Lions Inside¹ | James Potter

eighteen

-//-

(KIWI//Harry Styles)

1st of September, Sunday, 1974

Hurrying down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, Andrea looked into every window of the compartment doors in desperate search of her friends. 

Finally spotting two redheads, a blonde and a head of wild curls, Andrea slid the door open and smiled brightly at the girls in front of her. "What's up witches!" she greeted, making them all turn to her.

"ANDIE!" they all cheered and stood from their seats, sharing hugs and greetings. 

Over the summer break, Andrea had written a few times with Corinna and even visited Mary in Scotland for a weekend, but the other girls she hadn't gotten as close to. Her closest friend outside the group was Dorcas, but she wasn't in her house or her year. 

Dorcas' girlfriend Marlene was though, and she was just as nice.

Either way, they were all friendly and she could easily join them at meals or chat with them in the Common Room, but they weren't best friends. Not like she was with the boys. Not the type of friendships she had with the Marauders.

As they all took their seats again, Lily studied Andrea scrutinizingly. "Not that I'm complaining, but why did you decide to come to join us instead of your gang?" she asked, chuckling. Andrea groaned and dropped her head to Mary's shoulder. "Because boys suck," she stated.

Marlene snorted. "Yeah? What's new hun?" she laughed, not looking up from Corinna's nails which she was currently painting. "Why, specifically, do they suck today though?" Lily giggled.

Andrea rubbed her stomach which had been killing her since she woke up that morning. "Guys know nothing," she groaned.

All the girls looked at her, finally understanding what she was on about. "Congratulations!" Marlene cheered, handing over a cookie for her. "Woah. She never gives up her cookies. You're lucky," Lily whistled. "Why are you congratulating me?" Andrea chuckled, accepting the cookie. "Because it's not every day a girl gets her period," Lucretia cheered. 

Andrea rolled her eyes. "I got it a few days ago. But it's been killer since Yesterday," she said. "Either way, we'll take care of you. This calls for pumpkin pasties and chocolate milk," Lily declared, getting out of her seat to go in search of the trolley.

"I'm glad I've got at least some people to help me out in these situations," Andrea chuckled as Mary rubbed her back.
"Of course. It's what friends do," Corinna grinned.

-//-

Riding with the girls made Andrea slightly less irritable. As the train reached Hogsmeade station, Andrea stuck to the girls, hoping the boys would at least take her trunk off the platform for her.

As she gathered outside with the other girls, they decided to split up into two carriages. "DeeDee!" Marlene squealed making Andrea wince from the high-pitched noise. Marlene ran forwards and leapt onto her girlfriend and one of Andrea's best friends, Dorcas Meadowes.

"Hey, love!" Dorcas grinned, hugging Marlene back and kissing her cheek. Dorcas had updated Andrea on the developed relationship between the two when she came and stayed with her a few weeks back.

But because they were gay and this was the seventies, they had agreed not to make it too obvious. But at the same time, PDA didn't exactly send a clear message that they were straight.

Beside Dorcas, Andrea spotted one of her other good friends.

Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Andrea felt her eyes wander a little too much as she studied him. Kingsley was taller and even through his white school shirt, Andrea could see he had definitely buffed out over the break. Andrea felt her cheeks grow hot as Kingsley made eye contact with her as well and an easy grin took over his features. Her face grew hotter when she saw Kingsley trying to subtly check her out, but then also struggling to not check her out.