Brittany Potter looked over at her adoptive brother Harry Potter as they settled down in the train compartment.

  “Ready for another year?” He asked. She grinned.

  “Of course. You?”

  “Stupid question. It’s good to be going home.” She nodded in agreement.

  “Agreed.” She sighed as she leaned against the window watching the scenery fly by. The compartment door slid open and they turned to see Hermione Granger coming in, followed by Ron Weasley.

  “Hey guys,” Hermione greeted them, flopping down next to Brittany. Ron sat down next to Harry opposite them.

  “Hey,” Harry and Brittany chorused. The four of them lost themselves in easy conversation as the train to Hogwarts darted through the countryside.

 

  Brittany Potter is not blood related to Harry Potter – she was adopted. She was originally Brittany Stanforth, and her parents were Aurors. They were close friends with James and Lily Potter, and the two couples made a deal: if anything was to happen to the Stanforths, the Potters would take Brittany in and raise her as their own, and if anything was to happen to the Potters then the Stanforths would take Harry in and raise him as their own.

  Brittany’s parents died when she was a three weeks old, a baby. They were killed by Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War, and so Brittany was taken in by the Potters. Then, when they were killed by Voldemort himself, Brittany was adopted by the Dursleys – the Dursleys had been told that they had no choice but to take Brittany in, whether she was related to them by blood or not.

  Luckily, Brittany gets on slightly better with the Dursleys than Harry does, never rising to their snide comments and such.

 

  “Oh crap, I forgot I have to go to whatever this Slug Club is,” Harry said suddenly. Brittany frowned, trying to remember. And then she did.

  “Oh yeah! Have fun,” she teased cheerfully. He rolled his eyes and grinned before standing up and leaving the compartment.

  “Rather him than me,” Ron said, stuffing a Chocolate Frog into his mouth.

  “What card did you get?” Brittany asked him. He looked at the card from his Chocolate Frog box and swallowed before saying,

  “Dumbledore, again!” She laughed at his frustration, and Hermione joined her.

ÏŸ

  The train began to slow down as it neared Hogwarts. Brittany looked at Hermione and Ron.

  “Harry never came back.” They exchanged glances, too.

  “Maybe Slughorn kept them longer than they expected?” Hermione suggested, but even she didn’t seem convinced.

  “I’m going to look for him,” Brittany said, standing up. “Meet you guys in the Great Hall if I’m not back?” They both nodded. She left the compartment and made her way through the train. She glanced into every compartment but still couldn’t find Harry. She finally found Slughorn, but he was alone in his compartment. Brittany slid open the door and he looked up in surprise.

  “Excuse me, Professor, but do you know where I might find my brother?” She asked tentatively.

  “Brother?”

  “Harry Potter.”

  “Oh! No, I’m afraid I don’t, my dear girl. Harry left about an hour ago when my Slug Club ended!” Brittany frowned.

  “Oh. Okay. Thanks, Professor.” She backed out of the compartment and started back the way she’d come before he could say anything else. She came to the other end of the train, which had come to a halt by this point and students were filing out, the noise making it impossible for her to hear herself think properly. She instinctively wrapped her hand around her wand, making sure it was still safely in the back pocket of her jeans. She still hadn’t found Harry. Maybe he’s already off the train, she thought, trying to calm her nerves. He’s fine, Britt, don’t worry.

ÏŸ

  Brittany was sitting in the common room, nervously perched on the edge of one of the armchairs, when Hermione, Ron and Harry came in. She hadn’t gone to dinner; she was so worried about Harry. She rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist as if he were afraid she’d leave.

  “Harry, what happened?!”

  “We’re waiting to find that one out, too,” Ron piped up.

  “Let’s sit down,” Harry said, pulling away but keeping an arm protectively around Brittany’s waist. Ron stole the armchair she had previously occupied and Hermione sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the fire while Harry and Brittany sat down on the plush red sofa. They all look to him, waiting. He took a deep breath and launched into the story of what he heard the Slytherins saying and then about the incident between him and Draco Malfoy. Brittany’s fists balled up in anger. She stood and began to pace about the common room. Harry, Ron and Hermione were deep in conversation about it but Brittany couldn’t stop thinking about how much she hated Draco bloody Malfoy. She heard voices coming through the portrait opening, but didn’t pay much attention.

  “Hey there, pretty girl,” she heard an Irish accent behind her and smiled instantly. She turned and saw Seamus Finnigan smiling at her cheekily.

