Fic: Tell Me What They've Done, MWPP
Title: Tell Me What They’ve Done
Author: acidquill
Pairing: none
Rating: PG
Challenge: 95. James gen; James' POV on MWPP's first night as Gryffindors.
Summary: James’ first lesson in being brave.
Warnings: none.
Word Count: 1015
A/N: Oh yeah, this is going to be a favorite of mine. I liked writing wee!James for a change.
Tell Me What They’ve Done
James isn’t sure what he expected. Maybe lions guarding the door with hungry roaring mouths and fearless eyes. Instead there’s just a painting -- The Fat Lady, the prefect says warmly -- of a woman in pink dress who looks at James like she’s measuring him up and not finding him quite worthy.
There are three other boys in his dorm: Black, Lupin, Pettigrew. He remembers them from the Sorting and from the train. His mum and dad sent him off with smiles and hugs and pocket money slipped into his coat; he saw Black for the first time then, though James didn‘t realise who the boy was until later. Black was hunched inside his cloak beside a woman who must have been his mother and a smaller boy who couldn’t be anything else but a little brother looking around wide eyed and silent. Black got on the train and his mother turned away before the door shut. James kissed his mother an extra time then and smiled a bit bigger at his father. He told them he’d write as soon as he could and watched them get smaller and smaller on the platform before he found a seat. He met Lupin and Pettigrew right after, both of them slipping into his compartment -- Pettigrew, no Peter it was, all apologies and do you mind awfully everywhere else is full. Lupin didn’t say anything, just took a seat by the window and disappeared into a book. Peter was a nice sort, and when the trolley of sweets came around he and James shared a box of Every Flavor Beans.
But that was the train and now all four of them are in the same House, the same room. James isn’t sure what to do with all of it. Peter’s the only one who looks remotely friendly. Lupin looks scared, and Black looks downright hostile, black eyes daring anyone to even think of talking to him. Well, that’s fine. James knows better ways than talking anyway; he speaks the language of eleven year old boys everywhere.
His trunk’s pushed up against the bed and he rummages until he finds what he’s looking for. He straightens up hair mussed and eyes triumphant with a pack of cards clutched in his hand. He looks at Peter and smiles hopefully at Lupin.
“Want to play Exploding Snap?”
Peter’s grin covers half his face and Lupin looks relieved. James climbs onto his bed and leaves room for the other two. He deals the cards out three ways and lets Peter make the first move. Halfway through the game he catches Lupin’s eye and says,
“I’m James.”
The other boy looks at him and James feels like he’s being measured up again, though this time he gets the feeling he’s not falling short. Lupin smiles. James thinks he looks much better that way; he doesn’t look so sad.
After that it’s James and Peter and Remus.
Somewhere near the end of game three James gets up and goes over to where Black is sitting on his trunk and pretending not to care. James knows all about this boy’s family. He’s heard it plenty of times at parties -- the grown ups will slip up and say don’t they have any, what a horrible, it’s such a shame, those two little boys -- and James knows that he’s lucky to have a mum and dad like he does. But Black or not, it doesn’t stop James from deciding that names don’t mean anything and Gryffindors are brave and being a Black must be very lonely. So he introduces himself one more time. Face to face this time, straightforward, the way his father taught him. James bows just like he’s supposed to and holds out his hand stiff and formal; he wants to get this right.
“Hello, my name is James Potter.”
Black looks at him and it’s not like Remus at all. It’s all dark eyes and dark hair and something tugging at the corner of Black’s mouth before he finally takes James’ hand in fingers cool and not the least bit sweaty.
“Sirius.”
And that’s all he says. James takes a deep breath and smiles because really this Gryffindor thing isn’t turning out all that badly. The two of them go back to James’ bed. James settles back into his spot and Peter moves over to make room for Sirius. Remus deals out another hand like the four of them have been doing this forever.
After that it’s James and Peter and Remus and Sirius.
They play four games of Snap, then six, then ten. Peter tells horrible jokes that don’t make a lot of sense and Sirius does a wicked imitation of Professor McGonagall at the Welcoming Feast, stern glare and all. Remus’ laugh is quiet just like the rest of him and James gets shoved off the bed somewhere in the middle of Did you hear the one about the chicken and the tomato? He lies on the floor and snorts because Peter’s still trying to get to the punch line even though James thinks there’s not a line in there anywhere. Sirius leans over the side of the bed and just looks at him like he’s crazy. But in a good way, James thinks because Sirius grins like it’s the most brilliant thing ever and tosses a pillow in his face.
The four of them finally give up around game fifteen. Peter is half asleep and keeps throwing his cards down after the round’s already finished. Sirius keeps trying to hide a yawn and does a halfway decent job at it. James finally just gathers up the cards and tosses them back into his trunk. The other three slip off James’ bed and go to put on their pajamas and brush their teeth.
James pulls his pajama shirt over his head and turns down the blankets. Remus smiles sleepily before drawing his curtains; Peter’s already snuffling into his pillow. There’s a warm fizzy feeling in the pit of James’ stomach; he thinks he’s just found his best friends.
