#james sunshine potter microfic

[james-sunshine-potter]

tw/ heavy talks of homophobia

"Hey, looking good, where are you heading?" Sirius commented as James walked into his living room. Sirius came round to help Regulus with something he needed to do for work. Sirius and Regulus are surrounded by books, contracts and general mess as James uses the mirror above the fireplace to take off his jellewery, leaving it on the mantlepiece in-front of him.

"Oh my cousins getting married, i'm leaving soon,"

"Soon, it's barely ten am!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Indian weddings are like all day events,"

So, James hadn't been looking forward for this wedding. It wasn't that he didn't like his extended family, he does. He gets on alright with them. His parents were going to be there, and he gets on well with his cousin, the one getting married. It's just... some of the older members of his family.

He's avoided telling Regulus about it for a particular reason

"A wedding? Why didn't you tell me, I haven't prepared anything, when do you leave?" Regulus asked, taking his nose out of a book.

"My parents are picking me up in roughly half an hour..." James was really trying to avoid this conversation.

"You haven't mentioned this to me, how long have you known about this?" Sirius asked. despite the length Regulus and Sirius has lived at the Potters, they never really met much of James' extended family. A lot of them don't live in England, and the ones who do, don't speak great English. James has always been able to communicate to them, as English wasn't his first language. It wasn't even his second. Barely his third... But his parents thought it might be for the best they don't meet. So they only ever met a handful of them, majority of being on his dad's side. Regulus nor Sirius ever asked about it.

The point was that, Regulus and Sirius didn't know his family very well. If they went to this wedding, they would be completely out of place, and James isn't sure how much they'd enjoy it. He isn't sure he's going to enjoy it.

"I want to say a month, I haven't really been thinking about it," James said loosely as he walked out the room briefly, coming back in with his sherwani, the jacket which went with his outfit.

"A month? Why haven't you told me... what can I do with twenty minutes?" James and Regulus had been to weddings together before, if they ever have a plus one on an invite, it's always them.

Which is what the issue lies in...

"Yeah, that's why I haven't told you... you're not exactly coming," James said, knowing that would be better than umming and erring.

"What? Why?" Regulus didn't sound hurt or offended, he sounded confused.

"Cause I didn't get a plus one on my invite," James started to button up his sherwani, as he leaned against the arm chair facing the couch which Sirius and Regulus were on. Work completely forgotten.

"Oh..." is all Regulus said.

"Why didn't you get a plus one? Has no one else got a plus one?" Sirius pushed.

"No, Indian weddings don't really work like that..." James didn't want to have this conversation, he just wanted today to be over with. "I called my cousin about it but they said it was final, I asked about that and they people did, but it didn't 'work out' for me... I don't plan on staying that long anyway, so I just left it at that,"

"Well, you should have pushed it, surely if you explained that you wanted your boyfriend there they would understand," Sirius pushed, sitting on the edge of the couch now.

"I... kind of don't" James said, immediately back tracking when regulus does pull an offended look, "It's not you, I would love you to be there it's just..."

"It's just what, James? Why don't you want me there?" Regulus spat, filling the air with tension.

"It's my extended family... they don't... love the fact I'm gay," James admitted and the air radiating of Regulus cooled, "It's just... my family is very religious, which you guys know from my parents but they also come from apart of the world which is still living with out of date ideologies... gay marriage isn't even legal there yet, and only in the past five years have being gay been decriminalized..."

Horror and shock paint Sirius and Regulus' face as James speaks.

"I've never intended for them to know, it was easier that way, especially as they didn't love my way of live before... not being a doctor or following down an academic job, so every time I saw them it was a lot 'why you not a doctor yet?' or being compared to my cousins, which is normal in Asian families, I mean my dad's parents are Vitaminise, along with all their family, so it's disappointment from both ends, you know,"

James took a deep breath, letting them catch up.

"If you never told them, how did they find out?" Sirius asked innocently.

"Because my mum told my aunt, and it spread like wildfire... she told her a couple of months after I came out to her, you remember how long it took for my parents to get comfortable with it... they're fine with it now... but I know my extended family, and now every event since has been filled with weird looks, side comments and my Nani asking me 'when will I meet a fine lady'... just worded differently in Urdu..."

"So they didn't give you a plus one because..." Regulus started, but James finished Regulus' sentence.

