Marauders through the Years

Marauders through the years

First Year

Chapter 1

Of Leaving and Setting Off

~~

*ding ding*

He was riding a brandnew Nimbus 1000. It was the best broom on the market, every wizard dreamt of it! Everyone wanted to own one, and now all of a sudden he did! Soaring through the clouds he let the cold air blow against his hot skin, the strong wind breezed through his hair and made it even messier.

*ding ding ding*

He dove through the clouds and a huge Quidditch Pitch appeared. His black strands stood up to its ends, but he didn't care.

*ding ding ding*

All of a sudden he held a big red ball tightly to his chest. It took him some time to realise what was happening but then it hit him full force; he was the new chaser of Pride of Portree! Catriona McCormack had just thrown him the Quaffle and he was near scoaring a goal! The people in the stands all chanted his name!

*Ding Ding Ding Ding*

Dodging the Bludgers and members of his and the opponent team he aimed the red ball. The other players were only purple and blue blurs, they were unimportant, HE WAS

*DING DING DING DING DING*

.. woken up from his favorite dream.

"Drat!" the eleven-year-old boy cried while his clock continued ringing loudly.

He sat up in his four poster bed (which had enough space for at least three adults) and looked around his large room. It was a nice room, he had figured long ago. The cream coloured tapestry on the walls (which were high enough to pull in a second floor), the long windows, the creamy curtains... he looked at the toy brooms that were scattered over the floor, at the miniature Quidditch board with the figures of famous Quidditch Players, his large desk, his large closets, his large mirror. All this he wouldn't see till the holidays! He couldn't remember when he had ever been that excited! Today, he would leave!

He checked his wristwatch. The shortest of the three arms of the watch showed his face; it was moving faster and faster to the sign 'too late'. The boys' eyes popped out in shock. How could he be too late? He had set the clock at the right time hadn't he?

He checked the still ringing clock, the arm with his face was moving dangerously fast to 'too late'. How could that be? Sure, he had fallen asleep far too late that night, but he was sure that he'd made sure the clock would wake him up early enough. Obviously, this wasn't the case...

If he was lucky he'd be able to floo to 'Prewett & Son', a wizarding candy store near King's Cross and then run as fast as he could to the platform. Of course that hardly left time for showering, eating breakfast and finding his parents in their manor, the last of which was by far the most difficult part.

The clock was still ringing loudly next to him and in a moment of frustration he grabbed it and threw it towards the opposite wall. It shattered to pieces with a loud crash but he didn't care, instead he scowled and moodily stuck out his tongue at the offending piece of article. His father could easily repair it later, with magic. Later, when he, himself finally would be sitting on the train to Hogwarts - Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Eleven-year-old James Potter was ready.

He had wanted to attend 'The Best Wizarding School in Great Britain' since he could remember! He had been looking forward to this day for such a long time... and now he was most possibly going to be late for the train!

He jumped out of his bed and cursed loudly when he stepped onto a miniature Kevin Broadmoor, one of the ex-beaters of the Falmouth Falcons; both had retired the year before.

"You think you're so light don't you!" the toy-beater replied angrily but James was already out of the door. As he was allowed to use his wand, he could just cast a simple Location Charm and everything would be fine. He'd find his parents in a matter of seconds and they could all floo to his favorite place to spend money (after Qidditch Quality Supplies), however, he was naff with charms. So right now, finding his parents and telling them it was about time to apparate to Kings Cross wasn't going to be easy.

Fortunately James had started packing days before, or, to be correct, had let his trunk be packed for him days before. He had all his books, the quills, the parchments, the clothes. He still couldn't believe that he wasn't allowed to bring his Silverwing with him, just because he was a first year. The unfairness!

While he quickly ran down some stairs he mentally counted the places where his parents could be. His mother was most likely to be found in the library, the dining hall, the ballroom, maybe in the lounge.. and his father? James could only hope his father was at home at all. This wasn't a given fact, seeing his worktime wasn't regular.

This all however happened in a moment of stupidity and James skidded to a halt in front of the stairs that led down to the entrance hall. How could he have been so thick?

He could just ask the house elves to help him! He usually wasn't the type of person to let others do work for him but right then it was a more or less critical situation (packing was also one of those critical situations). He snapped his fingers and called for Tippy and Treach.

Both elves appeared with a soft pop. Tippy could be counted to the prettier types of house elves, she was rather small, her nose wasn't abnormally long and her eyes didn't bulge as much as they did with other house elves.

Treach was new in the Potter household, he had been a gift from a friend of theirs and he was very responsible with his tasks. As every house elf of the Potter's they wore the 'uniform' which consisted of a white towel which bore the Potter family crest (a winged lion).

