Hello readers

I'd thank new reviewers here, but alas, I didn't get any. :( Oh well, I'll let you get on with the story.

There's James/Ara interaction in this one and all the first years are rounded up together. It's in James' point of view. I'm not sure how much of the story will be in his perspective yet. I think it'll be pretty rare honestly.

As always, reviews let me know you like it and keep me writing. ;). Or if you hate it or see something missing or have a question, feel free. I can deal with constructive criticism. Alright, start reading already, this chapters a good one. ;D


"Did you see? Walking right down the aisleway. Almost swallowed my gum at the sight I was so surprised," the girl said excitedly, her hands fluttering to her throat unconsciously.

"No, I must've missed it when I was saying goodbye to the folks and all. I can't believe it. You think his kid is around here somewhere? Blimey, that would be something," the boy said, shaking his head in astonishment.

"What other reason would there be for Harry Potter himself to have been on this train?" The girl asked, pointedly looking over at the boy as if he had turned orange with green polka dots. "Of course his kid is around here somewhere."

"Are you sure it was him? It could have just been some random wizard with black hair and glasses. No offense Stacy, but your eyesight has never been that great," the boy responded, sounding both skeptical and offensive at the same time and the girl, Stacy, sniffed angrily.

James had been listening in to the conversation and he smirked at the boy's remark, turning to the pair.

"It was the real thing. Saw him myself," he boasted, the grin growing on his face as the boy and girl turned to stare at him. Beside him Freddie shifted uncomfortably, noting the glare the older boy had sent their way as if daring the first year to speak again.

"Oh really? And you're what? Eight? You wouldn't know Harry Potter from a horned toad," the older boy scoffed, acting as if James was a fly bothering him that simply needed to be swatted away.

"Eleven of course," James retorted. "That is the minimum age. Boy, they really let anyone in these days don't they? Even hopeless cases like yourself'." The other boy's face reddened in anger. James continued, "And since Harry Potter is my dad, yeah, I think I would know him from a horned toad. Although it does seem like you wouldn't." He grinned at the astonished look on both of the older students' faces and turned on his heel, walking calmly up the hallway.

Freddie followed laughing. "That was bloody brilliant mate!" He clapped him on the back and the two grinned at each other. "Wait till we get back to the compartment. I can't wait to show you what Dad just created. Won't even hit shelves for months, but of course I got one," he beamed proudly. "And of course I brought along a few of our favorites," he nudged James and winked.

"Hogwarts won't even know what hit it," James proclaimed, his eyes glazing over as he envisioned the next year that awaited them.

It started slowly, but it was there. People whispered now as he passed. A dark haired girl nudged her friend roughly and they both stared from the doorway of their compartment as the boys passed. Another first year almost tripped as he got out of the cousins' way, his eyes bulging in astonishment.

Of course many students had seen him with his dad when he had given a tour of the train to his little sister and even more had seen their (rather large) family on platform nine and three quarters. It was only expected the gossip would spread fast and it seemed now as if half the train knew exactly who he was, which was just the way he liked it.

James and Freddie just continued on their way unbothered by the attention. James because he rather enjoyed it when all eyes were on him. Freddie because he was simply accustomed to the stares and whispering when he was around his cousin and had grown rather oblivious to it all.

"Last one there is a crumple-horned snorkack!" James yelled exuberantly, breaking into a sprint towards their compartment. Behind him, he heard Freddie laugh loudly, already just two steps away.

The hallways were less crowded now, either because people had found where they had wanted to go or because they were intentionally moving out of his way. James guessed it was a bit of both.

The cousins' footfalls fell loudly in the confined space. One girl was too slow or too oblivious to move and James's shoulder bumped into her accidentally. He could feel Freddie just behind him and he picked up speed, racing down the corridor. They were side by side as they reached the compartment, screeching to an abrupt halt at the door together, hands flying out to slide it open at the same time.

Inside they found their cousins. Molly and Minnie frowned slightly at the two and Vicky huffed, moving as close to the wall as she could to make room for them on the seat.

"We were worried!" Molly exclaimed, her arms crossed over her chest, her face easily expressing her concern.

"Did you hear?" Minnie asked excitedly, leaning forward.

"Where have you been?" Vicky was glaring daggers at them as she asked.

Ignoring their questions and closing the door behind them quickly, Freddie and James entered the tiny compartment, jokingly fighting over the window seat through a mock wrestling fight, causing the girls to squeal as they nearly toppled onto them. James gave in quickly and sat next to his cousin Victoire, panting slightly from the run and the following strength match.

