Effy-

I secretly pinch myself without rising suspicion from my companion. Yep, I'm definitely not dreaming. This means that James Potter, most popular guy in school, Hogwarts heartthrob, is sitting across from me; in a cabin, on the Hogwarts express, going to Hogwarts. I pinch myself again a little harder, still not dreaming. I look over at him and realise that I should probably say something. He'll get really bored and I'll be left all alone once again. I have to try; I have to cling to this with all my might. I'm about to ask James how his summer was when cuts me off.
"Good summer?" he asks, I almost laugh, but then remembering my summer I grit my teeth.
"It was alright." I lie.
"Liar." He says, no, snaps at me. I look at him in utter surprise, am I that easy to read?
"Um, n." he cuts in again.
"Don't lie, I don't like liars." He says with a serious face.
"Sorry." I say bowing my head in shame.
"s'kay, let's try again," he says as I look up at him. "Effy, how was your summer?"
"Shit." I say truthfully, I see him getting ready to say something so I add. "But I'm used to a shitty summer, It's alright."

I see him looking at me, worry showing in the back of his eyes.
"Why was it, why are they all shit?" he asks. It's an innocent enough question but it brings up things I don't like to think, let alone talk about. I think and mull over it, chewing my check in thought (it's a habit). I look out the window. To him it was just a simple question; he probably expects a simple answer. But for me it's not that simple. I sigh looking at him and when I meet those beautiful green eyes I decide to take a jump from a very high height. When I spoke it didn't really come out like I'd hoped, I said.
"It was my birthday."
Giving me a quizzical look and he said. "So you don't like getting old or do." It was my turn cut him off.
"No! No, It was my birthday when I got, I got, you know the scratches….and you know dad he…well he's just…upset I guess…I mean with mother and…stuff." I say fidgeting with the bottom of my dress and trying really really hard not to think too much. Water starts to well up in my eyes, despite my efforts. All of a sudden James takes my hand. I sit up ridged, no one's held my hand since mother passed away. I look up at him, his eye are so intense it almost frightens me.
"Effy, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you for the last five years. It's not right, and you have to know I'm really sorry about all of it. You never deserved any of it. I want it to change. I want us to be, you know, friends." He said I blinking at him for a moment and smiled at him out of pure happiness.
"No one's held my hand for over six years." I say blushing slightly. He chuckles.
"Then I guess I'll have to make up for that." He said giving my hand a squeeze. I can't help but beam at him.

When he lets my hand go, he leans against the back of the sofa bench. He gives me a cheeky look.
"So since we're friends and all, I need your views on Quidditch." He says, he's smiling but his eyes look very serious. I smile inwardly, this Is a subject I am perfectly comfortable talking about.
"Ask. Me. Anything." I say smirking; his face falls as serious as his eyes.
"Remember I'll know if you're lying." he says.
"Shut up and ask me." I say laughing a little.
"What team do you go for?"
"The Holyhead harpies, naturally." I say, watching as his serious mask starts to crack.
"Do you play?"
"I do." I say, his mask cracking a little more.
"Which position?"
"Chaser." I say, more cracking.
"What, in your own opinion, are Gryffindor's chances of winning this year?" he asked, I smirk at him arrogantly.
"Mm, I'd say if the Keeper worked really hard and they also worked a little on their team work. They stand a pretty good chance of winning. But going on what Slytherin was like last year and the fact that all there star players are still on the team, I'd say they to have a pretty good chance. As for Ravenclaw, there teamwork is dreadful. There not very good at watching where or how many chasers are in the scoring area either. Though watch those beaters, those two are mean for Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff is just, ugh; well it's just so irritating that they have no idea what-so-ever what they are doing. They go way out of bounds too much and they never learn about using elbows. I really hope this new captain is better than the last." I say then blush because James is staring at me his mouth open like a goldfish, his eyes half lidded. I blush because he was probably only expecting a sort answer and I went on a rant.
"That is the most I have ever heard any girl talk about Quidditch, ever." He said regaining his facial expression.
"You forget who my mother was." I say smirking at him. He chuckles and nods appreciatively.

As the trolley lady comes into views off the compartment door. It magically slides open and she says.
"Anything from the trolley dears?"
I look at the trolley, and right on queue James belly growls. I look at him and his sheepish expression.
"What do you want?" I ask moving over to my trunk and pulling my wallet from it.
"Nothing." He says, I glare at him playfully.
"Liar." I snap.
"A caldron cake and a liquorice wand, please." He says shyly. Laughing I turn to the trolley and ask for what we want.

Once I have my purchases I throw the ones that are James's at him. I make a grossed out face when he excitedly opens the lining of plastic that covers his liquorice wand. He looks at me confused, then back at his wand, and evil grin falls on his face.

