I sat curled up in the corner of the prefect's compartment, my knees up to my chin, leaning back on the train seat. I picked at the Cauldron Cake in my lap, nibbling on it without really realizing. I have this habit of eating without really paying any attention. Mum says that it's good I'm naturally slim, because any normal person who ate as much as I do would surely have blown up like a balloon by now. I don't pay mind, though. All I was interested in at the moment was watching my cousin, waiting for him to make a thorough ass of himself as he performed his first job as Head Boy.

The compartment was bustling with all the prefects of the four houses. Next to me was Albus, arguing animatedly with Briony Talisman and Ravenclaw Keeper Dan Hastings, about Quidditch. All three wore ridiculous grins across their faces.

Slightly further down was Scorpius Malfoy, who sat talking with fellow Slytherin prefects Amara Zabini and Lucan Marcus. He too was smiling and looking very excited.

Standing in front of the sliding doors of the compartment was Annia Grinkov, the Head Girl, who looked positively terrified standing next to James, who was shuffling through papers while trying to make friendly conversation with her. As much as I love that dear cousin of mine, I have to admit that his social skills are not up to par. Honestly, most girls confuse his inborn friendliness with flirtation. Not that I can blame them though. I know he gets around. But I also know that he would never intentionally hurt a girl.

Taking another bite of the cake, I stole a look at James who was attempting to start a friendly conversation with Annia. She looked as if she would rather be in a room with a dementor.

James ran a hand through his scruffy black hair. Honestly, he has the messiest hair I've ever seen. As much water and gel and magic as his mum uses to try and glue it down, it resists as if it has a mind of its own. But the truth of it is, it looks good on him. Uncle Harry says that James looks just like his dad was when he was James' age. I don't know exactly how he knows this, because his dad died before Uncle Harry even turned one, but I guess he's seen pictures or something. I've never known Uncle Harry to lie.

But yeah, James has that fantastic messy hair and hazel eyes. And of course, that grin that always makes girls look twice.

And then there's Albus. I discreetly looked sideways at my cousin, who was laughing at something Briony said. Albus is good-looking too, but he doesn't show himself off in such an obvious way as James does, which is why sometimes girls overlook him. Albus has James' same black hair, only his is slightly more tame than James. Probably because of all the hair ruffling that James does during the day that Albus doesn't bother with. But Albus has something James doesn’t--these amazing green eyes. They look just like Uncle Harry's, and supposedly just like Harry's mother's as well. Whomever he gets them from, its common fact that they are two of the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.

"Sorry I'm a little late, everyone!" Roldine Hathway slammed the door behind her and hurried into the compartment, wearing the huge smile that was always plastered across her face. Next to me, I felt Albus stir with excitement.

"Not a problem, Roldine," James grinned at her and gestured for her to sit. "We haven't gotten started yet."

"Not surprising, since Potter's Head Boy!" yelled Colin Sumpter, a seventh year Gryffindor prefect, from his seat across the compartment.

James grinned even bigger and ruffled his hair. "Shut it, Sumpter. You know you love me."

"Might as well profess my love for you now!" laughed Colin, joking. Rose knew the two were good friends, even though James had beaten Dan out for Head Boy.

"Hey, Albus! Briony, Dan, Rose," greeted Roldine. She sat on the other side of Albus, who blushed furiously.

"Hey Roldine," said Albus, sounding much more confident than I knew he was. "How are you?"

"Lovely, thank you. And you?" She didn't wait for reply and kept talking. I attempted not to roll my eyes. "I just met your sister, Albus. I had been looking all over for her. Professor Flitwick entrusted me with the job of showing her around Hogwarts when she first gets here, just so that she knows her way around and has a friend. But I suppose you already knew that?"

"Erm," Albus began.

"I hadn't been able to find her all morning!" continued Roldine in her enthusiastic voice. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Briony look slightly startled by Roldine's dialogue. Unlike James' way of talking, which usually rather energized the person he was talking to, Roldine's speech just seemed to stress people out. Nice girl, though.

 

"And then I walked by a compartment that was almost fully occupied with Weasleys and that's where I found her. She's a very sweet girl, though she seemed rather nervous about the whole Hogwarts thing. I don't blame her of course."

