Thanks for the review. I am very fond of this fic and it means a lot that you like it;-)

The summer months flew by. James and Rana spent almost every week together, whether it be at the Rai's, the Potter's, Diagon Alley, or even at the Lupin's. When Rana wasn't flying or studying, she could often be found at James.' The two now twelve-year-olds really had become the best of friends and were inseparable. Still, Rana waited anxiously for her second year. This was the year she was to try out for a spot on the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team. The months soon become days. In just a week, Rana would be on her way to Hogwarts once again. It was one such morning that Rana could be found rather intrigued in a book she had read a million times over.

"Rana! Come downstairs! We have company," Aditi called up the stairs.

"Is it James?"

"No, sweetheart."

"Then, can't it wait?" She pouted. "I'm reading."

Aditi was about to reply when James tumbled through the fireplace. He slowly stood up. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Rai." He smiled and tilted his head at an unfamiliar face. The girl he faced looked to be about 17 or so. He nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to Aditi. "Is Rana here?"

"Upstairs. Bring her down, will you? She refuses to be interrupted unless it's you." She chuckled.

James raised his eyebrows in amusement before nodding and making his way up the staircase. He poked his head into Rana's bedroom. "Rani?"

Rana was sprawled across her bed, her head buried in a book. She looked up, hearing James. "James!" She grinned, jumping up.

James laughed, pulling her into a hug. "Eh, what ya reading -you cute little bookworm, you?" he teased.

Rana giggled and burst into a grin. "Quidditch Through the Ages!"

James raised his eyebrows in amusement and laughed. "I should have known!"

Rana grinned cheekily. "Read with me?"

James laughed. "Rana! You know I hate reading!"

"But it's Quidditch!" She giggled.

James sighed. "Alright! But you just better keep quiet about this! How am I supposed to get girls to go out with me otherwise? I mean-I know I'm good-looking, but…"

Rana rolled her eyes at his arrogance and laughed. "Just be quiet and sit next to me."

James shook his head at Rana and sat against the wall, pulling Rana up next to him. She tilted her head, her eyes following the words, listening as he read aloud.

"Wronski Feint? I'll have to try that!"

"Rana! Only Ivan Krum has been able to pull that off in the last few years and he's a professional Quidditch player!"

Rana pouted. "Are you saying I couldn't do it?"

James sighed. "Of course not, my little Rani. I just…it's too risky---you could hurt yourself."

Rana pouted. "But…"

James narrowed his eyes. "Rana…"

Rana sighed. "Fine."

"Promise?" James looked at her.

"I promise."

James smiled and continued reading. Rana smiled, laying her head on his shoulder, listening to him read. One thing about Rana was that she had a tendency to drift off easily around James. His voice was just so relaxing and his presence so warm. Slowly, without warning, her eyes shut.

James stopped reading after noticing Rana had grown really quiet. He looked up at her, shaking his head, as she had fallen asleep against him again. He stayed still, not wanting to wake her and just sat thinking.

He looked up as the door opened and the girl from downstairs entered. She hid her laughter seeing Rana. Apparently Rana still fell asleep easily and looked just as adorable from when she had last seen her over a year ago. James looked at her questioningly.

"Anjuli," she smiled. "I knew Rana in India. I'm just visiting for a few days. I see Rana still tends to fall asleep." She chuckled. "You must be James Potter. Aditi has told me about you."

James tilted his head. Anjuli was pretty, he thought, just not as pretty as Rana. Breaking out of his thoughts, he smiled. "She tends to fall asleep on my shoulder a lot," he laughed.

Anjuli smiled. They looked really cute together, in a different way than Rishi and Rana had. Those two were brother-sister, but somehow, James and Rana seemed just so cute together in a very sweet way. James looked at Rana, brushing her hair away from her eyes. He didn't have the heart to disturb her.

"You can move her. She won't wake James. She's a pretty heavy sleeper. I'm rather shocked she isn't talking in her sleep." Anjuli smiled.

"Nah-it's okay." He chuckled. "I can tease her when she wakes up." He smirked.

