Disclaimer: I do not own the original canon nor am I making any profit from writing this piece. All works are accredited to their original authors, performers, and producers while this piece is mine. No copyright infringement is intended. I acknowledge that all views and opinions expressed herein are merely my interpretations of the characters and situations found within the original canon and may not reflect the views and opinions of the original author(s), producer(s), and/or other people.

Warnings: This story may contain material that is not suitable for all audiences and may offend some readers. There's vague implications of background prejudices. Please exercise understanding of personal sensitivities before and during reading.

Author's Note(s): Okay, first thing off the bat, this fic deals with a character changing their name multiple times. The character declares the name before the narrator begins to use it for the character. Second thing is that I'm blatantly using the Desi Potters headcanon. So yes, all those references to dark skin are not a mistake. Lastly, I do not recognize the sanctioned fanfiction as canon. It is apocrypha at best.

Challenge/Competition Block:
Stacked with: QL (Season 8); MC4A
Team (Position): Wigtown Wanderers (Keeper)
Round Info: Season 08 – Round 08
QL Prompt(s)s: James Sirius & Albus Severus
Individual Challenges: Beauty of the Abstract; Cry Power; Gryffindor MC; Ravenclaw MC; Magical MC (x2); Neurodivergent (x2); Rowl in Her Grave; Rian-Russo Inversion (x2); Ethnic & Present (x2); Tiny Terror (x2) (Y); Hold the Mayo; Gender Bender; Zed Era; Future Era; Old Shoes (Y); Short Jog; Green Ribbon; Greatest Gift; Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Skittles [Nonbinary]
Other MC4A Challenges (Prompt): SpB [1B](Childhood); TrB [4A](The Hero's Journey); SuB [3E](Growth); Ship (Platform Love)[Sp Medium 1](Curry); Chim [Arcadia](Gender Bend); Hunt [Su WD](Nonbinary)-[Su Con](Sweets/Candies)-[Su Items](Ceramic Mug)-[Sp Con](Curry)-[Sp Items](French Press); Garden [Plant Types](Siblings)-[Garden Tools](Ceramic Mug/Teacup)-[Bed Types](At Night)-[Chore List](Arguing/Debating)-[HPverse](Chocolate Frog); Fire [Hard](Hold the Mayo); TWT [Task 1] (Chocolate Frog)
Representation: Desi Potters; Nonbinary Albus Severus Potter; ADHD James Sirius Potter; Albus/Scorpius
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenge(s): Deadliest Catch; For the Vine; Lovely Coconuts; Trickster's Union; Wind Beneath; Second Verse (Persistence Still; White Dress; Nontraditional; Sneeze Weasel; Spinning Plate; Unwanted Advice; Brooms Only; Car in a Tutu); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pocky Pockets; Wabi Sabi; Bee Haven; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Delicious Lie; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade; Larger than Life; Unicorn); Demo 1 (Lyre Liar; Corvid Brain; Under the Bridge; Over the Hills; Sweetest Burn; Muck & Slime; Civil Disobedience; Where Angels Fear; Casper's House); Demo 2 (Misshapen Pods; Soul-Like; Gingersnap; Hot Stuff)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Toad); FR (Satisfaction); O3 (Orator; Olivine); TY (Ntaiv; Enfant)
Word Count: 2308

-= LP =-
Validity
-= LP =-

James was nine when his brother Albus marched into their room and threw himself across James' bed. The puny shrimp looked ridiculous in his bright purple shirt and lime green shorts. Just like their father, Albus' hair stuck up in every direction, defying any attempt to bring it to order despite whatever their mother tried. Thankfully, James and their younger sister Lily had inherited their mother's more manageable hair, even if James didn't also get the color as Lily had.

At least none of them had gotten their mother's pale complexion and had to worry about getting sunburned at the drop of a hat.

"I hate them," Albus declared loudly. James rolled his eyes and continued working on constructing the model dragon that Uncle Charlie had sent for his birthday last week. Albus had been declaring that he hated things at least a couple of times a week for the last six months. Mum said it was a phase just like how Albus had wanted to wear Lily's dresses the year before had been. Albus shoved himself upright to set cross-legged on James' bed. "James, did you hear me? I hate them!"

"Yeah, I hear ya," James said distractedly. The parts in his hands were supposed to just snap together, but he couldn't get the right angle for it to happen. "Who do you hate this time?"

"Mum and Dad," Albus answered. James dropped the pieces in his hands and turned to stare at his brother in shock. He felt his mouth opening and closing like he was trying to talk but couldn't figure out what to say. "Do you know what they named me?"

"Albus Severus," James managed. Albus scowled like Uncle Ron did whenever the Cannons were losing. He crossed his arms, too. He was in a right strop.

"EXACTLY!" Albus yelled. "Do you know who I was named after? Huh? Do you?!"