I tried not to laugh, shoving another piece of the cake in my mouth. If there was something I knew about Lily Potter, it was that she was never ruffled in a new situation. What Roldine might have been mistaking for anxiousness was probably contempt for her new life.

"I promised her that she could stick by me when we got to Hogwarts. Oh, I know she has all of you to help her about and everything, but I think it might be nice for her to have someone non-family to be her friend." She looked expectantly at us.

No one spoke.

"Er, yeah. That might be nice, Roldine," Briony said pleasantly. I'm not surprised she was the one to congratulate Roldine. Briony's always been the nicest in any group. Sweet girl, that one.

"Thanks." Roldine beamed. "Your summer was nice, wasn't it, Albus? Oh, I do hope it was. I spoke to James a bit earlier while I was looking for your sister and he told me you had a good time. Going up to the cottage must have been lovely.

Did Lily go with you? Or was she still in France? France is so lovely. I don't blame her for wanting to go to school there. And Beauxbatons is supposed to be one of the best wizarding schools out there. Aside from Hogwarts, of course. Lily doesn't look a thing like you, though."

"Very astute of you," I muttered under my breath.

Albus elbowed me in the ribs and spoke over me. "No, we don't look much alike," he agreed.

I elbowed Albus back and brushed the crumbs from my lap, after finally finishing my treat. I hate it when Albus has one of his severe crushes. When he does it's like he puts all of his attention on her, disregarding his family and friends and life. And right now, his crush is definitely on Roldine.

I was the only one he told, and at the time I felt special that I was the person he confided in. It was a day at the cottage and we were sitting on some rocks by the water.

"What?" I had exclaimed. "Roldine? Roldine Hathway?"

"Yeah," Albus said, rather defensively. "Her. Why not?"

"I dunno. She's just a bit...energetic, don't you think?" I asked.

"There are worse things to be than energetic," scoffed Albus.

"But Al," I protested. "It's just that I don't think you two would work. I just always thought you would think her kind of...annoying."

Albus shrugged. "He can get a little over-enthusiastic, but that doesn't make me stop liking her."

"But Al," I repeated, growing more frustrated, "I just don't think that you two.... go together."

His head snapped up. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his Weasley temper flaring.

"Nothing bad!" I assured him. "Just that...well I dunno. She's this peppy little bundle of happiness and joy that thinks that nothing bad is ever going to happen to her, and then there's you. Albus Potter who watches out for himself, who knows nothing's perfect, who reaches for the stars but doesn't expect anything..."

Albus pondered this. "That doesn't mean we couldn't work."

I shook my head. "Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you are the dreamer that I never thought you to be."

Albus paused for a moment. "I hate you," he said. I looked up, expecting him to be mad at me, but instead found him smiling at me. I knew he had taken what I said to heart, but was still going to do things his way.

That's why I had acted dumb when Scorpius questioned Albus' asking me where

Roldine was at the platform that morning. And it was how I knew that Albus and

Briony weren't snogging in the compartment that morning, however cozy they might have looked at the platform. Briony was Albus' confidante, and he probably had taken her into the train so that he could vent about Lily. Too bad if everyone else thought they were snogging each other’s faces off.

"Oi, Potter! Mind if we get started? I have a girlfriend to see to before we get to Hogwarts!" yelled fifth year Hufflepuff Johnny Louis.

"Calm down, Louis!" James yelled back. "Your girlfriend will still be there when we get done!" All the girls in the compartment murmured in agreement, resulting in scowls from most of the non-Hufflepuff boys.

"Okay then, let's get started," James the his papers aside and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up, revealing rather muscular arms.  I cringed. Please don't turn this prefects meeting into a flirting session, I silently prayed.

"As you know, it's our job as prefects and Heads to patrol the halls at night and such. We patrol in pairs, just in case anything gets...messy." James shot a dangerous smile across the room. "So here are the pairs you'll be patrolling in."

Albus sat up straighter beside me. I knew he was hoping to be paired with

Roldine.

But alas, it wasn't meant to be.

"Scorpius Malfoy and Roldine Hathway."

Albus shot a death-glare to his brother, who ignored it.

"Rose Weasley and Colin Sumpter."