-end
Author: acidquill
Pairing: none
Rating: PG
Challenge: 95. James gen; James' POV on MWPP's first night as Gryffindors.
Summary: James’ first lesson in being brave.
Warnings: none.
Word Count: 1015
A/N: Oh yeah, this is going to be a favorite of mine. I liked writing wee!James for a change.
Tell Me What They’ve Done
James isn’t sure what he expected. Maybe lions guarding the door with hungry roaring mouths and fearless eyes. Instead there’s just a painting -- The Fat Lady, the prefect says warmly -- of a woman in pink dress who looks at James like she’s measuring him up and not finding him quite worthy.
There are three other boys in his dorm: Black, Lupin, Pettigrew. He remembers them from the Sorting and from the train. His mum and dad sent him off with smiles and hugs and pocket money slipped into his coat; he saw Black for the first time then, though James didn‘t realise who the boy was until later. Black was hunched inside his cloak beside a woman who must have been his mother and a smaller boy who couldn’t be anything else but a little brother looking around wide eyed and silent. Black got on the train and his mother turned away before the door shut. James kissed his mother an extra time then and smiled a bit bigger at his father. He told them he’d write as soon as he could and watched them get smaller and smaller on the platform before he found a seat. He met Lupin and Pettigrew right after, both of them slipping into his compartment -- Pettigrew, no Peter it was, all apologies and do you mind awfully everywhere else is full. Lupin didn’t say anything, just took a seat by the window and disappeared into a book. Peter was a nice sort, and when the trolley of sweets came around he and James shared a box of Every Flavor Beans.
But that was the train and now all four of them are in the same House, the same room. James isn’t sure what to do with all of it. Peter’s the only one who looks remotely friendly. Lupin looks scared, and Black looks downright hostile, black eyes daring anyone to even think of talking to him. Well, that’s fine. James knows better ways than talking anyway; he speaks the language of eleven year old boys everywhere.
His trunk’s pushed up against the bed and he rummages until he finds what he’s looking for. He straightens up hair mussed and eyes triumphant with a pack of cards clutched in his hand. He looks at Peter and smiles hopefully at Lupin.
“Want to play Exploding Snap?”
Peter’s grin covers half his face and Lupin looks relieved. James climbs onto his bed and leaves room for the other two. He deals the cards out three ways and lets Peter make the first move. Halfway through the game he catches Lupin’s eye and says,
“I’m James.”
The other boy looks at him and James feels like he’s being measured up again, though this time he gets the feeling he’s not falling short. Lupin smiles. James thinks he looks much better that way; he doesn’t look so sad.
After that it’s James and Peter and Remus.
Somewhere near the end of game three James gets up and goes over to where Black is sitting on his trunk and pretending not to care. James knows all about this boy’s family. He’s heard it plenty of times at parties -- the grown ups will slip up and say don’t they have any, what a horrible, it’s such a shame, those two little boys -- and James knows that he’s lucky to have a mum and dad like he does. But Black or not, it doesn’t stop James from deciding that names don’t mean anything and Gryffindors are brave and being a Black must be very lonely. So he introduces himself one more time. Face to face this time, straightforward, the way his father taught him. James bows just like he’s supposed to and holds out his hand stiff and formal; he wants to get this right.
“Hello, my name is James Potter.”
Black looks at him and it’s not like Remus at all. It’s all dark eyes and dark hair and something tugging at the corner of Black’s mouth before he finally takes James’ hand in fingers cool and not the least bit sweaty.
“Sirius.”
And that’s all he says. James takes a deep breath and smiles because really this Gryffindor thing isn’t turning out all that badly. The two of them go back to James’ bed. James settles back into his spot and Peter moves over to make room for Sirius. Remus deals out another hand like the four of them have been doing this forever.
After that it’s James and Peter and Remus and Sirius.
They play four games of Snap, then six, then ten. Peter tells horrible jokes that don’t make a lot of sense and Sirius does a wicked imitation of Professor McGonagall at the Welcoming Feast, stern glare and all. Remus’ laugh is quiet just like the rest of him and James gets shoved off the bed somewhere in the middle of Did you hear the one about the chicken and the tomato? He lies on the floor and snorts because Peter’s still trying to get to the punch line even though James thinks there’s not a line in there anywhere. Sirius leans over the side of the bed and just looks at him like he’s crazy. But in a good way, James thinks because Sirius grins like it’s the most brilliant thing ever and tosses a pillow in his face.
The four of them finally give up around game fifteen. Peter is half asleep and keeps throwing his cards down after the round’s already finished. Sirius keeps trying to hide a yawn and does a halfway decent job at it. James finally just gathers up the cards and tosses them back into his trunk. The other three slip off James’ bed and go to put on their pajamas and brush their teeth.
James pulls his pajama shirt over his head and turns down the blankets. Remus smiles sleepily before drawing his curtains; Peter’s already snuffling into his pillow. There’s a warm fizzy feeling in the pit of James’ stomach; he thinks he’s just found his best friends.
-end