He was, in his opinion, looking at the prettiest girl alive. With long, wavy brown hair, blue eyes, and a kind face, Melinda was easily the most gorgeous thing he had seen in his eleven years.
James Potter had first noticed her a week ago, when he was in his enormous backyard playing Quidditch. She had been next door in her own backyard, on a gleaming new swing set, playing with a little boy who James assumed was her brother. James had been flying around with his makeshift Quaffle (an enlarged apple; his parents had done the magic, of course) when he had first noticed her brilliant brown locks shining in the afternoon sun.
He instantly developed a crush on little Melinda. He made it his goal over the next week to find out everything he could about her. He kept his findings on a piece of spare parchment, and he added more to it every night. So far, he had a list of ten observations.
Things I learned about Melinda Thompson
By James Potter
Day 1
1. Her favorite color is purple.
2. She has four siblings: two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger brother. Her parents must be busy.
Day 2
3. She loves carrots and eats them all the time. Mum says she’s going to turn orange. Too bad her favorite color is purple. Maybe she should be eating plums instead, then she would turn purple, not orange.
Day 3
4. She doesn’t like it when people tell her she should eat plums instead of carrots so she won’t turn orange. Trust me, I tried.
5. She slaps hard.
Day 4
6. Her birthday is March 18th
Day 5
7. She loves dogs. She has five of them. Maybe I should get one so we will have something to talk about. Yes, that’s what I’ll do! I’ll get a dog and name him Humphrey. It’s settled then; now I just have to ask Mum.
Day 6
8. She doesn’t like Humphrey! I showed him to her and she said he looked more like a lumpy sock than a dog! Mum said she would adore him. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Mum when she made me a stuffed dog out of a sock, since a dog would be “too much work for an eleven year old.” That’s the last time I listen to her about girls. And dogs.
9. She doesn’t know how to play Quidditch. Who in the name of Godric Gryffindor doesn’t know how to play Quidditch?
Day 7
10. I found out why she doesn’t know how to play. She’s a Muggle. Who’d have guessed?
That was the only thing wrong with James’s dream girl. She was a Muggle. Well, that and she couldn’t play Quidditch.
What would she think of him if she found out? She already disliked him because of that turning orange comment. Would she think being a wizard is cool, or would she think he was making it up to impress her? He didn’t know much about Muggles, but he knew they didn’t believe in magic. He thought hard, almost making his brain hurt, when he finally thought of an idea. He jumped off his chair in the living room, lost his balance, and fell flat on his face. His mother dashed in from the kitchen, where she was making lunch.
“James, honey, are you alright?” she asked worriedly.
James stood up and smiled, trying to hide his excitement. “Yeah Mum, I’m great! I have to go. Don’t worry, I’ll be back for dinner.” He hugged her and walked off, mumbling something about “I’ll just have to make her believe.”
Mrs. Potter sighed. She knew about her son’s mischievousness, and she wondered what kind of trouble he would get into this time.
James ran over to Melinda’s house, the whole time thinking about what he was about to do. He went over his plan (or lack thereof) five times in his mind. It was perfect; she would have to believe him. What could possibly go wrong?
Famous last words.
“James Edward Potter! How could you be so irresponsible? Do you realize that you not only acted foolish, but you broke the law? The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery is very important, and the Ministry takes it very seriously. Not to mention you did magic in front of a Muggle! You’re lucky you weren’t expelled before you even began!” thundered a slightly upset Mr. Potter.
Slightly, if you compared him to a mental baboon whose stash of bananas had been stolen.
James sent a scared glance over to his mother, who tried to step in on her son’s behalf. “Now, Henry, dear, don’t be too harsh. James is just eleven; he didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t understand that it was wrong.”
“Don’t you Henry me, Maggie! I told him over and over again when I bought him that wand last week that he was not to use it until he got to Hogwarts!”
“But Dad, nothing happened! They Obliviated Melinda, even her dogs!” James cried. “If you ask me, it was all just a huge overreaction.”
