Chapter 3-
The sun was beginning to set behind the rolling Scottish hills as the Hogwart's Express continued to chug through the heathery moor, casting an orange shadow over James' face, which was pressed up against the cool window of the train, so that it had fogged up around his nose and mouth. James, Rose and Fred hadn't seen Cygnus since he stormed off earlier, and that had been at least two hours ago, they were beginning to worry about him, as they couldn't help but worry that he'd ended up being attacked by some Slytherins further down the train. It wasn't as if Cygnus couldn't look after himself, but some of the older students in Slytherin were pretty terrifying.
"I'm going to go find him!" Fred announced bravely for the fourth time in the last ten minutes.
"You say that," said James, "But really you're just going to sit here procrastinating for another few minutes before announcing proudly yet again that you're going to go find him. Give it up Freddie, we'll see Cygnus as school."
"I'm worried about him James," said Rose, "What if he really didn't want us to hear-?"
"-well its not your fault is it!" interrupted Fred, "He should have been more careful-"
"-well he hardly knew we were going to Floo him at that exact moment in time did he?" said James, "Stop being so touchy Fred, we all know its your time of the month."
Fred snarled at James, who recoiled slightly. He tried to think of Fred as just his cousin, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear every time he got angry. He knew that Fred was only a werewolf at the full moon, but those stupid vampire books Dunstan used to read still stuck in his mind. The werewolves in them turned when they were angry.
"Well I think he's being incredibly immature about all this," said Rose matter-of-factly, "If I were him I wouldn't care what my mother had said to me, I'd follow my gut-"
"-says the girl who hated her own father for eleven years because her mum told her to," said Fred.
"In my defence I thought he was evil!"
"You didn't even know who he was!" said Fred, "You just believed what your mum told you, because that's what kids do-"
"-and you believed that if you didn't have a glass of milk every night that Voldemort would kill you!" Rose laughed.
"Exactly," said Fred, but he had turned a most fetching shade of beetroot, "I never said I didn't-"
James started to laugh, "You didn't actually believe that did you!"
"I was four-"
"-when I was four I knew Barack Obama was president of America-" James began.
"-but I though Alistair Van Wyck was the American Minister of Magic?" said Fred.
"-The muggle president, idiot," said Rose, "Now its that woman, whats she called-?"
There was a knock at the glass door, and a small boy with a shock of white-blonde hair entered the compartment. He had a pointy chin and a very sour expression on his ghostly pale face. On either side of him were Jack Riddle, a surly muggle born boy, and Marvin Baddock a Slytherin with more fingers than brain cells.
"Ah, I seem to have found the most undersubscribed compartment on the train, even Black appears to not want to sit with you," Scorpius Malfoy sneered, "And why would he? Discussing muggle politics! Tut tut," he looked at James, "You should know better Potter," he said, "You're parents were of good breed I suppose. Maybe growing up with muggles had a bad effect on you… shame-"
"Give it a rest Malfoy," said James, "Everyone knows you're fathers a disgrace after his comments in The Prophet-"
"My father is far from disgraced!" said Malfoy, "In fact, the minister has written him a personal letter of gratitude for-"
"-being a prize twerp?" James finished for him, "I knew that already, by the way, next time you see him, tell him that I'm sorry for killing his dear old friend. He'll know what I you mean-"
"-the only thing you've killed, Potter is the wizarding image!"
"And the most evil witch in recent times…" James said casually.
"Are you meaning to suggest that my father was in league with… her?" Malfoy gasped.
"Pretty much," said James casually, "He was too stupid to come up with a new angle, soo… he just followed his fathers- I suppose you'll be doing the same when the next evil leader comes along… that is to say, if you yourself aren't that evil leader-"
"-I suppose you're not so well informed as you think then, Potter," Malfoy laughed, "Lets go Riddle, Baddock." With that he turned on his heels and swaggered down towards his own compartment.
"Ah," James sat back in his seat, "Term hasn't truly begun until I've won a fight with Malfoy-"
"-you don't actually think you won that, do you?" Rose scoffed, "Malfoy proved you didn't know what was going on, you lost James-"
"-Did not," said James.
"Oh yes, of course," said Rose, "You're an arrogant little git, of course you thought you won."
