A New Life
7. To Hogwarts We Go
Mums and Dads of very special children around the country were waking up completely normally, ready to wake their children for the first day of school. Except for one house. In this particular house, 3 boys had been up since 6 AM, painfully setting up what was going to be one of the biggest pranks they had pulled.
A boy with strange blue-grey eyes, a head of messy black hair and of a tall height, balanced a bucked cautiously on top of a doorway while two other boys exactly identical, with the same messy black hair and facial structure as the other boy but a bit taller and with hazel eyes, set up a trip wire that would trigger the main part of the prank. They sighed in relief as they stepped back and everything held. They proudly looked at their work that had taken them 2 whole hours. A soft beeping filled the room and the boys shared one glance before tearing up the stairs and entering their separate rooms. They washed and brushed their teeth before changing into a white t-shirt with black short sleeves, black jeans and black and white converse.
They pulled out similar trunks and dragged them into the middle adjoining room, Harry's room. The only thing different about the trunks was the initials stamped on the dark wood. On one it said, J.H Potter, standing for Jameson Harrison Potter, one of the identical boys, another said H.J Potter, standing for Harrison Jameson Potter, the other identical boy. The last was the slightly different boys trunk, with S.O Potter, Sirius Orion Potter.
They grinned eagerly as they strained their ears for any sign of their prank being activated. Turns out they didn't need to strain their ears to listen, the people in China could have heard the angry shout of "BOYS GET DOWN HERE NOW!" The boys tugged their trunks behind them as they entered the kitchen to see their angry father covered in green slime, white glue with pink feathers and a banner that says "'I'm the sparkly pink chicken princess, bow down to me!"
All of his anger melted as he saw his three sons set and ready to go off to Hogwarts and leave him. "Come on boys, have some breakfast" He suggested. The boys stared, shocked at the passive expression on his face. Then Harry looked deeper into his dads eyes and saw the pain buried underneath when he looked at their trunks. 'Guys' he called out to the others in his mind 'Dad is scared to let us go' As a collective they agreed on what they had to do but not knowing what exactly they could do. Sirius wracking his brain for the song they needed to do suddenly recalled what he had been subjected to by his younger brother when he was first disowned and didn't want to leave Regulus behind. Substitute brother for daddy and they had the perfect song. He told the others the song and they agreed. They walked up to their dad and started singing softly.
"You can let go now daddy, you can let go, oh, I think I'm ready to do this on my own, It's still a little bit scary, but I want you to know. I'll be okay now daddy. You can let go, you can let go"
His eyes filled with unshed tears and he cleared his throat. "Yeah, I guess I can" He said, his voice cracking. They sat in silence as they ate, Harold now clean of any prank evidence. The silence was only interrupted by the ticking of the clock and soon it chimed 10. Diane put her cup of tea down.
"Your father and I have decided to give you a shared farewell present. It is something we want you to use and then send back to us so we can make it into a little book." She handed Harry, the most careful of the three a small case with a strap. Inside was a wizarding camera. "We want you boys to take many pictures to send to us and we'll make a little scrapbook of your time at Hogwarts" Harry carefully pulled the latch and wound the trigger, ready to take a picture. "How about one of all of us now, The beginning."
Diane nodded and they got up from their seats and gathered round. Harry set the timer and ran back to where they were. He positioned himself in-between Sirius and James, in front of their parents and behind Kiera, his arms encircling her shoulders protectively. Sirius placed his left hand on her right shoulder and James' right on her left. Harold behind Sirius placed his right on Sirius' right shoulder, his left on Harrys right and Diane placed her left hand on James' left with her right on Harry's left. The timer ran out and the first proper Potter family photo was taken.
Kings Cross Station, Platform 9 and 3/4 was busy. It was packed with parents saying last goodbyes to their children as they boarded the train to Hogwarts. Diane was no different as she shouted goodbye as the train sped off. The three boys grabbed their trunks and owl cages and set off in search of a compartment.
They ended up in the very last one with another firstie buy the look of it. "Hi. I'm James Potter, first year" James introduced himself, sticking his arm out to shake the other boys hand. The boys looked unsure for a moment before taking it and introducing himself. "Remus Lupin, first year" Remus was Sirius' height, just a it smaller that Harry and James, with sandy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Harry smiled at what he suspected to be a close friend. "I'm Harry Potter and this is our brother Sirius." Remus raised an eyebrow "Triplets?" Sirius shook his head. "No, they're twins but I was adopted into the family by blood-binding at the age of seven, when I was disowned because I did not share the same rules as my bigoted pure-blood family."