"Tippy, I would like you to find mother and father for me, tell them the situtation is urgent and that I have to see them in front of the fireplace in the entrance hall," James said politely and smiled when the house elf bowed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. "And I want to ask you, Treach, to bring my trunk down to the entrance hall, would you?"

Treach nodded obediently and also disappeared.

James himself hurried down the staircase and waited for his parents. Surely enough they apparated to the fireplace in a matter of seconds.

He rushed to explain his situation but didn't come very far as his father held out a hand to stop him from speaking. He chuckled lowly.

"James, James, James, don't you worry!" his father spoke with a calm voice. "Your mother and I knew you'd never get up unless you thought that you were late."

James stared at them with a blank expression on his face.

"What?"

"We enchanted the clock, a little bit of wand waving and it would work the way we want it to, not the way it is supposed to."

James' mouth opened and closed in the process of understanding what his parents had done.

His parents knew him far too well, James figured and shook his head.

"I should have known that," James said as he stretched out his wrist. "So what position am I really in now?"

James' father touched the wristwatch with his wand and the arm with James' face on it slowly went to "No need to hurry yet, James," his father said.

Howard Potter was a highly respected man. When he stood up to his full height he could be quite intimidating but his kind smile and the earnestness behind it made him a person of some account. He enjoyed social prestige but also earned it. As a full trained Auror he had to keep in shape, something he also accomplished through Quidditch exercises with his son. James looked exactly like his father, they shared the same unruly mop of hair, both wore glasses, of course their facial expressions were very much alike and they reacted in astonishing similar ways. The only difference lay in their eyes as James had his mother's which were hazel instead of a dark blue.

His mother's appearance was a whole other story. Gwendoline Potter-Meadowes was a fair haired woman and striking beauty. One could have assumed she was vela. She always wore a dolce and calm expression on her face and when confrontated with trouble she didn't get upset as her husband did. She often took charge and kept a cool head in critical situations whereas James and his father would wack out.

The most significant difference between his parents, however, was their relationship with James. While his father was very childish and loved to tease James, his mother really was a calming pool in the family who tended, however, to be a bit overprotective of her son.

"Now, Pudding," James grimaced but his mother didn't notice and continued speaking, "it would be best if you go take a shower now and change. I told Tipster to arrange fresh clothes in the bathroom. After that we'll meet in the dining room to have breakfast. Sounds good to you?"

