Expectations
James Potter was unbelievably happy. It was such a ridiculous thing to be happy about but he felt like it was deserved. Due to his past years he already knew the entire layout of the castle so he didn't have to spend weeks trying to find his own way around.
So he didn't have to spend all of the first days trying to find his way around, not at all. He spent the first few days talking with Harry and his friend Ron Weasley.
After their first talk Harry had been eager to include James in with his and Ron's talks, and had even invited him to sit with them when the classes had started.
James was secretly really happy and sad about that. On one hand his son wanted him around and seemed to really enjoy his company which made him really happy. However, on the other hand James knew in his mind that Harry had probably only started that because he found out James was a part of his family outside of his aunt and uncle.
Oh and James was absolutely pissed about that. It was in both his own and Lily's will that Harry was absolutely not to go to the Dursleys. It clearly listed the order of who was to take him him as Sirius, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood, Professor McGonagall, and even though the government never would have allowed it Remus was listed! Hell, even Severus Snape was listed before the Dursleys!
Speaking of Snape, Gryffindors sadly had their first potions class. It was a double class with the Slytherin which definitely wasn't going to turn out well.
James had found out that Harry had gotten the feeling he hated him right away which was honestly expected given the history between Snape and himself. All he could do was hope that Snape wouldn't take it out against his son.
He had also been talking to Oliver more which should have just been fun Quidditch talk but he had gotten some information about the teachers. And the worst bit of news was Severus Snape. It seemed like he greatly preferred the Slytherin house and tended to give them loads of points, taking points off of the other house for breathing too loud sometimes.
It didn't help that as the class with the Slytherins, he would be in the same confined space as Regulus. Despite his semi efforts he hadn't been able to talk with him yet. He wanted to know what Regulus was doing here, what had happened?
And he wanted to know what had happened to him. Because all he knew about Regulus' death was how upset Sirius had been, how self destructive he had been after that letter.
So needless to say James was not looking forward to this lesson at all.
~~~
James officially thought Snape was a worse professor than Slughorn ever had been.
The class had started semi normally, the trio of them were luckily one of the first people in there so James didn’t have to worry about seeing Regulus right away. However, it seemed that Snape really did have it out for Harry.
While he was taking attendance he mentioned that Harry was their ‘newest celebrity’ which was a lot of bullshit. Harry looked so uncomfortable at him saying that but he just carried down the damn list. Not before calling ‘Jivan’ and giving him a strange look which, to be honest, he kind of expected. Harry may have most of his physical traits from James but Jivan was almost the exact image of James when he was in first year, just a difference in his eyes due to the contacts hiding his hazel eyes and the way he held himself.
“You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making,” Snape began, and distantly James had a slight hope that he might just be a good teacher. “As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren’t as big a bunch
of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.”
Yeah okay James had to admit that was a pretty good introduction until the end part.
Everyone seemed to be taking in his mini speech when he suddenly spoke, “Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”
Harry paused for a second before he looked at James in confusion. Was Snape asking both of them?
James held himself back from snapping at him, that wasn’t in first year books! But he decided to be the one to speak up, “Which Potter… Sir.”
Snape seemed to bristle at the question, ignoring how valid it was. “5 points from Gryffindor for your cheek Potter. The new celebrity.”
Harry seemed to be panicking a bit, it was clear he had no clue what the answer was to that. Nor did he know the answer to the last two questions he was asked. James could feel himself getting slowly and slowly more pissed as the lesson continued.
His mood didn’t improve as they were thrown into making a potion which ended up spilling over Neville, who needed to go to the hospital wing. Yeah James knew that he would hate potions by the end of it.
As they were told to pick up their stuff and leave James’ mind suddenly remembered that Regulus was in the class with him. He quickly looked up and scanned the students before he caught a glimpse of him and his heart sank a little bit. Regulus was sprinting out of the door.
Now he wasn’t actually sprinting out of there, no. James remembered a long time ago Regulus shared that little bit of information.
“Oi Reggie!”
James saw Regulus tense up farther down the library aisle and he quickly walked over to him.
Regulus hissed quietly at him as soon as he came in close enough range, “Potter you shouldn’t just shout like that! What if someone heard you?!”
He just grinned at him and leaned against the bookshelf, “No one was in here! Don’t worry your pretty little head!” James would always treasure how pink in the face Regulus seemed to become after James compliments him.
“Still! Ugh, Merlin you’re insufferable, come on,” Regulus grabbed his hand and started to walk out of the library, out the secret passage behind the astronomy books.
James was yanked to follow him, having to almost sprint to catch up with him, “Woah-!”
They followed the passageway until they came to a cozy little room. Regulus had showed James this little tucked away spot last year and their meet-ups here had left James very unwilling to put this place on the marauder’s map, wanting it to be their little secret.
“Blimey you’re fast Reg,” James dusted his pants as he moved to sit on their little pile of pillows and blankets they had on the floor.
Regulus shrugged as he sat down next to him, getting a few pieces of parchment out of his school bag, “Slytherins don’t run unless we are being chased. So that’s my version of running.”
James couldn’t help the laugh that had bubbled out of him at that. It was such a Regulus answer.
“Now Potter, let’s get on these homework pieces.”
James was brought out of the little memory he found himself in as Harry shook his shoulder, “Hm?”
“I was just saying that me and Ron were gonna go down to Hagrid’s if you wanted to join?”
He shook his head a little bit, “Nah, I’ll head up to the dorms, say hi to Hagrid though?”
“Of course we will!” And James watched Ron and Harry walk out, himself following soon after but headed the other way to the Gryffindor tower.