Loralei never knew who her parents were, only that when she was three years old when the Potter's adopted her. She looked nothing like them with bright blue-silver eyes and strawberry blonde hair, but she always said her name was Loralei Potter, even before she got it changed.
After a blood test they figured out she was half veela, but other than that they had no idea of her Parentage.
She was beautiful though. Hourglass figure and in shape from Quidditch training with her brother in all but blood, James that summer to make sure Gryffindor wins the next Quidditch cup. She was the seeker, her older brother the star chaser, even if it was her who always ended the match with them winning, well most of the time.
She was more likable than her brother though, able to charm most of the teachers if they were men or women, and able to get anyone to fall in love with her. James claimed it was her veela blood; she knew better, and maintained most of her relationships easily.
Including with one Lily Evans who was her best friend, or best girl friend from the day they met in the girl's dorms when they were eleven years old. Now, at fifteen, they were going into their fifth year and were very close, Loralei's extroverted personality going nicely with Lily's introverted one.
Lily was a muggleborn with emerald green eyes and vivid deep red hair, square face with very light pink lips, and six inches taller than Loralei. They looked nothing alike except for the shape of their eyes, both almond and they could roll them at the same time in the same exact way when her brother did something he thought was wonderful, or when Sirius Black did something stupid.
Sirius was James' best friend, who had been trying to get Loralei's affection since she turned beautiful at age twelve, when she got her curves and a mouth that wouldn't quit. She could either build someone up with her words or tear them down. Get on her bad side and there was trouble.
When Loralei saw Lily from across the train station, she ran from where her family was standing as Lily did the same, and ran for the other, Lily had spent the summer in France and they could only write the whole summer, for best friends that was tough.
They slammed into each other, stumbling about as they hugged, laughing.
"How was France? Meet any men?"
She laughed, and shook her head. "A few, but I don't speak that much French so it would've never worked."
She pulled away looking Loralei over. "I got you something." She told her, pulling out a small black box, opening it so she could see small gold Eiffel Tower stud earrings and handed her the box. "Happy birthday Lore!"
"Thanks Lil!" She said happily, brushing her fingers over them. "I know you have a Prefect's meeting right when the train leaves but just go with Remus after it's over and you'll find me with the boys, then I'll take you far, far away, okay?" She says nearly jumping with excitement. "I'm sure we both have a bunch of stories to tell the other after a whole summer apart, I couldn't fit mine in letters."
"Me too," Lily laughed. "Are your things on the train?"
Loralei nodded. "The boys are going it for me."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course they are. I have to say goodbye to my family, I will see you in two hours."
"Me too, Promise?" Loralei said seriously.
"Promise." Lily replied, holding out her pinky finger just like they did as eleven year olds.
Loralei took it. "Yay." They shook the hands where their pinkies were hooked on the others. Loralei started backing up. "Two hours, and I'm holding you to it." She said, before turning and dashing back to say goodbye to her adoptive family.
Cordelia Potter was a stocky woman with remnants of young beauty, her dark red-brown hair was now streaked with gray and her hazel eyes were exactly like her son's, she wore oval glasses around them. She was a loving woman with not a bad thought of anyone...unless they messed with her kids.
The Malfoy's for one, when Loralei had rejected Lucius Malfoy when he had asked her on a date because he was rude to Lily, he reacted badly, threatening her and ended up losing when Loralei pulled out spells her brother or her friend, Severus had taught her, and left him hanging by his ankle, his wand on the other side of the hall while she walked away, even Severus Snape, the head of the class, was in awe when he heard.
Cordelia didn't take too kindly to the fact that her daughter had to deal with that at age thirteen, and had sent a howler to his parents, causing them to not give him spending money for the rest of the year to respect the Potter's wishes. After all they were not only Duke and Duchess, but also Charles Potter was the Minister for Magic.
Charles Potter looked just like his son, but with dark brown eyes and no glasses. He was tall with a long nose and light skin, good looking even as he aged, and much like his wife with protecting Loralei and James. When he found out Loralei was thirteen he gave James' friends, Peter, Remus, and Sirius rules in which they were not to go near her room, and if he ever caught them in any "funny" positions with her he would be "very upset" mostly if any of them were upsetting her. He had lightened up since then, making sure she knew everything she would need to know if she decided to do anything with a guy. Mostly after her face was pasted on the Daily Prophet with Fabian Prewitt in one of the pictures they were caught kissing. It was only gossip when James was out with a girl, but with her it was a scandal.
Loralei hated sexism. She could fly circles around her brother, but he was the Quidditch star. She never said anything about it, but she wished she could change that. Her brother was already the heartthrob of their year and every year under them, she hated to hear about her brother's "sexiness."
She kissed both of her parents cheeks and hugged them. "I'll miss you guys so much. Mum remember to owl Lily's mum about tea. Dad, make sure she remembers." She released them. "I'll be less noticeable this year, I promise."
"Yeah that's what you said last year." James teased, grinning from ear to ear.
