Second Year - Haircut
James Potter
It had been a week since Sirius Black had left James potter house, and James has been on edge ever since. He knows what happened last holiday, and he can't bear the fact Sirius might be hurt.
James is now on his way to the train station with his parents and Peter and his mum. Trunk in hand James can feel this heavy weight on his shoulders.
“James,” James can hear his mother say softly. James turns to face her, and his mother has a sad smile on her face. “I love you” She says putting her hands on both of James' shoulders.
“I love you too mum” James mirrors her smile.
She softens her smile a little more, and James can see her eyes forming tears. James drops his trunk, and brings his mother into a hug, gripping onto the back of her shirt. His mother hugs him back. “I'm going to miss you so much,” James whispers.
“I’ll miss you more” His mother pushes back from the hug. James' mother puts her hand on his head, fluffing up James' curly hair. “I'll write,” James says.
His mother smiles, a happy smile. “Good” ,she leans down and kisses James' head. “Be on your best behavior,'' she says. “Got it,” James nods.
“James we've got to go!” Peter shouts
“Alright, one second!” James shouts back.
James hurriedly goes to his dad, who's next to his mother, immediately bringing his father into a hug. “I'll miss you dad”
“I'll miss you too, my son” His father says , wrapping his arms around his child.
“James, you're going to miss the train!” Peter shouts again. James pulls away from the hug, grabbing his trunk.
“Love you both” James says. Peter runs up next to James, grabbing his wrist. “Come on” Peter asserts. “By Effie by Monty, love you” Peter smiles. “Love you too sweetie” James’s mom smiles. His dad smiles warmly.
“Alright alright, love you both” James says waving to his parents, and they wave back.
The two boys get on the train. Sitting down in an empty cart. All James can think about is his friend, last time he wasn't okay, so what's to say he is this time as well? James wishes he didn't worry so much, he just can't help it, and he wont stop worrying about Sirius until he knows he's alright.
“James? Are you listening?” Peter asks.
“Huh? Sorry “
‘James , we went through this last time, he's going to be okay”
“Yeah , yeah I know,” James sighs.
An hour passes and the train stops at Sirius’s train station. James adjusts himself in his seat, anxiously waiting. The train makes a stop, and James is waiting for Sirius to come through the door. He waits like that for about twenty minutes, James gets more and more worried by the minute.
“Hiya,” Sirius says at the door.
James hears his voice and his shoulders feel a million times lightler.
But then he looks at his friend and his jaw immediately drops. Sirius's hair’s cut all wonky, it’s sticking up in all different directions. Peter busts into laughter. Which makes Sirius glare at him, and his laughter dies down.
“Tell the truth” Sirius says . James looks to Peter who is clearly holding in laughs.
It's horrendous.
“Its horrendous ” Sirius answers
“It's modern,” Peter adds.
“Don't lie,” Sirius shakes his head.
“I'm not,” Peter says.
“I look like a pencil” Sirius sits down next to James.
“You-” James laughs lightly “you dont look like a-”
“Don't laugh!”
“It's okay-” James affirms.
“It's not okay, i'm going to lose my coolness” Sirius claims.
“You're not going to lose your coolness, it's cool” James replies.
“It's not cool!” Sirius whines.
“It's edgy,” Peter teases.
“Oh fuck off!” Sirius shouts.
“No, Its chic” Peter says
“It's unsalvageable, “ Sirius complains.
“Sirius , it's French!” James states.
“Really?”
James looks to Peter again.
“Yes” James looks back to sirius, focusing his eyes away from his hair
“where were you?” Peter asks. “Helping my brother and his rude friends” Sirius kicks up a fuss. “How are they rude?” Peter questions.
“Made fun of my hair,” Sirius mumbles.
“They were right to” the voice at the door says, the boys all turn their heads, to a boy that looks like Sirius but shorter, and curly short hair.
James feels his heart flutter.
He’s beautiful. James thinks. His posture stands nonchalant, his grey eyes are pointed at his brother. He has a playful grin plastered across his face.
“regulus, will you ever live this down” Sirius groans, dragging his hands down his face.
“Not until something better happens” he huffs a laugh at his distressed brother.
“You're regulus?” James questions. The boys widens his eyes, clearing his throat, his grin wiping off his face “uh-yeah”
“James Potter, nice to meet you” James smiles. Regulus’s eyes turn to slits , he glared at James. James presses his lips together. He can’t seem to talk anymore. What’s he glaring at? What did I do? What is the matter with me?
"And Im peter Pettigrew" Peter waves. Peter cuts off the tension James had made up in his head.
“right” Regulus looks around the room to the rest of the boys in the booth.
“If you want to sit here you can, there’s enough space” James blurts out . James’s stomach is tied in knots so tight he can’t seem to loosen.
“I'm already sitting with people so-“ Regulus brings a hand to the back of his neck.
“See you when we get there?” Sirius questions.
“Uhm, yeah” Regulus murmurs , making a leave.
“He's being odd,” Sirius laughs lightly.
Another hour passes and we make a stop at Remus’s station.
