Keeping Up With the Potters-
Summary: They are the less dramatic, classier and ultimately more legendary Kardashians of the Wizarding world. While they may not have their own TV show (a Muggle device in which pictures move), everyone is still dying to know what exactly, is happening in the lives of magic's most famed family. So ditch your Witch Weekly, because the latest dish is here. Please R&R!
A.N.: So this, my lovelies, is my first Harry Potter fanfiction. I read the books when I was nine, and love them infinitely. J.K. Rowling is an amazing author, and has fascinated millions of readers for over a decade with her creation of the Wizarding world. I try to make my fanfictions as believable and seamless as possible with the books, so I hope you find this to your liking! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own HP… *sniffles*
One: Scarlet Steam Engines and Snogging-
James Sirius Potter could not wait to get out of the car. One look at his jangling knee and you could see that he was growing more impatient by the moment. Of course, the car ride had not been a particularly smooth one. About five minutes in, Lily's calico cat, Leo, had decided it would be fun to use Albus's leg as a scratching post; resulting in a row between the two younger Potter children. Gazing pointedly out the window, James knew it was better to ignore his sulking sister and irritated brother. There were far more pressing matters on his mind than that of quarreling siblings.
It was September first, and James was doing his best to ignore the utter sense of finality that had crept into his brain from the night before. He was seventeen, and it would be his final year at his beloved school. Today was the last September first when he would board the Hogwarts Express, school bound for another year. The last Sorting he would witness. A lump was forming in his throat, and he swallowed it. Get a grip, he told himself. This year is going to be epic.
Which was true. He was Quidditch Captain of the Gryffindor team for the second year running. Having won the Cup last year, there was a pressing reminder that this year had to be just as satisfying. Sure, the team had crushed Ravenclaw in the last match, but there was no doubt that the other Houses would be returning with a vengeance. Not to mention, two players had graduated last year; Riley Thomas and Gavin O'Shea. There were two open spots on the team, and it would be tough competition. And even tougher to make the decision as to who would fill the new Chaser and Beater positions. James thought of the badge tucked in his trunk with his school robes, freshly polished, with a worn sort of dignity to it. It was the badge his father had worn as Captain, all those years ago, and his grandfather some time before that.
"Here," Harry Potter announced from the front as he parked the car. James stepped out of the car, stretching his legs, and unconsciously ruffling his hair. He retrieved his trunk from the back of the car, heaving it out onto the pavement, scanning the entrance to the station for any of his friends. By now, they were probably saving him a seat in a compartment on the train, wonderful why the hell he was late.
"Hurry up, will you," he muttered under his breath, drumming his fingers against the handle of his luggage as he waited. Once Leo was secure in his cage everyone was sure of having everything, they made their way inside the station.
King's Cross was thriving with activity, Muggles and magical alike. The way to the platform was crowded, and the Potters pushed their way through. James went first, taking the initiative and walking through the brick wall entrance with practiced ease.
The train stood in front of him in all its scarlet glory, steam puffing from the front. The large gold clock overhead signified that it was a mere seven minutes to eleven o'clock. The Potters had definitely pushed the time this year.
Al emerged on the platform behind him, grinning easily. The middle Potter resembled Harry with such utter preciseness that most people did a double take when they first met him. He could pass as a clone of the Boy Who Lived, save for the lack of a scar on his forehead.
"Lily and Mum and Dad are coming," Al informed James as they loaded their trunks on the train. Al's ferret chittered in response, and its owner rolled his eyes, tucking the cage beneath his arm.
"It's a bloody miracle we didn't miss it this year," James remarked, ruffling his brother's hair. In the presence of the familiar platform, amidst the hubbub, the nostalgia had been discarded. He was already scanning the crowds for his best mates.
"Yeah. I reckon it's Lily who makes us late. It has to be a girl thing, fussing over everything she's packed," Al agreed.
"Should I be insulted?" a familiar voice inquired. Rose Weasley appeared suddenly in the crowd. Her curly red hair was pulled back with a turquoise silk headscarf, something she'd probably bought on her holiday in France. Her mother, James's Aunt Hermione, adored the country. She was in fifth year with Al, and was undeniably a genius. Al laughed.
"Dunno," he replied. "But we need to say goodbye before the train leaves. Did you see Mum and Dad back anywhere?"