Albus jumped up to begin pacing. James had never seen his brother so angry. It was a bit like watching the kittens that Aunt Hermione had gotten after Crookshanks passed away. Ginger and Cardamon often growled and hissed at things that upset them, no matter how real the threat was or how much bigger than them it was.

"I was reading—"

James couldn't help his snort. Of course, Albus had been reading. It was what he did. A brief smile broke through before Albus went back to frowning. Under the flushed cheeks, there was a gray tint to his normal dark brown face. Whatever was making him upset couldn't be very good.

"Albus Dumbledore created the Werewolf Registry," Albus whispered like he was sharing a great secret. James felt like a rock had dropped into his stomach.

The Werewolf Registry was a source of a lot of arguments in their extended family. Aunt Hermione and their father hated it and have spent years trying to get it appealed. Nearly all of the Weasley side of the family thought it was a good thing, no matter what got brought up about it. Nana Andromeda had taken their cousin Teddy out of the country because the Ministry had wanted to put him on it, despite how he wasn't really a werewolf. Dad had friends who had left, too, because of it.

Why would Dad name one of them after such a person?

"Severus Snape was one of Voldemort's lieutenants," Albus continued. James felt another stone settle in his stomach. "He supposed-ed-ly spied, but I read about what it took to actually get the Dark Mark."

"You know Mum and Dad don't want you reading those kinds of books—"

"It wasn't cursed or nothing," Albus interrupted, "and it was on the permitted shelf at Aunt Hermione's!"

James gave his brother a Look just like Aunt Hermione gave when Uncle Ron said something that he shouldn't have. It must have worked because Albus' expression turned sulky. Even if what Albus claimed was true and the book really was on the shelf of approved books, Albus knew how to trick Uncle Ron into putting prohibited things there.

"I refuse to share a name with them," Albus said instead of arguing the point. James nodded his agreement. He would hate the name, too, if it were him. But it wasn't like there was much of a choice, was there?

"What are you going to do about it?" James asked, because his brother nearly always had a plan or could come up with one. He definitely took after their Aunt Hermione and Uncle George.

"I'm going to change my name," Albus declared. His green eyes darted around James' room before resting on his collection of animal models on the shelf by his window. "From now on, my name is gonna be Turtle."

"Turtle Potter is a terrible name," James commented. Albus crossed his arms again.

"Anything would be better than Albus Severus."

That was a valid point.

-= LP =-

James stumbled over the threshold to the Gryffindor fifth year boys dorm. His broom bumped against the door frame, knocking him off course. Most of his dormmates would be headed towards dinner now. He should probably join them, if only because food was a good idea after the grueling practice he had just attended. At the same time, he was just exhausted between Quidditch and the increased workload that came with preparing for his OWLs.

He would just take a short nap and get something from the kitchens later.

"What the—" James exclaimed after he pulled back his curtain to find his brother sitting on his bed.

Turtle was leaning against the headboard with his legs stretched out in front of him. He had an alarmingly thick book opened in front of him, clearly reading despite how the text was definitely not English. As had become a habit for the third-year, Turtle had his long hair pulled back with the blue and copper tie that should have been around his neck since he was wearing the Muggle suit version of the school uniform instead of the more traditional black robes. Turtle held up one dark finger to signal James to wait before placing a Muggle playing card to mark his place and closing the book.

"How do you keep getting past the Fat Lady?" James demanded. "I know that McGonagall has talked to her about not letting members of other Houses in, even if they have the password."

"I know," Turtle acknowledged readily. He didn't appear bothered in any way by James' annoyance. "Susanna had even more to say about that than about everyone calling her the Fat Lady. Did you know that our McGonagall wasn't the first one to teach here? I wonder what her relation to the other one is."

"As fascinating as this is," James interrupted before Turtle could get fully into lecture mode, "why did you break into the Gryffindor dormitory this time?"

"Teddy wrote," Turtle answered as James set aside his broom to dig through the bottom drawer of his nightstand. He traced the embossed filigree on the cover of the book as he looked at James out of the corner of his eye. "She wants to be called Dorinea now."

"Oh," James breathed. "Good for her."

Something niggled in the back of his mind, uncomfortable with the way Turtle was acting. It couldn't be about Ted—Dorinea. Their cousin was a Metamorphmagus and had always switched between sexes during their visits over the years. It was actually more of a shock that she had settled on one, even if it wasn't the one she had been born as. Maybe it was another phase, like their mother had always called the switching or Turtle's insistence on not answering to the name their parents had given him.

Or how Turtle liked to use Lily's makeup more than she did.

"I'm thinking of changing my name again," Turtle said thoughtfully.

