The Confrontation
James really shouldn’t meddle.
He had no reason to, especially since Sirius' antics kept getting them into trouble. But this is his best friend. After reading the letter, he knew if he didn't at least try something— no matter how it made him feel— Sirius would hate him forever when he found out.
While Sirius was still stuck in the hospital wing and the rest of the Marauder’s knackered from the manual labor McGonagall had them doing, James donned his invisibility cloak and crept out of the common room, map in hand, searching for his target.
It was closer to morning than night, and the frigid air surrounding the grounds kept peace, hoarfrost softly gave under his feet as James made towards the gardens.
The Durmstrang exchange was sat within the pumpkin patch’s inner perimeter, his back against drystone and his legs bent at the knees. A book lay open across his thighs, and a floating tea light illuminated the lines as he tracked the words on the page.
James shuffled closer and hid behind a decaying pumpkin, a small badger seeking refuge inside scattered from its disturbed burrow. The Durmstrang boy sat alert, pulling out his wand and pointing it in the direction of the scattered movement. He was much more aware of his surroundings without Snape around.
"Who's there?" his deep voice reverberated in the silence.
James removed his cloak and casually strolled from behind the pumpkin.
"Curfew started over six hours ago."
"Potter, is it? Your friend is still hospitalized, I take it.” He smirked, looking down at James even from his sat position. “Why are you here?"
As James peered down at the boy, he noted the small root in his other hand; there was also a metal flask and a freshly dug hole near his feet.
"Don't you think it's a bit too early to be thinking about marriage?"
His smirk turned to stone. "We're of age."
James moved closer. He really didn't know what to say. Technically they were. But he was disturbed to see the requests for ritualistic material and documentation. Courtship? Before they even graduated? Modern purebloods who chose their own betrothed started courtship at 19 the earliest, though even that was starting to feel dated. James wondered how different they did things in the Northeast.
"Look, I'm just trying to help you out. You barely even know him. Believe me, he's not all that he's cracked up to be."James couldn’t hide the contempt in his voice, all of this mayhem due to Snivellus of all people.
"Yet your friend is intimidated by the fact that his focus wanes elsewhere."
"Maybe you’re intimidated. People who rush into marriage are always trying to compensate for something," James said, sounding as haughty as his counterpart.
The Durmstrang boy eyed James while crossing his arms.
"Tell your friend I am prepared for the complexities that come with courting someone as enthralling as Severus;” James made a face.“That includes defending my position from those who wish to assume our order."
The implication hung in the air between them. The Durmstrang boy collected his things and stood up, patching the empty hole with fresh dirt.
“Sun'll be up soon, you should plant that. I can’t help but be intrigued by the flower that will bloom for Snape. I’ll leave you to it, then." James tried, looking across the lake to the steadily oranging sky. He remembered the letter stressed that the courting rose must be planted at dusk. Maybe they could all come back later and...
The boy didn’t say anything, opting to shoulder-check James in lieu of a response as he walked past him, his ritualistic objects carried back towards the castle.
James snuck back into bed not long after, feeling as if he had just made things worse.