The Measure of a Man

[gilpin25]

Title: The Measure of a Man
Author: gilpin25
Summary: I’m sixteen years old and I’m in love with a girl who thinks I’m an arrogant, bullying toerag, and I don’t know how to change her mind as everything I do just makes it worse. James Potter, who usually has all the answers, has none for this... (James/Lily)
Rating: R
Warnings: Language; violence
Prompts

Comments

[gilpin25]

Thank you very much!

I find it very difficult to get a handle on James from the books - and DH made it even worse, though I think any man who lets his wife have a cat obviously has a kind and sentimental streak somewhere. Or just can't say no to her, lol. But he seems a mass of contradictions at times, and when JKR revealed the order in which The Prank and Snape's worst memory had happened it seemed to make it even worse. So I thought I'd try and write a fic which shows how so many people can see him in different ways, at the same time as he gets the first wake-up call that perhaps he isn't as incredibly cool and popular as he thinks.

I'm very glad you like Euan; I debated about using Peter in that role, but I wanted someone who (hopefully) is instantly likeable, thinks the sun shines out of James, but is getting hurt because of him and his carelessness to other people's feelings. I thought it would have more impact if it was someone James never really even thinks about who first makes him glimpse the truth, rather than Lily for all his soul-searching over her.

Of course, my answer to writing James/Lily is to turn the thing into a lengthy James and Remus conversation. ;) I hoped Remus would give James what he needs to hear, but still show that James is supremely oblivious to quite a few things that are important to Remus. But then I am thinking he doesn't turn himself round into Saint James, Head Boy, overnight - this is only supposed to be the start of things to come.

And I could hug you for liking the vomiting (un)romantic ending! I didn't know if it would read as I hoped or not, but I thought the one person James would show humility for, to be, literally, the knave, was the girl he wanted above everything and everyone else. The idea of him defenceless on his knees, throwing up at her feet, was so that she'd see him in a whole new, unfavourable light (he'd think), but, actually, what with that and letting Snape go, he couldn't have done anything smarter to open her eyes to possibilities. Which will make Snape loathe him even more.

Thank you so much for your wonderful review and your insightful comments. I hope you know they mean such a lot.:D