Chapter Text
James didn’t know how he did it, but sometimes he forgot just how persistent and annoying his younger brother could be. Especially when he had something fixed in his mind.
***
“Okay, so how are we going to make sure I get to Hogwarts as well?” Harry asked looking to his big brother who was trying to decide what he wanted to pack in his trunk.
“You’re too young to come, Haz,” James replied, rolling his eyes at his younger brother. This had been a question he had faced almost daily since receiving his Hogwarts letter at the beginning of the summer. Only recently had it developed further with Harry suggesting plans to him.
“Young, smung,” muttered Harry petulantly, “I’m eight, that’s plenty old enough, Jamie.” He added a stamp of his foot to illustrate his point, his green eyes shining with determination.
James just ignored him and continued to study his pranking gear, comparing his slingshot and dung bombs with the empty water balloons, the prank quills and his chocolate frog cards. The slingshot took up a lot of room but could be quite useful. But would he be able to sneak it past mum’s inspection?
“Jaaaaaa-mie, you’re not listening to me!” Harry complained flopping onto James’ bed in annoyance, his hair flopping in his eyes.
“Course I am, Haz,” he said not looking up at his younger brother.
“Prove it, what did I just say?” Harry quizzed whilst flipping through the pile of chocolate frog cards that were laid out beside him.
“Something about finding a way for you to get to Hogwarts this year,” James muttered offhandedly in response, having been faced with the exact same conversation with his younger brother every day this week, so he knew his full attention wasn’t needed. Devising a way to sneak his pranking gear past their mum’s keen eye needed his full attention.
Harry just shot an unimpressed look at his brother, not that he noticed. Turning his attention back to the cards he came across a few of James’ newer and better ones. “Hey, can I have these?” he asked waving them in his brother’s direction.
“What?” James finally glanced up from contemplation, seeing his prized Morgana card clutched in his brother’s grip, “no, put them back, Harry,” he said with a stern look at his younger brother.
He counted to five in his head, giving the younger a chance to relinquish the cards.
“Why?” Harry asked not putting the cards back in the pile.
“Because I asked you nicely,” James said trying to keep calm, holding his hand out to his younger brother.
“No, you didn’t. You didn’t even say please,” Harry said with all the superiority of a younger sibling being able to correct their older sibling.
“Please,” James said through gritted teeth, trying very hard not to yell or dive at his brother.
“Say it like you mean it,” Harry said with a laugh.
“I swear, Harry, this is your last chance, give me the cards,” seeing his younger brothers head tilted and questioning look, “…please” he added.
“I don’t think I will,” Harry added rolling across the bed to get away from his brother.
“That’s it, Tiny,” James yelled diving after his brother.
“MUM, HELP,” Harry yelled trying to escape his brother’s reaching arms, scrambling around the edge of the bed. “Why do you even want them?”
“Because they’re mine!” James exclaimed whilst moving from the bed trying to catch his brother as he dodged put of reach.
“I was just asking,” Harry moaned, his head hanging as his brother caught his wrist in a firm grip while he was trying to escape through the door.
“Let go of them, Harry,” James said quietly as he wrapped his other arm around his brother across his chest, trapping him from escaping. “Let go, now, please.”
“Fine!” the younger brother said, dropping the cards from his grip onto the floor in annoyance, “will you listen to me now? Please?” looking beseechingly up at his brother.
James took a deep breath to calm himself. “Sure, as long as you put the cards back on my bed.”
“Okay,” Harry agreed, his annoyance forgotten as he dropped down to pick up the cards which had spread out a little when they had fluttered down from his grip. Having gathered them all, he crossed the room and placed them gently with the others which had been flung out across the bed in their mad scramble and chase.
Euphemia was stood in the doorway observing the goings-on, having headed up the stairs ready to be the peace broker if necessary having heard the shout from her youngest. “Everything okay in here, my loves?” she asked gently drawing both boys’ attention.
“Yup, everything’s fine, Mum” harry said giving her a smile.
“Yes, Mum,” James added at her look.
“Are you going to explain the shout, Harry?” she asked entering the room and approaching her younger son who was stood by the bed.
Harry looked down at his feet, where his left foot was rubbing against the soft carpet in a rhythmic movement.
“Harry?”
“I, um, I annoyed Jamie,” he whispered to the floor.
A gentle finger placed under his chin raising his head, so he was looking into his mother’s loving gaze. “What was that my love?”
Harry took a deep breath, gathering his courage before repeating louder, with a small pout on his lips, “I annoyed Jamie, and he was chasing me.”
“Which made you shout because?”
“Well… um…” his head slowly dropping back to his chest as he realised that he did not have a good reason for shouting. The finger gently lifted his head back up. “I don’t know.”
“Right, please apologise to your brother for annoying him, Harry,” she said in a firm but loving tone.
“Mu-uum, it’s fine, I don’t need to apologise,” he moaned but seeing her eyebrow rise and her look harden he quickly turned to face his brother. “I’m sorry for annoying you, Jamie,” he said, a small smile on his face.
At the pointed cough from their mother, James rolled his eyes but dutifully replied, “I accept your apology, Haz.”
“Now, a hug to show the conflict is resolved.” Euphemia said a smile on her own face at the look of disbelief on her eldest’s face. He shot her a look that quite clearly expressed ‘really?’. “Yes, really, James.”
Harry closed the distance to his brother and wrapped his arms around him, “I really am sorry Jamie. You’ll still help me, right?” he asked shooting James his best puppy dog eyes with slightly pouted lower lip.
James returned the hug, rolling his eyes at his younger brother’s attempt to influence him, “yes, Haz, I’ll still help, now put your lower lip away,” he added giving it a gentle tug.
“Satisfied, Mother? Our conflict has been resolved,” James said using his best posh and important adult voice, adding a little bow.
Harry laughing at his brother’s actions, added a bow of his own though it was a bit wobbly.
“Yes, my dears, I am satisfied. If you are ready then there is some afternoon tea on the table,” she added heading out the doors having placed a kiss on both of their heads.
“With cake?” Harry called following his mother to the door.
“Yes, with both chocolate and red velvet cake, as well as some fruit,” Euphemia replied, heading calmly down the stairs.
“Race you,” Harry shouted dashing out the room and rushing down the stairs only to pause halfway and slow his pace, at his mother’s called warning.
“No running on the stairs, Harold.”
James took advantage of this and decided to slide down the banister, overtaking his brother at the end, lowering himself to the floor and sprinting to the family tearoom.
“Honestly, James, were you raised by ogres?” Euphemia asked, exasperation clear in the small shake of her head.
“Nope, just by Dad… and you know his influence,” he replied with a cheeky smile.
Euphemia was unable to respond to this assertion, as Harry hurtled into the room, “you cheated,” he exclaimed pointing his finger at James in outrage.
“I didn’t cheat, I used my surroundings to my advantage,” James responded examining his nails in false disinterest.
“Honestly, boys, that’s enough, do you want the afternoon tea or not?” Euphemia interrupted with a stern look before the argument could go any further.
“Sorry, Mum,” both boys said. Harry glared once more at James whose only response was to stick his tongue out in victory. Harry just did the same in return.
“Merlin, grant me strength,” Euphemia muttered. “Stop it, James. Now, please go ask your father if he would like to join us. I’ll start serving the drinks, so don’t be long.”