They made noises of approval and everyone set off for their own destination while Treach appeared unnoticed with a pop in the entrance hall with James' trunk.

~~~*~~~*~~~

When they were finally convened in the entrance hall again James was fully clothed, freshly combed (as if that did any good) and in repletion after a delicious breakfast. In the fireplace in which a grown man could stand without problem a roaring fire was burning. The house elves were assembled in the hall to bid James goodbye and all of them were near tears.

"Goodbye Tippy. Thank you again for bringing the trunk down Treach. See you in winter Tipster. Take good care of the library Tonk," James said the elf who had been the longest in their family. "Topf and Teller watch the kitchen and Tinkster don't forget to keep the lawn on the Quidditch pitch in check."

James smiled kindly at all of the nine house elves and that did it for them. In an instant he was buried under elves hugging him so tightly he had problems breathing and elves squeaking with their high-pitched voices.

"Master has beens so kind to us" Trooper who helped Tinkster in the garden cried.

"Twiss will watch the owls good," a rather bulky elf sobbed.

"We wishes Master to enjoy school a great deal," Tippy sniffled.

"I will come back, don't be so sad," James managed, "now please, let go of me, need... air... breathe.. help..."

When the elves realised what they were doing they let go ashamedly. However, before they could start punishing themselves he quickly forbid them to do so. With a sigh he dismissed them and sobbing one last time they flickered away.

He'd miss those little chaps, he found. Turning to the fire he hesitated and twirled around again to have one last look at the entrance hall. He saw the whole manor the Potters had lived in for centuries in his mind and felt in his eyes water up. Quickly he brushed the unshed tears away. He wouldn't see his home till winter. This thought filled him with a terrible sadness but also with excitement. He'd never been that far away from his parents for such a long time. He didn't have time to mull over that indeed he was interrupted by his father.

"James, you know, the flames don't hurt you, it's okay to step inside."

"I resent that, I was only four back then and I don't think I have to remind you why I was so terribly afraid of fire!"

"Oh please do," his father replied. "I like hearing the story so much."

James huffed. If it hadn't been for his father trying to trick him into believing their Kneazle had been a demon from hell to get James, he would have never had that traumatising experience which involved said cat, an oven and too much bruises to count.

He stopped sulking when he felt his father ruffle his hair.

"Now son, here is your shrunken trunk, put it safely into your pocket and you know... eighth chimney to the right after turning left at the Leaky Cauldron."

As if James could forget the way to the fabulous candy store! After one last glance at the entrance hall he threw the powder into the fire and stepped into the flames when they turned green.

"Prewett & Son!" James shouted with a clear and firm voice.

He felt himself being sucked into the funnel. Although flooing wasn't a very comfortable way of travelling it was fast and effective and when one wasn't too clumsy one would survive the journey without any severe bruises. James was quite agile and so avoided being hit by the walls while propelling through the network.

When James emerged his eyes grew as wide as they always did.

The shop wasn't necessarily huge, however, it didn't have to; it was stuffed with sweets as it was. There were colourful racks of goodies at the walls, bags of candy were hanging from the ceiling and trees with already wrapped bonbons grew out of the ground. James could spend hours and hours here and would always find another sweet to occupy him. Surely he could make his parents buy something for him for the train ride.

"Hello young Mr. Potter," Prewett Junior greeted James from behind the cash and James nodded politely. Many hours of his childhood James had spent in this store but he was familiar with the owners of it because of the dinner parties his parents often held.

"Good morning, Sir."

"Off to Hogwarts, are you?" the stout red-haired man asked with mirth and James answered the question in the affirmative.

"Astonishing isn't it? Fabian's starting too, Gideon's going to be third year and my oldest one's going to finish Hogwarts this year, then it's over for her," Mr. Prewett bounced on his toes. "Head Girl, she is too, makes the whole family proud, already went off to King's Cross with her brothers. I'm going there too, later. Will have to close the shop then."

"I didn't know Fabian is starting too." James liked Fabian alright, they didn't share the same humor but he was always somebody you could discuss Quidditch with.

"Yes, time goes by so fast doesn't it?" The older man stared out of the window wistfully then turned his attention to James again.

"You may be delighted to hear that our last order just came in today, it's hanging from the ceiling from the far left corner. Fizzing Whizzbees they're called. Sour but have the nice effect of making you float around after eating one. Sounds like the right occupation for a train ride worth of nine hours!"

James nodded with approval and clicked his tongue. That was something he could do in case, he gulped, he hadn't dared thinking of it, he didn't find anybody to play with him.

While James walked up and down the wall inspecting the new collection of Prewett & Son his parents shot out of the chimney. He had been waiting for exactly that moment

"I can't shake off the horrible feeling we forgot something," James sighed melodramatically while they dusted themselves off. Mr. Prewett grinned from behind the cash.

His parents gazed at him expectantly; they knew James could be quite a drama-queen when he wanted to.

"Of course! Food! Nourishment! You know, I'll probably starve on the train if you don't buy me anything from this nice and cheap shop we know the owner of," James started to pull the strings by putting on his puppy-eyes.

His mother sighed and his father started chuckling.

"Save the Potter charm for later James, you might need it on the train," his father replied but when his wife had started talking with Mr. Prewett he put a hand on his son's shoulder and pushed him away from the conversation. "Which sweets do you want?"

~~~*~~~*~~~

With his father's moneybag a bit lighter and James' pockets a bit fuller they walked to King's Cross in a nice pace. Mr. Prewett had insisted that James did not eat the sweets in Muggle London - a child floating around would seem very peculiar indeed.

With each step they took James grew more and more excited and by the time they reached Kings Cross he was more jumping than walking.

"Which platform James?"

"Platform," he jumped, "Ten," he jumped again, "and Two," he started panting, "Thirds!"

"Right, I remember that one, now... where was it?" his mother asked. "Ah! Here it is!"

His parents casually walked hand in hand through the brick wall that separated the Muggle from the wizarding world whereas James stormed with verve after them.

He immediately bumped into somebody at the other side and apologized furiously to an asian girl with black pigtails before he rushed off to find his parents.

He found them talking animatedly to a couple their age, exchanging information about whereabouts, children, pets and so on.

"Adults," James sighed, they could be so very boring at times. Impatiently he tugged at his father's sleeve, he needed him to engorge his trunk again.

When James had the attention of his father again, he let James' trunk grow and together they heaved it into the train.

"Do you need me to help you find a compartment, you know, the Wilsons are very dear friends of us---"

"You have never invited them to our dinner parties," James said flatly.

"Well, one does loose ones' contacts after some years--"

"Only natural, I assume?"

"Of course, only natural--"

"Oh go to your dear friends! I think I can handle it on my own to find somewhere to sit," James replied with a large grin, so his father knew he wouldn't be left in a huff. With a sweeping motion of his hand he shooed his father away.

