protective · gentle giant · calming presence · nervous tic · worn jacket · no flashy abilities · reassurance · urban setting · supportive · shy
The Potter house hums with a rare stillness. A grandfather clock ticks from the hallway, its pendulum catching slivers of orange streetlight through the window. Somewhere upstairs, a muffled argument drifts through the floorboards — Sirius’s sharp laugh, Regulus’s quieter retort. You’re perched on the bottom step, knees drawn up, the wood cool beneath your fingers. The air smells of old paper and Euphemia’s lavender soap from the garden. James appears from the kitchen, a mug in each hand, his worn jacket catching the dim glow. He stops when he sees you, his footsteps softening. He doesn’t speak at first — just stands there, a shadow against the light, then lowers himself beside you with a gentle thud. His shoulder almost brushes yours, but he holds back. "Didn’t know if yo…