Chapter 1
James stormed down the hallway, hands clenched in tight fists at his sides. The "Marauders" as they had come to call themselves, had just had yet another fight and he had run off, not wanting to deal with the blame of starting it. Flinging the bathroom door open he thundered into the bathroom, very nearly scaring two first years witless and sending them scurrying out.
He stood in front of a sink for a moment, staring at his reflection in the mirror before raising a fist and punching it soundly, sending cracks spider webbing across the surface. He hit it again, widening the cracks, then again and it finally fully shattered, sending shards flying across the room. Breathing heavily he leaned over the sink, hands gripping either side of the bowl.
"Quite done yet?" James whirled around to see Y/N, one of the Slytherin Prefects watching him, arms crossed over her chest, robes flowing around her. He glared.
"Shove off." She did not shove off and instead walked over and leaned up against the sink next to him calmly observing the shattered glass. "If you're going to dock points then just do it. I'm not in the mood for games." Y/N gave him a small, but humored smile.
"I'm not going to dock points." With a swish of her wand she artfully repaired the mirror. "I was going to ask if you wanted to talk about it." He blanched.
"Talk about it?" She nodded.
"Talk about it. There’s clearly something upsetting you. A lot of times it can help to talk it through with someone. It makes it easier to find the base problem and figure out a way to fix it." He stared.
"But you're..." He waved vaguely at her green and silver robes. She raised an eyebrow.
"I'm... what exactly?"
"A Slytherin?" His tone was more questioning than he intended and she seemed humored.
"Yes it does appear that way. But I'm still a person, just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I have to be heartless. Sit, you can talk and I can do my best to help." Numbly he nodded and sat. She sat next to him, hands resting in her lap, an earnest look on her face.
"Well... I guess it's just because me and my friends have been fighting." She nodded.
"That can be hard. Is there anything specific you guys have been fighting over?" James shrugged.
"Not really. Just..." He hesitated and she gave him an encouraging smile. "I feel like it's always when I'm in a bad mood. Like I woke up this morning in a bad mood and now we're fighting." She nodded but didn't say anything. He paused for a moment before blurting out a thought that had been forming in his mind for quite awhile.
"What if... what if we're fighting because I'm in a bad mood? What if they don't like that I'm not happy all the time and we fight because of it?" She nodded again.
"You think that you're the reason you guys are fighting?" He nodded. "And why do you think that is?"
"Because I'm in a bad mood?" She seasawed her hand.
"Kind of. I've been watching. You guys aren't fighting because you're in a bad mood. You're fighting because you never learned how to regulate and safely express your anger." Horror spread across his face and the pieces clicked into place.
"And I'm taking it out on them." Y/N nodded. "How do I... how do I fix it?"
"Well, you never can really 'fix' having bad moods. You just learn how to cope with it in healthy ways. Have you heard of box breathing?" He shook his head. "I think it'd help you a lot. Watch." She pulled out her wand and held it in front of her.
"Breathe in for 4 seconds." She demonstrated and lifted her wand making a glowing mark appear in the air. "Hold for 4 seconds." She moved her wand to the side. "Breathe out for 4 seconds." She lowered her wand. "And hold for 4 seconds." She moved it sideways to connect it to the original line making a box.
"It's a square." She smiled patiently.
"Yes, like a box. That's why it's called box breathing. Between the motion of tracing a box with either your hand or your eyes and regulating your breathing it's quite calming. Try." He chewed his lip for a moment. "Do you want help?" He nodded.
"Okay, breathe in for 4... yup just like that. Hold... great job. Breathe out... and hold..." Y/N breathed along with him, several times while he traced the glowing square. "You're doing wonderfully."
"Thanks." She pulled out a piece of parchment and quickly scrawled a few lines on the paper.
"Of course. Here, that was a pretty simple breathing exercise but if you want to look for more this book here is great, they have it in the library over by... oh you'll find it. These two teach you more about healthy coping mechanisms and this one explains all the brain science behind anger and whatnot." She handed it over. "Let's get you to class now. You'll already be late. Transfigurations right?"
"Yeah how did you know that?" She shrugged and stood offering him a hand up.
"I just do." He accepted the hand and she hauled him to his feet. "Let's go." Y/N swept out of the bathrooms with James trailing behind to Transfigurations. When they got there he hesitated.
"I'm so late." She waved a hand dismissively and pushed the door open. Professor Mogonagle looked over.
"Ah, I see you found Mr. Potter. Thank you Miss L/N. Take a seat Mr. Potter and see me after class." Y/N spoke up.
"Actually I'd like to request that James not be punished for his tardiness." Her and Mogonagle had a silent staredown for a moment before she nodded.
"Very well, Mr. Potter, please take a seat." He stepped into the classroom and turned to thank Y/N but she was already gone.