G. Lippert - James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper

Petra shrugged. "It's nice to have some time by ourselves, isn't it? I'm taking the time to learn my lines. Would you like to rehearse a little, James? Professor Curry would probably put us in her will if we came back from break knowing all of our lines."

"Sure!" James said, a little too enthusiastically. He modulated his tone and added, "I mean, whatever. If you want to. I don't have much else planned."

"You don't have anything else planned," Albus smirked. "What, you have an interview with the Minister of Magic we don't know about? Ow! And Rose, you can stop kicking me under the table already!"

Petra grinned at Albus, then James. "I'll see you later in the common room. Bring your script and we'll read through it, all right?"

James nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Petra left, walking slowly, thoughtfully.

"James is in love with his leading lady," Albus mocked, making kissing noises.

"I'm not in love with her, you prat," James scowled, pretending it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.

"Oh James, you're not fooling anyone," Rose said, shaking her head. "It's obvious. It's kind of cute, actually."

"Shut up!" James said, blushing furiously. "Just because I have to pretend to be in love with her for the play doesn't mean it's happened for real! Maybe I'm just a very good actor!"

Rose tried to mask a grin. "Well, then, you really are getting into your role, aren't you? I had no idea you were so dedicated to the craft. It's a good thing you aren't scripted to murder anyone."

James rolled his eyes dramatically. "You're both completely daft. Think whatever you want."

Albus studied James for a moment, and then made more kissing noises at him. "Oh Petra, I'm just a boy, but you make me feel like such a man!"

James grabbed a roll and hurled it at Albus, who collapsed into delighted laughter.

When James returned to the common room a little while later, leaving Rose and Albus singing Christmas carols with Hagrid in the Great Hall, he was pleased and a bit flustered to find Petra sitting in a chair near the fire, script in hand. He ran up the steps to his dormitory, retrieved his own copy of the script from his satchel, and tramped back downstairs again, telling himself the entire time not to be a fool, that Rose and Albus certainly couldn't be right about his falling in love with Petra, and most of all, that even if it was true, it was preposterous to think she could ever return those feelings. She was nearly five years older than James, smart as could be, and totally stunning. Girls like Petra simply did not fancy gawky younger boys who still hadn't managed the knack of an Anti-Pimple Charm. James' face was flushed by the time he rejoined Petra, plopping onto a nearby couch.

"Alas, my dear Treus," Petra quoted, turning a page in her script, "thou doth set mine heart aflutter. Shall we start from the top?"

James began to answer, but his voice came out as a squeak. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Sure. I'll read whoever you're talking to, and you can do the same for me."

"I can do a pretty good Donovan," Petra agreed. "I even considered trying out for the part."

"And I suppose Noah could've played Astra?" James grinned.

Petra nodded. "A century ago, men often played the roles of women in these kinds of plays. Some places didn't even allow women to act at all. Turnabout is fair play, I'd say. Besides, sometimes I think it'd be fun to act the part of the evil rogue with the awesome powers. Women are always the pawns in these stories."

James thought she was possibly the prettiest pawn he'd ever seen, but he determined not to say it. He cleared his throat again and began to read aloud. Two hours later, once they'd finished the read-through, James noticed that Albus and Rose had entered the common room. They were seated at a rear table with Hugo Paulson, who was teaching Albus some Winkles and Augers techniques. James caught Rose looking at him furtively, a small smile on her lips.

"Hey, James," Albus called, pocketing his wand. "Remember, we're supposed to be talking to Mum and Dad via Floo Network tonight. Or should I tell them you have more pressing matters to attend to?"

James glared at Albus, who simply grinned back at him.

"It's fine, James," Petra sighed, closing her script. "I've had enough of this for tonight anyway. I'm going to head upstairs and write some Christmas letters. Thanks for the help."

"It was fun," James agreed. "See you around, Petra."

As James watched Petra cross the room to the girls' dormitory stairs, Rose joined him on the couch.

"You really should be careful, James," she said in a quiet voice.

James barely heard her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Petra's not in a position to respond the way you'd like her to."

"I don't know what you're talking about," James insisted, finally turning around and closing his script. "We were just rehearsing."

"It isn't just the age difference, you know. That's not that big of a deal in the long run. You need to realize that Petra's heart is obviously elsewhere."

James furrowed his brow and looked at Rose. "What's that mean?"

"Well, it's obvious, James," Rose said, lowering her voice even further. "Petra didn't go down to Hogsmeade to do any shopping, no matter what she said. She was hoping to catch Ted before he left for the Burrow."

"Why would she do that?" James asked, blinking.

Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head. "She's still in love with him, you prat. She's broken-hearted that he left her for Victoire."

"But Noah said that she never really loved him," James said, frowning. "He said she knew all along that he wasn't a good match for her."

"She may say that, but the heart does what it wants, doesn't it? She loves Ted. It's obvious. I just don't want you to do or say anything that could ruin your friendship with her. I don't want to see you get hurt."

James slumped back against the couch. "What do you think I am, Rose? A complete idiot? Even if what you say is true, I'd never say anything about it to Petra."

"Sorry, James. Unrequited love is as poison to the soul, isn't it?"

"Ha, ha," James replied crossly. "That's Treus' line in act two. You're very funny."

"Look," Albus yelled, jumping up from the table in the corner. "The grate! Hi, Dad! Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas to you, son," Harry Potter's face grinned from the coals of the fireplace.

"Hi, Uncle Harry," Rose chimed, climbing off the couch to kneel in front of the grate. "How's everything going at the Burrow?"

Harry seemed to shrug. "As well as can be expected, I suppose. It's not the way any of us would prefer to spend the holiday, but today was all right. Lily is staying with Andromeda Tonks, and everyone here sends their love. Kreacher says you all looked well enough. Did you like your presents?"

"I love the scarf," Albus replied. "And the Remembrall. And the sweets were great too."

"Don't tell me you ate them all already, son,"

"I did, but don't tell Mum. I'm a growing boy, Dad. Got to keep bulked up for Quidditch!"

Albus and Harry spent a few minutes discussing the Quidditch season, and Harry congratulated Albus on making Slytherin Seeker even though he admitted he was glad Gryffindor had so far edged them out of the tournament.

"There's a whole line of people who want to say hi," Harry said. "Quit pushing, Hermione!"

Harry's face sank out of the coals and was replaced a moment later by Hermione's distinctive features and thick hair. "Happy Christmas, Rosie," she cried, "and you too, James and Albus. Are you all doing well?"

"Well enough," James said. "It's been a mad year so far. It's a lot to explain."