Trusting Ghosts | James Potter

4

In the next few days, me and my friends had settled nicely into our fifth year at hogwarts. I thoroughly enjoyed being with so many people again.

Although I spent part of my summer at Paige's with her family, it just wasn't the same as being surrounded by so many people the same age as me.

After Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration; me, Paige, and Nicole, who was one of our new roommates, headed down to the black lake. We walked to the shore where we saw Ada, Peter, Sirius, James and Remus. They were sitting on a blue blanket and had a big picnic basket which I assumed they got from the kitchens.

I sat down between Sirius and Paige. I pulled the picnic basket to me and looked in. There was cold chicken salad, apples, and potato crisps.

I frowned when I noticed plates, napkins, and utensils were all missing. I shook my head and whispered," Accio plates, Accio utensils, Accio napkins."

"Oh, I thought James was packing those," Sirius said, attempting to defend himself.

James frowned and rolled his eyes. "Not my bloody responsibility to do your job, mate." He grumbled.

I passed out the food and we all started eating.

We talked and laughed about Peter holding his spoon backwards by accident. It was a good meal and we all had fun.

We had just started packing up when James stood up and asked, "Hey, Carina, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Um sure," I said popping up from my seat. I turned around and was about to say no one touch my food, but instead I noticed Nicole giving me a thumbs up and Paige was giggling. Sirius had furrowed eyebrows and a confused expression. He saw me looking and quickly produced a smile.

I decided to brush it off,  my friends were just weird. I realized James was heading toward docks. I gulped and got as close to him as I could without standing to close to the edge. I didn't like large bodies of water. At all.

He smiled down at me and I realized how short I was at 5'4; compared to his 6'0. I smiled back and looked up into his hazel eyes.

He cleared his throat and shoved his hands in his pockets before saying, "Remus gave me a great idea last night! What I really need to do to get lily like me is to get her jealous!" I raised a eyebrow. I had a feeling that whatever Remus had said he didn't think about the consequences of saying it to James.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I asked.

"I'm glad you asked! You! It's been sitting in front of me the whole time. You and I could fake date! It's the perfect plan! You and lily are basically enemies, if anyone is going to get under her skin the most it's you."

I was honestly shocked. "I... I don't know. I really don't think it would work..."

"Please say yes! Paige already thinks we like each other, and we are good friends, we spend a lot of time together. It's not totally crazy and I bet no one will be surprised." James pleaded.

I then surprised myself and James. "I guess, I mean we could at least try it."

"Really, are you being serious?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I guess I am." James bent down and hugged me tight. I hugged him back, "You're a big moron you know that?" I asked jokingly. "Apparently I'm your moron though." He said pulling away from me.