Jily one shots

someone to protect

disclaimer: written by frigginapplepie

There aren't that many things that really so occupy him anymore.

Sure, when they were younger, in their first few years of magical education, it was easy to find things to do, because the Wizarding world was so fresh to them, and many things were left
to be done and explored. But after six years of school, things started to dull out, and began
to get boring, and nothing seemed as exciting as it had been before.

Sure, sending a rapid fire of Dungbombs on unsuspecting Slytherins would always be good for
a quick laugh, but after the first five or six times, it died out, being left behind in some
improper fashion to be picked up again in a series of months. And yes, the monthly tromps
in the Shrieking Shack were always fun in their own respects, but those only came with
each full moon and were costly to one of their own. Of course, breaking into other
Common Rooms to do redecorating also took up some of their spare time, but it also got
old and never provided for long-term fun.

So there James Potter sat, in his laid out glory of boredom, doing nothing once again.

There has to be a better way to spend seventh year, he thought dully as he ran one hand
through his hair and tapped the other against the wood of the table at which he sat. Yep,
there are most definitely more suitable things that I could be doing.

Yet he didn't know what. That was James's biggest fault, besides perhaps his arrogance.
He always knew there were superior things to be doing; he just couldn't figure them out. It
usually left him going on some tirade to an unsuspecting first or second year who just
wished to vanish and yet couldn't because one Messr. Prongs bluntly refused to allow it
until he finished his talking.

That, he realized, is yet another of my faults.

James stood up. Well, I'm Head Boy. Maybe I can go out for a late night-early morning
stroll without getting into all that much trouble.

And so, he decided, I shall. It's just . . . since when do I care about getting into trouble?

He abandoned the thought and left the Common Room, fastening his Head Boy badge to
the front of his robes. Why he had left them on, even he did not know, but he had, and it
didn't really matter to him at the moment. If it looked more professional, that might also
help him avoid problems.

Sulkily, he strolled down a corridor, traveling on a whim that maybe adventure would
meet him when he rounded the bend in the halls.

But rather then adventure, it was sobs that greeted him.

Not too cheery, especially when I'm all ready down. Wait, down? Is that quite the word
that I'm looking for?

Yet again, he dropped the subject and followed the sounds of lamenting. He neared the
source of noise, and heard mixes of mutterings thrown in with the tears.

"I . . . I should have . . . have been there," the voice said. It was a girl, though James could
not tell whom. Was she in his year? Was she even a member of the Gryffindor House? She
must be, that's why she's so close to the Common Room.

"I . . . I could've . . . maybe I'd have been able to . . . to . . . to save them . . . but I
couldn't . . . . I was here . . . here . . . . And I don't . . . don't want to be anymore!"

James took a step closer, purposely coughing a moment before she came into view. If he
was going to intrude on someone's privacy, he was at least going to give her a heads-up
before appearing. He wanted her to have a moment to compose herself, to wipe away the
tears and clean her face.