AN - I started a version of this story a few years ago when I was just starting to write fanfictions and decided to go on hiatus for a while due to a lot happening in my personal life. When Cursed Child was announced and rendered everything I was writing outdated and non-canon I abandoned the project. However last week I reopened my old account and decided to have a look at my old story and was impressed with some parts but not impressed with most. I've kept the characters I created in but I am going to change aspects of the story and try to have a bit more depth than I did story wise last time. To sum up I've decided to disregard Cursed Child completely and reboot the story I originally intended to make. If that doesn't suit people that's ok there's plenty of stories out there for people who want to sick to canon but if you do read it I hope you enjoy and let me know if I can do anything to improve.
The Hogwarts Express thundered down the tracks at a steady pace, outside the window the urban landscape of London had slowly dissipated to the rolling countryside of the Home Counties. In a matter of hours the train would reach Hogsmeade and by twilight, it's occupants would be enjoying a fabulous feast in the Hogwarts' Great Hall. The past couple of days had been a blur for Hugo Weasley, he barely remembered going shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley with his mum and sister, books in Flourish and Blotts, getting his wand in Ollivander's, even checking out the window display of his favorite store; Quality Quidditch Supplies. One by one Hugo's cousins had all received their Hogwarts letters and boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time, only two years ago it was his sister Rose's turn. It was only when she started her first year in Hogwarts had Hugo crossed over to Platform 9 3/4 for the first time. The ancient steam engine filled him with awe and he watched in complete jealousy as Rose and their cousin Albus had boarded the train, every day for two years Hugo had marked the days remaining until he too got to board the train and head off for adventures unknown. Now that day had arrived and Hugo found himself sitting in one of the compartments next to his cousin Lily. Lily was starting First Year as well but by the way she was going on about it you could have sworn she was studying for her OWL's. As the Hogwarts Express passed over an old viaduct Hugo thought back to what his dad told him on he platform, "Hogwarts is not like any other place in the world, it will drive you mental when you get there but you'll always look forward to going back". It was only two hours ago he said that but it seemed like an eternity, already a pang of homesickness washed over the boy and suddenly the excitement that had been boiling over the past two years receded a bit.
"Do you think we'll be placed in Gryffindor" Lily inquired, looking up from her copy of Hogwarts: A History;
"Undoubtedly!" replied Hugo "Name a single member of our family who hasn't already". Lily shrugged her shoulders and went back to reading her book,
"What is that - the third time you've read that book in a month" Hugo chuckled which his cousin refused to answer, "They haven't added anything new since you finished it last week".
"If you must know" Lily replied curtly "I'm rereading this one because I forgot to pack my copy of Jinxes for the Jinxed, something you ought to be thankful for".
Hugo swallowed back whatever wisecrack he was going to make, Lily's temper was fierce when she needed it to be and it wouldn't be the first time that she expressed her anger via jinxes and hexes.
"Have you seen Rose anywhere, I haven't seen her since King's Cross" Hugo asked; changing the subject,
"Last time I saw her she was talking to one of the Slytherins a couple of carriages down" Lily said without looking up from the book.
"Slytherins!? Since when does Rose hang out with Slytherins?" Hugo wondered.
Suddenly the carriage door opened and a lanky boy with great big ears and a shock of wild ginger hair to match any Weasley stood in the doorway,
"I do hope it's alright if I sit in here" the boy said in a Highland Scots accent "Someone thought it would be a good idea to slip a puking pastille into someones sweets and now my carriage is riddled in sick".
Before Hugo could even open his mouth to say anything Lily chimed up "Of course come right in" without so much as even glancing in his direction, the boy smiled gave a quick thanks and then sat on the bench immediately opposite Hugo.
"Are you guys heading into First Year too?" the boy asked looking from Hugo to Lily, "Yeah" Hugo nodded "We're both starting our First Year but we've older siblings already in Hogwarts, what about you?",
"No" the boy shook his head "I'm the eldest, although my brother will start here when I'm in Third Year", "We're the last of our lot; all our cousins and siblings are either graduated or older years."
Hugo responded conversationally. "Big family huh?" he boy smirked "Bilius McCreanor is the name" the boy smiled offering his hand to Hugo who clasped his hand and smiled back "Hugo Granger-Weasley".
The boy's eyes widened in shock "Oh no!" thought Hugo "Here we go again", as far back as he could remember people always used to coo over the fact that Hugo's parents were famous, sometimes it was nice but mostly it was suffocating and Hugo wanted nothing more than to step outside of his parents' enormous shadow.
"As in Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, your their wean" Bilius blinked, Hugo went quiet and gave a curt nod in response.
"Then if you're cousins then Harry Potter must be your father" Bilius squealed now turning all his attention to Lily, "Yep" she responded without taking her head out of her book once again; Hugo could never get over how casually his cousin seemed to deal with people fawning over their parents all the time.
