CHAPTER 1 (part 1)
Chocolate Frogs and The Stereotype Contest
Anastasia Fox stood alone in Kings Cross trying to politely shove past the crowd of families, mothers and fathers giving their kids hugs and sad " I love yous" waiting to see their daughters and sons off to the start of a new school year after the six week holiday.
Ana, in contrast to the majority of students who had whole trolleys full of belongings with them, was only carrying two small olive suitcases in her hand one filled with clothes, and the other heavy with her school books.
Entering the warm train differing from the already cool weather of what seemed to be an early fall making her way through the narrow walkway pushing through students in the same pursuit to find their friend they missed over the summer.
Ana knew exactly where to go, a compartment toward the end of the train that was since her first year reserved for a group of four boys and the occasional fox.
Opening the door to the compartment. Ana was met with the scene of James holding Peter in a headlock mumbling something about 'getting her to go out with me' , Sirius cheering James on and Remus throwing jelly beans he had stolen from Peter at the three with a tattered book laying in his lap.
Sirius was the first to notice her presence. Whistling loudly "Foxy look at you finally living up to that last name huh?" he stated taking in Anastasia's new look.
Ana smirked at this; it was true over the summer she had grown into her shape and lost the baby fat along with a much needed bronze to her usual pale skin. Fox had also discovered muggle fashion and took it upon herself to go to the closest second hand store to look like the average muggle 70s girl.
"Hello Boys" Ana greeted the four taking in their appearances each of them all with new found tans.
James was sporting a new haircut that was well needed after refusing to cut his hair all fourth year to scared to have anyone but his mother do it for him, Sirius looking all too cocky and stupidly handsome in a leather jacket. Peter looked just the same as he had every year since first year. Remus although looked the most different to Ana, his hair had gotten longer and she could tell even with him sitting down the boy had gone through another growth spurt with an addiction to his already impressive height. He also has a new scar still inflamed that looked no more than a week old running across his nose.
" Sirius, James, Peter... Lupin" acknowledging all the boys with nods and a big smile.
Remus was being anything but subtle with his eyes locked in on Ana they had been since he heard Sirius's whistle moments before. Remus had decided over the break he would not allow himself to have any thoughts about the blonde gryffindor trying to lessen his feelings for the girl. But his stare was obvious the second he saw her all his work was out the door.
" Annie!" James said, standing up hugging the girl, taking her suitcases and putting them on the shelf above their seats. Ana thanked him with a sloppy kiss on the cheek. James glared at her playfully rubbing his cheek as if to clean the of her lips from him.
"Aww Fox, where's my kiss?" Sirius whined with a sarcastic pouting leaning forward toward Anastasia. She pushed him back, rolling her eyes while sitting in the only open seat next to Remus, which caused the boy to tense immediately, quickly putting his head in some period piece romance novel.
"How was everyone's summer?" Ana asked settling into her seat. Taking a small glance at Remus taking notice of lack of interacting with the others after her presence was added.
"Oh you know, the same old heir to the Black fortune disappointing son activities." Sirius joked with a fake smile. Down playing how horrible his reality was with the time he spent away from Hogwarts.
"My summer was pretty good. Mum got this new cat and it's eating n' tearing up all my plants." Peter stated looking mad when mentioning the new addiction to his home.
"Annie already knows how my summers been." James stated proudly
"Whys that, been exchanging letters with Fox given up on Lily moved onto Foxy.'' Sirius joked watching James' expression turned horrified at the disrespect to his loyalness to a certain red head.
"No, James has not given up on his lovely Lily flower, couldn't stop talking about her the whole time I was with the bloke." Ana chimed in before James could yell at Sirius for his comment.
"Yeah! Me and Annie got to go see a quidditch match last weekend between the Chudley Cannons and the Falmouth Falcons. It was wicked." James excitedly said, quickly forgetting about the glare he was supposed to be sending to Sirius when he was reminded of quidditch.
"He practically dragged me there claiming I was his last resort, which is rude, might I add James" Ana smiled even though her words were supposed to sound disapproving to Potter.
"Yeah yeah Annie,... well Sirius obviously couldn't come, Peter hates watching quidditch and Remus was err... sick" James said not looking guilty at his past claim at all, only faltering in his tone at his explanation to Remus's excuse for not accompanying him.
Remus had honestly not been reading at all, rather listening into the conversation grimacing at James' mention of his 'sickness'. His head shot over to his left as he heard the girl he was trying so hard to look nonchalant around addressed him.
