Chapter 1: Mischief Managed

"Now I want you to write every week, and don't forget to brush your teeth twice a day… oh, and I put in an extra comb for your hair, gosh, it is SUCH a mess!" Ginny Potter stood with her son on platform nine and three quarters and remembered back to her first trip to Hogwarts, she had been so excited. Now she only felt fear for her eleven-year-old son. She shivered and gave a sigh. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Give the boy a break darling," Harry Potter said to his wife. He tousled his son's hair, "go and say goodbye to your brother and sister."

James Potter nodded and ran off towards where Albus and Lily were playing. He was glad to be given a chance to escape from his worrying mother.

Ginny turned back to Harry. "I'm going to miss him so much, I mean, what if he gets hurt? I don't want him even LOOKING at a broom in his first year… Quiddich is such a dangerous sport… JAMES SIRIUS POTTER PUT YOUR SISTER THE RIGHT WAY UP THIS INSTANT, OR…"

Harry cut her off, "Ginny dear, look, I know this is hard for you, but your just going to have to let him go to discover the world for himself- you cant do it for him. We'll see him again in a few weeks."

The train gave a long, low whistle and James rushed back to his father's side, a look of excitement danced across his expression

"Can I have a quick word James?" Harry whispered.

James looked at his father, and seeing the seriousness in his eyes, followed him to the other side of the platform to a bench. Harry sat on the bench and motioned for his son to do the same. "Now I want you to listen up James; Hogwarts is a strange and wonderful place where many things can happen. Not all of these things are good. I want you to promise me that you won't go looking for trouble."

James frowned, "I don't do looking for trouble- it finds me."

Harry sighed, "Promise me."

"Okay, I promise"

Harry's expression relaxed a little, and an amused smile danced across his lips. "You know, just before my first trip to Hogwarts, a friend did this for me as well," Harry reached underneath the bench and pulled out a strangely shaped object covered in a blanket. Harry lifted up the blanket to reveal an intricately shaped cage; inside the cage there was a creature. The thing was black and had two scaly talons which clutched a wooden perch, it wasn't until it turned its head to look at him that James suddenly realised what it was; an owl.

It looked directly at him, and James could feel the power held in the gaze of those huge, brown eyes.

"Aphries," said James, "his name is Aphries."

Harry nodded and then spoke again, "there is one more thing, James." He reached down into his pocket and drew out a piece of old, white parchment.

"What's this?" James asked, opening it out, "there's nothing on it."

Harry winked at his son, "you'll soon figure it out, because I solemnly swear that you're up to no good."

James looked up, puzzled at his father's odd behaviour, "what?"

Harry looked serious again, "Let's just keep this between you an me, your mother wont want you to have this.

James was still puzzled, but he slipped the parchment into his pocket anyway, glancing at his mother to see if she had noticed. He jumped to his feet as the whistle blew a second time- a final call.

James ran over to his mother and threw his arms around her, she pulled him off and cradled his face in her hands, placing hard kiss on his cheek.

"Muuum!" James complained, wiping his cheek with the sleeve of his shirt. Albus and Lily watched from beside their mother, James knew that they would do anything to swap places with him. He was glad that nothing would change the fact that he was leaving for Hogwarts today.

He carefully carried the owl cage up the stairs into the carriage in front of him and placed it aside, then James turned and his father lifted the trunk in behind him, leaning in close enough to whisper into his son's ear: "Mischief Managed"

The train chugged out of Paddington station, unseen and unheard by all of the normal muggles going about their days the way that they always do. All of them unaware of the strange and magical world that James Potter had launched himself into.