Hi, this is my first story, and so I really hope you like it! It's about Harry's kids when they go to school, Lily, Albus and James. I hope you like it!

The Journey

Lily sighed and lent back against the itchy tartan seat, staring out of the window at the countryside rushing past.

It was early September, and Lily was finally off to Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Her two brothers, James and Albus, had left two years ago (well, Albus, the younger one, went two years ago. James went a year before that), leaving Lily to complete boredom, and just her two parents for company.

But never mind about that, as Lily was going now. James and Albus had disappeared in opposite directions, leaving Lily with Hugo (her cousin and friend) and Mandy, some geeky girl who they had to share a compartment with, because none others were available. She had hardly spoken a word, preferring to read "A History of Lithuanian Gnomes" instead.

Hugo was okay, he was cool. But Mandy was a complete loser, with frizzy, mousey hair, stuffed into two plaits, massively thick glasses and braces which made her talk in a slurred voice.

The compartment door slid open, and Roxanne (Lily's best friend and cousin) and another girl walked in.

'Hi guys!' cried Roxanne. 'This is Jessica Richards, my next door neighbour.'

'Hi, I'm Lily, and this is Hugo, and, er, Mandy,' replied Lily.

'It's nice to meet you. I was so surprised when I got the letter. I thought it might be a hoax, but then I told Roxy here, and she said it was real. My parents are – what do you call it? Muggles,' said Jessica.

There was a little cough from behind Roxy. They turned and saw Scorpius Malfoy standing there, his upturned nose wrinkled in a look of disgust.

'I wondered what the stench was. Richards, you're stinking up the whole carriage with your Mudblood stink,' said Scorpius spitefully. The entire carriage leaped to their feet, apart from Mandy, who threw her book at Scorpius. The book missed by about a foot and a half, then smashed a window and fell out of the train, causing Mandy to burst into tears.

A fist punched into Scorpius' nose, knocking him to the floor. The lanky body of Lorcan Lovegood, and his twin, Lysander stepped over Scorpius. Lorcan was examining Scorpius' blood on his knuckles.

'You can't talk, Malfoy, as your blood is as thin as water,' laughed Lorcan.

Scorpius cursed and crawled away.

'Be careful not to trail slime!' called Lysander after him.

Lorcan turned to the compartment. 'Anyone for exploding snap?' He grinned and pulled out a set of cards.

Five games later, the food trolley came along, pushed by the same (but now ancient) witch who had pushed it in Harry's day. Everyone was ravenous, and so quickly bought everything there was to have.

Lysander and Lorcan promptly began to do dares such as eating a mould flavour Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans, swallowing a pumpkin pasty whole, and feeding a Liquorice Wand to their owls, Jackel and Hyde.

As the sky darkened and the first star appeared, Lorcan, Lysander and Hugo disappeared to change in private, while the girls pulled on their robes in the compartment.

Finally the train slowed to a creaking halt. There was chaos as everyone struggled to get off the train and onto the platform. Lily struggled with her trunk and owl, Apollo, but finally tumbled off the train and onto the platform.

'Firs' yers, over 'ere!'

Lily looked up and saw Ruben Hagrid, the son of the old Rubeus Hagrid, marching around, his lantern swinging. Hagrid had married Madame Maxine, and was now living in France, but their son had come back to be game keeper at Hogwarts.

Hagrid led them down to the lake, where a group of rowing boats were anchored.

'Right then, climb in these, five to a boat,' said Hagrid. He climbed into a boat by himself (there was no space for anyone else once he had finished). Once everyone was inside, he tapped the front of his boat with his wand, and they started zooming across the lake.

The wind was sharp that night; it blew through everyone's cloaks, apart from Hagrid, who had a moleskin coat like his father. There was nothing to look at, and Lily was feeling distinctly bored, when they skirted around the edge of a tall rock, and everyone cried out –

'Oooooooo!'

Up on top of a hill, stood a massive castle. Hogwarts. It was so huge, even at this distance you couldn't look at all of it at once. A long bridge over the lake connected it to the rest of the world, and a line of horseless carriages were slowly making their way across.

Finally, but not before Lily was tired of looking at Hogwarts, the boats moored on a small beach. The first years, slightly bedraggled from the boat ride, and the spray from the waves, stiffly climbed out and walked up to the castle.

'Come along, come along!' called Hagrid, his strides the same as five of a first years.

After a long, dark and cold climb, they reached the top of the hill. Golden lights shone out of every window in the castle.

'Wow,' whispered Roxy. 'It really is amazing.'

Lily silently nodded in agreement. Hagrid rapped three times on the door. It creaked open and Professor Longbottom, the deputy head, appeared.

'Ah Hagrid, come in,' he said, stepping back to let them pass.

'G'day, Professor,' replied Hagrid, before marching through a side door into the Great Hall.

Professor Longbottom let the first years gather around him in a group.

'It is time, for you to be sorted. The Sorting Hat is very wise, and knows the best house for you to be sorted into. May you bring honour and glory to your houses.'

He turned and led them inside.