James hummed in acknowledgment, more focused on what his mind was trying to point out. Absently, he pulled out two chocolate frogs and tossed one on top of the thick book. (Seriously, it was nearly as thick as his head. Where did Turtle even find it?) Turtle shifted to spinning the packaged sweet instead of rubbing the embossing.

"I think Yeet is a good name." Turtle somehow managed to say that with a straight face. James had to hand it to him. If he didn't know his brother so well, he might have actually believed him.

"You're my brother, and I love you, but you can't call yourself that. I will literally disown you."

"Okay, okay," Turtle agreed hurriedly. He opened his frog and deftly caught it mid-jump. With it squirming in his hand, Turtle pointed at him. "How about Justice? That's nice and gender-neutral, in honor of Dorinea."

"How is Justice gender-neutral?" James asked as he opened his own frog. He fumbled the catch a bit, a stark reminder that he would never have been a very good Seeker no matter how good a Chaser he was. He bit the head off his chocolate frog more viciously than necessary. On the bed, Turtle waited for the animation to fade before he began eating his.

"Oh, you know, most people think of it as a boy's name, but then there's Lady Justice, so..."

James nodded thoughtfully.

That was a valid point.

-= LP =-

James was divvying up the takeaway that Justice had brought for dinner. The spicy scent of the curry managed to fill the air without being overwhelming. Across James' tiny kitchen, Justice had broken out the coffee press that Dorinea had sent directly from France as a housewarming present. Normally, the thing only got used whenever Aunt Fleur visited. It was just too much effort for just James, but Justice liked coffee with his curry and James could use the boost after a long shift.

Justice rarely showed up for unplanned visits now that they were both adults and out on their own. The unpredictable nature of their apprenticeships didn't really allow for that. They just couldn't count that the other one would be there if they just dropped in unexpectedly. The last time Justice had shown up on James' doorstep had been the night when Justice had confessed to their parents that he was dating Scorpius Malfoy. Apparently, the whole thing had descended into an epic argument when their mother had told Justice that it was just a phase and Justice had countered with how he had been dating Scorpius since their fifth year.

Justice had brought curry then, too, now that James thought about it.

Well, as bribes went, free food always worked. James certainly wasn't going to turn it down.

"So," James said, dragging out the syllable as he stuck a few pieces of naan into each of their bowls, "you have another fight with Mum?"

"I can visit you without having a fight with Mum," Justice answered tartly. He shoved one of the mugs he had just filled down the counter towards James. Setting aside a now-empty takeaway box, James picked it up and sipped. He watched Justice fidget with the press before moving the handle of his own mug.

"Dad, then?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, no," Justice snapped. His green eyes flashed with indignation as his brown cheeks darkened with an angry flush. "I'm not arguing with anyone, James, except for my idiot brother."

"Well, you've got to admit you have a pattern." James rolled his eyes when Justice huffed at that. He stabbed a spoon into the bowls and shoved one over to Justice. "Now, I'm not trying to start anything, but I'm not sharing the samosas with you. You're my brother, and I love you—"

"What if I'm not?" Justice interrupted. James stared at him for a moment before saying the first thing that popped into his head, despite how stupid it sounded.

"You sure look a lot like Dad for you not to be." James shrugged like it was no big deal. "And it can't be Polyjuice, because it would have worn off by now."

Trying for casual and probably missing by a mile, he plucked a samosa out of their container and bit into it. A shudder went through Justice. James quickly swallowed his bite as Justice visibly steeled himself for something. He had a feeling that he would regret it if anything was in his mouth.

"I don't think I'm a guy." Justice met his gaze, and James could see how much it was costing him to do so. It felt like a hand was squeezing his heart as James recognized the expression on Justice's face. It was the one he wore when staring down the people who talked badly about Scorpius or about his relationship with Scorpius. "I don't think I'm a woman either, not like Dorinea is."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah," James confirmed. He pointed at Justice with his bitten samosa. "I'm still not sharing the samosas with you. You're my sibling, and I love you, but you only brought one order, and I'm claiming dibs."

"That's not how it works!"

"Oh, yeah?" James finished off his half-eaten samosa with exaggerated glee. Then he stuck his tongue out at Justice. "Well, tough toadstools."

"What do you think of Nirmuktha?" Justice asked, letting the argument over the samosas go. James pursed his lips and shook his head a little as he weighed the Hindi name.

"Traditional," he said finally. "What does it mean?"

"Free from bondage."

"Fitting."

"Scorpius thought so, too." Nirmuktha slouched against the counter. "He said you'd understand."

"I may not be the nerd that you two are, but I'm not bad, yeah."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Yeah, well," James stammered, "you aren't getting any of the samosas, no matter how much you flatter my ego."

"I bought 'em!"

James relented and tipped the container towards Nirmuktha.

After all, that was a valid point.

-= LP =-
The End
-= LP =-