James is born a rather suspiciously short seven months after his parents' very hasty marriage. Between his father's purist family disowning them and his mother's insistence on continuing her career, it is little wonder that the boy's childhood is somewhat isolated. He spends most of his days in the care of his muggle great grandmother--an imposing woman who manages to keep James from becoming a complete hellion. Still, he has more energy than either of his more academically-minded parents ever seem to know what to do with. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he is their only child.

James' first sign of magic comes in the summer just before he turns six, when his attempts to climb a tree in the garden ends in him falling out and bouncing, apparently unharmed. The brush with danger does not stop him from trying to make the same thing happen again. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he has broken more than a few bones.

As he gets older, and closer to starting Hogwarts, James is taken on more excursions to Hogsmeade and Irvingly and occasionally London, and his avid curiosity and active imagination let him find a second home of sorts in books. He is more than ready and excited for Hogwarts in the fall, now that it's within sight.