  “Hey yourself,” she replied. He bounded over to her and enveloped her in a tight embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her close, his hands resting on her hips. He breathed in deeply as he nuzzled his face into her hair. She smiled and blushed, glad he couldn’t see it.

  “Can I talk to you?” He whispered.

  “Uh huh,” she mumbled in reply. He pulled her out of the common room and led her through the corridors of Hogwarts.

2: Sixth Year (Part Two)

  “Seamus, we shouldn’t be out of the common room,” Brittany said. He turned to her, took her hand in his and held a finger to her lips, silencing her instantly.

  “Hush,” he whispered and they began walking again. They walked for a few minutes until they reached a classroom.

  “Alohomora,” Seamus whispered, pointing his wand at the keyhole. The door creaked open and the two Gryffindors went inside. Seamus closed the door quietly behind them and then stood in front of her. He took both of her hands in his and she noted that the distance between their faces wasn’t much. Her heart began to beat faster and louder. Can he hear it? She thought.

  “Brittany,” he said nervously.

  “Seamus,” she said. He laughed slightly, his nerves evident.

  “I missed you over the summer. Each time my owl arrived at the window I got excited, hoping it was a letter from you,” he said. Brittany could swear her heart skipped a beat. Does he feel the same way? Suddenly, he leaned in and his lips met hers. She responded immediately; her daydream was finally a reality. After a few minutes’ snogging session, they pulled apart. He leaned his forehead against hers, breathless.

  “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he said. Brittany blinked slowly.

  “I’ve waited a long time for you to do that,” she said, giggling. His arms slid around her waist underneath her Muggle jacket and pulled her close.

  “Brittany Potter, will you be my girlfriend?” He whispered into her ear. She pulled away and kissed his nose.

  “I most certainly will, Seamus Finnigan!” She replied, grinning. He grinned and leaned in to kiss her again.

ÏŸ

  “Where have you two been?” Hermione said as Seamus and Brittany entered the common room. Then she spied their intertwined hands and gasped.

  “Aww! Seamus and Brittany are dating?!” Harrys head snapped up and he grinned at the couple.

  “It’s about bloody time!” Ron exclaimed.  Harry nodded in agreement. Brittany blushed and hid behind Seamus.

  “Aw, you two are just too cute!” Hermione squealed. Seamus chuckled and pulled Brittany in front of him, wrapping his arms around her waist. She giggled.

  “Brittany!” Hermione called. Brittany turned in Seamus’ arms.

  “Yeah?” Hermione grinned.

  “You going to bed yet?” She asked. Brittany considered this. Hermione was only saying it so that she could corner her and ask what happened with Seamus. Brittany shrugged.

  “Yeah, don’t wanna be too sleepy for the first day tomorrow,” she said. She turned again and kissed Seamus on the nose. “Nighty night.” He pouted.

  “You missed.”

  “Aw.” She grinned at him. He leaned in and caught her lips quickly. He held her close as they kissed, until they were rudely interrupted by someone coughing. Brittany broke away from Seamus and glared at Ron, who laughed at her.

  “Oh, we forgot to mention Britt: Snape’s teaching D.A.D.A this year because Professor Slughorn has taken up his old position as Potions teacher,” Harry said. She practically gagged.

  “Snape is teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts?!” She almost yelled. She winced when she saw Seamus rubbing his ear out of the corner of her eye. “Sorry,” she added to him, lowering the volume of her voice. He smiled at her and her insides melted.

  “S’okay,” he replied. Brittany looked at Harry again.

  “Please tell me you’re kidding?” When he shook his head, she groaned. “But he hates me, meaning I’m going to fail it.” She leaned back against Seamus, and his arms around her waist tightened slightly.

  “Of course you won’t,” he whispered in her ear. She bit her lip to stop her from smiling at how close he was.

  “Okay lovebirds, say goodnight!” Hermione said, her eyes sparkling with impatience. Brittany giggled.

  “Don’t give them more excuses to stand there swapping spit!” Dean Thomas spoke up from across the room. Seamus shot him a glare.

  “Actually, I agree with that. It’s almost enough to put me off my food,” Ron said. Hermione snorted.

  “Oh, please. Nothing can put you off your food, Ronald Weasley!” She exclaimed.

  “Actually, I agree with that,” Brittany mimicked the formal tone Ron had used a moment before. They all laughed as Ron’s ears went pink.

  “What’s funny?” Neville appeared at the foot of the stairs that led to the boys’ dormitory.

