Author's Note: In this AU, Tom Riddle and Voldemort just never existed. James, Sirius, and Severus will be more toned down, but their general prejudices and dislike for each other will still remain, as it's almost embedded in the culture of the Wizarding World. So, no Snape using an Unforgiveable on a girl, no Snape's Worst Nightmare with James hanging him upside down, and no trauma besides Remus's lycanthropy and Sirius's troubled family life.
I will be avoiding the use of too much British slang, as I don't fully know what their implications are.
"[Snape] knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year" is a direct quote from the Harry Potter books.
"We haven't had a dark wizard since Grindelwald. But for all we know, Snivellus could be the next one," Sirius declared after a volatile exchange of words and hexes between James and the Slytherin's Severus Snape left James with a bruised arm and the later limping away from the common grounds towards the castle. "You okay, mate?"
"Terrific," answered James from his place on the ground. "Just a bruise."
The bruise, in question, had enveloped most of his upper arm, appearing as a considerably large reddish spot.
"That greasy git knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year," Sirius explained to me.
"He's been inventing more," James muttered darkly. "That one's new."
"How's your arm, by the way?" I recalled, attempting to change the subject and lighten the mood. "From this summer."
"I didn't think you remembered," Sirius said. I ignored him.
"St. Mungo's patched me up," James said. "and sent me home."
For the week that we sat beside each other in every class and during every meal, I had never expected Sirius and James with their amicable natures to dislike anyone, but there was a rivalry between Severus Snape and James that went back years, it appeared.
Later that week, while researching Puffapods in the library, I walked past Snape whispering to another fifth-year student with vibrant auburn hair and sought to avoid him, but as chance would have it, he and his companion were standing in front of the Herbology section.
"Excuse me," I said, squeezing between them. "I just need...this."
I pulled out a well-used textbook with worn down bindings from the shelf and retreated to the long tables for some more studying when I heard Snape hiss behind me. "Potter's new friend."
Having spent most of my boyhood and adolescence in solitude, neither among muggles nor wizards, I liked the sound of that - Potter's new friend.
James Potter, I later learned, grew up in a pureblood family, much like Sirius, which explained their close bond, like brothers in arms. But unlike the 28, somehow managed to avoid the tribalism around blood purity. His father, Fleamont Potter, had invented some haircare product that was wildly popular among witches in the Wizarding World.
Conversations regarding family always came with some tension. Sirius's familial ties, especially.
When asked about my family, I simply explained that my father worked at the Ministry of Magic, and that was the end of it. Few at Hogwarts cared to know his occupation beyond that.
At that moment, I cared more about the chocolates stashed under my new friends' beds. Sirius offered me a handful, but I hesitated. "Have you figured out which have love potions in them?"
When the weekend had arrived, we visited Hogsmeade with a large group of Hogwarts students. The four of us - James, Sirius, Peter, and myself - meandered for half an hour after the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station, passing several shops in the village - one selling cauldrons, a sock shop, and a hair salon. We stopped at a dark cyan colored store with jars of candies in the display window.
The candies at Honeydukes looked oddly familiar, but I had assumed the girls must have bought the chocolates for the James and Sirius from that very shop.
