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[heorot]

P L A Y E R   I N F O R M A T I O N
Your Name: dai
OOC Journal: dai_choo_choo
Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: nope.
Email + IM: daichoochoo@gmail.com || sukuru_hikari@yahoo.com || disarmingly @ plurk
Characters Played at Ataraxion: Annabeth Chase (oikodomae) & Jo Harvelle (swedge)

C H A R A C T E R   I N F O R M A T I O N
Name: James Potter
Canon: Harry Potter (Marauder Era)
Original or Alternate Universe: original
Canon Point: right after his sixth year at Hogwarts, start of summer break 1977.
Number: rng!

Setting: Harry Potter Universe
History:

The harsh truth to James Potter I's history, is that the impact he had on the canon - on Harry's life, growth and development - all happens after his death. In the novels, there's not much as far as James' life and history given to the reader, and most of it just through memories or comment by those who knew him. From the people who knew him, who he touched in either a very positive, or very negative, way. Depending on who you speak to, James goes from being one of the most amazing men to have ever lived, to a bully and a jerk. But because of this, a lot of James' history is assumed, speculated, or given in brief snippets from J.K. Rowling in interviews.

PRE-HOGWARTS Ж 1960-1971
Born March 27th, 1960, James Potter was the first and only son to a pureblood wizarding family of great wealth. Because of this, James was raised in a very pampered, very loving household. His parents were of a higher wizarding class, but were not known to be concerned with it, both having said to be kind-hearted and loving, accepting James and all his friends no matter the circumstances. Having been born later on in his parents lives (both were considered old by wizarding standards when they were blessed with James), he was given just about every opportunity he could ever want. Toys, games, travelings, pets - you name it, James Potter had it. But both of the Potter parents were, at their core, wonderful people, and that rubbed off on James early. He might be boastful, confident, proud, and arrogant, deep down he had a good heart and cares about people.

One of James' distant ancestors is Ignotus Peverell, one of the three brothers included in the The Tale of the Three Brothers. Ignotus was known as the humblest and wisest of the three brothers (traits not passed down to James), and evaded death because of this, earning himself the Cloak of Invisibility that was passed down through the family. James' eventually came to possess this cloak, which would come to be quite helpful during his Marauding Years.

MARAUDERS & HOGWARTS Ж 1971-1978
When James Potter was dropped off at King's Cross, platform nine and three quarters, he only had a few basic expectations. He wanted to make friends, mates who would help make his experience at Hogwarts worth it, he wanted to play Quidditch, and he wanted to be a Gryffindor. As fate would have it, James was a very lucky boy, and managed to find all that and more.

On the train that first year, James met a Black. He'd heard about the Blacks, heard them mentioned once or twice when his parents spoke to their friends, but he didn't know much. And what he found out about this particular Black confused him even more, because Sirius was absolutely nothing like he'd heard (not that it mattered, James didn't reply care about wizarding politics at the ripe age of 11). And from that day on, something just clicked. James and Sirius were absolutely inseparable; always with each other, took classes together, played pranks together, went on Holidays together - everything that James had wanted in a best friend he found in Sirius, and then some. It didn't take long before the two found two more - one Remus Lupin (a curious one, Lupin. Studious, much too serious) and Peter Pettigrew. Peter was an interesting case, in that he'd somewhat attached himself onto James - his confidence, his charisma, the way he could make people smile, laugh - and James hadn't really had the heart to tell him to leave. The four of them soon became quite close, calling themselves the Marauders. The Marauders were known across the school (though not by name) for causing mayhem and chaos, because when you put four boys together with magic and too much time on their hands, what more do you expect? Together they were able to create something called the Marauders Map, which was an enchanted map of the castle that allowed them to know who and what was where, at any time of the day or night.

James was quite popular in school, making the Gryffindor Quidditch team with Sirius their first year, always the chatty ones in class. Some professors found him charming, maybe even clever, and it helped that he wasn't too bad at certain classes. Transfiguration, for one, was a favorite of his. Charms another. James was a bit of a mischief maker during his years at Hogwarts, known to hex students in the hallways and play pranks - some of which could be quite cruel. He was always up for an adventure, which led him into much trouble than not, and it didn't help that Sirius was always up for a challenge. When James was sixteen he convinced his parents to let Sirius come and live with him - successfully leaving his horrible family situation behind. Because honestly, if James had the choice, he would do anything he could to help out his best mate, especially if it meant spending more time together. His parents welcomed Sirius like a second son they never had, and things were great for those couple of years before graduation.

