Chapter Text
It’s a warm summer afternoon when James walks down the street in the direction of Snape's house. His mother had been hoping to drop off some cookies for Eileen, but had unfortunately been forced to answer a quite urgent work call. So James is left with the responsibility of safely delivering a large plate of cookies as well as returning several books that his mother had borrowed from their neighbors.
As he lugs the heavy bag of books towards Snape’s house, James regrets not leaving earlier to escape his mothers chores in order to get to Frank’s house and play some basketball.
Oh well.
Nearing the front door, James can hear the sound of a piano through an open window as well as someone's voice, although he can’t quite make out what they’re saying. It looks like the Snapes have company if the extra car in front of their house is anything to go by, especially since Snape barely ever plays the piano. It must be someone from his school.
Despite living in the same school district, James and Snape go to completely different schools, James is at Durmstrang while Snape has decided to haunt the grounds of Hogwarts Arts High School.
Performance art is not something James really considers as a future, but he’s been told, by his mother, that he has a very nice voice. So, obviously it’s very confusing to him how someone like Snape has made it to a legitimate performing arts school.
He knocks at the door and waits only for a few seconds before the door flies open and James is standing face to face with the brightest red hair he’s ever seen in his life. The girl in front of him is staring up at him with an expectant look in her eyes, which are slowly shifting downwards towards the plate of cookies in his hand.
“Hi, who might you be?” James leans against the door frame, trying to look as effortless as possible. She doesn’t seem very impressed though. Raising her eyebrow at him and smirking.
As James stands there and tries to comprehend the fact that there is an actual girl at Snape’s house, the girl turns around and calls out for Snape's mother, who immediately rushes out of the kitchen to give James a big hug. Because despite his antagonistic relationship with her son, Eileen is quite fond of James and he takes a lot of pride in that. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that it makes Snape absolutely livid.
“James, honey! How are you? Come inside dear, you absolutely have to hear the song that Severous and Lily are working on right now! They’re both so talented.” She fawns over Snape who’s sitting by the piano, and is writing notes onto some sheet music.
“Ah, so your name’s Lily? James Potter, great to meet you.” He sticks out his hand for her to shake it and she shakes it with a smile.
“Nice to meet you James, I’ve heard loads about you.” Her tone isn’t friendly, but it’s not exactly unfriendly either, which can only mean one thing, she’s an actual friend of Snape’s. Damn .
James is glad that she seems sensible enough to not hate him based on Snape’s word alone, because she’s definitely heard a lot about him. Fortunately, she doesn’t seem entirely filled with contempt for him, so he still has a chance of winning her over.
Right as he’s about to make some more small talk, Snape clears his throat and beckons Lily back to her seat in front of the piano.
It’s clear that they are on a bit of a time crunch with their project. Still, Eileen invites James to stay and listen to the song that Snape and Lily have been writing. Apparently, it's for an annual show that their school, Hogwarts Arts, is putting on. Snape and Lily are performing the opening act.
Now, James knows that Snape can’t sing for shit, and despite Lily and his obvious friendship she seems equally as exasperated as James the sheer lack of talent that Snape exudes. However, James is nothing if not a generous soul, so he decides to lend them both a hand in writing the rest of the song, because as much as he hates Snape, he doesn’t want him to embarrass himself in front of that big of an audience.
And as it turns out, James is apparently very skilled as a songwriter, after not even an hour James has helped them write almost two thirds of their song. Not only is this a huge slap in Snapes face, which is a huge bonus to discovering this new talent of his, but Lily seems to be warming up to him now. He knows it’s most likely only because she was seriously struggling before when it was just her and Snape. Regardless, James is willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need, and shockingly, he likes writing music, a lot.
So when James is finally walking back home, he’s not at all surprised when the lyrics to Make It Shine worm their way into his brain. The song is good, so good that James lets himself sing it all the way home, repeating it over and over until he gets to his front door. By the time he’s in his room, the song is imprinted into the walls of his skull, so deep that he’ll likely never forget the lyrics to this song. His first song.
— — —
The next morning James is excited to see a message from Eileen, inviting him to “The Big Showcase” to see Lily and Snape perform the song, and of course he accepts, he wants to see them perform it more than he wants to help his dad clear out the garage later anyways.
He’s so excited that he’s ready to leave three hours before he even needs to be at the school, he’s jittery for some reason. He reminds himself that there’s no reason to be nervous of course, the song is amazing. It’s not like he’ll be the one performing the song.
Everything will be fine, right?
Wrong.
Everything is not fine, because Snape just had to twist his ankle twenty minutes before the show is going to start. He’s being carted off to the emergency room, and no one knows how to get the show started without the starting song.
