James Potter is infatuated. Utterly and completely infatuated. And he isn't going to give up that easily. (James/OC) UNEDITED!!!

Book 1: Nepenthe Book 2: Halcyon For those that survived the war and carried on, happiness was waiting for them just around the corner, they simply had to find it. For James Potter, it took a wrong turn to end him in the right place where he met Renata Abate, a witch who was searching for her purpose in life. It was Harry who initially brought their paths to cross, but there was something else that kept the paths intertwined. Renata didn't only help to heal James, but he helped to heal her as well as some of the brightest smiles in the world hold the darkest pasts. Soon it became two imperfect people refusing to give up on each other and from that blossomed the start of a beautiful family and the wonderful memories that they would share in, for years to come.

"in the end we are our choices. build yourself a great story." -jeff bezos rankings: {#36 in Harry Potter-07/24/18} {#4 in Hogwarts-07/07/18} {#8 in Sirius Black-07/31/18} {#4 in Wizarding World-06/29/19} {#1 in James Potter-07/10/19} status: completed [1/23/18-7/19/18]

"You should tell him, you know," a familiar voice softly said from behind her. "I know you love him." "Remus," she began turning around to face her friend, "You know I can't do that. He's my best friend, and h-he's in love with his perfect Lily-flower," Elsie sighed as tears began forming in her eyes. "But, Elsie... you don't see the way he looks at you, he-," his sentence was cut off by the girl with tears running down her face. "I don't see how he looks at me, but I see how he looks at her! And, t-that's enough to know that I will n-never be good enough to be with h-him," she snapped through stifled words. "But why don't you just tell him? Why don't you let yourself have a chance at happiness for once?" he asked stepping forwards, wiping her cheeks with his thumbs. "Because...loving him is a losing game. Either way, I'm the one getting hurt," Elsie whispered, falling into the arms of the boy in front of her. SLOW BURN {extended summary inside} (All characters, plots, and aspects of this story belonging to the Harry Potter Universe are credited to JK Rowling.)

It has been over a year since the murder of his wife, Lily, and James Potter wishes every day that it is simply a nightmare that he will wake up from. Unfortunately, it isn't and in the wake of her death, James finds himself as a single parent to their son, Harry. The Boy-Who-Lived is known all around the wizarding world as the one to defeat Lord Voldemort on the same night that Lily was killed as the proclaimed "Dark Lord" attempted to rid of the child as well, yet failed. However, James is just trying to do his best in raising Harry in the most normal fashion as he can possibly muster but it's not easy. With one of his former best friends in Azkaban for the betrayal to the Order and his two remaining best friends not on speaking terms, James finds himself drowning in stress. Yet, relief comes in the form of a young woman, named Renata, and their first encounter is nothing short of a chaotic mess. But at the same time, it's the first thing that's made James laugh in months.