James Potter

[Angela_Prongs]

James Potter! A character we all love. And yet, a very confusing one as far as history.

The position James played in Quidditch. What is it? I want to get it canon right for the James/Lily that I'm writing. In the SS/PS movie, it was Seeker. Yet I'm hearing everywhere that he played Chaser. I've scoured the books, but so far I haven't found anything on that. Can anybody help me with this?

And, if this is allowed, while we're here we can also talk about why and how James was made Head Boy, but not prefect. I'm trying to figure out how to put that into my fic, and if anybody has any theories or suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Marauder by Midnight]

James Potter played the Chaser position in the books, but in the movie, they made him a Seeker. Here at MNFF, we comply with the books, not the movies.

As to how James Potter got to be Head Boy, I know that there is a quote or two in the book about it (don't have my books available at the moment so I can't show you where). Seems like James really just cleaned up his act, and Dumbledore probably saw the potential in him. Or maybe Dumbledore knew that James would behave when given the responsibilities of Head Boy.

[Gmariam]

As for James becoming Head Boy. . . I have often wondered if it had as much to do with the other potential candidates as it did with James himself. Sure, James may have matured and demonstrated the potential, but of all the seventh-years, why was he was the best? What about the other prefects? What about Remus, the Gryffindor prefect? Why didn't Dumbledore chose him? Was it because of his condition? How did he feel about that? How did everyone else feel?
I think a story that addresses this not just in terms of James's character but in terms of other characters as well would add a bit of depth to the conundrum. Be unique, too, because a lot of stories give similar reasons for James's sudden turnaround. Maybe it wasn't so sudden. Maybe it started before seventh year. Maybe Dumbledore had a solid, secret reason for trusting James with the position, much like he trusted Snape later on.
Good luck and have fun, I think J/L are great to write!
~Gina

[ThessalyRose]

The Lexicon says that in an interview, JKR said that James was a Chaser, not a Seeker, so that's why you're confused, because it isn't in the books.

Also, I've heard conjecture that the Quidditch captains might have also been eligible for head boy or girl, along with the prefects. We know that James wasn't a prefect in at least one year, because Remus was, but maybe James was a prefect later.

Hope this helps!

Thess

[joselle]

James was a Chaser when he was still at Hogwarts. I've read it in Mugglenet and they say it came from Jo herself. I guess they used the Seeker position in the movie to emphasize Hermione's line in the movie, "You won't make a fool of yourself, it's in your blood," or something like that.

I agree with Gina, James probably changed his personality sometime in his seventh year. And probably, Dumbledore saw something in him. It is known that when James was in Hogwarts, he was one of the best students in there. He has talent and brilliance, much like Sirius, but they used it mostly on Snape. He just needed discipling, and Dumbledore might have thought that being Head Boy would change James, and it did.

Or maybe Dumbledore knew that Lily and James are so meant for each other and they would soon give birth to Harry and he had to make a way for them to get close (only yanking your wand, that wouldn't happen ).

-DH spoilers deleted-

I hope that helped!

--> jOseLLe

Beth: 5 points off for unmarked DH spoilers. No spoilers are allowed in unauthorized threads

[Gmariam]

Well, I still think that there needs to be a stronger reason than Dumbledore thinking the Head Boy responsibility would change James. That just seems like an awful lot to expect, and quite unfair if there were other students who were more deserving of the position. I still think that James straightened out a bit *before* seventh year, and thus earned the position.

I have my own question about James now.

Does he seem like a guy who might be a bit nervous about having a baby at first? I think he'd warm up to it quickly and be incredibly excited and proud, but I also think that it might take a few weeks to get used to the idea of bringing a child into the world in the middle of a war. Does that make sense?

Thanks!
~Gina

[ThessalyRose]

I believe that for most men, the concept of having a baby doesn't really hit home until the baby is actually there. My mom says Dad acted like it was "her project" until the moment I was born, and then he said he would have killed anyone who threatened me. (Which is saying something, if you knew what a four-eyed geek my dad was.) Similarly, my brother says it didn't really hit him that they were having a baby until they were in the delivery room and my sister-in-law was pushing for the last time.