Few minutes latee Remus comes through the door, trunk in hand.
“Hiya remus” Peter says.
“Hey” Remus says, looking at his friends. When his eyes stop at sirius.
“Jesus” Remus snorts a laugh. “What the hell happened to your hair?” Remus continues laughing.
Sirius crosses his arms “I don't want to talk about it” he mumbles
Remus sits next to peter. “Oh Remus, you missed meeting Sirius’s brother, Regulus” Peter says
“Right, Didn't want to sit here?” Remus questions. Moving his eyes back to sirius hair
“He wanted to sit with his friends” Sirius shrugs, leaning back in his chair
“He had a much better haircut,” Peter adds, laughing.
James and Remus laugh
“Pete!” Sirius whines, kicking his foot towards peter.
“Alright, alright” Peter lifts his legs up, out of reach of Sirius.
***
The boys walk into the great hall and sit at the Gryffindor table.
“Nice hair McKinnon '' Sirius comments , to a Marlene McKinnon whose hair is now blonde.
“Thanks Black, died it myself” Marlene moves her hand to her hair.
“Looks grand,” Sirius comments.
“Your hair is uh well” Marlene laughs “Horrendous” Marlene grins sipping her pumpkin juice.
Sirius sighs, “for the love of merlin, will everyone stop bringing it up?”
“It's hard not to,” Lily adds on, laughing lightly.
James turns his head to her, lily's looks just about the same, her hair slightly longer.
“What'd you do?” Mary questions and as Sirius opens his mouth to speak Dumbledore interrupts .
“Attention everyone!”
“House sorting will begin, this year we have a couple new students from Beauxbatons Academy”
“Dorcas Meadowes and Emmeline Vance!” Dumbledore says, two girls come up to the chair.
The first girl with Dark skin and fluffy hair, and wearing a black turtleneck and a long blue skirt.
The other girl behind her, had olive toned skinned and pin straight hair she's wearing black pants and a white button up.
Marlene Mckinnion chokes on her pumpkin juice, coughing abruptly . The girls look at her and Marlenes face is turning a bright red.
“Merlin , Mckinnon” Sirius says furrowing his brows to the blonde haired girl . Mary consoles Marlene by rubbing her back, as her coughing stops.
The first girl sits in the chair and Mcgonagall places the hat on her head. “Slytherin!” It yells.
The next girl sits on the chair and the hat yells “griffindor”
***
A while later first years get sorted.
It's Regulus's turn, and James can see Sirius fidgeting in his seat. Listening closely, to what his brother will get sorted into .
“Huh” The hat hums “Regulus black, I can see a few options for you”
James studies Regulus’s face and he can see him doing the same as his brother, fidgeting in his chair, Regulus is messing with his fingers , and his cheeks are turning a crimson color.
“Slytherin” The hat says. And James can see Reglus let out a breath, His eyes directing to Sirius.
James can hear Sirius sigh, James turns his head to him, and he's slumping in his seat, forgetting his usual proper manners.
Regulus goes to the slytherin table and Sirius pokes at his food in front of him.
“Sirius, it's alright” James whispers.
“What?” Sirius questions.
“I can see you're upset about this,” James adds, bringing his hand to Sirius’s back.
“I'm not upset, piss off” Sirius hisses, shoving James’s hand off his back.
James gets quite hurt by this, he can tell his facial expression has dropped at the words, and his stomach makes a turn he doesn't like.
“Alright then” James says, moving himself away from his friend.
***
After dinner they head to their dorms and James is sitting on his bed. Frustrated with himself. He knows Sirius isn't one to push James away, and he doesn't know how to make this better.
James thinks everyones asleep, his curtains to his bed are shut and he's sitting crisscrossed.
“Psst James” he can hear someone whisper outside his curtain
“Yeah?” James questions .
“Can I come in?” The voice is soft, and wry. The voice comes to recognition , its Sirius .
“Yeah”
Sirius opens his curtain crawling onto his bed. His uneven hair sticking out in ever direction. He shuts the curtain, and copies James' sitting position, sitting a foot away from him.
“Im sorry James”
“For what?” James asks, knowing clearly what Sirius is talking about.
“Telling you to piss off,” Sirius says, forming his lips into a straight line .
“Right,” James says.
“Im sorry, i shouldn't of said that”
“It's alright Sirius” James puts a hand on Sirius's shoulder.
“I was just upset” Sirius pauses “about regulus”
“I know”
“What if he turns out like them?” Sirius asks.
“He won't,” James answers.
“They're all in slytherin”
“Yeah, but your cousin, Andromeda, she is, and she's not like them” James adds soothingly.
“Right” Sirius smiles “she's nothing like them”
“And regulus won't be either”
“Thanks james”
“Of course,” James smiles.
“You're my best friend “
“You're my best friend too” James widens his smile.
Siris edges closer to James, bringing him into a tight hug.
James wraps his arms around his friend,
“I love you Sirius” James whispers
“I love you too James”
James can feel the sincere words leave Sirius' mouth, he feels his heart warm up. James wants them to be best friends forever, and nothing will come between that.