"What was he talking about do you think?" asked Fred.
"I don't know," said Rose, "I thought mum and dad would have told us any big news-"
"-unless they're trying to protect us, Rosie," James pointed out, and it was true, Hermione and Ron had been acting rather strange over the last few weeks. James had noticed their worried looks towards him every time he glanced at the paper, or their hurried subject changes whenever he or Rose had brought up something… the only the he didn't know, was what they were keeping from him. Their compartment was silent once more, and the lights in the train were beginning to flicker as the golden sunset disappeared behind the mountains, and the moor land turned to causeways a lochs. There was a soft whistle someway in the distance, and James could tell they were fast approaching Hogsmeade station. He pulled his mahogany wand from his jeans pocket and rubbed it on his jumper.
"This's got a bit dirty over the summer," he pointed out to the other two, who were both staring out of the window as James had been.
"Huh?" Fred asked sleepily.
"My wand," said James, holding it up so that the polished wood glinted slightly in the dim light of the carriage, "It's got all dusty over the summer-"
"-my wand!" Fred suddenly exclaimed, reaching into his own jeans pocket, "I knew I'd forgotten something, only-"
"-you forgot your wand?" Rose asked sceptically, "Well. That's impressive, even for you Freddie!"
"What am I going to do!" he wailed, "My wand. I-forgot-my-wand-"
"-uh, Freddie," James said slowly, reaching into Fred's rucksack on the overhead rack and pulling out a long thin wooden object, "You're wand's in your backpack…"
"Oh," Fred said, his ears turning a fetching shade of scarlet as he took his wand from James' outstretched hand, "Cheers mate. I'm a little-"
"-on edge?" Rose asked sympathetically, "I think we all are… Come on now! We need to change into our robes, we'll be getting into school soon."
As the train pulled into the station the sky was black as the ink in a quill and the almost full moon was barely visible through the thick white steam still billowing from the engine. The Hogwarts student were pouring from their individual carriages and onto the platform, the first years easily recognised by their confused expressions and lack of direction as they were buffeted about by the older students, all in long black cloaks. James, Rose and Fred kept an eye out for Cygnus, but he was no where to be seen. They were still unsure of how he had been about to change into his robes, as they had been in their compartment the entire time, inside Cygnus' rucksack. They made their way past the first years, who looked rather daunted as they approached Hagrid, still calling 'Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere!', towards the carriages. They were filling up fast, and the three of them found themselves sitting beside two rather surly looking Ravenclaw fourth year girls. They looked at each other as they saw James, Rose and Fred sit down, and raised their eyebrows slightly.
"You're James Potter?" one of them asked him.
"Yeah," James said, looking oddly at them, "What of it?"
"No reason," the girl said, before turning back to her friend and talking in heated whispers. James caught only certain words like 'ministry' and 'muggle', and he looked and Rose, who looked just as confused as he did. The castle was looming ahead of them, each little window in each turret and tower gleaming like a firefly. Despite living with Ron and Hermione, James still felt Hogwarts was his first true home, the first place he had been accepted, even loved, for who he was. He wondered how many others had felt the same way about the majestic castle, how many other witches and wizards had found a home at Hogwarts. He felt there were probably more than you'd think.
Their carriage continued alongside the lake and up towards the castle, until it stopped slowly in front of the giant doors. All around them there were students spilling from their own carriages and nearly running into the castle to escape the bitter cold. James, Rose, Fred and the two fourth years did the same, and their carriage left abruptly leaving them to get out of the way and into the castle before they were run over. There was an unmistakable atmosphere of apprehension and excitement in the air, as the buzz of wizards and witches streamed through the entrance hall towards the great hall, where the four house tables were. The Gryffindor table was on the far right, so James, Fred and Rose headed off to that side of the hall where they sat down beside the Lysander Scamander, who looked a little lost without his brother, Lorcan, a Ravenclaw, and Fred's big sister Roxanne.
"Hey Roxy," Fred grinned, "How's Oscar?"
Roxanne turned a very Weasley-like shade of pink most unusual considering her darker colouring, "He'd fine thank you Frederick."
"Did you hear guys? Roxy's got a boyfriend, a seventh year," said Fred, "In Hufflepuff, and head boy no less!"
