Disclaimer: All ideas are based on characters and events belonging to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.

Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 1: Unexpected News

"What the bloody hell do you mean, your dating him?" The Gryffindor common room went eerily quiet at the sudden outburst from one James Potter as he sat in the corner having what was supposed to be a private conversation with a young witch but at the rate it was heading, the whole house was going to hear.

"James, can't you just calm down so that.."

"Calm down? My baby sister tells me shes dating a Slytherin and I'm supposed to calm down?"

"James, would you at least let me.."

"And not just any Slytherin either. Lucius Malfoy!" By this point James had abandoned his squishy arm chair and began pacing back and forth in front of his younger sister who was becoming more and more irritated at her brothers reaction to her news.

"James."

Either he didn't hear her or he simply ignored her as he continued to pace. "He's a seventh year! Your a fourth! He's clearly trying to take advantage of you!"

"James."

"I don't even know what you could see in the arrogant git! He's.."

"JAMES!" Finally she'd had enough of trying to reason. She should have known he'd of reacted this way. Olivia Potter stood up and grabbed her brother's arm mid-pace and turned him to face her. "One, you don't even know him. Two, I wasn't asking your permission. When are you going to learn, James, that I'm not a baby any more? I simply thought you'd perfer hearing it from me rather than the rest of the school." James opened his mouth to protest but she abruptly cut him off. "There's nothing you can say to change my mind on this matter. Now, I'm going to go clean up before supper." She turned and stormed up the stairs to her dormitory before he had the chance to stop her.

Dishearted and depressed, yet angered at the same time, James slouched over to where his friends were sitting by the fire trying to pretend they hadn't been listening. Once seated beside Remus Lupin he gave a depressed sigh and looked at the others. "She's just a baby."

Remus gave him a pat on the back with a look of pity. "She's not an adult but she's far from a baby, James." He and Olivia were actually very good friends and though she had mentioned Lucius helping her in the library with homework on several occasions, he didn't think it had been anything serious. He made a mental note to talk to her after she had calmed down.

Sirius Black, seeing it as his time to perk up gave Remus an indignant look, "Whose side are you on anyway, Moony? She's dating a Slytherin." He gave an involutary shudder at the thought of his best friend's sister, who he had become very close with over the years, dating Malfoy. He pictured Olivia in his mind. Standing a mere five foot, she was a tiny girl with medium length black hair that matched her brother's, though considerably more tame, and a very light spinkle of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were a sparkling blue hue that he had never really seen before and she always laughed at him when he told her so. She had a personality that quite matched that of her brother, which is why Sirius figured they got along so well. Then he pictured her beside Malfoy and he felt like his stomach suddenly dropped.

James had tuned them all out. He couldn't believe his innocent little sister was dating Lucius Malfoy. Every way he looked at it he could only see trouble ahead. Lucius never kept a girl long. Just long enough to...ugh. He couldn't even think about it. If he even so happened as got wind of Malfoy touching his little sister he'd be in detention for the rest of the school year, and probably the next two also. But he didn't know what to do. Olivia had always been persistantly stubborn. The more he tried to force her hand on this, the more resiliant she'd be to stay with Malfoy.

They were pulled out of their thoughts as Olivia made her way back down stairs and out the portrait hole, trying to keep her head turned so they couldn't see her puffy eyes. Peter Pettigrew looked up at James and spoke for the first time on the subject, "What're you going to do, Prongs?"

"I don't really know. I know what I want to do, but.."

"But that'll probably get you hexed by your little sister." Remus chuckled slightly beside him.

"Exactly. And in case you haven't been on the receiving end of one of her hexes, they aren't fun." James returned the smile and appreciated the attempt to lighten the mood a bit, even though what they said was entirely true.

Sirius gave a thoughtful look, "I think all of us has experienced her wrath at one point or another."

"Yea, remember that time, Padfoot, when she gave you an elephant's trunk and it took Madame Pomfrey five hours to figure out how to reverse it?"

They all thought back on the incident. Sirius had infuriated the witch in question the previous year by making fun of her cat but even as a third year she packed a powerful punch. She told him to appolgize to her big orange and white tom cat, Niko, and when he just laughed the next thing he knew he face planted because he couldn't hold up the weight of his new trunk. "How could I forget? Didn't see that one coming."