"And Lupin your Holidays?" Ana was looking at him with a small and her bottom lip slightly tucked into her teeth, her blue eyes watching, holding his stare hoping for an actual reply and not Remus' usual short words he would give her.
"It was... uh" The Welsh boy pursing his lips diverting his eyes and landing on James who was biting his knuckles trying not to laugh at Remus's surprised look and stammering words. "Gooood" Remus replied, stringing out the o sound for a second too long and cringing at his pronunciation. Luckily it was quickly forgotten and the five all settled talking about their plans for the school year.
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"I'll give you two of my sugar quills for a chocolate frog" Ana bribed Peter with the candy she had bought moments before. Knowing the boy loved sugar quills and with the few sickles she had managed to buy them instead of the more expensive chocolate frog which she actually wanted.
"Okay Ana, but you can't steal back one of them like last time" Peter stated, still holding a grudge on the girls past theft.
Remus felt Anastasia reach across his lap putting her hand on the other side of his legs, her wrist resting on her his thigh, the other hand grabbing a chocolate frog from Peter's large stash and sneaking back one of sugar quills that was just given to the blonde boy and placing it in Remus's hand sending him a subtle wink. The boy's eyes were wide and felt his ears go up in temperature causing blood rush to his cheeks, which already had a scarlet blush. Ana pulled back leaning into him an inch closer than before, taking the sugar quill out his palm and placing it in the linings of her shorts all while watching Remus's eyes dance around her movements. Lupin turned away quickly back to his book. No one had noticed he had not flipped the page once since Anastasia had entered only mindlessly reading the same lines over again but never grasping the words.
Moments later Remus felt something land on his check startling him from the unexpected touch. Anastasia's chocolate frog she had just opened up had jumped right onto his cheek. A small gasp was admitted from her mouth. Feeling embarrassed she had managed to bother the boy she wanted so much to not annoy like Ana perceived she was always doing to him.
Not thinking straight, she grabbed the chocolate frog off his face and with her other hand wetting her thumb with her tongue whipping Remus's cheek spuing out little apologies until the boy pulled away slightly much redder than before muttering a small "Its, okay".
"Here you can have it if you want. You like chocolate a lot right?" Ana's palm opened presenting the now still chocolate frog. Remus's face scrunched up. He was slightly anal about his chocolate choices or at least that's what Sirius would call him. Remus claimed these frogs weren't "real" chocolate and some cheap american kind which he surely didn't like. Besides, he preferred dark chocolate over milk.
"No, No, keep it." He coughed out awkwardly holding up his own half eaten chocolate bar, trying to send Ana a grateful smile but with his already crooked grin it looked more like a grimace in the girl's eyes.
"Alright then" popping the chocolate frog into her mouth, not offended by Lupin's rejection, chewing and swallowing it before standing up.
"Well boys better get changed into my robes, see you lot at the feast" Ana said grabbing her lighter suitcase turning to leave before a hand rested on her wrist.
"Oi, Fox we all gotta change too I can come with you help you get undressed.... and of course redressed, besides I suck at tying those bloody ties. Think you could help me?" Sirius mused out wiggling his eyebrows, blind to the glare Remus was giving him.
"Yeah! Sure Black I was planning on changing in the girls compartment you know with Lily. I am sure James wouldn't mind one bit." Ana offered giggling as Sirius' smirk dropped.
"I would mind very much, a lot actually. There is no way you are stepping anywhere near that compartment you perv. Actually Annie let me come with you. I'll stand watch making sure no one tries anything." James stood up fully ready to follow Ana pointing an accusing hand at Sirius like he was a dog being told to stay put.
"No, no you are all staying put, gosh sit down James." Anastasia laughed out, sighing at the boy's clear hero complex.
"Oh, and Sirius." Watching Black raise his eyebrows in acknowledgement, as she opened the door.
"Such a shame I won't get any help changing" Ana smirked with a fake pout before closing the door and starting her way up the rows of compartments to find the girls, shaking her head hearing Sirius yell a playful "Tease!" out toward the retreating girl.
Authors note:
First part done cunts. Hope you liked it sorry if there is any grammar errors I am a fully diagnosed dyslexic so..... tell me about them if they are there (they are somewhere) I'll go fix them. Again this story is for fun.
If you want to contact me : freddiemercuryscat1 @ gmail.com
Stream seven by Taylor Swift
(quietly though I am a gate keeper for life)
DATE: January 31st, 2023