Love's Summer || James Potter

f o u r

James was stunned as he walked inside Sounders Manor. He had seen many large houses, including his own, but this one was like nothing he had never seen. He looked around as he followed Sirius and Elliana to the kitchen. He stared at the glass ceilings, translucent enough for you to see the next two levels. He stared at the living room that seemed larger than his whole house.

He stared at Elliana. "The house didn't seem this big from the outside."

The girl pulled two ice-cold butterbeers out of the fridge. "Just a charm put on it." She handed the boys the drinks. "Don't think the Muggles would be able to understand a house larger than all of their houses put together." She led them to the backyard where Arielle was sitting there, tanning, waiting for them.

"Hey! It's Little Elle," Sirius yelled, picking up the girl.

"Little Elle?" Elliana questioned.

"Ya, the two of your names have Elle in it. So you're Big Elle and she's Little Elle." Elliana wanted to call out that actually three of them, but she kept it to herself as she pulled up two more chairs.

Sirius and Elliana talked together, while James sat awkwardly, staring off into space. Elliana sensing that James was uncomfortable decided to say something.

"Do you guys want to swim?" she asked, mainly directing the question towards James, though it was Sirius who answered by pushing the Potter into the pool.

James disappeared under the water before suddenly appearing, coughing cold water out of his nose, letting out a chain of foul words. "I hate you, Sirius," he yelled, as his friend just sat there, laughing. James flipped his friend off, which just caused Sirius to laugh more. Elliana also thought it was funny, but she noticed how the boy was already uncomfortable around her and didn't want him to dislike her more than he already did.

So she decided to laugh at someone else. While Sirius was on the floor laughing, she snuck up behind him and pushed him, just like he did to James. All three kids laughed as they watched Sirius go up and down in the water, reaching for air. He had a rude glare on his face when he finally settled. Soon before she knew it, Sirius grabbed her leg pulling her also in the water, but not before she seized her sister's arm pulling both of them into the pool.

The four kids stared at each other before they all suddenly burst into laughter, all awkward walls broken. They all swam around playing games and talking. As they had their fun, James realized that maybe he shouldn't have judged the girls so soon, finding out that under her shy border, she was actually a lot like him. She, too, was extremely mischievous, and it turned out that she was actually a better pranker than him.

"The thing is you can do good pranks, but if you get caught, what's the point?", Elliana questioned, as she laid on a raft, she shared with her sister. "A good prank is the best when you don't have to suffer anything, such as getting caught."

Soon enough, the four teens got hungry and went into the kitchen. It would still be hours until the girl's parents would get home so they weren't very anxious about the boys getting caught.

Elliana got them all snacks, while Arielle got them drinks. Together they sat, eating and talking, like normal kids, without a care in the world. But soon there fun got cut short when the girl's parents were expected to come at any second. They planned another gathering, and once again it was just the two girls at home.

While they were sitting at the table, waiting, Charlotte flew in coming back from delivering a letter, her claws empty.

"Hi Lottie," Elliana said, as she stroked her white owl's fur. "Did you deliver the letter?" The owl nudged her arm in a nodding motion, making the girl smile. She fed the owl, before retreating to her room.