Backstage is a mess, people are running around, and James is pretty sure that he shouldn’t be here at all as an audience member, but Eileen pulls him along deeper and deeper into the depths of the awful smelling backstage area.
Right when James is about to ask her what he’s doing here, Eileen calmly announces to the group of overly stressed tennagers that James should sing the song, of course . Apparently he’s the only person who can since Lily is focusing on playing the piano, Snape is injured and James is the only other person that knows the song, having written most of it with them.
James, who’s never been on a stage for even a second of his life, tries to argue that there’s obviously no way that can be allowed because he’s not even a student at Hogwarts, so how the hell is that okay? Unfortunately, it seems that not even the principal, Dumbledore, cares that he’s not native to the Hogwarts Arts student body. And that’s how James ends up center stage face to face with a very confused audience.
He doesn’t really have time to think about it though, because right as he’s about to start panicking, the music starts.
Here I am, once again
Feeling lost but now and then
I breathe it in to let it go
He starts off a little shaky. Nerves racking his entire body, making him want to hide, but he’s already started singing and he won’t be able to call himself a Potter if he doesn’t see this through to the end.
And you don’t know where you are now
Or what it would come to, if only somebody could hear
When you figure out how
You’re lost in the moment, you disappear
Not even a few verses in, and he notices how much fun this is starting to feel like. It could be an adrenaline spike, but honestly, it’s just fun on its own.
You don’t have to be afraid to put your dreams in action
You’re never gonna fade, you’ll be the main attraction
Not a fantasy, just remember me
When I make it shine
‘Cause you know that if you live in your imagination
Tomorrow, you’ll be everybody’s fascination
In my victory, just remember me
When I make it shine
Focusing on the music makes the audience a lot less intimidating, James finds. It’s getting easier to breathe now that he’s gotten rid of that dreadful anxiety that always weighs down his lungs.
Reachin’ high, feelin’ low
I’m holding on but letting go
I like to shine, I’ll shine for you
And it’s time to show the world how
It’s a little bit closer, as long as I’m ready to go
All we have is right now
As long as you feel it inside, you know
You don’t have to be afraid to put your dreams in action
You’re never gonna fade, you’ll be the main attraction
Not a fantasy, just remember me
When I make it shine
‘Cause you know that if you live in your imagination
Tomorrow, you’ll be everybody’s fascination
In my victory, just remember me
When I make it shine
Suddenly, it’s as if something clicks, because everything just shifts to the side and James can’t feel anything but the heavy base thumping around him. What he’s feeling at this very moment, this feeling of pure excitement, is so beautiful. So James just lets go, lets himself be free for just a moment.
Everyone can tell you how it’s all been said and done
That harder times will change your mind
And make you wanna run
But you want it, and you need it
Like you need to breathe the air
If they doubt you, just believe it
That’s enough to get you there
You don’t have to be afraid to put your dreams in action
You’re never gonna fade, you’ll be the main attraction
Not a fantasy, just remember me
When I make it shine
‘Cause you know that if you live in your imagination
Tomorrow, you’ll be everybody’s fascination
In my victory, just remember me
When I make it shine
He ends the song with an especially long note, and the crowd explodes in applause.
James decides right there, right when the song ends and that amazing feeling instantly vanishes at the sound of heavy applause, that he wants to feel this way all the time. He’s always wanted to be a professional soccer player, but the adrenaline from soccer doesn’t even come close to what he just experienced. Now though, he’s quite sure that he’s changed his mind for good.
James Potter is going to become a performer. That’s a promise.
— — —
The first thing James sees after exiting the stage is several people running at him from all directions. All of them have very different expressions on their faces, it’s quite funny actually.
Lily is staring at him in awe, mouth wide open. Clearly that was not at all what she was expecting, that alone gives James an instant ego boost. Because holy shit, this super pretty girl is staring at him like she can't believe he’s real.
Then there’s Eileen. Who is looking at him with the proudest smile. She takes his hands and smiles so brightly at him that it's almost blinding. “James honey, I had no idea you were so talented! You absolutely must sing for me again. That was just beautiful.” Of course James can see that behind her smile is a little bit of disappointment at not being able to watch her son perform tonight, he understands. As much as he hates that asshole, this was still supposed to be his night. James just took that away from him, and it wasn’t even really up to either of them.
Dumbledore is approaching from his right, his eyes are twinkling, and James can’t really decipher what that look means. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to wait very long before the man offers him a spot at Hogwarts Arts High School. Obviously he’ll have to discuss this with his parents but he knows they’ll support him, and he tells Dumbledore that much.
On his left, some distance away, James can see Snape, who has returned with a bandaged ankle, and is glaring at him. Once again James is overcome by a substantial amount of guilt, it immediately darkens his good mood. As he watches Snape limp away with a defeated expression on his face, he prays to every deity he knows of that this won't destroy Snape’s confidence completely, begging the universe to let them coexist peacefully from this point forward.