“Overreaction, eh?” growled Henry, while Maggie smiled behind him, rather amused at her son’s antics.
“Yes, I remember it as if it happened yesterday…,” said James nostalgically.
“It happened this morning, for Merlin’s sake!”
~FLASHBACK~
James finally reached Melinda’s house and, slightly out of breath, pounded on her door. Her mother answered and said kindly, “James Potter, am I correct? Are you here to see Melinda?” When he nodded, she ushered him in and went to get her daughter.
When Melinda came into the room, James practically pounced on her. “I have something to tell you,” he panted. “I’m a wizard!”
Melinda looked slightly put out, which he hadn’t expected. He had thought that once he told her the truth they would jump on his broom and fly into the sunset.
“D-do you believe me?” he asked nervously.
She thought about it, then answered diplomatically, “I’m not sure what to believe, James. I want to believe you, but what if you’re just trying to impress me? I mean, you made a stuffed dog out of a sock for goodness sake!” Damn, he thought, why did she have to bring up Humphrey? It was still a sore subject for him.
“Well, to be fair, I wanted to get a real dog, but my mum said no,” James pointed out. “But that’s not the point; I’m a wizard. Look, I’ll show you!”
With that, James took out his recently purchased wand and, after fumbling to hold the right end of it, pointed it at a crayon and said proudly, “Wingardium Leviosa!”
Melinda gasped as the crayon rose a few inches into the air, then plopped back down.
“You…you really are a wizard,” she stuttered.
“Yup! My dad taught me that one. I bet no one at Hogwarts will know it.” James puffed out his chest, completely ignoring the fact that the crayon had only levitated a few inches. He looked at Melinda’s confused expression and chuckled.
“Hogwarts is the wizard school. It’s- well, I’m not exactly sure where it is, but it’s far from here. It takes almost a whole day to get there by train!”
Before Melinda could express her sadness that James would be leaving, an owl flew over her head and she screamed.
James just laughed and caught the owl on his arm. “Hey, little guy. Are you bringing me a letter?”
The owl let out a hoot and nipped at James’ finger affectionately. James untied the letter from the owl’s leg and read it as the owl flew off.
But when he saw what the letter said, the smile dropped right off his face.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We have received intelligence that you performed the charm, ‘Wingardium Leviosa,’ at thirty-two minutes past eleven this morning in the presence of a Muggle. This is an infringement of both the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards’ Statute of Secrecy.
Seeing as this is the first time we have been notified of an offense, it will be considered a warning. Please be aware that any further offenses will result in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Enjoy the rest of your summer,
Yours sincerely,
Jasmine Robbins
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic
“Um, Melinda…I have to go,” James mumbled. He hurried off, leaving a bewildered Melinda behind. As he left, he saw wizards from the Ministry come and Obliviate her.
~END OF FLASHBACK~
“See Dad, nothing happened,” James tried to reason. He made the cutest puppy dog face he could muster.
Unfortunately, neither reason or cuteness couldn’t help him this time.
“Just go to your room and stay there until I say you can leave,” Mr. Potter growled.
“Fine,” James shouted, losing control of his anger. “I’m happy I’m going to Hogwarts! I’ll be far away from you. You’re the worst dad ever!”
As James stormed up to his room, he heard his father ask, “where did we go wrong with him?”
Fuming, James decided to pack his trunk and run to his best friend Sirius Black’s house. He left a note so his mother wouldn’t worry and went outside. He flung out his wand arm and backed up as the Knight Bus showed up. When he sat down on the bus he was ushered to a bed by a man in tattered robes, Arthur Weasley, who seemed to be a few years older than him. They struck up a nice conversation and after a while James fell asleep, dreaming about Hogwarts.
Author's Notes: Sorry Lily wasn't in this chapter, but I swear on my social life (or lack therof) that she'll be in the next one! I just thought it would be cute to start with a bit of James' history. Plus, that little fight with his dad becomes important later. Anyways, reviews pretty please? I want to know what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it. Thanks a bunch!