Authors Note: I'll try to keep this simple: Please read, and enjoy - or
not. Please review if you like it - or not. Flame if you want to - or not.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they are the property of JK Rowling and countless other people/companies that it would take too long to name.
James Potter sat forlornly on the edge of his bed. His eyes were downcast, a frown was creasing his lips. He gazed around his bedroom; at the old grandfather clock that chimed 'move your arse, lazy!' in the morning; at his desk which as always was a disaster and lastly at the collection of random objects that occupied his floor space.
James was worried about attending Hogwarts. He had never been one to make friends easily, he was shy and generally preferred to keep quiet. Also; the school he had been attending was a Muggle grammar school, they all thought he was weird.
The Potters were of the obscure belief (for the wizarding world) that their children should attend Muggle grammar schools in order to teach them respect for non-magic communities, and James had spent the last six years of his life being ridiculed and teased about his hair, his glasses and how he always seemed to bring bad luck. And so, it was not surprising that James was not looking forward to changing schools.
"JAMES POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE! WE'VE GOT TO LEAVE!" his mother shrieked from the floor below.
James sighed; grabbed his trunk off the dresser and headed down the stairs.
He confronted his mother half way, she let out a horrified squawk, "Darling, your hair. Its all over the place! You must let me fix it for you." She proceeded to draw a coomb out of her pocket (it was kept their for just this purpose) and tried to attack James' mass of black curls.
'Mum!' James cried outraged, "Stop it!" he wriggled easily past her.
"RIGHT YOU BUGGER!" shouted Mrs. Potter, "YOU'RE MY SON AND YOU'LL NOT BE GOING TO YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL A MESS! WHAT WOULD PEOPLE THINK OF ME, OF YOUR FATHER?"
Mrs. Potter was a stout sturdy woman who had muscles like a wrestler, in a matter of seconds she had chased James down the stairs, grabbed him and secured him with one arm while combing furiously with the other.
"Ouch, Mum! That hurts!"
"I'm sorry darling, I'll try to be more gentle." Mrs. Potter stopped attacking his hair and began styling in a more civilized manor. The hair, however, refused to cooperate and so Mrs. Potter sighed and released James.
"Right, then, dear. Into the fire place with you, never mind getting your trunk, I'll take it with me." Not waiting for James to protest, Mrs. Potter shoved him into the fireplace and tossed in the flu powder. "I'd better direct it dear, we don't want another accident."
James sighed, a week previous he had 'accidentally' become separated from his mother while they were shopping and had 'accidentally' come out of the fireplace grate at Berkshire Primary, his Muggle school. Chaos didn't even begin to describe the effect.
"Kings Cross." said Mrs. Potter and James became a cloud of greenish smoke.
A moment later James found himself tumbling out a smoke shoot opposite WH Smith and the Upper Crust in the shopping section of the train station. He stood up, and was instantly knocked back down again by his trunk and his mother blasting out of the shoot behind him.
"James, darling, you really must learn to move away from Flu connection once you've arrived. Now look you, all dirty. No matter." Mrs. Potter whipped out her wand.
"MUM, No!" James hissed forcefully, "This place is crawling with Muggles!"
"Oh, don't be such a fussy-pot, dear. You must always be clean! Scrubadubdo!" A white flash erupted out of the end of Mrs. Potters wand and James was free of dust, "There now, no Muggles noticed, and you don't look like you've been run over by a bus. Now come on, we've got to run!"
His mother hoisted James' rather large trunk up over her shoulder with one fluid motion, not for the first time, James was glad that weightlifting was his mother's favourite past-time.
They sprinted in the direction of Platform ten (according to the signs) and soon found them selves; out of breath and at the barrier which marked the entrance to platform 9 ¾ .
Mrs. Potter dropped James suitcase and picked him up in a huge bear-hug. James went red with embarrassment. Everyone around was staring at them. Mrs. Potter, however was oblivious to this and hugged her son even harder, lifting him further off the ground.
She set him down and wiped tears from her eyes, she sniffed, "My little baby is all grown up! Promise me you'll write to me!"
"I promise, Mum."
"Every day?"
"Mum!"
"Every other day?"
"MUM!"
His mother burst into tears, "Don't you love me, dear? Why won't you write to me! I feel so betrayed."
"Alright, Mum!" James exclaimed trying to shush her before everyone in the station noticed, "I'll write every week, ok? Please be quiet!"
His mother looked up, "You promise? Because if you don't young man."
"I promise, mum."
"Have a nice year James, I will of course be expecting you home for Christmas, non of this 'I'll stay at Hogwarts for the holidays' nonsense. Make some friends, honey and do try to have a good time, but." she paused a threatening look crossed her face, "If you misbehave.heaven help you."