"Because they didn't want me bringing a man as a date to the wedding? Yeah... it's a sort of tell not show sort of thing in my family... I'm the only open gay person in my family, and I didn't even come out on my terms... the point is you wouldn't have a good time at this wedding, homophobic family members and large get togethers don't mix well, and you don't have to be subjected to that, as I said before I don't plan on staying long,"

As James finished speaking, there was a honk from a parked gold Honda from outside their house.

"If they're being horrible to you about this, you shouldn't go James... that's unfair on you," Sirius said, as James slid on his sandals.

"It's fine, my parents want me to go, plus being a first cousin makes me in the bridal party for the groom, I'm my cousins best man... the wedding doesn't even started till one pm, I have four hours of mehndi and meeting my cousins soon to be in laws ahead of before the ceremony even begins... it'll make it worse if I don't go,"

Regulus nods, Sirius has a look of defiance on his face but James ignores it.

"Well, come home as soon if they're making you uncomfortable,"

James plants a strong kiss on Regulus' lips and leaves for the longest wedding of his life.

[nikholascrow]

Christmas at the Potter’s - word count: 673 - merry fucking christmas to everyone who celebrates and big hugs to everyone who’s holiday experience has sucked because of family

It was James’ idea. Why must James Potter be bane of his existence first stealing the heart of his best friend and then having the audacity to be nice to Evan and him as well? Barty did not under any circumstances like James Potter. Ever. But now sitting in the Potters’ living room squished between Regulus and a very Sleepy Evan, maybe Barty liked James a Little bit, But only because the couch was so crowded that Evan was partly in his lap and had his head resting on Barty’s shoulder.

James’ grand scheme began one night in the slytherin dorms a week before christmas holidays,

James propped himself up on his elbows and looked up at his boyfriend excitedly “Reg if i turn into prongs would you charm my nose to glow red so i’d look like Rudolph?”

“So you'd look like who?” Regulus looked somewhere between wildly perplexed and mildly entertained.

“like the reindeer- ya know the one with the red nose?”

Evan glanced over from his bed where’d he’d been writing an essay “why on earth would a reindeer have a red nose?”

“He pulls Santa’s sleigh- ya know to bring the presents?” James was looking increasingly more distressed.

Barty sat up from his place next to Evan and asked the question that pushed James over the edge “Who the bloody fuck is Santa?”

what followed was the most chaotic description of Christmas Barty had ever heard after which James realized not a single one of the slytherin boys in the room had ever experienced a proper Christmas.

Less than two days later James plopped down at the slytherin table next to Regulus much to the confusion of most of the contents of the great hall and declared “It’s done!”

all three boys stared at him blankly but Regulus was the first to speak “what’s done-“

James beamed “You’re all coming to mine for Christmas this year! I’ve already asked mum and told Sirius and Remus and Peter and… what?” as if he had just registered how absolutely confuzzled they all looked.

So here Barty was crammed on a couch with Remus, Sirius, Peter, James, Regulus and Evan, his best friend who he definitely did not have a Crush on. Remus, his favorite of the Gryffindors, kept shooting him knowing looks and he was Rapidly dropping down in Barty’s ranking of everyone squished onto the crowded couch at the moment. Barty just glared back at him. Honestly He thought Evan was asleep until elbow jabbed painfully into his ribs and he looked over to see Evan's terrifyingly unreadable Hazel eyes.

then the dazzlingly beautiful blonde had the bloody audacity to smirk at him and push a small perfectly wrapped gift into his hands “merry christmas Bee”

Barty eagerly ripped away the perfect emerald green paper and opened the small box it had encased, the box contained a small oval locket and within that was a picture of him and Evan taken sometime during the summer before 5th year Barty had one an arm draped around Evan and they both wore lazy content smiles Barty remembered that moment it had been perfect he’d prayed it would never end. Bartys face went red and the butterflies that followed could be more accurately described as a rabid raccoon clawing at the walls of his stomach. Barty opened his mouth to thank Evan to say anything but nothing came out, a few minutes of silence later in which Barty was painfully aware of the way Evan was smirking at him he managed to form a complete sentence

“merry christmas Ev” he shoved his messily wrapped gift into Evan's hands unceremoniously and looked anywhere but Evan. Said target of his unfortunately placed affections slowly unwrapped the gift careful not to rip the delicate navy paper, and held up a pretty beaded bracelet Barty has made himself detailed with a silver rose charm. Evan didn’t say anything, just slipped the bracelet on his wrist and curled back up against Barty.

God he was gonna kill James.

[nodirectionhome-ao3]

The Bubble Written for @jilymicrofics - April Prompt 14: Pop (432 words)

The differences between James and Lily are never more prevalent than when they’re in hiding.