I looked sideways at Colin, who was grinning at me and gave a thumb’s up. I giggled. I admit that however boisterous and loud that he may bay, Colin has always been a nice boy towards me. And in addition to that, he's also quite good looking.

I didn't listen to the next few pairings, so preoccupied was I with thoughts of my partner. Don't think me to be one of those boy-crazy girls, because I am not. I just like good-looking boys. And sweet ones. Who wouldn't?

"Albus Potter and Briony Talisman," announced James.

Albus sighed slightly. I nudged him and spoke softly so that only he could he hear. "That's not so bad. Even if you couldn't be paired with Roldine, you love Briony like a sister. You two can just talk and have fun the entire time."

"True," Albus replied.

"And of course Annia and I will be patrolling together as we are the Heads,"

James finished.

"A big head," snorted Colin.

"Did you really just say that?" laughed James. " 'A big head?' Are you joking?

What, are you five, Colin?"

I laughed. James can take any semi-insult and turn it into something else. As far as I know, he can't get offended.

"Anyways," James continued. "We have a few new students other than the first years, who by the way will need guiding to their boats when we arrive on the Hogwarts grounds. These new students include my sister, Lily Potter, who's just transferred from Beauxbatons. Fourth year."

"Oi, Potter!" called Nigel Smith, seventh-year Ravenclaw. "Do I have a chance with that sister of yours?"

James rolled his eyes. "Don't count on it, Smith. My sister is off-limits to gits." Resuming his professional voice, he continued, "The other transfer student is from Durmstrang, a girl named Amara Lestrange."

I sat up. "That name sounds familiar. Do we know her?"

"Dunno," Albus said, uninterestedly.

James gave us a look as if to say, "Shut up. I don't want my little brother and cousin ruining my first job as an authoritarian."

We both game him apologetic looks.

"She's a fifth year," said James. "So as prefects we should look after them, make sure they're getting along okay."

Albus snorted and muttered to me, "Imagine helping Lily Potter 'get along'." I laughed.

"Is that all, Potter?" asked Lor Zabini.

"Just a mo, Lor," said James patiently. "There's one more new student that we have to talk about."

"We have someone from Durmstrang and someone from Beauxbatons. What next, a home schooled student?" asked Briony.

"There are still home schooled kids?" asked Colin, in shock. "I thought that everyone had to go to a magical school if they were, you know, magical."

"That's what I thought, too," said Dan.

"No," said Scorpius. "A parent can school their child in magic at home if they want to. It just doesn't happen that normally anymore."

"So this girl is home schooled then?" asked Roldine.

"Was home schooled," corrected Briony.

"No," said James, ending all discussion. "This girl is beyond anything the most original student Hogwarts has ever seen."

"What are you talking about, James?" I asked. "If she's not home schooled and she's not from another school..."

"We have to treat her the same as any other student," warned James, "but at the same time we have to help her. She's never had an experience like Hogwarts."

"What are you talking about?" asked Albus.

"It's our job as prefects and Heads to make her feel at home as possible," said James, trying to make us realize his seriousness in the matter.

"Potter, just tell us what you mean," said Colin. "We will act as appropriately as a prefect should."

I looked at Colin to check if he was joking. He wasn't.

All of the kids in the compartment looked at James, seriously.

"Her name is Reagan Carlisle," said James. "Professor Flitwick owled me about her earlier this morning."

"Okay, her name is Reagan Carlisle," said Albus. "What is so special about her?"

"Is she, like, a squib?" asked Roldine, sounding a bit degrading.

"There's nothing wrong with being a squib," Scorpius said, rationally.

"So she's a squib?" asked Briony. "What's she doing at Hogwarts?"

"Maybe there's some kind of rule against discrimination now," said Lucan, "like you can't discriminate against squibs anymore or something. So they have to take them at Hogwarts."

"Then why would we just be hearing about this new rule?" asked Roldine. "Why wouldn't they at least tell the prefects?"

"Because prefects aren't Merlin," Dan said. "We don't have to know everything,

Roldine."

"Don't be rude, Dan," reprimanded Briony in her soft, sweet way.

"All I meant was that even though we have the prefect status, that doesn't mean that we have to know as much about Hogwarts as, say, Professor Flitwick," reasoned Dan.

