They write to each other all summer. Their parents think that it is cute. James begs and whines (Not that he would ever admit it) to visit France again. His parents agree with an amused smile.
Camilla tackles him into a hug the moment she sees him. This leads them to roll down the hill the Castle is situated on, and fall into a pond. They laugh as they splash water on each other. James laughs even harder at the screech Camilla lets out when a frog jumps on her head.
He learns that Camilla likes horse-riding. She introduces him to her favourite horse in their private stables. James accidentally steps on horse-dung a couple of times, but he takes horse riding like a natural. Camilla teaches him a muggle sport called polo. They play polo with their parents in a game of France vs England. France wins.
She introduces him to her neighbour and cousin, the handsome Ambrose Delacour. James finds him a nice block.
One week later, Sirius arrives at her house with a huge grin on his face and a young boy hiding behind him. Sirius introduces him as his younger brother, Regulus. Regulus is shy but desperately tries to act like his father. Camilla finds him adorable and proclaims herself as his spiritual sister. Sirius looks bewildered, James looks accepting and Regulus looks delighted.
When they ask Sirius how his parents let him and his younger brother come to France, Sirius looks sheepish and admits that his parents do not know that James is there, and all he told them was that France's Minister's granddaughter is beautiful, smart, pureblood and has invited him to her house. James says that it sounds like his parents are trying to play matchmaker. Sirius agrees that they are. Camilla and Sirius spend the rest of the day flirting (according to James' knowledge) in French and making kissy faces at each other whenever James is around, much to the Gryffindor's disgust. Regulus finds them all amusing.
James decides he hates snails, having thrown up for ten minutes straight after eating one. Apparently, eating snails and pigeons are quite common in France. Lady Lavensque tries to teach him basic French. She fails miserably. And before they knew it, summer is almost over.
Lord and Lady Potter take James, Camilla, Sirius and Regulus to shop for school supplies. Lord and Lady Lavensque are very busy in France and Orion and Walburga Black could be least bothered. They watch Regulus' awed face as he gets his wand. James convinces his parents to buy them all brooms, because they can finally try out for the Quidditch team. They go out for ice-cream and then laugh at Regulus's face as he eats a bugger flavoured bean and at James's face as he eats a broccoli flavoured one. Camilla accidentally on purpose steps on Sirius's foot very hard when he laughs at her expression as she eats a puke flavoured bean.
James and Sirius find themselves in the same train compartment they had sat the year before. Regulus had parted with them on the way, claiming that he should find his own friends. Camilla joins them in the compartment a few minutes later, dragging Selina Greengrass with her. Catherine Fawley enters the compartment a second after her friends, with a big grin present on her face. Remus Lupin enters the compartment as well and takes a seat next to the two boys.
They spend the rest of the ride playing games and chatting.
James and Sirius mouth words and sentences to Camilla and Catherine. The Hufflepuff table in between, looks at the two Gryffindors and two Ravenclaws in amusement as they act out words and mouth sentences that they can't speak loudly due to the sorting of the newbies. Remus Lupin looks embarrassed, and over at the Slytherin table, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black, Theodore Nott and Selina Greengrass look at the Ravenclaw's actions in exasperation. All of them clap and cheer loudly when Regulus is sorted into Slytherin, seating himself beside Narcissa Malfoy and Selina Greegrass (much to the boy's embarrassment and secret happiness).
James, Sirius and Remus along with their other dorm mate, Peter, have gained quite a reputation in pranking. Camilla has also gained a reputation on being the only person to be able to prank the pranksters.
It's time for Quidditch try-outs. James and Camilla try out for chasers of their respective house teams and get selected, much to their delight. It's only when a passer by Regulus offhandedly comments that they both will have to compete against each other for the House Cup, that Camilla and James immediately pause their celebrations, instead choosing to glare heatedly at each other.
