AN: Thank you so much for reading my story! This is just something I have been working on in my free time to let off a little steam. Please R&R and let me know about any mistakes or anything you would like to see improved. It really makes my day to see a review in my email. Thank you! :)

Chapter 1

James sighed as he heard his name being called downstairs. He didn't understand why he had to get up so early on his summer holiday; it wasn't as if he had anything to do today except fly on his broom and do whatever pointless chores his mother could come up with.

He rolled out of bed and quickly threw on some clothes before hurrying downstairs.

"Morning, love," his mother said, leaning to kiss in. Her son bent backwards to avoid it.

"Mum!" James sighed. "I'm fourteen!"

Ginny laughed. "You can still kiss your mum." She pulled him toward him and kissed his forehead, which he immediately wiped off before collapsing at his seat at the table.

"Where's Dad?" James asked, pulling some steaming pancakes onto his plate.

"Work," his younger brother Albus said with a mouthful of food.

"Manners," Ginny scolded gently, causing Albus' cheeks to flush.

"Why did Dad have to go to work? I thought he was spending the day with us," Ginny's youngest daughter Lily sighed.

"He was called in. But we can go to Diagon Alley today. Sound good?"

The children erupted into a chorus of excitement.

"Mum, can I get something at Uncle George's shop? Please, please, please!" James begged.

Albus grinned "I want to look at the new Firebolt. I heard they just got it into the shops."

"I want to get a chocolate frog for Daddy, please Mum?" Lily squealed.

Ginny sighed. Maybe getting the children out of the house wasn't the best idea. She did have an article to finish writing for the Prophet on the Bulgarian match. 'Due no later than midnight and I mean it, Potter,' her boss, Walter Cromwright, had told her in the no-nonsense tone to which he was accumstomed. But she had already brought up Diagon Alley; there was no backing out now, despite her better judgement.

"Alright, that's enough," she told them. "Finish your breakfast and then get ready."

An hour later, they were dressed and ready to go. Ginny scribbled a note to Harry in case he came home while they were gone. She grabbed Lily and Albus' hands. "Take your brother's hand, James," she told him.

"Ugh," James said. "I can't wait until I can Apparate on my own."

"Just relax and take your brother's hand," his mother repeated firmly.

Hiding a scowl, James obliged the woman, who then apparated herself and her children to Diagon Alley. The shops were busy; families with their children on holiday were as eager to get out of the house as the Potter's were. It had only been a week, and Ginny didn't think she could take one more hour of James tormenting his brother and sister, Lily running around the house on a sugar rush, or Albus...Well, thought Ginny Not Albus. Albus rarely did anything wrong. And when he did, he was so ashamed of what he had done, Ginny and Harry barely had to yell at him. James and Lily, on the other hand, took after their parents. There wasn't a day when the two of them weren't in trouble for something, usually conspiring together.

"Here is some pocket money. Lily, you and I are going to look for some new robes for your first year. Boys, you may go on your own-but you have to promise me that you'll stay together."

"Yes, Mum," the boys said in unison, greedily taking the money that was being handed to them.

"Don't buy too many sweets!" their mother called after them. "And James Potter, no tricks from your uncle's shop that are going to make me angry!"

"Got it!" James called back in an appeasing tone.

Ginny sighed. "Come on, darling. Let's get you some new robes."

"And a chocolate frog for Dad?"

"Yes, honey. We'll go to Honeydukes afterward." Ginny looked back at her sons, scurrying away toward her elder brother's joke shop. "I hope James doesn't get into too much trouble today."

Lily smiled at her mother. "It's like you don't even know him."