More kid James because he is adorable and a bean. Sadly he was emotionally neglected a lot as a kid.
He's also a smol Muslim. ♥
James POV || James is 11 years old
The library is big and too quiet as I pace around. I like the quiet sometimes, when I'm overwhelmed and scared. But I'm the opposite. I need loud, I need shouting and noise!
Mummy and Daddy are the best, really they are. But I don't see them as often as I want to. I tried to tell them I'm anxious about getting my letter, and that lately I'm too scared to sleep without the light on. But they left too quickly. I have no idea where they go.
I stared in the mirror for hours earlier. Uncle Lyle said that I'll eventually get taller. But I'm tired of being a kid size! I want to look like him someday.
I've been trying to talk normally, and not repeat words over and over again. But no matter how hard I try, I can't stop. And when I get upset, everything hurts, the whole world stops, and I have to cry. They say I'm a wonderful smart boy, but I think perhaps I'm different.
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"James, dear, there will be lots of people at Diagon Alley. It will be a bit loud. But just stay close to me, alright?"
I nod, rocking on my feet, my pinkie in my mouth. "Get shoes. We get shoes, we get shoes?"
Darn it. I did it again! But Mum understands. She ruffles my hair and smiles. "Of course, dear, you do need new ones anyway."
Diagon Alley is loud, and there are lots of people. I cling onto Mum, my pinkie in my mouth. When another woman with a kid looking my age greets us, I'm so shy I hide behind her.
"Oh, dear, someone's a bit shy. Hello, Euphemia!"
"Hello, Hope. Oh, who is this young man?"
I hear the boy say timidly, "I'm Remus Lupin, ma'am."
Remus? That's a cool name. His parents must like Roman mythology. I peek out from behind Mum. Remus has brown hair, and a pale, scarred face. But he's smiling, clutching a book to his chest. I slightly emerge more, intrigued. Hey now, I also like books!
I read the title, Famous Potioneers Through The Ages, and gasp, fully jumping out. "My parents are potioneers! Are yours?!"
Mum gently scolds me, "You didn't introduce yourself, dear."
Oh. Oh, no. I forgot how to do that! I'm about to panic when I remember how Remus did it. Things go better when I just copy people.
Standing straight, trying not to be scared, I say, "I'm James Potter."
Remus says rather bluntly, "Are those the new shoes that just came out?"
I look at my feet and grin. He likes shoes?! "Yes! I have a collection!"
Hope chuckles, a big smile on her face. She's rather pretty, in that Mum way. She has brown hair like Remus, and a kind face. She's wearing a bead necklace with a cross on it...a rosary! "I do in fact brew Potions, lots of them. Buying them is so expensive, and since Remus catches colds easily, I've gotten rather good at it."
Mum smiles. "Oh, I understand that. Rather smart, you can make big batches that way and keep them. Since both boys like books, shall we go to Flourish and Blotts?"
When we get to the book place, I'm so excited I forget that I'm trying to talk normal. "Book place! Book place! Book place!"
Remus tilts his head at me. "You talk funny."
Now that I think about it, so does he. He has an accent I've never heard before. "So do you."
Remus says plainly with a proud puff of his chest, "I'm Welsh."
Ohhhhh. "Cool!"
We both go over to a section of the store labeled 'Magical Creatures'. I tilt my head, pointing at a cover of a book seemingly covered in fur. "Why would they do that?"
Remus shrugs. "It's a Creatures Book?"
I shake my head, my pinkie in my mouth again. "Whose fur is that?"
"Go back to your country, woman!"
Both of us turn around. I see a man with long, blond hair sneering at Mum. He's two heads taller at least, and the way he's leaning over her makes every hair on my body stand up.
The two of us rush over. Remus is actually growling. I'm clenching my fists. "G-get away from my Mum!"
He whirls on me, but I'm not scared. "You tell your Mummy to take that cloth off her head, boy!"
Oh. Oh, it's on now! "My mum looks beautiful!"
He opens his mouth, just as books from a shelf above him fly off, hitting him right in the head. I feel a wave of magic from Remus, and I look at him in awe. We both take the distraction to rush over to Mum.
She is holding herself tall, but her hands are shaking. I grasp her hands, furious now. He made Mum scared! "I'm sorry, Mum. Are you okay?"
She nods, a weak smile on her face. "Oh, I'm fine, dears."
Remus tilts his head again. "Why'd he do that?"
I shrug and shake my head. "I guess he doesn't like Muslims."
Remus gasps. "You're Muslim? Cool!"
I grin. "You're Catholic, right? Your Mum, she has that rosary thing..."
He nods. "Yeah! So, do you pray and stuff too?"
I excitedly nod. "Yeah!"
