InsaneJournal

JAMES POTTER

- MSSR. PRONGS

Contact Information

NAME: Sarah
AIM HANDLE: lion x serpent
OVER 17?: Quite a bit
TIMEZONE: US Eastern
CDJ: lauraparis
EXPERIENCE: Currently Sirius Black and Alice Burke, among others. See CDJ for everything current and past.
PB: Darren Criss
JOURNAL TO BE USED: TK

Basics

FULL NAME: James Charlus Potter
NICKNAMES: Jim, Potter, Prongs (to the Marauders and sometimes Lily)
HOMETOWN: Godric's Hollow
AGE: 21
BIRTHDAY: March 27 1960
BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood
OCCUPATION: Unemployed, Marauder, Husband, Father

Family/Relationships

PARENTS:

MOTHER: Claire (Burke) Potter
FATHER: Reginald Potter

SIBLINGS: None.
EXTENDED FAMILY: As a pureblood, James is related to much of the wizarding world, including the Blacks and the Longbottoms and all sorts. James’s uncle is Charlus Potter, who married Dorea Black, which means James is pretty closely related to his best mate, Sirius Black. While he doesn’t have any siblings, James did grow up with loads of cousins, though they were all older and didn’t really ever get on well with James. Closer to him, though, are the other Marauders -- his best mates from Hogwarts -- Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. It’s Sirius who James thinks of as his brother though, even though it’s not by blood. It’s stronger than by blood. Immediate family includes his wife, Lily Evans, and his son, Harry Potter.
FRIENDS: The most important thing that James Potter looks for in a friend is loyalty. And honesty. And the ability to laugh and joke and have a good time. He also likes people around him who share the same beliefs and values as him. James’s closest friends are Lily and Sirius. Also, Remus and Peter. And many of the people involved in the Order during the First War, like Alice and Frank, especially.
SEXUALITY: Heterosexual
SIGNIFICANT OTHER: Married to Lily Evans Potter.

Education
HOUSE/YEAR: Gryffindor 1978
GRADES: James was a brilliant student, really. Head Boy and all that. He graduated with 7 NEWTs and pretty much had the world opened up at his feet. However, instead of going into Auror training as was suggested to him, James remained unemployed so he could dedicate all his time to the Order of the Phoenix.
FAVORITE SUBJECTS: Transfiguration, History of Magic, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms
LEAST FAVORITE SUBJECTS: Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination

Politics
LOYALTY/ALLIANCE: Absolutely the Order of the Phoenix. James was one of the original members, recruited by Dumbledore himself.
POLITICAL VIEWS: James has a very inclusive world view. He is tolerant, inclusive, and willing to do anything to be sure that everyone has a fair chance. While James does have a bit of an ego, and he is arrogant and thinks much of himself, he doesn’t think at all that his bloodline makes him any better than anyone else. He’s also pretty fascinated by Muggles, so he definitely doesn’t mind them much. As for half-breeds -- well, one of his best mates is a werewolf, so that answers that question.


Appearance

APPEARANCE: James is tall and lanky, not too built out but fit enough. He has messy black hair that he tends to flatten all the time. He has hazel eyes that look out from behind glasses. He tends to wear neatly pressed trousers and shirts with shiny dress shoes. He likes looking nice and put together. His robes are usually scarlet or maroon, sometimes flashy and gold if he’s feeling excited.

He is a confident man, and has been for years, so that confidence shows. His shoulders are squared, his head and chin held high and slightly defiant. He walks with purpose and speaks with it too. But he’s not uptight or rim-rod straight, not by any means. Even though it’s a terrible time and an awful war is going on, James knows how important it is to relax, smile, and laugh.


Personality ETC

WAND: Mahogany, 11 inches, dragon heartstring, pliable (excellent for transfiguration).
BOGGART: Lily, Harry, and Sirius dead.
PATRONUS: Doe.

LIKES: Lily, Harry, Quidditch, being a stag, smell of freshly-cut grass, pumpkin pasties, laughing, pranks, joking, his friends, singing off-key in the shower, flying, surviving.
DISLIKES: Dirty diapers, prophecies, cowards, running away, cats, fleas, chocolate, automobiles, Severus Snape, Death Eaters, broken promises.

STRENGTHS: Transfiguration (James is an animagus and takes on the form of a stag), getting a crying toddler to calm down, saving the world, Quidditch (he was Chaser and Quidditch captain for Gryffindor), flying, pranking, charms, and getting into and then out of sticky situations (see his history of detentions). He is also proud, bold, brash, honest, and practically an open book.
WEAKNESSES: Cooking (he tends to burn things and smoke out the kitchen), getting into trouble and causing trouble, Potions, driving cars without getting into accidents, Muggle movies, and singing (he’s often off-key). Also, James is brash, loud, arrogant, obnoxious, and reckless.

DETAILED PERSONALITY: James is your stereotypical Gryffindor, all the good and all the bad. Where he is definitely loud, egotistical, arrogant, and impulsive, James is also extremely moral, will stand up for his beliefs, won't back down, and is extraordinarily brave (often to the point of recklessness). He is good-natured, will fight for the jlittle guy, and loves to laugh and carry on. He is good and focuses on duty and high morals - so long as they mean the right side comes out on top.

But James can also very easily hold a grudge. At Hogwarts (and probably beyond), he was not only incredibly popular and sought after, but he was also something of a bully. Because he was so popular, smart in the classroom, and brilliant out on the Quidditch pitch, there were always people envious of him. Flippant and slightly spoiled, James has been known to take advantage of that jealousy to his own ends.

Much of James arrogance was tempered by Lily Evans. And most of his recklessness by having a son. If it hadn't been for Lily's and Harry's safety, James doubted he would have agreed to hiding. No, he would have gone looking for You-Know-Who to get rid of him himself.