James is an optimist. A dreamer. A happy soul. He is the sunshine that burns through Lily’s storm cloud. The smile that brightens the dullest of days. He revels in the little bubble of serenity they discovered in their Godric’s Hollow home. The sanctuary they’d carved out in the middle of an endless war.

He lives for every babble and giggle and grin he can coax out of their perfect, perfect son. And sure, he gets restless sometimes. He is a Gryffindor, after all. Some part of him will always long to be out there, in the thick of the action…slaying dragons with his very best friends.

But Harry needs him, he knows. His little boy, his greatest treasure. And here, in this bubble, they’ve got all of the time in the world together.

James never worries about when the bubble will pop. The thought never even crosses his mind. He knows Peter will protect their secret. He knows Sirius will protect their Peter. His only worry is for Remus…hoping beyond hope that his absent friend will find his way home.

Lily, on the other hand…Lily is melancholy. And wary. And worn down from the war.

She spends most of her remaining days wondering when their bubble is going to pop.

She writes letters, feigns ease. Hopes her fears won’t shine through in the happy words she dashes off.

Dear Padfoot, she writes, thank you, thank you for Harry’s birthday present!

When what she really wants to say is Dear Padfoot, get us the fuck out of this country.

She lays awake at night listening to her husband breathing, wishing she could soak up his confidence through osmosis, but knowing some part of her, something innate she cannot quash, will always be doubtful of lasting peace.

The other shoe has to drop sometime, she thinks. They cannot stay this happy forever.

But she holds back her doubts, swallows her fears. She cannot be the one to dim James Potter’s shine.

And then…it happens. The monster comes. The bubble pops.

Lily watches James collapse on the stairs, a glass-shattering scream ripping itself from her throat, and she knows –– she knows –– that this unraveling was her own doing.

That maybe, maybe, if she’d had the strength to say something…to voice the fears she couldn’t shake…

She wouldn’t be standing here right now…one spell away from the eternal darkness. Praying to every deity she’s never believed in…

A futile plea…a dying wish…that her little Harry won’t meet the same fate.

[my-castles-crumbling]

Hatred

A Jegulus Microfic

"You're a fucking arse, James Potter," Regulus almost screamed, flipping two fingers towards Potter as he pushed past him out the Quidditch changing rooms.

"Yeah? Like you're such a right ray of sunshine!" Potter's retort came through the door, and Regulus narrowed his eyes at Potter's angry tone. Riled up, he shot a stinging hex back over his shoulder and stalked off toward his destination.

It was common knowledge that Potter and Regulus hated each other. But as Regulus pushed through another door, he took a moment to reflect. James Potter never ceased to make his blood boil and his heart thunder and his stomach clench. It was insane, how much of an effect the other boy had on him. Infuriating, he could say.

But before he could properly calm down, the door behind him burst open again, revealing the boy he'd just been thinking about. And then, without so much as a 'hello,' James lunged for him, pushing him against the wall of the broom shed he was currently hiding in, and melding their bodies together.

Groaning, Regulus crashed their mouths together, biting at the older boy's lips and wrapping his arms around his neck.

"D'you think they still think we hate each other, love?" James asked him softly between heated kisses.

"I don't much care at the moment," Regulus murmured, pulling James closer to him again.

[siriustar8]

Choose - @jegulus-microfic - 344 words

"If you keep staring at Potter he might burst on the spot."

"Shut up Barty."

This was a conversation the duo had multiple times a day, because Regulus couldn't take his eyes off of the barista. In fact, he came to the coffee shop on a daily basis just to ogle him shamelessly. 

And Barty enjoyed tagging along and rubbing salt on his friend's wound, amused at his miserable attempts to woo the man telepathically. 

Regulus couldn't approach the barista, James, without his face getting as red as a beet. Since the very first time he came through the doors, drenched by the rain and pissed off to his core, just to lay his eyes on the most beautiful man to exist, he's been smitten with him. James was sunshine in a skin suit, his wide smile and crinkly eyes gave Regulus heart palpitations, the type he enjoyed having. 

So what if he was too shy to make a move? At least he could feast his eyes upon the beauty that is James Potter, for free.

"You know what, Reggie? I'm sick of this." Said Barty before getting up, walking all the way to the counter, and calling for James.

The traitor leaned towards the barista, mumbled something that made him turn towards Regulus, and gave him a pat on the back before leaving the café altogether. 

