lionhearted boy

"I share a legacy with the sky. We both know how to carry some unanswered prayers and some unshed tears."

[potterxaxprongs]

rxmxsmxxnxy‌:

“We always do, and will always take care of each other.” Remus responded with a confident nod of his head. He had always been thankful for the care that his friends had given him, so he would always be trying to make up for it in his own head. They had been helping him through so much in his life, he didn’t know where he would be without his friends. Happily, that wasn’t something he would have to answer. “Well, I learned from the best.” He offered to his friend, giving a small smile.

Remus could only imagine what it was like to be in that room, but he had a small idea from what they heard. However, as James started to talk, Remus very carefully listened, and was just barely able to catch onto what his friend was saying. There was a deep breath before his head shook and he looked back at his friend. “Don’t you dare say that.” Remus’ tone was firm as he spoke, knowing James was going to fight him on this. “You did what you had to do to survive. You did what you had to in order to protect you and your friend. Don’t you dare start making yourself feel bad about his. You survived and that is the only thought you need to have on it.” Remus continued, letting that firm tone stick with his words. He would’ve fought the case till the end of times, knowing the truth behind it. “Don’t make me get Sirius in here and we both have to make you realize the truth.”

Nodding his head, James gave a hum of agreement. They did always take care of each other, that much he knew. James also knew that they were going to hover over him, and he could even be upset about it. After everything they had gone through, he knew they were going need the extra support. Still, that didn’t make him feel any better about needing them, at least not at the moment. A huffed sigh left his lips as he responded, “Hardly the best.” James couldn’t help but feel a sharp sting of guilt and disappointment at himself when he thought of how much Marlene suffered. If he’d have been able to get free faster, gotten them out sooner, stopped them from being taken at all; the list was endless. 

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw flashes of torture. They were so vivid that he could almost feel the curse licking at his skin. An involuntary shiver went down his spine at the thought, but his jaw clenched and his fist curled in frustration as Remus spoke. The words sounded logical, but it didn’t qualm the feelings of guilt that enclosed his chest. “I survived at the expense of someone else’s life. I didn’t even -” James felt his breathing pick up, but he fought to keep it calm as he continued, “I didn’t protect my partner. Marlene was tortured, we were and I didn’t even, and when I did, when I finally got loose I couldn’t stop” he responded, feeling bile in his throat. James pushed his head back as a wave of dizziness hit him, the concussion reminding him not to move his head too fast. Wide, vulnerable eyes met Remus’s as he breathed out, “I should have done something sooner. I should have protected her better. I killed someone, Remus, and he was a fucking monster, so why do I feel like I’m just as bad?”

[potterxaxprongs]

Go Easy || Padfoot & Prongs

[potterxaxprongs]

xsiriusblack‌:

When Sirius had initially gotten the news that Marlene and James were missing, he felt everything in him sink. He had felt like his world was falling apart from two different sides. One side was his girlfriend, a relationship that he was still learning how to navigate, and the other was his brother, someone who had just spent the last couple months caring for him. Once the initial shock had worn off, he went straight into work mode. Spending nights looking for his friends, working off the little information that he was gaining from Dorcas and a couple of sources he had at work. Rosemerta had been understanding about him doing work while at work, but he did what he could to focus his attention to the places that it needed to be. Eventually they were given the location of their friends, by the very people they had been looking for, and were able to bring them home. They were able to help them start their recovery, but he knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. It was going to be a long road, but they could get through it with some work. 

Sirius was now at the point where he was trying not to be something, but making sure his James and Marlene weren’t hiding what was going on. Unsurprisingly, it was easier to get James to admit to what was going on than it was for Marlene, while it wasn’t easy in general, it was easier for his brother. Nightmares were something that plagued Sirius for a bit, so he assumed that his friends would feel them as well, except for on a level he couldn’t imagine. He was more disappointed in the fact that his hunch was right, part of him having hoped that maybe they would’ve been spared, but knowing it wasn’t likely. He had usually made it home in time to make sure he was there for his friend, but some fight at the bar prolonged him being able to make it home on time. By the time he made it to the flat, James was already asleep and the flat was quiet, so he took the moment to change out of his work clothes, until he starting to hear the thrashing from the next room. 

It was with quick movement of his feet that he was back in James’ room, trying to wake him from his sleep. He wanted to get him out of wherever he was  and back to reality, back to safety. “Prongs!” He started to shout as James’ eyes opened and he was still a little frantic. As his brother spoke, Sirius nodded his head a little bit before letting out a breath. “That’s what I was afraid of. I was hoping you would’ve been able to actually get some decent sleep.” He spoke, rubbing the back of his neck a little. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

In hind sight, James should have seen the difficulty that came with recovery coming. The amount of times he’d witnessed victims of trauma in his job, in the Order, should have given him some semblance of preparation as to what waited for him at the end of the tunnel. Still, he hadn’t expected to still be tormented by vivid nightmares weeks later. The guilt was perhaps the worst part of it though. James wrestled with the fact that he had killed someone, even if they weren’t a very good person. Despite the reassurances, he still felt a pain in his chest when he thought about the cold, dead eyes staring up at him. Part of him hoped it hadn’t been a high level Death Eater. He wondered if someone was going to try to avenge him; James stayed vigilant. 

Consciousness threw him from the prison in his mind and into reality. Time felt slowed down and sped up all at once, and he was left without a way to orient himself. He could have been asleep for five minutes or six hours and he wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. Sobs continued to work their way out of his chest, but he tried to suppress them, quiet them, as not to alarm his best friend any further. “I’m alright, I’m fine” he choked out, trying his best to come back to his center. His throat felt raw and sore, leaving shame to wash over him at the realization that he’d definitely been screaming. If anyone had been asleep, they were sure to have been woken up by him. 

