Meet And Greet

Tap! Tap! Tap!

I felt my forehead flinch each time it was poked. I shifted my face to snuggle into my pillow more. I just wanted the annoying thing to go away.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

I decided to roll to the other side of my bed, but then I did not feel my bed. I was actually falling off the side of my mattress. My eyes sprang open as my body made contact with the floor. I groaned in confusion. Why am I falling on the floor?

"I think she might have died." a familiar voice floated into my thoughts and over the pounding in my head now.

"Ich bin nicht tot!" I growled. James chuckled, "Du bist ein Idiot, Arschloch."

"Sprache, Calesta." Fred said through a fit of laughter. I glared at him from the floor. He sent me a wink. James looked between us in sparkling curiosity.

"What'd she say?" James urged Fred to translate. It was annoying that there were two of them around that could understand when I switched to my mother language. I got away with much less.

"Which part?" Fred inquired seriously.

"All of it." James smirked down at me. He understood I said something vulgar, but they were words he had not heard come from my mouth so he did not recognize them as easily.

"She said, 'I am not dead!' and then followed it up with, 'You're an idiot, asshole.'" Fred translated smoothly. How much did he and Scorpius practice?

"I can speak for myself." I grumbled as I lifted my body from the floor, "Ich weiß , wie kann meine eigenen Worte , Arschloch zu verwenden."

"And on that note, I'm going to go get my trunk." Fred said with a very dark grin. He loved it when I spoke swear words. It was like he encouraged it.

"What did she say this time?!" James called after his cousin. I just laughed and returned to the bench to sit down. James glanced over at me with a wide grin, "What did you say?" I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"I said, 'I do know how to use my own words, asshole.'" I replied as Lily giggled next to me. Rose gave looked at me with reproach and Roxanne winked at me. Why does swearing entertain most of the Potter/Weasley clan?

"I do believe we are rubbing off on you, Manslayer." James said with a wink, "I came in here, not only to hear you call my cousin vile names, but to make sure you had everything ready for departure."

"How long was I asleep?" I asked as I stretched.

"Hours. I think you snored at one time or another." Lily answered as she rose to get her trunk down. James knocked her hands aside and proceeded to complete the chore for her.

"I do not snore!" I exclaimed with indignation. I felt my cheeks color in embarrassment.

"How would you know?" Lily said with a raised eyebrow. I sighed. Of course she would be the one to think logically.

"Fine. But remember, I am sleeping with you, Lily." I said with a smug smirk. She rolled her eyes.

"Here, Calesta." James interrupted our argument to hand me my trunk handle. I smiled gratefully at him and shifted it to the side, "We should be pulling up any minute. Mum is excited to meet you." I felt the blood rush from my face.

"Not again." Roxanne muttered. I tried to muster a glare to send her way, but my nerves won.

"Honestly, they don't expect you to be anything but a teenaged witch." Lily said softly. I closed my eyes and counted to ten slowly.

I heard someone leave the compartment as I continued my counting. I really needed to get some confidence in meeting new people. I saw the Potters and Weasleys day in and day out. Scorpius was never far away when I needed him. All the other students in my classes and in the Great Hall, I saw everyday. I knew their faces. But meeting new people was different. I did not know them and I did not know their features. It was gut wrenching to think that I would be introduced to new people. I just got used to the kids at school.

The compartment door slid open again and then I felt gentle hands cradle my face. I was on number nine and then ten. I opened my blue eyes slowly and was confronted with hazel eyes. Albus was peering at me like he was checking on my health. I tried to pull my face away from his, but his gentle hands held me firm. I blew a frustrated puff of air out my nose and narrowed my eyes. He responded by smirking at me. I was not sick!

"No fever. No red in her eyes from crying. No cough. Are you sure she is unwell?" he turned to his brother.

"She went pale and looked about to vomit on my shoes, I am sure she is sick." James responded with an amused lilt in his voice. I rolled my eyes before Albus returned to his examination.

"Hmmm...are you sick, Calesta?" he tried to sound serious, but I heard the laughter under his tone.

"No." I said with an edge.

"Good. Are you feeling better?" he murmured as his hands trailed along my jaw, releasing me from his grasp.

"Yes." I replied, my skin tingling where his hands had been. I swallowed the blush trying to form on my cheeks. What the hell was that?

"Good. Still a soft voice and a pretty face." Albus commented as he sat beside me. I ran a hand through my multi-colored locks. I gasped as a thought sprang into my mind.

