Personality
How does one describe James Potter? Well, firstly – he’ll probably be more than happy to do it himself. James has the kind of self-confidence that only comes from being raised in a happy, comfortable home with parents who adored him. Everything seems to come easily to him… or perhaps he’s just good at pretending. Either way, he's outgoing, intelligent, witty, charming, and he loves being the centre of attention - in fact, he's never happier than when he and Sirius are planted in the middle of a spotlight, showing off and making people laugh. He'll talk to anyone, and at anyone, and is usually likable (or just straight-up loud) enough to pull it off. He's the kind of bloke that people gravitate towards, a natural leader who has never had any issue making friends. He was a talented Head Boy and Quidditch Captain at school, with a way of making people want to follow him.With all this going for him, it’s no surprise that James used to have a reputation for being arrogant and self-obsessed. He was spoiled while growing up, and never given any reason to doubt himself. Although he’s matured a great deal since then, there’s still times when his arrogance blinds him to everything else. He’s fiercely competitive, likes to win and doesn’t always take criticism well.
That said, James’ arrogance is made slightly more bearable by a cracking sense of humour - even in the middle of a war he's usually grinning crookedly and is quick to laugh - and he does his best to look at things with a positive slant. He has a knack for causing trouble and a real flare for pranks (He kind of enjoys watching people run around like a bunch of drunk Billiwigs). These days, his jokes tend to be of a rather carefree nature - James has come a long way from the teenager who used to bully students in Hogwarts corridors.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that person is completely gone. It must be said that James is capable of being truly unpleasant when he feels it is justified – he knows exactly what buttons to press to cause the most damage and can be quite cruel when the mood strikes him.
With his immediate circle, James is an incredibly trusting and loyal individual. He's a fantastic husband, father and friend, and when it comes to the people closest to him, he'd die a million times over, with total faith that they'd do the same for him. He’ll do anything to keep Harry and safe. As well as his obvious, unshakeable love for his wife and son, James is very protective of his three best friends; Sirius has gone through more at home than anyone knows, Remus has his furry little problem, and Peter seems to spend half his time expecting to be kicked. James feels a responsibility to look out for the rest of the group and takes his 'Mother Hen' role very seriously. Many of his worst moments have stemmed from a need to shield those closest to him.
While James’ loyalty to his friends is a huge strength, it also plays against him. If Sirius suggested jumping off a cliff and a Slytherin suggested climbing down, James would be bounding off the edge without thinking. He’ll take his friends advice and opinion above anyone else’s and is somewhat blinded by his loyalty and love for them.
While James Potter has always been a mess of both good and bad, everyone can agree on one thing – you know exactly where you stand. James has never been good at hiding his emotions. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has no poker face to speak of. His feelings for Lily were clear from the first moment, as was his hatred of Severus Snape. James’ emotions are clearly displayed in his face and his actions, and he’s very honest about his feelings on people and subjects – whatever they may be. There’s no pretence here.
Above all things, this young man is Gryffindor through and through. He’s brave to a fault and willing to stand up and fight for the things he believes in. James genuinely believes that fighting for your cause and protecting those people you love is the noblest thing you can do.
Abilities & Weaknesses
AbilitiesMagical AbilityWeaknessesJames is a wizard and can perform magic with the use of a wand (and sometimes without). He's a product of centuries of magical lineage and so has a great deal of natural ability; his main talents lie in transfiguration, defence against the dark arts and defensive wards. Sadly, much of the final two were born out of necessity when living in a time of war. He's faced down Lord Voldemort himself on several occasions.AnimagusJames has been an animagus since he was fifteen years old, and can transform into a large red stag at will. He is unregistered, and only his closest friends know this fact.
James' main weakness is his devotion to his friends and family, which can blind him to their flaws and lead him into dangerous territory. He'll fly to their defence without thinking, often to his own detriment and with little thought to anyone who might end up as collateral damage.Although James has matured greatly in recent years, he still has an arrogant streak to him. He thinks of himself and his close circle as 'invincible', which can backfire massively.
History
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