"Don't like liquorice, huh?" he asks clearly already knowing the answer. I nod slowly.
"Dully noted." He says taking a bite out of the wand, his evil grin never leaving his face. I chuckle a little confused but still expertly open my chocolate frog, not letting it get away. I nibble at one of its front legs and it magically turns back to just chocolate.

James seems to be in deep contemplation about something. I look at the watch that sits on my right arm. The train has been moving for just over 30 minutes. I lean back into the comfy seat and pull my legs up of the floor to kneel beside me. James has propped his legs up on my side of the bench, his legs are long enough to do that. He's still thoughtfully chewing one the liquorice wand. He looks at me, smirking.
"Got any tips for me regarding my Beater abilities?" he says; and I mentally kick myself for not remembering that James is a Beater for Gryffindor. I fidget under his pointed stare.
"Umm, you have lots of natural talent. Your probably one of the best beaters at school." I say truthfully.
"Thank you, I do try." He says rubbing his fingers on his imaginary collar.
"But," I start; he raises his eyebrows at me. "You're not very good at working with the other Beater. Umm, I can't remember who it was last year."
"My sister, Lily." He says scowling. I think about the pretty forth year that is Lily Luna Potter. She's one of the most popular forth years. Very pretty, with her mother's red hair and eyes, she fits the Gryffindor description almost as much as James does.
"Yeah, well if you guys are the Beaters again this year, I think you really need to work on team work with your sister," He doesn't seem pleased; so I add. "During the game."
He sighs rather dramatically.
"You're right, offcourse. I just never even wanted Lily to play Quidditch in the first place." He says looking up at me with a smile. "Big brother and all."

I smile at him; it's cute that he looks out for his sister.
Wait! Did I just say he was cute!
Oh god.


James-

I let go of her hand, thinking about how soft it had been. But I was glad that the tears that had been threating to spill over where now gone. I lean back into the bench and smile at her in a cheeky way.
"So since we're friends and all, I need to know your views on Quidditch." I say. She seems to be pleased with the topic. She doesn't fidget any more. Her hands stop playing with the end of her skirt and she seems to relax more than before. I smile at her but I know my eyes reveal how serious I am.
"Ask. Me. Anything." She says confidently. My smile falls and I put on a serious face.
"Remember I'll know if you're lying." I tell her.
"Shut up and ask me." she snaps, i try really hard not to smile.
"What team do you go for?" I ask.
"The Holy-head Harpies, naturally." I feel my face tweak. The Holy-head Harpies is the team my mother used to play for, so the entire Potter family goes for them still.
"Do you play?"
"I do." She says. I feel the corners of my mouth start to tweak up into a smile.
"Which position?" I ask.
"Chaser." With every answer I feel like I like Effy Zambini a whole lot more.
"What, in your own opinion, are Gryffindor's chances of winning this year?" I ask.
"Mm, I'd say if the Keeper worked really hard and they also worked a little on their team work. They stand a pretty good chance of winning. But going on what Slytherin was like last year and the fact that all there star players are still on the team, I'd say they to have a pretty good chance. As for Ravenclaw, there teamwork is dreadful. There not very good at watching where or how many chasers are in the scoring area either. Though watch those beaters, those two are mean for Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff is just, ugh; well it's just so irritating that they have no idea what-so-ever what they are doing. They go way out of bounds too much and they never learn about using elbows. I really hope this new captain is better than the last." She says. Halfway through that my mouth fell open in shock. I was expecting a short, maybe two or three word answer. (It's a serious turn on of mine for a girl to know a lot about Quidditch.) She blushes at my reaction, in the adorable sort of way. I snap back into reality.

"That is the most I have ever heard a girl talk about Quidditch, ever!" I say seriously impressed.
"You forget who my mother was." She says with confidence. Oh yeah, Katie Bell (Zambini when she got married.) played with my mum before she died. I notice how when Effy had said that she had smiled but in her eyes I could see that she was remembering something that upset her.

The trolley lady came by our compartment then, the door magically coming open of its own accord.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" she asks in that famous way she does each trip we make on this train. Almost like it was on queue my stomach growled and I suddenly remembered that I had skipped breakfast this morning. I watch as Effy crosses to her trunk to retrieve her wallet. I suddenly wish I had my money.
"What do you want?" she asks, finding her wallet.
"Nothing." I say, she glares at me in the playful sort of way.
"Lair." She snaps at me.
"A caldron cake and a liquorice wand, please." I say embarrassed that I got caught out and because I didn't want her to buy me anything. Not out of spite, but because a proper gentlemen should always pay. She buys the food and chucks me the things I asked for. I cheerfully open the liquorice wand, my favourite of the two. I look up to see a disgusted look on Effy's face. I grin wickedly thinking about how, one day, I'll use this against her.
"Don't like liquorice, huh?" I ask, knowing the answer already. She nods.
"Dully noted." I say bitting into the wand.

