A/N: Set in Marauders era. James Potter X OC. Nicole Blakefield is my own character and the storyline is mine, but everything else belongs to the amazing writer: Ms JK Rowling. God bless you, woman.

Hope you enjoy :)

It was January 2nd, my eleventh birthday, and I was running from the scrub behind our house, I had just been to my friend Lily's house for a movie session. We were special (and I don't mean disabled), we were magical. Like earlier today, before the movie session, she was showing me this trick with her sister, Petunia. She made this daisy float above her hand and open and close its petals, it was exciting! However, by the time I left her house, it was almost dark. On my walk back home, there had been something following me for at least five minutes, I didn't see it but I could hear it behind me. I sprinted to the back door and turned around, a small figure emerged from the bush behind the large house; it was just a turkey, I must have gone near its nest.

I giggled, at how silly the thought was, to be scared of a turkey. As I walked into our house (located in Cokeworth), I noticed my parents in the sitting room with a stranger holding a stick. He had long white hair, a long white beard tied with a string near his middle and an out-of-this-world robe on. The stranger noticed me in the doorway and my parents turned to look at me, they wore uncertain smiles and gestured for me to join them.

"Nicole Blakefield?" The stranger asked, holding out his hand to shake.

I nodded and shook his hand. "That's me."

"I am Professor Dumbledore, Order of Merlin – First class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry... your new school." He smiled.

I was dumbstruck. "Wizards? Warlocks? Mug-whats? I'm so lost, what's happening?" I looked at my parents.

For the next hour, my parents and Professor Dumbledore explained that I was a witch and was required to go to a school of magic to control my powers. My parents had spoken with him and decided it was for the best that I learn to control my powers. Professor Dumbledore explained to me how to get to their wizarding shopping alley, the train ticket and how to get onto the platform and all of the essentials that I needed to know in order to get to Hogwarts on the first of September.

Over the next few months, my family and I made a few trips to Diagon Alley to get all of my equipment and also to get a feel for magic. I also bought a few books about the wizarding world; one that stood out the most to me was Hogwarts: A History. Call me a nerd, but I wanted to find out as much as I could before I got to school so that I wouldn't fall behind. I also told my best friend Lily that I was changing schools and going to a boarding school in Scotland. It was hard lying to her but I wasn't allowed to tell her the truth.

On the morning of September the first, my parents and I went to Kings Cross station early. We allowed for time for me to find which pillar was the right one. When we arrived, my parents hugged and kissed me, wiping tears out of their eyes and told me to write. As they drove off, I decided I would start trying to find this pillar. When I walked in, it was pretty empty (for Kings Cross). I walked towards where I thought the platform may be and I got the biggest shock; my best friend, Lily, was at the platform as well!

"Lily! What're you doing here?" I exclaimed. She had a tawny owl on her trolley along with other luggage.

"Going away?" She shrugged shyly.

I laughed and hugged her. I said very quietly in her ear, "I'm going to Hogwarts."

I pulled away and looked at her face. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Me too!"

We danced and laughed when we caught sight of 3 good-looking boys, 2 with owls and one with a lizard on their luggage. It seemed as if they were going to Hogwarts as well. The boy with black scruffy hair and glasses ran his hand through his hair and pushed his trolley towards us, grinning. His 2 friends followed him with identical grins.

"Hey Lil, check out these three! How cute is the glasses boy?" I giggled, flicking my blonde hair away from my face.

Lily laughed. "I prefer the scrawny brunette; he looks so intelligent and kind." We giggled.

The three boys stopped in front of us. The one with glasses winked. "Hello ladies. I'm James Potter."

"Hi. I'm Lily Evans and this is my best friend, Nicole Blakefield." Lily smiled. I flashed a big grin, this day just kept getting better.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Remus Lupin and this is Sirius Black." The brunette smiled kindly. The third boy was good looking with long curly hair, how he pulled that look off was amazing.

"Well, how about we go find a compartment, ladies?" Sirius said excitedly. "I can't wait for some more sugar to come around in the form of an old lady and a trolley!" He ran off through the barrier, he resembled an excited little puppy.

Lily laughed. "He's a little excited isn't he?"

Remus nodded. "But he is right; we should go and find a compartment. I can't wait to be sorted, where do you think you'll be?"

Lily and Remus walked off, talking about houses and lessons, leaving James and I alone. James smiled, "So, let's go Blakefield."

"Ok, Potter." I smirked. "So..."

"So... you're pretty short."

"Nice observation. I'm only 5 foot 1."

"Wow. Got a boyfriend?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Want one?"

"Um... sorry?"

We walked through the barrier. 'What did he just say?' I thought.

James smiled and gave me a side-long glance. "Go out with me, Blakefield?"

I shook my head. "Sorry James. I only just met you."

"Love at first sight?" I shook my head. "Destiny?" I shook my head. "Magic?" I shook my head again.

"Sorry James."

"I won't give up, Nicole." James said.

I sighed. "Let's just go and find the others."

The train ride to Hogwarts was a rather entertaining one. The boys sat to one side of the compartment and Lily and I sat on the other side, whispering about what had happened. It goes without saying that Lily was as surprised as I was about James asking me out already.

"You little minx!" Lily whispered, giggling.

I laughed, my crystal blue eyes shining and my pale, freckled face turning red. "What about you and Remus?"

Lily sighed. "He's so intelligent and he's really easy to talk to. We'll see."

The rest of the trip we all talked and laughed, Sirius cracked some tastelessly hilarious jokes, making us laugh until our sides where sore.