James took a shaky breath, wiping at his eyes with the comforted that he was still half tangled up in. Shaking his head, he answered, “It’s the same. It’s always the same”, despite the fact that he’d never actually described the dream before. James ran his fingers through his hair, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his voice sounding smaller, vulnerable in a way he usually wasn’t. James wasn’t just apologizing for waking him though, and he was rushed with an overwhelming need to clarify his intentions. “She’s my partner and I let her get hurt. I’m so sorry, Padfoot. I didn’t protect her.”

[potterxaxprongs]

Atlas: Two || Lames

[potterxaxprongs]

vivaciouslilyx‌:

Coming home was easily one of the best parts of Lily’s day, despite how much she loved working at the hospital and how much she enjoyed being with the kids it didn’t replace the feeling of walking through the door. Almost instantly her nose was overcome with the smells in the house and she released a sigh of contentment from her lungs as she moved forward. Things were taking time to get back to normal, just as she had expected them to, but they were getting there slowly. It was funny how she could offer the advice of patience to a family of one of her patients but when it came to herself Lily wasn’t sure where to even start. She’d tried to keep her eye on James without hovering too much, even if that was all that she wanted to do.

“Hi.” She greeted, returning the kiss before looking around at what was going on around them. “I’ll do just that.” Lily agreed as she made her way out to slip into an oversized knit and a pair of leggings. Moving back into the kitchen it seemed that James had made good on her promise as she moved for the glass of wine and took a drink of it before placing it back on the counter and moving for the hair tie on her wrist. “What can I do to help you?” The redhead questioned glancing back and forth as she took in everything going on around her.

Eyes were back on her boyfriend as if for a moment sussing him out to see what was going on under the surface. “How was work today?” Lily questioned knowing that he was stuck on desk duty despite the fact that he wasn’t a fan of it.

There was a certain level of peace that came with being surrounded by the people he loved most. Lily was a constant calm in his life, no matter how viciously chaotic everything around him got. It was something he was infinitely grateful for. While James used to live for the chase of danger that came with his job, lately he found himself dreading it the most. A little more quiet, a little more comfort, a little less chance of death was what he seemed to ever reaching toward. James had always been the one to run head first into danger, and yet, having come so close to death that he could taste it, he found he’d rather had his fill. His ordeal had made him savor the soft moments in just that much more. 

He watched as her ever curious gaze roamed over the room. James could see the pieces of their night fitting together in her mind, and he hoped that despite her cleverness, he could still surprise her. “Brilliant” he smiled, before letting her go so that she could get comfortable. James took a moment to stir the pasta, and pour them each a glass of wine so that he could pass it off to her as soon as she came back. Shaking his head, James gestured to the empty counter and her chair at the table, “Everything is nearly ready; you can just take a seat and relax for a bit,” he told her with a wink. 

Observant eyes danced over him like a caress, and James hoped he hadn’t given all of his intentions away to her just yet. Keeping an eye on their cooking meal, he answered, “It wasn’t too bad actually. A bit dull, but then, a bit of boring isn’t always so bad,” he shrugged. Looking at her with interest he asked, “How was your day?”

[potterxaxprongs]

littlemissmckinnon‌:

I told you so. She could hear it ringing in her ears, as soon as her superior got wind of this it would be all she heard for days to come. If she couldn’t handle a simple trip to the supply closet why did Marlene think that she was ready to be back on the field? Her heart pounding in her ears caused the words being spoken to have no effect on her but it was the sound of the familiar voice that was able to break her out of eye shut stupor. Brown eyes opened and caught the sight of James in front of her and it only took moments from there for her to realize that she wasn’t back in that room waiting to be tortured, she was in the Ministry and everything was okay. While she never looked away from her friend her face was hot but no longer from the tears but due to the eyes, she could feel on them. 

“I hit you.” She murmured her hand moving to grab the one that he had just placed on her shoulder and pulling him out of the office into the corridor that led to the elevator. Her breathing was still frantic but it was slowing as Marlene centered herself back into the place that she was. She was safe. She was safe. It was a mantra in her head that replaced the rushing blood and stood outside of the Hit Witch/Wizard Department with James. “My right hook rusty yet?” A dry laugh leaving her lips as she moved to take a look at the eye that she had hit.

She couldn’t go back in there now when all she wanted to do was run to the nearest hole in the ground and climb into it.  “I’m sorry.” She offered despite knowing that it wouldn’t do much good in hindsight. Marlene knew exactly what she was apologizing for and it went well past the punch she’d just delivered out. If she hadn’t let the first Death Eater get the upper hand on her James wouldn’t have had to drop his wand. They wouldn’t have been put into that room where torture seemed endless and even more so she was sorry for the ending that happened. Sorry for the guilt that she had laced on her heart and the hands of her partner. “I’m so sorry.”

Their supervisor had been adamant that neither of them were allowed back in the field yet. James hadn’t been thrilled by this decision, but he knew better than to argue the point further. There was a lingering fear that the longer he stayed out of the field, out of the danger, the harder it would be to get back into it. However, this brought was exactly why they were still stuck on desk duty. Despite the fact that it felt like a punishment more than anything, he knew full well it was for their own good. James kept talking, soft enough that only she could make out his words, but constant as to ground her. He watched her eyes open, watched as they began to recognize him, and James greeted her with a small, but reassuring smile. He could feel people watching them, and he wished they had an ounce of tack within them that would cause them to turn away. 

“You did, but I’m okay” he answered, knowing that it did no good to try to pacify her. James followed her easily, keeping her hand in his as they turned into an empty elevator. Her breathing was starting to even out, and he watched as she started to pull herself back into center. Once they were outside the department, James took a second to really assess her. His eyebrows knitted together with concern, but he couldn’t help but give a small laugh at her question, “Merlin no. Your right hook is as solid as it was the day I met you” he grinned, allowing for a little cheek. 

Her words hit him like a sucker punch, and part of him wished that she would take them back. James could see the apology in her eyes. It wasn’t for hitting him, it was for because she blamed herself for their shared pain, and James shook his head and fixed her with a stern stare, “Don’t you dare. We were outnumbered, and let’s not forget who willingly gave up their wand” he reminded. James had known that he wouldn’t have been able to fight them all off, but that still didn’t make it any easier to swallow. “Besides, I’m the one that should be apologizing. I should have made that decision sooner, gotten out quicker. I don’t like what I did, Marley, but make no mistake, I’d do it again if I had to”.