Their friends learn the hard way that James Potter and Camilla Lavensque are very serious when it comes to Quidditch. Suspecting that the other is trying to spy for the other team.
The Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match is a metaphorical blood bath. James Potter flies on the broom like he was born to do so, and Camilla is fiercely competitive and happens to be very good at gymnastics. Quidditch is their passion, and they glare at each other when the other scores a goal. James scores four more goals than Camilla, ("Only because our keeper is weak!" She would argue later) and Gryffindor catches the snitch. Sadly, Ravenclaw wins the match by ten points.
James Potter and Camilla Lavensque don't talk to each other for a week after the quidditch match. Sirius Black along with the help of Selina Greengrass trick them both into going to the Astronomy Tower before locking them inside. The two quidditch enthusiasts glare at each other stubbornly before bonding over how they were going to kill Sirius and Selina respectively for locking them inside here without warning, because dammit, it's cold! Neither of them apologise to each other, but they have a silent, unspoken agreement to not let quidditch get in-between their friendship again.
The next day, Sirius and Selina wake up with bright pink hair and with a tendency to make toad-sounds whenever they open their mouths. Camilla and James get a week of detention, and ten points taken away each, but they have no regrets and grin the entire time. Sirius whines the entire day, "Dammit James! You could hurt me, you could turn my body green or something. But why my hair? Why my precious, wonderful hair! What did it ever do to you?"
They study together in the library. Also, if one of them has a class earlier than the other, they tell the others what happened so they can be prepared in advance with homework and surprise tests.
Camilla still visits Headmaster Dumbledore every Tuesday for tea. They do trade gossip, just like how she had told James, but that isn't the whole truth. Her family friend, Nicholas Flamel, inspired her to take an interest in Alchemy. And so, Nicholas Flamel had asked his friend, Albus Dumbledore, if he could take a few hours every week to train her in Alchemy; he himself, would take her on as his assistant during the summer. Albus Dumbledore had agreed. They had even talked with her parents who gave their consent for her to start working on her official Alchemy Apprenticeship during her forth year onwards,, as long as she doesn't go down in her studies.
It's near December, and the whole castle is decorated to give Christmas/Yule feels. Nobody understands when Camilla bursts out laughing upon seeing a mistletoe hanging and James starts blushing in embarrassment.
They go home for Christmas, Sirius and Regulus go with Camilla. The Lavensque family with Sirius and Regulus ("Don't worry dears, it's no problem at all. I insist." Lady Lavensque tells them kindly. "I already confirmed it with your parents. You both are spending the entire winter holidays with us, and you can also stay over during summer, isn't that great!") visit Germany during the beginning part of the vacations. For the later part of the holidays, the Potters do their now traditional visit to France. This time, they are joined by Selina Greengrass and Catherine Fawley. Remus Lupin stays with them for a couple of days as well, before leaving with the excuse of his mother being unwell. They spend the entire vacation enjoying life and laughing, and before they knew it, they are once again in the Hogwarts Express.
They all have fun. The six of them- James, Camilla, Sirius, Selina, Remus and Catherine are reputed to be very good friends, with Regulus joining them occasionally, despite the house differences. Dumbledore constantly awards each of them points for showing house unity, he jokes that all they have to do now, is find a Hufflepuff as well.
They sit by the tree near the Black Lake (which Sirius grinningly claims is named after him) and gossip, tease and act just their age.
The whole year goes by really quickly, filled with laughs and pranks. Ravenclaw wins the Quidditch Cup for the first time in years, but lose the House Cup to Slytherin (much to Selina's smugness). And just like that, they are having the end of the year feast, with promises to write and visit each other during the summer.
YOU ARE READING
The Lion and The Raven ~ James Potter AU
Fanfiction"I fell in love the way I fall asleep. Slowly, then all at once."-- John Green He was dynamic. She was dramatic. He was cheeky. She was sassy. He was reckless. She was passionate. They were by no means perfect. But they were perfect together. ~*~*~*...