  “Nothing!” Ron said quickly, flattening his hair over his ears. Hermione walked forward and grabbed Brittany’s hands, pulling her away from Seamus and towards the stairs to the girls’ dormitory. As they ascended up the stairs, Brittany turned, blew a kiss to Seamus – who pretended to catch it and put it in his pocket – and called,

  “Goodnight everyone!”

  “Night!” Everyone who was in the common room called up to her. She grinned. She loved being in Gryffindor.

  “Tell me everything!” Hermione squealed as soon as the door shut behind them. Brittany sat cross legged on her bed and Hermione mirrored her actions on her own bed. She looked at Brittany expectantly, folding her hands in her lap. Brittany smiled as she remembered being in the empty classroom with Seamus. She looked back at Hermione and told her everything that had happened. She ‘Oooh-ed’ and ‘Ahhh-ed’ and ‘Aww-ed’ in all the right places, and demanded to know whether or not he was a good kisser. When Brittany told her yes, he was, she replied with,

  “I thought as much, judging by the way you two were going at it.” She grinned knowingly at Brittany, who blushed, giggling. The door opened and the other two girls who shared the dormitory with them walked in.

  “Brittany, are you dating Seamus?” Lavender Brown squealed, sitting beside her. Brittany nodded and smiled at her.

  “Yay! It was always so obvious that you liked each other, it was only a matter of time!” She said.

  “You are just too cute together,” Pavarti Patil piped up, sitting on the floor beside her trunk and opening it. Brittany grinned at her and stood up. She walked over to her trunk which is at the end of her bed. With a flick of her wand it’s open and the contents are already flying to their places.

  “Briiiittanyyy...” Pavarti grinned at Brittany hopefully. Brittany rolled her eyes and flicked her wand in the direction of Pavarti’s trunk, which caused her belongings to be put where they should be. Brittany looked to Hermione and Lavender.

  “Want me to do yours, too?” She asked. Lavender nodded but Hermione shook her head. Brittany flicked her wand towards Lavenders trunk and then placed it on her bed. She looked at Hermione who was examining her wand closely.

  “S’up, Mione?” Brittany asked, using the nickname she’d given her shortly after they became friends in our first year. She looked up and smiled.

  “Nothing,” she said brightly. “Just glad to be back. I hate not being able to use magic during the holidays.” Brittany nodded in agreement and watched Hermione flick her wand at her trunk, remembering when she taught her how to do that in their third year. Her things flew to their respectable places and she stood, slipping out of her robes in the process. After sharing a dorm together for five years, the girls didn’t mind changing in front of each other. Brittany picked up my makeshift pajamas – a black tank top and dark grey trackies – and began changing out of her clothes. Pavarti and Lavender followed suit.

3: Sixth Year (Part Three)

  Once changed, Brittany sat down on her bed and levitated a mirror in front of her. She pulled her thick black hair from its band and let it fall dead straight down her back. She brushed it quickly before putting the brush and the mirror away and putting her fluffy socks on.

  “Be right back,” Brittany called to the girls before picking up her wand and rushing out of the door. She raced down the stairs into the common room which was now deserted bar a couple of seventh years who paid no attention to her as she darted up the stairs to the boys’ dormitory. They were used to her spending time in the boys’ room, plus they knew they could never stop her from going up there no matter how hard they tried. She stopped at the door to catch her breath and listened to them walking around and talking, discussing their holidays and arguing about who got to eat which sweet. Brittany raised her hand to knock on the door before she heard her name.

  “Seamus is thinking about Britt again!”

  “Oh crap, that better not be why his bed curtains are closed!”

  “Ron that’s gross, she’s my sister!”

  “She’s his girlfriend!”

  “He wouldn’t do that when he shares a room with me!”

  “Ron that is pretty disgusting.”

  “Yeah, well, you were all thinking it.”

  “I wasn’t!”

  “Guys, I wasn’t thinking about her like that! Although...”

  “Finnigan, I will kill you.”

  “I know Potter, I was kidding.” Brittany giggled to herself and decided against knocking. She turned the handle and pushed the door open.

  “No one better be naked!” She said as she walked in, covering her eyes with her hand. “Is it safe?” She heard Harry chuckle.

  “Yeah it’s safe, Britt.” She let her arm fall to her side again before closing the door behind her.

  “Good.” The bed nearest to her belonged to Neville, and she sat cross-legged atop the soft duvet.