During their second year, James, Sirius and Peter found out a very interesting secret that their friend Remus had been keeping - namely, the fact he was a werewolf. James, never one to let his friends experience anything on their own, soon came up with the idea that they all because unregistered animagi and follow Remus during his turnings. It wasn't until their fifth year that the three boys were able to perfect the spell, earning them the more specific nicknames - Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs (because his animagi was a stag). James was adamant in making sure his friends felt wanted, normal, and tended to go out of his way to keep the four of them together, including facing expulsion if they were found out during their once a month adventures.

Throughout the extent of James' time at Hogwarts - despite being very popular and his tendency to show off for girls whenever they were close enough - James chased after one particular Gryffindor, Lily Evans. She, of course, hated him during those first few years, which made James all the more determined to win her over. It wasn't until his later years, when James had grown out of his more unsavory personality traits, that she even gave him a chance. By seventh year they were dating, and James could not have been happier.

And the, of course, there was Snape. Severus Snape, James' enemy from day one, when the two exchanged insults on the train out to Hogwarts (not one of James' finer moments, since it also cemented Lily's hatred for him). James had a tendency to hex Snape when he had the chance, calling him names and picking on him in the hallway, and Snape in turn would go out of his way to try and get James and his friends in trouble, going as far as to sneak around and nearly find out about Remus' 'furry little problem'. Thankfully, during those maturing years for James Potter, he grew out of most of his bullying tendencies, and even went as far as to save Snape's life when Sirius sent him to the Womping Willow when Snape tried to out Remus. It was at that time that James risked his life to save Snape from a werewolf attack, with no thanks on Snape's part (not that James would have wanted any thanks).

By his seventh year, James had all but completely grown out of that trouble-making, bullying, chaos-inducing self. There's only so much of a trickster that can grow up, but James had somehow found a nice balance. He matured enough to earn him the position of Head Boy. He impressed Lily Evans enough for her to agree to date him, and he started to take a more active role in opposing the rise of Voldemort, strengthening his relationships with Dumbledore and McGonagall. He also saved Snape's life, going out and taking on Remus in his werewolf form to save the Slytherin because he was in danger, despite their years of being basically mortal enemies. I say all but, though, because he could only grow up so much - he was still his same fun-seeking, sometimes a little cocky, joking self. Sirius, Remus and Peter were still his best friends, and while the Marauders' presence as troublemakers had to decrease a bit during that last year, their bond was as strong as ever.

LIFE AFTER HOGWARTS Ж 1978-1981
James' years after graduation passed quicker than most, even without the foresight of his own death. After a year of being sick with dragon pox, James' mother finally passed away. It didn't come as a shock, her health decaying gradually since the summer before his seventh term at Hogwarts, but that didn't make it any harder to deal with. It was another year or so before he married the love of his life, Lily Evans, in a very private, very secretive ceremony, due to the increasing danger of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. But even that didn't slow down James and his band of miscreants, known as friends plus his wife. The lot of them were all a part of the Order of the Phoenix, the main center of resistance against Voldemort and his followers. Led by their old Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and made up of all the best witches and wizards from their generation. Because of his parents' wealth, James and Lily were able to live a very easy life without either of them needing to keep a steady job, with plenty left over to help out one of his best friends, Remus Lupin.

The next couple of years of James' life were fairly decent, despite his father coming down with the same sickness as his mother and dying months before James could introduce him to his grandson, something that he would have loved. Becoming a father was one of the greatest things to happen to the eldest Potter, ranked right behind meeting and marrying Lily; but it was a short-lived joy, for it wasn't long after Harry's birth that Dumbledore told the Potters of the Prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney. The Prophecy stated that a boy, born during this time, would be the downfall of Lord Voldemort once and for all. The Potters went into hiding after that in a private little cottage in Godric's Hallow, planning on hiding there for as long as was necessary. Dumbledore convinced them that the best line of defense was the Fidelius Charm, a spell that would hide Lily, James and Harry from Voldemort for good, with their secret kept safe in their trusted Secret Keeper. James had wanted Sirius to be the one to hold their lives, but Sirius had mentioned using Peter Pettigrew instead, insisting that Sirius was the most obvious choice and no one would suspect Peter. They agreed, in secret, and cast the spell that would eventually be their downfall, for it was Peter Pettigrew himself who betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort, leading the Dark Lord right to them.

