CHAPTER 2
"James!"
James Sirius Potter found himself being attacked with his friend's Iris' tight hugs.
"Iris Rowena Riddle, will you let me breathe!" he gasped laughing as the young woman gave him a wide smile and released him.
They had just boarded the Hogwart's Express, ready for their seventh and last year of school. James had quickly checked on his two younger siblings to see that they had made it without too much trouble to their friends and he had made way to find his own. It didn't work. Iris had found him.
"My, what a feisty flower you have there, my dear cousin!" laughed Fred Weasley as her entered the scene. Iris reaction was almost immediate.
"Oi, I'm no one's flower …!"
"You know he was joking Iris," Dominique, another Weasley cousin, said as she sat down beside her. "I can't believe this is our last year!"
Iris' mock stern face turned somber. "I know, I can't imagine what I'll do next. It doesn't seem possible that I'm on my last year…"
"I hab bought bab ew idned bor be earler's orgram." Fred said with a mouth full of chocolate.
Iris made a disgusted face. "Fred that's gross; I can't speak Foodnese."
James translated before Fred managed to sallow all the sweets. "He said that he'd thought that you signed up for the Healer's Program." For some reason, Iris turned silent and looked towards the ground, face turning a light pink. She mumbled softly, James had to practically be nose to nose with her.
"I got rejected." Speaking slightly louder now, Iris added, "It was probably my grades."
The compartment where they sat turned silent for a moment only the train's wheels rolling them forward on the tracks could be heard.
"Dragon's dung," snapped James, looking his friend straight in the eye. "You're top of the class! Iris, you're a brilliant witch. Academics are not an issue… and neither is your extra circular either!" Iris shut her mouth as James shot down her new reason. "You are on the Dueler's Circle, Broom Racers, and you founded the Skaters' Club and work in the school library. Not only that but you've helped in the Hospital Wing and got a written recommendation from Madam Pomfrey. None of that is rejectable."
"James, it's really no big deal -!"
"Merlin bless, do you guys hear her? She got ripped off of the very thing she had wanted to do since first year, but that's no big deal… really Iris why didn't you tell me this before? I could've had my cousin Vic or Aunt Angie talk to you about the different programs and such. The Deutsch Institution is really good better then the British one really. Or there's that one in Ireland…"
"James please, this is exactly why I didn't tell you –"
"So James" Dominique interrupted them. "Aren't you thinking of auror training after school?"
Fred sighed, "That was defiantly not at all obvious – ouch!" the red head rubbed where Dom had hit him to be quiet.
James looked at Iris for another second, just to tell her that he wasn't finish with her quite yet and nodded his head. "That's the plan."
"So you did make it in," teased Fred. "Even with all those detentions."
James couldn't help the cocky grin, "Of course Harry Potter's son is going to be accepted! Plus, contrary to popular belief, all those detentions and quidditch practices didn't kill any of my grades."
"What a miracle," muttered Iris.
"Well my mother seemed to think so," said James. "My dad's nervous though… I don't think he had pictured any of his kids in the dark wizard catching business."
The four teens felt the train come to a slow stop.
"HOGWARTS!" the conductor's yell met their ears and together the friends collected their belongings. James pushed back his raven hair so he could see his snowy owl better as he watched her devour an owl treat he pushed through the bars of her cage.
"Hey Iris, does Zoe want a treat?" He pointed to the barn owl napping in the cage that his friend was holding.
"I'll put it in her cage; it'll be a nice treat when she wakes up," nodded Iris. "Thanks James."
"For the owl treat?"
Iris rolled her ice blue eyes. "No, for reminding me that I wasn't as worthless as that rejection made me feel."
"Ah, no problem, and Iris? You're never worthless."
James sighed at the long line of first years lined in the great hall, anything but prepared to be sorted. I was never the scrawny and scared, he thought to himself. Hope they hurry up; I couldn't stand it if Fred complained about starving for another minute!
"Absier, Lane" the Headmistress called. James watched the miniature boy with wild dirty blonde curls tremble to the tall oak stool that held the ratty, yet wise sorting hat. As the hat dropped over the boy's face, James allowed his mind to wonder. This is really my last year. I don't believe it. Iris is right… Where do we go from here? He looked up at the floating lit candles that illuminated the evening like ceiling. His gaze scanned the sea of young witches and wizards around him all sitting in long oak tables, dressed in the same black robes. The red, green, gold, and blue banners covered the walls along with the moving portraits of various subjects that ranged from the ranging seascape to a dancing girl in pink. His wondering eyes fell on the ghosts in the back, possibly arguing about 'that Peeves' again. His look fell on each and every family member in the hall, all the Weasleys and Potters of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, all of which were idly keeping themselves entertained with books, doodles, games and more. At last he found Iris again. She was sitting two seats across from him, staring with polite interest as each of the nervous first years came up and were seated in their proper houses.
And suddenly he found himself remembering when they were being sorted. Iris had been shunned, all because of her name: Riddle. He remembered as she walked head down up to the hat as students around her began to whisper and point. He remembered her almost defiant look as she sat upon that stool, lips in a thin line, as the hat himmed and hummed about where to put her. He remembered her giving a soft sigh of relief as the hat yelled out "GRYFFINDOR!"
He also remembered that no one clapped, to stunned to really do much. So he clapped for her. A few people joined him, but that was scattered and ended quickly.
Then there was his own sorting. He had lied to himself earlier – he had been a scared scrawny firstie. Potter. The pressure hung around him, pushing on him the need to succeed. He had to be a Gryffindor.
Ah, Potter. A lot like your grandfather I see. Hope you have a few pranks up your sleeve, I'm ready for a laugh.
James would've normally laughed at the hat wanting a laugh, but the life changing moment continued to quiet him. Gryffindor please… he thought.
But yet you are much more like your father, in more ways than one, the hat continued on. Are you sure you want Gryffindor?
James remembered the defiant girl before him. She hadn't been a scared firstie begging for her house… he quickly changed his tone.
Yes he told the hat, thoughts suddenly sounding more certain and sure. I choose Gryffindor.
Very Well… Out loud the hat bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
"James!"
James startled out of his thoughts and met Iris' eyes with his own hazel. "Aye?"
"We're done with the sorting, there's food in front of you mister!" giggled Iris. "I don't ever thing I've seen you ignore food before!"
"Wha -? Yes, they got strawberry tarts!" James grabbed one and munched down on it.
"Are you okay James? Seriously, I've never seen you space out food…"
"Pass the chicken, Iris? Thanks"
Iris stared at him before scooting the silver plate over to him. "I guess you're okay then."
