A/N: So I started writing this and got this first chapter up and had written around 5 chapters and my computer crashed and I lost everything so that is why it has taken me so long to get chapters up on it. But I hope you like it. Please review. By the way, I do not own much from this story. Just a few characters.
Chapter 1: James White
Eleven years old! James White could not believe it. Especially when thinking that only a couple of years ago, he had only found out what and who he truly was.
While in the middle of a move from Salt Lake City to St. George, Utah, James found a box labeled 'Dad and Mom's Past Rubbish'. It was the word "rubbish" that caught his eye. He knew that his parents weren't from Utah, but they had told him that they had moved from back east when James was two. He figured that meant from New York or Boston, but rubbish wasn't a word exactly used in the United States.
When James opened the box he found a silver badge with a capital 'P' on it; an old picture full of a group of people; remnants of what looked like an old broom; black robes; and some old leather books.
As James had started to decide that these items were pointless he started to close the box, until he noticed something move inside the box. He looked again but couldn't find the source of the movement. James pulled everything, but the many broken pieces of wood out of the box, but of all the items in the box there was nothing inside that possibly could have made any movement. As James was replacing the items back he noticed what the movement had come from, the people inside the old picture were moving around, they were waving up at him and some were laughing. James knew that this couldn't be possible; pictures weren't able to move around. James then watched as his parents came in from the left side of the picture and looked up smiling at him.
James looked harder through the items, and this time he noticed a book named A History of Magic, and that there were two perfectly pen-shaped pieces of wood with handles. James picked both of these up and the longer of the two shot blue sparks out of the end of it upon James's touch.
James went to ask his parents about these magical items and found out that in fact his family was originally from London and both of his parents were able to perform magic. They told him that they left that life behind so that their children could get away from the evil that was taking over the magical world, so that their children could have a better life. James's dad, Bradley, a tall, tough-faced man, with the softest green eyes, and a quiet yet strong, reassuring voice had gone back to school to become a pharmacist. While James's mom, Barbara, an average sized lady that is the kindest person you will ever meet, decided to just stay at home and start and take care of a family. James had had two younger brothers, Taylor and Stephen, who are both waiting eagerly to head off to Hogwarts.
James was a soft spoken, athletic boy with ocean blue eyes. He was average height and weight for his age. Throughout school in Utah he was always younger due to his birthday being on the twelfth of August, right before the deadline of the students he was with. Now that James was eleven he could go to Hogwarts, with all eleven year olds and start learning how to control the magic that he had become to already love. Only days after turning eleven, James received a letter from Hogwarts, signed by the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. The name sounded really familiar to James, as if he had met someone by that name before, but he couldn't think of where he had seen or heard it before.
Seeing as James had to leave the country to go to Hogwarts, his parents decided to pick up from Utah and move back out to London. A few nights before leaving, while everything was packed up, a common thief broke into the White's house. James, who had always had great senses, heard the thief breaking in. James walked out into the dark silence, but stumbled a bit before becoming completely awake. The thief, armed with a gun, stopped and aimed the pistol to the spot he had heard the noise. James was frozen to the spot, staring into the barrel of the gun. Now James was just wishing he hadn't gotten out of bed at all. In two days time he would have been safe in a whole different country. James closed his eyes as the thief cocked the gun. James knew this was it. He nothing left, but to just hope that maybe the man would misfire. There were two loud shots fired, James opened his eyes for no longer than a second to see red everywhere. Was that blood that was tainting everything? James heard footsteps running away back through the door that was broken down. There were more footsteps coming from the other rooms inside the house. Then, James was on the cold hardwood floor, and didn't know what was happening.
James awoke the next day in his own bed, his dad was sitting in a chair next to his bed, and the longer of the two wands James found years ago was sitting on the dresser by his dad. James didn't know that his dad had gone back to using magic. Maybe that is why work was going so well lately.
James's father started to stir, "Are you alright?" He asked, once he figured out why he was in the spot he was in. "You gave us a bit of a scare there. We heard gunshots and then found you on the ground. We were just glad to see you had no injury."