He spat out the last bit and Remus seemed to be taken back as he shakily asked, "Pure-blood?." "Yeah, but we don't believe in all that mudblood nonsense, why? Are you muggle-born?" Remus smiled in relief. "No, half, my mums full muggle though" Harry nodded and they lapsed into a comfortable silence until the trolley lady came.
"Candy from the trolley dears?" Harry jumped up nodding and bought some of everything. He dumped the armfull of sweets on the pull out table and took a sugar quill. Sirius took a chocolate cauldron and James a Droobles best blowing gum but Remus made no move to the mountain of assorted candy. "Take anything you want Remus" He started to protest and all three boys narrowed their eyes. James pushed a chocolate frog into his new friends hands. "Take it Remmie, youre our friend you dont have to pay for it or ask, just take" Remus smiled and opened the frog in his hand.
By the end of the sweets James had gained the Ynyr frog card, along with losing two frogs, and had ate Bertie Botts every flavour beans. He had ended up with; grass, peppermint, popcorn, toast, roast chicken, orange and apple. Remus had added the Salazar Slytherin and Nimue card to his collection and had ate a ham, tripe, strawberry, pepper and chocolate bean. Harry ate 5 Bertie Botts beans (lime, cake, candyfloss, pencil shavings and cheese) and had gained the Godric Gryffindor card and the Mystique card. Sirius had finally got the Farrah card but had denied any beans instead eating twice as many cauldron cakes and sherbets than the others.
Soon conversation turned to Hogwarts Houses. "What house do you think you'll be in?" Remus asked. The potters answered together. "Gryffindor, you?" "First of all it is spooky when you talk in unison like that and second Ravenclaw or Gryffindor."
The three grinned when he said they were sppoky and jolted forward as the train grinded to a stop. They pulled themselves up and walked out to where a giant man was calling. "Firs' years! Firs' years, no more than four to a boat." They four friends hurried to get a boat withh all of them on and set off.
"Duck!" Hagrid shouted as they approached a sheet of ivy. Everyone ducked and safely got through where they go their first glimpse of Hogwarts. Harry hurridly got Remus to take a picture of the three of them to send off tomorrow with the picture of all four boys on the train surrounded by candy.
They climbed out and up the stairs. There they were met by Professor McGonagall or as the brothers called her . "Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates but before you do you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. While you are here your hous will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily" and she walked through the door at the side.
The first years were silent as they wondered where they would be sorted and how. Soon Minnie returned and led them into the Great Hall where at the top was a stool upon which stood a ratty hat. A rip in the brim opened and started to sing.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty
but dont judge on what you see
I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black, your tophats sleek and tall
for im the hogwarts sorting hat, and I can top them all.
Theres nothing hidden in your head,
the sorting hat cant see,
so try me on and I will tell you,
where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
where dwell the brave at heart,
their daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
where they are just and loyal,
those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
and unafraid of toil.
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've aready mind,
where those of wit and learning,
shall always find their kind.
Or perhaps in Slytherin
you'll make your real friends.
Those cunning folk use any means,
to achieve their ends.
So put me on! Dont be afraid!,
and dont get in a flap!,
For your in safe hands,
(though I have none),
For I'm a thinking cap!"
Applause rang out and obvious relief from the first years. Professor McGoagall opened a scroll and started to read alphabetically. Abbot, Edgar went to Hufflepuff, Barnes,Katie, Ravenclaw until Evans, Lily went to Gryffindor. Soon the first of the quartet was called. Remus Lupin took a few seconds to be placed in Gryffindor and the boys cheered for their friend.
Frank Longbottom was put in Gryffindor along with Hope Kingston and Alice Phenners. Then the Potters. "Potter, Harry". The hat was placed on his head and a voice bounced through his skull. "Definitely a GRYFFINDOR" The hat shouted the last part and it was taken off after only a second of being put on. James was called next and again after only second of the hat being wore Gryffindor was called out.
Sirius' sorting took a little longer but finally the hat put him in Gryffindor with the others. A boy called Peter Pettigrew was called next and placed in Slytherin along with a Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Narcissa Black was made a Slytherin but neither her nor Sirius made any hint to recognition.
By the end of the night Gryffindor had gained 9 new members, Lily Evans, Frank Longbottom, Remus Lupin, Hope Kingston, Alice Phenners, James, Harry and Sirius and Radella Salzano.
The prefects led them to the picture of the fat lady, told them the password (Lions nest) and revealed to them the Gryffindor Common Room. They yawned and traipsed up the stairs to the First year boys dorms. Their were 5 boys in total. All of them changed and fell into bed, drifting off into dream-filled lands but not before one set an alarm so they didnt oversleep in the morning. Across the tower, the girls were doing the same.