Journey To Hogwarts, old - thread closed Options

[evlpez]

Okay folks. I know many of you have no care to explore 'ships and alt universe stuff, but I wanted to get something else moving in our brains.
Here is a short installment of an AU story about James Potter, son to Harry and Ginny. This is all that is written so far.

Rather than chapter-long installments, let's try just a few paragraphs at a time and see how it develops.

The story begins with James' first ride on the Hogwarts Express. I see James as a bit of a loner, coping silently with being related to a celebrity and unsure about his own place in the world. He is more mature than his age and is intelligent, brave and has a darkness about him. (He isn't evil or bad, though.) I see a bit of a 'young Remus' in this James. I have written in one baby brother, but there may be up to 5 children in the Potter family, considering Ginny's experience with a large family and Harry's feelings about having a different, lonlier childhood.

JOURNEY TO HOGWARTS

James Potter sat in an otherwise empty compartment of the Hogwarts Express, looking out the window and eagerly waiting for it to pull away from the platform. He could barely sit still. He felt only a twinge of guilt at his hasty good-bye to his parents, having felt awkward as always standing there with one of the most famous wizards in history. He needed to get away and be by himself on this train before he was bombarded by cousins and other curious people. He loved his cousins, but he always felt a little different from all of them. Not better, but something about being who he was had made him… alone. He preferred being alone at important times like this; important to him, anyway. His first trip on the Hogwarts Express, this was the beginning of his journey to become someone. To make a name for himself that wasn't automatically followed by 'the son of Harry Potter'. He glanced at the cage he had set on the bench opposite only moments before. His new owl, a young brown Tawny, stared back at him. He still hadn't given him a name, despite his mother's prodding.

"Just pick something, James. He's just an owl, not your firstborn child," she had said that morning while juggling a breakfast pan with her wand hand and his baby brother with the other. His father intervened as he took baby Albert off her hands.

"Now, now… this isn't just any owl. It's his owl. James will name him when he needs to. It's important to some people, Gin. This little guy is going to be more than just his owl, he'll be a friend." James smiled at his dad then. He understood. He understood a lot of things about James that his mother just couldn't, not that she didn't try.

James' new owl hooted, reminding him of a penny whistle. It was such a different voice than Hedwig's. James smiled. His father had known that this owl should be as different as he could be from Hedwig.

Continue, introducing at least one new character, maybe a Weasley Cousin (one of the twins' kids?).

[agrippa]

The new first-years piled up the stone steps in a mob, straining to see inside the banquet hall. But at the top, a round-faced wizard held up his hand, and the group became silent.

"Er - welcome!" said Prof. Longbottom. "Now just calm down. The sorting's about to begin. This way, please. Oh - wait - I nearly forgot. Hagrid found somebody's pet toad."

He held up a large green toad with bulging eyes. "Does this belong to anyone?"

An excited boy near the back nearly knocked James over as he rushed to the front. "Rupert!" shouted the boy, hugging his toad to his chest. The rest of the students laughed. Blushing, he looked up at Prof. Longbottom. "Thanks, professor."

"Not at all. Something very similar happened to me on my first day at Hogwarts," he said with a smile. "All right, everyone? Let's go!"

The group moved quietly into the great hall, its enchanted ceiling sparkling with stars. A teacher James had never seen before brought out a small stool, put an old hat on it, and said, "Let the Sorting begin!"

And with that, a tear in the hat opened, drew a deep breath, and began to sing:

So many years have come and gone
since Hogwarts first was founded,
when four brave souls put up these walls
and did with charms surround it.

Then I was made for but one job:
to peek into the mind
of every student ent’ring here,
and houses to assign.

For each of those who built the school,
who made my point and brim,
prized diff’rent qualities in those
who came to learn from them.

Brave Gryffindor, the lion-heart,
sought those both loyal and bold;
for Ravenclaw, the brainy maid,
the mind must power hold.

Sly Slytherin, the wily kind,
loved those with great ambition;
and Hufflepuff, the kindly lass,
took all, in any condition.

So now, sit down and try me on,
you noggins full of dreams!
Inside your head I’ll see the truth –
not all is what it seems.

But badger, eagle, snake or lion
I want you each to hear
that Hogwarts School unites us all.
So let’s begin the year!