[sybilltrxl]

Ease Into Action | Sybill & James

[potterxaxprongs]

sybilltrxl‌:

She knew it was a lot to accept. 

Coming across a witch or wizard who had a genuine interest in and knack for divination was rare enough, and there were certainly those in their community who’d call her batty for even that much, calling it a pseudo magic better suited to staying in the dark ages, an ancient and outmoded practice that their kind had grown beyond. So asking anyone to believe and trust that she was a seer was asking an awful lot of them. James was trusting information she had no proper proof of, which meant… He was just trusting her. 

Sure, technically, she was used to that. People trusted Sybill to do her job and schedule their meeting as soon as possible and be honest but kind and reliable. But this was different of course, because James was trusting in her gift, her words. 

She grit her teeth at the question of Evan’s culpability, hands curling tighter around the mug. Thought of that event lead to thought of Caradoc in a hospital bed after the fact, clinging to her and weeping into her shoulder. Her fault. She should’ve said more, done more, warned someone. She was trying now, though, and she just had to hope that James’ faith wasn’t misplaced and the information would be useful. “He was responsible.” She confirmed, staring down into the drink. “I do fully intend on stepping up to the plate one of these days, but I actually think the two of us working together in this way might be to my benefit. This way when I do join the group and tell people what I am they’ll have more cause to believe it, since I will have already been sharing my knowledge without them being aware of exactly where it came from.

Her mouth ticked up into a smile as she sipped her tea, “try not to tell Dumbledore, I’d honestly like to avoid giving him the satisfaction for as long as possible. Petty as it may be.”

When everything possible was ruled out, all that’s left is the unexplainable. 

There were plenty of rumors that flew throughout his years at Hogwarts, and Sybill had been the subject of a fair few of them. Having an affinity for divination was something that caused people to talk. It wasn’t the most respected out of the types of magic. James knew that if Sybill was coming to him with this, it was because she was fairly certain her information could help. He couldn’t see her risking her credibility on a whim, and he didn’t blame her in the slightest for trying to keep her identity as secret as possible. Given how good of a friend she had awlays been to him, James had no qualms keeping this secret for her. 

Besides, there was something about Sybill that made her trustworthy in his eyes. Maybe it was because she was sticking her neck out just to help others, or maybe it was because of the aura she held, but James found himself inclined to believe her. He knew how much courage it took for her to even consider telling him what she knew, and James knew he had to tread carefully with the information he’d been given. The future was ever changing, and he had to be careful that the information he was giving was presented in a way that was both useful and useable. 

Watching her teeth grit together, James could tell that he’d hit a nerve. He wondered just how far Evan had fallen; if Dorcas knew. James had always had a bit of a soft spot, a blind spot almost, when it came to Evan, but the look on Sybill’s face gave him all the answers he needed to know. Her expression spoke of a personal grievance, and if he was the one that caused Caradoc harm, James knew he wouldn’t blame her in the least bit for wanting him to pay. “Okay. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure he pays for his crimes, Sybill,” and he would. Ex fling or not, James wasn’t going to let him run rampant and cause destruction in his wake. Nodding his head, James gave her a small smile, “I think you’re probably right. The more creditable you become as a source, the easier people will be able to trust your word. I’m happy to work like this in the meantime” he reassured. If she became his reliable source of information, it would give the rest of the Order members more reason to trust her. 

A startled laugh escaped his mouth at her words, and he gave her a genuine smile in response, “Of course. We’ll keep it a secret for as long as possible. No need to give him a bigger ego” he teased. James shook his head, but shrugged, “Well you know me, I love any and every reason for a bit of pettiness.”

[potterxaxprongs]

oceaneyesrosier‌:

At first, Evan hadn’t wanted to bask in the idea that he had an actual boyfriend. The notion of it seemed absurd in the beginning- or even when he had dreamt about it, he’d find himself laughing about the idea. Dating? That was for normal people with normal lives. Not shunned people who lived with their mum and an ever rotating array of nannies. As if he needed a nanny anymore. But then James had come along. With his freckles and his stupid smile and his bright eyes and before Evan knew it- he was laying in Doe’s lap and gushing over his boyfriend. He was telling her about all of their silly little adventures and wishing it would never end. Making plans. Plans! To think of it, honestly. 

James had been kind. He had been gentle. And he had been so infuriatingly funny. Evan swore he’d get muscles from laughing so much- and he had certainly gained a little bit of weight from all the snacks James had gotten from the house elves. Rosier hadn’t known he’d liked chocolate so much until James had held a piece out for him to taste and suddenly it was the best thing he’d ever eaten and he had been certain he would never want to eat anything else ever again. He never wanted to kiss anyone else ever again- “All night, eh? Glad we don’t have any tests tomorrow,” he teased, grinning up to other boy. 

They only had a month or so left of school before it came time to part ways for the summer and though it saddened Evan to no discernible end he knew he’d make the most of the time they had left together. Dramatics had always been in his nature but at least they’d hidden themselves just beneath the surface for the most part and now, with James, he felt like he could let that little bit of himself free. Just a smidge. “Everything? Absolutely everything? What are you going to do if Peeves has his beady little eyes on us and runs to tell Professor McGongall we’ve been sneaking out?” He cocked a brow in mock question- though he knew it wasn’t an entirely a possibility considering the Bloody Baron had a pretty good handle on Peeves as of late, it still didn’t entirely snuff out the notion. “You know, I think Lucius has been asking me too many questions lately. How do you feel about feeding him to the giant squid?”

