My New Generation

Chapter 3, Our Compartment

James and Emma waved their parents goodbye and when Emma turned around, her own Jamsie-boy was gone!

She sighed. Okay, I've lost my bro. She would have to do everything on her own then, she thought sadly.

She walked down the train, looking for an empty compartment, or at least, one that wasn't half full or anything. There wasn't an empty one to be found.

She looked into another compartment and grinned. There was only one familiar boy in here...James.

"So, lost all your friends already, have you?" she said sarcastically, grinning wickedly at him. James tutted.

"Isn't there any other compartment for you?" James asked. "Nope. But now I see that you're sitting here all alone, I think I might baby-sit you."

"But Danny, Lee and Kevin are coming in a few minutes!" Emma tried her hardest not to break out laughing. "I'm staying here anyway, you can't stop me!" James gaped at her and closed his mouth quickly when Emma started laughing at him.

Emma was reading a magazine and James was staring at her with a frown on his face, when the compartment door burst open with a bang. Three people came in, two looking furious and one looking nervous.

"You won't believe what Lee here, just did!" Kevin Summers yelled, pointing at Lee. Emma looked up from her magazine and James forgot to be angry at Emma.

"He wasn't a homeless guy." Lee said quietly, looking at his shoes.

"Yeah..." Lee answered.

"Was he homeless?!" was the next question.

"Well...yeah."

Danny nodded fervently. "Homeless guy!!!" he shouted at Lee.

Emma started giggling at the four boys standing next to her. One pair of emerald green eyes, two pairs of brown eyes and one pair of grey eyes looked at her angrily.

"What's your problem?!" Kevin yelled at her.

Emma started laughing even harder. "You guys!!" she giggled.

Before the others could answer, the compartment door slid open for the second time and the trolley-lady walked in. As everyone else was goggling at Emma, she got there first.

"Um...a pasty, and eh..some of those chocolate frogs...Oh and some Every-Flavour Beans, some cakes...and.."

Kevin came over and stood next to her. "Hey, leave some for us!"

Emma was talking to Danny, Kevin and James were discussing the most original ways to get detention and Lee, who was being ignored by everyone in the compartment, was playing chess on his own and losing.

"So, what house do you think you're in?" Danny asked Emma.

Emma grinned. "Of course I'll be in Gryffindor!" She looked shocked at the very thought of being put in another house. What if she was put in Slytherin?

"What're you gonna do if you're in Slytherin?" Danny asked, exposing her own thoughts for her.

"Well, what do you think? For heaven's sake, I'll take the first train back home!! Who wouldn't?!" Danny grinned. "Hehe..." She hit him. He fell on the floor, laughing at her. Everyone looked at him. Just then, the compartment slid open.

Everyone looked up and James groaned. Who was standing in the doorway?...a white haired girl with a sarcastic look on her face.

"Who do we have here?" she said, pacing around the compartment.

Emma nudged James. "Who's she?" she whispered.

"Vera Malfoy", James answered. Emma looked at the girl. She wasn't very tall, had very light blond hair, cold grey eyes and looked even more arrogant than James and all his friends put together (which was a large sum).

Two other girls walked in, after Vera. One with a large face and short, thick brown hair and black, mean eyes. The other had glossy, blond hair, was very tall and seemed to think the whole world was made for her.

Vera Malfoy stared at everyone in the compartment. Her eyes paused while looking at Emma.

"I know who you are," she said sarcastically, "You're Harry Potter's daughter. Emma Lily Jayne Potter." Emma's eyebrows shot up. How does this girl know all your names?

"You don't seem to have inherited much of our hero, dare I say," Emma felt herself standing up, facing the sneering girl. She was very proud of her father and couldn't take any bad comments about him. If anyone insulted him, they would think at least five times until they ever said anything again, after Emma had dealt with them.

James knew all this, so he tried to pull his sister back down, but nothing worked.

"Say that again!" Emma yelled.