"Good-bye, Mum" said James, wishing she would just leave already.
He turned quickly and heaved his trunk behind him, he walked straight through the barrier without problems and arrived on the other side, feeling a great sense of achievement. He hadn't needed to run through!
He glanced around himself, quickly surveying his surroundings. The Hogwarts train platform was packed with students. The train, looked like something taken out of the nineteenth century, it was ornately decorated and lavishly furnished.
Not wanting to get a bad seat, James hopped on to the train and dragged his trunk over to the luggage compartment. A quickly chose a seat near the window in one of the back train cars.
He had scarcely sat down when a boy came running through the door of his compartment. He was completely out of breath, but with a smug, I'm-very- pleased-with-what-I've-just-done look on his face.
"I'm sorry!" he panted, "Just.planted .a .stink.bomb.in.sisters.compartment.must.seek.refuge."
"SIRIUS!" a girls voice hollered, "I KNOW YOU'RE BACK HERE SOMEWHERE! YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME!"
"Quick!" James said without stopping to think, "Get under my jacket!"
"Too Right." mumbled the boy as he climbed onto the seat next to James and through the coat over his head.
A tall and rather pretty girl clamoured into the compartment, "Hello." she greeted him, "Have you, by any chance seen a boy, about.umm....well a little taller than you, black hair, brown eyes, running like the devil? Has he passed by here?"
"Yes, I have." James replied swiftly, "He got off the train and ran forward. I think if you go to the front of the train you'll find him, but I'd hurry if I were you, we're due to leave in four minutes."
"Thank you." said the girl and she rushed out.
The boy flung the jacket off his head and collapsed into a fit of laughter, "You should have seen their faces! They were so surprised and Sarah was so pissed! Sarah's my sister by the way."
James smiled, "I'm James Potter, its nice too meet you."
Sirius grinned, "I would apologize for forgetting my manners and introducing myself properly - if I had any to forget. As it is, I'm Sirius Black. Thank you for saving me from the wrath of my big sister."
"Don't mention it."
"Well, I wouldn't, if I were you. If Sarah ever found out.whoa.you'd be dead before you knew what happened."
"I think I'll take your advice."
"Wise decision."
The conversation was interrupted by the lurch of the train pulling out of the station and James was hit with the thought that whether he was ready or not, Hogwarts was almost upon him.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they are the property of JK Rowling and countless other people/companies that it would take too long to name.
James Potter sat forlornly on the edge of his bed. His eyes were downcast, a frown was creasing his lips. He gazed around his bedroom; at the old grandfather clock that chimed 'move your arse, lazy!' in the morning; at his desk which as always was a disaster and lastly at the collection of random objects that occupied his floor space.
James was worried about attending Hogwarts. He had never been one to make friends easily, he was shy and generally preferred to keep quiet. Also; the school he had been attending was a Muggle grammar school, they all thought he was weird.
The Potters were of the obscure belief (for the wizarding world) that their children should attend Muggle grammar schools in order to teach them respect for non-magic communities, and James had spent the last six years of his life being ridiculed and teased about his hair, his glasses and how he always seemed to bring bad luck. And so, it was not surprising that James was not looking forward to changing schools.
"JAMES POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE! WE'VE GOT TO LEAVE!" his mother shrieked from the floor below.
James sighed; grabbed his trunk off the dresser and headed down the stairs.
He confronted his mother half way, she let out a horrified squawk, "Darling, your hair. Its all over the place! You must let me fix it for you." She proceeded to draw a coomb out of her pocket (it was kept their for just this purpose) and tried to attack James' mass of black curls.
'Mum!' James cried outraged, "Stop it!" he wriggled easily past her.
"RIGHT YOU BUGGER!" shouted Mrs. Potter, "YOU'RE MY SON AND YOU'LL NOT BE GOING TO YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL A MESS! WHAT WOULD PEOPLE THINK OF ME, OF YOUR FATHER?"
Mrs. Potter was a stout sturdy woman who had muscles like a wrestler, in a matter of seconds she had chased James down the stairs, grabbed him and secured him with one arm while combing furiously with the other.
"Ouch, Mum! That hurts!"
"I'm sorry darling, I'll try to be more gentle." Mrs. Potter stopped attacking his hair and began styling in a more civilized manor. The hair, however, refused to cooperate and so Mrs. Potter sighed and released James.
"Right, then, dear. Into the fire place with you, never mind getting your trunk, I'll take it with me." Not waiting for James to protest, Mrs. Potter shoved him into the fireplace and tossed in the flu powder. "I'd better direct it dear, we don't want another accident."