"Oh Roxy!" Rose swooned, "Not Oscar Kresner?"
Roxanne blushed again and turned to talk to Adrian Schmitt, a boy in her own year.
"Who's Oscar Kresner?" James asked bemusedly.
"Only, like, the most, like, totally dishy guy in like, the whole of Hogwarts," said Fred sarcastically, Rose elbowed him hard in the ribs.
"He's on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, he's captain this year, and he's head boy, and he got ten 'O's in his O.W.L's and he's gorgeous," Rose spouted, "And no one says dishy any more Frederick. Get some new slang."
At that moment, Professor McGonagall stood up to make her start of term speech before the first years were sorted, "Now, as you know, Professor Longbottom, a faithful teacher at Hogwarts has chosen to take a leave of absence, to come to terms with his recent… difficulties-" she began. Longbottom had take a leave of absence? Why hadn't he mentioned it over the summer… not two weeks ago he'd said he was excited to get back to work-
"-and so, we have appointed a temporary replacement Herbology teacher, until his return," McGonagall continued, "So, I'd like you all to kindly welcome Professor Snow," she gestured to a woman sitting at the end of the teachers table, who looked as little like snow as seemed possible. She had a grey, sallow looking face with heavily hooded eyes and sleek, black hair. She looked as though she was at least sixty, though she didn't have the kind look that many older people had, infact, she looked to be one of the most unpleasant people James had ever seen. Surely this woman couldn't be Longbottom's replacement? She was head of Gryffindor?
"-now, as you all know, Professor Longbottom was both Deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor house," McGonagall said stiffly, as though this caused great annoyance to her, "And members of his will be ecstatic to know that Professor Weasley will be replacing him as both these roles!" James let out a cheer at this, as did the rest of Gryffindor, Hermione was his head of house! It had almost slipped his mind over the summer that she was a teacher at all…
McGonagall raised her arms for quiet, "So, with that, may I ask Professor Granger to go and collect the first years to be sorted!"
Hermione stood up hurriedly and rushed towards the door to the antechamber, where a year ago James had stood, unsure of his fate. Within a few moments, Hermione reappeared and placed the Sorting Hat on it's stool, she then returned to the antechamber, and lead a stream of nervous looking first years into the great hall. Each was wearing the black pointed hat as per the uniform list, which the older students had long since lost or 'accidentally set fire to' in James and Cygnus' case. Speaking of Cygnus, James still hadn't seen him since their argument on the train. He looked up and down the Gryffindor table, and sure enough, he saw Cygnus sitting with Kerry Finnegan. Kerry smiled warmly as he saw James staring at him, but Cygnus continued to listen to the sorting hat's song.
"-I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong!"
The hall erupted into the usual wave of applause, as Hermione unfurled a long piece of parchment, on which were the names of the first years. James noticed there were far fewer than usual, as there couldn't be more than forty little students waiting to be sorted.
"Ackerly, Fiona," Hermione said clearly, though her voice was shaking somewhat through nerves, a small blonde girl who looked equally nervous stepped up, and was presently sorted into Ravenclaw. 'Amberson, Elliot' became a Hufflepuff, closely followed by 'Bennet, Max' who became the first Slytherin. Hermione continued through the 'B's, the 'C's and the 'D's, as 'Burton' 'Carols' and 'Denston' became Gryffindors and Slytherins.
"Egginton, Eliza," Hermione called, and James' head shot up, as a little girl with shiny blonde hair stood up to be sorted, she looked familiar, only he couldn't remember where he'd seen her before. She became a Gryffindor, and Hermione continued… Evans… Gibbs… Holmes… Hubert…. Lancaster… Moon…
"Potter, Lily!" Hermione called, and then looked confusedly down at her parchment, attempting mentally correcting herself. The entire hall looked towards James, who shrugged, as a little girl with red hair stood forward to be sorted. For a moment James was worried he had gone back in time, and that the girl being called was his grandmother, until he remembered she had been Lily Evans whilst at Hogwarts. Lily Potter smiled as she too became a Gryffindor, and James stared at her as she walked nervously down the Gryffindor table. James smiled warmly at her, and gestured for her to sit with him and Fred, he felt he recognised her from somewhere.