"It's not really a big deal" Hugo groaned rubbing the back of his neck "It's not as if we killed Lord Voldemort or anything", "Aye but you are related to the most famous witch and wizards of the past fifty years",
"Well considering that between the amount of Potters and Weasleys already in Hogwarts, you'll find that there is nothing special about that fact" chimed Lily as she put away her book. Bilius apologized for his little starstruck moment and began to shift uncomfortably in his seat. The rest of the journey to Hogsmeade was spent in silence.
Just as the sun was beginning to set on the Scottish Highlands the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade station. The excitement of the train's occupants could be heard loudly in every carriage and no sooner had the shrill whistle of the train pierced the twilight did a horde of underage witches and wizards descended on to the platforms. The cool air hit Hugo hard as his feet touched the cold stone of the platform, it was pandemonium trying to find anyone he knew and it wasn't long before he had lost sight of even Lily and that Bilius fellow, Hugo's worry didn't last long though as he recognized a figure approaching the platform who dwarfed even the lankiest of the Seventh Years, although Hugo had never met this giant of a man with the thick bushy beard and hair as wild as his mothers; he had heard enough about Rubeus Hagrid to know him when he saw him.
"First Years follow me" Hagrid bellowed and as he walked away from the station, a large line of 11 year old's followed him like ducklings after their mother.
Hugo and the other First Years followed Hagrid down to the edge of the massive lake where a small armada of rowboats was waiting on the bank,
"Alright you lot, hop in" Hagrid once again bellowed.
Hugo spotted Lily boarding one of the furthest rowboats and made a quick beeline to get to it before it became full up, narrowly beating a squat pudgy boy to the punch, also on board the boat with Lily was Bilius McCreanor and a mousy girl with striking green eyes and straw coloured, shoulder length hair.
"I was beginning to think you were lost" Lily sighed as Hugo plonked himself beside her on the rowboats hard wooden bench.
In all it took about twenty minutes for the rowboats to cross the lake and about halfway across as the boats rounded an island in the centre did Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry spring into view. Hugo could feel the air being sucked out of his lungs as he admired the majesty of the castle, it's towers stood silhouetted against the darkening sky and chinks of light illuminated the lake from the windows of the castle. Hugo almost couldn't contain himself and despite him trying to keep a cool visage he found that a massive smile had forced itself onto his face. As the boats moored into the boathouse and the First Years lined their way up the snaking staircase into the courtyard Hugo felt like his heart was going to explode, never before had he been this excited and nervous at the same time, not even since his parents had taken him to the Quidditch World Cup when he was six. This feeling paled in comparison when Hugo stepped through the doors of the Great Hall and found the eyes of all the other students and staff upon them, the huge vaulted ceiling obscured by the night sky and the long tables where countless students had sat for hundreds of years. As the First Years were gathered at the top of the Hall. There front and centre before him was a chair and an old hat which would decide which house the new students would be placed in.
"When I call your names" announced Deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor House: Proffessor Longbottom "you will proceed to take a seat and be sorted into your house".
The room fell silent for a brief moment before the first name was called "Aiken, Fiona"; the mousy girl who shared the boat with Hugo and Lily stepped forward and sat in the chair, after a moment of silence when the Sorting Hat was place in her head a booming voice echoed through the hall "Hufflepuff".
A cheer went up from the Hufflepuff table and as the girl sprang down to take her seat among her new classmates Hugo noticed that he hair colour had now changed to a shade of canary yellow.
"Hey cool" Hugo pointed out to Lily "She's a Metamorphmagus just like Teddy Lupin".
It wasn't long before Hugo's name was called and he felt butterflies in his stomach as he sat in the chair and felt the eyes of the students upon him; he heard murmurs from the group of First Years when his name was called but beyond that no'one seemed surprised;
"I guess they are used to us Weasleys and Potters here in Hogwarts" he thought.
As the Sorting Hat was placed on his head Hugo could hear a voice in his head echo "More Weasleys well I know where to place you" before a booming "Gryffindor" echoed through the hall.
Hugo was ecstatic and he quickly sat down on the Gryffindor bench in between his sister Rose and their cousin Albus. From the comfort of the Gryffindor bench he watched as Bilius McCreanor and Lily were also placed in Gryffindor, he also witnessed how the Scamander twins Lorcan and Lysander were separated from each other; with Lorcan being placed in Hufflepuff and Lysander in Ravenclaw. Once the last student was sorted into Slytherin Headmistress McGonagall arose from her seat at the head table.
"Students" she began "Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. To those who have just joined us this year I welcome you. This school has an ancient tradition and proud history, producing some of the greatest sorcerers of all time, and I hope that one day you too will join them. But without further notice let the feast begin".
In the blink of an eye the table filled with food and drink, juicy pork sausages, pheasant, creamy mash and roast potatoes, and pitchers full to the brim with pumpkin juice. It looked like Hugo was right, Hogwarts was something to look forward to.