The Marauders: Year Seven Part One

Hidden Locket

James had been a little worried that his mum and dad had returned from Costa Rica and he'd have to face his mum when they'd arrived, but he was relieved to see that the Lupin house was dark and unoccupied. He just didn't know what to say yet to Dora about the row they'd had, and he was feeling a bit sheepish for his remarks about her being a Slytherin and about adopting Severus Snape should anything happen to him. He knew he'd hurt her feelings, and it was bothering him - he'd have to make amends, James just didn't quite know how yet. So seeing they were still absent made him sigh with relief. 

Lily held the green and silver box tight in her hands as she followed James inside.

"I've just got to get a couple things from my room," he said, "I don't reckon there's much in there, but if you wanted something to drink or eat or something... help yourself... kitchen's back that way," he pointed.

Lily looked the way he'd pointed, then asked, "Do you need any help? I don't mind helping you pack your things."

James balked, "Well, it's just that it's a bit messy up there."

"I don't mind."

"Alright, but -- don't say I didn't warn you." He led the way up the steps, down the hall past the room Remus and Sirius were sharing, past the one his mum and dad were, and to the room that was his. He paused at the door, glancing at Lily with an embarrassed half-smile, then opening the door.

Lily's jaw dropped as she stepped into the room. "A bit messy? Potter. What the bloody hell?"

James's cheeks burned, "I - I dunno, I s'pose I got used to the house elves."

The floor was strewn with dirty clothes and the robes from his Hogwarts trunk, several Gryffindor ties lay like lifeless snakes on the carpet, and loads of books were tipped from a stack that had, at one point, stood on top of the trunk. A half-finished bottle of pumpkin juice sat on the nightstand, along with an alarm clock and a picture frame (which he quickly rushed in and tipped onto it's face before she could see the photo it contained). Loose bits of parchment were covering the desk in great piles, haphazardly knocked about, balled up sheets spilling over the top of the bin beside it. There were dried up muddy footprints on the carpet near his broomstick in the corner and, buzzing about against the ceiling, a snitch.

Lily shook her head.

James collected his broomstick - shaking the mud from it - and a couple of the books, including an extremely worn-out copy of Quidditch Through the Ages, whose covers were ripping off the spine. Lily watched in semi-disbelief as he lifted a couple shirts from the floor, giving them a sniff test to be sure (one passed and the other induced a repulsed expression on his face... though he still packed them both...). He shoved these into his rucksack, along with some that were folded neatly in a drawer, and reached up to catch the snitch as easy as anything. The moment his fingers closed around the little ball, he glanced at her to see if she'd seen it, and a grin spread over his mouth when he saw she had.

"Show off," Lily said, but she was smirking. She wondered when this sort of arrogant smirk playing on his lips now had become adorable instead of annoying? When it was that James Potter being a show off had become... (gods, she could hear Sirius Black snickering in spirit)... en-deer-ing?

James tucked the snitch into a small pocket on his rucksack that zipped shut. "Alright," he said, "That should pretty much do it.""That's it? You're going away for sometime and you pack... that? That's it?" Lily asked.

James shrugged, "I don't really need much else."

Downstairs, he ruffled through some letters that owls had left behind since they'd left for Costa Rica. He waved one, "Hogwarts supplies letter," he said, shoving it quickly into his bag without giving it much inspection. "I suppose we'll need to make a run to Diagon Alley at some point."