"Oh Gods! My hair! What will they say about my hair? I haven't even told my parents about my hair." I gulped. I had not the heart to explain to my parents that my hair had been permanently charmed. I could not handle the hurt since my hair had always been on of their favorite features. It was the same brilliant blonde as my mother's. My father loved that I had been blessed with her golden locks.

"Nothing." James said, "I told mum about the mishap. She was intrigued what kind of magic Roxy had used to do such a thing."

"I didn't do it on purpose! They were standard charms that Molly had found. We had fun changing our hair for an afternoon in the library." Roxanne exclaimed and threw her hands in the air. I felt bad for her. She clearly had not meant to turn my hair into the unnatural colors. I loved them. Albus had been right; they gave me an edgier look. And it soon grew on me.

"I don't blame you." I said quietly. Roxanne looked at me and offered a small smile. She knew that, but everyone else liked to tease her.

I felt the train come to a stop. I looked out the window, leaning towards Albus. I saw the station and it was filled with parents, anxiously waiting for their children to depart. I drew in a slow breathe to calm the panic trying to present itself in my chest. I will not be nervous! These people raised three kind and caring children for heaven's sake! They are obviously good and honest people. One of them killed a terrible beast trying to control the world through fear and hatred!

"Come on, Albus! We need to gather the other boys and grab our trunks." James called before he disappeared from the doorway.

"I'll see you ladies in a few minutes." Albus said before he rose from the bench. I watched him leave the compartment. A cough caught my attention. I focused my gaze on Rose as she smiled knowingly at me.

"How is it that Albus is the only to calm you?" she inquired as she, too, stood to grasp the handle of her trunk. I fought the second blush that tried to color my cheeks. I will not be embarrassed.

"He doesn't sugarcoat everything." I replied simply. Rose winked at me as she pulled her trunk from the compartment. Lily giggled softly.

"Come on, let's go meet up with my parents." she said happily.

We joined the line that was forming to leave the train. I followed Lily as we moved slowly through the train. I did not want to get lost on the platform. It would not do to spend my holiday alone at King's Cross. That would be more terrible than being stuck at Hogwarts alone. I shuddered at that thought.

I stepped smoothly down to the platform. I realized it would be nearly impossible to get lost since I saw the older version of Lily standing next to a man with black hair that stuck up in the back like James and Albus. He had rounded glasses and sparkling green eyes. James and Albus strongly resembled their father while Lily was a carbon copy of her mother. It would be very hard to miss the charismatic couple in the crowd.

I walked tentatively forward, waiting for Lily to be done greeting her parents. I did not have to wait long because I felt an arm drape across my shoulders as James urged me to walk faster. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of Harry and Ginny Potter. I kept breathing so I would no pass out.

"Greetings mother and father! This is Calesta Manslayer!" James exclaimed proudly and loudly. I felt my cheeks flush, unable to stop the color from invading my face. Mrs. Potter broke out in a wide grin and Mr. Potter nodded his head politely my way.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter." I said politely. I felt a smile curve my lips. I tugged my right hand from where James had trapped it and held it to shake Mr. Potter's hand.

"It is very nice to meet you, Miss Manslayer." Mr. Potter took my hand gently and gave it a small shake. We released each other and I turned to shake hands with Mrs. Potter.

Before I knew what happened, Mrs. Potter had me in a tight squeeze. I felt my back stiffen unconsciously and did not know what to do. James poked the back of my right arm and I brought it up to return the embrace loosely. Mrs. Potter must have found it satisfactory because she released me from her hold and held me at arms length. I found myself staring into cinnamon colored eyes.

"My, you are as pretty as James said!" she said with a twinkle in her eyes. I felt the color in my cheeks spread to the roots of my hair. Oh Gods! This was embarrassing.

"Mum!" James hissed. I fixed him with a glare and he just shrugged his shoulders at me. I saw the hint of pink in his cheeks though. Good! I was not the only one feeling it.

"Love, I think you should release the girl so we can bring them all home to settle in." Mr. Potter gingerly pulled his wife away from me. Lily was laughing behind her hand and Albus was looking amused, but apologetic.

"I have a roast in the oven waiting for us. Do you like roast, Miss Manslayer?" Mrs. Potter looked excited.

"It is Calesta, Mrs. Potter. And I love roast." I replied and felt my face start to cool off. The twinkle had never left her eyes and it only got bigger.

"We will call you Calesta only if you call us Harry and Ginny." she ordered with a gentle smile. I returned it.

"Let's go eat!" James practically yelled.

This was going to be interesting.

A/N: Potter Parents! I am soo excited about meeting the Weasleys! Who's with me?!

Henny, that lucky Penny!