She elbowed his stomach, hard.
"Ow." He said, rubbing his stomach. "I knew I was going to regret making you train with me."
Loralei rolled her eyes. "Are you ever going to say something nice about me or be nice to me?"
"Sure." He turned to Sirius who was putting his trunk on the train. "Oi, Padfoot?"
"Yeah, Prongs?"
"If I catch ya checking out Lore I'll hex ya, all right?"
"Wasn't that for all guys?" Patfoot asks, confused, as he held his trunk over his head.
Loralei grinned. "Operation: Get Sirius To Check Me Out has begun." She looks down at her tight tank top with a loose cardigan and tight bootcut jeans. "Should be easy enough."
Her father laughed while her mother rolled her eyes.
"Be good." Cordelia chastised, kissing her daughter's forehead.
"Always." Loralei replied.
"Get good OWL's all right?" Charles told them, looking at his watch. "You have two minutes before it leaves."
Loralei and James hugged their parents again, and got onto the train, getting into the compartment they had taken since their first ride, to find Peter and Sirius already there.
Loralei took out her Witch Weekly magazine and started reading it as the boys talked, waiting for Remus to get back.
Remus was her favorite, mostly for his love of books much like hers, they always got the other one books, and Sirius never got why she acted so much more grateful for the books than the jewelry he got her. But he was rather dense, even for a guy.
Peter was a very mousy boy, mousy brown hair, a nose that reminded her distinctly of a rat, and small beady eyes. She never got how he fit into this group; he was if anything, a groupie. Sirius was tall dark and handsome, long black-brown hair that framed his aristocratic features perfectly. He had deep sapphire eyes, and was smart. Loralei knew that he was a womanizer though, using girls when he got them, she also knew he lost his virginity last year right before he turned fifteen, where Remus and Loralei rolled their eyes. Did he ever keep anything to himself, or to their circle of friends? Apparently not. If it was Loralei who had slept with someone, she would have been branded a slut, not a stud.
After a few attempts of trying to get her attention, he took the magazine out of her fingers.
"Wanker." She said angrily, holding out her hand for her magazine. "Give it back."
"What are you reading?" He asked curiously. "Girl quizzes? Let me see." He read through the first list of questions.
"'Which do you prefer as a gift, an expensive necklace or a good book?'" He asked.
She scowled at him. "Give it."
"No, lets do these together, shall we?" He says.
She let out a frustrated breath. "Fine. Book."
He goes through her bag, taking a quill out that had ink in it, and made a note on the magazine. "'First thing you notice about a guy?' You have three choices here. A. eyes, B. body, C. Brain."
"Eyes." She muttered.
The questions went on, until he sighed out. "'You're not superficial, you are a beautiful inside and out' Pretty accurate." He said pursing his lips as he put the magazine back down on her lap. "Where'd Prongs go?" He asked Peter.
"To find Lily." He said.
Loralei rolled her eyes. "She's in a prefects meeting, the daft child."
"Go find him." Sirius says offhandedly.
Loralei only rolls her eyes again and puts her calves on Sirius' lap. "I swear that boy is never going to get her if he's her puppy."
"Says the girl with half a dozen guys following her around like a puppy." Sirius replies. "So, what do you think about what I said last night?"
She looked away from him. "The love notes were nice. I can see why girls fall for you...Don't let that go to your head. I'm going to have to pass though."
"Why?" He asked.
"Because I don't want the girl population of Hogwarts to hate me and be called a slag." She told him. "So lets just pretend you never kissed me at the beginning of summer, huh?"
He frowned.
"I know people usually never mean it when they say 'no' to you." She says quietly, looking down at her hands, inspecting her painted purple fingernails. "But I do, so we should just stick with whatever we were before."
"You kissed me back." He said, looking at her hands too.
"Yeah, but if we ever did date, you are going to end up cheating or do something stupid and I'm going to get hurt and James will try to beat you up, then all you have left is Peter." She said.
"Are you so sure?" He asked.
"Positive." She replied. "You'll be over it anyway as soon as you see Mary McDonald with a tan or something."
"You're wrong."
"Sirius," she groaned. "I'm not date-girl, I'm relationship-girl something you'd run away from."
"Come on, you're different." He scoffed, looking at her legs that were on his lap, and rubbing them up and down.
"Yeah, as James' sister." She said. "I'm just another pair of tits with legs."
"No, you're not."
Loralei closed her eyes and sighed, before going to prove herself right. She moved her legs, making him think she was rejecting him when she was in fact moving to straddle his lap. She brushed her fingers over his eyes, which were bright with victory, he closed them as she liked. She ran her fingers through his soft hair, and kept one on the back of his head and the other trailing from his neck to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat, it was still steady, unlike her last boyfriend had been.
"You've been in this position so often that your heart doesn't even race." She takes his hand and puts it to her chest, careful not to put it where he would grope her. "I know exactly what I'm going to do and my heart is still racing, Siri." She said this sadly, trying to will away the tears in her eyes as he opened his. "I wish that you weren't a womanizer, because I will not be one of the many." She kissed him lightly. "This never happened, Sirius, we are Sirius and Loralei, nothing more than that. We're friends." She gives him a sad smile, before reaching for her bag, and getting off his lap. "See you later."
