Gwendolen

So I'd learnt that living with the Potters wasn't so easy.

It had all seem really good at the start. Everything was happy. I was able to sleep with James beside me. Harry and Ginny didn't really care that James would end up in my bed most nights as they knew it was just to stop my nightmares. I had been getting over the death of my parents and adjusting to my new life.

Well, I was until one day the Daily Prophet came in with the morning owl post and there, on the front cover, was a photo from the station at the start of the summer. In the photo I was standing beside James and he was holding my hand trying to comfort me.

That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the headline.

POTTER'S HARLOT IS TAKING

What has started as mere speculation on the part of the public is slowly becoming more factual. It appears that a girl is working her way, not only into the heart of eldest Potter child, James, but also into the entire Potter family.

On Platform Nine and Three Quarters as all the students were coming home James Potter, oldest son of Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and saviour of the Wizarding World, was seen holding hands with a girl. This girl then travelled with the Potters, Rose Granger-Weasley and another mysterious girl, to the house that the Potters own.

We have since discovered the identity of the girl who was so close to the eldest Potter child. Gwendolen Smythe is the oldest child of Kayleigh and Eric Smythe who recently passed away in a muggle car accident. Since the accident it appears that Gwendolen has moved in with the Potters while her younger brother Carter and sister Ivy are unaccounted for.

Was the accident real? Are Gwendolen's parents really dead? Or is she trying to worm her way into the Potter family?

We have discovered that during the previous school year Gwendolen was seen snogging none other than Louis Weasley, one of the Potter children's many cousins. She has been reported as being friends with all the Weasleys in her year at Hogwarts however has been at odd with James Potter since their first day.

It makes a person wonder if she hasn't planned all this out for her own benefit.

Were they actually kidding. The stunt with Louis was nothing more than a ploy to get James to stay away from me. It wasn't like I was playing Louis. I would have much preferred to stay with his family, not that the Potters weren't wonder, but they lived in France.

I was glad they didn't work out who Milla was. Although without them knowing they might think that she's Albus' 'harlot' even though that would be super weird. If they knew who she really was they wouldn't actually care about her and what she was doing with the Potters because she's family.

But oh yes, I've been planning this since day one. I wanted nothing else in life but to make friends with all the Potters and Weasleys so I could live with the Potters and scrimmage off their fame and fortune when inevitably killed my parents.

Honestly people could be so dumb sometimes.

"You alright Gwen?" James asked having seen the article when I put the paper down.

"It's fine." I said. "It's all lies anyway."

"Well you did snog Louis." James said. "Even I saw that."

"I didn't snog Louis." I told him. "It was an innocent kiss in hopes that it might get back to you and you would leave me alone."

"Well I did leave you alone." He shrugged.

"Sorry for hurting your feelings by doing that." I said softly.

James just shrugged and put his arm over my shoulders.

"I shouldn't have been as crazy as I was." He agreed.

I rolled my eyes at him pushing his arm off me.

"You were a bit of a nightmare." I told him.

"But I've stopped now." He said. "And we're actually friends now."

"Yes we are." I said with a smile.

"Then give me a hug." He said opening his arms and throwing the newspaper on the table.

I jumped up from my seat and ran. I could hear him chasing after me. I hadn't made it very far before James managed to catch me in his arms and throw me over his shoulder.

"James, put me down." I yelled.

"Nope." James said. "You live here now."

"James put her down." Ginny said walking out of the kitchen.

"But Mum." James whined.

"Listen to your mother." Harry said as he stepped out behind James.

"I don't think you want your mum to yell at you again." I said softly to James.

Upon realising that might be a result if he continued being crazy James dropped me and ran. I groaned having been dropped on the ground.

I knew James had returned to his room, our room, oh I don't know, and I really didn't want to join him so I made my way up the stairs to Albus' room. I wanted to ask about Carter.

"Albus?" I asked knocking on his open door.

I was a little confused. Albus never had his door open.