"Hi," she said, as she sat down between James and another first year, "I'm Lily Potter."
"James Potter," James smiled at her, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Lily."
"We have the same last name," she said nervously, and giggled.
"We do," said James, looking at her, trying to scrape some kind of recognition from her face, he could see no features that could make her a relative of his. He sighed disappointedly and turned back to Rose, who was still staring at Lily. Lily smiled at her, as though she recognised Rose, and then looked to see the rest of her year be sorted. Hermione called the final first year's name, and returned to her seat at McGonagall clapped her hands, and the plates of food appeared on the table. James and Fred instantly grabbed for the roast chicken, as Rose continued to look at Lily.
"So, Lily," Fred started, his mouth full of mashed potato, "Are you sure you're not related to old James here. I am, and its not all its cracked up to be-"
"-I'm muggle born," Lily said nervously, "So I doubt it."
James shrugged and continued to natter away to Rose about the Quidditch season, and whether or not Gryffindor's team would be as good, since they'd lost Teddy. Though there was something bothering him, he felt as though he was being watched, which was of course not unusual for him, being one of the most famous wizards at the school, but this was a different kind of being watched. It was more similar to the kind of watched he'd felt this morning at the train station, when that woman-
"Rose!" he said suddenly in a hoarse whisper, "Doesn't Professor Snow look oddly familiar to you?"
Rose looked oddly at him, "You know I was thinking that, but when-"
"-that woman this morning!" James said, hoping Rose had seen her too.
"What woman?" Rose asked, "We didn't meet anyone this morning apart from that stray dog!"
James' heart sank a little, perhaps he was going mad, maybe it was all in his imagination that the woman had been Professor Snow… but the likeness was so strong, "How can you not remember the woman! Outside the newsagents, in the long black cloak-?"
"-I saw a woman in a black cloak outside our newsagent's this morning," Lily piped up, "I pointed her out to Alfie and he said-"
"-I'm sure there are lots of women in cloaks, at lots of different places in the country Lily, but this is a specific one-" James started, but was cut off by Lily again.
"-but it is the same one!" Lily whined, "In Kew! I live there too!"
Then James remembered where he'd seen her before, that little family he'd seen last Christmas at Hermione's house! The one he'd wished was his own, back when he felt as though he had no family. The one Hermione had though was his own. And here was the little daughter, Lily.
"So is Alfie your brother?" James asked her warmly.
"Yeah," Lily grinned, "He's your age, but he's not weird like me-"
"-who said you were weird Lily?" Rose suddenly asked worriedly.
"He did," said Lily, "He's been angry at me since I got my letter in June, and mummy and daddy blame me and-"
"-I know how you feel," said James, thinking of when he got his own letter, and Aunt Carol's resentment of it, "My aunt hated me for a while after I got my letter."
"But what about your parents?" Lily asked, "Surely they were proud of you?"
James was silent for a minute, until Fred spoke for him, "James' mum and dad died when he was little, so he lived with his aunt and uncle until he came to Hogwarts," he explained, "Now he lives with Rose and Professor Weasley-"
"-ah, I thought I recognised her!" Lily exclaimed yet again, she seemed oddly confident all of a sudden, especially for a first year, "She's your mum?"
Rose smiled warmly at her, as the gold food platters before them disappeared, and McGonagall raised her hand again for silence. As the hubbub of the great hall began to die down, the enchanted sky above seemed to turn darker, greyer and cloudier than it had been for the rest of the evening. The twinkling stars vanished behind thick cloud, and the almost round moon disappeared into the mist.
"Now that we have all be successfully fed and watered," McGonagall smiled fondly, "I have a brief speech for you all. The way in which young witches and wizards grow is not by listening to those older and wiser than themselves- though I am not condoning rule breaking, Mr. Potter-" she smiled at James, "but we learned by making our own choices, our own decisions, and, through that, becoming people far different than our teachers- and parents- could ever have imagined. Now there's some food for thought. Prefects, please show the younger students back to their common rooms. And I bid you all, a very good night."
Hope you LOOVVVEDDD it :) i'm getting back into the writing spirit, so... there may or may not be a new chapter soon-ish, as always, i'm open to SUGGESTIONS... and of course:
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