oasis ((jerome))

He hadn't heard back from Lien about the impromptu flying lesson, so James decided to go to his dorm following the spat with Atticus. It felt good to let that anger out. It felt good to be angry. It was all on his own terms after all. It was only a matter of time before the school found out about the end of him and Atticus, and he was oddly at peace with that. If he had been very high, he would've let this go on a lot longer than it should've. He didn't mind being hated by both Notts. In fact, it just proved that they weren't of the same wavelength.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to be chaste for a while; after all, James wasted so much of his free time since rejoining civilization. All of that time could've been used to bury himself deeper into the Restricted Section with Lien. All of that time could've been used to finish up his remaining missing work. All of that time could've been used to prove to Evelyn that he is dedicated to helping with the kid.

Throwing himself onto the bed, he bent down and reached underneath to grab his guitar case. He should've healed himself with the power of music. It was strange to be back in his dorm again, but he couldn't usurp Louis' dorm forever. James sang softly as he strummed his guitar.



@Jerome Estrada

Jerome was so happy thinking of things he could do with Eleanor, that he'd almost walked straight past an incident in the corridor involving two third years. He'd reprimanded them and given them detention, but when he walked off there wasn't that same sense of pride he got from aiding the school: instead he was just glad to carry on with his thoughts. They could go to Hogsmeade. He could buy her a present. They could go for walks together...

When he reached the common room, he thought he'd grab a few books from the dormitory and make a start on some homework. As he approached the room, however, he was surprised to hear the sound of a guitar. Even singing. That was Potter.

He entered, and looked at him. "Does this mean you're back here permanently?" he asked, sighing.

@James Potter

James looked up from the guitar the moment Jerome entered. Of bloody course he'd come in right after he got somewhat comfortable. He stared at his dormmate momentarily; he needed to readjust to this kind of thing happening daily.

"Uh, I don't know... I have to eventually?"

He chewed on his lips wondering why he seemed to be in such a good mood. Did he embark on an insane power trip again?

'At least I'm not smoking?"

@Jerome Estrada

"Yeah. But you know if I ever do catch a whiff of it again, I'll make sure to get every last pack and carton."

He narrowed his eyes at him. At the very least he shouldn't be smoking in the dormitory. It stank.

"So welcome back."

Jerome grinned at him. He made way to his bed, and started going through his drawers.

"The song was pretty good."

@James Potter

"Yada, yada, whatever, cop..." James thought Jerome should become one of the drug-focused aurors instead of headmaster; that kind of role suited him better being a snitch. On the other hand, he was grateful that Jerome wasn't a mind reader or empath or anything. If he was, James would have to constantly worry about his bad moods being used against him. He was that kind of person.

Wait a minute. Since he brought up Alayna using weed to him, there's a chance he could use his snitch-tendencies to his advantage... He'd have to think on that. Maybe brainstorm with Lien as well.

"Thanks. Reed said that Hogwarts may be doing a music night sometime this month, so I'm trying to figure out which song I might perform."

His fingers hovered over the guitar strings as he contemplated which riffs to strum.

@Jerome Estrada

"Oh, right."

He took several books out from his nightstand and turned to look at him. It was strange to see him so calm. It was also strange to hear him talking about actively being involved in something that wasn't just fooling around. He must have been serious. There was no reason why he'd lie.

"At least you're concentrating on doing something productive, I guess..."

And he didn't even look high. Huh.

"I don't know how much you know about muggle music, but my Dad gave me some of his own records. Seeing as I can't use the music on my phone or computer here... he wanted to give me something. Anyway, I don't really like that sort of stuff he gave me, it's all old 80s stuff. You can borrow those if you want."

@James Potter

He found himself astounded and pleased that their conversation had yet to devolve into one of those brick-wall arguments they tended to have weekly; maybe the fact he couldn't be bothered to take anything helped. James found himself loving and loathing the mental acuity that came with being sober. It helped him feel wiser. He didn't have anything closer to Lien's brains, but at least his cogs functioned much better. Magical medicine was amazing.

"Doesn't Cernu blast muggle music from his phone all the time? He could help you."

Urgh, Cernu and his annoying pop girls. He couldn't understand how he didn't find all of those bops grating to listen to.

"I don't know a lot of muggle music."

It was strange as Harry grew up in the muggle world, but he'd become more and more entrenched in the magical world with age. The only time they'd linger among muggles was to visit his cousin Dudley and his children during holidays.

"Relationships are a pain in the arse."

@Jerome Estrada

"Maybe. I'm not sure if he would help me, though."

Was he one of those who raised his hand to hating him? Heh - perhaps. There was so many of them, he couldn't remember who they were.

Going inside of his trunk underneath his bed, he took out a few of the records. Something called New Order and another called Depeche Mode, who was Huey Lewis and what was The News? Genesis he'd actually heard of, as well as Queen. Going over to James, he put them on his bedside table. Then he said something completely out the blue.

"Why do you think that?"

@James Potter

"If you pay him, I don't see why he wouldn't,"

It made sense to pay someone to circumvent the magic-technology conflict. Well, it did in his head. James was surprised that Cernu wasn't capitalizing on it, but he was a Hufflepuff for a reason.

Instead of playing a riff, James ended up tuning his guitar. At least it was something to do with his hands.

"I've had a lot of sex I ended up regretting over the past month. I don't know why I should bother trying to date when it seems like every gay bloke inside this castle only cares about getting off."

@Jerome Estrada

Even his voice was off. Or... it wasn't off for once. It was more coherent. Of course he had an accent, and it was still there, but it wasn't so much slurred and garbled as it usually was. Had he had some kind of epiphany over breakfast or something?