So ... I think what I'm saying is that for guys, fatherhood is kind of a mental thing, rather than an emotional thing, until the blessed event actually occurs, at which point their hearts engage with a vengeance. So it wouldn't be surprising for someone, even a loving and supportive husband and father like James Potter, to waste a lot of time worrying and fretting and overthinking the situation before the baby comes.

On the other hand, I don't think James would have any doubts about his worthiness to be a father -- he was too cocky for that. But normal worries, like you said, about it being wartime, or about money or Lily's health, I wouldn't be surprised to see those at all.

That's my humble opinion.
Thess

[tbsbooboo]

James Potter played the Chaser position in the books, but in the movie, they made him a Seeker. Here at MNFF, we comply with the books, not the movies.

As to how James Potter got to be Head Boy, I know that there is a quote or two in the book about it (don't have my books available at the moment so I can't show you where). Seems like James really just cleaned up his act, and Dumbledore probably saw the potential in him. Or maybe Dumbledore knew that James would behave when given the responsibilities of Head Boy.

I think that he got head boy because Lilly had calmed him down a bit. He didn't get prefect because he didn't have Lilly yet, so he was still a bit rambunctious ? Just a guess.

[Fawkes_the_Phoenix]

I think that he got head boy because Lilly had calmed him down a bit. He didn't get prefect because he didn't have Lilly yet, so he was still a bit rambunctious ? Just a guess.

I disagree because at the start of seventh year I don't believe that James had Lily. I think they got together sometime early to mid seventh year, but not before. Unless I'm completely wrong and it says somewhere in the books exactly when in seventh year Lily and James started going out.

James was definetly too rambunctious during fifth year. We see this in Snape's memory. He's immature and still runs around hexing people for fun. If he were made prefect at that time then he would have just run around taking points from Slytherin (which I still think he found every excuse to do as Head Boy, but as Head he was more responsible). He already has the power of magic and popularity inflating his ego, I think Dumbledore would have realized that adding the position of Prefect would have made it tens times worse than it already was.

I think that towards the end of sixth year and the summer that followed the war was really beginning to pick up. This might have helped James mature and see that life isn't all going to be about pulling pranks. He saw the terrible things that Voldemort was doing and wanted to take a stand against him. Dumbledore must have recognized this and found that James would make an excellent Head Boy.

...or Dumbledore just felt like playing matchmaker and guessed that by forcing Lily to work with James they would end up together. And we all know that Dumbledore's guesses are usually correct

but seriously, I think that the war played a part in James maturing and Dumbledore thought that the new, more responsible James would be a good Head.

~Kacie

[voldy_mort]

I had a question- Do you think that James (and the other Marauders) would have said Voldemort's name? I would think so because James is so arrogant and thinks he's so great that I could see his using it.
Also because he does join the Order and Dumbledore encouraged everyone (at least in the second war) to call Voldemort by his name. The only reason I have to support him not using it was because it appears that people were more afraid in the first war. That this was completly new, nothing like this had happened since Grindelwald. In the second war, they have the knowledge that someone (Harry) has already "beaten" him, which may have made them feel a teensy bit better.
What do you think?

I also agree that James and teh other Marauders would ahve used Voldemort's name. I don't think that the Voldemort trace would have been active in the First War, simply because, during the second war, none of the older characters, who would have been around during the First war, knew about the Trace until later. If the Trace had been in existence during teh First War, then the Order members who were caught during the Second War would have known aout it not have gotten caught.

Secondly, James Potter was an arrogant, but brave character. He would not have been scared of using the name, and, assuming that he was also in close contact with Dumbledore, as he obvioudly would have been as Head Boy, he would have been told that "fear of the name increases fear of teh thing itself" one of the HP books.
JAmes would not have been that cowardly, as, as he has 'thrice defied the Dark Lord' it should be safe to assume that he was not scared of him [Voldemort] enough to not say the name.

Yeah. So that's what I think. Hope I helped,

~Sitara