Thank you all for clicking on this book. Just a few notes before I continue...

-This chapter is just basically briefing the first four years before they become friends.

-Any HP facts or words that I have gotten wrong please point them out.

-Constructive criticism is welcomed, so please review.

-I don't own any of J.K's characters, places etc.

Now on with the first chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1: Small encounters

It's a bright autumn morning and Platform Nine and Three Quarters is bustling. I make an effort to keep by my mother's side as we make our way to the scarlet Hogwarts Express.
"Now, Orianna, I don't want to hear about any foolishness while you're at Hogwarts."

"Yes, mother."

"And I want those grades to be high as well."

"Yes, mother."

"Especially in transfiguration, we want to make a good impression on—"

"Yes, mother."

"Orianna, are you even listening?" My mother asks sharply, but I don't answer. I'm standing on my tiptoes to get a glimpse at the famous green eyes and messy black hair that everyone's attention is fixed upon.
I notice Harry Potter looking uncomfortable; being the subject of everyone's attention doesn't seem to be his cup of tea. Standing by him is a pretty redhead, who I recognise as Ginevra Potter, and a small boy with dark brown hair and eyes.
My breath hitches.

James Potter. He is so interesting to look at: his smile is mischievous, brown eyes wide and alive with excitement and hair casually untidy. I begin to blush at my own stalker like behaviour; turning my hair bubblegum pink.

"Cut it out now, Orianna," my mother hisses, but instead the pink deepens with my embarrassment of getting caught in the act. "I mean it, Orianna." My mother painfully grabs my arm, whirling me around to face her. Her blue eyes are narrow and sharp. "If I hear you put a foot out of line, I will be pulling you out of Hogwarts quicker than you can say metamorphmagus! I don't need you embarrassing the Andrews name."

My mother always talks about embarrassing the Andrews name. I even have a theory that she is only horrible me to me because I am a metamorphmagus. She gives me one more scathing look, then pushes me into the train, turns on her heel and walks into the crowds.
I try not to attract attention to myself, but that's kind of hard when your hair is a bright teal. The students point at me as I enter their compartment. "Look, it's a metamorphmagus!"
"Don't be silly, Mary, she probably just dyed it."

"Is she related to Teddy Lupin?"

"Nope, definitely dye."

I breathe a sigh of relief when I finally find an empty compartment. I try to make myself comfortable, now that my mother isn't breathing down my neck, and tie my hair into a loose ponytail. I put on my Hogwarts robes and take out my wand. Pear and Dragon Heartstring. I twirl the wand in my fingers. Finally out of that house! I will be able to learn magic, do magic and maybe, just maybe, make some friends. I smile at the thought and take out a copy of Simple Spells for First Years by Harold Gutsnout to read.

"Hurry, James! He's coming!"

"I'm right behind you!"

The two boys, panting heavily, eye me strangely like I have grown another head when they enter my compartment. Nope, just your hair Orianna. One has blonde, short curls and a long nose, the other unruly dark brown hair and wide brown eyes. James Potter! I scream in my head and it takes all my effort to keep my hair from becoming an electric blonde. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! If Witch Weekly is anything to go by, it would mean James is a first year too!

"Come on James, Damon will be here soon," says the one with blonde hair, and he rushes out. James takes a deep breath and is about to run when I speak up. "J-James Potter" I squeak out. Well, I had to say something, this is James Potter!

James looks at me and winks. "Yep," he pants, "that's me."

And with that he dashes out of the compartment. A few seconds later a first year comes in, his muggle clothes significantly more baggy than they should be and hazel hair sticking up messily. "James, Matthew, come back here!" he shouts, running out of the compartment after them. He is rather moored by the baggy clothing and is quite slow.

When he leaves, I let out a small chuckle. Wow, James Potter winked at me and knows how to cast an enlargement charm already! After I take a couple of calming breaths, I continue to read the page about levitation spells.

I'm strolling towards the great hall with a proud smile on my face. I had just completed my transfiguration exams like the rest of second year students. I feel myself skipping and humming merrily. Yes, a tasty Hogwarts feast to treat myself.

I pass a group of giggling Hufflepuffs and sigh. Its not like I haven't friends, of course I have friends. Well Mary, Elizabeth and Jane, my roommates, are nice enough people, but...

I heard loud sounds of laughter that stop my train of thought. Around the corner is a group of boys: a lanky looking blonde, a short but good looking boy with straight brown hair and James Potter.