"Why did Professor Flitwick tell just you that he was allowing a squib into Hogwarts?" asked Lor. "Why didn't he tell the rest of us?"

"How is a squib going to survive in magic lessons?" asked Albus. "That's going to be a hard time."

"Everybody quiet!" yelled James. It was the first time I had seen him get upset in a long time. Someone like James doesn't get upset too often.

"Reagan Carlisle is not a squib," he said, with a voice as strong and commanding as I had ever heard it. "She is a sixteen-year-old girl from Oxford, England. She's going to be a sixth-year when she gets to Hogwarts. And she happens to be completely new to the magic world."

The room was silent.

"What?" Briony asked, quietly.

"She's never practiced any magic," said James. "Apparently she didn't even know about magic until this summer."

"How didn't she know?" Albus asked incredulously.

"I didn't know until I was eleven," said Dan. "I just thought all the weird stuff that was happening was part of my imagination. And then my letter came."

"Why didn't she get her letter when she was eleven?" asked Colin, a slight frown across his face.

"I dunno," said James. "I don't know much. All it said in the letter Flitwick sent me was that she just learned she was a witch and that she would be entering Hogwarts in her sixth year."

"Why would Flitwick even take her at this point?" asked Lor.

"Maybe because whatever mistake was made when she was younger, we might as well teach her magic while we can so that she doesn't completely lose the experience," said Scorpius.

"Exactly, Scorpius. That's how we should be thinking," said James, smiling at Malfoy. "And that's why Flitwick told me to assign one of us to be her mentor. To not only show her around, but catch her up on what she missed in her first through fifth years as well."

"I can do it!" Roldine volunteered at once. "I'm already showing Lily Potter around. It won't be a problem to show Raven around too!"

"Her name is Reagan," corrected James. "And as thoughtful of you as that might be," Dan coughed in the background, "you already have Lily in tow, and I don't want to put that much stress on you, since you have to keep up on all your prefect duties, I'd rather not have you in charge of both jobs, Roldine." She looked satisfied with his rejection.

Maybe James is cut out for this job.

"I would do it if you wanted me to, James," offered Briony, kindly. And unlike Roldine, I knew that Briony wasn't doing it for status.

"Thanks so much for offering, Bri," said James, gratefully. "And I really appreciate it. Actually, you were my first choice with you being a girl and all. I mean, I thought it might be good for her to be with someone around her own age. But then I decided that with it being your first year as a prefect, I'd rather you focus on that right now."

"Besides, how would Briony be able to teach this girl fifth year spells when Briony's just entering her fifth year?" Roldine said. I was just realizing how much I dislike that girl.

"I'm sure she could have managed better than most," said James, trying to keep the peace. I know that he wanted to stick up for Briony in the worst way, but he wanted to be the Head Boy that he thought he should be. That's how I made my decision.

"I think that a Head should be her mentor," I said, loudly. "And I think James should be it. I can't think of someone better for the job."

"I second!" agreed Briony.

James grinned. "Thanks a lot, you two. But there is another Head we have to consider." He turned to Annia. "Do you want to be part of this?"

She considered, but shook her head silently. Honestly, how shy can you get?

"Well, Flitwick also recommended I assign a few more people to the job," James said. "Because her official mentor might not always be available"

"Doing Head Boy stuff," Briony grinned.

James grinned back. "So I thought of a few people I want to ask to help. Felt they might be up to the job."

"Okay, so go. Who are you recommending?" asked Dan.

"Well firstly, I'd like to ask Albus, the most scholarly person I know," James said.

Everyone congratulated Albus. Even though he's James' brother, we all knew Albus was chosen for a good reason. He's smart, and would be an intelligent teacher.

"And Dan. I think you'd be brilliant with this," James smiled.

This choice was more surprising. Dan was more of a blow-off person than Albus. But he is one of the most patient people I know, and would be a perfect teacher for this girl.

"Rosie, I want you to help out too," James added. I looked up at him, to see if he was joking. Aside from being appointed prefect, never had something like this been entrusted to me.

I smiled excitedly. "Of course, James! Thank you!"

He grinned back. "Yep. And the last person I'd like on the job would be Colin."

Colin looked up in complete surprise. "What?" he asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," James nodded. "I think you're perfect. You can provide support in an upbeat way." He smiled brightly, proud of his idea.

