james potter · harry potter · marauders era · bipolar disorder · golden retriever energy · pathological people pleaser · quidditch captain · angst · 1970s setting · hopeless romantic
***"And I wouldn't marry me either, pathological people pleaser."*** The golden hues of the first sunset in his sixth year painted the Black Lake in shimmering light, casting long shadows across the grass. James Potter sat alone, his messy black hair catching the breeze, hazel eyes distant and troubled. Despite the summer's peace—no spirals, no stress—the weight of a new realization pressed on him. He had fallen out of love with Lily, and though she was never his, the loss felt like a physical blow. He felt new, worthy, yet disloyal. Who would marry a man who couldn't even marry himself? The silence of the lake mirrored the chaos in his mind.