She quickly left the compartment, not noticing how his heart did pick up when she pressed her lips to his.
She ran through the train, picking up speed as she headed to the loo. She slammed the door behind her, and let her hands cover her face as a few tears escaped down her cheeks. She rubbed them off, and looked in the mirror. She didn't have any traces of tears other than glassy eyes, but that could be from her laughing too hard. Or that's what she hoped people would think.
She left the train's bathroom, and ran straight into Lily.
"Hey," Lily said, steadying the shorter girl.
"Hey," she smiled. "Let's go find a compartment." She turned to Remus. "You better sit next to me at dinner!" She grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her down the train where Lily had just come from.
"Always, Lore." He calls after her.
Lily rolls her eyes. "You have them all wrapped around your fingers."
"Comes with the territory." Loralei muttered. "You pretty much live with four teenage boys, one being your brother, and they all either hate you or love you."
"So, tell me your stories, Lore." She says as Loralei pulls her.
Loralei looks into a window of a compartment, and opens the door, pulling Lily inside and closing the door behind them. She brushed her hands along every part of the room, making sure her brother or Sirius wasn't under the invisibility cloak anywhere.
"What are you doing?" Lily demanded as Loralei ran her hands over where luggage would be above the seats.
"You'll understand one day." She tells her, not ready to mention the invisibility cloak yet. If she told their headmaster, Dumbledore, he might take it away from them, and she used it quite often to get away from Paparazzi. She knew that Lily wouldn't take it away from her, but she would do it just to get back at James for being...James.
"All right..." Lily said uncertainly.
Loralei got off the seat and looked at Lily, biting her lip. Her back was to the window showing the countryside, and her hands were in front of her, her fingers twisting and untwisting until she got the sentence out.
"Sirius kissed me." She said quickly.
Lily's jaw dropped. "What? You pushed him away right?"
Loralei looked away, taking a seat by the window and looking through it. "No."
"So...are you an item now?" Lily asked carefully.
She shook her head. "I'm not going to be another one of his sluts."
"Oh thank Merlin." Lily fell into the seat across from her. "What did you say to him?"
"Just that, and that he's a slut." Lore muttered, playing with the rings on her fingers.
"Way to go, Lore." Lily clapped her hands together. "What did he say?"
"That I was different from the others. Yeah, right." Loralei said defiantly, but looked out the window, her hand going to the necklace that hung around her neck, but was covered by her dark blue cardigan.
"You're wearing his necklace aren't you?" Lily asked, rubbing her temples with the tips of her three middle fingers of each hand. "Lore..."
"I know, all right? I know." Loralei replied, annoyed by the situation. "I know that he's not my type, I know that he's a man-whore, I know that we're supposed to be friends, and, God, I know that it's only because I'm something pretty to look at. But he's so damn sweet sometimes." Loralei pulled papers out of her bag and started reading them aloud. "'I can't stop thinking about you, why weren't you there when I came last weekend? I missed your presence, the way you play with your lower lip when you're thinking, the way you flip your hair when it gets in your face, the way you have a comeback for everything.' One of many letters he sent me. At some point realizing I was avoiding him."
"And what changed then?" Lily asked, slowly.
Loralei dug through more letters until reaching them. "Please, talk to me Lore. I miss you." She looked up. "He forgot to mention the witch he picked up in August when he was getting school supplies. He really couldn't think that James wouldn't tell me." She let out a frustrated sound as she ran her fingers through her hair. "It's like, he doesn't get that you can't try to get with me while your still shagging another girl, and he's so bleeding impossible!"
Lily grimaced and shook her head. "Lore, you like him, don't you?"
"Yeah," she frowns. "And trust me, I don't want to. I really don't."
Lily slumped against her seat. "I don't like him, you're better than him."
"You don't know him like I do." Loralei muttered. "He's really sweet sometimes." She waved around the letters in her hand as proof, before shoving them back into her bag. "He's just so confusing, because he says he likes me, then he's after some other girl, and I'm just Loralei, his friend, then he dumps her, like always and I'm back to being the only girl in the world."
"What did he get you?" Lily asked, not knowing how to respond to her.
Loralei unbuttoned her cardigan and showed the gold necklace. "it's beautiful, isn't it?" And it was, a thin golden chain, contrasting nicely with her slightly tanned skin, the deep red of the round stone that hung from the chain.
"Yeah," Lily said softly. "It is."
"You're lucky you hate James. It would be so much easier if I hated Sirius." Loralei told her. "Relish in the hate, girl. Love it." She squirmed, before jumping up. "I'm going for a walk, want anything from the trolley?"
"No," Lily said quietly. "Want me to come?"
She shook her head. "I'm fine."
Lily didn't see Loralei until at the Great Hall that night.