Chapter 1

James Potter woke up with a start that crisp morning in July. He grabbed his glasses and looked outside, smiling. Today, the owls were coming. He bolted out of bed, threw on some clothes, and ran downstairs for breakfast.

"Slow down James, one of these days you're going to fall and – "

"Sorry, mum, but the owls are their way and I can't wait!" James interrupted still shoveling the food, which had magically served itself, into his mouth.

"Here, let me fix your hair."

"Mum!" James tried to bat down his mother's hand.

"No, buts young man."

James knew it would be no use to try to flatten his hair which always stuck up all over the place. He squirmed throughout the procedure and when he was released he leaned forward, ruffled his hair, and proceeded to continue his breakfast.

"Eating fast will not make the owls come faster and you don't want to choke to death before you even begin school."

James took her advice and slowed down a tad. He couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had heard all about it from his dad.

"Hey, mum, lookit that!" James exclaimed as he looked at the dots coming closer in the sky. "Are those the owls, mum, are they coming to us, is that it. It is, mum, there coming, there coming!"

"James, get off that window and sit down at the table before you hurt yourself!" James wriggled down off the sill and sat at the table quivering with excitement. "You are going to wait until your father gets home before you open any letters sent to you."

"What, I can't wait - ," James started to protest, but a hard look from his mother stopped him.

A tapping came on the window. "I knew it. It's a Hogwarts owl." James pumped a fist in the air.

His mother strode over and opened the window for the owl to fly in and land on the table. The owl held out its foot for James to take the letter. He looked at his mum who sighed and nodded. So, with trembling hands he took the envelope. The bird immediately flew out the window and his mother shut it behind it. James immediately tore into the envelope, skimmed it and handed it to his mother saying, "So, when can we go to Diagon Alley, Mum."

Mrs. Potter smiled, "We can go today. Go get ready, but we don't have to rush."

James finished wolfing down his breakfast and ran upstairs to put on a fresh pair of clothes.

"Alright, mum, I'm ready to go."

Ding. James and his mother looked at the clock which had made the noise. This was a strange clock; it had three hands and each hand had the face and name of each family member of the Potters. The hand with the face like James had turned from work to traveling; the other two hands were still at home.

"Mm, that's odd. Where's your father going," Mrs. Potter mused a loud.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack. A figure in flowing black robes had just appeared at the gate and was now coming into the house.

"Dad, just in time. Mum, show Dad what I got today." James' mother handed the letter to Harry Potter.

"Well, so I did. I see you're going to Diagon Alley, mind if I tag along?"

"Yeah, Dad. Can he Mum?"

"Of course, dear, we can all go together as a family" Mrs. Potter gave Harry a questioning look, he shrugged in return. They all walked to the living room which had a huge fireplace.

"This is gonna be great. I'm so excited. Dad, you got to tell me everything that's gonna happen. Where is the train? How do we get there? What does Hogwarts look like? Are there a lot of people there? Will I like everyone? Will I make friends? Huh, Dad, huh?"

"Settle down, James, you'll find out soon enough. Haven't you asked me these questions several times already?" His father chuckled.

"Alright everyone settle down," at this she looked at James who stopped jumping up and down, "Take some floo powder, there we go. Now James you remember how to do this?"

"Yes, mum." James replied.

"Alright, Harry, you go first." Harry took some Floo Powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"Diagon Alley," James' father threw down the Floo Powder, a green flame enveloped him, and he disappeared.

"James, you next. Here you go." James took the Floo Powder and stepped into the fireplace.

In his excitement he yelled, "DIAGON ALLEY!" He threw down the Floo Powder and was whisked away by another green flame. While James was flying through the system of chimneys he saw through other people's fireplaces. James could barely breathe with all the soot and he was beginning to uncomfortable when he suddenly tumbled out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron.

"There you go." Harry picked up James and dusted him off. James adjusted his glasses while his mother tumbled out of the fireplace. The family walked to the back of the tavern, through a door, and into an alley. Harry pulled out his wand and tapped the brick wall three times. The wall opened up and James had to shield his eyes from the sudden bright light. James looked at Diagon Alley with awe.