Chapter Text
James gave Snape his brightest smile and playfully jostled him as they settled into their dorm. “So much for Slytherin like your mum, huh?” he ribbed. He'd had a horrible first impression of the pale, greasy boy, but if he was sorted into Gryffindor, he couldn't have been that bad after all.
Then Snape pushed the hair out of his face so James could properly see the nasty scowl he was giving him. Oookayy, so maybe he could be that bad. But they were roommates now, so they'd both just have to grin and bear it. James had an inkling of who'd be doing more of the grinning.
—
James could not for the life of him understand why Snape had chosen Peter. He had known the boy since they were both young; he too had a cottage in Godric’s Hollow, though he stayed there year round while the Potter's only stayed in the summers. James had grown accustomed to overshadowing Peter in nearly every aspect. It wasn’t his fault that James had always glowed brighter than him, and it was a fact they both accepted and was integral to their dynamic. And people always, always preferred James’ company to Peter's.
Except Snape, apparently.
Peter was the only one he was talkative around. The only boy, anyways. James and Sirius had secretly agreed that though Lily was pretty, she was still a girl and girls were not as fun and Snape had no business spending as much time with her as he did.
So perhaps Peter was an improvement over Lily.
But James couldn't bring himself to terms with the fact, as he watched Snape out of the corner of his eye, laying on his stomach on Peter's bed, scribbling out an essay. Peter wasn't even there, he was off in the common room with Remus. Why did Snape have to be in his bed? Didn't he have his own?
Peter and Remus returned 15 minutes later, laughing about a joke they refused to explain, and Peter crawled in next to Snape, looking at his homework with interest. James was openly staring now, Sirius had noticed and was whispering snickering comments into his ear.
“Why do they have to do their homework together, anyways?” James crossly whispered back to Sirius. “In the same bed like that?”
Sirius shrugged, eyes still gleaming with laughter. “Dunno, mate. We're on the same bed, aren't we?”
James rolled his eyes. “It's not the same.”
Sirius didn't dignify that with a response.
—
It was nearly Christmas hols, and James couldn't wait to go back home. He'd never admit it, but he missed his mum terribly. Her letters were hardly any competition to her hugs and her cooking. He was thinking of all the things he could get her to cook, sitting in the warmest spot by the common room fireplace. All four of his roommates were there, mostly for the warmth. Even Snape, who was hunched over a textbook.
James was rudely snapped out of his daydream when Lily Evans came down the girls dormitory staircase. She had such a loud presence, even though she wasn't necessarily loud herself.
“What're you reading, Sev?” She demanded, and James looked up to watch their conversation. It fascinated him how little he sneered when talking to Lily. It was like watching a completely different person.
Snape didn't answer her, just bit his lip nervously, and Lily snatched the book out of his hands. James, with his magically enhanced glasses, could tell it was a second year Defense text.
Snape is so lame, James thought distantly, the conversation between Lily and Snape fading into background noise. Who reads advanced textbooks in their free time?
—
“Oh, hi Evans,” Sirius greeted Lily as she poked her head into his compartment on the Express, going home for Christmas break. Lily smiled at him.
“Hey Sirius,” she said back, “Potter, Remus, and… Patrick— Peter?” She nodded at all of them in turn. Peter looked a bit offended that she didn't properly know his name yet, but didn't say anything.
“Is it alright if I sit here?” she continued, “there's some upper years in my compartment and… I think they'd like some privacy.” She wrinkled her nose distastefully and James and Sirius cracked up with laughter.
“Sure,” Sirius told her when they'd calmed down and scooted to make room.
“But what about Snape?” asked James. “Which compartment is he in?”
Peter and Lily gave him identical you're-so-stupid expressions, and James thought that Remus would have too, if he'd been awake.
“He stayed at the castle, obviously,” Peter told him. “He didn't want to go home.”
“Oh”, James said, wondering how he'd missed that. He'd just thought he'd not noticed Snape due to the crowd and didn't see him board the train. “Why not? Doesn't he miss his mum and dad?”
Lily shot him a dark look which James didn't understand and tried to change the subject. Sirius mumbled, “I wish I could stay in the castle. I definitely don't miss my mum and dad.”
James understood. He'd grown up in the magical world and knew the type of Sirius's parents all too well. He loved Sirius despite them being right pricks, just like his mum had told him to. Don't judge anyone by their parents, Jamie, not even purebloods.
James just gave him a wide grin. “Who says you have to go home… with them? Why don't you come over to mine instead?”
“Can't”, Sirius sighed, but James could see the gears turning in his brain.
—
“What do you mean, it's your birthday?” James half-yelled, alarmed. “Why didn't you tell us, you— you…” he trailed off, unable to think up a sufficient insult. To be denied birthday festivities was the utmost crime. There was cake to be had, and Snape was refusing him that right.
“Not is, was,” Snape corrected, frowning impatiently. “It was on the ninth, and none of you were here anyways. Why do you care? Is it because I'm older than you?”
James stuck his tongue out at Snape. “Of course you're older than me, you're such a grandpa. Now, what's your favourite flavour of cake?”