Disclaimer: Characters, settings, basically everything is JK's.

Diagon Alley was just as packed as it always was. Perhaps more so this year, as James Potter and his company seemed to make up for half of the customers in every shop. The adults had let the children take the lead in this expedition to buy the first term's equipment for Hogwarts. Elsie Black headed the journey, darting from shop to shop with Alice Potter in tow. Both girls stayed hand in hand, crashing into bustling witches and wizards, gazing up at the marvellous displays of bursting colour, delicious smells and glorious magic. This would be them in two years: claiming their powers and the equipment to use them. For now, they were here to help Harry. Harry was walking at a slow pace with Neville Longbottom, both of them panicking at the prices and obscure names of books and cauldron types. They were still not as slow as the adults. Lily Potter and Isabelle Black kept watchful eyes on their fast-moving daughters while Isabelle's young twins Henry and Aida clutched their mother's skirt in a rare shared moment of social anxiety.

"What's the matter, darlings?" Isabelle asked her children. "Tired?"

They both shook their heads in unison, their hazel-coloured curls splashing around their faces, reminding the two women of their father. He, James and Remus were strolling along at the very back of the procession, watching the scenes unfold.

"I should probably help the boys," yawned Sirius, rolling his sleeves up. "Those cauldrons are pricey this year!" he sauntered off in search of Harry and Neville, leaving James and Remus chuckling together. It had been a private joke between them that since Sirius' whopping inheritance had come in, he'd been smugly parading his finances for the world to see. It was funny, but they couldn't blame them. He'd spent months in his teenage years sleeping on the Potter family's sofa, facing homelessness otherwise.

"You and him are very lucky," mused Remus, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Look at you: disgustingly proud. It makes me jealous."

James laughed loudly. "What are you talking about, Moony? Your time will come!" he promised, throwing an arm around his old friend's neck.

"Don't count on it..." Remus mumbled back, but his voice was drowned out by a sudden outburst of girlish screams. The men's ears pricked up. They saw Lily and Isabelle frantically pushing through the crowds to the source of the screaming and made a mad dash to follow them.

They elbowed through the nosy congregation until they came across a sorry sight: Neville looking a little awkward as Harry is backed up against the window of Flourish & Blotts, cringing away from the young girls who were begging him to sign their new text books. The poor boy looked horrified. James might've laughed had his instinctual gallant side struck.

"Out of the way, girls!" he ordered, attempting to sound as polite and possible. He heard disgruntled fathers grunt and grumble as he gently pushed the girls aside, holding his hand out to Harry. His son looked ready to worship his father and he dived through the girls towards him. Neville followed nervously, smiling awkwardly at the dazed girls.

James pulled the boys away from the crowds and into a side passage between two shops. They were concealed by shadows.

"You both alright?" asked James. They both nodded rapidly. "Good."

"Dad..." Harry began as Neville plodded out to the dispersing mob.

"Yes, son?"

"One girl was asking me to be a Slytherin. I didn't think it worked like that. I thought I was going to be in Gryffindor!" James saw panic rise in his son's face and quickly bend down so that he was face to face with him.

"Is that the house you want to be in?" he asked.

"Gryffindor? Well, yeah! You and Mum were in it, Uncle Remus was in it, Sirius was in it... why would I belong anywhere else?"

James smiled warmly at him. "Harry, I don't think you'll have to worry about a thing."

"But what if-" he began again, but James pulled Harry into an embrace.

"Harry, you know we'll still love you, no matter which house you're in, who you're friends with or which grades you get. Just... don't worry so much. You'll explode."

The men parted and went back through to the main shops. They rejoined their group in Flourish & Blotts where the previous drama was still being shaken off. They still had books to buy, wands to find and animals to choose.