James sighed, a week previous he had 'accidentally' become separated from his mother while they were shopping and had 'accidentally' come out of the fireplace grate at Berkshire Primary, his Muggle school. Chaos didn't even begin to describe the effect.
"Kings Cross." said Mrs. Potter and James became a cloud of greenish smoke.
A moment later James found himself tumbling out a smoke shoot opposite WH Smith and the Upper Crust in the shopping section of the train station. He stood up, and was instantly knocked back down again by his trunk and his mother blasting out of the shoot behind him.
"James, darling, you really must learn to move away from Flu connection once you've arrived. Now look you, all dirty. No matter." Mrs. Potter whipped out her wand.
"MUM, No!" James hissed forcefully, "This place is crawling with Muggles!"
"Oh, don't be such a fussy-pot, dear. You must always be clean! Scrubadubdo!" A white flash erupted out of the end of Mrs. Potters wand and James was free of dust, "There now, no Muggles noticed, and you don't look like you've been run over by a bus. Now come on, we've got to run!"
His mother hoisted James' rather large trunk up over her shoulder with one fluid motion, not for the first time, James was glad that weightlifting was his mother's favourite past-time.
They sprinted in the direction of Platform ten (according to the signs) and soon found them selves; out of breath and at the barrier which marked the entrance to platform 9 ¾ .
Mrs. Potter dropped James suitcase and picked him up in a huge bear-hug. James went red with embarrassment. Everyone around was staring at them. Mrs. Potter, however was oblivious to this and hugged her son even harder, lifting him further off the ground.
She set him down and wiped tears from her eyes, she sniffed, "My little baby is all grown up! Promise me you'll write to me!"
"I promise, Mum."
"Every day?"
"Mum!"
"Every other day?"
"MUM!"
His mother burst into tears, "Don't you love me, dear? Why won't you write to me! I feel so betrayed."
"Alright, Mum!" James exclaimed trying to shush her before everyone in the station noticed, "I'll write every week, ok? Please be quiet!"
His mother looked up, "You promise? Because if you don't young man."
"I promise, mum."
"Have a nice year James, I will of course be expecting you home for Christmas, non of this 'I'll stay at Hogwarts for the holidays' nonsense. Make some friends, honey and do try to have a good time, but." she paused a threatening look crossed her face, "If you misbehave.heaven help you."
"Good-bye, Mum" said James, wishing she would just leave already.
He turned quickly and heaved his trunk behind him, he walked straight through the barrier without problems and arrived on the other side, feeling a great sense of achievement. He hadn't needed to run through!
He glanced around himself, quickly surveying his surroundings. The Hogwarts train platform was packed with students. The train, looked like something taken out of the nineteenth century, it was ornately decorated and lavishly furnished.
Not wanting to get a bad seat, James hopped on to the train and dragged his trunk over to the luggage compartment. A quickly chose a seat near the window in one of the back train cars.
He had scarcely sat down when a boy came running through the door of his compartment. He was completely out of breath, but with a smug, I'm-very- pleased-with-what-I've-just-done look on his face.
"I'm sorry!" he panted, "Just.planted .a .stink.bomb.in.sisters.compartment.must.seek.refuge."
"SIRIUS!" a girls voice hollered, "I KNOW YOU'RE BACK HERE SOMEWHERE! YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME!"
"Quick!" James said without stopping to think, "Get under my jacket!"
"Too Right." mumbled the boy as he climbed onto the seat next to James and through the coat over his head.
A tall and rather pretty girl clamoured into the compartment, "Hello." she greeted him, "Have you, by any chance seen a boy, about.umm....well a little taller than you, black hair, brown eyes, running like the devil? Has he passed by here?"
"Yes, I have." James replied swiftly, "He got off the train and ran forward. I think if you go to the front of the train you'll find him, but I'd hurry if I were you, we're due to leave in four minutes."
"Thank you." said the girl and she rushed out.
The boy flung the jacket off his head and collapsed into a fit of laughter, "You should have seen their faces! They were so surprised and Sarah was so pissed! Sarah's my sister by the way."
James smiled, "I'm James Potter, its nice too meet you."
Sirius grinned, "I would apologize for forgetting my manners and introducing myself properly - if I had any to forget. As it is, I'm Sirius Black. Thank you for saving me from the wrath of my big sister."
"Don't mention it."
"Well, I wouldn't, if I were you. If Sarah ever found out.whoa.you'd be dead before you knew what happened."
"I think I'll take your advice."
"Wise decision."
The conversation was interrupted by the lurch of the train pulling out of the station and James was hit with the thought that whether he was ready or not, Hogwarts was almost upon him.