Lions Inside¹ | James Potter

two

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(Get Ready//The Temptations)

"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted for all to hear as soon as the raggedy, old hat touched Andrea's head, making both her and James release the breaths they'd been holding.

Everyone clapped and cheered, the Gryffindor's the loudest, and Andrea jumped off the stool and hurried off to join their table.

She went to sit on the end next to the other First Years, but James let out a loud whistle, signalling for her to join him. Andrea bounded over just as Peter and James asked the people beside them to scoot.

Well, demanded more than asked. Andrea sat down in the spot they had made for her between the two and hugged James tightly.

"I can't believe this! Why didn't you tell me you were transferring?!"

Andrea pulled away at that and furrowed her brows at him in confusion. "I did tell you. I wrote to you like two weeks ago. And Papá said he spoke to Monty before and after we arrived," she argued.

James just shook his head. "I think I would remember if my best friend told me she was starting at my school this year," he deadpanned. Sirius cleared his throat loudly across the table.

James turned and saw Peter faking a pout, Sirius looking angry and Remus with a scowl that wasn't successfully hiding his smile. "My best female friend," He corrected himself.

"Well then my dad either lied or your dad forgot to tell you, so it seems the blame is on the parents," she said, shrugging slightly.

Andrea and James shared a look, both wanting to go straight back to their parents and interrogate them. "Dopo?" Andrea suggested. James nodded. "Dopo," he muttered back.

Sirius and the other boys shared a look at that. James had described her Italian heritage last year when Sirius dumbly enough had said she looked more Latino than black. So, with a punch to the arm, James had explained she was half-black, half-Italian, and over the years he had picked up bits and pieces of the language.

"Her Italian is much better than his," Remus whispered to Sirius, who nodded in response, still studying the new member of the Gryffindor House. "Well, duh. Obviously," Peter huffed quietly, rolling his eyes at the obvious statement.

"Well, who cares who's to blame? My money's mostly on your dad, though. But I'm here now and I made Gryffindor. So, you gonna carry out that threat about fighting me?" she challenged James, raising her eyebrows at him.

James chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders roughly. "Not necessary now that you made the right choice." Andrea rolled her eyes and poked his side with her elbow making him let out a grunt. "It wasn't my choice, you pulce. The hat chose, duh."

Andrea ignored James as he started mumbling under his breath and instead turned to the three boys around them and grinned. "Ok let me guess –'' She took in Remus' tired face and gentle features. Matched with the white scar going from his temple to his ear and knew which one this one was.

"Remus," she said pointing at him. She looked to James for confirmation, and he nodded, grin still in place. Remus' eyebrows shot up at that and he sent her a friendly smile. She then took in Sirius' bold, strong features topped with the confident smirk and shoulder-length curly hair. "Sirius," she said with a nod to him. Sirius shot her a wink, his smirk growing. His eyes drifted to James, where he was met with a glare. Sirius cleared his throat and looked down at his dinner plate, suddenly very interested in his beef and peas.

Andrea turned to Peter and smiled. He was the shortest out of the three boys and his hair was the lightest, so she figured he must be the third of James' best friends. "And last but not least, Peter," she said kindly with a smile.