He is a surprisingly good artist. He often doodles in class, mostly drawings of Lily or of him and his friends messing around.
He is a bit of a show-off. He loves to impress people with his skills, whether it is Quidditch, Transfiguration, or just being witty and charming. His charm of him gets many people to fall head-over-heels for him. After all, this is the James Fleamont Potter we're talking about - rich as an old painting with gentle parents.
He will do anything for his friends, and they know he always has their backs. But. He does have a favorite friend, and that's his partner in crime, Sirius. Sometimes, the power balance in the friendships can be way off, and he notices this but chooses to stay oblivious, wanting to keep the visage of a perfectly charming friend group for his parents and for himself.
He is fond of his Animagus form, Prongs the stag, and often spends time in the Forbidden Forest with the creatures there. Then proceeds to be kicked out by the centaurs because he won't stop interrupting their hunt.
Despite his bravado, he sometimes worries that he isn't good enough for Lily or that he isn't living up to his parents' expectations. Most of the time, James tends to lash out or push people he cares about away from him whenever he feels not like himself. He obsesses over perfection and can't stand anything that doesn't fix a box he's made. Some of this anger is let out by finding people to prank or antagonize Slytherins. (Sort of has black-and-white views)
He writes Lily Evans love poems and serenades her whenever he sees her. Sometimes he follows her around, using the Marauders Map, even though his friends constantly remind him that it's weird and he should just speak to her like a normal human being.
He is a good person at heart. He is kind and compassionate and always tries to do the right thing, even if he sometimes makes mistakes along the way. But that perfectionism...the fear of failing people around him - James usually acts as if his kindness should overshadow the bad things he's said and done, and this aggravates some people around him.
Sirius Black:
He has an interesting sense of humor. Sarcasm is a language he's very good with, and he loves a good prank, even more than James. He always jokes dramatically, and even after James became "mature" in their last year, Sirius kept playing absurd pranks and even brought it up a little bit on their last day of school.
He is overly protective of those he loves. This extends beyond his close friends. He is incredibly loyal and will defend them to the death, sometimes even when they don't deserve it. Like, for example, if James did something Sirius knows is bad, Sirius will still make up excuses or take his side on the matter. He could follow him to the ends of the earth if he had the chance.
He is very intelligent but often impulsive. He'll make up these brilliant plans but rarely thinks of the consequences of his actions, leading him into trouble. This impulsiveness soon manifests into recklessness by the time he gets out of Hogwarts.
He has a deep-seated anger towards his family. He feels trapped and suffocated by their pure-blood fanaticism, and his upbringing and his brother, Regulus, didn't make things any better for him. This anger would bring out destructive ways of coping, even towards those who didn't deserve it. He's like that with nearly every single Slytherin, and anyone close to Regulus is just a huge waving red flag.
He is a natural leader, even though he often follows James because of fondness, he possesses a charisma and confidence that draws people to him like moths to a lamp. He can be extremely persuasive and inspiring when he chooses to be. (Unfortunately, this isn't all the time.)
He struggles with his own identity. He rebelled against his family's expectations but sometimes struggled to define who he was outside of that rebellion. He wants to be someone who keeps being adored - so adored that kids in the same crappy life he used to have would look up to him.
(continuation) Sirius tries a lot of different things. Since he's so used to going on with girls, he starts to check if guys work the same way for him but only comes up with two males that he'd ever willingly go out with, and those are his friends, James and Remus. James is handsome, he has a lot of money, he matches Sirius's energy perfectly, and he's easy to please. Remus is also handsome, but he doesn't have a lot of money, their energies are a little different, and it isn't very easy to please Remus...but Remus tries his best to please Sirius.
- however, James is occupied with falling over his own ankles for Evans, and Sirius would rather die than ask his best mate out on a date. So, he settles on the scarred boy who always glances at him in transfiguration, and attempts to sit closer to him during every meal in the Great Hall.
Sirius is very indecisive. If he can't choose one thing, he'll try to have both at the same time. It was like when he and Marlene used to flirt with each other, but he and Remus were still going on dates together and even finding places to snog.
Sirius does still care about his brother...but he knows he can't change the path he's on.
Remus Lupin:
He often prefers to watch and listen, analyzing situations and people before speaking. This makes him a good judge of character, though he sometimes hesitates to voice his opinions, and unfortunately becomes someone people walk all over (if his friends are around, it's least likely, but on his own, not so much).