  “Everything alright?” Neville asked. Brittany looked at him and smiled.

  “Yeah.”

  “How come you didn’t sit on your boyfriend’s bed?” Dean piped up from his bed by the window. She shrugged.

  “This one was closest.”

  “Well Seamus might feel a little abandoned.” She looked over at Seamus who had a slight pink tint to his cheeks. He pouted at her and she giggled, before lifting herself up and walking over to his bed. She sat down next to him but he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into his lap.

  “I can’t stay long anyway,” she said. She looked to Ron, who was glaring at his trunk as though it were his worst enemy.

  “Ron doesn’t want to unpack his trunk,” Harry explained, noticing his sister’s curious expression. Brittany’s mouth formed an O shape. Ron looked at her and shrugged.

  “I can never be bothered to unpack mine,” she said.

  “Then why do you do it?” Ron asked. She grinned.

  “Because if I leave it all in there, there’s a good chance things will get wrecked. Plus–” She said before picking up her wand and flicking it towards Ron’s trunk. It flew open and the contents emptied themselves into the air. His normal clothes all folded themselves and sank back into the trunk, followed by socks and underwear, ready for when he needed to wear them. His books went on the shelves next to his bed, along with any other school supplies, such as parchment, ink and quills. Everything else went to where it was supposed to be. The trunk lid snapped shut, and Ron’s folded school robes rested on top, ready to be worn tomorrow. “–I know how to get it done quickly.” The boys all stared at her open mouthed, with the exception of Harry. She grinned at them all, giggling at the expressions.

  “Close your mouths, boys. Don’t want to be catching flies with your tonsils now, do you?” She said. She felt Seamus’ thumb rub circles onto the fabric covering her stomach.

  “Can you unpack mine, Britt?” Seamus whispered cheekily into her ear. Brittany giggled.

  “What did your last slave die of?” She joked.

  “She’s not dead yet,” Harry piped up. She shot him a glare and he grinned.

  “I think you should do mine, too,” Dean hinted. Neville nodded in agreement.

  “And Harry's, seeing as he’s your brother,” Ron said. Brittany folded her arms across her chest.

  “Were none of you brought up with manners?”

  “Please?” Seamus whispered before placing a gently kiss on her shoulder, causing her to shiver. The other three boys all said please in turn and Brittany sighed in defeat. She flicked her wand four times and, after a quick storm of books and clothes, their things were sorted.

  “Thank you Britt! Love you!” Neville called across the room.

  “Love you, too, Neville!” She called back, waving.

  “So, was there any reason you came up here, Britt?” Harry asked.

  “Not really,” she replied, grinning. He rolled his eyes and smiled affectionately.

  “Want a Chocolate Frog?” Ron offered, holding one out to her. She shook her head no.

  “Thanks, though.” He shrugged and tossed it back into his trunk.

ÏŸ

 “I’m going to head back now.” Brittany said after an hour. She stood up from where she had ended up on the floor after she’d thrown something at Ron, so he’d tickled her for revenge, and she had somehow managed to fall off Seamus’ bed. Ron declared he had won, but Brittany vowed to get him back one day.

  Seamus also stood up.

  “I’ll walk you back to your dorm,” he said. Brittany smiled and nodded.

  “Night guys,” she addressed the four remaining boys.

  “Night Britt, sleep well!” Dean called.

  “Night Britt,” Neville said sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

  “Night,” Harry and Ron said in unison, waving to her as they climbed under their bedcovers. Seamus took her hand and they quietly crept down the stairs. They entered the common room to find it completely empty, but the fire was still going. Brittany turned to Seamus.

  “Sit with me for a bit?” He nodded and they walked to the plush red sofa. He signalled for her to wait while he sat down and then he pulled her into his lap. She nuzzled into him, breathing in the scent of his aftershave. His thumb gently rubbed circles on her thigh and his other arm was wound around her shoulders. She felt calm, soothed by the steady rhythm of his heart and his steady breathing. She soon drifted off to sleep.

4: Sixth Year (Part Four)

  When Brittany woke, Seamus was snoring slightly underneath her. The fire had gone out and the common room was almost pitch black with darkness, aside from the moonlight spilling in through the windows. Seamus still had his Muggle watch on and luckily the digital screen was glow in the dark. It read 4:45am. They had been down here for five or six hours. She moved slightly and he stirred. She stayed perfectly still, not wanting to wake him. He looked so peaceful asleep.

  “Britt?” He mumbled, bringing his hands up to his face and rubbing his eyes.

  “Yeah?” She whispered.

  “God, it’s dark in here,” he said. She giggled and reached for her wand which had fallen onto the floor.

  “Close your eyes,” she warned him. He covered his face with his hands.

  “Lumos,” she muttered and winced as the sudden bright light shone out of the tip of her wand.

  “Argh!” Seamus exclaimed quietly. Giggling, she lowered her wand so that the light didn’t shine in his face. He began rubbing his eyes and eventually lowered his hands from his face. He was so adorable when he’d just woken up.

  “Morning, beautiful,” he whispered sleepily. She giggled again.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead.” His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

  “Wake up kiss,” he said, grinning cheekily. Her lips met his and suddenly she was wide awake. Her fingers traced up his clothed torso to his neckline, and around where they finally rested at the nape of his neck. They eventually broke apart for air, breathing heavily.

  “Okay, I’m awake,” he said. She giggled.

  “Same.” They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

  “You’re an amazing kisser,” Seamus suddenly said, giving that cheeky grin again. Brittany laughed.

  “You’re not too bad yourself.”

  “It’s sort of hard to believe that we’ve only been dating for­–” he glanced at his watch. “–8½ hours.” She nodded in agreement.

  “I should probably go upstairs and make it look like I did eventually return to the dorm last night,” Brittany said, sighing. His hands were warm against her hips, and she went cold as she got up. She held out her hand, and he took it. She helped him up before standing on her tiptoes to brush him lightly on the lips and running towards the stairs that led to the girls’ dormitory. She looked back to see him standing at the foot of the stairs to the boys’ dormitory, grinning. She waved shyly at him before quickly running up the stairs, her socked feet padding against the stone steps.

  “Where have you been?” Hermione exclaimed softly as Brittany slipped into the dormitory. Brittany grinned at her. She should’ve known her absence wouldn’t go fully unnoticed.

  “I fell asleep with Seamus in the common room,” she said, shrugging. The smile was still plastered to her face, and she blushed, suddenly thankful of the dimness of the room. She walked over to Hermione’s bed and climbed up, sitting cross legged across from her friend. Hermione flicked her wand to close the curtains of the four poster bed around them, and again to cast a Silencing Charm so that their discussion would not be overheard if the other girls were to wake.

  “Tell me everything,” she repeated the statement from last night, without the squealing.

  “Well...” Brittany giggled and told her everything. She explained how she had only gone up the boys dorm for a quick visit, but had ended up getting into an arm wrestle with Dean and a tickle fight with Ron, and finally when Seamus offered to walk her to the stairs that led up to the girls dormitory but they ended up falling asleep in front of the common room fire.

  “Aww!” She clapped happily. Brittany beamed and decided not to tell her about the morning kiss.

ÏŸ

  Brittany wanted to know what she would smell if she was to go near the Amortentia, but Slughorn had placed the lid on it and wasn’t letting any of the girls near it. She was working with Dean and Seamus, making a Draught Of Living Death, and it wasn’t such a bad lesson so far. Slughorn was definitely more tolerable than Snape, both as a teacher and as a person. She heard an explosion and Dean laughing, and looked over at her boyfriend to see him looking like he’d just been electrocuted. Brittany sighed and giggled. She still remembered Seamus in their first year, trying to change the water in his goblet to rum. That had earned little Seamus a black face, just like he had now.

  Brittany fetched a cloth and held it under some water, and went back to help Seamus clean himself up. She managed to clean half of his face, before he interrupted her by pulling her in for a kiss. Now everybody that looked to see why Brittany’s giggling had ceased would see her with a wet cloth in her hand, half of Seamus’ face clean of soot, and their lips locked. Brittany’s arms were around Seamus’ neck and his hands were on her waist, keeping her close to him.

ÏŸ

  Brittany hugged her knees closer to her chest as she waited in the common room for Seamus. It was nearing the end of April, and they were still together.

  “Britt!” Speak of the Devil. Brittany smiled as she looked towards the portrait hole.

  “Hey,” she replied. Seamus walked towards her, grinning. He pulled her to her feet from her perch on the plush red sofa and into a hungry kiss. She kissed back just as much, letting her fingers slide up and around his neck.

  “Oi! There are kids around here!” They were rudely interrupted by Dean and Ron. Brittany giggled, and then frowned.

  “Where’s Harry?”

  “With Dumbledo–”

  “WON-WON!”

  “Oh, God...”