Chapter Text
James Potter was always interested in mysterious things. As a Child, Effie and Monty would often find him in the garden, running around after the garden knomes with a magnifying glass. When he went to Hogwarts and met his 3 dorm mates he knew that they would be best friends. Peter, someone that although shy when you got to know him was one of the kindest and funniest people James knew. He could be quite unhinged if he was comfortable with you and was the biggest gossip. He knew everyone's secrets but knew when to hold onto them and how to protect his friends from rumours. Remus on the other hand was about as kind as a basilisk when James first met him, quiet and solemn as if he could push away the people that he was living with for the next 7 years. Of course James didn't let that happen, he came to Remus with his sunshine smile and asked him about his day, listened attentively and always tried to help Remus from the shadows. He wore him down until they were all Best Friends, people that knew everything about each other and didn't judge, didn't care and would do anything for them. James loved his friends with everything but Sirius, oh Sirius was more than his friend. He was his Soulmate, his Brother and they were cut from the same cloth. James knew as soon as he saw the stuck up posh boy on the train that he had to be his friend but as soon as they stepped into the same dorm room, Sirius' walls came down and he greeted James with a “Do you like Pranks?”. James knew then that he had met someone that would be in his life forever.
So yes, James loved exploring and creating chaos, him and his friends were branded the ‘Marauders’ and were content causing mayhem all over the Castle whether it be a dung bomb in the library or a hair potion in the pumpkin juice that grew all of the Slytherins Hair out until they looked like Nifflers. They created the Marauders Map, exploring different passageways leading throughout the castle and to the shrieking shack where they spent the full moons as Animagus with Moony. But at the start of James’ Second Year he saw the most mysterious thing, someone that was beautiful as they were cold and walked with the air of someone greater; Regulus Black.
James remembers their first meeting, how he had bounded towards Sirius as soon as Kreacher had apparated them to the train station and saw a small figure hiding behind him. Striking Grey Eyes that stared through his soul, perfectly coifed curls that sat upon ebony skin and looked as though it was shimmering in the early english sun. “James, look, I want you to meet my brother” Sirius came to a sudden stop in front of James as they hugged and introduced his brother, “This is Reggie, it's his first year, he's going to be a Gryffindor just like us!.” James knew that this boy was a mystery that he wanted to solve, he wanted to find all the pieces of this puzzle and create a way to knock down the walls he could see built in the eyes of the young boy in front of him. “My Name is Regulus, Sirius, not Reggie” were the first words James heard that set him up for a world of failure. If he only knew what would become him after hearing Regulus speak for the first time, how their lives would come to play out, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.
“Your tie is crooked, here” Reggie Regulus said as he reached forward to fix James tie, “and I don't know what House I'm going to be yet, Mother said that it must be Slytherin”
“Mother doesn't know what's best for you, you aren't meant for that snake pit, you're better than that Reggie” James could see the light dim slightly from within Regulus’ eyes and didn't know why it affected him so much but he needed to find a way to keep that light, that hope inside him.
“Come on Regulus, you are welcome to sit with us on the train, we are going to see how many types of Chocolate Remus has brought with him this year” James tried to distract Sirius from the previous conversation and bringing up Moony was always a sure fire way to do that. He didn't realise how those two hadn't figured it out yet but he hoped it happened some time soon as it was exhausting to watch them dance around each other.
“Oh yeah, you'll love Moony. Honestly you two will be talking for ages about books. You know that one I bought you back last Christmas, that was one of his. He always manages to find….” James can see Regulus’ thankful gaze as he watched Sirius take him through the different train compartments into the one they were staying in.
“Hey Moons, Wormy, this is my Little Brother Reg, he's gonna sit with us whilst we get the train” Sirius started talking before getting distracted by the trolley of sweets that always passes through. “Oo they've got the new flying whizbees from Honeydukes, i'll have two of them please your fine lady”
“Hi I'm Peter, nice to meet you”
“And I’m Moony, otherwise known as Remus, how are you?” This is why James loves Moony, although he tried to be all tough at the beginning, he is the softest and kindest person that you will meet. He has a smile that sets people at ease just by looking at and he can see the effect it has on Regulus as his shoulders become less rigid and his posture falls just slightly as if he has become more comfortable with them just from that one gesture. “I'm fine thankyou, Siri said that you enjoyed reading? Is there a favourite that you've found” and from that the journey flew by. James enjoyed soaking up the company of his best friends and stayed quiet throughout the journey looking forward to learning more about Regulus as they grew closer in the same house. He was so interesting, the way he played with his rings as he spoke almost like he always had to have his hands moving, like his mind couldn't stay still.
Soon though, they had to part as they got to Hogwarts, the first years taking the boats through to the Main Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. James could see the walls that had begun to break down start to rebuild themselves as Regulus got closer to being separated from his brother.
“You'll be fine okay, just believe in the house you want to get, it won't change anything if you don't get Slytherin, I love you” he heard Sirius whisper to his brother before he was whisked away by a teacher.
The Sorting Ceremony dragged on but due to it being done in alphabetical order, Regulus’ name was drawn quite quick. “Slytherin!” was quickly shouted by the hat as it was placed on Regulus’ head and through the cheers from Slytherin table James could hear a faint “no.” coming from his best friend. “He wasn't supposed to go there, he doesn't belong there” Siruis was whispering to himself as he was looking at Regulus. And if James had been looking, he would have seen Regulus looking back at Sirius with pained eyes before walking over to the Slytherin Table. The name after, Barty Crouch Junior, was also called Slytherin and he went over to sit next to Regulus introducing himself to the boy and shaking his hand.
James didn't know yet how things would change, how things would have to play out now that Regulus was in a different house. The only thing he knew was that Regulus was a mystery that needed to be solved, and James loved a Mystery.