On October 31st, 1981, Voldemort arrived at Godric's Hollow. James gave Harry to Lily and told them to run, attempting to hold off the Dark Lord himself, without even his wand. James was killed by the Killing Curse from Voldemort's hand, leaving his wife and son to face him for themselves.

Personality:

❝You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart.
Their daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart;❞

The thing about James Potter, that many may not realize, or if they realize they may not understand, is that as much as he may have been sorted into what seems to be his perfect house, it is his house that really, truly, made him the man he lived to be. Died being.

Raised as an only child to two fairly older, relatively wealthy pure blood wizards, James grew up pampered and cocky. Some might even say spoiled, but really it was just a sense of nativity. His parents kept him from the dangers and complexities of wizarding politics, instead raised to be kind hearted and honest. True. The difference between right and wrong and always, always do what's right, when you can. And despite his early school years, where James was depicted as being cruel, and quite a bully, it was more out of a misunderstood sense of what he thought he was allowed to do and be, versus what he actually should be.

James, like most Gryffindors, was known to be loud. Boastful. Out-going. Bold. Daring. Stubborn and at times quite cocky. As far as he was concerned, he was untouchable (relatively) and as long as he wasn't a complete git, he'd be fine. This served him well (but did not serve others well) in his many a escapade. Like many schoolboys at his age, James was a fun-seeking troublemaker, and with Sirius at his side, he was quite the menace. He would play pranks on innocent students passing him in he hallway for a good laugh, and was known to set up elaborate jokes much like Fred and George would, for the sake of causing chaos and not much more. He and Sirius were the masterminds behind most of the Marauder pranks, and he loved the thrill of it, the laughter it would bring. Usually it was all in good fun, most of the time, actually, unless it involved Snape. But that was a little more complicated.

The thing about James, the reason he made such connections like his friendships with Sirius and Remus, and his eventual relationship with Lily, is partly because of his absolute and total dedication to those he cares about. Which, for James, tended to extend to quite a few people. He was naturally trusting, and was known for being quite popular - a funny guy that most would consider a friend, or at least a friendly acquaintance. And for those who made it passed that first level, who bonded with James a little deeper than just 'friends', could be confident in knowing that he accepted them and cared for them wholly and completely. He would do anything he needed to for his friends, would go above and beyond if it meant keeping them safe. Remus' werewolf problem was just one example, where when James and Sirius found out, went out of their way to make sure Remus knew he was still their best friend, and they went on to research an extremely difficult spell just so he wouldn't have to be alone. James was a little reckless, when it came to caring about people, which is probably one of the reasons he was appointed to Head Boy, and that Lily ever gave him the light of day.

Like mentioned before, James was a bit of a prideful kid. He liked to show off, and it didn't help that he was actually fairly clever and talented, both in more hands-on spells and Quidditch, and he was known to go out of his way to try and impress those around him - namely, girls. He was clever enough to win over their Head of House, Professor McGonagall, which made sense - when it came down to it, James had a good heart. Quite chivalrous, James had a special side to him reserved for special women - and b that, he of course means Lily Evans. He cared about people, was loyal to a fault to his friends, and really quite charming. Endearing. And he grew out of most of his more negative personality traits, mostly his trouble-making and bullying ones, enough to not only become Head Boy but to win over the love of his life, his crush for years, Lily Evans.

And as much as James was a playful, joking friend - he was honest in love. Lily Evans, despite deciding before either was even sorted, that she hated him, was the object of James' affections for all seven years, going out of his way to try (and fail) to impress the unbelievably intelligent and snarky redhead. It was, in a way, because he resisted her so that he continued his attempts, making fairly bold moves to try and win her over, and until their later years, each to no end. Thankfully, as he grew up, Lily started to notice the better parts of his personality - the highlights, if you will - and agreed to date him, and later marry him.

