Journey to Hogwarts: The Plot So FarFor detailed character analysis, family trees, etc. please see
Madam Pince's J2H Reference Library.
James Potter is on the Hogwarts Express, about to start his first year. He is ambivalent about being part of a famous family, and has not yet named the tawney owl he has with him. In a flashback, we see that James and his father are close. James' wand is described (Mahogony, 10 1/2 inches, dragon heartstring core) and James remembers Mr. Olivander saying that his choice was "interesting."
James is found by his cousin Serena, a very effusive red-head. She has with her a tall blonde boy named Philip McKenzie. Both of Philip's parents are muggles and he's from London. They talk about the sorting. Philip reveals that he has an uncle who is a wizard.
They discuss the teachers: McGonnagal, now headmistress; Neville, who's the Herboloty teacher; and Luna, now the DADA teacher. At that point, Lily, James' older sister, and their cousin Freddy enter. It's revealed that Percy and Fred are both dead.
They eat chocolate frogs, holding on to a card featuring Harry - they've been hiding them from him. At Lily and Freddy leave, Serena tells Philip that Lily and Freddy are "Marauders." There's a bang in the corridor, and Serena and Philip return to the compartment. Two Slytherin girls open the door accusing Lily and Freddy of setting off Whiz Bangs in the corridor.
James leaves the compartment, but Philip finds him. He asks about James' family, and we see once again how sensitive James is about that topic.
At this point, Duke Dursley (Dudley's son), also on his way to his first year of Hogwarts. He has two large friends with him, and it looks like their going to be a fight. Somehow, however, Philip uses some kind of magic to avoid the fight and leave the compartment.
Hagrid greets the first-years as they arrive. Neville takes them in to be sorted, and a teacher James doesn't know puts the hat out on the stool. James remembers a conversation with his dad about the houses. Philip, James, and Serena are all sorted in the Gryffindor, and Duke is sorted into Slytherin. After the feast, Lily goes to send an owl to their parents to tell them about Duke. We meet two more cousins, Finley and Fiona, who are Gryffindor Prefects and part Veela.
Philip and James meet two of their dormmates: Carson Bones and Allan Smith. In the night, James is awakened by a low moaning, and he sees Philip get out of bed, hold out his hands, and stop the sound - Allan moaning in his sleep. When they discuss it the next morning, Philip has no recollection of the event.
First class is Herbology with the Slytherins. Duke starts in on James from the beginning, but Neville will have none of it. During the class, a plant attacks Duke because he's being rude and careless. Duke blames this event on Serena, and they have a confrontation after class. James and Philip intervene, but Serena hits Duke with an allergy charm. Neville taeks the trio to task for duelling, but doen't punish them when he hears the whole story.
They go to charms, which is now being taught by Lockhart. He's still a bit of a mess. Philip take the opportunity to rag Lockhart a bit, who asks him to demonstrate a charm. In the class are Duke and his big friends, Athol McMagnus and Claude Jugson. Philip demonstrates the Lumos charm, and makes a joke about Prof. Lockhart and trying to get his "lights" to come on. On the way out, Serana strikes up a friendship with a Slyterhin girl named Penelope.
Potions is being taught by Viktor Krum, who opens by putting the students under the influence of a Stupor Draught. For homework, Krum offers 50 points to anyone who can tell him how they might have avoided the effects of the potion.
In the common room, they talk about the assignment. Charlie Weasley (Jr.) reminds them of the Bubble Head Charm that Cedric Diggory used in the Tri-Wizard Tourney so many years ago. Charlie is the quidditch captain for Gryffindor.
On the way to dinner, Philip and James overhear two people plotting something, a man and a woman. The woman, they think, is the new astronomy teacher. They then run into Krum; but Serena has already answered the question.
They run into Duke and three cronies near the Slytherin common room, and threatening remarks are once again exchanged. At dinner, Lily taunts James about having not named his owl. James goes up to the owlry to write to his parents, in which he names the owl Prometheus.
Back in the common room, Philip tells James that the new astronomy teacher is related to Dumbledore, a fact he heard from Charlie. Carson Bones is revealed to be Susan Bone's nephew. (Susan was killed in the last battle with the DEs.)
The next day begins with DADA. Luna begins by teaching them about puffskeins, which have a calming effect on the students. She also introduces them to a Runespoor. Penelope tells Serena that Duke's planning to get James and his friends in trouble.
Binns is still teaching History of Magic and still as boring as ever. Prometheus arrives during lunch with a letter for James from Harry, and a package that he's instructed not to open in the Great Hall.
Transfiguration is next. Professor Jacobson is the teacher, and his wife is the new astronomy teacher. He denies that his wife is Dumbledore's neice. James and Duke have an altercation after class, and James casts a spell which hits a picture behind the professor's desk. Duke and his cronies escape, but Prof. Jacobson gives James and Philip detention.
At dinner, Prof. McGonnagal announce that Hogwarts will host the Council of Magic in March. Detention with Prof. Jacobson means cleaning the owlry, magic free. After detention, the boys race back to the common room to open the package from Harry. It turns out to be a book on the History of the Councils of Magic (which Hermione had sent all of the cousins) and tickets to a Quidditch World Cup Qualifier.
In the middle of the night Philip wakes James up and they sneak downstairs. Freddy and Lily are sneaking out of the common room, and Philip and James follow them. They end up at the Potions store-room, where they are nearly seen by Jacobson and his wife, who are plotting something. Krum arrives to check on a potion, interrupting whatever Jacobson and wife are up to.
The next day, James invites his dormmates to the Cup Qualifier match. He goes to the owlry to send a note to Harry with those details. On the way, they see Prof. Jacobson in an empty classroom, and they see him climb inside a wardrobe. The boys sent notes to their parents about the match. Sean Wiles, the fifth roomie, reveals the Will Jacobson's wife, Alison Wiles, is his father's cousin. They are interrupted by Alison herself.
Jacobson shows up a dinner followed by a rainbow of colors. Both Luna and Lockhart are unsuccessful at stopping the spell, but McGonngal manages it. Philip asks for Lily's help with charms so that James can get Freddy alone to ask about last night's adventures. He finally gets Freddy to talk about what happened, but Freddy doesn't reveal what he and Lily are planning.
All four of them sit down to tell what they know about the Jacobsons. They go to find Charlie to ask him again about Alison Wiles' relationship to Dumbledore, but they can't find him.
In herbology the next day, Neville introduces Venomous Tentacula. Charms is uneventful. Freddy tells them that he finally asked Charlie, who confirms that Alison Wiles is Dumbledore's niece, but was disowned when she married Jacobson, who was mixed up at some point with Voldemort. Prof. Wiles again appears to shush them.
As October flies by, the first Quidditch match - Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw - looms near. The first years are preparing for a major herbology exam. Harry writes James to confirm the details for the Cup Qualifier match.
A modest proposal, old - thread closed
May 25 2004, 12:14 PM
I really like all of these ideas, agrippa! Can we go ahead with this line of thinking and develop it further? I'd like to hear from everyone on this. 
