This is the first chapter of my Marauder era fanfiction, I hope you enjoy it and hopefully it'll show others how I thought James and Lily grew up in Hogwarts and finally ended up together. Enjoy

It was his eleventh birthday and the moment he woke he knew. He sprang out of bed, grabbed his glasses, and raced down the stairs.

"Is it here? Is it here?" he said excitedly.

"Calm down James, you know it is." Said Mr. Potter.

"Here you go sweetie."

Mrs. Potter handed James a parchment coloured envelope with emerald writing and a red wax seal embedded with the seal of the top wizarding school in Europe, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

James ripped open the envelope and unfolded the piece of paper.

Dear Mr Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Students shall be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival, the dates of which shall be duly advised.

We very much look forward to receiving you as part of the new generation of Hogwarts' heritage.

Yours Sincerely

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"Does this mean I'm finally going to learn to use magic?" Said James.

"Maybe." Said Mr. Potter, "If we get you a wand, I think it's time you saw Diagon Alley."

"Dad, this place is amazing, I mean I've never seen so much magic." James exclaimed.

"Quite right, Son. Shall we get you a wand now?" Mr. Potter answered.

Ollivanders Wand Shop was just past Gringotts Wizarding Bank where the grumpy goblins murmured insults at passing wizards in their luxury robes, some goblins were even performing little jinxes tripping passersby. James found it quite amusing but his father tutted in derision.

"James, I want you to go in there on your own." Said .

"Are you sure? Why?" replied James.

"I need to sort out a few things for later, and besides you're a big boy now aren't you?"

"Yes sir."

"That's my boy! Now go get your wand."

Inside the shop two people were already talking to the owner, one with slick black hair and another with bright red curls. The taller black haired person handed over some galleons and they both turned to leave. James noticed that The black haired person was actually in fact a boy but it was the red haired girl that caught his eye, she had pale skin which showed her cut freckles more prominently, she flashed him a smile and James felt light headed, he returned the smile and continued staring until they left the view of the shop window.

"Now my boy! You need a wand yes?" said the shopkeeper.

James nodded.

"Speak up my son. I'm not that scary am I?"

"No sir."

"No? You don't want a wand?"

"No sir... I mean yes sir. I would like a wand I was just saying you weren't scary, sir."

"Ah, very good now let's see,... Hmm, average height, good heart, I think I have just the wand you want."

Mr Ollivander headed into the back and moments later produced a long narrow box in front of James.

"Here you go. Mahogany, 11 inches, Dragon Heartstring core, and it's pliable so good for transfiguration. Why don't you try it out?"

James took the wand, it felt amazing in his hand, he loved the little spider webs engraved from the handle towards the tip. He waved the wand with a light swoosh that blew a breeze through Mr. Ollivander's hair turning t from the silvery grey to a light brown. James dropped his arm, clutching tight on to the wand, and gasping at the change.

Ollivander laugher and then said, "Oh it's okay my boy, this is my natural hair colour before I got old, now I'd say that the perfect wand for you. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes sir."James beamed.

"Great! Now that'll be 7 galleons."

James' smile dropped, his father hadn't given him money and he didn't want to return the wand ever, to his luck his Dad stumbled in through the door.

"Ahh, Mr. Potter. Spruce, 14 inches, phoenix feather, if I'm not mistaken."

"As always Garrick your knowledge is outstanding, now I need to pay, forgot to give my boy some knuts."

"You know as well as I do the price as always is 7 galleons."

"Right you are, here."

And with that James owned a wand and Ollivander had gained 7 galleons.

As James and his father left the wand shop, James turned to his dad and asked.

"Dad, what did you have to get?"

"A little surprise your mother has at the moment."

"Mom's here?"

"Yes, she's in The Leaky Cauldron setting up your birthday dinner. But we need to make one stop first."

"Where?"

" It's up to you, Eeylops Owl Emporium or The Magical Menagerie?"

"I get an owl?" James gaped.

"Eeylops it is then." Mr Potter chuckled.

...

The owl screeches left a ringing in James ears but he was too excited by the fact he was finally getting his own pet!

"Which one do you want?" Mr. Potter raised.

"What?" Replied James.

"Which one do you like?"

"I can't hear you!"

Mr. Potter sighed, withdrew his want, raised it into the air and shouted "SILENCIO!" The entire parliament of owls within the shop muted, they continued to make the motions as if they were about to hoot but no noise left their beaks. James let a big grin stretch across his face.