"So...," he began, turning to Vicky who made a grimace, "What have the Weasley girls been up to?"

Molly answered him instead. "Just saw Hadley and Zinnia. You remember Zinnia right? Professor Longbottom's kid?" She asked, receiving a nod from each of the boys before continuing. "Well, her sister is just beginning her first year here too. They're over in the next compartment," she motioned towards the hallway. "Maybe you guys could be friends this year."

James scoffed loudly, causing Freddie to stop staring out the window and turn to his cousin, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Oh come on." He looked back and forth between his cousins who were now intently staring at him. "Me? Friends with her? No way," he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"And," Minnie joined in, narrowing her crystal blue eyes angrily, "Pray tell why not?"

"Because she's likely to be in Hufflepuff. Isn't that the house good old Zin was sorted into?" He responded as if it the answer was obvious, leaning back into the seat and kicking his legs up onto an open space between the 2nd year girls on the opposite bench. "And I only want friends who are in Gryffindor. I'm not settling for anything else."

Molly pushed his feet off her seat and they made a loud thump as they hit the floor. "Hey, what'd I do?" he yelped, hands held up in surrender.

"Have some respect for people other than yourself," she responded, shaking her dark auburn tresses in annoyance. "There were others in the Battle against Voldemort who weren't in Gryffindor. Open a book for Merlin's sake." She sighed loudly, exasperated at her cousin's behavior. "You need to learn how not to offend people or else you're going to create enemies instead of friends at Hogwarts."

"But who'll want to be enemies against the son of the-boy-who-lived?" he asked smugly, a knowing smile on his face.

Molly paused in thought. "Just because your father is famous, you may have few enemies, but you also may gain few real friends," she answered slowly, putting an emphasis on the word real. James rolled his eyes.

"Stop acting so high and mighty. It's not like you saved the world. He did," she continued, staring him down. "And he had lots of help, from students in other houses. So grow a brain cell or two, get off that pedastal, and try not to give your family a bad name." She turned resolutely to the window, recrossing her arms and staring out into the passing fields.

James winced at her statement and slouched in his seat, scowling at the ground. An uncomfortable silence fell over the five. The air in the cramped compartment was tense, all of them waiting for someone else to do something.

Freddie cleared his throat a bit too loudly. "Umm...you guys want to see something Dad just invented?"

Molly ignored him, but Minnie gave a small nod, and James broke out into an expectant grin. Behind him, Vicky adopted a worried expression.

The younger cousin stood up and retrieved a bag above their heads. Objects inside could be seen moving of their own accord and a whirring sound was heard. Fred withdrew a silver egg-shaped orb about the size of a small apple from the contents of the bag and retook his seat.

James peered at it and could see that the object had writing circling it, a thin silvery script incorporating an alphabet he didn't recognize.

Freddie had begun tapping gently at specific spots, going in a slow circle around the "equator" of the item. Every time he came into contact with the right spot, there was a popping noise and a crystal-white sceptor arm would shoot out from the otherwise smooth surface of the egg object. Soon, there were five of the "arms" sticking out in a ring aroud it and Freddie touched the very top of the object with his index finger. There was no pop this time, but as James watched, two little strings with a tiny bucket attached materialized from under each crystal arm. They looked like miniature swings dangling from each sceptor and as the thing began buzzing quietly, the arms began to move in a circle, slowly going faster and faster.

"It's called a Nizexsto," Freddie said loudly, forced to almost yell over the increasingly loud buzzing that filled the compartment. He put it in the center of the floor carefully. The "swings" now looked like extensions of the arms because of the speed they were spinning at. "Dad says it's going to be a real money maker, but he's not releasing it till after winter."

"What does it do?" Minnie asked just as loudly, her hands rubbing together to keep warm.

The temperature in the little room was dropping fast and the cousins' breaths were coming out in small clouds of mist now.

"You'll see soon," her cousin replied, intently staring at the Nivexsto. Even Molly had turned away from the window in interest at the loud, rapidly spinning item, although she carefully kept her eyes averted from James.

Vicky was angrily motioning at Freddie; it looked like she was trying to tell him to turn it off, but it was too loud and he was too far away to hear her.

And then, suddenly, it was silent. "...rn that bloody contraption o..." Vicky stopped shouting as she realized that the Nizexsto was now quiet.

James looked at Freddie curiously, wondering exactly what it was that the thing did since there didn't seem to be any difference in the room that he could see except that it was colder. A cold drop of something hit his nose and he looked up in surprise. Above them, floating out of nowhere, were snowflakes, white, freezing cold, artistically perfect, and each the size of a bronze knut.