It only took James a few seconds before he stood, in all his glory, in front of Regulus' table.

"So, your friend there told me you liked me, but were too shy to let me know. Is that true or am I embarrassing myself?"

This was Regulus' last chance, if he didn't do it now, he most likely will never step foot here again from embarrassement. He challenged his inner Sirius, and blurted : " Can I take you out sometimes? For coffee maybe?"

James' smile grew impossibly bigger (how did he do that?) And he replied : 

"I'd love that actually! You choose the place, but please, no more coffee."

Regulus was going to give Barty half his inheritance. 

[allyeardepression]

@jegulus-microfic | may 5 surface | words: 1,2k

part 2

hi, i had a bad day again and i needed to let it out somehow so here we are. idk if the trigger warnings are accurate but that’s what i was thinking while writing this so yeah idk where im going with this

tw: anxiety, self hatred, implied suicidal thoughts, implied child abuse, swearing, underage smoking

James Potter was always the cheerful guy, always willing to help and support others. The perfect son and friend. The motherfucking sunshine.

At least on the surface.

Inside his mind, though, there was a constant party. And it wasn’t even the fun kind of party with good music and fun people around—it was the kind of party you wanted to get out of as soon as you got there. He felt like he was a burden to everyone all the time. Any time he said something, he went over it in his head for the next ten minutes, wondering if he didn’t say anything rude or if he didn’t come out as dumb. His anxiety was suffocating, making him doubt himself every moment of every day. And the worst of it all was that he couldn’t show it to anyone, not even Sirius, Peter, or Remus, afraid they would start treating him like a lost child. So he was alone with his thoughts most of the time.

Until one night, when he met Regulus at the Astronomy Tower.

The younger boy was sitting against the stone wall, smoking cigarette after cigarette and writing something in a notebook.

James, not wanting to disturb him, took a seat several metres away from him, turning his head up and closing his eyes. He just needed to breathe for a moment after spending yet another day worrying if his friends actually liked him or just pretended to out of pity.

He took one deep breath in, held it, and let it out on a long exhale. Another one. And an—

“Are you okay?” A soft voice came from his right side.

James opened his eyes, turning to the other boy, who was already looking back at him.

He had a few options: pretend he didn’t hear him (rude), lie (as always), or tell the truth.

And still, to this day, he doesn’t know what made him choose the third option.

Taking another deep breath and letting it out quickly, James shook his head. “Nope,” he said, looking back up. “You?”

There was a moment of silence, and James instantly started scolding himself for being too nosy. But then, as soft as before, “Nope.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Do you?” Regulus asked, sounding irritated, at least to James.

“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to. We can keep sitting in silence, pretending we're not here together,” he replied, sounding exhausted even to himself.

Another bit of silence.

“Yeah, okay.”

And so they sat, pretending like they didn’t see each other. James could see the moon travelling through the night sky, meaning he sat there for hours, but he still wouldn’t move. The thoughts, even though they were a little quieter, were still there.

They don’t need you.

You’re too much.

You’re a burden.

He could feel the tears gathering in his eyes and started blinking them away as soon as one of them tried to escape.

Another series of deep breaths and long exhales.

Finally, after another hour or so, he decided he was too sleepy to keep sitting there. He stood up, dusted off his pyjama bottoms, and went to the door.

“Same time tomorrow?” James heard before leaving. It made him turn just to see Regulus smoking another cigarette and looking straight ahead.

After a moment of consideration, James answered with a quiet ‘yeah’ and left the tower.

***

They kept meeting like that for the next few weeks, each night sitting a little closer to each other, always asking if the other wanted to talk about their wellbeing, and always ending up pretending they didn’t see each other.

But one night, something changed.

James sat on the cold stone just half a metre away from Regulus, looked up at the sky, and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Nope. You?”

“Nope. Do you want to talk about it?”

The answer didn’t come right away as usual; there was a small pause before Regulus practically whispered, “Yes, actually, I do.”

“Oh” was all James could muster. That was new; he wasn’t prepared for that. But after all those years of being a shoulder to cry on, he knew the drill. “What happened?”

He could see the conflict in Regulus’ eyes when he looked at him, like the younger boy regretted his decision already. But to James’ shock, he started talking.

“You know about my parents, so I won’t talk about them, even though they’re the main reason I feel like shit all the time. You probably also know about my relationship with Sirius, so—“

“Yes, I know,” he interrupted, “but only from his perspective; you can tell me how you feel about it. If you want to, no pressure.” And Regulus looked at him like he had just grown another head.