Despite the fact that James had never particularly had to hide his sexuality, he had revealed a bit in the way that it still seemed to shock people. James had always had a much less need for masculinity, but it was still assumed to be there. He was good at sports, he held a certain charm with the ladies (he did with boys as well, but it was much less noticed), and he was viewed as the leader of his friend group. For him, he’d never needed to present his masculinity, because it had always been assumed for him. James never actively disputed the energy either. However, the people around him knew he was much more balanced than people assumed. He was gentle and kinder than people would expect, and he was ruled by his heart more often than his head. James had never hid his emotions either. His openness had always felt like a strength to some degree. 

Evan was the exact opposite of the people he was typically attracted to, and yet he found that he was everything James wanted. There was a softness to Evan that made him melt as soon as he saw him. His wittiness kept James on his toes and he felt like he could let down every pretense he’d ever tried to put up. Evan brought out the warmer and softer sides to him, and James found himself at ease whenever his boyfriend was around. His lips flicked into a smirk as he nodded, mischief dancing behind his eyes as he replied, “All night, so long as you can keep up” he teased, “but really it does work in our favor that there’s no important marks tomorrow.” James gave a soft hum as he continued, “There’s a lot to see and I’m glad we can take our time” he mused. 

The summer was a daunting abyss of time in the future that James was pretending didn’t exist. To some degree, he wished they could stay at Hogwarts year round. He loved spending so much time with his friends, and while most of them were able to see him for the duration of the holiday, he knew that that wasn’t the case for everyone. James was afraid of what it would mean for him and Evan, but he wasn’t going to admit to that until he had to. Shaking his head, James laughed, “Peeves doesn’t scare me. He can be bought off without any hassle,” he grinned. Cocking his head, he added, “Actually, McGongall doesn’t scare me all that much either. She’ll never admit it, but she has a soft spot” he answered thoughtfully. Raising his eyebrow, James gave him a bright grin and answered, “Oh honey, you don’t even need to ask, consider it done. Feeding Lucius to the Giant Squid would be my great honor”. 

[potterxaxprongs]

Bonded || Mary & James

For the most part, James was feeling more like himself. Coming home had been a miracle in and of itself, but the healing process had been more grueling than he had anticipated. However, there was one person who could understand how exhaustive it was better than anyone else in their friend group. James knew he could rely on any of his friends to be there for him in these dark times, but he part of him wanted to convince them, and himself, that he was just fine. 

However, when the particularly bad days hit, James knew better than to try to fight them off by himself. Instead, he sent a text to the one person he could count on to understand. Changing from his sleep clothes into a pair of well worn joggers and a too large sweatshirt, he grabbed his fleece blanket and went downstairs. With his shoes on and his wand in hand, he apparated to Mary’s home. 

Knocking on her door, he only waited a moment until it was opened. Not bothering to fake a smile, he said “I’m having a bad day”, pulling his blanket tighter around himself in the process. 

@mcrymxc

[potterxaxprongs]

Late Nights || Remus & James

Before his and Marlene’s kidnapping, James was an obnoxiously regulated sleeper. He went to bed most nights at the same time and woke up the next morning at a scheduled time. Work had gotten him onto a normal sleeping pattern, and broken him of his knack of staying up late he’d developed at Hogwarts. However, since coming back, James found he hardly slept well anymore. Sometimes he fell asleep fine and was up midway through the night screaming from a nightmare. That led to a definitive lack of sleep and an early crash the next night, only to result in the same. James was learning to take rest where he could get it, and drink caffeine when he couldn’t. 

Sitting on the couch, he flipped through the Netflix options quietly, as not to disturb either of his roommates. He wrapped his blanket closer around his shoulders as he tried to settle on something to watch. James didn’t miss the squeak of a door opening upstairs, or the resounding footsteps that followed down to the living room. Without looking, James asked, “Sorry, Moony, did I wake you?” He hadn’t had a nightmare yet, but he worried that the tv being on was too loud. Moving his feet to tuck under himself, he made room for Remus next to him. “Do you want to put something on? I can’t pick”.

@rxmxsmxxnxy

[potterxaxprongs]

Training || Alice & James

It wasn’t that James was rusty, he just wasn’t entirely sure of his own abilities anymore. He was pushing to be back in the field so that he could get back to some semblance of normalcy. Reaching out to Alice seemed like the best plan of action. She was both an Auror and a high ranking Order member, and if anyone could help him get back on his feet she could. Alice was known for being tough, and James knew he needed that. He needed someone that was going to push him as he worked through this, not coddle him. 

Running his fingers through his hair, James walked into the Ministry training room ready to go. He held his wand in his left hand, and moved to set his water bottle down on the bench. Seeing Alice, he gave her a small smile and a little wave as he greeted her, “Hey Alice, thanks for doing this.” Moving towards the mat, he asked, “What do you suggest we start with?”

@a-force-of-alice

[potterxaxprongs]

Remedy || Sybill & James

Finding out about Sybill’s gifts had been an interesting development in their friendship. It put in perspective why Dumbledore was trying so hard to recruit her, and also made him see their distant leader in a different light. He could understand why Sybill was so hesitant to join, and he wondered if Dumbledore ever took any of that into consideration. James had found himself infinitely curious about the different things she knew, and he was grateful that she indulged him by answering his questions. It had given him some insight into alternate healing ventures as well. Ever seen his and Marlene’s capture, he had found an array of things that help; talking to someone, working out, meditation, and even anxiety medication. However, sleep was still evasive and nightmares were still incredibly common.

A sleeping draught had been his first choice, but it’d left him feeling groggy and despondent the next day. James figured if anyone had a different solution, it would be Sybill. Stopping that morning at his usual coffee place, he grabbed a cup of tea for her, and popped up to her office before his day began. Knocking on the door, he called out, “Hey Syb, I’ve brought a cup of tea”. Part of him wondered if she’d seen him coming, but he wasn’t going to ask. Instead, he waited until the all clear was given, before entering. 