He is tall, with dark brown hair that is naturally untidy and mischievous looking chocolate brown eyes. He's gotten more handsome, I think, but then I curse myself for thinking such things. Just yesterday my mother sent me a letter to remind me not to get distracted—

"That ridiculous James Potter. I heard he isn't even that bright! Imagine if a young, pure girl like you got involved with such a wizard. Let me remind you Orianna, having a name like Andrews means you have a responsibility to live up to it. That boy is bad news, you'll see."

The boys' laughing ceases when they see me. After a few seconds, the group begins to laugh again. Don't change, don't change, don't change, I think to myself, but I still feel the ends of my hair changing colour. Probably a rosy pink, I think grimly.
"Why are you laughing?" I demand, but it comes out as a shaky whisper.

"Nothing," James Potter chokes out. "I just wouldn't go in the Great Hall any time soon," and the group of boys walks past me, still chuckling. I look back at them, confused, but continue cautiously towards the Great Hall.
But, before I even make it to the entrance of the hall, a group of breathless students floods out frantically.

"Dung bombs," a student gasps. "A lot of them."

I reach the top of the staircase of the Gryffindor Tower and walk towards the Fat Lady Portrait. I had permission from Professor Cordelia to stay late in the library to study for an upcoming project about werewolves. In the dimly lit library, I had grown rather tired rather quickly, and so I was back earlier than anticipated.

Mother obviously didn't approve of my interest in werewolves, which didn't bother me like she thought it should've, so she continued to press her point.
Beasts, she called them in her last letter, but I ignored her obvious attempts to discourage me. This project would give me extra credit, so I didn't see the harm.

"Don't worry, Rose, the Fat Lady will be back soon."

"But Filch could come around the corner any second!"

"We're only thirty minutes after curfew."

"What would my mum say?"

"She'll understand."

"Are you saying that there is a high chance Filch is going to catch us?"

"If the both of you don't shut up, there'll be a high chance of one of you receiving a Bat Bogey hex!"

Three younger students, who whirl to face me when they hear me approach, surround the portrait of the Fat Lady. The only girl of the trio, who has deep auburn hair, looked as if she is nearly in hysterics. This has to be Rose. One of the boys, who has white blond hair and soft silver eyes, has a blank expression on his face.

"Malfoy?"I say, surprised. I had met Scorpius a couple of years ago before I went to Hogwarts, where we were at a summer party and my mother was introducing me to all of her 'friends'. Scorpius looks like a spitting image of his father. Yes, now that I remember him, I remember there being loads of confusion when he was sorted into Gryffindor.

"Umm, yes, you are…Orianna Andrews?" he replies and I nod.
I turn and look at where the other boy, who has jet black hair and green eyes, has his wand gripped tightly and aimed at the other two.
"I wasn't really going to hex them, " he blurts out, his tone panicked.

I didn't know why, but I had to ask. "You're James Potter's brother?" He does look scarily similar to his famous father, though. Definitely second years. Who doesn't know what year Albus Potter is in?
"Umm…yes…." he says slowly, slightly surprised he isn't getting told off.

Rose breaks in suddenly. "We-didn't-mean-to-be-back-so-late-it-was-just-that-after-we-helped-Hagrid-with-a-new-species-of-Blast-Ended-Skrewts-we-got-in-and-then-that-horrid-poltergeist-came-out of-nowhere-and was-throwing-maggots-at-us-and-we-lost our-way-so-that's-why we-are-thirty-minutes-late!" she gasps out in one breath. She seems to be slightly hyperventilating.

"At night the Fat Lady always heads out for a glass or two with the princess portrait on the 4th floor," I say to the second years. They look alarmed.
"But—" Rose says.
"And she doesn't come back until sunrise, unless you know the magic words," I smirk slightly. "Oh Fat Lady, David the Duke was asking for you," I call out innocently. At once we hear bustling coming from the portrait.
"Where is he? Where is he?" The fat lady appears almost instantly, straightening her dress and looking around in anticipation.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! He just left," I say in fake sympathy.

"Well, I'm sure he will be coming back soon," says the Fat Lady, a little disappointed. "I should stay and wait for him, don't you think?"

"Yes, you should," I reply, nodding my head emphatically. "You think you could let us in now please?"

"Of course," says the Fat Lady, snapping back into her haughty voice. "Password, please!"

"Flobberworm."

"Correct," and portrait swings open to reveal a small hole.

