The First Years

I think that you, me and everyone but the lawyers know that if I owned anything but the plot and a few OC's, I wouldn't be here. This disclaimer applies to the entire story and will not be repeated. If something appears that I have borrowed from another author there will be a disclaimer at the top of the first chapter it appears in.

Sorry for that, just needed to get it out of the way. Now, on to the story.

"Looking back, at those years in school, I don't believe I would have changed a thing."- Rosemary Jazmeen Granger

The First Train Ride

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly this year. The morning of the first of September was crisp but hardly clear as we bobbed across the road toward the sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkling like cobwebs in the cold air. A large cage rattled on top of the laden trolley Dad was pushing; the owl inside it hooted indignantly as I argued with my redheaded little brother.

"It won't be long and you'll be going too," I told Hugo once again.

"Two years,' he mumbled. "I want to go now!"

The commuters stared curiously at the owl as we wove our way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

"Hugo stop whining," Mum and Dad said at the same time, and I had to roll my eyes. Mother had planned that.

We arrived at the barrier then, and Dad and I pushed my trolley toward it. As we neared the barrier I feared a collision, never having seen this done before. And then I saw the front of the trolley go into the barrier, when eyes told me we ought to have crashed. As Dad and I emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, our vision was obscured by the thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, and many disembodied voices floated to my sensitive ears.

"Come on Rosie, let's find you a carriage," Dad said as Mum and Hugo came out of the barrier, and I rolled my eyes again. He was still using my old nickname, but I would not begrudge him his last bit of fun.

We walked through the mist to the very last carriage, and Dad and I hauled my trunk and owl into one of the compartments. Once I'd shooed him away, I closed the blinds and changed into my school robes, loving the feel of the smooth cotton.

As I walked back onto the platform I heard Hugo impatiently ask, "When will they be here?"

"Soon," Mum and I answered together, and I had to smile. That had not been planned.

True to our word, it was not long before we all heard a woman's voice saying, "I think that's them, Al."

A group of people emerged from the mist, their faces coming into focus only when they had drawn right up to us, so thick the steam had become.

"Hi," Albus said, sounding immensely relived.

I was relived as well, to finally have someone my age to talk to, and could only beam at him.

"Parked alright, then?" Dad asked Uncle Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."

"No I didn't," Mum said. "I had complete faith in you."

"As a matter of fact," I heard him whisper to Uncle Harry as they lifted Albus's trunk and owl onto the train, "I did Confund him. I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can us a Supersensory Charm for that."

I know that Mum and Auntie Ginny heard him too, because they both snorted softly the same time as I did.

While we had been listening in on Dad's conversation, Hugo and Lily- Albus's younger sister- started having an animated discussion about what house they would be sorted into when they finally got to Hogwarts.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," Dad said as he came back onto the platform," But no pressure."

"Ron!"

Lily and Hugo laughed, but Albus looked solemn, and I knew I did too.

"He doesn't mean it," Mum and Auntie Ginny said, but Dad was no longer paying attention. Catching Uncle Harry's eye, Dad nodded covertly (or not) to a point some fifty yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist.

"Look who it is."

A man was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasized his pointed chin. His wife had wavy brown hair and a rounded chin so unlike her husband's, and a similarly pale completion. Her most striking feature though, were her gold eyes. The boy resembled his father as much as Albus resembled Uncle Harry. The blond-haired man caught sight of us staring at him and he nodded curtly at the adults before turning away.

Before the swirling mists could completely envelop them, the gold eyed woman locked eyes with Mother and nodded, blinking slowly as she did so. Mother repeated the gesture, and I filed that bit of information away for later examination, as I had so with so much this past week.

"So that's little Scorpius," Dad said under his breath. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," Mum said, half stern, half amused. "Don't turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"You're right, sorry," Dad said. I could see he was unable to help himself- and perhaps just how deep his rivalry with Scorpius' father went- when he added, "Don't get too friendly with him though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood." Before I could even contemplate replying a shout interrupted us.

"Hey!"

James had appeared out of the mists, and was evidently bursting with news.

"Teddy's back there," James said breathlessly, pointing over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"

He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.

"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"

"You interrupted them," Auntie Ginny said. "You are so like Ron-"

"-and he said he'd come to see her off. And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added, as though worried he had not made himself clear.

"Oh it would be lovely if they got married!" Lily whispered ecstatically. "Teddy would really be part of the family then!"

"You have no idea just how much he is part of this family," Mum muttered under her breath. Lily looked at her quizzically for a spilt second, but didn't say anything.

"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," I heard Uncle Harry say as I said goodbye to Dad. "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"

"Yeah," James said enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing with Al- Teddy could have my room!"

"No," Uncle Harry said as I kissed Mum on the cheek. I rolled my eyes at the conversation and its participants, and she gave a small smile and shrug. "You and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."

As I sat down in mine and Al's compartment I heard Auntie Ginny say, "Don't forget to give Neville our love!"

"Mum! I can't give a professor love!" James replied.

"But you know Neville-"

"Outside yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love..." There was a pause, then- "See you later Al. Watch out for therstals!"

"I though you said they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"

James, I thought.

What? he answered.

Stop being a prick or I'll tell your parents what you and Lucy Carmikle were doing over the summer, I threatened him sweetly.

You wouldn't dare.

Wouldn't I, I replied with a smile and cut the connection.

I stood up and waved out the window at Auntie Ginny who, although she waved back, was paying no attention to me. I perked up my ears to hear what she was listening to, and found the middle of a conversation between Uncle Harry and Albus.

"One of them was a Slytherin," Uncle Harry was saying, "and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

I stopped listening. Close family matters, I told myself, but the subject of Houses was always a sore spot for any of the Weasley-Potter families.

A minute later doors started slamming all along the train, and the blurred outlines of parents were swarming forward for final kisses and last-minute reminders. Albus jumped into the carriage and Auntie Ginny closed the door behind him. Students were hanging from the windows nearest us. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seemed to be turned toward Uncle Harry.

"Why are they all staring?" Albus demanded as he and I craned around to stare at the other students.

"Don't let it worry you," Dad said. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."

The comment was so completely Dad, Albus and I had to laugh. The train began to move, and I sat down, though Al stayed at the window. A few minutes later Al sat down, though I suspect the platform had been out of view after the first minute or so.

I had just gotten out my drawing pad when a knock sounded at the compartment door. I sighed and got up to answer the sound, thinking it was James, come to threaten me in person.

It was not James.

In the doorway stood the pale-faced boy my father had warned me against.

I hope you all like the chapter. Please, point out any spelling or grammar mistakes. I don't have a beta (though one would be welcome). Tell me what you think, whether you love it, hate it, or are somewhere in between going "what in the world?" I'd love to hear what you have to say.

-Morzan's Elvish Daughter