Any specific plot ideas for your character?
Getting to know his son, who is older than he is. Getting to know his grandson. Trying to figure out what the hell is going on and who he’s supposed to be now in this completely unfamiliar world.


History

James Charlus Potter is the only child of late-in-life parents Claire and Reginald Potter, who didn't think they'd ever succeed in having a child, so James was not only pleasantly unexpected, but he was also a very welcome addition to the family. The Potters were independently wealthy and tended to spoil their son at absolutely every chance they got. So James grew up a happy, spoilt child who wanted, really, for nothing. He could also get away with just about anything.

Descended not only from the Gryffindor line but also the Blacks and the Peverells, it made sense that James had inherited the family's old magic. From a young age, it was obvious that he would be very talented magically. Still, his first signs of magic at age three were met with a celebration more exciting than a birthday. He grew up in the wizarding world, with very little contact with Muggles, though his family didn't look down on them like many wizarding families did.

Naturally, James received his Hogwarts letter at age 11, and he set off, figuring it to be a wonderful new world for him to first explore then overtake. He knew the only House to really matter was Gryffindor, and his sights were set there. Already on the train, James met first Sirius Black, who didn't seem like a bad sort regardless of his family's tendency to be in Slytherin, Lily Evans, a slightly annoying redheaded girl, and Severus Snape, who quickly and easily earned the nickname Snivellus from James.

After being sorted into Gryffindor, James fast found his place at the school. With his new best mates - Sirius, Remus, and Peter, who called themselves the Marauders - he became popular and, really, more arrogant. He excelled in his school subjects even without really trying, and spent more time in detention than not. He joined the Quidditch team as a chaser. He was well-liked -- well, liked by everyone, it seemed, except Lily Evans.

In James' 3rd year, he and his friends figured out that Remus, who went ill once every month, was actually a werewolf. Instead of shunning him or treating him any differently, the other boys decided to become animagi so they could help him every month. (Sirius will argue that it was his idea, but James remembers it differently.) Finally, by 5th year, they'd succeeded, and James' animagus form was a majestic stag. They started spending the full moon in their forms, galivanting around the Forbidden Forest with a fully grown werewolf. There were a few close calls, but nothing as bad as the prank Sirius played on Snape.

It was true that James didn't like Snape anymore than Sirius did, but the fact that Sirius happened to off-handedly mention that he may have told Snape to poke at a particular knot on the Whomping Willow and follow it to the Shrieking Shack during a full moon meant more than just Snape possible getting hurt or killed. It also meant putting their best mate, Remus Lupin, who trusted them with his secret, in danger as well. And even though there were many reasons James didn't like Snape, losing Remus wasn't worth it. So James, angry at Sirius and worried about Remus, interceded, saving Snape's life. The incident actually only succeeded in making the boys hate each other even more.

James graduated with 7 NEWTs, as Quidditch Captain, and as Head Boy. One of the defining aspects of James' time at Hogwarts was the fact that he was in love with and utterly devoted to Lily Evans. But she wouldn't give him the time of day. From as early as 4th year, James was set on getting Evans to come round and go out with him. He would not give up, not taking no for an answer over and over again. Though he was insistent and completely tenacious, it wasn't until after graduated, probably spurred by the fact that, 7th year, James was made Head Boy and Lily made Head Girl that she finally gave in and the two of them became a couple. As with everything in James' life, he put his absolute all into their relationship.

With Lily training to be an Auror, James chose to dedicate his time and his resources (his parents, who died in 1978 from natural causes, had left him a Gringott's Bank crammed full with gold) to the Order of the Phoenix, which Dumbledore recruited him to at the end of his 7th year. Shortly after he and Lily began dating, they were married. And within a year, she was pregnant. They hadn't planned on it, and James worried about the fact thaty they were at war and yet bringing a child into the middle of it. Then, everything was made worse when the Potters got word of a prophecy that potentially put their son, Harry James, in grave danger. Though it went against most everything James stood for, he knew that his priority was to protect Lily and Harry. So just weeks after Harry was born at the end of July, the Potters went into hiding. They put their trust in one of James's best friends, Peter Pettigrew.

Then, on Hallowe'en, 1981, James was killed, standing up to Lord Voldemort himself, leaving his wife and son vulnerable upstairs in their house at Godric's Hollow.

Misc but Important:
Thoughts on the loss of every muggle around AND thoughts on those people who are coming back from the dead!
Well, since he’s back from the dead, he thinks it’s pretty brilliant. But on the same note, it’s also a bit creepy and disconcerting. He’s 21 years old and his son is older than him, and his son has vanquished You-Know-Who and saved the world, just like James expected he would do. So James is pretty damn proud about all of it. But he’s also confused, and he’s definitely concerned about the fact that all the Muggles are gone. He didn’t really ever know any Muggles (unless you counted Lily’s parents or her awful sister and her husband), but he did rather like loads of Muggle things.


Samples
(required for first characters only)

JOURNAL ENTRY:
For the record, the last thing I remember is that bastard breaking our defenses and showing up. I tried to hold him off and then -- a flash of green light and it was over. I lost. We lost. Does this mean we put our trust in the wrong person? Could Wormtail have really done that to us? And now -- this. If you had asked me a year ago, I'd have said I was invincible and properly immortal, that there was no way You-Know-Who was touching my son. And now? Now I must be dreaming. I'm 21 years old, I was dead, and now I'm alive. Talk about a time lapse headache. I need to touch the familiar, to know what I'm supposed to do and who I'm supposed to be.

RP SAMPLE:
samples 1 / samples 2 (btw they are not for james, and I'm happy to do one for James if needed)