James Potter – First Impressions
Chapter 1: Diagon Alley
August 2nd, 1971
James Potter ran a hand through his overly messy jet black hair. He groaned as it returned to it's messy state. He turned and his eyes rested on the window, where a magnificent Eagle Owl had landed, and was currently tapping the window, trying to get the young boy's attention. James ran to the window and pulled it up, letting the Eagle Owl fly in and land on his bed.
"Now then, who're you from?" He said, flopping down onto the moving Quidditch images. He took the envelope off the Owl's leg, and nodded to the owl treats on his desk. He'd grown up with owl's flying in and out of his bedroom window, and he always made sure to have a few Owl treats for them.
The Eagle Owl flew up and grabbed one in it's beak before disappearing out of the window. James looked at the elegant, green hand writing on the front of the Envelope.
James Potter
Front Bedroom
65 Godrics Hollow
Cornwell
James ripped open the envelope and scanned the letter.
'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, 1st Class, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr Potter
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We hope to receive your owl shortly,
Adam Apollo
Deputy Headmaster'
James grinned. He'd been accepted! He took out the second piece of parchment
'All new first year students will require the following:
One wand
One cauldron
One set of scales (preferably brass)
One telescope
The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 by: Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by: Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by: Albert Waffling
Starting Transfigaration by: Meta Morphi
Herbs and Fungi for your Garden by: Eve Garden
Magical Drafts and Potions by: Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beast & Where to Find Them by: Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection by: Quentin Trimble
One pet is optional: either one toad, one owl or one cat'
James grinned and gripped the two pieces of parchment in his hand. He stood up and raced downstairs, running into the kitchen where his father and mother were sitting, drinking cups of tea.
"What have you got there son?" His father asked, not looking up from over the top of the Daily Prophet.
James grinned and placed the letters on the table. "Oh nothing...just a Hogwarts letter."
His mother snatched up the letter, a smile now planted on her face. His father pushed down the Prophet and took the letter after his mum had finished reading it. "I see Dumbledore's headmaster now...it was Dippet when I was there...he must have become headmaster this year..."
Mrs Potter clapped her hands together. "Get out of your Pyjama's James, we have to go to Diagon Alley! Now, a cat, toad or owl?" She stood up and started fussing, rushing around the kitchen and placing the Floo Powder above the fireplace. She shooed James out of the room, and he disappeared upstairs to get some robes on.
When he returned to the kitchen, his father had already gone. "Come on James, hurry up, your father will be waiting..." He took a pinch of Floo Powder and stood in the fireplace. He threw down the powder and was engulfed in green flames.
"Diagon Alley." He said, loud and clear. He could feel the familiar feeling he always got when travelling by Floo. He soon fell out at the Leaky Cauldron, and was helped up by his father.
They waited for Mrs Potter to appear, and when she did, they left the Leaky Cauldron, and went into the small courtyard surrounded by a wall. Mr Potter led his wife and son towards the back, and proceeded to tap the bricks with his wand. As he did so, the bricks turned into a gateway, allowing James and his parents into Diagon Alley.
James had to smile as he noticed a few kids about his age staring in awe at the Alley. He guessed they were Muggle-Born, as a few had older wizards or witches with them, showing them around and pointing out certain shops. They passed one group of five people, a Wizard leading a small, red haired girl and her parents, with an older girl trailing behind, complaining loudly.
The first place they went to was Gringotts, a large marble building with bronze front doors. As they entered, two goblins bowed to them. In the entrance chamber were silver doors, with writing. James focused on the writing, and shivered as he read the words.
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
They'd been to Diagon Alley before, but James had never gone into Gringotts. That was the last place they usally visited, so one of his parents would take James to the Leaky Cauldron, and wait for the other to return. But today he would be seeing the Potter Family Vault for the first time. His father gripped his shoulders as his mother handed a key to a goblin.
He followed his parents and another goblin into another hall, from which they entered a dark chamber with a small cart that looked like it belonged more in a mine than a bank. He clambered in after his parents, and squeezed himself between them. The goblin sat in the front, cross legged. He looked at the key and anoouced, 'Vault 745.' The cart speed forward, and James gripped the side as it dove down into a another dark chamber.
The cart speed on, turning right, left, down, right again, then up...James lost it and closed his eyes. Every time the cart dived, it still felt like his stomach was left at the top.
The cart came to a shuddering stop, and James followed his parents out onto the side. He looked around and spotted 6 Vaults, each with a number. Three were on the other side, and there own was behind them. He turned and looked at Vault 745. The goblin stuck the key in and opened the door. James held his arm in front of his eyes as a mixture of red and green smoke billowed out. His father and mother smiled and pointed to the carving on the inside of the Vault door.
"The Potter Family Crest." His father explained, and James took his arm away to see a carving of two wands crossed, making an X shape. James could see two wolves, above and below the middle cross, facing each other. On the sides of the X were two hippogriffs, facing each other with one front leg rasied. James grinned and his father nodded. "The wolf if fierce, determained. The Hippogriff is noble and proud. And the stag..." His father traced the carving in the middle of the cross, the head of a stag. "Is brave, noble and strong." He looked at James, who was nodding as his eyes followed the carvings.
He turned and saw his mum scooping piles of Knuts, Sickles and Galleons into her bag, she smiled at them and they stepped back, as the goblin closed the door.
