Like all witches and wizards, James kept his wand on his person at all times except while sleeping. James also had a large plastic candy jar on top of his desk. (Harry and Ginny did not allow glass in Potter Manor and especially not in the rooms of children and teenagers.) Several packs of original, orchard, darkside, and tropical Skittles were visible at the top of the jar. James's favorite Skittles were the darkside variety. His walls were covered with posters of his favorite Quidditch teams, the Ballycastle Bats and the current Hogwarts Gryffindor team. He also had posters of witches and wizards holding and using their wands. His bookcases were filled with books about Wandlore and Quidditch.
"Hey, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily?" asked James kindly.
"Yes?" chorused Devon, Hugo, Samantha, Stephanie, Ainsley, and Lily.
"I know that second years are going to be allowed to go on Hogsmeade visits this year," said James clearly, "I'd like to give you lot some advice. My advice is that, because there are six of you, you should plan your first Hogsmeade visit ahead of time so that there will be no arguments between you when the day comes about where you want to go or what you want to do in Hogsmeade that day."
"That makes a lot of sense,'" agreed Ainsley, "But if you're joining us wouldn't that make seven."
"By number," said James, "But as I've already made many Hogsmeade visits myself and I'll be joining six people who have all never been, I think it only fair to leave the sections to those who are having their first opportunity to visit Hogsmeade."
"In that sense make it five," said Lily kindly, "I'll let the others make the choices."
"Still," said James clearly, I think anytime you have a group larger than three it's best to make the plans beforehand."
"There is something I wish to speak with James about one on one," said Lily matter of factly, "Why don't the rest of you go to Hugo's room and start discussing your Hogsmeade plans and then come to my room when you are done. James and I will meet you all there."
They all nodded and Devon, Hugo, Ainsley, Stephanie. and Samantha all left for Hugo's room, though not before Ainsley had reached into James's candy jar and helped herself to a bag of tropical Skittles. Ainsley loved all tropical candies and was a huge smoothie fan as well.
Lily closed the door to James's room and locked it.
"Lily, what's on your mind?" asked James as they both sat down opposite each other on James's bed.
"James, look, I know no one likes an interfering sibling. I don't wish to be that. But there is something I'd like to bring to your attention." said Lily calmly.
"Lily, I know you have my best interests at heart, and I trust you,' said James fiercely, "Tell me what you feel needs to be said. And always remember that honestly is always more important than tact."
"Here's the issue," said Lily in a crisp and crystal clear voice, "I am concerned that you are the early stages of developing gambling addiction."
James said nothing so Lily continued.
"I know that you have been betting on every Hogwarts Quidditch match since you were a first year. Every Christmas and every summer you'd come home with all the extra money you had from winning those bets. But here's the thing, I don't know how many bets you made in your first four years at Hogwarts or how frequent they were. But I noticed this past year that once you made your first bet on a specific match, you were quick to make many more."
"That part is a more recent phenomenon," explained James, "Yes, it is true that I have bet on every Hogwarts Quidditch match since I've been a student at the school. But in my first two years, I would only make a bet or two on each match. In those days making friendly bets with other Hogwarts students on the school's Quidditch matches was just a little thing to have fun with. Come years three and four, it became more than just a little fun thing. I found I started to enjoy the "thrill" of betting, if you will and the number of bets I made increased over what it had been in years one and two. This past year there was something different about it. As the "thrill" of betting became more prevalent, I found that after I made the first bet, I had an "itch" to experience the thrill of the bet again and that this "itch" couldn't be cured unless and until I made another bet. After that bet, this "itch" for the "thrill" would return and so I'd soon make yet another bet. This pattern would continue until the day of the match. For this reason, the number of bets I made this past school year increased exponentially from ANY previous year."
"This information confirms my suspicions. James, I have concerns about you developing a gambling problem. You are already in the early stages of one," said Lily seriously.
"But-" began James in a confused voice, "You know that I have plenty of money and can afford to gamble. Furthermore, my Quidditch knowledge will lead me to win most of these bets. And don't worry, I'm not taking advantage of my fellow students. I will only make bets involving large amounts of money with other wealthy students who I know won't be much hurt by losing money on lost bets."
"James," said Lily fairly, " I know you would never take advantage of another person and I know you have the money to make numerous bets. Neither of those things are my concern here. You see, tobacco, drugs, and alcohol are not the only things that can be addictive. Your well-being is my concern. May I ask how happy you actually were during those time periods?"