Freddie had opened his mouth to catch them and Molly had followed suit, turning her face to the ceiling, her lips stetching in a smile. Minnie was giggling, arms outstretched, the snowflakes catching hold in her short, honey-colored hair. Vicky stared for a few seconds in shock, her face twisting in horror, before abruptly opening the door and slipping out.

James held out his hands happily, watching as the intricate snowflakes dotted his skin. He hadn't seen snow for months, not since February at least. This wasn't the enchanted snow that his family used to decorate during the winter holidays. Enchanted snow was warm and dry. This seemed like real snow, It was cold and crisp and as he caught one in his mouth, it began to melt. Besides the enlarged size of each snowflake, there really seemed to be no difference.

The tiny compartment was filled with a flurry of snowflakes now, and the ground was dappled with white. The girls were laughing at the phenomenon; Minnie had even stood up and was twirling slowly in a circle, her tongue out. Freddie kept attempting to catch one in the air with his hands, but was so far having no luck. Even Molly looked overjoyed at the cold comfort of the pretty snow.

Their door slid open again to reveal Vicky. She grimaced at the snow, reaching into her pocket to retrieve her wand, before thinking better of it. She attempted a smile at Freddie. "Freds?" She asked, keeping her distance from the snow out in the corridor.

Freddie turned to her and she motioned to the Nizexsto, biting her lip hopefully. Her cousin got her meaning and he stooped to retrieve the egg, pressing the top again. The machine stopped spinning, retracting its "swings" and arms, and after a few seconds, the snow stopped falling as well.

"Thanks Fred," she said grinning. James had to do a double-take. She was smiling, she was never smiling. At least not when he was around.

"I'm late for my prefect's meeting," she began, and James understood. This was his cousin's fifth year, and she was the first Weasley (of this generation) to become a prefect.

"I've got to go," she looked over at the boys, "but I hope you guys have a good sorting. I've arranged for you to sit with Zinnia's sister. Her and two other 1st years are in there, so you won't be alone." She looked pointedly at James. "Be nice," she warned. "The Longbottoms are friends of the family."

James gave her a dirty look but kept silent.

Her sister Minnie, still standing from before the snow stopped, spoke up. "And what about Hadley and Zin? Are they coming in here? "

In response to her question, both girls glided into the room and looked around with awe. "What happened in here?" Hadley inquired, looking to the window and then the ceiling and then back to the window as if for an explanation.

"Fred gave us a trial run of one of Uncle George's new products," Molly answered, brushing off snow from her seat. "Nice isn't it?"

"Bloody brilliant," exclaimed Zinnia, bending to grab a handful of the stuff and throwing it up in the air.

James could feel the snow melting into his hair and down his neck, the icy cold water making him shiver. Looking around for Vicky and not finding her, he guessed she had left for the prefect meeting already.

He stood up, dusted off his pants, and courteously gave his snow-less seat to Zinnia as Fred did the same for Hadley. Together, they made for the door, managing a last goodbye to the inhabitants of the compartment. Good lucks and goodbyes could be heard from the 2nd year girls before he closed the door with a solid snap.

"Geez Freddie, the Nizexsto really is something isn't it?" James asked, his face breaking into an easy smile, his mind already coming up with ways to use it in pranks over the followng year.

In response, Freddie playfully smushed the snowflakes he had managed to pluck from the air into James' face, darting hurriedly into the next compartment to escape reprieval. Wiping the cold slush from his face, James followed chuckling.

Fred stole the window seat again, as usual, and James sat next to the door, across from a ghost of a girl.

He wasted no time in introducing himself. "James Potter. I presume you're Zinnia's sister?" he asserted, sticking out a hand in the direction of a girl who looked suspiciously like his cousins' friend and hoping his guess was good.

Her brown-blond hair was put into pigtails tied with yellow ribbons, the length reaching just below her collarbone and her black brown eyes were wide and innocent. Matching his actions, she reached across the compartment to grasp his hand and shake it politely.

"It's seems as if all of our relatives know each other," she said, releasing his hand and leaning back against the seat. "Mothers, fathers, uncles, cousins, sisters," she counted on her fingers. "Not to mention grandparents from way back when. So I guess it's high time we met." She turned to Fred. "And you must be George's kid," she reached out a hand towards him and they shook hands as well.

"Freddie," he returned, his white teeth flashing in a wide grin.

"You can call me Liz," she reciprocated, her dark eyes never leaving his own.

James could see the wheels turning in his cousin's head as the pair continued looking at each other. The silence that followed began to grow uncomfortable.