"We can't thank you enough" squeals Rose, jumping up and down in the Common room.

"Wake up half of Gryffindor tower, why don't you," Albus says, but he is smiling widely.

"Albus! Rose! Where the hell were you?" interrupts a familiar voice. James Potter is hurrying down the boys' dormitory stairs. I become as still as a statue.

"What, worried mum will snap your neck if anything had happened?" Albus teases. James gives him a withering look, but he does look slightly relieved.
"So, where did you go?" he asks. "Nowhere dangerous, I hope. Aunt Hermione would have my head if you guys were with anyone...untrustworthy." He glares coldly at Scorpius, which Rose notices, and she scowls at James.

"Oh, be quiet, James, we just went down to Hagrid's…" Rose carries on with her story while I back away. Scorpius does the same.

I am at my dormitory door when I hear hurried footsteps. Rose appears up the stairs, panting.

"Just...thank you again," she breathes out.

"No problem," I say doing a half turn before noticing an outstretched hand. Rose is looking at me with wide brown eyes that she'd inherited from her famous mother Hermione Granger, or Weasley now. "Rose Weasley," she says, smiling.
"Orianna Andrews," I reply, and return the smile as we shake hands.

"No, Rose."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I think it's quite obvious."

"I hate it when you're like this, Anna!"

Rose and I are walking from the library, which is a safe haven from the rather loud and incessant Quidditch chants. Quidditch had started up again with more passion than ever, as Gryffindor had lost to Ravenclaw last year. Like Rose, I never really took fancy to Quidditch, but she seems to be very interested in this upcoming match. My mother made sure to stamp out my outgoing side when I was smaller. "No need to involve yourself with that riffraff," she would say.

"Just come to the first game."

"Why would I want to do that?" I ask.

"James, of course."

I move my face out of view so Rose can't see my blush.

"I see the way you look at him," Rose says knowingly.

Rose is always very eagle eyed and has caught the moments in which I have foolishly been staring at him. But now, a little older and more mature, I would like to think that it was just a foolish crush. My roommate Elizabeth says that she used to have a crush on a muggle singer called Justin Timberlake. Yes, it was only a silly little crush.

"Hey, I need to get to Transfiguration, I will meet you at dinner" I tell Rose; and with that, I turn left down the corridor.

"Today we will be reviewing the subject of the Animagus," Professor Cordelia says to my class. I sit in the back row, a few seats behind James Potter. James is whispering rather loudly, boasting about how his grandfather was an animagus. "Yep!" I hear him say. "A stag too; only the most powerful wizards and witches can turn into such big animagi," he shares so loudly it is a miracle Professor Cordelia cannot hear him.

This will probably be on the end examination as well, I think, and I sigh heavily. I wish the professor could just use the sonorous spell so I could hear. I look down at my blank parchment where rows and rows of notes should be. This means at least half an hour in the library to make up for my lack of them.

Just then James makes a bold statement that makes me laugh. James looks towards me questioningly. "What are you laughing about?" he asks, almost daring me to deny what he'd said.

I take the dare.

"I highly doubt that you can turn into an Animagus, Potter," I say confidently. "Only highly skilled wizards and witches can do so, and even then they have to be Ministry approved. I don't think they would let a delinquent like you become an Animagus." It almost scares me that I have just said that to James Potter. He glares at me. "Why don't you keep your opinions to yourself, um..."

"It's Orianna, Orianna Andrews. And it's a fact, Potter, not an opinion."

"Well, Andrews, why don't you tell me about your family's achievements? But I'm sure the list would be pitifully short," James says in a sneer. My cheeks start burning up, but I clear my throat and reply.

"Actually, I want earn my way to the top, not brag, so I think I should bid you a good day and get on with mine." And with that I move to the front of the class and sit next to a friendly enough Hufflepuff girl. When the bell rings, I quickly pack my things and leave without giving another glance to James.

At dinner, I'm sitting next to Rose and Albus who are arguing fiercely about the importance of Quidditch. I have to elbow Rose when she doesn't realise that James wants to speak to her."Aunt Hermione said she'll owl over the book you wanted for next week," James says to her and turns to walk away, but not without glancing at me and muttering "Andrews."
"Potter," I say back, surprised by my own confidence.

"Okay, what just happened?" Rose stares back and forth from James' retreating back to me.
"Oh. Didn't I say? James found out my name today." And with a smirk, I begin to eat a big spoonful of treacle tart.