Disclaimer: JKR owns it all

1. Written for the Sibling Relationship Competition

2. Written for the Brotherly Instinct Competition: Prompt-Spiderweb (It isn't completely centered around the prompt, but it reminds me of spiders. Sort of.)

3. Written for Song-fic Boot Camp: Prompt-Family

Summary: James is fiercely protective of his little sister. How does he react when he finds her kissing someone who he's very familiar with? Someone who he thought is his best friend?

Programmed To Protect You

I marveled the fact that, no matter how many years passed, Christmas was always the same at the Burrow! And it was indeed true; I was twenty one, and yet I, along with the rest of my family was gathered at my grandparents place without fail, every year.

The Burrow was too small to accommodate our extremely expanded family; hence, we were all out in the garden. I looked around searching for my best friend, Alan. Alan had always accompanied me to the Burrow, since our first year. He was a muggle-born and an orphan, once my parents had learnt about Alan, they had insisted on him joining us on all occasions. And since, ten years, Alan had attended every family occasion and was like almost a brother to me.

Finishing the rest of my fire-whiskey, I went around looking for him. Alan seemed to have completely disappeared after dinner. I walked inside and looked around, no sign of him here too. I looked at my watch, it was ten past ten; I wanted to head to the local bar in hope of finding someone to spend the rest of the night with. And I wasn't going to arrive there alone…I needed my wingman.

Even after combing the whole Burrow, I didn't find a trace of him, feeling a little irritated, I headed out, thinking of bidding my family good night and heading either to the bar alone or back to his apartment. If Alan was here I wouldn't have even thought of the later option.

As I passed the barn shed which was in the backyard, I heard muffled noises….and then something seemed to fall. Feeling rather curious, I opened the barn door. As soon as I saw the picture in front of me, I froze. My sister and my best friend were furiously snogging each other; both of them seem so engrossed that had they failed to notice me in front of them.

After overcoming my first shock, I noticed that they were tugging at each other's clothes! "What the hell!" I shouted, angrily.

Wide-eyed, both of them turned to look at me. "What the hell, Alan?!" I repeated, and jumped on him, my fingers encircling his neck.

"James!" Lily exclaimed, anger lacing her tone.

"I'll get back to you!" I shouted at her, my eyes still locked in Alan's terrified ones.

"That is my sister! You jerk!" I growled at him, and started beating him up.

"James-" Alan choked, holding his hands in surrender.

"How dare you?! I swear I'm going to kill you!" I threatened him.

"Let him go!" Lily ordered, trying to pull me off Alan.

"Like hell I will!" I panted, punching Alan continuously.

"Back off James!" I heard Lily shout once more.

Before I could shout another reply or even continue punching Alan, I was thrown back by a sudden force.

"Ow," I grunted as my back hit the wall, and fell down with a thud.

Standing up, and rubbing the back of my head, I realized that my sister had used magic on me, "What was that for?" I scowled at her.

"That was for acting like a bloody jerk!" she shrieked and turned to Alan, who was lying on the ground.

"Get away from him!" I ordered her, walking closer to them.

"Just shut up!" Lily shouted once more. Blood covered and looking wary of me, Alan stood up.

"What the hell were you doing? Attacking my sister?!" I glared at him.

"Uh-I-was-" Alan stammered.

"He was not attacking me, you idiot!" Lily rolled her eyes, glaring at me with an equal intensity.

"Yes, he was!" I countered.

"Alan and I were kissing and you need to stop acting like an animal and butt off!" she exclaimed.

"Kissing? He can't kiss you!" I turned my glare toward her.

"And why can't he exactly?" she inquired, narrowing her eyes. She looked so similar to Mom at that moment, that it almost scared me.

"Because you're my little sister! You're just a kid!" he answered, trying not to get worried by her look.

"Kid?" she asked me, incredulously. "I'm seventeen!"

"That is-"

"I can't believe you! Ugh!" she huffed, cutting me off. "I'm seventeen! And I'm an adult! I can do anything I want!" she stabbed my chest with her index finger.

"It certainly looked like you were," I mumbled.

"What?" alright, she was going to hex me now.

"What's going on here?" I turned towards the entrance; Mom and Dad were standing at the door, both looking confused.

"Ask him!" Lily said, accusingly.

"James what-oh my god! Alan! What happened to you?" Mom asked, looking absolutely horrified.

"Um, nothing Ginny, I-uh…should go," Alan mumbled, not making eye contact with any of us.

"Yeah, don't ever come back," I growled.

"James!" Mom scolded me.

"Alright…just tell us, what exactly happened?" Dad finally asked, sounding calm.

I shot a look at Alan and Lily, neither of them looked like they were going to say anything. Rolling my eyes, I said, "Alan and Lily were kissing."

"Oh," both Mom and Dad mumbled.

"And…Alan ended up like this because?" Mom prompted, with a perfectly arched eye brow.