"What happened to you guys?" A new voice broke the quiescence of the room and James looked for the owner, finding calm brown eyes regarding him thoughtfully.

James looked over at Fred and then down at himself. They were both covered in melting snowflakes from head to toe. He ruffled his hair and dusted off his clothes to get the rest off before they melted.

"Had a bit of a," he looked over at Fred who had finally snapped out of his trance but was only given a helpless shrug, "A weather mishap," he finished a bit lamely.

"With snow?" The girl with black hair questioned, brows furrowed in disbelief.

All the girls were now looking from one boy to the other. James decided to change the subject, not wanting to reveal the Nizexsto, for fear of being reprimanded in future pranks.

"And who are you exactly?" he asked, ignoring her question.

She pursed her lips angrily, but answered him. "Ry. And like I said a moment ago, you had a weather mishap with snow? In September?" He had to hand it to her she didn't give up easily.

"Just a bit of magic," he growled. "We are wizards after all."

"Witches and wizards in training," she challenged back.

James swung his gaze to the last girl yet to be introduced. If he didn't know any better, he woud have sworn she shivered as his eyes found hers. "And you are...?" He asked, another attempt at ignoring the girl by the window.

"She's Ara," Liz spoke up quickly. "She doesn't talk much."

"I think she can speak for herself," he said, anger coloring his words. So much for heeding his cousin's warnings about being nice.

"Mate?" Freddie sounded worried and looked over curiously, but James ignored his cousin.

Instead, he turned to the girl again, taking in her pale moon face, her white blond hair tumbling down frail shoulders, her stormy green-grey eyes. She seemed rather ghostly, not simply because of her rather non-existant color, but in the way she held herself, almost as if she was not really living at all, just a shell of a former person. She still hadn't answered him and he leaned closer, causing her to look down.

"You know, when someone asks you your name, it's rather rude not to answer," he remarked dryly, his eyes never leaving her downturned face.

Instantly, her chin tipped upward and her eyes defiantly met his. "Oh that's quite a laugh," she exclaimeded indignantly. "You? Lecturing me on manners?"

Shock registered on James' face and he leaned away from her quickly as if he had been burned, surprised at the intensity of the ghost-girl. She was practically seething, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

"Have we met?" he asked her slowly, trying to remember if he knew her from somewhere and what he had done to offend her.

"Not exactly," she retorted, "But you did push me into a wall. And kept going without an apology," she leaned forward on the seat like he had done earlier, "And you think I'm rude?" she asked in a low voice, raising one eyebrow at him, a corner of her mouth turning up in a condescending semi-smile.

For some reason, all James could do was stare. Never in his whole life had he been spoken to in such a way by anyone other than family. This tiny little girl in front of him, the one he'd labeled as "not really living" had just shown more courage than anyone he had ever met that he wasn't related to. People never seemed to speak their mind around him. His family did of course, but never kids he'd tried to be friends with. The truth was, her honesty and courage impressed him far more than looks or money or booksmarts ever could. It was refreshing to say the least and he craved it like a drowning man does oxygen. He was captivated.

He broke into a grin. She eyed him warily. She wasn't the only one. The others in the carriage were looking at him like he'd grown a third eye or something.

"You're right," he conceded, hands held high in mock-surrender. "Let's start over. I'm James Sirius Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you," he extended a hand across the gap between them which she didn't take.

"I don't like using last names before getting to really know someone. It leads to one person dominating the conversation early on simply because of relatives who are not present," she dictated in a scornful tone.

James let out a chuckle. He couldn't believe the girl who "doesn't talk much" still had the nerve to preach about how he introduced himself. After thinking it over for a moment however, he saw her point. He loved the effect of using his last name; he liked the power, the control it gave him over the other person. And it was amusing she could see through that so easily instead of bending over backward to fulfill his every wish just because of who his dad happened to be. "You know? I think you're right, again. I'm just James then."

This time, when she looked at him, a smile danced across her lips and his heart leapt up into his throat. He thought he had liked her when she was angry and truthful? He loved it when she was happy.

"And I'm just Ara," she replied. She eyed him for a few more moments before reaching out and gripping his still outstretched hand.

The trolley witch chose that precise moment to slide open the door to the compartment. Ara retracted her hand quickly and James did too, albeit a bit slower.

He could still feel the sensation of her pale hand in his. It had been unexpectedly soft, like smooth silk. And also cold. Her tiny hand had left an cool imprint against his hot skin.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" the trolley witch asked in a husky, cheerful voice. With the door open, everyone had a view of the candies available on the trolley and at least one stomach rumbled hungrily.

