Next Generation





Chapter Two: Again the Journey from the Platform




The last night at home for the Potters was indeed very exciting. Lily was the first one to wake up on September first, and finish up her last minute packing. Elegantly, she folded her dress robes up and stuck them into her baggage. She was already dressed and ready to go when her brother and parents awoke. Lily looked at the corner of her room, to check up on her owl. A beautiful female barn owl it was. Gold and brown, with bright golden eyes. She had come to name her Sniffles.

James had kept to himself, in his room. Staring at his owl, and sitting on his A History of Magic textbook. His pet had overtaken James. And he had come to name a male snow furred owl, Prongs. After his grandfather. His things were scattered across the bedroom, when he woke up that morning. And he quickly hurried up to stuff them all in and dress.

It felt like a lifetime, before Hermione had called them down, being that it was time to go. Lily came racing down the stairs at top speed. Extremely excited, and checking over her parchment paper. James looked tired as he left his room, "Be careful with Prongs, dad please." James reminded Harry, who was carrying his cage down the stairs. "I know, James." Harry reassured his tired son.

Once their trucks had all been loaded into the family car, the Potter family crammed into the jammed car, as they set off for King's Cross. The sun was still out, and brilliantly shining over the pink skyline. James fell asleep in the middle of the ride, and ended up leaning against Lily's shoulder. Lily sighed, and watched the window. She was too excited to feel tired.

They reached King's Cross at about half past nine AM. "Here we are." Hermione stated fondly. Lily jumped up, causing James to snap awake. His brown eyes looking about wildly. "Hm?" Lily prodded him in the side, as she fled from the side door of the car. "Come along now, James." Her brother quickly followed her.

Their luggage was unpacked from the car, and put on rollers. Lily had slight trouble getting the hang of pushing her things, but as soon as they entered between platform nine and ten, she was fine. "Nine and three quarters, right dad?" James asked, pointing towards the dividing barrier between. "Yes," Responded Harry, Hermione at his side. Hermione kept a close eye on her children, due to tourists swarmed across the platforms.

"Let's go James, first!" James sped towards the platforms' dividing barrier. He kept running until he disappeared from view. Lily followed as well as both their parents. The scarlet steam engine puffed and whistled as it was paused at the platform. The Hogwarts express it certainly was. Harry's eyes ran to the steam engine. "Memories, eh?" He whispered to Hermione. Hermione nodded happily. It just seemed like yesterday it was their first year together.

The platform buzzed with students, clad in various robes, shoving their carts across the platform, trying to find a compartment. "Hermione! Harry!" Called a voice, and through the crowd came a skinny red-haired young man, at his hand a brown haired girl. Harry's eyes ran wide. "Ron!" He ran up to greet his best friend with a hug. "Hullo, Harry..Hermione." Smiled his young wife. "Lavender! You look beautiful." Hermione smiled, embracing the young women. "You too, Ron!"

"Hullo Uncle Ron, aunt Lavender." Lily calmly stated, standing beside James. "Hullo, Lily, James!" Ron chuckled, looking down at the two children. "Where is Violet?" James asked quietly. Lavender's green eyes twinkled with pride. "Oh she's off trying to find a compartment." Harry glanced around the platform again. "Wow...this is like a reunion. Everybody is here."

Hermione looked up, and her eyes widened. A young woman, rushing across the platform, with a little boy at her side, could only be Miss Cho Chang. The infamous Ravenclaw Seeker. Close behind was their Gryffindor classmate, Neville Longbottom, having children of his own as well. "Are Ginny and Draco here yet?" Hermione asked Ron curiously. Ron nodded. "Yes, their children are on the train though."

"Hermione, we better see them off, it's getting late." Shoving through the crowd, and saying goodbye to Ron and Lavender, Lily and James looked for an empty compartment. They found on, in the middle of the train. Harry began to unload, and shove both of their heavy trunks into the corners. "I remember when I first did this, I dropped it twice on my foot." He earned a small laugh from Lily, who was trying to help out.

"Goodbye!"
"Bye mum, owl candy!"
"Owl as soon as you get there!"

