Thunder rumbled overhead in the Great Hall as the Hogwarts students sat down to the Halloween Feast. The air was alive with the festivities and the decorations seemed to add to the effect. Over a thousand bats swarmed through the air, and in every corner sat a huge jack-o-lantern.





Over at the Slytherin table, James Potter was holding court with his fellow first years.





“Oi, Potter, I heard that little redhead fancies you,� Theodore Nott yelled out. He directed everyone’s attention to the Gryffindor table where the first years sat. James raised his eyebrows as his gaze passed over a small group of boys who were tossing food. It was common knowledge that he despised Sirius Black on sight, and his two friends Lupin and Pettigrew. The three were a constant pain in his neck. Especially Black, whom he had known since they were toddlers. Black was supposed to end up in Slytherin like he had, but the arrogant boy had been placed in Godforsaken Gryffindor.





When his hazel orbs moved past his ex-friend and settled on the girls who were shrieking from food landing on them, he immediately spotted the girl with red hair. He had met her on the train ride to Hogwarts on September first, and she had introduced herself as Lily Evans. She had seemed alright, a tad bossy, but nice enough. That was, until she, like Black, had ended up in Gryffindor. Not to mention her lineage, which had made James’s earlier interests recoil.





“She’s good looking, wouldn’t you say, Potter?� Nott questioned, bringing James back to the present. James looked down from his standing position at his Slytherin friends awaiting his answer. He took another peek at Lily Evans, of whom he now only referred to on a strict last name basis. Just as his eyes reached her for the second time, she looked up and he locked onto her emerald eyes. James shivered involuntarily, for those green eyes felt like jeweled knives burrowing deep inside him. Tentatively, Evans smiled at him and gaze a small wave before blushing furiously as her friends giggled. James ripped his gaze away and sneered.





“As if I would ever touch a Mudblood like her, no matter how good looking she is,� James spit. He felt a gentle tapping of guilt but brushed it away. He had given the right answer to stay on top, and that was all that mattered to him. If all remained well, he would soon replace Lucius Malfoy in a few years in the ranks of Slytherin Greatness.





As he sat back down, Andromeda Black, who James had known for years, leaned over from where she sat beside a group of older Slytherin girls. “Well, then why don’t you just go and tell her how dirty you think her blood really is, hmm?� She had a malicious glint in her eye which clashed with her naturally pretty features. James knew she had heard him call Evans a Mudblood and only wanted entertainment.





But to James’s displeasure, her strong voice had attracted the attention of a few of the older Slytherins, the ones who James looked up to more than anyone. His eyes widened as he saw Malfoy, Avery, Crabbe, and Goyle all stop talking and lean down to watch him. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth, and it became hard to swallow. He could hear his friends egging him on, but he only had eyes for the older students. They were all grinning and watching him expectantly. He sought out Malfoy’s grey eyes and his hero winked at him. That was all the encouragement James needed. Nodding hard, he stood up and began making his way to the Gryffindor table.





Although James knew he should not be feeling guilty for what he was about to do, his insides were tight with shame. He mentally scolded himself as he walked past the end of the Slytherin table. He could feel all of his housemates’ eyes on him, and knew his entire table was waiting to see what would unfold.





His feet dragged against the stone floor as he found Evans amongst the black and scarlet mass. She looked so peaceful, laughing along with her friends as she dipped her spoon into a bowl of pudding. Her long red hair was tied into a messy bun, and her scraggly bangs kept falling into her eyes. James couldn’t believe he was about to cause her pain unnecessarily, but he knew that if he didn’t he would be called a coward and never make it to the highest ranks in his house. And that was worth others’ pain.





As James turned at the Gryffindor table, he received many suspicious looks from the scarlet house members. Whispers swept down the table, questioning why on earth Potter was near their table. Just as he was reaching the area where the first years sat, he saw a small green pea fly through the air. James turned on his heel quickly and felt the vegetable miss him by an inch.





James turned and faced the first year section, where he found Sirius Black laughing into his arm. Quickly, James cast a glance to the teachers’ table and found that none were looking his way before pulling out his wand and pointing it at Black, who immediately stopped laughing.





“Do it again. I dare you,� James spat. His hazel eyes had brightened as his adrenaline skyrocketed. He was sick and tired of Black’s antics.





“What are you going to do, Potter? Shoot sparks at me?� Black whispered, pulling his own wand out. He held his close to the table, as James’s was at his side. Neither wished to be caught by the professors.





“You know as well as I do that my parents taught me advanced magic before I came to this school. Don’t test me, Black.� James’s voice was hard, and Black seemed to recognize it, for he gave him a last steely gaze before pocketing his wand. James looked at the Gryffindors in front of him coolly before shoving his own wand back into his robes.





Turning his attention back to Evans, he felt his stomach knot as she gazed up at him curiously. He noticed that her large bottle green eyes held a hint of fear in them, and it gave him leverage for what he had to say next.





“Evans, I heard from a few friends that you fancied me,� James said, leaning coyly against the table. His eyes roved Evans’s face unchecked and he watched as a startling blush crept up her neck. Her eyes immediately narrowed and she turned to the girl next to her.





“Katy!� she hissed, sounding ready to kill. The dark haired girl next to Evans raised her hands up and shook her head, and James almost laughed from the petrified look on her face. Evans turned back to him, cheeks still burning, and asked, “Um, James…err—Potter, who did you hear that from?�





She looked so innocent, James nearly turned around to head back to his table, but he knew if he was going to get anywhere in the ranks of Slytherin royalty he would have to finish what he started. He had brought it upon himself.





“Oh, just a few of my mates. But I wanted to let you know…� He tapered off at the excited glow in her eyes. Feeling the burning looks of his housemates, though, he pushed through. “That I would NEVER date a trashy Mudblood like you. Even touching you would soil my blood.�





He watched as the pretty red head’s face had a shocked look overcome it and her mouth dropped. Her face visibly lost its entire colour and she blinked quickly as her eyes began to water. He felt as though someone had punched him in the stomach. No one had told him this would make her cry. The whole of the first year section had gone silent, even Black couldn’t say a word.





But James knew his fellow Slytherins wouldn’t be satisfied just yet. “I also want you to know that there could never be a chance for you to be with me. Not only does your blood account for this, as does your looks. So your answer will always be ‘no’.�





Turning on his heel, James quickly made his way back to the Slytherin table, ignoring the cheers sent up by his friends. He felt terrible for what he had just done, but he knew in time the guilt would slowly fade away. He didn’t even know why he was feeling guilty in the first place. He had been raised to think that Purebloods were better than Mudbloods; it had always been that way. Maybe it was just the pleading look in her eyes, which were the same colour he held so much pride for.





She would get over it one day, James thought as he received pats on the back. He didn’t dare look back at the Gryffindor table, but he heard Narcissa Black shout, “Look at the little Mudblood cry!�





Laughs went up from the green-clad table, but when James looked over to Malfoy for conformation that what he had done was truly right, he was rewarded with a nod and a wicked smile. He hoped the guilt would fade soon.










[Author Note] Okay, did anyone notice the direct quote from HBP in this one-shot? It was from Blaise Zabini when he was discussing Ginny in his compartment on the Hogwarts Express. “As if I would ever touch a Mudblood like her, no matter how good looking she is,� James spit. Also, it is a given that the James Potter in this story is OOC. This was written for the You Were Sorted Where? Challenge, where a cannon character is placed into another house. No, James will not be acting like a Gryffindor in this story. He was sorted into Slytherin, therefore having no Gryffindor qualities. Please understand this before commenting on it! Thank you!