Just hours earlier, James had walked into the boys’ dormitory, ready to make plans for the weekend. Instead, he was greeted by a sight that made his heart drop: Sirius, sitting in front of a mirror, his once-long, lustrous locks now reduced to a messy mop of curls.
“What have you done?!” James had exclaimed, horror evident on his face.
Sirius turned around, a smirk on his face. “What do you mean? It’s just hair, Prongs.”
“It’s not just hair! You look like a—” James fumbled for words. “A—like a—”
“A what?” Sirius challenged, eyebrows raised.
“Like a house-elf!” James finally blurted out, unable to contain his distress.
Sirius burst into laughter, clearly amused. “A house-elf? Really? You think I look that bad?”
“Yes!” James cried dramatically, throwing his hands up. “It’s an absolute catastrophe! What were you thinking?”
Sirius shrugged, still grinning. “I wanted a change. Figured it was time for a fresh look.”
“A fresh look?” James echoed, incredulous. “You’ve lost your stunning mane! It was your signature!”
“Signature?” Sirius leaned back, crossing his arms. “Please, it was more of a nuisance. It’s nice to feel the breeze on my neck for once.”
James’s mood plummeted further. “Breeze? You might as well be a muggle with this haircut. How will we ever charm anyone with you looking like this?”
“Aw, poor Prongs. Are you worried I won’t get any attention?” Sirius teased, his grin widening. “I think I’ll manage.”
James groaned, burying his face in his hands. “This is a tragedy, Sirius. You’ve ruined everything.”
“Okay, okay,” Sirius said, finally chuckling. “Let’s not be dramatic. How about I let you style it for me?”
James peeked through his fingers, his expression softening slightly. “You’d really let me do that?”
“Sure, if it’ll get you to stop moping,” Sirius replied, his tone playful.
“Alright, but it’s going to take some serious work to salvage this,” James said, standing up and moving to sit next to Sirius.
“Bring it on, oh great hair wizard!” Sirius declared dramatically, flipping his head in a mock show of confidence.
As James started to play with Sirius's hair, his fingers worked through the short curls, trying to figure out a way to make it presentable. “You really don’t understand how much I adored your old hair, do you?”
“Not at all,” Sirius said, his eyes sparkling. “But I love how passionate you are about it.”
James rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
Sirius leaned closer, their shoulders touching. “And you love me for it.”
“Sometimes,” James replied, attempting to sound serious but failing miserably.
“You know,” Sirius said, feigning deep thought, “maybe I should dye it next.”
James froze. “Sirius, don’t even think about it. If you come out looking like a rainbow, I’m leaving you.”
“Fine, I’ll stick to my boring old black,” Sirius said with a dramatic sigh. “But I’ll keep this style.”
James huffed, shaking his head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously handsome, you mean,” Sirius quipped, nudging James playfully.
They continued to banter as James styled Sirius’s hair, and soon laughter filled the room. In that moment, James realized that no matter how Sirius chose to wear his hair.
“Alright, I think that’s enough for now,” James said, finally pulling back. “You look slightly less like a house-elf and more like a... well, a very stylish mess.”
Sirius inspected his reflection, an exaggerated pout forming on his lips. “Slightly less? I demand a full makeover, Potter.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll give it a shot,” James said, grabbing some spare hair gel from his bag. “But you better not blame me if you don’t get any attention.”
Sirius winked. “I’ll just tell everyone it’s your fault.”
With a laugh, they continued their playful banter, the earlier tension dissolving into the warmth of their friendship. As James worked, he realized that it didn’t matter how Sirius wore his hair; it was his carefree spirit and their bond that truly shone through.