“That’s strangely... kind,” he muttered, clearing his throat. After another pause, Regulus continued. “Yeah, well, I get that he’s mad at me because I haven’t left with him. And to him, it probably seems like I chose them, but I didn’t—you don’t need to believe me, but by staying with them, I chose him.” The boy took a long, shuttering breath, his bottom lip trembling a little.

“What do you mean?” James asked, stretching his hand out and laying it between them, giving Regulus the option to grab it if he needed it.

“I mean that if I ran with him,” he kept going after a long exhale, “they would try to find us and get us both home, which would probably end up with at least one funeral.” Regulus laughed humorlessly. James could feel his guts turn at the statement, the thought of his best friend's possible death making him sick. “And I knew if I stayed, they wouldn’t care about going after him because there was still an heir. They would give up on him, which meant he could be happy with Remus—yes, I know about them; they’re not really subtle, are they?—and have a normal life outside of this fucked-up family. So I stayed. After all he’s done for me, that is the least I could do in return,” he ended, whipping at his cheeks and sniffing slightly.

James wanted to reach for him, take him into his arms, and just hold, hoping it would soothe the pain a little. But instead, he just said, “You can run away and live with us, you know? My house is big enough to take you there, too,” which earned him a wet huff of laughter and a sarcastic ‘yeah, right’. “I mean it.”

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind,” Regulus retorted. “Now tell me why you are not okay.”

And so James did.

He told Regulus all about his fears and the never-ending party; how he’s afraid his friends only pretend to be his friends; how he always feels like he’s too much for everyone; and how he sometimes thinks they would all be better off without him.

When he was done, the other boy just stared at him with wide eyes.

[kittykatkatelol2]

"To try again" Jegulus Oneshot

prompt by @jegulus-microfic (prompt: try again)

-

They lost, again.

Slytherin won again.

With all that it was worth, the Gryffindor team was great.. but Slytherin was better.

Dorcas Meadowes as a chaser.

Barty Crouch Jr as a keeper.

And Regulus Black as a seeker.

They were unstoppable.

James and the others tried and tried over and over again, to beat the Slytherins, but they couldn't.

Dorcas was too fast at scoring the quaffle.

Barty was way too good at keeping quaffles out of the ring.

Regulus was too skilled a seeing and catching the snitch.

It drove James mad.

And it didn't help that James couldn't seem to take his eyes off Regulus either.

With how graceful and just pure hot he was on a broom- or anywhere really; James found himself staring at Regulus more and more.

He couldn't help how fucking hot Regulus was to him.

The Gryffindors would try to beat Slytherin, they tried every game, but they seemed unbeatable.

James was going to try again to tell Regulus how he felt, for it couldn't go any worse than a their last game together.

For last time he tried, he just ended up hyperventilating midsentences.

James walked down to the Great Hall for lunch, trying to take deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating; which was kinda working.

He walked all the way over to the Slytherin dinner table, to where Regulus was sitting next to Barty Crouch Jr and Evan Rosier.

James didn't like those boys too much.

And they did not like James either.

James cleared his throat, trying, and praying, his voice wouldn't crack or anything.

"I um, hey, Regulus-"

"What the hell do you want."

That was Rosier, his voice sounded cold and unfeeling, which James supposed, was how all of Slytherin sounded, at least to him.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the Gryffindors? Why the fuck are you here in the presence of royalty, also known as the house of Slytherin, when you are so clearly unworthy."

And that was Crouch.

'Fuck, I- I shouldn't have come here, fuck-'

"Both of you, that's enough. Potter, what do you want?"

James looked up from the ground to look at Regulus, who wasn't kind in the slightest, but seemed like sunshine and rainbows compared to Barty and Evan.

"I um.. I want to talk to you.. is it okay if we can like go somewhere to talk..?" James asked, his voice nervous and timid.

James wouldn't admit it, but fuck he was scared of Rosier and Crouch; who wouldn't be though.

"Umm sure? After dinner, I'll come find you. Okay?" Regulus asks, ignoring the looks of pure distaste on Rosier and Crouch's faces.

"Yeah, um yeah that works," James agrees and quickly leaves first chance he got.

No way in hell was he going to be around Rosier and Crouch for any longer than necessary. Just something about them made them scary; he had this strange feeling that they'd turn out real bad for someone.

* * *

"Really, Reg? You can do a thousand times better than little Mr. Sunshine."

"Shut up, Evan."