"Oh, I dunno," Colin said, suspiciously. "I just...I don't know if I'm qualified for this job."

"If you weren't qualified, I wouldn't have nominated you," reasoned James. "I think you could really help this girl."

"Yeah," encouraged Briony, "when I was having troubles in Transfiguration, Colin worked with me all night so that I could pass the test. And then I get the test back, and I got an E!"

"I remember that," nodded Dan. "And I remember when I wanted to learn how to commentate the Quidditch matches, even though I didn't know anything about Quidditch because I was Muggleborn. None of the other commentators wanted to help, except Sumpter. He spent a month's worth of Saturdays teaching me all the rules and stuff. He even taught me how to play."

"And when--" Lor began.

"Stop! Stop making this 'Colin Sumpter is Merlin' day!" Colin exclaimed. "That stuff wasn't anything, I didn't mind doing it. But that doesn't mean I'm good for this!"

"Yes it does!" I cried. "You've done so much for everyone without even thinking anything of it. That's what makes you perfect for this."

"Yeah, why are you so opposed to it?" Albus asked.

Colin glared at Albus in a way that I had never seen before. "I don't. I'm not.

That's why I'll do it, Potter."

James grinned at him. "Thanks, Colin." He then addressed all of us. "So this is what we'll do. I'll mentor Reagan every chance I can, but on the days I have to patrol or have a Head meeting or something with Flitwick, any of that, I'll have Albus, Dan, Rose or Colin step in. This will probably happen at least once a week so I'll have you four take turns mentoring or I'll pick who mentors based on their capabilities--"

"What do you mean 'capabilities'?" asked Dan.

"Like say if the girl has Charms homework that she needs help with, we'll ask the one who's most accomplished at Charms to take that particular night," explained Albus.

"Obviously that would be Rose," said Briony. "She's best in her year at Charms."

"True," agreed Albus.

"See how easy it is?" asked James. "We're going to have no problem with this." He looked rather excited. "And if there are any problems, we can discuss them at our weekly meetings."

"Weekly meetings?" asked Roldine.

"Yes, Wednesday nights," said James. "If you happen to be making the rounds that night, you are exempt from the meeting. Someone will fill you in later."

"And what if you're, er, aiding the girl?" asked Dan.

"She has a name, you know," said Briony. "You can call her Reagan."

"I've never met her," explained Dan. "It feels weird calling someone you've never met by their first name."

"You do it with Lois Granson all the time," Briony pointed out, naming one of the only two female players for the Chudley Cannons, and the best looking. Dan's face turned a bit red.

I saw the corners of James' mouth twitch, trying to contain a smile, as he attempted to continue. "If you're with Reagan she can come to the meeting. Or not. She's not like a puppy dog, you don't have to maker her follow you around everywhere," he replied.

"When are we going to meet Reagan, James?" I asked, eager to set upon my task.

"Well I have a meeting with her in Flitwick's office tonight." James ran a hand through his hair for the seventeenth time this morning? "After the feast and everything. She's not arriving until after supper."

"Why?" asked Lor.

"I don't know," James said, rather frustratedly. "I don't know much more than you do. But I promise to keep you updated when I do know more." He picked up his papers. "Here. These are the dates I'll need you to patrol, as well as a list of Hogwarts' rules and guidelines just to refresh you on everything you should be on the lookout for. As soon as you get your papers you're free to go. Periodically check the halls for any troublemakers. Remember, you are prefects.

You have authority. Just not too much authority."

The students hurriedly grabbed for their papers and left as if they'd been trapped in the compartment for hours.

"Are they really that anxious to leave?" James asked when only Albus, Briony and

I remained.

"Oh no, James. You were brilliant!" Briony said, gathering her papers. "It's just that it's the first day back and people want to catch up with their friends and boyfriends and girlfriends and crushes and all that." She hugged James. "I should catch up with Dan. He said he was going to save me a place in his compartment, but I'll see you later. Again, you were brilliant."

James watched with admiration as she left the cabin. "There should be a doll of Briony. And there'd be an enchantment on it so that whenever you hug it, it gives you a compliment or motivation or something."

"There should," agreed Albus.

