James is sixteen and regresses to cope with depression. This chapter is to honor regressors whose little ages are a bit older than the stereotypical ages. 

James POV

1976, the year James Potter lost his mind.

It started with a twinge of pain, a dullness where a happy disposition usually rested. Then came the exhaustion, the sleeplessness, the slowing down of my thoughts.

And then...I was a child.

I tried to hide it from Sirius and the others, but I couldn't help slipping in front of them. Potter Manor was full that summer, and even Lily and Marlene stayed over. Lucky for me, my childish antics and my odd behavior was chalked up to James Potter shenanigans.

Mum definitely suspected something was up when I couldn't stop running around the house and got into a fight with Peter over the last biscuit. She pulled me aside and within minutes, her demeanor had changed. It was rather obvious that I was mentally six years old.

"James, dear, that's quite a lot over just a biscuit don't you think?"

I shook my head, crossing my arms. "No, he took it cause he's a meanie!"

She simply patted my head and told me to go play. I went to my room, got out my old dinosaurs, and played for an hour.

Sirius, laughing a little, asked me what happened when I came back downstairs later. "You okay, mate? You're acting a little...a little strange."

I pouted. "No I'm not!"

Lily, to my horror, began to grow annoyed with me. "Grow up, Potter!"

I started to draw away from them and keep to myself in my room, playing with my dinosaurs. I tried to pretend Lily's words didn't hurt and that I wasn't desperate for her to look at me with anything but contempt.

One afternoon, when I was curled up in bed, Sirius peeped into my bedroom. "Hey, Jamesy. Mate...are you alright?"

I said poutily, "I don't feel good."

He leaned against one of my bedposts, arms crossed. "You sure? I've barely seen you the last few days. Cool, are those dinosaurs?"

I lunged after him. "MINE!"

He leapt back, eyes wide. "Okay, okay. I will not touch them."

I nodded. "Thank you."

With that, I fell back into bed. "I'm just sick, Sirius. I think I have a cold. A bad, bad, bad cold but in my head. My head is sad."

He chuckled a little. "Are you trying to say you're depressed?"

My head shot up. "What's that?"

He explained, and I tilted my head. "That...sounds familiar. We should have a pillow fight!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lily POV

"Pillow fight! Pillow fight!" James paraded through the house, shouting. I was used to his hyperactive nature by now. But lately he had been kicking up the antics to a whole other level. He barely sat still for a minute and if no one else shared his childlike enthusiasm for a pillow fight or a prank, he pouted in the corner. 

Just as I was beginning to wonder when James would start to tire himself out, I found him behind the sofa, curled in a pouty ball. I sat near him, and he looked up. I couldn't help but think he looked rather...sad. 

I scooched closer. "Everything okay? You seem sad."

James stuttered and his cheeks went red. He'd been doing that around me more lately. I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it adorable. "S-Sirius said it's depression."

I nodded in understanding and then realized how significant that was. James Potter, the happiest person I knew, had depression. "I didn't know you struggled with that."

He shrugged. "It's new. Why aren't you mad at me?"

Blinking in surprise, I answered, "I was never mad, Potter. Just...frustrated. But now I think I get it, why you've been acting so...rambunctious."

He pouted again. "Long words. Stinky."

I wasn't imagining it, he really was acting more like a kid these days. I didn't mention it, though. After all that was just James being James. "Just because I read more.."

He stuck his tongue out. "Nuh uh! I read!"

As usual these days, his attention span was horrendous. But that was normal too, even if it had been worse lately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh dear, where is James? He's usually the first down here, and I hear him before I see him..."

Marlene frowned. "He's been acting...a little weird, hasn't he?"

Sirius got up, along with Remus and Peter. "Fellas, it's time."

Remus and Peter nodded gravely. They disappeared upstairs, and I chuckled. "Who knows what those four are up to."

Ten minutes later, they came back down without James. Sirius went to Euphemia, whispered something, and then took a plate of food upstairs. 

I barely saw James for the next three days. When he emerged from his room on the fourth day, he looked pale and bedraggled, but had that fixed grin on his face.