To put simply, James is a rebellious, mischievous, natural-born leader who is extremely kind-hearted and a loyal friend. Perhaps a little too trusting, especially when I concerned his friends, but if asked - James would much rather die because he trusted too much, rather than dying alone.

Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:

YOU'RE A WIZARD, HARRY Ж Basically, James Potter is a wizard. Pureblood, not that it matters, but wizard through and through. He's been learning to play with his magic since a young age, and was known as being quite quick at picking things up. Clever, is what McGonagall called him. He's particularly good at charms and hexes, the more hands-on kind of stuff. Transfiguration is his best subject, and with his talent a lot of determination...well. That'll come later. What we know for sure, though, is that James knew his stuff when it came to practical magic. He played around with spells, helped create the Marauder's Map with the rest of his friends, and liked to play pranks, often. The list of magical spells in the Harry Potter World is here, however it's fairly easy to say that James would not know all of them. He's only coming from his sixth year at Hogwarts, and while he might have been a pretty decent student, he's no expert on every spell in the book. Those that came in handy, he knew very well, and anything else? Well, he might have heard of them, but he wouldn't necessarily know them. There's always the chance a spell will backfire on him, or that he may never learn it thanks to the fact he won't have any books or professors around to teach him. His wand is only helpful when he uses it, and magic - while it has a tendency to be wild and unpredictable - needs some guidance to be of use. James is still just a kid, and while he may play it off like he's this big, powerful wizard, he's really just trying to get by. Stay alive. And have a little fun while he's at it.

QUIDDITCH CAPTAIN Ж Though it may not be a specific ability, per say, James is extremely agile and athletic. He's a fantastic Quidditch player, which involves both brain and brawn, and his competitive nature just feeds into this. He's quite good at picking up sports and, not perfecting them per say, but being pretty damn good at them even when he hasn't, necessarily, known about them for all that long. He's got great hand-eye coordination, an apt strategic mind, and basically everything else you could attribute to an above average athlete with a desire to do (and be good at) just about everything he tries.

HEIGHT OF DISHONOR TO MISTRUST HIS FRIENDS Ж If there was one thing that would (and did) one day kick James in the butt, it would be his trust in those he cares about. Namely, his friends. It's not that he's niave, because he's not. He knows there are terrible things out there and he's devoted his life to fighting that evil, but when a person makes their way into his heart, they're there for life. He never suspects them, never doubts them, and depending on how long he's known them, almost never questions them. He's a kindhearted boy, loves to laugh and loves his friends, and that can sometimes blind him from betrayal. Namely Peter Pettigrew's. Peter was a bit of a scardy cat, didn't have many friends or many people who even liked him, and during those first few years James kind of took him under his wing. And when James makes that decision to accept someone, he does it wholeheartedly. Peter was a Marauder, he was James' friend, and as far as James was concerned that was all that mattered. This would come to kill him, eventually, when they decided to change the secret keeper last-minute to Peter Pettigrew, and his and his family's whereabouts where given directly to Dumbledore, but even then James probably wouldn't have blamed him. Not really.

For all that James may be stubborn, at heart he is kind, and he cares and he trusts. Maybe a bit too much, and maybe a bit too often, but if asked he would probably joke about if he was going to have any weakness at all, he would rather it be his friends and his family.

Inventory:
✓ wand: mahogany in make, 11 inches, pliable - excellent for transfiguration 
✓ invisibility cloak 
✓ marauder's map 
✓ glasses: round, wire frames 
Appearance:
Played by Aaron Johnson

If anyone would like to know what James Potter looked like, look at Harry. They are said to have the same face, same hair, same glasses, but Harry had Lily's eyes - a better choice of the two, if James was being honest. He's known as being fairly tall, probably around six foot two, and lanky in that 'I shot up six inches in a year and am just now filling out' kind of way. He's a quidditch player, chaser, which means he's fairly strong and sturdy. He has unruly black hair that he tends to keep messy, having a habit during his fifth year of deliberately messing it up to make it look like he just got off his broom (the ladies loved it). He didn't start wearing classes until his third year, but they become somewhat necessarily and by the end of fourth year he's wearing them almost every day.

Age: 17
AU Clarification: