Disclaimer: As amazing as it would be to own Harry Potter, I do not. I'm just a simple fan, in love with JK Rowling's work, and a few of her characters. Enjoy!

Something New

The Train station was nothing new to Harry and Ginny Potter, as they herded their small family to the grand locomotive. They had ridden it to and from Hogwarts, when they were children. They had even dropped nephews and godchildren off for eight long years. Yet, this was their first time, sending one of their own off. Harry's eyes darted to his eldest son, who was pushing his cart along-side. It would be hard sending him off, quieter around the house, but hard. Looking to Ginny, he could tell it was even worse on her, lips cast in a pout as her eyes glazed over. He wasn't the only one to notice as Albus, their second oldest son, latched her free hand.

"Mom, don't cry," said Albus sadly.

"Mom's crying?" questioned the youngest from her mom's side, as tears began to swell in her eyes.

"Oh, Merlin! No, Lily, mum's fine," replied Ginny, pulling her lips into a smile. Harry gave her an apologetic nod, as they locked eyes. The mother breathed out slowly, gaining control of her emotions.

"Mom are you going to miss me?" asked James looking from under his mop of unruly hair. It was a rhetorical question, but he watched her steadily awaiting an answer. She gave him an incredulous look of disbelief. Cocking an eyebrow she assured, "Of course James." Not watching where he was going he ran his trolley into a man in front of him, who yelled in pain. Harry quickly steered the trolley out of its predicament, apologizing to the man. The stranger nodded to Harry as he stared darkly at James, rolling his cart away with a rueful smile.

"James," scolded Ginny, sending an apologetic wave to the man. "Sorry, he shouldn't have been standing there," cried an embarrassed James.

"Oh yes," she remarked sarcastically, "It was completely his fault."

James blew out a breath of air as he sulked on his cart. The owl his father had gotten him, blinked at him wearily. The Eagle Owl tsked as the bright morning light, and buried itself in its feathers.

Harry caught up with them, right as they came to the train. It caught all of their eyes, with it's beautiful red gloss. Memories rushed back to Harry and Ginny as they stared into their past, the locomotive hadn't changed. It carried the good and bad with it, bittersweet memoirs of what once was.

"James!" shouted the familiar voice, of Louis Weasley, breaking the silent moment of awe that had entrapped the Potters.

"Louis!" exclaimed James his face full of excitement.

"Hey Jamesie Boy! Albus, Lily, Aunt Ginny, Uncle Harry!" he waved to them all.

James gave an annoyed look at the mentioning of the nickname. Sticking his tongue out sickly, he eyed his cousin. The boy had a prominent chin, thick sandy brown hair reflecting orange tints in the sunlight, and sharp eyes the color of honey.

"Hey there Louis, where is my brother?" Ginny asked fervidly.

"Everyone's over there," he shrugged to the direction he had come from. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand lightly, immediately pulling him in that direction along with Lily in tow, waving to Louis as she passed. Louis waved back to the little eight year old girl, with a toothless smile.

"Excited?" asked Louis eyeing the train.

"Sure am, been waiting for this day forever," sighed James turning his trolley to follow his parents.

"Just think, tomorrow we'll be miles away from parents, and chores, and all that rubbish," smirked Louis walking bedside him.

James was excited to go to Hogwarts, but he wasn't necessarily glad to leave his family behind. He would miss his little brother, who would believe every story he told. And his cute little sister and her tantrums when he hid her dollies. His mom used to kiss him goodnight on the cheek, and now that was no more too. Even his favorite dad would be gone. Sure, he had to discipline sometimes, but he also came home and did magic tricks for him every night, and took him to his first Quiditch game. James exhaled sadly.

"I mean yeah, you had Al and Lil to play with, but when Victoire and Dominique go to Hogwarts, I had no one. Who do you think did all the chores? I can't wait to board this and get outa here," he laughed. Louis and James had been close cousins for years now; it was almost as if they were telepathic with each other, knowing what the other was thinking, and so he gave James a reassuring clap on the back.

"Your right might as well have fun, eh?" replied James with a mischievous smirk planted on his face.

"Now that's the spirit!" agreed Louis with a gleam in his eye.

Together the two reached the crowd of family. It appeared to be a family reunion, with everyone together talking, hugging, and just basking in the love they all shared for each other. It had been said that Uncle Fred's death, taught them to appreciate their loved ones while they can. Unfortunately none of the nephews got to meet this Uncle, but they could tell it was an emotional subject.

"James! My cutest little cousin," cheered the soft voice of Victoire.

"Victoire! My cutest cousin too," declared James imitating a girly voice.

"Let me pinch that baby face of yours," laughed Victoire as she reached over and pinched his cheek.

"Ok, not in public!" he cooed pushing her hand away.

Louis shook his head, "Not at all."

James looked over all his family. His Grandpa and Grandma Weasley were exchanging hugs with his parents, rambling about having dinner together sometime. Uncle George and Aunt Angelina were talking idly with Bill and Fleur, as their daughter Roxanne waved a group of friends over to her. Albus and Lily were talking animatedly with Rose and Hugo.

"Never gets old does it?" asked Louis' older sister Dominique walking over. She was in her fifth year at Hogwarts, casted in the Slythrin house. She tossed her blonde hair back, bored with the reunion. Unlike Victoire, Dominique was feisty, deceptive, and hosted a snake like charm about her. When Victoire talked you fell in a trance, and when Dominique talked you always walked away feeling seduced.

Shaking her head at the family affair, she tsked, "If you want my advice, I suggest boarding the train before you're forced to sit with some tosser."

Combing her long flowing hair back, she exhaled then turned to leave. Louis turned with her, "Are you really leaving Dominique?"

"I'm taking my own advice," she replied without a fleeting glance, or farewell. She just kept walking until she was on the train. James met Louis' eyes and they shared a laugh.

"That's exactly why she's in Slythrin," smirked Louis a palm to head.

"Your sister is really something," stated James turning back to face his family.

"James, Louis, come say goodbye to your grandparents," called Ginny, waving them over. The two rolled their eyes and went over to see everyone off. Arthur and Molly brought them in tight hugs, as two more of their grandchildren went off to Hogwarts, for their first times. After their goodbyes they moved down the line to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione.

"Now, you too behave! Don't mouth off to your teachers, and have fun," smiled Hermione as she embraced them. Ron shook his head behind her back, making the boys hold back their laughter.

"Catch you later, Albus," Smiled James walking to them, "I'll be back Lils, don't cry!"

Lily grabbed onto her mom's robes, wiping her tears away sadly. James' guilt came into play as he pulled her into a hug. "I'll be back soon Lily," he assured patting her back.

"I'm crying cause I want to go!" she said feistily pulling away, with a dark pout. Although James didn't typically like that, everyone else laughed.

"Sound like anybody?" asked Ron loudly. This created even more laughter as everyone looked to Ginny, who covered her blushing face. "Ha ha," she stated testily. As the laughter died down, everyone began saying goodbye again. James gave his parents the cheesiest smile he could pull, they laughed as they pulled him into a hug.

"James, I'm proud of you son. Whichever house you land in… I will feel terribly sorry for them," he joked pulling out of the hug. James' mouth dropped at the offense. Harry patted his head teasingly, "I'm just fooling, all jokes aside. I will be proud. Just have a good time, focus on school, you'll do great!"

"I'm going to miss you," cried Ginny pulling him into her arms. "I don't know if I can take you gone for so long," she said into his messy hair. James hugged her tighter in agreement. "I love you," she said pulling out of the hug and pushing his bangs out of the way to give him one last kiss on the forehead. James pulled himself back and gave his parents a genuine smile, and waved, "Bye Mom, Dad. Later Al, Lils." Ginny inhaled and pulled Albus into her, grasping his shoulders. He would be the next to go. The Potter's and the Weasley's all watched as their children boarded the train. Harry wrapped his arm around Ginny, as they walked closer to the train, Albus and Lily by their sides. They watched as James turned once more, before he got on and waved to them all. He stuck his tongue out at Lily, making a goofy face, and then he disappeared, leaving only a laughing Albus and Lily.

Once on the train James followed Louis, looking for an empty cart. They passed one full of older girls, another full of older guys. Finally James found one, it had two other guys that looked the same age, so they entered in. James glided next to the window before Louis could.

"Really James?" scoffed Louis irritably.

"Tough luck," he retorted as he grazed the crowd looking for his family. Louis shook his head disapprovingly, and then turned to the other two suite-mates.

"Nice to meet ya, my names Louis, yours?" he asked the two confidently.

James finally spotted his parents and siblings. He hit the windows wildly, trying to get their attention. His dad was talking to someone. He looked closer, to see it was Ted! They exchanged hugs, and then he boarded the train. James' mouth dropped in Awe.

"Louis!" exclaimed James leaping from his seat. Louis eyed him crazily, "Have you gone mad?"

"Ted is on the train! Teddy!" James waved his arms around excitedly to demonstrate this. Louis crinkled his forehead in bewilderment, "What?"

James rolled his eyes at his cousin, and ran to the door, sliding it open quickly waiting to see Teddy Lupin pass by. Teddy was like an older brother to him, practically raised him. Last year he was a seventh year, and James was horribly upset he wouldn't get to school with him. It looked like things had changed, because shortly enough Ted strolled by.

"Ted!" waved James happily.

Ted was an adult now. He had shot up in height, reaching around six foot. His hair was a soft brown, thick and wavy, and eyes a cloudy gray. He smiled in response and entered the compartment half way.

"James! I knew I'd see you, just not when," stated Ted crossing his arms, "Louis you too,"

"So I thought you graduated," replied Louis blankly.

"Well I thought so too. I guess Headmistress, decided to change things. All of us from last year have to come back for another year. It kind of sucks, but then again I like the idea," he smirked looking outside the cart as a flock of pretty girls passed.

"I'd make a row if she said I had to come back for an extra year," snorted Louis heatedly.

"Why so mad? You don't want to chill with me?" asked Ted sarcastically.

"No mate, we can chill," replied Louis with a chuckle.

"I'm already loving this year!" laughed James sitting back in his seat by the window.

"It's gonna be a blast! I have loads to show you, but I need to go find my mates. See you later," and then he was gone.

James let out a breath, and looked around the compartment dreamily. The two people across from him, giving him funny looks, finally came into retrospect.

"Hi there, I must have missed you two, name's James! What's your names?" he asked good naturedly. Louis clapped a hand to his forehead, laughing to himself.

In a few minutes, the train was moving and the crowd outside was slowly becoming a blur. To some the train was old, to some it was new, and because of family, James was no longer blue.

Authors Note:

Hi again, hope you enjoyed the read. I liked writing this chapter, since I recently left home for college, pulled a few heart strings. I hope you like reading it, not sure if it was interesting enough to make you want more. So I'm giving you the choice! If you want more, then review, PLEASE! This can be a one-shot, or I could make a novel about his first year, already have it all planned. Tell me if you want some! Haha. Oh and tell me if there is anything I can do to make this better, I would love the crit. Ok bye lovelies!

Mischief Managed,

Darla Lady London