Harry turned to see whom the voices belonged to. There he spotted Katie Bell, who was one Gryffindor's best chasers. And she was waving to a fiery redheaded young girl, obviously her daughter. He smiled a bit. Katie was married to Fred Weasley. However, the former prankster was not in sight, for the crowd began to form again.

"Good luck." Harry said, giving both his children a hug. Hermione, with tears in her eyes kissed both her children goodbye, as they hurried back on the train. Quickly sitting down, James stuck his head out of the window and began to wave to his parents. "Bye mum, bye dad!"

"Bye! Have fun--Behave yourself!" Called Hermione.
"Owl as soon as possible!" Harry called back, waving.


The train began to whistle, and then to move. James stuck his head back into their compartment. Lily stood up as soon as they began to move away from the platform. She peered out into the slim aisle way, watching as kids moved towards the back of the train to change into school robes. "I'm going to go find the others, James." Her brother merely nodded, as Lily disappeared down the aisle. James sat quickly, and scooted over to the window, peering out.

"Uhm, excuse me. Is anybody sitting here?"

James' head snapped in the direction of the voice, to see a pair of nervous blue eyes looking at him. Dirty blonde hair was messy. Robes shabby and looking second handed. "No, go ahead. Sit down." The boy quickly sat across from him. "So what's your name?" The nervous boy asked James.

"James Potter," He held out his hand. "And you are?"

"Gerald Lupin." The shy boy shook his hand.

"Great to meet you! Can I call you Gerry?"

"Sure, I don't mind at all."



After wandering towards the back of the train, Lily had discovered Daniel as well as Gabby sitting farther on, with two girls and one boy. The two girls were Violet Weasley and Katelyn Weasley. The boy was black haired and asian looking. He introduced himself as Ricky Chang. "So are you guys excited about going to Hogwarts?" Lily asked intently, eyes shining brightly with excitement. Ricky nodded nervously. "My mum went here. Say she was one of the best quidditch players." Daniel raised a brow. "Yea...well, it should be fun." His voice was a dull drawl.

Lily calmly smiled, and rolled her eyes. She wanted to do some exploring. The train made a sudden push forward, and she bumped into somebody head on. "Oh, excuse me, so sorry." Lily's face went pink. "Watch were you're going, Potter!" A male voice tingled with a slight hiss. She was faced to face with Steven Snape. Professor Snape's youngest nephew. Lily rolled her eyes, and turned to walk away.

"I'd be careful, if I was you, Potter.." He stated quietly.


Darkness coated the area sometime later on, as James and Gerald perked up, the two had been chatting for a while. James was the first one to notice outside of the window. Eagerly he began to point. "Look!" The train had begun to slow down. The sky was glistening purple and pastel blue, trees and mountains whooshed past them in a slowed motion. Before Gerald could reply, Lily burst into the doorway. "Let's go you two, we're here!"

Through the corridor, the group of children began to file out of the train, only to be greeted with such a murky sight. It was dark out by the time they had reached the station. Lily calmly rejoined next to James, and the group of friends stayed together. "Where do we go?" Heavy footsteps got their attention, and the familiar giant loomed over them. "Firs' years! Over here!" He bellowed. James knew it to be Hagrid. Filed in a neat line, they began to walk towards the giant.

The pathway was anything but pleasing, Lily gripped into James to keep from loosing her balance and falling. Ricky was trying to follow a small blonde girl, but nearly fell on her. "Yeh'll got ta' stay ta'gether now." They heard Hagrid yelp, as the sight of Hogwarts came into view on the other side of a large black lake. Boats were lined within the coastline, and Violet looked disgusted. She hated traveling by boat.

After getting heavy directions not to overload the boat, James, Gerald, Lily, and Violet all got into the same boat. The rest of the group divided into the other two boats that would carry them across the lake. Through the whole trip towards the elegant castle, Violet was clung to Lily in fright. She really could not wait to get off the boat. As soon as they crossed the lake, Violet tripped and nearly fell onto the shoreline if it wasn't for James he had grabbed her by the sides of her robes.

Hagrid turned around to make sure everyone had gotten off safely, then carefully marched them towards the castle. "Ta'gether now everyone." Each, as nervous as they came, looked up to the castle as they walked up the stairs, and up towards the huge polished doors.

"Wow..."