"That'd be a good-looking doll, too," James mused. "So what's up with Briony and Dan anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the way they talked and looked at each other the entire meeting. Didn't you notice?"

Albus shrugged. "Not really."

"Well I would notice if I had been snogging her only minutes before," noted James.

"We weren't snogging!" Albus insisted. "We were just talking!"

"Oh really?" asked James. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, really. And I would know if Briony liked Dan like that. Which she doesn't."

"Oh and I suppose she told you this while you were talking," James mocked.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Albus.

"Rose, what do you think?" asked James, turning to me. "Don't you think Briony fancies Dan? Or he fancies her?"

"Why do you always need to ask a second opinion on everything?" I asked, burying my face in my hands.

"Rose."

"Yes, I do think that Dan fancies Briony a bit. But honestly, I think that every bloke fancies Briony a bit. I mean, who can't like that sweet thing?"

"See," James said triumphantly.

"But I don't think that Briony fancies Dan," I continued. "I think that Briony likes him in a brotherly way, because he kind of takes care of her you know? And they're good like that. I can't see them together."

"Me either," Albus said, taking his cue to sound triumphant.

"Well what about you, Al?" James asked. "How do you like Briony?"

"The same as I've always liked her," Albus said, as we began to walk towards our compartment. "Ever since we were kids. As a childhood friend."

"Yeah, well Teddy and Victoire were childhood friends too," said James. "And look how they ended up."

"I can't even think of that, James," Albus cringed. "It's so weird. I can't think of Briony like that. Can you?"

James shrugged a bit. "I could it I wanted to. But I don't."

"Why not?"

"Because...because she's little Briony!" exclaimed James.

Albus cringed. "Exactly."

James rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever. All I know is that you two looked rather cozy together back on the platform this morning."

Albus opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. He closed it.

James smirked. "So who are you fancying, Rosie?"

"No one," I replied simply. "Like you told Roldine, I have to concentrate on my prefect duties."

James laughed. "I only told her that to shut her up. Merlin, she can be annoying."

I agreed. "Albus. I don't know how you can possibly--" I stopped myself just in time, before I revealed my cousin's secret.

Albus gave me a stunned look.

"How what?" James asked, not checking on. He slid open the door of our compartment, waiting for us to follow.

"How, erm, Albus puts up with her," I finished, looking at Albus. "You know, since they were prefects together last year and hall partners and he had to listen to her dribble all the time."

"True," remarked James. He flopped down on the seat of the compartment. "And that's why I gave you Briony as a partner this year."

I nudged Albus as we sat on the opposite seat. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Thanks a heap."

James frowned at him. "I thought you would be happy with Briony."

"I am," Albus assured him, "and thanks. It's just that I don't want to spend forever hiding away with Briony."

James looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Al leaned back and looked out the window. "Nothing."

"But really, James," I smiled, trying to bring back a conversation, "you were fantastic at the meeting. You controlled everyone so well."

James smirked. "Except for when the conversation turned toward the new girl."

"Oh really James? You've gotten so desperate that you're trying to hitch the first new one you find?"

We turned toward the door and I felt a shock of excitement coarse through my body as I looked up and saw a tall individual with rather messy black hair, startling blue eyes and a grin spread across his face, sliding open the door of our compartment.

"Teddy!" I exclaimed, jumping up to hug my almost-cousin. Oh well. It didn't matter that he wasn't officially part of our family yet. Teddy had been a Weasley ever since he was born.

"Teddy Lupin!" James grinned. "What are you doing here and why does your hair look similar to mine?"

"I just thought that since I was entering a compartment with Potters, I might as well resemble them a bit." Teddy grinned back and sat next to me. Teddy is a metamorphmagus, just like his mum was. He can change his appearance at will to anything he pleases. "Hey Al." Al smiled back at him.

"So what are you doing here, Teddy?" asked James, not impolitely.

"Well, I suppose you'll be the first to know," Teddy said, rather excitedly.

"I'm now on staff at Hogwarts."

"What!" I exclaimed. "Teddy, that's fantastic!"

He grinned. "Thanks, Rosie."

"What will you be doing?" asked Albus.

"I'll actually be working as a professor."

