(Written to 'you took the words right out of my mouth(hot summer night)' by Meat Loaf)

"Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!" A booming voice echoed over the platform, and Renesmee searched the crowd of eleven year olds in long black robes for the mop of shaggy red hair she knew would be James. Should red hair be this hard to find in a crowd of blondes and brunettes? Renesmee began to panic. James had explained to her that they went into school on boats that sat about four, and Renesmee desperately wanted to know at least one person on her boat.

"Firs' years! Is that all of yeh? I swear, there's more and more every yer. It's those damn- pardon me, danged Weasleys that do it," A huge man with a scruffy gray beard and hair that still had remnants of black in it said, the little skin of his face that was visible turning pink.

"Righ' then, follow me." He said, raising his voice a little, and, as Renesmee was buoyed towards the waiting boats, she was shoved to the ground- hard. Tears stung the back of her eyes, echoing the sting in the palms of her hands from the fall on the cobblestones. Hands grasped her and helped her to her feet, and she looked into James's emerald green eyes.

"Sorry! I was only trying to get your attention, it's all these people, pushing, and all." James said frantically, dusting off Ren's robes for her.

"S'okay! It just hurt, that's all." Ren assured him, wiping at her eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to see if you wanted to be on my boat?" James asked, glancing to his sides for no apparent reason. Ren noticed the tips of his ears taking on a bit more color in the dim light.

"Of course! I was actually looking for you before you shoved me over," Ren said, trying to calm the poor boy's nerves. Geez, he was only eleven. How did he already like her like that? Maybe he didn't realize it. Ren had spent a few years around pre- and post- pubescent boys, so she knew that they often didn't know why they were saying something, nor why they laughed at something that wasn't particularly funny or leaned a bit closer to a girl who wasn't specifically qualified as 'hot'.

"Really?" James asked, looking surprised.

"Yeah! You're the only one I really know, so... I'd rather sit with you than someone else," Renesmee confessed, and James grinned broadly as he plopped down next to her in a boat, splashing water all over her. He didn't even notice. Renesmee wasn't surprised, though. She had been so caught up in pondering James that she hadn't noticed she had gotten on the boat.

(Written to 'the market' by the hush sound.)

Renesmee and James talked about classes further on the boat- James promised he would show her around- he had memorized an old map his father had given him, and he spent a lot of time there anyways thanks to his 'Uncle' Neville. Whenever he said 'Uncle' Nevile, he hooked his fingers in the air to symbolize quotations.

"Why is it so special that your Dad gave you the map?" Ren asked him, and James grinned.

"My Dad gave me a lot of stuff that looks like it wouldn't really be valuable- and I don't have to worry about sharing with my brother for another three years. I have this old manky cloak of his... but wait until you see what it does! It's worth a lot more to me than it would be to anyone else. Same with the map. It looks like it would be just a blank piece of parchment- but wait until you see it." James informed her, grinning. The boats began to turn, and Ren looked up.

She gasped.

The castle, seemingly suspended in midair from their angle, was charcoal against a pitch black night- the darkness disturbed only by the glittering stars in the sky, and the star-like windows of the castle, every light a blaze to welcome the first years. The image was repeated in the rippling surface of the water- solid black, interrupted by pinpricks of silver, and small squares of yellow candlelight, and, as they glided across the glass-like surface, the white glow of their lanterns, bobbing along happily above the boats. James sighed.

"It's so cool." He said, leaning back and gazing up. Renesmee watched him silently, and, unable to stop herself, wished it was Jacob in his place. Jake would have loved this- all of it. To know that he wasn't the only magic in the world. That had always bothered him.

(Written to 'My girl' by The Temptations)

They went under a giant stone archway that seemed to lead to the underneath part of the castle, and the boats stopped at the edge of the water. Ren stepped out of the boat, and James stood to join her on the stone platform, but started to lose his balance, and he flailed his arms wildly as he fell backward- into the water. The splash echoed around the cavern, and Hagrid groaned loudly. James was splashing fiercely, trying to figure out where the edge was.

"OI! JAMES! OVER 'ERE!" Hagrid yelled, and James sighed with relief, then swam with great agility towards the edge of the lake, hopping easily onto the platform. He followed the rest of the first years into the Entrance Hall, dripping all over the stones that led the way.

"Can you believe that?" James asked Renesmee, peering at her from under his sopping wet hair.

"I was really proud of you," Renesmee assured him, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Um, why?"

"You know, James, there's this thing called sarcasm..." Renesmee informed her friend, rolling her eyes.

"Oh. Well, now I look like an idiot twice over." James said, looking sadly at his sloshy shoes.

"Because you didn't to begin with?" Ren asked, feigning confusion.

"Thanks, Ren." James said darkly, and Ren laughed.