@sybilltrxl

[potterxaxprongs]

littlemissmckinnon‌:

LOCATION: Ministry of Magic Hit Witch Department WHO: Marlene & Open

Returning to work was great in theory but the actual execution of the act wasn’t going well despite how Marlene was trying to play it off. At home, she gushed about how the break from high-pressure cases was doing her a wonder of good but in truth, she was slowly losing her mind. Sitting behind a desk she had been behind for weeks wasn’t working for her, she wanted to be back out in the field but given that she hadn’t been cleared yet it wasn’t looking like something that she was going to see soon. Moving to grab a folder to shove the next case files before realizing that she was down to her last. There was more than the necessary amount of needed grumbling as the brunette stood from the desk and moved to grab head into the supply closet with quick feet.

Open the door, electing to skip turning on the light and making her way into the small walk-in closet Marlene yanked the stool around to be able to reach the folders in question on the top shelf. With her back to the door in the back of the closet, it was no secret why she wasn’t able to be seen by the person who decided that the door needed to be closed. It was the slamming of the door that had startled the brunette, clamoring off the stool to feel in the dark for the door handle. Her hand grasping it and finding it locked–hands fumbling as she twisted and turned as if the situation she was in would suddenly change. 

Her eyes were closed tight as if sheer determination would will the lights to turn on and bring her out of the situation she was in. Hands moving from the door handle to pound against the door with her eyes still pressed shut. “Let me out!” Marlene willed unable to hide the hysteria that was bubbling or the tears pooling behind her eyelids. Seconds felt like hours as she pounded, unaware of the door opening until her closed fists were connecting with the face of the person who’d opened the door.

Since returning, James had been stuck on desk duty. It wasn’t exactly surprising, seeing as they couldn’t just clear him back into field work after being kidnapped, but it was fraying on his last nerve. To some degree, he thought it might just be easier working with adrenaline on his side as opposed to having so much time to sit and ponder things. James found paperwork to be incredibly tedious as it was, but having to do more than he usually ever had to, meant that his brain was turning into mush. He was having a hell of a time concentrating, and a fair amount of grumbling had fallen from his lips over the last couple of days. Still, he was almost grateful that Marlene had been deemed the same condition, seeing as having her out of sight for too long still managed to kick his anxiety into overdrive. 

Knowing that the filing closet wasn’t all that far, and that it didn’t take all that long to grab a new stack, James eyebrows knitted together in confusion when she hadn’t come back right away. He smoothed a hand over his face and reminded himself that it was the office, and knowing Marlene, she was taking a moment to stretch her legs and get away from the tedious paperwork tasks. However, that didn’t quite calm the hair stood up at the back of his neck, or the clamminess of his palms that showed his anxiety. After a few minutes, he finished his last file and headed towards said cabinet to get more. It was perfectly reasonable for him to get more work, and if he happened to catch her on the way, well that would just be good luck. 

As he neared the door, a hysteric shout rang in his ears. James felt his heart rate pick up, his breathing quicken, and a jolt of adrenaline kickstart in his veins as his stomach dropped with worry. Marlene. He had to get to her. Without hesitation he whipped the door open, only to be greeted with a fist connecting with his face. However, it took all of fifteen seconds for him to recognize the unbridled fear that took over her features, and he put his hands up in her line of sight, ready to steady her if necessary. “Marley, hey, it’s me. It’s James, you’re alright,” he spoke, keeping his voice low as to not attract any unnecessary attention. Instinctively he put one hand over the side of the eye she had punched but put the other on her shoulder. “You’re safe here, okay?”

[sybilltrxl]

Ease Into Action | Sybill & James

[potterxaxprongs]

sybilltrxl‌:

She’d spent practically her whole life cultivating a persona that guarded this secret. She was organized and studious and quiet. A penchant for divination of course, but the interest in such things she’d outwardly expressed came nowhere near to the real depth of her love for such things. And she was tired of being quiet, always nodding and agreeing with people. She might make a very capable ministers assistant but it was honestly a far cry from the kind of work she wanted to be doing. From the person she wanted to be.

Sybill wanted to tell everyone and everything to fuck off for a few years while she drifted about the world doing as she pleased. Perhaps when the war was over she and Caradoc could do just that. 

But for now there was this, and maybe it would make her feel a bit more like herself. Or maybe it would encourage James to start up his recruitment campaign anew. Or maybe he’d never talk to her again. The seer, for once, did not dare to try and accurately predict the situation- she wasn’t sure how she wanted all this to end.

She nods, “right. And I can confirm Lucius was skulking about at both incidents. They’re not lying on that front.” With a sigh she finally ceases her wandering to lean against the arm of the sofa. “Not at all. He’s responsible for Olivander’s, y’know. Whatever story he might end up spinning about Lucius being in charge, he was the one pulling the trigger.” 

It feels good to talk about it, if strange, and Sybill thinks that being proactive might suit her. “If things play out like I say they will, that confirms the validity of your source to the others and it’ll be easier for me to pass on information in the future. I appreciate it, I know you’ll be going out on a limb almost as much as me. I want you to know I don’t intend on staying anonymous forever. It’s just… Not the right time.” She smiles sheepishly, sipping her tea, “I’m also a bit of a coward. You’re only the second person I’ve told. But please, ask your questions. If there’s something I don’t want to say, or can’t, then I just won’t answer.”

Despite the fact that he’d gained a reputation of being an arrogant arse during his school years, James was a pretty open person. He firmly believed that just because he didn’t understand a situation, or experience certain things himself, didn’t mean they were impossible or untrue. Sybill coming to him as a seer was something entirely new to him, but he didn’t doubt the depths of magic. As the ocean was only five percent discovered, so was the extent of what magic could do. Besides, if the universe was going to pick someone to talk to, Sybill would be the best choice. 

The war as a whole was exhaustive in ways he hadn’t been prepared for. The physical and mental exhaustion had been expected, and James had known it was coming with a sense of certainty. However, the soul draining aspect hadn’t been quite so anticipated. There were days when it felt like nothing good would ever happen again, that all their efforts were going to be for nothing, and yet, they kept going. 

Knowing now how much help Sybill could be, he vowed to try recruiting her again. He wasn’t going to push or nag, but he knew the subject needed to be broached again. There was so much that Sybill could help them with, and while he absolutely understood and respected her reservations, he wanted to work out a way for her to help them if it was possible. 