"Fantastic!" James cheered. "Our professor will be Teddy Lupin! Finally, a professor who doesn't throw me out of class at every little Exploding Snap game piece I throw at Michael Fruhner!"

"What are you teaching, Teddy?" I asked.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Teddy said proudly. "Now come off it," Teddy said watching us cast suspicious looks at each other. "I know about that whole 'position is a curse' rumor. I remember it from when I was at Hogwarts."

"Back in the founding years of Hogwarts," muttered James.

"But that's not going to happen to me," continued Teddy. "I'm not going to get sacked or killed or anything like that. Because I already told Flitwick that I would only be staying one year."

"What?" exclaimed Albus.

"But you're Teddy Lupin!" cried James. "Remus Lupin's son! My dad says that yours was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher he ever had! You'd be brilliant! Why wouldn't you stay on for more than a year?"

"Not that it'll affect you," I pointed out. "You'll be gone by next year."

"Yes, but sometimes I actually do look after the best interests of people other than myself," James said sarcastically.

"So why won't you be staying, Teddy?" asked Albus.

"Because after Victoire and I get married next summer we want to settle down," explained Teddy. "And I have to go back to my real job-- being an Auror."

I groaned. "Why must every person in my family be an Auror?"

Teddy looked at me quizzically.

"Ignore her. She has issues," James said simply. "But is that why they picked you as the new teacher? Because you're an Auror?"

"I suppose that a big part of it," said Teddy. "Because I've had some real experience."

"Wow, this is going to be a great year," grinned Albus, contradicting what he had been saying all summer. "Our last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's previous experience was working at a sword shop in Diagon Alley."

"I'm flattered to fill his shoes," Teddy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"So you'll really be teaching us Auror stuff?" Albus asked excitedly.

"Well of course I'll have to be teaching the first years all the basics," Teddy explained. "Expelliarmis and all that. But for the sixth and seventh years I'll be teaching powerful counter-jinxes, defensive spells, wordless charms..." he said excitedly. "Of course all of you will be taking it, won't you?"

"Yes, all three of us are," I said.

"Good," Teddy smiled and sighed in what sounded to me like relief. "What else will you be taking?"

"Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology,

Potions...everything required for most jobs," said James. "And everything I could handle in N.E.W.T. form."

"And you two?" Teddy asked.

"About the same, just in O.W.L. form," Albus answered for the both of us. "Except I'm taking Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies and Rose is taking Arithmacy and Divination."

"Divination?" asked Teddy. "Is it any different from when I took it at Hogwarts? Waste of time."

"Yes it is," I announced, while James and Albus guffawed in the background. Both consistently told me what a soft subject they thought Divination to be. "Firenze is my teacher and he's absolutely brilliant."

"Well I had Trelawney, so I'll just have to take your word for it," Teddy smiled. "So what's this about a new girl?"

"She's new at Hogwarts," said James. "And she's sixteen. But she's never had any magical training in her life."

"Oh, her." Teddy nodded. "Flitwick told us at the staff meeting. Don't know much about her do they?"

James shrugged. "The letter I got from Flitwick only covered the very basics."

"Ahh yes. He also told us about the special job he was going to be awarding a few students," Teddy said. "So who'll be the mentors?"

"James is mentor." I smiled. "We nominated him."

"And Rosie, Al, Dan and Colin are going to help," finished James.

"Dan and Colin...?"

"Dan Hastings and Colin Sumpter," said James. "Dan's parents are both Muggles, you wouldn't know them. And Colin's...well, I'm not even sure about what they do."

"I think his dad might be a Healer at St. Mungo's," Albus contemplated.

"Yeah, I dunno," said James. "All I know is that Colin is right for this job."

Teddy nodded. "So you think you got this under control?"

James nodded. "Oh yeah. Thanks, Teddy."

Teddy nodded again and stood up, ready to leave. "Well, now that I've seen some of my favorite future cousins, I suppose I'll go patrol the corridors like a good teacher."

James grinned. "Favorite future cousins?" he repeated.

Teddy grinned back. "Don't tell Dom, or Hugo or Lily or Louis or any of them in the other compartment. I'll see you few later at the Feast." He slid the door shut behind him.

"Teddy Lupin, our Defense teacher," James grinned. "Who would have thought?"