"Not very," admitted James, "During those time periods I was only happy while I was actually making the bets and the few minutes after. Otherwise I was consumed by the "itch" and that actually made me quite unhappy. It was a relief to me when the Quidditch season ended. I loved being commentator for your matches, for all matches really, so game days were still fun, and I also enjoyed spending time with Hugo and Devon during your practices, but I was unhappy a good part of the time because of that "itch."
"Did you ever feel this "itch" after Quidditch season ended?" Lily asked James, "And after each match ended did you ever strongly yearn for the next match to quickly approach?"
"No," said James matter of factly, "Because once any match was over and the bets settled the itch went away until we got close to the next match. In fact, the "itch" only came into being AFTER making my first bet on each match."
"That is where we've caught the problem early enough," said Lily seriously, "What you have to do now is simple. Give up betting altogether. That should be easy for you because you won't really have a need to make any bets so long as you don't make the first one. You can break the cycle by not making the first bet to begin with."
James looked Lily eye to eye.
"You know something, Lily," said James slowly "I didn't even realize how unhappy my betting habit was making me. This past year I became so consumed by it that I didn't even realize what it was doing to me."
"I suspected this was the case," said Lily, "I noticed that the week leading up to a Quidditch match this past school year you weren't yourself and seemed miserable. This didn't make any sense to me on the surface as I know how much you love Quidditch and how much you love being commentator. This was especially true in the weeks leading up to Gryffindor matches as I was sure you'd be looking forward to calling my matches. But I also noticed how much you were betting and how frequently in those weeks and I've put two and two together."
"Thank you for coming to me about this issue, Lily," said James gratefully, "Besides, Hogwarts teachers are forbidden from gambling anyways, so this coming school year is the last year I'd have been allowed to bet anyway. Still, I'll have a better school year in 2020-2021 because you came to me."
James and Lily exchanged a quick hug.
Meanwhile, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha had gathered in Hugo's room. Because Hugo was such a frequent visitor at Potter Manor, he had his own designated room, though it was pretty plain.
"So," said Hugo, "The five of us need decide on a plan for our first Hogsmeade visit."
Predictably, Devon wanted the first say.
"Honyedukes is a must!" said Devon eagerly, "Did you guys read the Daily Prophet on July 15th?"
"Ohhhh!" remembered Ainsley suddenly, "Honeydukes is introducing some new sweets this year and although the precise date is unknown as of now, these new sweets will be sold for the first time on the day of the first Hogwarts student Hogsmeade visit of the school year!"
"That's so cool," beamed Samantha, "We'll be amongst the very first people to taste the new sweets!"
"James will love that!" grinned Hugo.
"I really appreciate James excusing himself from the selection process," said Stephanie respectfully, "He clearly realizes what a big thing that first Hogsmeade visit is for everyone. I don't know why Lily excused herself from the selection process though as it'll be her first visit."
"Because that's Lily," said Hugo proudly, "She genuinely cares more about others than herself and she wants to make sure the other first timers all have enough time on their first visits to go where they want."
"Where do you wish to visit, Hugo?" asked Devon.
"My must visit is the Three Broomsticks," said Hugo excitedly, "I can't wait to try butterbeer."
"Well," said Ainsley radiantly, "I definitely want to visit Zonko's joke shop to be part of our itinerary."
"Being the prankster, you are, that's no surprise, Ainsley," smirked Devon.
"And like Honeydukes, Zonko's is going to introduce new products on the first Hogwarts student Hogsmeade visit of the year. I can't wait to see what they've come up with!" piped up Ainsley.
"As a Quidditch lover," said Stephanie. "I've gotta visit Spintwitches Sporting Needs."
"Let's be daring," said Samantha boldly, "Let's include a trip to the Shrieking Shack."
Hugo, Devon. Ainsley, and Stephanie all nodded their heads in fierce approval.
"We Gryffindors are not fraidy cats," said Ainsley, puffing out her chest.
"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!" exclaimed Devon.
"We are bold and daring and adventurous, Gryffindors love adventure!" said Stephanie.
As it so happened James and Lily went into Lily's room and were followed a half minute later by Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie. and Samantha.
Lily's room at Potter Manor was pretty indistinguishable from her room at Hogwarts. Her walls were painted hot pink and her bed sheets and pillowcase were also hot pink. The walls were adorned with the portraits of her family and friends that Hugo, Devon, and James had made for her last Christmas. Lily would forever transfer these portraits to her room wherever she was staying be it at home, Hogwarts, or elsewhere.
Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha all explained their Hogsmeade plans to James and Lily, who both gave them two thumbs up.
"Honeydukes new sweets will be awesome!" said James eagerly.
"All of Hogsmeade will be awesome, " said Lily brightly.