Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC. All other rights belong to JK Rowling.

Sadie Mae Potter held tightly to her brother's hand as they leaned out the window of the Hogwarts Express, waving to their parents. At 11 years old, both James and Sadie were ecstatic to be starting their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. James wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders as their parents forms disappeared.

Sadie took a shaky breath. "I'm going to miss them."

James looked at her with a slight frown. "We're going to Hogwarts! You won't even have time to miss them." He smiled at her encouragingly. "I'll make sure of it."

Sadie's lips curved upward slightly as they made their way down the aisle, looking for an empty compartment. Then she sighed wistfully. "I'll bet we get sorted into different houses. I just know you'll be in Gryffindor! But I'm not nearly as brave as you..."

"Bravery doesn't mean having no fear." The twins jumped at the new voice, not having realized that there was anyone behind them. A tall, older boy with freckles and red hair grinned at them as they turned around. "It means being willing to do things even when you are afraid to. I wouldn't count yourself out of the greatest house just yet."

Sadie blushed and gave the boy a small smile. "Thank you. I'm Sadie, and this is my brother, James."

"Nice to meet you, Sadie and James! I'm Gideon, third year." He slid open a compartment door. "I'll see you both at the Gryffindor table at the feast tonight!" Gideon sent another smile and a wink Sadie's way before he disappeared into the compartment. Sadie gazed at the door for a moment after it had closed, her cheeks still tinged with pink. James smirked at her and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, Sade. There will be plenty of time to moon over older boys later."

Sadie flushed deeper and avoided his eyes. "I wasn't..." she mumbled. James just laughed and pulled her into a compartment. It was empty except for one girl who looked about their age. She was staring down at her hands in her lap, her long red hair falling over her shoulders.

"Mind if we join you?" James asked, not waiting for an answer as he sat down. The girl glanced up at them and nodded before turning to look out the window. It looked like she'd been crying. Sadie moved to sit directly across from her.

"Are you a first year too?" she asked kindly. The girl nodded.

"I'm Lily," she said shakily.

Sadie grinned at her. "Sadie. This is James. I'm ever so nervous to be starting school, aren't you? I'm going to miss my family terribly." She was awarded with a small smile before the door slid open.

"Can I join you?" A boy with shiny black hair that fell almost to his shoulders stood at the door. James grinned at him and scooted closer to his sister so that the boy could sit on his other side. The boy sat happily and held his hand out to James. "I'm Sirius."

James shook his hand and introduced himself. The girls followed suit before Lily turned back to the window. James and Sirius began joking around, and Sadie giggled at their antics. Sirius looked pleased with himself every time she would smile at one of his jokes, but Sadie was oblivious.

The door slid open once more to reveal another black haired boy. Without a glance at the other three, he sat down next to Lily, who looked at him and gave a small frown.

"I don't want to talk to you," she sniffled. James and Sirius didn't even seem to have noticed the new boy and continued to laugh and talk animatedly. Sadie got the impression that this conversation between Lily and the boy was not one she was meant to hear, so she respectfully tuned it out and turned to watch her brother and his new friend. After a few moments, James suddenly stopped and turned to stare incredulously at the pair opposite him, one word having caught his attention.

"Slytherin?" He snickered disdainfully. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He asked Sirius.

Sirius slouched in his chair with a frown. "My whole family have been in Slytherin."

"Blimey!" James raised his eyebrows. "And I thought you seemed alright!" Sadie quietly agreed with her brother but decided that she liked Sirius, no matter what house he ended up in.

"Maybe I'll break tradition." Sirius gave a small grin. "Where are you headed, if you've got the choice?"

James pretended to lift a sword. "Gryffindor! Where dwell the brave at heart! Like our dad." He gestured at his sister. Sadie smiled and shook her head, amused. The boy who was talking to Lily, however, gave a condescending snort. James raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," the boy sneered back. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-" Sirius cut him off.

"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" His tone was overly innocent. James burst into laughter, but Sadie and Lily both frowned. Lily stood and looked distastefully at James and Sirius.

"Come on, Severus. Let's find another compartment."

James and Sirius just laughed even harder. "See you later, Snivellus!" James called after them. Sadie looked at them sadly.

"That wasn't very nice," she told them matter-of-factly.

James grinned and threw an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, Sadie. They'll get over it."

Sadie sighed. "It doesn't matter if they get over it, Jamie. You still should be nice. Both of you." She gave Sirius a look. "What he said wasn't very nice either, but still..." She reached into her trunk and pulled out her robes. "I'm going to change. I'll be back."

She missed the intrigued smile on Sirius' face as she walked out the door, short blonde pigtails bouncing with each step she took.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sadie beamed, elated, as she hopped off the stool and made her way to the Gryffindor table. Sirius beckoned to her and scooted over to make room for her between himself and James. Sadie exchanged a smile with Lily as she passed her and squeezed into the spot Sirius had designated for her. She noticed Sirius was pressed against her rather tightly and felt her cheeks warm slightly but shook it off, realizing that he probably didn't have much room on his other side. She looked up to see Gideon sliding into the seat across from her, a huge grin on his face. Sadie felt her face heat up even more, delighted that the redhead was paying attention to her.

"What did I tell you, Sadie?" He reached across the table and tugged on one of her pigtails. "I knew as soon as I saw you that there was a Gryffindor in there!" Sadie flushed with pride, not noticing the slightly putout look on Sirius' face. James pulled her attention from both boys and gestured toward a boy with sandy blonde hair who was sitting across from him.

"Sadie, this is Remus. And that-" He pointed at another boy sitting by Remus. "-is Peter. They're in our year as well." Sadie smiled at the boys and looked up as Dumbledore began to speak.

"Yes," she thought to herself. "I think I will be very happy here."