Harry Potter One shots

Marauder's Era: James Potter x reader {Part 2}

I looked up from my place at the Hufflepuff table in the great hall to see a messy James Potter walking into the Hall. Although he was the year ahead of me, the year my brother was in, he was fairly messy for the Head Boy he was supposed to be. His shirt was untucked, his tie was loose, he looked very tired, and his hair was slightly messier than usual. I watched him curiously, slightly disheartened when he sat beside the stunning red head of Gryffindor. I squinted a little, he had a bruise surrounding the corner of his eye and his temple. I caught his eye briefly, but he was quick to look to Remus, who's back was to me, and look back at his plate. My arm was nudged, and as I glanced to my left, a boy with dark brown hair offered me a smile.

"Guys aren't worth fussing over half the time." I forced a smile and nodded. "Especially Potter,  I hear he's been after Evan's since his first year." I. bit my lip and stared at my brother's back, unintentionally staring at Sirius and James.

"She doesn't seem very happy."

"Like mad?" Sirius shook his head as I sighed and rest my chin on my palm.

"More like sad." Remus turned in his seat, offering me a sympathetic smile. I returned a forced one before we were finally dismissed from dinner.

As I followed Jacob out of the hall, quietly talking and laughing. He was gradually cheering me up, until Remus called out to me. I turned around and innocently stared at my brother.

"Yes?" I asked a little more hostile than intended. Remus sighed and gently pulled me to the side of the corridor. Jacob motioned to the corner of the corridor and I nodded, understanding that he was saying he'd wait over there for me. 

"What's wrong?" He sounded genuinely sympathetic. I shrugged.

"Nothing, I swear."

"Is this about James?" I fell silent for a moment.

"This has nothing to do with James-"

"Don't lie to me, (N/n). I know it has something to do with James..." He sighed. "And you know that as much as I love you, and as much as I like James, I really don't think he'd be a good. match for you."

"So because of your opinion, I have to see the one guy I like, go after this beautiful red head he's supposedly liked since his first year?" Remus sighed and shook his head.

"You know that's not what I meant, (N/n)." He threw his head back with another sigh. "He's immature, and I'm just looking out for you. I don't want you getting ideas of joining the Order, James is this huge bundle of trouble, it follows him everywhere-"

"That's the only reason?" Remus slowly nodded.

"I don't want you getting hurt because of something he does or says-"

"Moony." I watched as my brother winced, slowly turning on his heel with an awkward smile.

"Prongs! I thought you were going back to the dorms...?"

"I was, until I heard my name, and your sister's voice." Remus sighed at James' words. "I'm trouble, yeah, I'll admit that, but I wouldn't make her join the Order, I'd try and stop her actually." Remus tilted his head curiously. "I'm not immature all the time, I know when to act my age, Moony."

"I know, it's just...." My brother sighed. "She's my little sister...after what's just happened, I want her to be safe..." Remus glanced over to me with a pleading, soft smile.

"Dude, we all love her as much as you do." I smiled softly at James' words. "We're all looking out for her, and we're all going to take care of her." Remus sighed, slouching against the wall.

"Prongs, I just think she should have some time to process the whole ordeal-"

"Rem, it's been three months."

"Exactly. Three months, three full moons-"

"Remus." He pursed his lips. "I'm fine. I've got some great friends looking out for me." I laughed quietly. "And you've got your friends looking out for you."

"They're looking out for you too, (N/n), you're not used to this...I am..."

"I'm going to be fine!" I laughed.

"(N/n), your friends don't know what they're doing, they're going to get hurt." James sighed, taking over on Remus' behalf. "Remus has nearly killed us multiple times-"

"And you got around it. I know. But my friends aren't you guys. My friends know how to handle me, you guys know how to handle my unadventurous brother-"

"Unadventurous?? You cheeky little shit-" Remus laughed, and I saw James smile.

"Hey Moony, can I-?" James nodded to me and Remus nodded, pushing off from the wall before heading down the corridor. James offered me a smile as he took a few steps closer. I stared at him, nervous and innocent. "I know your friends know how to handle, and we know how to handle Remus..." I slowly nodded. "Some of us want to handle you too."

"You want to deal with me and Remus on a full moon?" James nodded, but chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"I want to deal with you permanently. When we found out a few months ago, Sirius said that we've all had enough experience dealing with Remus, that he and Peter could do it alone." I bit my lip, listening to him curiously. 

"Sirius...said that?" James nodded with a smile. "Sirius said you should, ultimately, abandon my brother to help me...?" I could see the words had gotten stuck in his throat.  

"That's not what...Is that what you took from that?" I nodded.  

"I get that you want to help me, but if you do, then you can't help my brother...you're best friend, who you've been helping since your like second year-"

"You don't want the help..." James realised, chuckling as he poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

"I do, I just don't want my brother's best friend abandoning him for me!" James stared at me, his expression falling. 

"I'm not abandoning him-"

"You can only keep an eye on one werewolf, James. Either me, or Remus. I vote you stick with Remus, because from what I've been told, I'm very hard to keep track of." I sighed and glanced behind me, seeing Jacob still waiting against the wall, offering me a very tired and lazy smile. I offered him the same back. 

"Or, you don't like me, and you'd prefer your friends-" I whipped around to look back at James, who was forcing a smile, sucking on his teeth. 

"James-"

"It's fine...you're my best friend's sister, and he's already said he'd prefer if I didn't go after you, so." My expression fell as I listened to him, swallowing thickly. "I'll see you tomorrow." I forced myself to nod as James did the same, turning to head down towards my brother, who was incredibly confused, looking between the two of us.  

"What the fuck just happened...?" Jacob asked as he approached, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "I thought you liked him." I nodded, noticing James briefly glance over his shoulder at the words that had left Jacobs mouth. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"Because Remus needs him more than I do."

"Prongs, if you don't turn around and kiss her right now, I will refuse to admit you're my friend."  

Jacob sent me a smile before taking a small step back, and as soon as I looked at him curiously, he smiled. My head was immediately turned and a set of lips were placed against mine, a hand tugging me closer by my waist. My eyes widened when James pulled slightly away with a cheeky, flirtatious smile. I was about to say something, but gave up and allowed myself to kiss James, smiling ever so slightly as my fingers lightly brushed his jaw. 

"Look at us, matchmakers." I briefly saw Jacob and Remus high-five.