They might not like eachother very much, but now that James knows what performing on a stage feels like, he can fully understand Snape’s disappointment.
— — —
A week later, James is standing in the middle of the main hallway Of Hogwarts Arts High School.
James knew before coming to Hogwarts that the school was for artsy people who are extremely serious about their future careers as artists, but he did not expect the amount of color and noise that he’s currently being subjected to, to be literally everywhere. Even their lockers are insane!
In all the chaos it takes him a few minutes to find Lily, or rather for her to find him. She seems a lot happier to see James this time around, immediately latching onto his arms and telling him all about the types of classes that she’s taking, and she thinks he would like as well.
Firsty, and most importantly, James has to meet all of Lily’s friends. She seems very excited to introduce him to everyone, and James feels quite the same. Lily seems to be very popular, several people wave at her from their lockers as the two of them walk towards a small cluster of students that Lily points out as her friend group.
Sirius Black is the first person James meets, he’s ecstatic about meeting James and immediately includes him in a prank he’d been planning. He’s primarily a singer, but dabbles in theater as well. His two best friends are Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Both boys are more inclined towards theater themselves, with Remus being one of the most sought after actors for all school productions, Sirius makes sure that James knows that. It’s kind of cute how he praises his friends.
James does feel a little bad, because he instantly knows, upon meeting the three of them, that they are going to be his best friends. Lily is amazing, but when James looks behind him to say something to her, she’s gone.
A few steps away her and Snape are quietly arguing about something, to which James feel’s even more bad. Snape seems to be complaining to Lily about James, but she is having none of it and walks back over to James to introduce him to the rest of her friends.
Their names are Mary Macdonald, Malrene McKinnon, and of course Severus Snape. They don’t quite interest James as much despite all being in different classes from each other, mostly related to set design and dance.
He has time to get to know them later, because Sirius drags him off to meet Regulus Black.
Regulus Black, the younger and meaner of the Black brothers, is beautiful. He’s a year below them and Lily seems not to know him very well, but Sirius had insisted that James meet his little brother. And thank god for that.
Regulus is clearly very popular , he’s very talented, and makes it very hard for James to breathe like a normal person. He is focused more on acting and is apparently quite close with Remus because of it. His friends seem very protective of him and had immediately form somewhat of a circle around him when James and Sirius approach.
Barty is the first to greet them, he smiles evilly at them and introduces himself as a walking wet dream and promptly takes Evan, another one of Regulus’ friends, by the hand and quite literally drags him off to the vending machines.
Pandora stands beside Regulus and continues a strange conversation about some sort of conspiracy theory that she’s apparently very interested in. Regulus spares one glance at James for a few seconds and then promptly ignores both him and Sirius in favor of Pandora's ramblings.
Dorcas smiles at James before immediately asking Sirius about Marlene, running off to find her while Regulus and Pandora watch her leave while yelling obscenities at her about her apparent crush on McKinnon.
At the mention of crushes, James immediately looks at Regulus. He’s always been quick to decide when he likes somebody, but who can blame him when Regulus is looking at him with a smirk and narrowed eyes. He, at least, seems interested.
Yet, when James tries to ask him a question, Regulus turns away from him and tells Pandora that he wants a soda. With that, the two of them walk away, leaving James utterly entranced and Sirius a little bit annoyed.
James however, never one to shy away from a challenge, begins a game that will one hundred percent end up biting him in the ass eventually. Though, it’ll definitely be worth it if Regulus is the one. There’s no guarantee of that of course, considering he just completely ignored him, but James wants to at least try a little longer before giving up immediately.
The next few weeks James spends half of his time on new projects and homework assignments and the other half on trying to get to know a very uninterested Regulus Black.
Sirius and Peter are immediately supportive of his plans and would help him in trying to impress Regulus. That is, until Sirius finds out who he’s trying to woo. Their conversation ends with Sirius chasing James through the complicated hallways of the building, in which James instantly gets lost. Remus finds that development incredibly hilarious. And Regulus, who has for some unknown reason taken to hanging out with his brother a little more frequently, is still pretty standoffish.
However, Regulus’ friends are definitely warming up to him.
Pandora had silently given James a four leaf clover that she’d found one day, claiming that he would need all the luck that he could get if he planned to see this through. Barty had snorted loudly and had proclaimed that if he ever needed a hand, James could always ask Sirius for help if he wanted to. Sirius had not been amused. Evan and Dorcas have been the most cordial and least confusing of the bunch, and James can feel a friendship blooming.
All he needs now, is for Regulus to actually converse with him.