Nodding his head, he gave a considering hum, “Okay, that’s good to know. It’s good to know who’s pulling the strings and sending out orders, or at least ensuring that the orders sent are being followed through.” Raising his eyebrow, he asked, “He was responsible for that? It doesn’t matter that someone else gave him the order, he was the one to make it collapse” James agreed. His blood ran cold at the idea of Evan, Evan of all bloody people, being responsible for that level of wreckage. He wouldn’t have expected it from him all those years ago, but a lot had changed since then.

James gave her a reassuring smile as he said, “That would be a win for both of us honestly. I’m happy to play the middle man anytime you have information you want passed but don’t want to directly give them”. James was content to do thing this way, allowing Sybill her anonymity, so that she could be safe. “I will be, but it’s worth it. I trust you Sybill, and I trust your gift. I hope you know you can trust me to keep your secret. You can stay anonymous as long as you’d like to” he promised her. James would never out a secret like this. Shaking his head, he commented, “You’re not a coward, Sybill. You have good reason to keep this close to your chest. You may be cautious, but you aren’t a coward. You’re being incredibly brave”. James knew how judgmental and closed minded people could be. He didn’t blame her in the least bit for staying quiet. “I’ll ask questions as they come, but always tell me if it’s not something you want to answer” he agreed.

[potterxaxprongs]

Atlas: Two || Lames

Dates always fell into two categories for James; staying in and going out. He’d learn early on that with their work schedules and the missions they did for the Order, there was a lot of merit in just doing stuff at home together. James had just recently just started going back to work, and by the time he got home, he was exhausted, both from the actual job and trying to hold it together. Going out into crowded places still made him uneasy, despite his best efforts. He knew Lily noticed; she always noticed. Still, the times he’d suggested it, she had been supportive, and he was infinitely grateful for that. Tonight though, he wanted them both to relax. She deserved a night that revolved around her, and James knew that a night in that was strictly them, was exactly what they needed. 

Instead of ordering out, he’d gotten ingredients to cook. He didn’t have time to do it as often as he liked, but he knew Lily enjoyed it when he did. Besides, he loved spending time with her, even if she just hung out in the kitchen with him while he worked. He’d picked out a bottle of late harvest riesling, one of her favorites, and put it in the fridge during his lunch break. James had gotten everything he needed to make lobster scampi after work. 

He was dressed comfortably; joggers and a v neck, with a little weight in his left pocket. Music played through the portable speaker in the kitchen as he started to get the ingredients were laid out on the counter. Hearing the door open, he called out, “In the kitchen,” setting down the pan on the stove, and instead moving to pull out the wine. Seeing his favorite girl, he smiled and leant down to give her a kiss. “If you want to put on something comfortable, I’ll have a glass of wine ready for when you come back.”

@vivaciouslilyx

[sybilltrxl]

Ease Into Action | Sybill & James

[potterxaxprongs]

sybilltrxl‌:

The problem with there being a gap that spanned three generations- well, one of the problems- was that there was really no guarantee anyone would be around to tell you what you were supposed to be doing with all this information you got. Cassandra might be remembered as a bit of a nut, but maybe she’d had the whole thing figured out! Maybe she would have been able to sit Sybill down and say hey you do this and this and this, and then she wouldn’t be freaking out so much right now!

That was the other thing, Cassandra was remembered as a nut! Sybill could quote real academic books that had called her a lunatic. How was she supposed to open up with that on her mind? It was so wild, that these people who could fly and turn rats into teacups and make a teleportation device out of a napkin had such a hard time believing someone might be able to see the future. It was absurd that the line got drawn there.

“The future changes all the time.” She confirms with a soft nod, feeling surreal, her gaze fixed to a blank spot on the wall. “Nothing I see is absolute, but I usually get  a pretty good idea of how likely a thing is to happen and this feels pretty solid. I can say pretty confidently you’ll catch Evan and Nate, whether they say what I think they’ll say is another matter. Rosier especially is difficult to predict.” She sips her tea and feels the warmth all the way to the tips of her toes, trying to use it to root herself to the ground, to this spot. James’ house on a late evening, sharing a secret with someone who has given her no reason to doubt them.

It’s going to be ok, it’s going to be ok.

Sybill takes a deep breath and continues, “but what I heard is them claiming to have seen Lucius at the Ministry and at Olivanders on the days of the incidents there, and that on the day of the Ministry explosion they saw him having an argument with someone. They’re going to say they’ve seen a change in him the last few months, that he’s been shady and prone to lashing out and cruel to Narcissa. They’re essentially going to try and pin everything on him, I think, act as if they’re innocent in the whole situation.” She scoffs at the notion, rolling her eyes, “Rosier has another thing coming if he thinks I’m going to let anyone think he’s innocent.”

She finally blinks and turns her gaze back to James, worrying at her lower lip. “that’s all I’ve got. And thankyou, for… Believing me. It’s- I know it’s a lot to take in and I’m sure you’ve had a lot of questions and I’ve been useless and just hiding from you, honestly, but I hope it’s helpful information at least.”

James couldn’t imagine trying to navigate a gift like Sybill’s. People were hardly receptive to things they didn’t understand or directly experience, and the conversation surrounding seers was rarely positive. Most people didn’t give them a lick of credit, others immediately threw around words like crazy and unhinged, and those that did believe them, were often too afraid to advocate. Despite not having much experience with anything regarding enhanced divination, James was good at reading people, and Sybill wasn’t a liar or a fraud. He trusted her, and he was willing to learn everything about her gift that she was willing to share. 

Truthfully, he was amazed that she had come to him at all. They hadn’t talked about it since Evan’s party, not that he could blame her for that, and yet, here she was. James had tried to show that he was receptive, but he didn’t want to cross the line of nosey or come off as trying to use her. Sybill knew her limits, where her visions could help, and when they weren’t clear enough to act off of. James also had a strong suspicion that the seer didn’t exactly get to chose when and what she saw. 

