The Other War // James Potter & Lily Evans

tommo thompson;

James was quick to gather all of the remaining students, boils or no boils and begin to lead them back to Hogwarts. He stood at the front while Lily brought up the back. They trip back seemed like a ten minute walk just to test James's patience and self control. Several fights broke out. At one point, someone called Tommo a butt for cutting their trip short. He only flipped them off.

It seemed like heaven when Hogwarts appeared before them, they stopped in the entrance hall.

"Okay, anyone with boils of other injuries, follow me. We'll go straight to the infirmary." Lily announced authoritatively. No one argued and the people with injuries huddled around her figure. "Tommo Thompson, detention. What house?" She asked him.

"Gryffindor," he said nonchalantly, checking his nails to convey casualness. There were a couple of snickers.

"Fine. Fifty points off." Nearby, a couple of red gems floated upwards in the Gryffindor hourglass. A few of the Gryffindor students sighed. "Follow James. He'll take you to McGonagall's office." Lily turned and briskly left. Tommo shouldered his way through the crowd to stand by James. He had an arrogant air about him. He was the kind who held the self all high and mighty. He noticed the rest of them staring up at him expectantly.

"Dismissed." He said. "Go back to your common rooms. You have three hours before dinner." They all shuffled in different directions, chatting about the days events until the hall was empty and James was left standing by Tommo.

"So, detention." Tommo said but there was no harshness in his voice.

"If you insist." James replied. Together, they climbed several flights of stairs until they stood before McGonagall's office. James knocked one. Twice. No answer.

"She's still in Hogsmeade, you dim wit." Tommo pointed out.

"I knew that." James said highly as he opened the door. McGonagall's office was far less extravagant than Dumbledore's. While his was wild and chaotic, McGonagall's was neat and orderly, quite like herself. Tommo strode in and took a seat at her desk. "Get out, you idiot." James said in a hushed whisper. "You're not allowed to be in there."

"Oh, come on. And why are you whispering? It's not like someone is going to catch us."

"Yeah, well, they might. And when they do, I'm pinning the blame entirely on you." James retorted.

"I'm not leaving."

"Come on."

"No." James considered leaving him so that when McGonagall got back, he'd have to face her wrath on his own, but he thought better when he realised that he had to issue the detention.

"We have to leave. What will it take you to come with me?"

"Ten Thousand galleons." Tommo replied smartly.

"Well I don't have ten thousand galleons." James stopped to think for a moment. "If you leave with me now, you can sit in the heads common room until McGonagall gets back." Tommo considered James's deal for a second before smiling to himself and jumping out of the chair.

"Fine. But only if I'm allowed to know the password."

"Don't push your luck."

-

As it turns out, Tommo was quite an interesting character. When the two of them reached the common room, they'd already discussed the Gryffindor Quidditch team which led on to talking about the Gryffindor Quidditch team seeker, Evelina Patricia, Tommo's crush.

"She's fourth year and so hot. I mean, she plays Quidditch."Tommo rambled. "She doesn't know I exist, but she's going to soon. I'm going to ask her out tonight at dinner." James thought back to when Sirius asked Marlene out during dinner and how mildly that went. But he smiled encouragingly.