I watch as she expertly opens her chocolate frog, not letting it get away. Then start to nibble on one of the legs and the magical chocolate frog turns into a regular chocolate frog. I watch as she looks out the window and then down at her black watch. I stretch out crossing my legs on the adjacent bench. She watches me do so, before pulling her knees up and to her side, leaning against the wall with the window in it. I look out of the window myself for a bit. And think about all the things that are really, really cool about Effy. I made a sort of list in my head.

-She's a Gryffindor.

-She goes for the same Quidditch team as I do.

-She's really easy to talk to.

-She seems to like Quidditch as much as I do.

-She is incredibly smart. (I know this because she always gets 'O's')

-She's incredibly beautiful.

-She's kind; despite the way I've treated her up until now.

-She's seriously hot.

-She's really good at potions. (Which I find amazing in anyone with the talent, because I am absolutely horrid at them.)

-She's naturally funny.

-She's humble.

-She's polite.

-She's honest.

I'm sure the list will grow.

I look at her for a bit, letting my eyes wonder over her body. I smirk when I catch her eyes.
"Got any tips for me regarding my Beater abilities?" I ask, watching her squirm at the question.
"Umm, you have lots of natural talent. Your probably one of the best beaters at school." She says. I feel pride rise up in my stomach.
"Thank you, I do try." I say to her in a pompous voice.
"But," she says, I raise my eyebrows at her in surprise, the little pride fire that had started to boost my ego, died down considerably. "You're not very good at working with the other Beater. Umm, I can't remember who it was last year."
"My sister, Lily." I say annoyed she too has picked up my bad team work skills with my little sister.
"Yeah! Well if you guys are the Beaters again this year, I think you really need to work on team work with your sister," she says, then adds. "During the game."
I sigh rather dramatically. I add perceptive to the things I like about Effy. Saying.
"You're right, offcourse. I just never even wanted Lily to play Quidditch in the first place." She smiles at me knowingly. "Big brother and all." I say truthfully.

She then blushes and looks back at the window. I watch as her eyes dart from one thing to another. Her beautiful, gorgeous eyes and there…I stop my train of thought. I quickly think about the fact that I might be falling for her and quickly advert my eyes. I then remember that she has a watch.
"Ef'." I say trying on the nickname, she turn and smiles realizing that I gave her a one. "What's the time?" she quickly looks at her watch.
"Quarter to 12." She says. I stand up cracking my neck and stretching. Then turn to her and smile at kindly.
"I'm going to go and find my trunk." I say to her. Even though she nods and smiles at me; I can tell that she thinks I'm not going to come back. So I pull out my wand and give it to her. "I promise I'll come back; I'll have to come back for that anyway." She looks down at the wand and back at me, then smiles a smile that makes my heart falter and flutter. Knowing I should leave now before i kiss her; I pull open the door and wave goodbye. Then close the door behind me.

I walk quickly down the corridor, looking in almost every compartment. I can't remember where I left my trunk. I remember vaguely leaving it with Fred and Louis. So I set off looking for them. I walk a good long way down the train til I find the right compartment. Louis is occupied with the girl who's sitting on his lap and eating his face. Roxanne and Dominique are in a conversation of hushed whispers. Lily, finishing her summer homework franticly; and Fred, looking utterly bored out of his mind. I slid the compartment door open. Fred's head snaps up. He grins happily when he sees that it's me. I feel bad for leaving him here alone. But I remember that he's a big boy and that he probably doesn't even care.

"Dude, where have you been?" he asks. I think about what to tell him. When I can't think of anything I just say.
"That way." And point to the direction I came from. I move towards my trunk and pull it down.
"Yeah so, doing what." He asks. I sigh.
"I was just down there in another compartment." I say telling him the truth as best I could.
"With whom?" he asks. I love Fred like a brother more than a cousin. He's been my best friend forever. But he asks a lot of questions. I don't say anything. "Where you with a girl?" he asks. I think about.
"Yes, actually!" I say truthfully.
"No need to explain anymore." He says with a wink.
"I'm actually going to stay down there." I say; then after a moment say. "You wanna come with?"
"Won't I be interrupting?" he asks with a smirk.
"No, she's actually really cool. You should come." I say. Fred looks around at the rest of the compartments occupants.
"Good idea." He says pulling his own trunk down from the rack. We don't bother saying goodbye. No one even looked up when I came in the room but Fred.

I really hope Fred's cool with all this. I think as we walk down the corridor towards Effy and my wand.


Authors note- chapter two, aaahhh

if you haven't worked it out each chapter you get the prospective (POV) of both Effy and James.

Izzi-x