"Now, which owl will you like?"

James gazed throughout the whole collection until he found a female barn owl, who the shopkeeper would later describe as 'smallish for the breed', which had rust covered feathers along its back. As James approached the cage containing the owl it hopped away as far as it could get.

"Oh don't worry James, I'm sure there's an owl in here that won't shy away, let's take another look shall we?" Mr. Potter suggested.

"No, it's okay Dad."

James knelt down eye level with the bird and stuck his fingers through the cage, he rubbed his fingers together inside the cage and made a clicking noise that he heard before his dad had silenced the whole shop. Slowly the barn owl hopped towards James' hand, eventually James was able to stoke the owls head. After a minute of this James opened the cage and the little barn owl hopped onto his arm and they took him to the shopkeeper's counter.

As James and Mr. Potter were leaving the owl emporium with James brand new owl in a band new cage, noise erupted from the shop and the shopkeeper reversed the spell.

"Why would he do that?" asked James.

"Probably drowns out people but I wouldn't bet it on Merlin's Beard. Anyway what are you going to name her?" replied Mr. Potter.

"I don't know, I was thinking of naming her after a place, like Verona?"

"How about Alaska?"

"Where's that?"

"It's a state in America, just next to Canada."

"I don't know maybe I just need to make something up completely."

"Oh, you're good at that, when you was five, you named every one of your toys. Your toy broomstick was called Whoosher." Mr. Potter chuckled.

"Really?"

"Yep, now let's go meet your mother."

The Leaky Cauldron was a small, dark, damp looking pub from the street's exterior, but once inside it was neither small nor damp but perhaps a little dark. Mrs. Potter was sitting at a table in the far corner of the pub with three special dinners, three butterbeers, a firewhiskey for Mr. Potter, and a stack of presents for James.

"Hello sweetie, Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks Mum."

"Did you get all your school supplies?"

"Yes." James replied. "Do you want to see my wand?"

"Okay dear."

James took his wand out and showed his mom the etched spider webs on his wand.

"It's lovely dear." Said Mrs. Potter. "Now let's eat."

The chef in the leaky cauldron needed better praising because James felt that this was the best dinner he'd ever tasted, not to play down his mother's lovely cooking, but the beef was tender yet juicy, the veg was soft but not mushy, and the gravy was thick but not lumpy. It was just perfect.

Once they finished their dinner Mr. Potter grabbed the shot of firewhiskey and raised the glass as a toast and said,

"Happy Birthday son, and here's to a fantastic year until the next."

Mrs. Potter picked up her glass of butterbeer and toasted with Mr. Potter, James didn't understand why they toasted to him but he followed the same as his mother and drank a bit of the delicious butterbeer whilst Mr. Potter knocked back the firewhiskey and let out a mild grunt in retort.

"Now," Mr. Potter continued, "I think it's time you opened your presents."

James beamed at the idea, if he was honest he'd been eyeing the pile of presents as he ate his dinner. His mother passed over a rather small package for him to open, it was a perfect square of 4 inches by 4 inches and about an inch thick. He carefully unpeeled the spellotape that held the wrapping paper together and removed the present to reveal a book. He read the title 'A Master's Guide to Training your New Owl'. James looked up from the book and thanked his parents, he continued opening all he presents, getting things like prank items from Gambol and Jape's, and sweets from Sugarplum's, James loved his parents for all these gifts, he knew that some kids his age weren't so lucky. His last present was a rather large, rather soft package that left James befuddled. He was so curious he didn't care about the packaging and tore open the wrapping paper. It turned out to be a rather luxurious cloak. He looked at his father with a curious expression on his face.

"That's a family heirloom right there, it's also magical, it'll turn the wearer invisible."

James' jaw dropped. "Really?"

"Yep, try it out."

James put on the cloak and looked down. His body was gone! He ran at his father and hugged him.

"Thank you, Dad. Thank you, thank you, and thank you."

"It's okay son, you deserve it." Chuckled Mr. Potter, "It's your mother you ought to thank since she finally allowed me to give it to you."

James ran over to his mother and hugged her tight. She smiled, lay her head on his invisible shoulder and patted the invisible arm.

"I think your finally ready for school." Chuckled Mr. Potter

To Be Continued...