Chapter 1: Meet James

Gypsy was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, hiding behind her curtain of brown hair as usual. She was clearly visible, though no one really cared to "see" her. She was watching the Potters, who were bickering with the Malfoys. One of the Potters, she noticed, was on the side with the Malfoys. He was the only Slytherin in the Potter family. Gypsy noticed, in her peripheral vision, her almost-friends the Weasleys and Teddy Lupin were making their way over, slowly but surely.
Lily Potter was getting angry at her brother, James Potter -- Gypsy could tell. Lily was also embarrassed; she clearly had a crush on Scorpius Malfoy, who was standing on his side, the Malfoy side. Lily's face was almost as red as her hair.
"James, just back off!" Gypsy heard her say.
James was apparently protective of Lily, his little sister. "Well Lily, I just don't want you frolicking with Malfoys! And, I don't approve of you liking one!" James was now standing up; Lily was still sitting down, cowering away from him.
Lily turned a brighter color red, and then Cassandra Malfoy spoke. "Hey, I don't approve of how you treat us Malfoys. Sev here hangs out with us all the time. We really aren't that bad, mind you."
When Gyspy heard this, she felt it was sort of her queue. She really didn't like the Malfoys. She pushed off from the wall, and at the moment she wasn't worried about hiding behind her hair. Her blue eyes were sparkling, but not with happiness, with fury. It seemed the Malfoys always lit a fuse in her.
She walked over to the drama, not caring about joining in it -- something that happened sparingly. She was not going to let that Cassandra go on thinking Malfoys "aren't that bad."
Scorpius was about to contribute, but Gypsy cut him off. "Not that bad? Not that bad? Your father was a Death Eater, he was on the Dark Side. He almost killed Dumbledore, whom I consider to be one of the greatest wizards of all time, and your dad was a prat! Oh, and his father, your grandfather, Lucius Malfoy, was in Azkaban! Your auntie Bellatrix was, too, and she was one of Voldemort's most dedicated servants! Need I say more?" Everyone had been startled of her presence, not having noticed her come over. Now they were all gaping at her like idiots. "Stop looking at me like that!" She snapped.
Gypsy was almost visibly steaming, and it looked like Cassie was just as mad. "No," Cassie spat through her teeth, "and you shouldn't say more. Oh, and emphasis on the almost on my dad and the killing of Dumbledore. My dad's not as bad as people say and think he is, and neither is my family!"
Scorpius was ready to get a word in. "I don't know, Cass, she's got a pretty good explanation," he said, smirking. "We really aren't as bad as you think." As bad as I think, Gypsy thought. Maybe you should've said as bad as I know.
Gypsy said, "Prove it," right as the Hogwarts express was pulling up. It was then that she noticed the others' facial expressions. Cassie was fuming, it seemed she got mad easily. Scor had a look of annoyance on his face. Lily's face was still bright red, and James looked awestruck. Albus's face looked like he felt awkward being there.
Gypsy turned on her heel to get on the train, noticing the Weasleys walking in front of her. She was walking slowly so that she could still hear what was going on behind her.
She felt their eyes on her as she was walking, and then she heard Scor. "Come on Lily, you can sit with us today. We'll save you the embarrassment of having to sit with that brother of yours."
Gypsy stopped and leaned against the train, looking over at the Potter/Malfoy group. Lily's face was ecstatic, and James was the red one now; he looked like he was about to explode. Albus now had a blank look on his face. Cassandra had her back to the rest of the group, and they (the Malfoys and Albus and Lily Potter) were walking over to board the train. When they passed her, Scorpius winked right at her, and she glared back. The others took no notice of the exchange.
Gypsy looked to her right when she felt a body next to her to see Teddy Lupin. "What's Lily doing with the Slytherins?" he asked.
Gypsy sighed. "It's kind of a long story, but put it this way. James Potter equals no Malfoys, and Albus just stands there--"
"Oh, teddy interrupted, "he goes by Severus, his middle name."
Gypsy rolled her eyes, "Okay. Well, Severus just stands there. Lily and James are arguing about the Malfoys, or so I think. Cassandra Malfoy says they aren't that bad. I step in because I don't like the Malfoys. Lily likes Scorpius Malfoy." She looked at him. "Do you get it?" She asked.
Teddy smiled sheepishly. "Not really, but-- oh look! There's Victorie. I need to go talk to her, but I'll see you in the Common Room. Bye Gypsy!" He ran off to meet up with her, and Gypsy walked over to an opening to get on the train.
She looked for an empty compartment, and found one near the middle of the train. She sat down and took out her "notebook," or so the muggles call it, and began to draw. She decided to draw a Hungarian Horntail in the middle of breathing fire.
She had just finished outlining it she she heard the door to her compartment open. She looked up to see James Potter, looking apologetic to have interrupted her. "Er, sorry to bother you, but can I sit in here? Everywhere else is -- well, not full, but not welcoming." He had said this right as a group of girls walked past, giggling and whispering to each other, and he glanced at them as if to make a point.
Gypsy studied him for a moment, and then remembered that he didn't like the Malfoys. "Sure, come on in." He came in and sat down,so Gypsy put her "notebook" back in her bag. "You're James, right?" He nodded. "I'm Gypsy."
"Nice name," said James.
"Thanks," she replied. Gypsy wasn't really good with small talk, so she waited for him to speak, looking awkwardly out the window. She could tell James felt awkward, too. After all, she wasn't one that people usually came up to and started talking with. He was messing with his jet-black hair, it looked like he was trying to flatten it -- or otherwise play with it.
"So," James started. "You don't like the Malfoys?"
Gypsy took a deep breath, ready to answer that question Loud and Clear. Finally, she thought. A question that I can really answer. She shook her hair back out of her face, and looked him straight in his gem-green eyes. "Didn't you hear my 'speech' at the station? I pretty much hate the Malfoys. I have another reason to dislike that that I didn't say at the station, though." She said. "They are pureblood brats who hate muggle-borns like me." James's eyes had widened a bit when she said she was muggle-born, and Gypsy's nostrils flared. "Do you have a problem with muggle-borns?"
He looked taken aback. "No, no! My godmother is muggle-born, and she's a genius. But I just thought, because you're so smart in magic, that you were a pureblood."
Gypsy was kind of touched, especially at how he knew she was good at magic, but then thought better. "That's a compliment, right? Because if it's not, then --"
"No, no!" He said again. "I mean, yes, it's a compliment. I guess I sort of... oddly worded it, but I wasn't insulting you." Gypsy could almost hear his next thought, which she knew would probably be:
And I wouldn't tell you if I was. Gypsy knew she was intimidating, but she hoped no one was really afraid of her.
"So," she said. "I was listening to you protect your sister from them. The Malfoys, I mean." She added. "Are you really protective of Lily?"
He thought for a moment, green eyes unfocused. Gypsy assumed he was thinking about Lily. He then sighed and answered, "Well, she tends to get into trouble. I don't want her involved with those miserly blokes the Malfoys. Yeah, I guess you could say I'm protective of her." He stopped, and it seemed like he was waiting for her to say something.
Gypsy smiled, something she did very rarely. "She's lucky to have a brother like you. Sometimes I wish I had someone that would be there to protect me. I'm the oldest of three-- and the only witch. I'm usually the one that has to do the protecting. But enough about me. I think this is the most I've ever talked -- especially about myself. So what classes are you taking this year as your O.W.L.s? You are in 5th year, right?" Gypsy was almost happy, blue eyes shining. She had finally found another person that she could talk to -- maybe even relate to.