Forgotten Promise- Marauders Era Fic

2: Heart of Gold

RYLAND EVEREST was face to face with James Potter, thinking carefully of his next words before he took a step closer. Looking up at him, as his eyes glossed over.

"I never hated you. No. You've got it all wrong"

"Then tell me."

Ryland Everest just nodded before he sat down on the ground pulling James down with him. They both sat in a comfortable silence as James patiently waited for Ryland to speak.

"I always envied you, Potter, as soon as you walked into the train compartment. In every room you walked in, you'd instantly steal the show. You took everything from me. It was so easy for Sirius to replace me, and I blamed you for it.

I know I shouldn't have. It annoyed me though how someone with such a large ego, so loud and proud could get everyone's attention. I tried my best to keep Sirius's attention, I was always trying to impress him and others. It was so easy for you to be everything I've ever wanted to be and it just annoyed me. I changed so much to try to fit in and it still didn't work.

He still picked you. I did everything for him to even send me a smile while you barely had to do anything for him to laugh and for everyone to look at you. I'm always playing second best to you.

Sirius used to say I was like the sun but, the sky can only have one sun. So when you came along he forgot all about me. Why did you get to have all the attention? What's so great about you? You're annoying and a braggart. It was so easy to take my anger out on you, Remus never ever took things too far, Peter would always just follow your lead and I didn't want anything to do with Sirius. " James just blinked before opening his mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry"

"I know it wasn't your fault, I know why he picked you. And being quite frank. I would've picked you too. You really do have a charm for making people feel all warm and less angry. You always do what's right, not what's safe or nice. You're a good friend James Potter. " James smiled hearing those words. Knowing how much it hurt the boy to say all of that.

James took this as his cue to speak. "I'm not what I seem to be, I'm confused by who I am. I act as if I live in this perfect world but I'm scared. I'm scared to grow up, scared of maybe them one day waking up and everyone deciding to turn on me, scared to lose all this. I don't want to lose the family I've worked so hard, to have.

I give so much so that others can be happy. I don't want things to change. You may know, that I was an only child. My parents were all I ever had, and I do really love them, but they were always working. I was alone. And the day that I entered the train compartment, that's what made my new world. My family here is something I could've only dreamed of. And I am grateful for it all because I truly did have nobody. Sometimes I still feel alone, I mean my mate's problems are far worse than mine. I don't want to make them worry."

"James?"

"Ry?"

"I will make sure you never feel alone ever again"

James smiles at Ryland before pulling his wand out and changing his hair back to normal. Ryland smiled at James before he got up. "So are we cool now?" James nodded also getting up.

"We should get back to our locker rooms."

"Ry, they've definitely noticed we've been gone."

"I already have my excuse planned"

"And what would that be?"

"I beat up James Potter so that he'd make my hair normal again"

James scoffed in disbelief before ruffling the blonde's hair.