Anjuli shook her head laughing. "Your choice. Come down when she wakes, yeah?"

James nodded and smiled as Anjuli made her way back downstairs. James sighed, looking through the book in boredom. He stared at the wall, his thoughts drifting to the coming year. James sighed. About an hour later, Rana stirred.

James smiled. "Well, good morning sleepyhead," he teased.

Rana lifted her head, blinking. She tilted her head at James, rubbing her eyes. James shook his head, grinning "Come on Rana. We have to go downstairs."

Rana nodded and allowed James to take her hand and lead her down the marble staircase. Her eyes widened, seeing Anjuli there in the living room. "Anjuli?"

Anjuli turned around and smiled. "Rana."

"Is it really you? What are you doing here? Did Rishi live?" She was talking a mile a minute.

James watched from the side. Rana had never really spoken about her past, but from what he gathered, it had been rather rough. He watched silently, not really knowing what he was supposed to say. He smiled when Anjuli opened up her arms and Rana ran into them. Anjuli was like her older sister.

Although everyone in India assumed Rishi and Rana would hook up, Rana had always believed one day Rishi and Anjuli would one day wed. Rishi was her brother in a sense-the one who took care of her. She looked up at Anjuli. Anjuli had grown. She would soon be an adult. Anjuli held Rana for a moment before letting go. She knelt down to her level.

"I don't know what happened to Rishi, Rana. He was taken in the riot and that's all that I remember. I wasn't there at the time. My family fled to Bangalore."

Rana frowned. "But he could still be alive? And what happened to your school?"

"He could be alive, but he could also be with his grandfather," she said gently. "And I ended up transferring to Bangalore School of Witchcraft & Wizardry for my last year."

Rana looked down. "I always thought you two would get married when you graduated."

Anjuli laughed. "I think you were the only one who thought so, but I'll tell you a secret- I thought so too. I'm holding onto hope that Rishi will come back to us. If he doesn't I'm sure he's here, just in another form…"

Rana slowly nodded. Anjuli smiled and hugged Rana quickly, kissing her on the head. "Now why don't you two go play and I can talk to your parents."

Rana nodded, grabbed James' hand, and ran outside.

James smiled and hopped onto his broom. The two tossed a Quaffle back and forth, shooting it through hoops. Rana loved the feel of the summer wind against her hair.

Suddenly James grabbed her and pulled her onto his broom, setting her in front of him. Rana giggled and James wrapped his arms around her waist. She controlled the broom, performing twists and turns, speeding up, and then slowing down. Anyone watching the two could clearly tell they had a very strong bond. James laughed as Rana performed a complicated figure eight. Rana was definitely the talented witch on a broom.

"Show-off," he teased.

Rana just replied to him by zooming higher into the air, dancing around the goal posts, and slowly descending, stopping in mid-air. James just shook his head, hiding a smile.

"Rana, James. Come inside, please," Aditi called from the ground.

Rana sighed and slowly landed. James got off the broom before helping Rana off. Rana picked up her broom, which had fallen to the ground, and dropped her broom into the shed before racing into the house, James behind her.

Anjuli smiled at the two. It was obvious they had a really strong bond. She chuckled.

"Into the kitchen you two. James, your mum just called via floo. She wants you home after you eat. Your friend Sirius appeared. I guess he ran away and is going to stay with you till school starts."

James nodded. "Okay."

Rana frowned. "Does this mean I won't see you till school?"

James laughed. "Of course not! You can come over anytime." He grinned.

Rana bit her lip. "But Sirius only likes to talk about girls…"

James laughed. "Well, he'll have to sacrifice that talk at times." He smirked. "You're one of my best friends."

Rana smiled and nodded before bounding into the kitchen and sitting at the table.

She breathed in the scent of spicy dhal and curried vegetables. Anjuli laughed. Rana loved to eat, but she just never seemed to gain a pound, which was typical of Indian girls, seeming they tended to have high metabolism. Rana dug in, chatting happily with James as she ate.

"I'm going to try out for Chaser!" She grinned.

James laughed. "Weren't you going to try out for Seeker?"