"They're all together, the lot of them," Rose nodded, gesturing for them to follow her. Neither James nor Al questioned what she was referring to by 'the lot of them.' They all knew that it could only mean that the extended Weasley and Potter clan had gathered to see their kids off.
The heroes of the Dark War stood together, talking happily. As well as Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, James spotted his Uncle George and his wife Angelina, Uncle Percy and Aunt Aubrey (looking slightly stuffy, as usual), and Uncle Bill and beautiful Aunt Fleur.
"Thought you'd gone off without saying goodbye," Ginny said, smiling as the three reached their parents. Lily had seemed to disappear, no doubt having already hugged everyone farewell.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Mum," James told her. However cool and popular he was, he loved his parents, and had a deeper appreciation for the trouble they had gone through as parents to keep their kids' lives as normal as possible for the children of the famous.
"I would definitely send you a Howler if you tried," his mother warned, drawing him in for a warm embrace. "Have a great seventh year, yeah? Better than mine. Make sure to write as often as you can. And try not to get expelled. It would be a shame if they kicked you and Fred out before N.E.W.T.s. But, regardless, I love you."
"I won't. At least, not until after exams," he reasoned. Ginny Potter smiled at her eldest son, and turned to hug Al. James looked at his father, who had paused his conversation with Uncle Ron, who in turn had stopped to talk to Rose with his wife.
"You ready?" Harry asked, looking at his son intently through his glasses.
James shrugged. "I am. At least, as ready as I'll ever be."
"You'll be a great Captain. And I know your mother made you promise not to get into too much trouble, but I'm not going to bother. You'll pull pranks anyways. It's inevitable," his father told him. A solemn smile was on his face. He hugged James tightly, clapping him on the back before pulling back. "I'm proud of you, James. I never got a seventh year. So make the best of it, so long as you keep up with your work. And if we can make it to some Quidditch games, we'll come. Write when you can." He hugged him again. "Love you, son. Now go get on the train before it leaves without you. Our car can't fly, so best not to risk it."
James grinned at his dad's joke, and kissed his mother's cheek. After bidding his extended family farewell, he headed towards the train, boarding it just as the clock hit eleven.
The first years, a nervous group, had filled the front compartments of the train, and James made his way to the end compartments, one of which he knew his friends were occupying.
Sure enough, he found the group of them in the fifth to last compartment, slightly cramped, but happy. The only one absent was Alice Longbottom, but being Head Girl, she was undoubtedly preoccupied with organizing the prefect patrols on the trai
"James!" his best friend, Fred Weasley, cried enthusiastically. He was Uncle George's son, named for his father's lost twin. Since their first day at Hogwarts, James and Fred had taken it upon themselves to give every previous Hogwards prankster a run for their money. And James having nicked the Marauder's Map from his father's study in their second year had made this goal significantly easier.
"Nice to see you, mate," James told him, taking a seat beside Fred. Across from him sat Niall Finnegan, the other boy James considered to be his best friend. Sandy haired, freckled, and very Irish, Niall was always a good laugh, and a fierce fan of Ireland's Quidditch team. Beside him was Dominique, or Dom, as she preferred. She'd decided at some point that Dominique was too prissy for her. And prissy she was not, as one could see with one look at her. She was wearing a vintage Weird Sisters tee shirt, distressed jean shorts with fishnets, and tattered red converse that had seen better days. In short, she was gorgeous, but on a completely different spectrum from that of her elder sister, Victoire. Next to her were the Scamander twins, sons of James's family friend Luna Scamander, nee Lovegood. Despite being twins, they weren't identical, something that everyone was grateful for. They were sprawled on the floor and seat next to the window, engaged in an intense game of Exploding Snap. And by the window seat on the other side of Lysander, was Anna Wood.
There was perhaps no other person more infuriating and complicated than Anna. The feeling seemed to be mutual. However, being Dom's best friend, it was difficult to constantly be rowing. She was the daughter of Oliver Wood, legendary Keeper of Puddlemere United, and Katie Bell, an expert Chaser in her Hogwarts days. Quidditch was the Wood family religion, and Anna was no exception. She was a damn good Chaser, and an obvious pick for the house team. She was certainly pretty, with thick chocolaty hair that fell in soft waves around her heart-shaped face, and amber eyes. And, James couldn't help but notice, incredibly fit from whatever summer training program she had attended.
"Jamie," Dom smiled, tossing her book aside. "We thought you were going to make a right fool of yourself and miss the train, for Godric's sake. Glad to see you made it."
