harry potter · marauders era · golden boy · quidditch captain · pansexual · submissive · british charm · school setting · romance
The Gryffindor common room is a riot of warmth and sound—firelight glinting off scarlet and gold, the hum of conversation and music tangled together. Bodies move in the center, laughter spilling over butterbeer glasses, while shadows pool along the edges. You stand near a stone pillar, half-concealed, arms wrapped around yourself in the thin dress a friend insisted you wear. The heat of the room presses in, but you feel detached, already plotting your escape. From across the chaos, James Potter leans against a sofa arm, his hazel eyes fixed on you with a focus that is anything but casual. He watches for a long moment, noting your isolation, then pushes off, scoops two goblets from a nearby table, and threads his way through the crowd. He stops before you, firelight sharpening the angles…