"Because James beat him up mercilessly!" Lily intervened, still glaring at me.

Sighing, Mom said, "Alan, come on…I'll see what I can do to your, um, injuries."

"What? Your just going to-" I started, irritated.

"James," Dad said quietly, but with a hint of warning.

"Lily, come on dear," Mom said softly and tugged Lily's arm.

"Oh please!" I exclaimed, but didn't argue or stop them. Instead I vented my anger by kicking the nearest wooden crate. I couldn't believe them! Were they just going to pretend that Alan and Lily kissing was a day to day happening?

"James…" Dad spoke, when the three of them were well outside.

"Come-on Dad! Are you serious?" I asked him, disbelievingly.

"Just calm down," he sighed.

"I can't! The guy who I thought was my best friend is having a go at my sister!"

"It's not probably a one time thing," he shrugged.

"Merlin Dad! Why are you so…easy going?" I stared at my father. Wasn't he supposed to be just as angry as me?

"Well, they have been going out for quite a while," he simply said.

"Wh-what?"

"Yes, Alan and Lily have been serious about each other since probably two years." He explained.

"But-" I started to say, then discontinued and added, "Why didn't they tell me? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Because, he knew you would act this way," he said, knowingly.

"Wait…everybody knows?" I asked.

"Pretty much," he smiled.

"Whoa…I feel like a fool." I mumbled, feeling really like an idiot.

"I know," he patted my shoulder.

"But-"

"What's troubling you?" he asked, cutting my argument.

I stared at him for a while, for the first time, I wondered why I was reacting like this. The answer came easily of course, while I had been at Hogwarts, I had made sure that Lily didn't get involved in with the wrong sort of guys in quite a subdued manner, and always, Alan had helped me. And now the thought that, my best friend had gone behind my back and was dating my sister was…overwhelming and just angered me.

"Lily…she's my baby sister! I'm supposed to protect her," I finally said, in a small voice.

"That does not mean you should allow her to have a relationship with someone." Dad countered.

"But that's Alan," I said through gritted teeth, emphasizing on my best friend's name.

"Exactly…it could be someone you hardly know…or someone really worse," he still spoke in the eerily calm tone.

"But, Dad! It can't happen…he older, and…and…he's my best friend or I thought he was…and…" I tried to think of reasons why Alan wouldn't be good for Lily.

"You know, I married my best friend's sister too." he chuckled.

"Yeah, but you loved her!" I rolled my eyes.

"What makes you think Alan isn't in love with her?" he asked, looking extremely amused.

"Uh…" Hell, I don't know!

"I think you should give them a chance…they really like each other," he shrugged.

"I don't know, Dad," I said, grudgingly.

"James, whether you like it or not, they are still going to be together."

Scowling, I didn't say anything.

"And Alan is your best friend, you know him better than anyone, do you really think he's going to hurt your sister?" he questioned.

I didn't need to think twice about it. Alan was the most gentlemanish guy I had ever met in my entire life. And I knew that he wouldn't hurt Lily. Now that when I thought of it, Alan had stopped dating, or even just hooking up with anyone, since a long while back. I had started to think he was going through a phase, and would tease him about it. But he would just shrug it off; and to be honest, I should have seen it coming. Why else would he have helped me terrorize the rest of the guys? Why was he equally protective of Lily? Of course, till now, I thought it was just as brotherly as I felt…but now I knew better. And Dad was right of course…I knew him better than anyone, the fact alone that he let me beat him up without even trying to put up a fight said it all. He was really into Lily.

Instead of replying, I kept quiet.

"Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts then…just calm down, and sort it out. And when you stop feeling like you want to hit Alan, talk to him. But before that, I suggest you talk to your sister," Dad spoke, and with one last look at me, he walked out of the barn shed.

The more I started to think of it, the stupider I felt. The fact that I knew I had to apologize, for acting so rashly, just irritated me. Alan would understand of course, he would be all saintly and forgiving…but Lily was another case. I bet she wouldn't hear me out until she hexed me first.

Guess I would also have to have the talk with Alan.

Sighing deeply, I walked out, feeling much calmer than I was a few minutes ago. I should probably have a talk with Uncle Ron too…ask him how he felt when his best friend and sister got together. I bet he would understand me better than anyone else.

Did he punch Dad too? That almost made me smile…yep! I definitely should talk to Uncle Ron.

A/N: Wow! I actually got this done. Didn't think I could write some sibling fiction, but I hope I have done fairly well. I did enjoy writing this though, definitely had fun. James can be categorized as dramatic maybe but hey, how would you react if you find your best friend and your sibling kissing? Alright, you may not react the same way…but a little similar? Some verbal clash at least?

Anyway, I'm sincerely hoping that you liked it.

Did I do a/an bad/okay/good/awesome job?

Let me know! Yep…you gotta review!

PS: I enjoyed writing James so much that I have plans to start a multi-chapter story with him! *grins*