The Ladders Of Love: James Potter

28

(a/n: pretend that it's normal for wizards and witches to move in after a short relationship 💀 I'm just trying to get the story moving)

moving in

ON THE 31ST OF JULY THE YOUNG COUPLE MOVED INTO THEIR NEW HOME. The duo had moved into a lovely home called Godric's Hollow, a small and cosy cottage. It had two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a garden and the interior design was beautiful. The bookcase that James had installed for the girl was towering over the living room, already half stacked as the girl unpacked.

"How do you have so many books?" James asked incredulously as he pulled out a few more and shoved them onto the shelves he built. "This is ridiculous, Reese."

"Shut up Antlers, these books are my children." Clarisse said as she rearranged the books he placed onto the shelves. "Besides, I could say the same about your quidditch equipment. Who needs seven bottles of polishing oil?"

"Me!" James complained, having this conversation before. "Incase I run out!"

"What are you guys going to do with the spare room?" Remus asked curiously as he walked into the living room, having helped them unpack with Sirius and Lily. "I'm assuming that you will sleep in the same room."

"It's going to be a guest room." Clarisse piped up. "For when any of you guys come round, like Padfoot for example."

She gestured to the boy who was lying out on their new sofa with a distraught look. "I can't believe you're leaving me Prongs!"

"Sirius you're literally moving in with Remus." James deadpanned, his eyebrows raising at the boy as Lily walked in amused, handing out cups of tea and coffee.

Since Clarisse and James decided to move out, Sirius and Remus also took the leap of faith, officially becoming boyfriends and buying a small flat together that was about five minutes away from their friends.

Lily had also made big decisions about her life. She had come out as lesbian a month before, announcing her relationship with Mary McDonald. The entire group had been ecstatic with her announcement, growing closer.

Another surprising announcement made was Remus admitting to Lily and Clarisse that he was a werewolf. It happened a few weeks before the move in and he gathered the girls hesitantly. He wanted them to know, he found that he cherished their friendship and wanted the two to know about his condition. Besides, Clarisse would probably be confused if James snuck out from their house every full moon. The reactions were obvious, both girls loving Remus for who he was and reassuring him that he wasn't 'a monster'.

All in all life was good and the group was evolving more and more.

Everything was perfect.

✤

On their first night in the new house, the couple cooked homemade ravioli and dined together with red wine. They ate a beautifully decorated red velvet cake that Lily had baked for them and lounged around in the living room and watched a romance movie on their tv (James finally figuring out what it was). As the night began to darken, the duo got ready for bed then fell swiftly into each other's arms, fitting together like a jigsaw under the covers.

"Have we now unknowingly yet subconsciously chosen our side of the bed?" James whispered into Clarisse's hair as she snapped her fingers wandlessly, the light going off instantly and the door closing shut.

"Yep." Clarisse murmured, staring upwards at the ceiling with a smile. They had tuned into their inner child and stuck glow-in-the-dark stars onto the ceiling of their bedroom with excited grins. In the dark, the duo stared at the glowing stars that were slightly lopsided and peeling off already... but James and Clarisse thought they were perfect.

"Oh no," James whispered lightly with a mock playful attitude, "your side is superior."

"How so?" She enquired as her eyes trailed across the stars. Earlier they had named a star after each friend they had: one star for Sirius (ironic), one for Peter, Lily, etc... James even let the girl name three stars after her Slytherin friends: Regulus, Barty and Evan. The glow in the dark moon that was a curved crescent next to the Sirius star was baptised as 'Moony' for Remus.

"When the sun rises the window is placed so that the light shines directly onto my side of the bed." James explained with complexity, Clarisse furrowing her eyebrows at his thought process. "I'm going to wake up at like six am everyday now due to the sun."

"We will get blinds." Clarisse waved him off. "You can sleep on my side for tonight if you want?"

"Nah," the man whispered, his arm wrapping around her gently yet strongly. "I think I'll survive as long as you're here."

Clarisse smiled subconsciously as she leaned into his body warmth more, kissing his neck slightly. "You want to christen our new bed?"

"Hell yes I do."

✤

The bright sun shone a golden wave of light into Godric's Hollow, bird chirping in the background. A small line of light formed onto the man's face, brightening his eyes as he cracked them open with a groan.

James tiredly looked at his alarm clock and scowled at the time. 5:03 am.

"Fuck!"