"Now, you'd best get on the train, Teddy," Gran told me. She was already dabbing at her eyes.
I rolled my eyes and sighed, grabbing my trunk and enormous, bear-like black cat, Padfoot. As I made for the nearest compartment door, a small, dark-haired whirlwind streaked past me.
"You can't go!" cried three-year-old Albus, clinging to my robes. "Who will I play with?"
"Me!" pouted his cousin, Rose, stamping her foot. My godfather Harry prised Albus off me with some difficulty and held the struggling toddler tight.
"Teddy, get on the train now!" he advised. "Before Al escapes." I dragged my trunk up the steps and hung out of the window to bid Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Gran goodbye.
"Keep your hair to normal colours, and don't make your eyes look weird," Gran lectured. I decided I'd change my now normal-looking brown hair and grey eyes to something more interesting when the train left. Turquoise hair and purple eyes, maybe?
"Study hard!" said Hermione, kissing me.
"Have fun!" said Ron, earning himself a clump about the head. Albus and Rose giggled.
"We'll be expecting you at Christmas!" yelled Ginny and Harry at the same time. Two-year-old Lily and Hugo waved and five-year-old James ran after the train, laughing, until I rounded the corner and they vanished from sight. I slumped down in my seat, sighing.
I may as well introduce myself. I'm Teddy Remus Lupin, and I live with my Gran because my Mum and Dad, Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin were killed in the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998. It's sad, I guess, but I never really knew them. Harry told me they were great people.
I screwed up my face to change my hair and eye colour, deciding to go ahead with the purple eyes and turquoise hair idea. I fished in my pocket for a mirror and saw that I now had a winning combination of violet eyes and turquoise hair.
"Oh my God, you've got blue hair!" yelped a boy behind me.
"Put up with it," I huffed. Three voices behind me called, "Teddy!" I turned around to see my three best friends, the twins Katie and Angel Wood and Daniel Jordan coming towards me.
"Hi, Teddy!" cried Angel, as she, Katie and Dan drew level with me. Katie and Angel are identical twins: they have brown hair and clear blue eyes, whereas Dan is a tall, black boy with dreadlocks like his Dad, Lee. Katie tugged at my arm.
"C'mon, let's find a compartment."
"Umm... Yeah, OK, let's go," I said, and we started to run down the corridor of the carriage.
"Not much point now," said Dan gloomily. Katie, Angel and I blinked at each other. The train was definitely slowing down.
"Change of plan, let's get into our robes instead!" decided Angel. My hair was changing colour so fast it blurred.
"This is it, mate!" cried Dan. "We're finally going to Hogwarts!"