She's the New Thing

The Potter and Weasley family sat around a large rectangular table, enjoying the last meal they will share as a whole. Tomorrow they will be headed to Platform 9 ¾ to catch the Hogwarts Express before 11. Last year they were nearly late.

Harry Potter looked at his oldest son and grinned, “James, you look excited, ey?” They laughed quietly at their inside joke.

Sighing, James went back to eating the turkey his mom and Aunt Hermione cooked- it was the best one by far. Excited was an understatement; James was ecstatic, thrilled, overjoyed by the thought of going to his second home and seeing all the people he missed. And he also got to see the mysterious Evangeline, Angel, to her friends.

During his fifth year Evangeline showed up out of the blue with three months left of the school year. Unlike some of the students he didn't see anything off by her being transferred. But like all the other boys James noticed her beauty. At first he was nervous that she might not be in Gryffindor, but alas the Sorting Hat declared it. Evangeline didn't befriend him right away, but James didn't mind; they had two classes together: Herbology and Potions.

James’ younger brother, Albus, turned to him with a smirk, “Who are you looking forward to see the most?”

“Um, Jake and Corey, duh,” James said. Albus huffed at the lame reaction he got.

“What about that girl?” Hugo Weasley piped in not knowing James small secret.

James coughed and picked at his food, ignoring him. The table was quiet except the giggles coming from Rose Weasley and Lily Potter.

“You- you mean Evangeline?” Rose teased in a dreamy tone.

With a mouth full of food Ron asked, “’Oo she?” Hermione scolded him for acting like a boy.

“You don’t know who Evangeline is? Why, she’s the prettiest girl in Hog- Hogwarts! Okay, okay, I can’t keep going!” Rose laughed, banging the table with her hand. Rose and Albus continued to tell their families about her. James groaned and asked to excuse himself; the last time a girl came up he stayed in his room for days.

“Now, now, James,” Ginny, his mom, said. She leaned in, “Tell me more about her, then you can go.”

James clenched his teeth and pushed out his chair with force, “She’s no one, okay? Just a girl…”

“That you like,” Lily pointed out.

Defeated, James sat down, sulking, “Fine! Evangeline-”

Rose interrupted him, “Tell them how everyone calls her Angel!”

Harry raised his eyebrows.

“It’s short for Evangeline, Uncle Harry. Continue James.”

“If you know so much you tell them Rose! You’re the expert at everything.”

Hermione laughed at much he sounded like Ron. Rose smiled, “Well, Evangeline…Marshall came to Hogwarts three months before school was out. Every boy is smitten with her and will do anything for her- much like James here. Oh and she likes to corrupt people.”

Ron nodded, “Must be in Slytherin.”

“No, dad, she’s in Gryffindor.”

Ron nodded again, “She sounds like Fred and George.”

The table occupants laughed and then continued on with dinner. James was glad to see the embarrassing conversation over. Rose and he were always knocking heads, but it was all in good fun. Ginny placed her hand on his, a kind smile adorning her features.

“If you like her…”

“I do!”

“…then we like her.”