Another thing about Dom, she was most likely the only person that could ever get away with calling James 'Jamie.' Her affinity for hexes most likely had something to do with it, although there was the family privilege.
"Thank Lily for that. She had to hunt all over for Leo this morning," James explained. "The monster got himself stuck in a tree somewhere. I reckon she should've left him home. He attacked Al in the car on the way to the station."
The others laughed. "I can imagine how that went," Niall interjected.
"You don't want to know," James replied darkly. "I thought Al was going to pull out his wand and jinx the thing into oblivion."
"Good thing he didn't. She's only fourteen, but I don't know if I would risk the wrath of Lily Potter," Fred said thoughtfully. "Thank Merlin she'll still be underage for awhile. The holidays will be a blast now that everyone's seventeen. We can abuse Rosie and Al and everyone else with magic and they won't be able to do a thing. Our pranks will be even more epic."
James laughed, nodding in agreement, and then glanced at his watch. "Shit, I was supposed to meet the Heads in the prefects compartment five minutes ago with the other Captains. Something about coordinating tryout schedules." He stood, making sure to have his wand in his pocket before leaving the compartment.
The prefects had picked a compartment in the middle of the train, easily accessible to everyone else. James passed a few fifth years patrolling the hall, sorting out confused first years. Unsurprisingly, Rose was inside, a newly crowned Gryffindor prefect. She was seated in between the other Gryffindor fifth year prefect, a boy named Kevin Bones, and Scorpius Malfoy. Why Minerva McGonagall had thought it fit to name a Malfoy Slytherin prefect, James couldn't figure. Inter House discrimination wasn't such a huge thing in the aftermath of the Dark War, but Scorpius's being in Slytherin had nothing to do with James's dislike. It had everything to do with the fact that he was Malfoy. How Rose was sitting comfortably next to him was definitely strange. Although, it wasn't like they seemed to be chatting it up or anything like that. If they had, James might've said something.
"Sorry I'm late," James apologized to Alice, who was standing by the window. She smiled in reply.
"Don't sweat it. We won't keep you long, but we just needed to figure out when you would hold tryouts. We need to post flyers in the house common rooms to let everyone know," she assured him. In her slim blue jeans and gold blouse, she was the picture of natural beauty, James supposed. Her face had an easy smile framed by pink lips, and her eyes were wide and blue, with straight caramel hair tied up in a ponytail. But girls like Alice didn't tend to date boys like James.
Ten minutes later, they were released back to their compartments. James was in a good mood, having scored the pitch for the coming Saturday afternoon, even though the Hufflepuff Captain, Yvonne Goldstein, had battled for it. There was probably something to do with the fact that Alice was a Gryffindor as to how they had finally managed to secure it, but James wasn't bothered by Yvonne's resentful glance.
Especially not once he ran into Trinity Weston.
Which leads to the other benefit of being an incredibly popular, and admittedly handsome Quidditch Captain of a winning team.
Girls.
This was Trinity Weston of the thick gold hair and long tan legs. Trinity was the kind of girl James dated. Or rather, shagged.
It took them moments to find one of the loos on the train, and even less than that for their lips to find each other. James's hands were on her waist, her back, the outside of her thigh, Trinity's had made their way into James's artfully rumpled hair and across the hard muscles of his washboard abdomen. She sighed against him, her lips soft and kissable. She was a good snog, that's for sure.
Ten minutes after that, they departed. There were many places James didn't mind being with girls, but the Hogwarts Express toilet wasn't one he was willing to test. Trinity gave him a lusty smile before heading off towards the compartment her friends were in, and James reciprocated with a casual smirk, his hands in his pockets.
Yes, his seventh year was definitely looking good, and they hadn't even reached the castle yet.
Okay, so I hoped you enjoyed that, despite it's length. This is my first time writing in third person, because I usually prefer first person. However, this is how the Harry Potter books were written, so I decided that I'd try it. Besides, I felt like first person perspective didn't fit with the title. This will alternate points of view, and feature chapters from some of the Weasleys' perspectives as well, just to be clear. And those of you who read my PJO fanfiction know about my problem with updates, and getting ahold of computers. And yes, this is still contraband, if you are wondering… So I'm asking you to bear with me. As much as I love reading and writing, I also have a life and a full schedule. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and reviews are much appreciated since this is my first HP fanfiction. Thanks so much for reading, love you all!
Xoxo-NotsoSugarQueen