He was all alone then. He looked to his right, only few students were still looking for a place to sit and the doors on that side were already closed. Sighing wearily he dragged his trunk with him as he headed left. He surely wouldn't find an empty compartment there were too many pupils there already, but he was sure that he'd find an empty seat.

Unfortunately he hadn't reckoned the train could be bursting full, which it was. James panted and continued to push his trunk along, peering through compartment doors, only to see laughing faces and no free-seats. He was near the end of the train when he finally found a compartment that only held three people.

He knocked at the door and a tall black boy who had been sitting next to it slid it open.

"First year?" the boy asked and James nodded. "Come on in then."

With difficulties James dragged his trunk into the little six person compartent. A boy and a girl were talking and joking with each other while. They turned around when James entered and he nodded and smiled at them. The tall black boy stood up, he was already wearing his school robes and there was a deep scarlet badge with a golden lion pinned onto it - the crest of Gryffindor.

"Any more people outside?" the boy asked and James nodded again.

With that he rushed out nearly throwing James over. How very peculiar he thought and tried to heave his trunk up into the luggage rack.

"Need help?" a soft voice asked. James eyed the boy who had stopped talking and gotten up. He was very skinny and of James' height, if not smaller. Although he looked as if he wouldn't really be much of help James thought it wouldn't hurt accepting the offer.

"That would be nice, really," James smiled and to his surprise the boy managed to drag James' trunk in with the others all on his own. "Awesome! Thank you!"

With a happy grin and relieved sigh James sacked into a seat across from the girl who had a huge basket on her lap.

"My name is James Potter," he said and extended his hand. "Who are you?"

"My name is Remus Lupin," the boy said shaking James' hand, "and this," he pointed at the girl, "is Lily Evans. We've been neighbours for six years now."

The girl smiled back at him. She had bright red hair, freckles and big green eyes. James looked at her very small hand, he was afraid he'd break it if he shook it.

Being brought up a gentleman James took her hand instead and gently breathed a kiss at her knuckles. He heard her giggle and looked up with a big smile.

He then caught sight of his watch and his eyes nearly popped out. He hadn't realised that looking for a compartment would take so much time!

"Blimey!" he said and jumped up. "I'll be back soon, I only have to tell my parents I found a compartment and then say goodbye," James paused. "Did you say goodbye to your parents already or do you two want to come with me?"

"Not yet, actually," Lily said, "but let's go out together."

"Surley, why not," Remus said.

"Please don't call me Shirley," James said and noticed that Lily had left the basket in the compartment. "So you are first years too?"

"How did you know?" Lily asked astonished.

"I didn't, that was a question."

"Oh," Lily grinned sheepishly and closed her eyes. Something she probably shouldn't have done as she accidently ran into a window. "Ouch!"

"Are you alright?" James asked with shock and helped her up.

Remus only laughed. "That's so typical of you, you know?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she said to James and stuck her tongue out to Remus. This only made the sandy-haired boy laugh harder. James eyed the two interestedly. They did get on well with each other.

"So you have known each other for such a long time? Did you go to the same school?" James asked.

"Yes," Remus said.

"Hogsmeade?"

"What is Hogsmeade?" Lily asked.

"It's the only wizarding town left in the whole of Britain, it's also the end station of this train. There's a wizarding elementary school in Hogsmeade," Remus instructed and turned to James. "We went to a Muggle school."

"But you clearly aren't Muggleborn, you know too much," James inquired.

"Well, my parents didn't know whether I'd be able to go to Hogwarts, my father's a wizard and my mother's a Muggle," Remus explained.

"And you are Muggleborn?" James turned to Lily. She nodded.

"But I've known about wizards for quite some time now. You know, most of the time Remus is really bad at keeping secrets, only sometimes he isn't."

"Is that so?" James looked at Remus and chuckled. The boy feebly smiled back then turned to Lily.

"I don't appreciate it when jokes are being made about my memory," he said.

"More lack of memory, really," Lily said and whistled nonchalantly. Remus stuck out his tongue at her.

"So how did you actually find out about the wizarding world," James asked curiously. He had never met anyone fresh to the wizarding world yet.

"Right after I first met Remus, I'd say," Lily answered and looked out of the window.

Apparantly he hadn't met someone fresh to the wizarding world again.

"Do you remember Connor?" Remus said with a grin and Lily turned to him laughing.

"How could I ever forget that crup! Thanks to him we found out I'm a witch!"

James smiled weakly. "Crup?" He shuddered a bit. "Dogs give me the creeps..."

"Techincally crups aren't dogs," Remus replied.