After a few more minutes reminiscing on times that the younger Potter sibling had put people in their place Remus stood, "We better be getting to supper, mates, before its all gone." The other three stood simutaniously and the four of them headed to the Great Hall together.

Olivia took her time on the way to the Great Hall to compose herself. She had told herself she wasn't going to let James' decision affect her but found her mind wondering how she could keep a relationship with someone that James didn't approve of. Her and her brother had always been inseperably close. Even after they started school and each made other friends, they always found time for each other. She understood his hatred toward Slytherins but firmly believed that it was misplaced in Lucius' case.

She was brought out of her thoughts as she reached the stairs leading to the entrance hall. Before she could descend them, however, a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and she gave a small squeal. She looked up at her capture and was met with the icy blue stare of Lucius Malfoy.

Olivia grinned and turned to face him. "Lucius, you frightened me."

"Sorry love." He bent down and kissed the top of her head before taking her hand and leading her toward the stairs. "I was just on my way to come find you before dinner. I was wondering if you would like to join me at Hogsmeade this weekend?"

She looked over at him as he gave her his warmest smile. "You know you don't have to ask, Lucius." They were now halfway down the stairs and Olivia knew that once in the Great Hall they would part and sit at their respective house tables so she slightly slowed her pace. "What'd you have in mind?"

He adjusted to her stride with ease as they now quite slowly descended the remaining stairs. "I thought maybe I would surprise you." He grinned as he watched her face go from surprised to pleased and she gave him an affirmative.

They had finally reached the Great Hall and although entering hand in hand, they parted at the door as she knew they would. She turned and watched as Lucius made his way over to the table full of Slytherins that her brother detested so. The thought made her sad. She wanted her brother to agree to the new relationship she had with Lucius, or at the very least not have a coronary over it. She knew that he was older than her but she also knew that he was very kind to her. She had quite the reputation for hexing people and being tough so most guys saw her as just 'one of the guys'. Lucius treated her like a lady. And she loved it. She loved the fact that she didn't have to be all tough for him, she could relax and let him be tough for her. Thats what she had been wanting all along.

She chose a seat next to the witch that had been her best friend since first year. A fellow Gryffindor fourth year by the name of Kiley Parker. She was a muggleborn witch, around 5' 5" who had bright red hair, and the attitude to go with it. Her face held many freckles, but wasn't covered in them, and her eyes were a beautiful bluish/greenish color. She looked over at Olivia as she sunk into her seat. "How'd it go with James?"

"Wow, not even a hello." Olivia smiled as the other girl bumped her shoulder with her own. "Not good, actually. He didn't even let me get it completely out before he started going bonkers."

"You knew it wouldn't exactly be pretty."

"I know, but I was just harboring a fantasy that he would be ok with it. That he would be happy that I found somebody that makes me happy."

Kiley looked at her depressed friend sympathetically. "You know, Livey, I don't really think it's the fact that its Lucius. I think its the fact that your dating someone period. James isn't ready for to face the fact that your not a helpless first year anymore and he wants to protect you."

Olivia sighed. She knew Kiley was right of course. Well, she wasn't entirely sure about the fact that it wouldn't matter if it was Lucius, but she understood what she meant about James wanting to protect her. They sat in silence a few minutes as they both picked at their food. She wasn't paying much attention to anyone until Kiley jabbed her elbow into her ribs. "For the love of Merlin, what was that for?"

"Don't get so huffy. I tried to get your attention like you were a normal person, then I remembered you aren't." Olivia stuck her tongue out at her friend. "Mature. But since I now have your attention, I believe someone else is wanting it." Kiley pointed her finger over to the Slytherinn table where Lucius was seated with several of his friends. When they locked eyes he raised his hand and gestured for her to join him.

She was at a loss for what to do. On one hand, she really wanted to go eat with her boyfriend. On the other hand, James, who had just entered the Hall with the other Mauraders, would be furious at her. For now, she thought, best to take it slow on poor James. Hopefully soon things would settle down with him. She gave Lucius the most regretful look she could muster and shook her head. She figured she'd explain it to him later, positive he'd understand.

Author's Note: Please review and let me know what you think. -PJ