Vera smirked. "I am sorry, but you look more like a bunch of newly picked carrots, than a witch." The words had barely passed her lips, when Emma hit her as hard as she could on her pale face. Vera screamed and pulled on Emma's dark red strands of hair.

James shot up and pulled Emma off the other girl. As James didn't like to hit or kick girls, he just pushed Vera Malfoy out of their compartment and slid the door shut.

"What did you do that for?!" Emma yelled at her brother. James gave her an odd look, didn't answer and sat down. Emma sighed and looked at the two of Vera's friends, who were still watching Emma, an amused look on both of their faces.

"What're you looking at?" Emma said, "Just get lost, this is our compartment!" The dark haired girl turned and walked out of the compartment, but the taller one didn't move.

Just then, the train skidded to a halt and the girl fell with a scream on to James' lap. Emma narrowed her emerald green eyes. She was prepared to bet, that the girl had done it on purpose. James stood up, so that the girl fell on the floor. Without a word, he pushed this one out of the compartment too.

After about fifteen minutes, Emma looked at her watch. "Okay, all of you out! It's time to change into our robes." Lee smiled and stood up. Danny grinned secretive at her, Emma smiled back at him. Danny was just like a brother, she thought, he had always been her most favourite cousin.

Kevin and James smirked. "Sure you don't need any help?" Kevin asked her, grinning. Emma blushed and looked down. What did you do that for? The voice in her head asked, irritatingly. What's with Kevin?

She heard James tut and push Kevin out of the way.

"Don't take any notice of him." James told her, while they went to put their robes on somewhere else.

When all four guys had left, Emma thought about Kevin Summers. She knew him for more than three years now, as Kevin often came over to her place with James, Lee and Danny. She hoped she wasn't falling for him, now. Kevin had always been a good looking boy and very popular at school. As every girl would go out with him, if he asked. Emma sighed. She still didn't know.

When they stepped out of the train, Emma looked up and gasped. The castle was so beautiful. And the lake! She bent down to touch her reflection.

"Firs' years! Firs' years! Over here!!" she heard someone shout. She stood up and walked over to where the loud voice was coming from. Ah, this was the big man, her father had talked about on the way to the station. He was half giant. James & co. and this Hagrid had become good friends over the years. She walked over to him.

He waved at her when she caught his eye. "Emma Potter!" he said, grinning broadly at her. "I knew I would meet yeh sometime or other. James has been talking 'bout yeh." She smiled. "Yeh look exactly like yeh grandmother! The same great, wavy, auburn hair an' the green eyes." People had always said that Emma looked exactly like her grandmother, Lily Evans. When she was Emma's age. This grandmother had been murdered and Emma had never even seen her. Or her granddad James Potter, for that matter. James had been named after him and Emma had Lily's name put in one of her two middle names.

James even looked exactly like their grandfather, except for the eyes, which had been dark brown.

Hagrid lifted Emma up and put her into a boat with three other first year girls, who, by the looks of it, had got to know each other already and were chatting away and didn't take any notice at all of Emma.

"I'm Emma Potter." Emma said eventually, when she had got tired of their continuous babbling about which house they were going to be put in. Her name made them all look at her.

"You're Potter's daughter?" One brown haired girl asked, staring at her. "Yeah, who're you?"

They still kept staring at her, with open mouths, but introduced themselves anyway. "I'm Natalie Wood," The brown haired girl told Emma.

"My name's Kathryn Brook," A black haired girl with dark brown eyes said.

"I'm Stephanie Macmillan," A blonde haired girl said.

"And I'm Jade Finch-Fletchley."

Emma smiled. The girls seemed quite nice. Except for that Stephanie. She looked too snooty. Emma started talking with Kathryn and Jade about their parents. Kathryn was a muggle born and Jade was a half blood, as her father was a wizard and her mother was a muggle. It came out that Emma's dad and Jade's father, Justin, had been friends at Hogwarts when they were there. When she talked to Natalie, she found out that her father, Oliver, had been Quidditch captain when Harry was seeker.