"Fine, but you don't get to complain when me and B kiss anymore, you apparently gay bastard."

"Whatever."

"That's the spirit, Reg, you need to just say whatever more; the more you say it, the more we're allowed to do," Barty says with a smirk.

Regulus ignores them both; it didn't bother him in the slightest, they were best friends, this is how they talked, he was almost smiling. Almost. And Regulus continues to ignore them as they not so subtly kiss and make out with each other before leaving the dining hall to do god knows what.

Regulus loved his friends, even though he didn't show it much.

. . .

James and Regulus met up after dinner, Rosier and Crouch no where in sight to James's relief.

"So, Potter, what do you want to talk about-"

"I like you."

James just blurted it out, internally screaming; his face reddening.

Regulus stands there, processing the words James had spoke.

"You.. you what now?"

"I. Like. You. In a nonfriend way."

James said it nice and clear.

But god did James feel stupid as hell.

"Potter.. why?"

"Why what?"

James asks, perplexed by the question and feeling stupider by the minute.

"Why would anyone, especially you of all people, like me."

"Because you are smart and you are nice and all of you is just incredible and well your looks are far from just 'fine' you are fucking hot, and you are good at everything you do and like why wouldn't anyone like you?"

James said it all in a quick rush, but Regulus caught every word.

James's face was getting redder and redder with every word.

Regulus is nice and quiet for a long moment.

"You think that? About me?"

"Uh.. yeah?"

Regulus doesn't know what to say.

In his eyes, he was never worthy enough for love.

He didn't want to feel love.

He didn't want to have to have his heart broken because he loved.

In his mind, no one would ever love him for long, once they knew him.

"I need a minute."

Regulus was trying to straighten out his racing thoughts.

Because, well, for one, James Potter was out here confessing his love for him and Regulus was looking more and more stupid.

And two, his freaking crush was out here confessing to him-

"I have a lot of boundaries, I have a lot of secrets I don't ever feel comfortable to share, and I can guarantee you won't love me by the end of the month if even gets that far. But I guess.. maybe.. we can give this thing a trial run."

Regulus finally says after five very long minutes of just silence.

"Really??"

"Yes."

Internally, James was jumping for joy, and shouting how fucking lucky he was, but out loud he just says,

"I would love to give us a shot, Regulus."

Regulus nods, very unsure of his feelings because they were there and they were strong and he didn't know what the fuck any of these feelings meant.

"So um, like, wanna hang out sometime..?"

James mumbles very hesitantly.

Regulus hesitates before saying, "Okay, sure."

James's face lights up, he didn't expect any of this to be going this well.

"Reg! Come on! We're gonna be late to practice!"

Rosier is heard yelling for Regulus to join him, Regulus mumbles a simple goodbye for walking off to join the others.

Gryffindor might not have been able to beat Slytherin, no matter how many times they tried.

James might not be able to beat Regulus in Quidditch, but James, he was walking on air knowing that he'd be able to hang out with Regulus.

That was worth a lot more than any Quidditch win.

And boy did it feel good.

-

[Word count: 1054]

[nikolai-alexi]

For @jegulus-microfic

Prompt: Forest WC: 700

Tags: I’m on a RSKC kick pls don’t hate me, amortentia brewing, James is Losing It, oops sunshine boy is really attracted to the three most untouchable people in Hogwarts

Title: “3x3”

“Uh, Professor?” James calls out, his voice is wobbling and he knows Sirius is looking at him with that look.

Slughorn comes teetering over to his brewing station and peers into his cauldron, “Why, Mr Potter! This looks fabulous, my boy! Well done! Fifteen points to Gryffindor for a perfectly brewed Amortentia on the first try,”

The portly professor goes to wobble away from his brewing station, but James snags his robe sleeve before he can get too far. He’s never been more grateful for his darker complexion because his face is on fire from how hard he’s blushing.

“Thank you, sir, but, um..I didn’t ask you over here to look at the potion. I know I brewed it correctly, but…” he pauses and squeezes his eyes shut tightly, his voice is barely a hoarse whisper when he speaks again, “I think there’s something wrong,”

Slughorn shows a remarkable amount of tact compared to his usual level of social bumbling and comes closer to the cauldron, “What’s the trouble, m’boy?”

