Forever and a Day ~ James Potter

Prongs' Perfect Plan

Chapter Fifty-Three

Tuesday 14th December 1976 ~ 09:23 ~ waning half moon

"For the last time, I don't know what else to think of!" Rosie huffed, dropping her wand arm and scrunching up her eyes in frustration. Even after so many months, the students weren't allowed to give up on practising the Patronus Charm until they could produce a fully-fledged animal under the orders of the ancient Defence professor. "I don't even study the damn subject. It's not fair."

James tilted his head at her in sympathy for a moment, wishing there was something he could do to make her able to get the task over and done with. Though, he was very thankful for the excuse to spend time alone with her without the others questioning things. He walked over to place his hand gently on her shoulder, making her look up at him. He looked as though he was about to say something but changed his mind and asked patiently, "What memory were you thinking of this time?"

"The first time you laughed at one of my jokes... you know, in first year when I told Sirius he was wrong in Astronomy," she said, smiling begrudgingly as she thought of that moment again. Of course, at the time, it had barely even crossed her mind, but now that she was going out with James, him being proud of her humour made her heart skip.

James nodded seriously, the happy smile slipping from his face as he closed his eyes to focus on something before lifting his wand, "Just watch... Expecto Patronum!"

Almost immediately, out of the end of James's wand, a blinding blue light erupted in the shape of an enormous stag before it galloped around the abandoned classroom, lighting up the dark, dingy corners momentarily before dashing back. James lowered his arm, and the animal faded away while Rosie groaned.

"What were you thinking of then?" she asked sceptically, folding her arms as he smirked at her admirably. He had been able to produce a patronus form ever since his first week of trying, and his attempts at helping Rosie get there as well only ever made her feel bitter that he was better than she was.

"When you asked me out, of course," he replied cheesily, leaning forwards to give her an exaggerated kiss on the cheek. "I don't think I'll ever be that happy again."

"Wonderful," Rosie muttered, swatting him away from her face as she let out a chuckle at him. She took a second to breathe before lifting her wand again and repeating the spell into the dark void of the other side of the room. Nothing.

She looked to her left disappointedly and saw that James's face had fallen and he was looking down at the ground. Rosie grimaced and placed a hand on his shoulder, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "James, it's not that us going out isn't making me happy," she explained, though he only raised his eyebrow slightly without looking at her, pouting towards the floor. "Honestly, it's just that... whenever I think about something good that's happened to me, I can't help but picture the bad things that had or will come out of them. I mean my brother-"

"No, I understand," James interrupted woodenly, looking her in the eyes and pulling a tight smile. "I s'pose you have been through quite a lot."

Rosie frowned slightly then, watching James as he turned to pack away his things. She had noticed something that she had never seen before. She had noticed that James really did hide his true feelings if they might upset anyone - of course, she knew this already, but she didn't fully understand. She then tried to think of a single time that James had ever really complained or genuinely asked someone to talk to him about his problems.

"James..." she said quietly, picking at her nail slightly as she stayed where she was standing.

"Hmm..." he replied in a sing-song voice, but he did not turn around even as he shut his satchel bag.