"Yes, but Kameko wants to try out for Seeker and I like both positions! What about you?"

"Chaser. There's already a Seeker on the team."

Rana smiled, tilting her head. "You know I won't let you win," she teased.

"I wouldn't expect you to. I won't let you either." He smirked.

"Good," she grinned, finishing up her rice.

James smiled, watching her eat. A few minutes later, the two had washed up and walked back out into the living room. James gave her a warm hug and kissed her on the head.

"See ya soon, Rani!" He grinned. Rana waved as he disappeared into the flames.

Rana smiled and bounded upstairs and into the library where she pulled out a book on Code Breaking. She grinned, settling down on the couch, reading about the history of Egypt.

A few hours later, Anjuli peeked into the library to see Rana curled up, reading.

"Rani? Time for bed."

Rana pouted, but nodded, slowly getting up and brushing her teeth. She changed into her night clothes and walked out of the bathroom, rubbing her eyes, sleepily. Anjuli smiled, lifted her up, and tucked her into bed. She sat on a chair next to Rana's bed. Anjuli knew Aditi always read to Rana at night. "What would you like to hear?"

"Could you tell me your own story? Like you used to?"

Anjuli smiled and nodded. She thought for a minute, before brushing some hair away from Rana's eyes and beginning a tale.

Once upon a time, in a little village, lived a beautiful princess.

"If she was a princess, why did she live in a village?"

"Well, her family always liked to live with the commoners. They felt they could help more." Anjuli smiled and then continued.

"Her name was Rana, which had the meaning of royalty. She was beautiful and kind. Now, Rana was no ordinary princess for she also descended from a line of wizards. She was a very powerful witch who could do wonders. One day her family decided to move across the country for a short time so that Rana could become educated in other communities. It was there she met a handsome boy. His name was James. Rana was very young and Prince James was betrothed to another. At the time, it didn't matter."

"You mean it mattered later? And was she still a princess? And you're using mine and James' names." She giggled.

Anjuli laughed. "Well, you told me to make up a story. I had to use real people and yes, it will matter later. You'll see. She's still a princess, but only back in India. In England, she's under the rule of another family. We'll call them the Potters."

Rana grinned. "Okay."

Anjuli smiled and continued.

"Now, the both of them became the best of friends. They did everything together. Ms. Sofia, his betrothed, became very jealous of their friendship for as the years passed, James' feelings for Rana were turning from friendship into love. He just couldn't stop thinking about her. Rana was everything Sofie was not. Sure, Sofie was beautiful, but so was Rana and to him, Rana's beauty far surpassed Sofie's. Rana was beautiful inside and out- loving, kind, sweet, giving, cute, playful, pure, and innocent. Sure Rana had her faults such as her temper and the fact she could be rather shy and insecure, but James loved everything about her.

Sofie often caught James staring at Rana when he thought no one was watching. Rana was very childlike, but that was one thing that drew James towards her and turned others away. Princess Sofie developed a hatred for Rana because James' attention always seemed to be on her. She swore to do anything to keep them apart, forcing James to spend all his time with her.

Rana herself had fallen in love with James, but she kept quiet; Rana was afraid of rejection and James was betrothed. Rana didn't want to lose his friendship. It had been weeks since she saw James and she missed him. James continually tried to move from Sofie. He knew he was betrothed, but he didn't like her at all. Sofie was possessive and keeping him away from Rana. One evening he caught Rana sitting by the lake and it looked like she had been crying.

With an unusual bout of anger, he pushed Sofie away and ran outside where he looked at Rana in all her beauty. Without thinking, he jogged up to her, took her in his arms, and kissed her. When James pulled away, Rana looked at him in wonder.

"I love you, my little Rani…my little princess. I don't care if I'm betrothed. Please tell me you'll become my queen."

Rana smiled. "And did they get married?"

Anjuli smiled. "Well, they had to deal with his parents and all that. But, I will let you decide."

"I think they did," Rana said sleepily

Anjuli smiled and kissed Rana's forehead as she drifted off to sleep. With a last look, Anjuli slowly left the room, shutting the door behind her.