"Aw, James, I didn't mean it! I'd hug you, but, uh..." she gestured to the clothes that hung in soaked strips from his limbs.

"Ah, it's okay." James said, and Ren nodded happily.

(Written to 'another girl' by the Beatles)

Hagrid had just explained the sorting process, and the first years were waiting in the hallway when a crowd of fourth year girls started coming through. One of them stopped when she saw James.

"James! Why did you leave the compartment?" Victoire asked, frowning, "And why are you wet?"

"Fell in the lake. Could you..."

"Duh."

Victoire quickly performed the drying charm, and James thanked her.

"So, why'd you ditch me?" She asked, and James grinned.

"Vic, have you met your friends? They could be heard over a stampede of elephants." James pointed out, and Victoire laughed.

"So who'd you find?" She asked, glancing meaningfully at Ren.

"This is Renesmee- I call her Ren. She was sitting all by her lonesome. She's a--" Renesmee kicked him, "American," He said, coughing a little to hide his mistake. He understood why she didn't want people to know her parents were vampires. He wasn't too chuffed about people figuring out his Dad was Harry effing Potter- the Minister of Magic. Everyone expected James to be a big politician.

"Hm... She seems nice, but I'm still your top girl, right?" Vic asked, pouting attractively. James nodded, smiling, as Vic turned, apologizing and excusing herself. The Sorting would start soon.

"She's in Hufflepuff. She was my closest friend growing up. With so many cousins, you'd think I had some closer to my own age, but..." James shrugged.

"I thought you mentioned something about two French cousins...?" Renesmee asked, and James sighed.

"Oh, yeah... Vic's younger sister, Lucille, she's a year younger than me... well, Lucy hasn't shown any magic yet, and that happens sometimes, but there's a good chance she's a squib. That's someone with magical parents who isn't magical... she's always been a bit of an oddball." James explained, and Ren nodded. Then, Professor McGonnagal came out and introduced herself, then led the students to the Great Hall.

(Written to 'The gods love nubia' by Elton John, from the musical Aida, and 'Behind these hazel eyes' by Kelly Clarkson)

Ren watched as Adams, Rachel; Bones, Leah; Black, Michael; and Creevey, Sarah were sorted, then took her turn, her hands shaking a little.

Ah, Cullen. Yes, I heard about you. It is clear that you are gifted. You come from greatness, it is clear. Hm, where to put you. I see anger- jealousy. Slytherin would fit you. You act strongly. You fight. Oh, dear, you are brave, aren't you? That's a Gryffindor quality. You're loyal, and believe in fairness. There's Hufflepuff. And it's clear that you're intelligent. You have a passion for knowledge, so there's Ravenclaw. I could put you anywhere. Do you have a preference?

"Gryffindor," Ren answered instinctively- James had drilled it into her that that was where he was headed if he had a say.

May I ask why?

"James'll be there... he's a Potter," Ren explained in a whisper, and the Sorting hat almost chuckled.

You already have a friend. Yes, your loyalty and bravery certainly qualify you for that house... alright then,

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted, and Ren leapt up, placing the hat back on the stool and sitting at the first empty seat, relieved it was over. The Hat had replayed things that she preferred not to think about when it was digging for bravery. Was half a year too long to grieve? Ren wondered because she had not yet stopped crying herself to sleep because of Jake's absence. She was lost without him- still.

A/N: Short, I know, but school just started and it keeps getting in the way. I was lacking homework tonight, so I figured I'd treat you. I let you know what songs I was listening to because I noticed they were influencing a lot of what was happening. I always love seeing stuff like that.

I also wanted to mention... inconsistency is my pet peeve, and I'm sad to say that there will be a lot to come. If I mentioned the age difference between James and Albus before, I changed it because I need it to be longer. Also, everyone expects James to be like Sirius in many ways... mischevious, mean, jerky. But I prefer for him to be sweeter, to have a nicer side. I know that he teased the hell out of his brother in the DH epilogue, but I figured that was just a sibling thing. I tease my sister like hell, but I'm not normally mean and vicious. And I made Albus less innocent than he seems in the epilogue. Same thing- I'm basing it off of my relationship with my sister. She is so un-innocent it hurts, but our parents don't know that, because she's such a great pretender. Sorry to bore you with my life story, I'm just sharing my thoughts on this story with you.

I don't feel like reposting, so, just so you know, Millicent Bulstrode will no longer be the Potions professor. She's a dumb arse, so why would she be a professor? I think I'm going to make up a character named "Professor King", who is similar to Snape in many ways, and who is also the Head of Slytherin. Think about it. The name is an inside joke to REAL Potter fans. Thoughts?

I think that's it, but if I remember something else, I will put it in my next A/N.

Love and Hugs,

Em