When they at last arrived at Hogwarts, Emma felt very hungry. The sorting should hurry up. She kept looking around for her best friend Tamarah, but still hadn't seen her at all. Then at last, her eye fell on a shy and timid looking girl standing on her own in the entrance hall, all the students walking past her. Hadn't she met anyone at all? Emma thought while she walked over to Tamarah. Emma had been walking up to the castle with Jade and Kathryn and they were still talking, standing next to her. She knew her best friend had always been very shy and timid. Her only friend had always been Emma, while Emma had had loads of other friends too.

***

Tamarah heard someone call her name and she looked up. That had to be Emma! She saw Emma walk over to her. "Come on, we've got to be sorted. You can meet Jade and Kathryn." Tamarah smiled and came over to stand with Emma's new friends.

"This is Tamarah Thomas," Emma introduced her, "Tamar, these are Jade Finch-Fletchley and Kathryn Brook." Tamarah smiled at the two good looking girls, who looked at her, disdainfully. Tamarah's smile faded. She knew she didn't look very pretty. Her face was too thin, pale, and her full eyebrows made her look very dark and shy. She had always been jealous of Emma's pretty face and large green eyes with beautiful red hair. Emma was very popular and made friends as quick as possible. Tamarah always needed more time to get used to the new place and new people.

***

Emma and Tamarah stood with the other first years, waiting to be sorted into their houses. Emma felt nervous, what if she was put in Slytherin? It would be a scandal. All the Potter family was in Gryffindor. Her father, her mother, her grandparents, her great grandparents...

"Ake, Rachel," a woman's voice called and everyone went quiet. The sorting had begun.

Rachel was sorted into Ravenclaw. The table cheered, as she sat down.

"Brook, Kathryn" Emma watched her new sort of 'friend', walk up to the chair and put the ragged hat on, which fell over her ears. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat yelled and Kathryn ran of to the Hufflepuff table.

'Crabbe, Andrea' was called up. Emma recognised the short girl with thick brown hair, that had been in their train compartment on the way. She was put in Slytherin.

'Druce, Ramon' became the first new Gryffindor. The table to the far left cheered as Ramon came to sit with them.

"Finch-Fletchley, Jade", Professor McGonagall called up. Emma smiled as Jade was sorted into Gryffindor. Jade waved sadly at Kathryn, who was sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

'Finnigan, Louisa' became a Gryffindor too.

When 'Goyle, Magdalene' was called up, Emma also regognised her. She was the haughty girl with Vera, in their compartment. She was also put in Slytherin.

'Howell, Ashley' then became a Hufflepuff.

Emma wished her surname began with an 'A', then it would have been all over. But now she would have to wait till near the end of the alphabet.

'Idman, Amber', became only the second Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw didn't look too popular this year.

"Longbottom, Sarah," was called. Emma watched, as a small, blond curled girl walked up on the platform. Emma expected she would be in Hufflepuff, she didn't look very interesting. The girl put the hat on, that fell right down on her neck. The hat took a very long time deciding, before it yelled: "GRYFFINDOR!" Emma's eyebrows shot up, as Lisa walked over to the right table, looking quite pleased with herself.

The hat then declared 'Macmillan, Stephanie' a Slytherin. Emma grinned. She had been right about Stephanie. Emma watched Stephanie walking to the Slytherin table, curling her nose in disgust.Emma's large, green eyes shot back to the sorting when McGonagall shouted "Malfoy, Vera". The hat had barely touched her nearly white hairdo, when it shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

"Newman, Sean,' became a Ravenclaw.

"Perks, Jeffery", McGonagall called. Oh. My. God Emma thought My name's after this. She started biting her lip.

Jeffery became a Hufflepuff. Emma closed her eyes as Jeffery walked off.

"Potter, Emma," Whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"She's Harry Potter's daughter?"

"She's got THE green eyes."

"Her hair's different!"

Emma jammed the hat on head, just to shut out all the whispers.

"So..." said a small voice inside the hat. "Harry Potter's daughter, huh?" Emma gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.