Nodding, he gave a hum of understanding. He listened carefully as she disclosed the information that they were likely going to need. Running his fingers through his hair, he nodded, “Alright, so Rosier and Mulciber are likely going to be caught, and they’re going to scapegoat Lucius” he repeated, wanting to make sure that he got this right. I think we both know they’re not innocent in this whole thing, but if they can give actual evidence on Lucius, we could use them to catch at least one of the higher ranks,” James mused. That would also give them time to build a case against the other two. Giving a grin, James nodded, “Not on good terms you two? You know, he’s gotten increasingly more difficult to get along. Don’t worry Syb, he’s not fooling me either” he admitted. It was a difficult feeling, knowing that someone he once cared for, loved even, had turned dark, but James wasn’t blind to it. 

Smiling, he tilted his head, “You don’t have to thank me, Sybill. It’s enough, more than what we would have had if you hadn’t said something. You’re not useless, and I understand being worried about talking all of this. I do have questions, but I don’t want to pry too much. I just- I want to understand it so that I can help you, or so that if you come again with information I can figure out how to work with it better” he admitted. James bit his lip as he continued, “I’m going to say it came from an anonymous source, but a trusted one. Someone that is worried about repercussions, which is perfectly reasonable “ he explained, wanting her to know he wasn’t about to throw her under the bus. 

[potterxaxprongs]

Go Easy || Padfoot & Prongs

Since coming home, James had been trying to find his balance again. Taking care of his friends had become second nature to him, and it felt strange being on the receiving end. It wasn’t that they hadn’t ever looked after him, because they certainly did, but he had never needed them quite to this extent. He had always been much better about doing the coddling as opposed to accepting it. Still, he was finding recovery to be much more difficult than he anticipated. He hadn’t expected it to be easy, per say, but he had hoped that he’d been better by now. Yet, he still wrestled with the feelings of guilt for the actions he’d been pushed into, for the amount of time it’d taken him to do it and the damage that had occurred in between. He struggled with the what ifs, the could have beens, and all the things that had gone so terribly wrong. Self-doubt wasn’t an entirely new concept to James, but he had never experienced it to this magnitude. 

The nightmares were common, but most nights someone was able to wake him before the screaming actually started. Whether he shared a bed with Lily, Sirius, Marls, or any of their other friends, it wasn’t often that he actually got to the peak of the nightmare. Tonight, though, he had fallen asleep alone. Lily was night shift and James had felt alright when sleep had come to claim him. He hadn’t felt the need to move from his own bed to one of his brothers. It was that decision that left him screaming, thrashing in the early hours of the morning. Fear and adrenaline coursed through his veins and he could barely hear the voice that was calling out to him It was hard to decipher who’s hands were holding him, keeping him from hurting himself even further. 

Waking with a start, James tried to catch his breath that was hyperventilating from his lungs. His eyes darted around the room quickly, somewhere between unseeing and overanalyzing. It wasn’t until they landed on the familiar pair that he released the sob of relief that was lodged in his throat. “I thought-” he panted between words, “I thought I was still there”. 

@xsiriusblack

[sybilltrxl]

Ease Into Action | Sybill & James

[potterxaxprongs]

sybilltrxl‌:

She could feel her heart thundering against her ribcage. 

This was terrifying, and stupid, and exhilarating. 

What if it was useful information?! What if she was acting on a vision for once and it turned out to be good and she was telling an Order member and one day, one day when she wanted to join it would be more than just Caradoc vouching for her!

She stepped into the house, wringing her hands together and nodding, “everything’s fine, just-” Tipsy, scared. “A little tired I guess, tea would be lovely.” 

Oh god, what if it wasn’t useful? What if she said it all and James just laughed at her and actually the reason he’d never brought up what she said at Hypnos was because he thought she was crazy and had just been too nice to say as much to her face without provocation. 

She had to tell him though, right? It was important. If Evan and Nate ended up lying or saying something else then they’d never know this, and they had to know this. Maybe. Sybill thought they aught too- but what did she know?

James had vanished to make the tea and come back while all this whirred through her brain. She was worked up and pacing a tight circle in his living room, only drawing to a halt when a hot mug was hovered in front of her face. “Thanks.” She took it with a grateful smile, the tempest of her thoughts soothed for a moment by the grounding heat in her palms. “I’d usually turn to Caradoc with something like this but he’s out setting traps- which…” Sybill rubbed her lips together, aware of the slip too late. “Which you didn’t hear me say because I don’t know anything about it, of course. Matter of fact, you didn’t hear me say any of the things I’m going to say because I’m not supposed to know anything about any of it.” 

She was rambling, stalling maybe. She didn’t talk about these things often- or at all. There were still so many questions. Could she trust James? She had to hope so, he hadn’t spilled her secret so far. “Anyway, as far as I can tell- uh, see..” She waved a hand about in the air a moment, as if to represent some mystic knowledge. “Nate and Evan are going to have the most to say. Or they might not. The future is funny like that. Anyway.” She pauses to sip her tea, hovering by the coffee table. “I think… Lucius, should be someone you pay more attention to. It’s possible he’s a little higher up the chain of command than most others. From what I’ve seen he’s always around when shit hits the fan- I mean, Evan was directly responsible for what happened with Olivanders, but Lucius was definitely there. Maybe he gave the order, or got hold of the explosives, or.. I don’t know, point is that guy is like, always around. At everything major, just kinda.. Lurking.”

Sitting - Merlin he felt useless. 

Understanding why he was being benched didn’t mean he was okay with it. 

It was almost a feeling of relief that washed over him as he saw Sybill. He might be doing nothing, but he wasn’t going to be alone. Besides, there was a troubling look upon her face, and James knew a problem a mile off when he saw one. Not that Sybill was a problem by any means, but one was troubling her. James might not be able to be on the front lines, but maybe he could help a friend, and that would be enough. 

