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Chapter 2
"Familiar" Strangers

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1st September 1998

The autumn wind was non-existent on Platform 9 and ¾. Families crowded around the Hogwarts Express, saying their goodbyes to children between the ages of 11 and 18. The train would leave in 10 minutes and children were starting to aboard the train. A woman with long, light brown hair was hugging her daughter.

'You be good, Jamie. Don't do anything I wouldn't do,' she said as she held her daughter in her arms.

'Mum! You wouldn't do anything, where's the fun in that? But I'll be good… for now,' she said that last part in a soft whisper.

'When are you going to finally go for a spot on the Quidditch team? Gryffindor could really use a seeker with your reflexes,' a man with sandy blonde locks said, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder.

'Dad, you know Gryffindor has a seeker. Harry Potter is still the seeker, unless he doesn't come back this year,' she said hopefully. 'If he isn't then I will tryout. I promise.'

'Tryout even if he is here. Unless he's the captain… then tryout for chaser, you're pretty good at that.'

'It's seeker or nothing, Dad.'

'You better get going. And I don't want another letter from Hogwarts saying that you've been using inappropriate magic on your classmates again. Try and stay out of trouble.'

'Trouble finds me, Mum. And I can't be held responsible for my actions-'

'You can and you will, Jamie Lillian.' The girl groaned at the use of her middle name. She flicked her long black hair and walked in the direction of the train. She waved her right hand as she climbed aboard.

Not to far away from the married couple, was a group of people which was mostly redheads.

'Hey, look who it is,' the man nudged his wife. He pointed at the family who were exchanging goodbyes. Her heart stopped as she recognised a boy with untidy black hair; hug a woman with fiery red hair.

O – o – O

Harry, Ron and Hermione were on Platform 9 and ¾, all packed and ready to go back to Hogwarts. They had decided to go back and finish their education after all, well… it was more Hermione's idea and Harry and Ron just simply agreed. Harry was actually looking forward to a drama-free year, for once. And this time, he would be sharing classes with Ginny, for they were all going to be their 7th year.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were just saying their goodbyes.

'You be good, Harry,' Mrs. Weasley said as she let go of Ginny.

'I always am, Mrs. Weasley. Everyone else makes me look bad,' Harry chuckled, at the same time winking at Ginny. Mrs. Weasley pulled him into a hug and embraced him like as if he was her own son. Harry returned the hug but his face wasn't as full of the same emotion that was expressed on Mrs. Weasley's face.

Through all the crowds on the platform, a couple stood out more than anyone else. He noticed a man with sandy blonde hair stare at him, a wide grin spread across his face as he nudge the woman next to him, no doubt his wife. She turned and also spotted him but then whacked the man on the arm. Harry didn't quite know why the two caught his eye, but he had the strangest feeling that he knew them somewhere. Harry shook his head as he let go of Mrs. Weasley: they were just strangers.

O – o – O

Lily hit James hard on the arm once she saw Harry.

'OW! What was that for?' James yelped.

'Do we have to do this every year? We've seen him here for the past 6 years; do you have to point him out every time? We're not supposed to talk to him, Jason,' she said, giving a dark glare.

'I wasn't talking to him, Lucy. I was just simply looking at my son, and admiring what a handsome bloke he turned out to be. Does he remind you of anyone?' he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

'Shut up,' she snapped. 'We promised that Harry would never know the truth. We can't contact him, he can't know the truth: he'll hate us.'

'But You-Know-Who is finally dead. There were at least 100 witnesses! We can come out now, can't we?'

'NO! You saw him, he's happy not knowing the truth. The truth would devastate him, and Jamie. We've been lying to them, to the wizarding world, their WHOLE lives. It's bad enough that we don't use the glamour charm on Jamie.' James and Lily had changed their names and identity to protect the truth. After a year and a half, Lily gave birth to their daughter. Jamie Lillian Parker was named after their old names, as a reminder of what their lives once was. They had a major argument about changing Jamie's appearance with the glamour charm but Lily lost so Jamie grew up with long black hair and hazel eyes. They just told her it was a skipped generation gene.

'Mum, dad, who are you looking at?' came a voice from the train. Jamie was with her a girl with silvery blonde hair, staring at her parents.

'No one, Jamie,' her father responded. Jamie raised one thin eyebrow at him and then stuck her head further out the window to see who it was.

'Was it Harry Potter, per chance? He's such an arrogant toerag; I wouldn't be surprised if all that fame has gone to his head now.'

'Jamie! How can you say that? He's sooo hot!' Jamie's friend said, sticking her own head out the window to get a better look. Jamie rolled her eyes.

'You just say that because he's the "Chosen One". You're attracted to fame and popularity, Katherine. Plus, he's already got a girlfriend.'

'Harry's got a girlfriend!?'The words fell out of "Lucy's" mouth before she got a chance to stop them. Jamie gave her a quizzical look but it was Katherine who answered her.

'Yeah: that Ginny Weasley. That short redhead who he's getting on the train with, now. I don't know what he sees in her: she's been with too many guys to be decent for him.' James looked over his shoulder and saw Harry kiss a young redhead's cheek as he helped her onto the train. James couldn't help but smile at his son, a winner with the ladies, just like his old man.

The train whistle blew the sound echoing against the walls. The train began to move slowly, picking up speed as it went along. Lily began jogging aside the train, as she did every year, waving goodbye to her daughter. James followed her, his eyes first on Jamie but as the train sped along, he began to chase after his son.

O – o – O

Harry stuck his head out the window and waved goodbye to Mrs. Weasley, who was running besides the Hogwarts Express. It was as the train began to move faster that he saw someone else running with the train. The same man with sandy blonde locks was staring at him again, chasing the train as if he wanted to continue gaping at Harry. Harry couldn't help but feel that he knew this man, somehow. Harry shook the idea out his head again: what could be so familiar about a stranger?


A/N: Tell me what you think so far. I like reviews, I hate flames. Make your pick.