"Yeah I'm fine. You didn't see anyone?" James responded.
"No. No one was there by the time we had gotten there." Brad said.
"If I wasn't hurt, what was all the red around me was it not blood? If there were two gunshots fired, why hadn't I been hit?" James demanded.
"I don't know what you mean. There wasn't anything red around you at all. There was no blood anywhere." James's father said in a concerned voice.
"Well then, are there any bullet holes in the wall behind where I was when you found me?" James asked quickly.
"Actually, now that you mention it, there weren't any holes in the walls anywhere. So he didn't miss…" Bradley said trailing off, thinking.
"Oh, you're awake!" yelled Barbara, as she ran through the open door and wrapped James in a big hug. "I'm so glad you are alright. We were all so worried."
The next day, the White family grabbed all of their belongings and left for London. The first thing that James and his parents did after semi-unpacking was go to Diagon Alley. It was the greatest place that James had ever seen; there were shops full of magical objects that James never even dreamed of. The first stop was Ollivander's for a wand. James and his mother went here, while his father went to get some money out of Gringotts. Their vault hadn't been accessed for a long time, hopefully the key still worked.
"Ahh, yes…an eleven year old. What is your name?" Mr. Ollivander asked, his voice eerily soft but sounded forced. "Have you had any experience with any kind of wand?"
"My name is James White." James told Ollivander, "I haven't really had any experiences, but when I picked up my dad's wand, it shot out blue sparks."
"Interesting," Ollivander replied, now thinking. "I have remembered every wand I have ever sold, Mr. White, but I don't remember anyone with the last name 'White'."
After a long silence in which Ollivander looked around the shop for a wand that may be fitting for James, Ollivander said, "I do, however, recognize you, Barbara Sudbury. Nine and three quarters inches long. Unicorn tail. Yew. A very good wand, it was perfect for Transfiguration."
As Ollivander kept searching through the endless stacks of boxes, James's dad walked into the old shop. Ollivander must have either ignored it or not heard because he didn't look back out from the back area full of boxes.
"Yes, here we are! Ten and a quarter inches. Unicorn tail core. Made of oak." Said Ollivander, now moving towards the three of them.
Mr. Ollivander handed James the wand, and watched intensely as James flicked it around and the wand did nothing. As Ollivander snatched the wand from James's hand, he finally looked up and noticed that someone else had joined them in the shop. "Could it be that this is really the child of Bradley? Twelve and a quarter inches. Maple. Dragon heartstring core. Great wand for your line of work."
"Yes, Ollivander, this is my son. But before we go no could I speak to you for just a moment?" Replied Brad in his quiet tone of voice. The turning to James he said, "Sorry to keep you waiting son. This will only be a second."
James watched as both his dad and Ollivander walked just out of earshot and whispered for a minute. Not that his dad's voice ever carried or was always audible anyway. The only words James was able to hear came from Ollivander, and the words didn't have much revelation and usually died down shortly after.
Like his father promised, it didn't last long before they were heading back toward James and Barbara. "Now that I know who your father is, it should be quite a bit easier." Ollivander stated, as he went back to look for a suitable wand. "Here we are, eleven and a half inches. Mahogany. Dragon heartstring core."
James took the wand and instantly knew that this was the right one. It felt like a part of him already. At the slightest movement, gold sparks shot out everywhere.
"Yes, I thought the dragon heartstring would fit you well. Even if it is the wand that chooses the wizard, certain elements of wand lore are passed genetically." Ollivander said with a bit of a different tone in his voice. Almost as if he was a little bit happier.
Throughout the day, James had gotten a pewter cauldron, his wand, all kinds of books needed for school, some robes, a pointed hat, gloves, a cloak, a set of glass phials, a telescope, a set of brass scales, and an owl named (name). James had been looking at the broomsticks and wished that he could get one. He didn't even care if he had to leave it at home, as long as he had one, but his father wouldn't let him. Maybe next year he would say, because I know that you will be good at quidditch, you have my genes.