James hadn't turned his head to look at her unlike the other four. He had kept his eyes on the not-so-ghost-girl. She had looked wistfully at the candies, biting a lip but ultimately shook her head at the witch's question.

"Could I have a bit of everything please?" The question had left his lips before he even knew what had happened.

Again for the umpteenth time today, he was being stared at as if he'd grown antlers.

"A bit of everything dear?" the plump witch asked a bit uncertainly.

His eyes flitted to Ara for a brief moment. Unlike the others, she wasn't staring at him, instead she was looking down at her lap. "Yes please," he affirmed.

The old witch gave him a quizzical look and waved her wand. Instantly, candies of all sorts jumped out of their boxes and down to the floor, hop-walking across the carpet and jumped up onto the spot next to his seat.

"That'll be 11 sickles and seven knuts Mr....?" She paused waiting for him to fill in the gap.

"P...er, just James," he responded, correcting himself mid-sentence and counted out 12 sickles into his palm, transferring them to her. "Keep the change."

"Anything else dears?" She asked looking from face to face.

James could see both Freddie and Ry open their mouths to speak. "We're good," he answered quickly. "They're sharing with me." He gave her a smile. The trolley witch looked quizzically at him, before smiling back.

He found it odd that she didn't know who he was and odder still that she didn't treat him the way he was accustomed to. He couldn't say he enjoyed it, but he didn't hate it either.

She left after a nod, closing the compartment door behind her and James could finally think. Why had he just done that? For the ghost-girl? For himself to feel important? He wasn't sure actually.

He tossed a packet of ice mice to Liz and the box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans to Ry which they both caught easily. He handed a pumpkin pasty to Freddie and picked out a chocolate frog for himself. He could feel Ara's eyes on him, probably wondering if this was punishment for her speech earlier; forced to watch as everyone around her ate the candy while she could do nothing but watch.

He turned to her. "For my rudeness when I met you, not once, but twice," he motioned to the small pile of candy lying next to him. "I'd like to apologize and make it up to you," he attempted a friendly smile, hoping it didn't come off as a smirk. "Feel free to take whatever you like."

The others were watching their conversation, their candy held unopened. Ara's eyes looked at him, down at the candy, around the room to each face, and back to him. She smiled faintly, reaching over to grab a licorice wand. "Thank you," she said softly, before tearing off the wrapper and taking a small bite.


Trivia/Author's Notes

~Did you see the reference to the 1st Harry Potter Book? I had James buy the exact amount of candy Harry did? You know how I know? Cuz I made the total 11 sickles and 7 knuts, same as Harry's total in the Sorceror's stone. Like father like son huh? Also, they both take chocolate frogs early on.

~The Nizexsto is a creation of mine-sort of. I got the idea from a disney movie I saw on tv like 5-6-7 years ago and I'd give it credit cept I don't remember what it was called. I did change the appearance completely though, although it is still egg-shaped and silver. And the effects are a bit different. It creates large, really pretty snowflakes while the other one just created normal snow for Christmas and controlled other weather. If anybody else has ideas for Weasley inventions, I'd love to hear them and use them in the story if I could.

~The Nizexsto is a combination of the latin word snow, niz-, and exsto, meaning to exist.

~The snowflakes were each about the size of a knut. The knut is about equivalent to 2 american cents, as of 2007 (it fluctuates like any currency), so I'm pretending a knut is about the size of a penny. I have no idea about British currency. Pounds just means how much I weigh, so I'm sorry to British readers, I have no idea what coin the knut would be about the size of.

~On that particular note, I've watched every episode of Skins and a few British movies, but I am wholly American. I'm sorry if I mess up British slang, I'm trying. I hope it sounds ok-ish.

~I don't mean to make James sound so bad, but he's named after the two biggest troublemakers ever (besides the twins) and he's a first child and he's Harry's kid which put him into the spotlight early on so he's spoiled by how people treat him, like a child celebrity who grows up always watched. And in the epilogue, he sounded kind of mean, he kicked his brother, he taunted his brother too, and he didn't stick around with his parents at the platform. I love him, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic if I didn't love him, he's like my favorite next gen character, but he is rude. That's just his character. I'll redeem him later, don't worry. ;D

~Do you like the gang? It's not all of them, but it'd be too big of a coincidence and too many names to remember if I had everyone introduced at once.


~If anyody does review, which seems a bit doubtful since no one did last chap (I don't blame them), could you tell me how you feel about the Ara/James chemistry. Is it overdone? Is there something you'd like to see? Anything at all would be nice, thanks. I totally accept anonymous reviews, so tell me if you love it, hate it, want to chase after it with a butcher knife...