Strange Benefits (James Potter)

one

Platform 9 3/4 had never been as busy as this before. Families littered the ground, saying their adieus while friends reunite by screeching and screaming at each other. The temptation to turn back around and bail was ever present in Milla's mind. If only it wasn't her seventh year already, and if only she wasn't elected Head Girl.

It had been a welcomed surprise to the Rosamund family that a muggleborn, especially at times as dark as these, such as Milla would be Head Girl. It is no secret that he-who-must-not-be-named held special resentment to non-purebloods and blood traitors alike. It was also quite the controversy in the paper that Dumbledore has selected the two heads coming from the same house: Gryffindor. To say that the other three houses were a little more than annoyed would be an understatement. Milla paid no attention to such rumors going around, though. Being Head Girl on top of her NEWTs and her recent break up with her long term best friend, short term boyfriend, Cormac, Dumbledore's apparent bias and the Dark Lord's hatred shouldn't really be something a 17 year old girl such as her should worry about.

The train seemingly let out an impatient smoke as well as noise, forcing Milla to bid farewell to her parents and take hold of her baggage and her owl, Juniper. "I'll see you for the holidays, Mum, Da."

"You better write every two weeks, darling!" Marion, her mother, reminded. With a final hug and wave, she made her way to the train.

Whispers, as she had expected, greeted her the minute her foot boards the Hogwarts Express. Ignoring the immaturity her schoolmates posses, Milla puts her focus on finding a compartment where she could later on change into her robes before the meeting with the prefects and Head Boy. Seventh year was going to suck, and she knew it. Her brother had graduated last year along with their mutual friends, and Cormac and her aren't talking anymore; that leaves Milla all alone on her last school year. It had been too late to realize that your boyfriend being your only friend in the same year as you was bound to be a disaster.

At the second hour of traveling, she put on her school robes, the Head Girl badge proudly sticking out against the black cloth. She proceeded to go to the prefects' compartment for the meeting that she had been preparing for the minute she got the badge. Almost every prefect were already there, from the fifth years to the seventh, the only two missing are... of course.

The 2/4 of the "Marauders" as they call themselves. Milla would think that Remus Lupin would make quite a Head Boy, but the scarred lad remained prefect for their last school year. To her utter surprise, the title went to none other than James Fleamont Potter, Hogwarts' resident prankster and captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Now, it's not like she knew the boy personally. She had almost identical time tables as him since first year, but they never became close; just mere acquaintances. She had talked to Remus a few times over the years, mostly about homework and notes he seemed to be missing almost always every month, but that's the extent of their friendship. The two were part of the infamous Marauders, though. Girls fawn over their feet and professors swear at their existence. They have quite the reputation. Given as Potter was Head Boy, the meeting couldn't start without the bloody late git.

It was exactly sixteen minutes and a few apologies from Milla later when the two showed up, slightly out of breath. The situation could have been funny as they looked like they had just snogged each other silly, if not for the important fact that Milla hated waiting, absolutely loathed it. The glare she sent them was quite the first impression.

"Good job being late for the first meeting, Potter, Lupin." Lily Evans, another prefect from Gryffindor's seventh years, commented with a roll of her eyes.

"Why?" The raven-haired boy winked. "You missed me over the summer, Evans?"

"I miss not being able to see your bloody insufferable face."

Milla raised her eyebrows at their obvious flirting, and interrupted the pair with a clap of her hands, getting the attention of everyone. "Alright. Potter," she nodded to the seat beside her. "Get in here and let's start. First of all, I'm Milla Rosamund...."

Introductions of each other and of the basic school rules that should be seen to be followed took up most of their time, as well as the instructions on how to properly guide the first years with no regards to whichever house they're sorted in. James, surprisingly, had been a very good co-leader throughout the meeting, with only a few cheeky comments to spare.

"I guess that's it, then. Male prefects will report to James after every rounds, while female prefects will report to me." Milla added after their conclusion.

James, who had just finished winking (for the nth time) to Evans, said, "You can all go back to your compartments now. But make sure to tell everyone on the way to change to their robes, we'll be arriving in half an hour. You're dismissed."

The prefects all scrambled their way out of the compartment, leaving Milla, James, and Remus (who was waiting for James by the door) to themselves. The Head Girl turned to the mischievous boy and quirked an eyebrow. "Not bad today, Potter."

"You too, Rosamund. You too."

Milla let a smile escape her lips before she heard the other Gryffindor boy complain by the door. "C'mon, Prongs! Padfoot just may be eating all my chocolates by now!"

"Shut up, Moony, you impatient git!"

With that, the two marauders left the girl on her own.

-

This is the first time I've ever written a Marauders Era themed Harry Potter fanfiction. I mostly stick to good ole Cedric Diggory and sometimes the golden trio era, but I fell in love with Aaron Taylor Johnson as James Potter and has been reading and rereading Marauders fanfics since.