"Gwen, hey." He said. "What's going on? I thought I heard yelling."

"Oh, just James being James." I said brushing it off.

"What did my brother do this time?" He asked.

"He picked me up and wouldn't let me down until Ginny yelled at him." I explained. "Then he dropped me on the ground and ran."

Albus just laughed at me. I had to admit. It was kind of funny.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask if you'd heard anything from Carter." I said.

"Yeah, he said the Malfoys are actually quite nice." Albus told me. "Although the house is a lot quieter than what he's use to. I think he misses you. Well, you and your family."

"I miss him too." I said. "He's my little brother. But was able to hold himself together better than I did."

"You're different people, Gwen." He said. "Don't hold it against yourself."

"Thanks Albus." I pulled the younger boy into a hug.

"I drop you on the floor and you come crying to my brother?" James joked from the doorway of Albus' room.

"I was asking about Carter you idiot." I said getting up and hitting James on the head.

James just laughed. I knew he was just being silly but I couldn't help it. I think it was just our sort of friendship.

I was really glad I got to see Ivy on the platform. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to see her. She's my little sister. I missed her so much over the summer. She didn't even get Mum and Dad to see her off. Instead she got Aunt Hazel and Uncle Harold being cold and distant.

"Thinking about your sister again?" James asked me.

"Of course I am." I said to James before turning out to all the others. "You guys will have to meet her at some point."

"Once we're there." Fred groaned. "I really don't want to move right now."

"What exactly were you doing over the break that made you end up like this?" Parker asked him.

"Dad wanted help testing new products." Fred explained.

Louis, Molly and James started laughing. Even though I'd only met George Weasley once I could already tell that testing products for his joke shop would be mildly disastrous.

Then I heard the door to the compartment slide open and a voice say, "Gwen?"

I knew that voice. It was Carter. Upon realising who it was I jumped up and threw my arms around my brother. I had missed him more than anything. It had been absolutely dreadful not being able to see him over the break but after Albus told me about Scorpius' mum I didn't really feel comfortable sending owls to Carter.

"I missed you so much." I said as I held him tightly in my arms. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

"No, Gwen, it's fine." He said as he wormed his way out of my hug. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You needed more support than I did."

If it was up to me I don't think I would have let him go. But Carter didn't love being hugged so I suppose I had to agree to his terms.

"How was your summer?" I asked still standing beside him. "Are you alright?"

"It was fine." He said. "Scorpius needed someone. His mum died. I think me being there made it easier. Although he still did some stupid stuff."

I couldn't imagine Scorpius doing anything impulsive, which is how Carter made it sound. That boy had like zero emotions. He didn't react to anything. He barely even batted an eyelash that time I had the three of them running out of the Great Hall for their lives.

Then over his shoulder I noticed Ivy and Felix. I was glad Carter had gone and found Ivy. I think we needed to all be together for a little bit.

"Ivy, Felix, come meet my friends." I said smiling at both Ivy and Felix. "You met James already. This is Molly, Fred and Louis Weasley. And this is…"

"Parker Peterson." Felix said sending a glare in Parker's direction.

Now I'm confused.

"Felix." Parker said looking at Felix.

Okay, what's going on?

"You two know each other?" Molly asked.

"He's my cousin." Parker said looking at Felix. "I haven't seen him in years though."

"I knew you were the same age as Gwen." Felix responded. "I knew there was something off when we stopped seeing you the same time Gwen went to Hogwarts."

What the hell is wrong with Parker.

"You didn't say anything when you read my letter?" I yelled at Parker.

There was no way he was getting out of this. He knew about my aunt, uncle and cousin and never said anything. I could kill him. I saw red. Literally. Sometimes when my eyes changed because of a really strong emotion that colour also clouded my vision.

"Gwen, calm." Louis said.

That only made me more irritated.

"Your eyes are red." Molly mentioned.

No kidding.

"I don't care." I shouted at Molly and Louis.

