After Harry

Chapter One: "She's the devil"

It was that time again. The bustle around Diagon Alley, last minute checklists and the scramble to get to the station on time. For seemingly everyone, this was the case. For everyone except Cassia. She had been to Diagon Alley weeks before the pre-school chaos, her new school books had been delivered straight to her door, courtesy of her father. Her trunk had been packed and ready to go for the best part of a week and that 'last minute' checklist lay at the bottom of her waste paper bin.

Like always, Cassia was the first person on the train. Her long, dark hair hung in two neat braids down her back. An immaculate, deep red jumper hung perfectly off her shoulders, just as she knew it would when she had laid out the outfit two nights ago. Cassia took a deep breath, swinging her leather rucksack off her back and placing it carefully beside her, before taking a seat next to the window. Like every year, she watched as the platform began to fill with it's usual sea of people, and soon enough, every inch was filled with parents and siblings hugging their students goodbye. Through the crowd, Cassia could see a familiar swarm of bright blonde hair; the group of five kids were swarmed around a tall blonde man and a shorter brunette woman. They were all smiling, their perfectly straight teeth gleaming in the station lights. God, she hated them.

Rolling her eyes, Cassia turned away from the window, took out the book she had placed neatly in her bag, and began to read. Her peaceful compartment, however, was soon interrupted, as the all too familiar voice of her older brother erupted through the door. 

"Well, hello there little sis," he sighed, dropping down next to her and grabbing the hard-back out of her hands, "Whatcha readin'?" he turned the book over in his hand, inspecting the cover. Cassia made no effort to get it back, she simply huffed, crossed her legs and stared at her brother.

"I think that's a bit out of your realm of knowledge, James," she said bluntly, causing him to let out a curt laugh. Still, he kept ahold of the book, his ever-present signature smile dancing on his lips as he stood.

"Oh yeah?" He laughed, raising the book above his head, "we'll see about that."

"Give it back," Cassia sighed, making no effort to get up. But James stood firm, the book dangling just out of Cassia's reach

"Come and get it," he smirked. Cassia stood, calmly reaching for her copy of 'Wuthering Heights', only for the book to be to yanked higher by her 6'ft, idiot of a brother. Her composure was soon forgotten as she jumped to reach it, her patience, as always, wearing thin. James simply laughed at his little sister, keeping the book just out of her reach. Cassia huffed again, grabbing her brother's arm, trying to drag it down so that she could snatch the book back, but he simply passed it to his other hand, keeping it away from her. James laughed again as Cassia jumped, and she couldn't help the smile that was creeping onto her face.

"James, please," she laughed, trying to slap the book out of his grasp.

"Nuh uh," he smiled down at her, enjoying the rare smile gracing his younger sisters features. Their typical sibling fight was soon cut short, however, when the door to their carriage flew open, revealing a sight that made Cassia outwardly groan.

"Well, well, well," the boy at the door laughed, "do my eyes deceive me, or is the infamous Cassia Potter...smiling?" James dropped her book onto the velvet seats of the train, and Cassia swiftly grabbed it,resuming her previous position, that smile long forgotten.

"'ello mate!" James smiled, pouncing on the blonde boy in the door. In a matter of seconds, the 17 year olds were merely a haze of dark and light hair as they both tried to hold the other in a headlock. Finally, their childish fight ended and the boys laughed, embracing each other roughly and completing their greetings with a couple of back slaps.