The clambered back into the cart, James looked ahead as they turned into a right passageway. He looked into the left passageway as they passed. He heard a roar, and saw a large fire spring out, as they turned away from the left passageway.
James blinked as he stepped into the sun. Gringotts had been damp, dark, but outside was extremely bright compared to the Wizard Bank.
"Wand now, yes?" His mother smiled at him and he nodded. His father held his shoulder as they led him towards Ollivanders.
James had visited Ollivanders wand shop with his parents for years. His mother always seemed to break her wands.
They entered the shop. James noticed a boy, about 7 or 8, sitting in the spindly chair, swining his legs. He looked up and frowned at James and his parents, his eyes were a dark brown, and for a 7 year old, he looked...dangerous. James looked towards the back of the shop, and saw a boy about his age trying out a wand. His mother was standing next to him, scowling as he tried out wands. He found the one for him and Ollivander placed it in a small, wooden box. The boy turned.
"Oy Reg, get over here." The small boy leapt of the chair and walked towards the older boy. He whispered something and pointed at James. The boy looked up and smiled at James. His hair was a deep brown, and his eyes were like 'Reg's, but warmer. He smiled at James.
"Hey." He said, crossing the shop towards James. "Are you going to Hogwarts too?" He asked, grinning at James.
James nodded. "Yeah, I got my letter this morning."
"Yeah, me too. Regulas is coming up in..." He frowned and started to mutter. "7...11...8, 9, 10, 11...4 years!" He looked at James, the frown gone. "Yeah, four years. Sirius Black." He held his hand out, and James shook it. It was slightly grubby.
"James Potter." James said. "What house are you hoping to be in?" He asked.
"Black's are...Slythrins, most of the time." Sirius frowned. "But my cousin's in Ravenclaw, and my Uncle was a Hippogriff, I want to be in Gryffindor."
"Most of my family have been Gryffindors...I hope I'm one." James looked up as his father called him, and Sirius' mother called him. "Bye Sirius."
"Bye James! See you in the Lions Den." Sirius gave a wink and disappeared out of the door.
James turned, smiling, and walked towards where his mother and father were talking to Ollivander. "You and Mr Black seem to get along well, Mr Potter." Ollivander stated, smiling at James.
James nodded as Ollivander reached up and pulled down a wand. "Here, try this. Unicorn tail hair, 6 inches, Willow." James waved it, but it was snatched out of his hand instantly. "Pheonix tail feather, 4 inches, Oak." That, too, was whipped out of his hand.
After a while, he was given a Mahogany wand, 11 inches with a dragon heartstring at it's core. Ollivander commented that it was an excellent wand for Transfigaration as James raised it above his head. He brought it down with a swish, and watched as a jet of light shot out of it, crashing into a door and turning the old, wooden back door into a clean, new oak door. Ollivander smiled and nodded, as the door turned back into it's old self.
"That's a good wand Mr Potter. Look after it." Ollivander's eyes twinkled as James nodded.
"I will."
James looked at the shelves of books in Florish and Blotts. They'd got everything except for his books. Now, as they wondered down the rows of litriture and writings, he scanned his list. He read out books and his mother grabbed them, eventually placing them on the desk and paying for them.
His eyes rested on one book in the 'Beasts' section. This book didn't belong there, what was 'Catch and Throw: A Chasers Guide' doing in the Beasts section of the shop? He grabbed the book and turned to his parents. "Can I get this?" He asked, smiling sweetly at them.
His father glanced at him and frowned. "You don't need it, you can't even join the team this year."
James' eyes widened and his mouth opened. "But I can practise, so I know everything for next year."
"No James, you are not getting it."
James groaned and moaned as he was led out of the Book shop and towards Madam Milkins Robes. His mother pushed him inside and towards two stools. A short witch walked towards him and nodded, helping him onto the stool. She fixed the robes to his size and turned to talk to his mum while his dad approached him.
"What about my tie?" James asked, relaxing his arms and looking at Mr Potter.
"You get a standard Hogwarts tie." Mr Potter explained, showing James one from the shelves. Where the House Animal normally was, there was the Hogwarts Crest. "When you're sorted, the Hogwarts Crest turns into your house crest."
James nodded, as he changed back into his own robes. His father pulled some coins out of the his mothers purse and they paid for his Hogwarts robes.
His mother scanned his list. "One more thing, a pet...a cat, owl or toad?" She asked, looking at him and smiling.
James frowned as he thought. They were crossing Diagon Alley now, and James looked at the pet shop as they entered. There were all sorts of animals around here. Lizards, Snakes, the Hogwarts Pets...his eyes scanned the Excotic Pets section.
"Cat's are great familiars...especially if you get a Cross Kneazle, Frogs were out of date when your Grandparents went to Hogwarts...Owls are useful, great if you want to write home often, but the school will have Owls for you to use..." His mother sighed and looked at James. "So, what do you want son?" She asked, smiling at him.
James scanned the Owls and Cats. His gaze rested on a tawny owl, sleeping. It was smallish, but he could see it was just young. James crossed the room and watched the owl. An old man hobbled over to him and smiled. "Eleven Gallons for him son." He said, and his mother turned up behind him.
"Mum?" James asked, and his mother nodded.
"We'll take him." She said, and paid the shopkeeper for the Owl.