I really wasn't in the mood for them to try to calm me down. Parker was getting on my last nerves.

"You read the letter they sent me." I shouted at him. "It mentioned Aunt Hazel, Uncle Harold and Felix and even their last name. Either you're incredibly stupid for not working out it's the same people or you just didn't care that we share a cousin."

"You had enough on your mind Gwen." Parker tried to defend himself.

"So finding out that one of my closest friends is my cousin's cousin wouldn't have made me feel better?" I yelled.

"Gwen, please." James said trying to sit me back down.

"Shut it Potter." I snapped at him.

Honestly do none of these people realise anything. This is a big deal. Parker could have been like family to me. Yet he chose to hide it. Does he have that little regard for me?

Okay, maybe I was over reacting just a little. I close my eyes and took a deep breath in. As I let it out I opened my eyes and heard a sigh from Molly, Louis, Fred and James.

"So Uncle Harold is your mum's brother?" I asked Parker.

"How'd you work that one out?" He asked.

"Well your last name isn't Garcia meaning your dad can't be Uncle Harold's brother." I explained. "And you are not related to my mum in anyway so neither of your parents are related to Aunt Hazel. Also, you're a muggleborn, and Felix, Ivy, Carter and myself are halfbloods because our mums are witches."

Parker just nodded. My logic made sense to him. Which it should. Considering it's logical.

"Look, I'm sorry Gwen." Parker said. "I just didn't want to make things any more confusing than they already were."

"Well now you've just made things worse." I told him.

James had grabbed my hand and was rubbing circles across the back of it with his thumb in an attempt to soothe me. I smiled at him before closing me eyes and leaning on his shoulder. I hadn't slept well the previous night. Maybe I could catch up now.

"So what's going on with you and James?" Molly asked me once we were in the dorm that night.

"I don't know what you mean." I told her as I began to change into my pyjamas.

"Don't pull that." She responded with a sigh. "I saw you two on the train. Holding hands, sleeping on his shoulder. You didn't shout at him, except when you were mad at Parker but you shouted at all of us then. And all those smiles you two were sharing. It was becoming rather sickening to watch."

I sat down on my bed and let out a sigh. I knew eventually I would have to explain a lot of what happened with us over the summer to Molly and the others. I just didn't realise it would be right now.

"Look, nothing happened, really." I said. "We just got a bit closer because I've been living with his family. I'm working out that he's actually not as mad as I thought he was. He's been really nice to me over the summer. We still fought a little, but a lot of that was because he refuses to clean his room and I refused to pick up his mess."

"Wait, you stayed in his room?" Molly was shocked.

Oops. I'd forgotten to include that little fact. Maybe I should have told her earlier.

"Yeah." I admitted.

"You so like James." She squeal jumping up so she could come bounce on the bed beside me.

"No, it's not like that." I tried to calm her down. "I just couldn't stay in Lily's room like we'd originally planned."

"Why not?" Molly asked ceasing her bouncing.

Oh no. I've dug myself a hole. I didn't want to have to tell my other friends about my nightmares. It was a little embarrassing.

"We didn't really have anything in common." I made up. "It was easier for me to stay in James' room."

Molly just smirked at me. Oh no, she thinks I like James. There is no way I can see this ending well.

"I don't like James." I told her.

"You seem hell bent on denying it." She told me. "Yet you haven't given me any solid proof. You spent an entire summer with him. You shared a room with him. You said, and I quote; 'he's been really nice' which is a complete change in your thoughts of him since before the summer."

"Since before my parents died you mean." I corrected.

I no longer had a strong disliking for James after he helped me when my parents died. His name no longer caused me the same irritation it had before. I hadn't expect to be in this position but I guess this is where I ended up. And I wasn't mad at it.

"You, Gwendolen Grace Smythe, fancy James Sirius Potter and I'm going to get you to admit it before the year is over." Molly told me hoping off my bed and into her own.

"Sure you are Molly." I said to her as I lay down in my bed and tried to go to sleep.