One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

23. New Romantics

25th July 1975

The trip to the Potters snuck up on them. The four girls had kept themselves busy in the meantime, mostly exploring the village near the Prewett Estate, and hanging around the manor. Though on one memorable day they'd gone into Muggle London to see the new release Jaws, and a group of cute Muggles they'd met there took them out for milkshakes.

Lily, convinced by her friends, had reluctantly agreed to come along and 'suffer' James and Sirius' presence for the two days. When the time came they all Floo'd from Prewett Estate over to Potter Manor. James greeted them exuberantly in the ridiculously large entrance hallway, bouncing eagerly over and whisking Hermione into a hug first.

"Hermione! We've been falling apart without your stern ways to help us through." He joked, throwing an arm 'round her shoulders and pulling her along with him, shouting "Everyone follow me!" over his shoulder as they went. Hermione stiffened under his arm, confused and worried that James had practically ignored Lily completely and just focused on her. What on earth was going on? Had Remus and Sirius lied about James' infatuation with Lily in their early years at Hogwarts to her and Harry? James led them out of the large entrance hallway and up the sweeping staircase to the first floor.

"The guest bedrooms are all on this floor." He said, and turned down the left corridor, "Mum's put all you girls down this corridor, there's two of you to a room. The guys are all down that corridor." He waved his hand back over his shoulder. He showed them the two rooms, each beautifully decorated room had two large beds set up for the girls. Lily and Hermione dropped their stuff off in one while Dorcas and Alice put theirs in the room on the opposite side of the hall.

James was waiting impatiently out in the hall, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He grinned when they all came out of the rooms. "Come on, everyone else is down by the lake. Bring your swimming stuff and you can change in the little lake house we have down there." They all complied, and followed James back down the stairs and out through the spacious kitchen onto a large patio.

His parents were sitting on the patio enjoying a cold drink when they stepped out. Dorea Potter smiled widely up at her son and his friends, an identical expression to her son. "Oh wonderful, you've all arrived! Lovely to see you girls." She then eyed James with narrowed eyes for a long moment, and he shifted under her shrewd look, "Did you put on the sunscreen potion like I told you to?" She asked him sharply.

"Uh.. no." James' eyes went wide, and he looked at his father for help. Charlus just raised an eyebrow silently. "I didn't think I needed to." He shrugged.

"James Potter." She snapped, and wandlessly summoned a pot of the potion. "I don't care what you think! You may not be white and pale, but that doesn't mean you can't be affected by the sun!" She imperiously held the pot out to James who reluctantly took it, looking over at Charlus again.

"I don't know why you don't believe her." Charlus said with a laugh, "Just because you've got brown skin thanks to our Pakistani heritage doesn't mean you can't burn, James."

Dorcas laughed too, "How do you not know this James?" She poked him in the side, "Even I put sunscreen potion on!" She exclaimed, pulling out her own small jar and waving it in his face. "I've got way darker skin than you, and no white mother." She gestured at Dorea, who nodded firmly.

"Listen to them James, they both know better than you." James huffed, but nodded. "Good. You've got the Black family heritage in you, and even though we tan, we are still white."

"Alright, mum. I get it." He mumbled, embarrassed at being scolded in front of his friends.

"Anyway, Remus just came back to say they'd start swimming without you all if you didn't hurry up." She chuckled when James shot her wounded look over that not being the first thing out of her mouth, and took off haring down the garden. She exchanged an amused and exasperated look with her husband who was laughing loudly, and sent the girls an apologetic look, "James!" She shouted after him, "Haven't you forgotten something?"