I spun around on my heel, fully ready to yell at him for that nickname, again, but then I saw him.

Oh my good Lord there is no way that can be James Potter, I thought to myself as I took in his form.

He had grown impossibly taller since I had last seen him. Not by much, but now there must have been a foot in height difference between us. He was also tan, and he was more ripped than ever. I wondered idly what his workout regimen must be. Not to mention his hair was shaggier and longer, and I found myself wanting to run my hands through it.

His eyes, oh God his eyes, twinkled at me as he flashed a smile. "Miss me?"

I opened my mouth, and tried to force myself to talk. "I, I – No."

His smile grew even wider. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"

I spluttered. "Wha – I, NO! For your information I am in shock that you allowed your younger sister to jump from a moving train."

His grin shrank, but not by much. Suddenly, however, he was shoved aside. "LINNY!"

And with that I was engulfed in a hug. "Al?"

He grinned at me. "I grew!"

I snorted. Al, who had been the same height as me, was now a head taller than me. "I noticed," I remarked dryly.

"I have to thank you, Lin!" He hugged me again. Thank God he was still lanky, otherwise I'd have a few broken bones at this rate. "I got 'Exceeds Expectations' on all my OWLs!"

I smacked his arm. "Shut up!"

He laughed as he pulled me into another hug and spun me around. "No, I really did! I'm going to become an Auror!"

I laughed as he set me down. "I told you!"

James coughed from behind us. I turned to him. "Yes?"

He blushed and glanced down at his shoes. "I just – I wanted to thank you, too. For encouraging him."

I blushed, and Albus laughed. "Don't get mushy on me, James! What on Earth's gotten into you?"

James scowled. Jane cut him off before he could retort. "What are we, chopped liver?" She pointed to herself and the girls indignantly.

Al smiled and rushed over to hug her. James just looked at me, and looked like he was going to say something, but was cut off yet again. "LIN!"

I went flying as something ran into me. I groaned as I hit the floor. I sat up in a daze. "What the hell?"

Hugo shoved his face in front of mine. "Did you have a good summer?"

I scowled. "Did you knock me over?"

He looked guilty. "Sorry."

I just shook my head. "Help me up." I stood up, and promptly sat down again. "Jesus. Stop growing!" I wailed.

Hugo laughed as he helped me up again. I was now shorter than him, too, though not by much. And he used to come up to my chin. "Nice to see you, too."

"Did your mother sneak you a growing potion?" I demanded as I sat down at the table.

He laughed, and was about to respond, but Rose cut him off with an elbow to the ribs. "Shut it, Hugh. It's the first years."

We all seated ourselves properly and watched the Sorting Ceremony. My mouth dropped open as the Hat began to sing.

It must have stayed open for a while because soon there was a gentle finger snapping it shut. I glanced at the person sitting to my right to thank them, but my jaw nearly dropped again. James Potter was looking at me with a gentle look on his face.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I should be disgusted, or something. I should have felt anything but warm and woozy inside. I gulped and noticed how his face was getting closer and closer to mine. I tilted my face sideways and…

A round of applause made me jump and all but land in Carly's lap, who had been sitting on my left. She snorted. "I know I'm irresistible, but can you please wait until after dinner to try and get sexual satisfaction?"

I blushed and moved back to my seat. I looked down at my plate, which was now full of food. I nibbled, but I didn't have an appetite anymore. I was too busy arguing with myself.

Hormones, that's all it is. After all, you haven't been thoroughly snogged since Kyle, and that was months ago. I was mildly concerned that my subconscious was now British.

Jesus, who cares? LOOK AT THAT MAN. He is HOT. And he likes you. He even SAID so.

I cringed. Great, I now home two voices in my head.

SHUT UP! They argued.

He must have done something over the summer. He looks different.

Or maybe he's just always looked this way but you've never noticed.

I groaned. I don't care!

"Lin?"

My eyes snapped up. Jane was looking at me with concern. "You don't care about what?"

I blushed. Damn it. "I don't care about… what my parents are doing right now!" I lied. "I was just wondering about what they would be up to now…"

I trailed off. I was a horrible lair. Jane looked unconvinced, as did everyone else around me, but they accepted it. I sighed with relief.

Jane kept an eye on me for the rest of the night, and finally managed to pull me aside in the crowd. She dragged me into an alcove while the rest of the crowd kept moving.

"What the hell, Jane?" I whined. "I'm tired."

"What was up at dinner?" she asked suspiciously, ignoring my protests.

"I was just, uh, distracted." I shrugged, not meeting her eyes. I was afraid she would see the truth in them.

"It was James Potter, wasn't it?" I looked at her sharply. Apparently she didn't have to see my eyes to know.

"Shut up!" I tugged at my hair in panic. "Don't tell!"

She smiled. "I won't. "

"He just looked so different." I pounded my head against the wall. I. Do. Not. Like. Potter.

She giggled. "Well, we all do, silly."

I looked at her. "We don't."

She sighed. "Your hair is lighter, and you're tanned. Georgie and Rose grew two inches apiece, and Carly's gone up a size in bras, while Lily finally got something to put in them!" She paused and looked down at herself. "Though you're right about me. I think I'm going to be like this for a while."

I looked green. "We're old."

She smacked my head. "It's called growing up, idiot."

I shook myself mentally. "What am I going to do about Potter?"

Jane laughed as she led me upstairs. We were now alone. "That, my dear, is up to you."