"I can see you in all of the houses. You've got enough courage for Gryffindor, You're quite clever, You're a good friend and you're ambitious."

Emma felt relief spreading through her body, when she took the hat off.

She walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down, next to Jade. She grinned at Emma.

Emma wanted to see all the sorting, so she looked at the platform again and smirked.

'Phinny-Whitten, Annika' was just picking the hat up, between thumb and index finger, looking disgusted. She put the hat on her beautiful light blond locks. It took nearly ten minutes until the hat decided Annika was a Hufflepuff.

There weren't much more people to be sorted. Tamarah was still standing there. And also Natalie Wood and a few guys.

"Red, Terry!"

SLYTHERIN!

"Thomas, Tamarah!" Emma watched her friend walk forward, looking very nervous. Emma frowned. She didn't really expect Tamarah to be sorted into Gryffindor. She didn't have much courage. But then again, she still had a chance.

Emma crossed her fingers under the table and 'hoped for the best'.It took quite a long time with Tamarah, but in the end, the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!!"

Emma nearly screamed. She hugged her friend as she sat down. Tamarah grinned.

"It actually wanted to put me in Hufflepuff, but I begged him not to."

"Wood, Natalie!"

"RAVENCLAW!" Emma's face fell. She turned on her chair to look at Jade, who looked stunned. "Oh, that's a pity." Emma said sadly.

"Zantor, William!"

"SLYTHERIN!"That was the end of the sorting. Proffesor McGonagall rolled up her parchment and took the hat away.

"Now for the feast!!" Emma said, feeling hungry. The hall broke out talking again.

Prof. Dumbledore said his bit and the plates then filled with all the delicious things Hogwarts provide. (*hehe*)

Everyone started to eat. Emma looked up from her plate when she saw James walk over to her.

"Good on you, sister!" He hugged her.

Emma let go and raised her eyebrows as she saw half of the school looking at her.

"What?!"

The girls were looking at her with their mouths open.

James kissed her on the cheek, ruffled her hair and walked of to talk to Danny.

All the girls in the school glared at her, with jealous looks on their faces.

"James is your boyfriend?" A Ravenclaw girl asked Emma.

"Is he a good kisser?" Another Gryffindor asked.

"Won't you let me go out with him for once?" A Hufflepuff asked.

Girls started rounding on Emma, asking stupid questions.

"Would everyone just shut up?!" Emma yelled. The girls staggered back a few paces.

"James is not my boyfriend, he's my brother. I've never actually kissed him, and if he was my boyfriend, I would never let you have him for a one night stand, or something, okay?!"

Emma glared at all the girls still gaping at her.

"I mean, how can you ask such a stupid question!"

She sat down and started eating. No one else ate, they just gaped at her.

And then eventually, a Gryffindor second year tapped her on the shoulder.
"You're so lucky he's your brother." Emma just shrugged at her. "I can't see what's so interesting?"

"James!!" the girl yelled at her. "I mean, he's cute, funny, the most popular guy in school...He's just perfect!" Emma sighed and started talking to Tamarah and Jade.

****

After the feast, everyone went up to their common rooms. Emma, Jade and Tamarah walked up to theirs.

In the common room, everyone hurried to get the comfortable squashy armchairs near the fire.

Emma and Jade succeeded in getting one, but Tamarah just let herself fall into one of the poufs.

James, Danny, Lee and Kevin pulled their chairs near to theirs and sat down.

"Hi." Emma said. "Oh, this is Jade Finch-Fletchley." They smiled at Jade. "This is James, Danny, Lee and Kevin." Jade grinned at the four boys. "By the way, don't take much notice of Danny, he just isn't really much use."

Danny pretended to look highly offended. "How dare you?!" He wrestled her to the ground.

Jade raised her eyebrows at James. He grinned. "Don't worry, they do this all the time."

James, Lee, Kevin, Jade and Emma decided to play gobstones. Kevin and Emma both reached towards the table at the same time to pick up the set. Emma ended up colliding with him, her lips brushed against his.