James grabs his potions book and shows Slughorn a passage he’s underlined in his annotations, “It says here that you’re supposed to smell three things that attract you,”

Slughorn chuckles, “Not to worry, Mr Potter, if you only smell one or two things, there’s nothing wrong with your potion. The scents it produces and the quantity of them is different for everyone. It’s just most common for people to smell three,”

James gulps, most of the class is staring at him now. He wants the ground to swallow him whole. There must be complete and utter panic in his eyes when he looks at Slughorn, because the man looks quite concerned. James’ mouth is completely dry and his voice scratches his throat when he forces the words out of his mouth.

“That’s the thing, sir,” he mumbles, averting his gaze to the far wall of the classroom to avoid any gaze on him, “I smell nine,”

The potions professor chokes on air and splutters, “Nine? Nine distinct, separate, individual scents?”

James nods miserably. See, the thing is, he knows who each of those scents belong to. He could tell instantly which three people each scent belongs to, and to give you a hint — none of them are Lily Evans.

He runs an agitated hand through his hair, “It cycles through in threes, sir,”

“Explain,” Slughorn demands. James nods, a pained expression on his face.

He leans forward over his cauldron and takes a deep breath, inhaling the potion’s aroma.

“Sea salt, mint, and new Quidditch leathers,” Regulus.

James steps away from the cauldron, breathing in the unscented air of the classroom. He leans over it again and inhales.

“Whiskey, cigarette smoke, and sweat,” Barty.

He repeats it again, stepping away, breathing in unaltered air, leaning back over the cauldron, inhaling.

“Vanilla, broom polish, and the Forbidden Forest after a rain storm,” Evan.

Slughorn studies James with wide eyes, “Fascinating,” he whispers, “I must contact some colleagues about this,”

The potions professor scuttles away and James scoffs. So much for help. He looks up from his station and meets the eyes of a very amused Remus Lupin, who has a wolf’s nose and probably knows just as well as James does who smells like he describes, and Mary MacDonald, who alongside Peter runs the entirety of the Hogwarts gossip mill. He buries his head in his hands and groans.

He gives it an hour before the whole castle knows about this. He gives it a solid two minutes before a specific group people figure out the meaning behind what James smelt. They are never going to let him live this down.

In shorter words, James is fucked. And it’s not in the way he’d like to be.

He slumps down on his stool, dropping his head into his folded arms and wonders if it’s possible for him to go live out the rest of his days as a stag in the forest. He’ll take his chances with Hagrid’s gigantic gang of murderous spiders if it means he can escape the hellscape of embarrassment he’s about to endure at the hand of three Slytherin shitheads.

[courfee]

if this be done (part 3)

@jegulus-microfic | august 30 - sleep | wc 514 | part 1, 2, 3

James looks peaceful when he sleeps. Happier. There is a golden shimmer surrounding his dark, messy hair, like sunlight reflecting off the ripples of a quiet summer pond. He has his head pillowed on his folded arms resting on his working desk, quills and scrolls of paper and dozens of dried herbs strewn around him. His glasses are hanging lopsided off his nose, the metal frames digging into his cheek, and Regulus has half a mind to pluck them off his face so he can sleep more comfortably.

James looks peaceful like this. Happier. He hasn't looked happy since that first day when Regulus knocked on his door to ask for help.

The first thing Regulus noticed when he saw James was his smile. It was wide and bright and so full of love and light Regulus felt absolutely overwhelmed, crushing and suffocating. It hurt looking at something so beautiful. It hurt talking to someone who extended that much selflessness out towards a person, someone who was so ready to open his heart to a person he only just met. If one could drown in sunlight and warm smiles Regulus would have stopped breathing the second he lay eyes on James Potter.

Maybe that is why Regulus had acted so much crueller than he usually would. He couldn’t stand all that warm, welcome love. He wasn’t used to it. It wasn’t meant for someone like him. He didn’t know how to accept it and so he acted brisk and cold and turned it down, turned James away while demanding his help. If he was colder then James’ warm smiles couldn’t burn him as quickly.

When he watches James sleep now he regrets it. Not for himself, but for James. For the world.

James hasn’t smiled in days, at least not when he’s around Regulus. It dims the entire cottage. It might dim the forest, too, and maybe the rest of the world. It gets even more noticeable in moments like these – gentle golden light around James, dancing between the strands of his unruly hair and over the faint freckles across his cheekbones. A peaceful, golden light, just because he is sleeping and doesn’t have to talk to Regulus or see him or even think about him.

If Regulus was a better person he would leave. Leave the cottage with its constantly bubbling cauldron and windows full of sunshine and the garden with more yellow flowers than he has ever seen in his life. He would leave James and let him be happy and bright again, let him smile and be warm and loving, as he is supposed to be.

