REPUTATION • [j.p.] ✔️

[22]

Chapter Twenty-Two:
Campfire

•••

JESSICA HAD SPENT the last few days at the Potter's house. It was lovely. Mrs. Potter always making a delicious breakfast, always making sure she was well taken care of. This was her second to last day.

She woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs and burnt toast. She scrunched up her nose, seeing Sirius's bed empty. She heard some chatter down stairs, but checked James's room first.

He was there, awake and staring at the ceiling. "Mind if I join you?" She asked softly, leaning against the door frame.

James looked over at her and smiled. He moved over to make room on his bed for her. He opened his arms, Jessie falling into them. He held his angel close.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" he wondered, brushing her hair back.

"Yeah, Sirius was so tired he didn't even snore!"

James laughed softly. "He snores so loud."

"Tell me about it," Jessie sniggered, resting her head on his chest.

Jessie looked out the window at the rising sun, hearing shouting down stairs. She frowned, glancing up at James

"Don't look at me, I'm clueless. Let me get a shirt on so we can investigate," he smiled and got up.

Jessie curled into the warm spot he left behind on his bed. She had fallen asleep again, curled up in a ball on James's bed. She later suspected that James let her sleep just so they could sleep together.

It wasn't until lunch time were James and Jessie woken by their best friends jumping around on the bed. Jessie yelped in pain when Sirius accidentally jumped on her foot. It was initially what woke Jessie up.

A loud curse escaped her lip. "Sirius Orion Black! Get off the damn bed!" Jessie kicked him off with the other leg.

There was a thud as Sirius fell and the laughing of Remus and Peter ensued. James looked mildly amused as he watched Sirius got up, fixing his hair.

"Your mum was worried you two were getting too cozy," Remus smirked. "I told her no, but I wonder if she was right..."

"Sod off, Moony!" Jessie scoffed, standing up fast.

"Never, dear Jessie!" Remus smirked at her.

•••

That night the Marauders sat out by a warm campfire. Jessie leaned against James, wrapped up in a blanket as the group of five began talking about their last year in school.

"I'm going to be an Auror. Help fight off Voldemort and his Death Eaters," Jessie said softly, staring at the fire.

"They're being killed left and right, Jess. Do you know how dangerous it is?" Remus asked calmly, seriously.

"Yes. Minerva told me all the dangers of fighting off dark wizards. I already knew there would be dangers. But I'm miserable, sitting here doing nothing." She lowered her eyes. "There are muggles dying, Remus. Muggles who've got no idea about the wizarding world at all. Not that killing a witch or wizard is any better, but at least they'd stand the slightest chance."

"There's no sense in worrying now, is there?" James asked softly, trying to comfort the girl.

"Why not?"

"You can't exactly do much now can you?"

"Well, I'm of age. I can do something. I don't even need to go back to Hogwarts. You know I'm at the top of the class. All of you do. Second to Lily. I know more spells than half last years graduates!"

"What's got you all worked up?" Sirius frowned at her.

"At the beginning of the month, Bellatrix and a few other Death Eaters confronted me in Diagon Alley... a-and well... Voldemort really wants me on his side. If I don't show him that I don't want to work with him, he won't stop. And I'm scared he won't take no for an answer, that he'll just keep trying and trying and..."

"Jessica Black!" James scolded. "Shut up."

"Wha-"

"You're going to be safe at Hogwarts in a month and if he wants you on his side so badly, he won't hurt you. Besides! You've got me on your side! No one would dare challenge the great James Fleamont Potter!" He exclaimed.

Jessie giggled. "Arrogant toerag!"

"When we graduate we can beg Dumbledore to let us into the Order. We'll all be of age. It'll be fine, Jessie. I promise," James kissed her forehead with a happy smile.

"How can you possibly be so happy, happy, happy when people are dying?" Jessie frowned.

"Because I've got you, which means I've got hope," he poked her side playfully.

Jessie blushed, curling up to her boyfriend, a s'more in hand as Remus started telling a ghost story. It was so far fetched, so far from the scary reality they lived in that it made it okay.

Jessie liked this tale better than reality. Even though all the characters in the story died, it was still not as bad as what Voldemort was doing.

"Remus this is only mildly scary," Sirius complained.

Peter nodded in agreement.

"If you want a scary story, read a news paper, Sirius." Jessie snorted, half awake in James's arms.

Sirius picked up a new story, spinning characters and descriptions far beyond the reality of the war. In fact, it seemed like the worst case scenario of the war, sending shivers down Jessie's spine.

"Enough scary stories, please," the girl begged at last.

"Yeah, it's late anyway. We should be heading inside," James smiled a bit, picking up Jessie. "Sirius could you put out the fire?"

"Yes, Dad," Sirius said to James, jokingly.

The couple laid down on the couch, James curled up with Jessie. James only meant to lay down for a minute but the two were so tired they passed out before they could really move.

Their friends joined them, falling asleep in the Potter's living room on various pieces of furniture.

•••
[Published: 02/16/18]
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