His lycanthropy is a constant source of shame and anxiety. He lives in fear of exposing himself and often isolates himself to protect others. He has some bad habits from the lycanthropy, such as: scratching harshly behind his ears, pulling any wolf fur from his scalp (which leads to a lot of bleeding and itchiness), and snapping his jaw at whatever he finds aggravating (he has nearly bitten Sirius's hand off after a very bad day. he only nicked the former's finger).
He is deeply empathetic. Like...way too empathetic. The idiot will cry to a kid's show character dying...and it's the most anticlimactic thing ever.
He values the friendship he has with the others above almost all else. He is loyal to his friends, even when they make horrible choices and is always there to offer support and guidance. He craves their acceptance and fears being ostracized because of his condition. Though, sometimes he feels like they would use him again to strike fear into someone's heart.
He is a peacemaker. He often tries to mediate conflicts between his friends, trying to see all sides of the situation. If there is disharmony in the group, everything feels very constricting and uncomfortable. There was a time when Sirius and James had an argument so bad that Professor McGonagall had to step in. Days of silence and prank wars that were not very friendly...Remus threatened to start hanging around Snape if they didn't talk it out.
He has a dry sense of humor. He isn't as flamboyant as Sirius or James, but he possesses a sharp wit and a talent for subtle, often self-deprecating jokes. No one catches on fast enough to start scolding him about talking badly about himself, but when they do, he gets chased around with compliments and words of affirmation.
He is (not very)secretly insecure. Even though he's smart and kind, he often doubts his own worth and fears being a burden to others. He constantly worries about his lycanthropy being discovered and how it would affect his future relationships.
He's brave, but his bravery is often quiet and understated. He faces his lycanthropy with courage and resilience, and he is always willing to put himself in danger to protect the people he cares about. Snape once called him a coward for never trying to stand up to his friends, even when they harmed other people no matter how unintentional they were trying to be. That affected him. A lot.
He can see the flaws in his friend group but often feels powerless to change them. He sees James's arrogance and sometimes reckless behavior, Sirius's impulsiveness and anger, and Peter's insecurity and constant need for validation. He recognizes how these flaws lead to hurtful actions, like the infamous Prank they played not too long ago. He feels deeply conflicted. He loves his friends, but he also feels betrayed by their thoughtlessness and the potential consequences of their actions, especially for himself. He knows the risks of being associated with such behavior if it ever came to light and how it could expose his secret. But what can he do? He doesn't have anywhere else to go.
He dreams of a normal life. He wishes for a life free from the stigma of lycanthropy, where he can have a family and be accepted for who he is. Maybe...even cured...somehow.
Peter Pettigrew:
He craves acceptance and validation. More than anything, Peter yearns to be loved and included. He constantly seeks the approval of James and Sirius, often mimicking their behavior and laughing at their jokes, even when he doesn't find them funny.
He often downplays his own abilities and accomplishments, comparing himself unfavorably to his more talented friends. This insecurity fuels the envy and resentment he holds toward his friends.
He is a follower, not a leader. He lacks the confidence and charisma of James and Sirius, preferring to go along with their plans rather than voice his own opinions. He often feels invisible in the group, despite trying so hard to just fit in.
He is secretly envious of his friends' talents and popularity. He admires James's Quidditch skills and Sirius's effortless charm, but he also resents them for it. He feels like he was always in their shadow, never quite measuring up. This envy gnaws at him, even as he outwardly professes his loyalty.
He is a talented, but underachieving wizard. He possesses magical ability, but he lacks the drive and ambition to excel. He often coasts through his studies, relying on his friends for help and never fully realizes his potential.
He is easily swayed by power. He is drawn to strength and influence, and he is willing to betray his friends to align himself with those he perceives as powerful. Despite tagging along whenever James and Sirius want to play a prank on Snape, he finds the Slytherin to be phenomenal. That power...the way he wields his wand and chants spells with certainty - even making his own! Snape was another person he wanted to be like.
He rationalizes his betrayal. He convinces himself that he's acting in self-preservation, that he has no other choice. He downplays his own culpability, blaming others for his choices.
He was haunted by guilt, but it was a fleeting feeling. While he occasionally experiences pangs of remorse for his actions, he is ultimately more concerned with his own survival. His guilt was easily suppressed by his fear and self-preservation instincts.
He is a coward at heart. He avoids confrontation whenever possible, preferring to hide in the shadows rather than face his problems. This cowardice ultimately defines his character and leads him to make choices he will later regret.
He cares for his friends, in a twisted way, but his self-preservation always came first.
He cared for his friends, in a twisted way. He genuinely values their friendship, but that value is conditional. He's always wanted to come first. So if his friends can't do that for him...then he'd do it himself.