"Er... okay. Well. I suppose sometimes with relationships, you end up wanting different things? That's what happened with me and Faye in fourth year. But I think she just wanted to get on Narks' nerves or something anyway."

He sat down on the end of James's bed.

"I didn't think you were the relationship type anyway."

@James Potter

"It wasn't that. It sort of was. Agh!"

How could he even begin to describe it to Jerome? At least Lien had a better familiarity with Atticus due to being in the same dorm. Jerome was, uh, apparently Atticus' pick to shag. James blew hair from his face as he listened to Jerome.

It was a good thing those two didn't get to anything as he and Faye would've ended up being one of the most annoying couples in their class.

"Narks sent me a message asking to shag. Like most of this bloody school, I think they need to snog and get it over with already. They do this on purpose!"

James raised an eyebrow. Nobody ever thought he'd be the relationship type, yet he always desired a quiet, domestic life even if he'd never openly admit it. He was fortunate to have the wealth to easily live such a way; James was eager to have more privacy the moment he's able to have his own legal team.

"People would be surprised if they actually knew me," he murmured.

@Jerome Estrada

"I literally feel like I'm talking to a different person right now, not that I'm complaining."

It was definitely more pleasant than the James who was constantly trying to wind him up.

"So I guess you want a relationship because you want someone to know the real you," he said, playing with the edge of James's quilt. "That's why I always look for relationships too. I just like the companionship it comes with. Everything else is extra."

@James Potter

"That's only 'cause you're not giving me a reason to annoy you. If you'd come in here asking where the drugs were, I would've messed with your mind a little."

Now that he thought about it, it was rather gay how much he tried to get Lien's attention in the past by being a major pain in the arse. He never did that to any other prefect except for Jerome here and there due to being dormmates. Huh.

"I guess, I don't know...With a kid coming, it wouldn't be good if all I did was sleep around, y'know?"

@Jerome Estrada

"Oh don't worry. I'll wait until you've fallen asleep then flush them down the toilet."

He grinned wickedly at him.

"I guess so..."

God he was so glad he wasn't in James's position. That was all way too much to deal with at age sixteen and still at school.

"I'm going out with Eleanor now. Charli Huxley's sister." It was strange how James was the first person he'd told.

@James Potter

James laughed. "I was a step ahead of you last month. I had a lot of leftover duplicates from the party during start of term."

He set the guitar to his side and wrapped his arms around his legs.

"And I dumped Atticus. I'm not sure if you could bloody call it dumping as it was all sex! Same shit every bloody time! I don't know how I didn't get nauseous doing it!"

Like he told Atticus, it wasn't sustainable. James needed variety even if he'd be more into the emotional intimacy aspect in theory. There was none of the emotional aspect in it as he always imagined somebody else.

@Jerome Estrada

"At least it was better fucking him than messing around with girls."

He still stood by this idea that James was an absolute prick for leading on girls, no matter what excuse he gave.

"I don't know too much about Atticus really. He seems kind of weird to me. And what was that about saying he wanted to sleep with me? He could've just said Louis or something."

@James Potter

James rolled his eyes; that kind of comment showed just how straight Jerome was as he wouldn't be able to understand the denial part of it.

"He is bloody weird! Like I don't mind getting, uh, experimental, but there comes to a point where it's doing too much! What if I don't want to bloody eat every fucking time we sleep together? I had to smoke a ton of joints lest he gets upset and coerces me into being what he wanted."

As they were talking guy-to-guy and Jerome didn't seem to have very strong feelings about Atticus, there wasn't much harm in opening up about what went on.

"Remember what he said afterwards about wanting to help those in need? That was the bloody case with me 'cause when I tried to get food while hiding, he happened to be cooking, and he really wanted to feed me. That I got 'cause I was so depressed Lils and Louis were worried as fuck about me and my weight. I was in no condition to attend practice. Then he initiated some while we were in the gym, and he's probably acting as if I'm a cunt with no regard as if we weren't using each other. i used him as a distraction and a regretful revenge method. He used me to get off 'cause I was in a vulnerable state. Wouldn't be fucking surprised if he did this to say that he slept with James Sirius Potter."

He rolled his eyes just thinking about it. Ranting made him crave nicotine for some reason, but that'd have to wait until he was outdoors.

@Jerome Estrada

Jerome didn't know half of what James was getting at. He was pretty naive to a lot of things that were sexual, so he just listened to James air his frustration. This must have happened pretty recently if he was pissed off about it.

"I guess breaking up is just never easy on anyone?" Even if it was just sex or whatever. "I'd just keep your distance and try to move on from it."

He had been a little upset when things ended with Faye, but now they got on okay. He got on better with her than he did with Narkissos.

@James Potter

"He told me he didn't want me anywhere near him or Alayna, so that solves that. I'm not sure how doable that is anyway with how we have combined NEWTS every week, but I hope Professor Riddle is kind enough to not pair me with any of them. I'm happy her arse got resorted as she was the main reason why I didn't come back here earlier."

What was that damn hat thinking all those years ago? The resorting vindicated him calling her a snake. James typically hated the divisions caused by the entire structure of Hogwarts, but that was one moment where he felt strongly about it.

"Whether they'll try to avoid me is to be discovered..."

@Jerome Estrada

"Well you know I'm not getting involved there unless any rules are broken. Like if Alayna curses you in the corridor or something."

There was a reason why these bloody rules existed. It wasn't only to piss people off or be a 'buzz kill' or whatever. It was to protect people. What if James took drugs, went on his broom, fell off his broom, and died? The drugs were bad!

"Are you going to stop taking drugs?"

He had to ask.

@James Potter