But Regulus is not a better person. He is barely a person at the moment, having turned his back on the remainder of his family a moment too late, maybe too early, not seeing the hate that was coming. Regulus is not a better person, and so he stays in the cottage with the red shutters and the open door and the boy who feels like the sun, too warm to touch and too bright to look at for someone who has only lived through days of rain.

[james-sunshine-potter]

“What do you think happened, Sirius? He dumbly tripped and fell onto my dick, we are our own people!”

this has to be the funniest thing i've ever wrote

(btw this has been published now, read here)

[thistuesdaynight]

achievement

@prongsfoot-microfic

Sirius would always consider befriending James Potter his biggest achievement.

He'd been scared of Hogwarts. The train ride was long and uncomfortable. When they took the boats across the lake, the castle loomed over them, a hulking monster in the darkness.

He sat stiffly through it all, trying to be the perfect son his parents wanted him to be, but still yearning for something different.

Something more.

When the sorting hat called out Gryffindor, guilt and pride warred in his belly.

On the one hand, he wanted his parents' approval, and on the other, it was his greatest fear.

But he shuffled to sit with the new Gryffindor first years, and a young boy with tousled hair and circular spectacles gave him a gigantic grin.

“Hi! I’m James!”

And looking into those brown eyes, Sirius felt chosen. And for their whole first year and beyond, James kept choosing him. Until they were friends. Best friends.

James didn't care about his name or his parents. He didn't care about manners or appropriate behavior. And he snuck into his bed when Sirius cried at night, worried about his little brother home alone. James was kind and his heart was golden. He was the tendrils of sunshine peeking through the clouds after a storm.

James Potter showed him what was like to be free.

And Sirius returned the favor by being there for James no matter what. Through every prank, and every detention, their bond grew stronger until some days, Sirius wasn't sure where he ended and James began.

He'd felt this feeling before, giggling with his brother while they hid in the cupboards at Grimmauld. But with James, it was bigger.

With James, he finally felt like home.

[ohmygodshesinsane]

breakfast; a jilytober microfic

My latest microfic for @jilytoberfest! Using the week 2 prompt ‘sleep’.

Read it under the cut or on Ao3!

Lily decided she hated sunshine. She hated sunshine, and chirping birds, and breakfast. She hated Hogwarts, and every class she’d ever taken, and most of all, the two N.E.W.T exams that awaited her later that day.

“Morning,” James said, handing her a glass of orange juice. “You look beautiful.”

Lily mournfully regarded her porridge.

“Enjoy this sight, Potter,” she said. “You’ll never see it again.” James frowned.

“You at breakfast?”

“Me at Hogwarts. I’m going to do so poorly they’ll boot me right away.” James laughed.

“Nah.” He swiped his fingers across her check. “You’ve got sleep in your eye.”

[james-sunshine-potter]

Regulus spends a lot time thinking.

And regretting.

And blaming. Pointing fingers. Feeling shame. Naming names. Expect the only name to name is his own.

And hating himself for what he did. Not being able to look himself in the eye. Not being able to believe he had to guts to do what he did. Then believing. Then not. Then again, not being able understand how he could do that.

He covered every mirror. Ignored every shiny surface. Looked away from the things he used to love. Hid from the world because the sun was too bright and his eyes hurt looked at it.

A lot of time has been spent pacing, wandering, walking. Running, floating, falling.

And picking himself back up. And continuing, flowing, moving.

He never used to under how someone could be so restless that the feeling of not moving could be painful. He does now. He’s itching to move. Basically scratching at himself to move. He goes on walks where he leaves when the sun is warm and bright, but comes home when the moon is half waxed and white. He paces around his room until he causes creaks in the floorboard. He runs until he feels his lungs are on fire.

He writes. Kind of mindlessly. Writes whatever comes to his head. Scribbles it down in his usual neat manner. Dotting his i’s and crossing his t’s. About what if’s. About what could have been. About make believe and fantasies.

Well, Regulus spends a lot of time on that. Wondering.

Wondering what could have happened if he listened. If he stayed. If he never did what he did. If he never told James. If he never left James. If he stayed in those arms, with those eyes, by that warmth. Wondering how much of a fool he was for leaving.

He already knew that. He didn’t need to fool himself over that one.

Who could give up the warmth of James Potter? Who could leave him? How could he dared to hurt him?

He thinks about James a lot. He just… thinks.

A snip it of my new fic (did you miss me?) when I was looking for myself out there?

Read it on AO3