Getting her inside, he took a moment to brew them up some tea. He knew just how important it could be to have something to hold onto, especially something warm, when something was troubling. James often found that giving his hands something to do whilst he was nervous was the difference between his mind fidgeting and his mind clarifying. 

Once the two mugs were put together, he headed back towards the living room. He could see her pacing, and could feel her nervous energy in the air. Something was definitely up, and James was becoming increasingly sure that it had something to do with her gift. There was something that was deeply unsettling her, and James knew that it would continue to until she was able to get it off her chest. He handed her the mug and contented himself to listen. 

Nodding his head, James made sure to give nonverbal signs that he was hearing her, truly listening to her. “Anything you say here, it’ll stay between you and I. It doesn’t matter if you’re supposed to know it or not, I’m certainly not going to rat you out,” he promised her. After a breath he amended his statement, “Nothing you don’t want told will leave this room. If there’s something you need people to know but don’t want traced back to you, I can do that too”. James had no doubt that Sybill wouldn’t be here at this time of night if it wasn’t something important. This moment would be make or break for them, that much he was sure of. She was choosing to come to him, the way he had told her she could many times throughout their friendship. Sybill was putting her faith in him, and if he failed her now, that would be the end of her trust in him. James knew there was more to life than just what was typically seen. He had no reason to doubt Sybill, or her connection to the universe. 

Running his finger’s through his hair, James let out a puff of air. “Right, okay. The universe didn’t happen to tell you what they’re going to say did it? Sybill, if you can tell me as much as you know, in as many details as you know them, I can get that information to the people that are going to need it,” he answered, his full attention directly on her. “I don’t know much about how your gift works at all, Sybill, so please bare with me. The future changes all the time, right? So your vision is a glimpse of one possibility that could come to pass? Or is it something that will happen we just don’t have the full context?" he asked, trying to figure out what they were working with. Nodding his head, James gave a small hum, “That actually makes a lot of sense. In most organizations there’s people that do the dirty work and people that pull the strings. We need the people that are pulling the strings. I’ll make sure they put extra focus on Lucius. Getting even just one of the big players off the board is helpful. Besides, he’s a snake, we could probably get information from him”, James mused, both talking out his thoughts and trying to keep up with Sybill. However, he took a second to look at her properly before saying, “I need you to know that I believe you, Sybill. I have no doubt that this is hard to navigate, and I am very much still willing to keep your secret safe. Thank you for coming to me. I’m going to do everything in our combined power to make sure we do something with it”. 

[sybilltrxl]

Taking Care | Sybill & James

[potterxaxprongs]

sybilltrxl‌:

It was harder and harder to distract herself from the inevitability of it all. What use was it to dry herbs and make her own teas and dedicate time to charging her crystals if in the end it was all going to go to shit anyway? The point, of course, was to give you hope that maybe those things would still be there when the dust settled. That there would be some semblance of a normal life you could return to. 

Merlin, Sybill wanted normal more than anything. She wanted to marry Caradoc and re-decorate their cottage and contemplate moving somewhere with room for children and watch him struggle to put a swinging egg chair together by hand even though he could do it so easily with magic. She wanted to laugh with her friends over drinks and not feel the oppressive air of a looming war and disturbed sleep hanging over them all. But this was life right now, and the options were to ignore it and be useless, or embrace it and potentially make a difference.

Sybill couldn’t ignore the suffering of her friends. So when James admitted defeat and retreated to the sofa she set to work making them both a cup of tea with the blend she’d provided and setting the candles down on his coffee table. “Just to make double sure my own house is safe. Plus, I thought Lily would like them.” She brought out the plate of cupcakes too, but left the crystal in hiding for now- she’d set it down somewhere in his house on her way out.

“I forgot to ask if you have any allergies.” She hummed, taking the offered blanket and curling up on the opposite corner of the sofa, “the cupcakes have lavender in them- and egg, and all other usual cupcake ingredients. Sorry if any of that disagrees with you. I maybe should’ve planned ahead a bit better.”

Normalcy felt like a far off concept as of late. Despite his best efforts to get back into a routine that passed as normal, James was all over the map. He was staying up at all hours to avoid nightmares, and crashing from exhaustion when his body finally called him out on it. He wanted things to go back to how they were before the damned kidnapping. James wanted to do his job and go home at the end of the day with a feeling of contentment. He wanted to propose to his girlfriend without fear that they wouldn’t even make it to their wedding day. He wanted to talk about moving in together, finding a home to build together, without the incessant fear that it was all going to crumble down around them at a moments notice. 

Mostly, James was bloody tired. He prided himself in being an optimist, and in having a nearly endless supply of hope for those that needed it. However, he was having a harder time remembering that this was something they could sin. The fight felt endless; too large for any of them to take down, even when they were working together. Exhaustion in all things was starting to take it’s toll, and James just wanted a couple weeks of peace. A couple of weeks to recuperate and not have a crisis begging for his attention. He wanted to keep his friends safe, and ultimately the family he had built. James wanted a lot of things, and that was only reason he was still fighting. 

James sat down and let Sybill make herself at home. Usually he’d insist on being the host and making the tea himself, but he had a sneaking suspicion that she had a certain type of tea in mind, and he wasn’t going to argue with her. A small smile tugged at his lips at her thinly veiled cover up. He was fairly certain she believed there was an important element in those candles, and James wasn’t going to say she was wrong. Besides, he could use whatever help he could get, and she was willingly offering it to him. “I”m sure your house thanks you, and I know Lily will. She loves a good bit of decoration to brighten up a room, especially useful ones” he admitted. 

“I don’t have any allergies, so no worries there” he smiled. Taking one of the cupcakes, he carefully started to unwrap it. “They sound lovely, honestly. Thank you for making them, and for coming round to visit” he added. James knew that sometimes people kept their distance after a trauma; unsure of if they’d make things worse, or uncomfortable with the prospect of seeing someone suffer. Either way, James had a special appreciation for the people that stuck around. “You’re planning was impeccable, as always, Sybill. How have you been? Have you and Cardi made any further plans on the wedding?” he asked.