Both Teddy and Victoire got their first glimpse of the Hogwarts express exactly eight years before. Indeed the latter barely even paid attention to the former and was busy scuttering around like an ant out of formation.

Young Teddy Lupin was far more static, tilting only his head to take in what he saw upon crossing the barrier. He almost took a step back after glimpsing the Hogwarts Express, regarding it with the agitation of a shy and uncertain newcomer.

'You've got nothing to be nervous about now,' assured his godfather, Harry Potter. 'This is what you've been anxious for all summer.'

'Yeah, but it feels different… being here, y'know? I'm not making much sense…' stumbled Teddy. Harry placed a hand on his shoulder and knelt down to his eye level. 'I felt this way too the first time I came here,' he admitted. 'But I knew that what was to come after that very train, was to be the happiest time of my life.'

This proved somewhat reassuring, but not to the point that Teddy was entirely convinced.

'But you were different,' he protested. 'You're the famous Harry Potter. Everyone wanted to be your friend. Besides, you had Ron with you that day, you said so. Here I am all on my own.'

'I only met Ron because I asked his mother how to get here,' Harry explained. 'You'll be able to find someone very quickly, you'll see. After all, your mother was a Hufflepuff, and Hufflepuffs are great finders.'

'What does that even mean?' cried Teddy. 'That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!'

Harry sighed. In truth it didn't sound nearly as inspirational as he had hoped. Perhaps his godson needed a little incentive. He reached into the pocket of his muggle jacket pulling out a piece of parchment. He handed this to Teddy who recognised it and stared in awe.

'The Marauder's Map?' he stared. 'Are you sure?'

'There isn't much an Auror can get away with when using a map of a school of such nature. James would love for me to hand it down to him, but it belongs to you as much as me,' explained Harry. 'After all, we're both sons of Marauders.' He ruffled Teddy's sky blue hair, uncombed in an attempt to match Harry's own style. The pair pulled each other together until a whistle from the Hogwarts express warned it was almost time to go.

'Aren't you going to say goodbye to Teddy, Victoire?' called Harry's wife, Ginny. Victoire turned around swishing her dazzling blonde hair as if to slice the wind behind her.

'Bye' she muttered quickly, showing off her last missing teeth at either side of her mouth. As quickly as she had bidden her farewell, she dashed off to mix with the multitude.

'We'd better run after her,' realised Harry. 'She might try and sneak on the train or something. Bye now, Teddy. Don't worry about anything at all!'

And thus the couple dashed off behind their niece, not before Harry stopped in his tracks to give Teddy one last wave before, for the first time, he set foot on the Hogwarts Express.

Ω Ω Ω

Despite appearing on what Teddy thought to be the last steam engine still functioning, the interior resembled that of any other train he had seen, other than the inclusion of carriages with a capacity for a handful of students, he knew not exactly how many. Since he had missed the initial rush of overenthusiastic newcomers mixed with the accustomed older students, things out in the hallway were rather tranquil, save a few pyrotechnics from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, which Teddy easily recognised since he was acquainted with both the owners. In fact, on his last visit there, George Weasley, founder and co-manager, had forced him into acquiring his first ever Skiving Snackbox "Revised" Edition and a couple of Self-Propelling Custard Pies 'at discount price' ('You never gave me a discount when I was at Hogwarts!' complained his brother Ron. 'How's that fair?') Teddy decided that a sensible course of action would be to follow one firework and to sit in whichever carriage it exploded outside of. And thus, it was on the trail of the next Spectrum Splasher that he stumbled across one such carriage and, without thinking, pulled the door open.

Four fifth years spun around glaring at the new arrival. 'Wot d'you want?' snarled one. Teddy froze in his tracks. The quartet grinned menacingly at him the same way a pack of wolves may behold a rabbit.

'This carriage is occupied, geddit? Scram!"' snapped another girl rising toward him, causing her prey to stumble backwards.

'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!' cried Teddy moving into foetal position against the wall. 'I was just trying to find somewhere to sit with people. Don't hurt me, please!'

The four roared with laughter. 'Hurt you?' sniggered the same girl. 'We're not into attacking first ears…' she pulled him closer '...unless you really annoy us. So, stay out of our way and your time at Hogwarts will be a lot better. Got it?'

'Got it,' Teddy gulped, and the girl let go. He was desperate to get out of there as quickly as he could, but to make matters worse, a slightly maturing yet boyishly juvenile voice commanded 'Nobody move! Someone better explain this right now.'

Teddy and the carriage members spun round to face a tall chubby cheeked boy with neatly trimmed coal black hair accompanying another student who appeared to be his exact opposite. In stark contrast to himself, the girl next to him was around Teddy's height sporting an orange head of hair with purple tips, neatly brushed and artificially curled with muggle technology. She too took a step back when she first saw the group fearing a confrontation of her own. Fortunately, her trusted escort was having none of it.

'I'm sick of you lot picking on innocent first years every time they arrive!' he scolded. The girl at the front took a step towards him. She was taller, though not by much, hence managed to be just little intimidating even to her adversary.

'Or what are you gonna do, Oberon?' she sniggered. 'Give us a detention?'

"I can now," warned Oberon, pointing to a brand-new badge on his robes with the word 'Prefect' engraved across it. The group exchanged a series of indifferent sneers.

'We're not in school yet!' called one of the boys from the back.

'We know you're power hungry, but wait a little, don't you think?' teased another. The rest eagerly guffawed at this remark. Teddy glanced at Oberon the prefect and thought he saw his nose and forehead wrinkle for just a second. Clearly this had gotten under his saviour's skin, yet he was determined to remain strong.

'The train counts as school property,' he responded serene and severe as ever. 'So I'm in my fully representational capacity from this moment onwards.

'Oooh! Representational capacity! Aren't you so proper?' mocked the girl. 'What happened to you, Oby? You used to be cool.'

Oberon sarcastically paused for thought. 'Hmm… nope. Always been like this, sorry.' He turned his attention to Teddy and the orange and purple haired girl. 'Now, you two. If you'll follow me, I'll find you both a decent place to sit.