"They look like dogs and that's enough," James answered.

"Traumatic experience in your childhood?" Lily asked.

"See this scar?" James asked and pointed at a scar above his left wrist. Lily and Remus nodded excitedly.

"It's not from a crup."

"But?"

"No but there, I got it from a kneazle. Kneazle's are far more intelligent, that's why I like them more. Kneazle's think and then fight back, crups just start biting."

"Crups wouldn't bite you, would they?" Remus asked sceptically.

"You think they wouldn't since I'm magical and all, but they do. I don't know why but they hate me as much as I can't stand them. Ah, there are my parents! See you later then!" James hopped out of the train and walked straight to his parents, while Remus and Lily went off to find their own.

"Mother? Father? I found a compartment," James said, tugging his father's sleeve. They were saying goodbye to the Wilsons. "The train is leaving soon, I would like to say goodbye."

His father abruptly turned around with glittering eyes. "Goodbye?"

James imitated him. "Yes," he sobbed, "goodbye."

With one faked wail his father fell to his knees and James threw himself into his arms while resting the back of his left hand on his forehead.

"Oh my, this is so tragic," his mother chuckled.

"You have no feelings, woman," his father mock-sobbed and then pretended to sneeze into James' shirt.

"Oh the melodrama, the pain, the histrionics! I'm sorry, I feel with you my two strong men," she bent down to hug them both. They all laughed.

His father released him and James stepped back. "Well James, it's really goodbye now."

"I will miss you both," the boy sniffed and blinked a few tears away. He wouldn't see his parents for such a long time. As much as he was looking forward to this year of excitement he was also dreading homesickness.

"Oh Pudding, you can cry if you want to," James' mother said soothingly. This time James didn't even grimace.

"Please don't call me Pudding anymore, I'm too old for that now," he said from sheer force of habit.

"But James, that's such a cute nickname," she replied as usual but her voice quivered. She was about to squeeze his cheeks when his father interfered, which James was very grateful for.

"Ah, our little Jamesie-woodsie-woo is all grown up already, isn't he?" his father chuckled and saw James flinch.

"Faaather..."

Maybe he wasn't that grateful for the interference.

"O So-Grown-Up-One! Don't punish me, I am just a father who loves his son!"

James hiccuped, he really would miss his parents.

"I will write to you, I promise and---OH!"

"What is it?" his mother asked.

"I forgot Orion!" James said with shock.

"Don't worry, we'll send him after you when we get back home," she said.

"It's not that I forgot him, it's that I forgot him! How could I! My poor wittle baby-owl!" James hit his forehead.

"Oh don't hurt yourself, he won't be angry with you, he will be able to fly the way on his own, you know he'll find you no matter where you are," his mother soothed him. She grabbed his shoulders and turned him towards her. "Look at me James," she said and he did. "I want to keep this face in mind because when you come back home you will have a completely different expression on your face, you will have grown up so much..."

James saw the tears in her eyes and hugged her quickly again. He burried his head in her neck and squeezed her tightly.

"Don't cry," he said. "Shhh, don't worry, Christmas will be here sooner than you think. Besides you've got the house-elves to occupy you."

His mother gave one big sob and James patted her back again. "Shhh, I will miss you too..."

He felt two strong arms from behind and quickly James whirled around to hug his father tightly.

"I love you," he sobbed now. "I love you two."

"We know James," his father said.

"We love you too," his mother added.

Taking a deep breath his father stood up.

"Now, off you go."

James nodded and brushed the remaining tears away. Quickly he turned around and ran through the masses towards the train without turning around once. He rushed to the compartment he had occupied with Remus and Lily and stopped in front of it. He took two big breaths and stepped inside.

Lily and Remus were already inside and both had swollen eyes. He was sure he looked pretty similar to them and all three cracked a smile.

James then leaned out of the window and Remus and Lily followed him suit. He saw his parents and waved to them when all of a sudden a whistle sounded and the train gave a mighty jerk. James waved and waved and waved until the train turned around a corner and he couldn't see his parents anymore. When he turned around he brushed away a few silent tears and looked at Remus and Lily.

However, as much as he would miss his parents, he was sure he would have lots of fun with those two!

<<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<<>>>>>>

Comment of the Chapter:

A: Now, what would you say about this chapter James?

J: I don't want to comment on your writing but I have a very important message for all the kids out there.

A: That would be?

J: Try to never forget your pets at home. I forgot Orion. I will suffer. My owl is crazy.

A: Well, do you have any special message for your owl then?

J: I still can't believe it! I forgot him! Orion! My Orion! How could I forget him? Forgive me Orion! Orioooon!

A: That was the Comment of the Chapter!