September 1st, 10:50am

How on earth did September come so quickly, Ambrose thought to himself as he pushed his trunk on his trolley through the ticket barrier after his younger brother, Tim. It seemed even shorter this summer for the trip to South-East Asia. There would be more rain and storms, but not quite so warm and a lot more drizzle. At least he was going on a train and not a boat this time.

Over summer, Ambrose seemed to have grown several inches. Tim had grumbled about the fact that he felt very short against his older brother all of a sudden. Ambrose had felt in reverse that Tim seemed to be tiny and weedy in comparison. All the walking around and adventures over summer, combined with a hormonal growth spurt had meant Ambrose needed a new set of school robes for his final year. There were only so many burn holes one could patch with magic…

Their father trailed behind, September 1st was a Wednesday, and the Ministry was well used to seeing staff take a day or a morning off to deliver their offspring to the train. Theta was back at the workshop minding things, and Ambrose always appreciated the fact that his father would come and see them off every year. Several of his classmates didn't have such luck.

It wasn't hard to spot the rest of the family in clusters amongst the crowd on the platform. It had only been hours since he'd last seen them all, but there was still warm greetings. Uncle Monty had wound Zeta and Eta up about taking them to school in one of his flying cars a few days back, but here they were, as if there had been any question!

"Let's get your trunks on the train." Francis suggested to both sons, drawing his wand and helping them stow them away inside the carriages. Ambrose caught his father glancing up and down with one of those wistful, fond memory smiles.
"Come on Dad, out the way." Ambrose chivvied him with a crooked smile. "You and Gabbie can relive your sixth year another time alright?"

Before getting off the train, he paused on the steps and used the extra height over the platform to try and pick out Cyhirae amongst the crowd when someone's owl made an explosive exit from a dropped cage. Feathers, claws and wings smacked straight into his face.

Ambrose unceremoniously stumbled off the train with both arms up and the bird screeched, flapping it's wings, equally confused. For one horrible moment the extended Peppers on the platform thought that their accident-prone family member was about to begin the year with a bloody nose, but after a few seconds of wrestling, Ambrose had the owl upon his hand.

Professor Donovan's lessons the past year had not been forgotten. Facing hippogriffs, singing to lakes and everything that came with it, meant panicked owls were not to be baulked at.

"There now." Ambrose spoke to the owl softly, giving it some space to finish rearranging it's feathers. "Who do you belong to?"

Winifred was so excited. It was time for FIFTH YEAR! She was going to be sixteen very soon. And everyone knew that sixteen was a very important age- because it was one year away from seventeen, which meant that she was one year away from being a legal adult in the wizarding world. Her summer had been fun. But as the time for going back to Hogwarts drew near, her nerves began to get to her. She was still worried that she would end up failing her fifth year and get expelled from Hogwarts for being stupid. Even with all of her studying and hard work, it was still a constant fear. And what if she had forgotten EVERYTHING over the summer? She was almost caught up to her level in spell casting- almost- and it had taken a ridiculous amount of time to even get to that point.

She had gotten up early to do her hair and apply her makeup. Over the summer she had learned a lot more about beauty stuff. She finally had some skill in application- making herself look better rather than clown like. But it was important to look nice, in case some boy decided that he wanted to be in love with her. You never knew when the love bug would hit!

Her mother was there to see them off. Winnie's older brothers were seventh years now. And she had managed to talk them into stowing her trunk on the train when they boarded a few minutes ago. In the mean time she was looking for her friends, hoping to find someone to sit with. She saw Ambrose disembarking the train and hopped a little, excited to see him. "AMBRROOOOSSEEE!" she yelled loudly, rushing over, forgetting her mother the instant she saw a friendly face.

She watched as an owl suddenly attacked his face, and held back, waiting on the creature to settle down before she finished approaching. Gross. She never liked owls much- even if they were incredibly useful. "Ambrose!" she greeted happily, tilting her head to peer at the owl. "That's one mean bugger there, isn't it?" Winnie asked. "It was going to eat your face! I saw it!" ... Some people matured with age, but not Winifred. She was just as dramatic as ever.

It had taken some time for Serenity Lee to get the two younger red-headed girls to settle down. Her baby sister, Morrigan, had been trying to speak to nearly everyone and Faye, their cousin, was trying to wrestle a specific history book from her trunk. And Serenity, being a small girl, had needed a larger boy to help her put the trunks up. She was on her way off the train to speak with her parents when she accidentally rattled somebody's owl cage. The owl broke free and fluttered into the face of an older boy she had seen wandering around the school sometimes. Once the owl had calmed down, he handled it rather well.

"Sorry," she muttered in a sheepish manner.

Serenity was about to explain more when nother girl his age, louder and just as bouncy as her sister, came up to greet him. She managed to slip past the pair and was only two steps off the train when she bumped into someone else. Someone that looked quite like the older boy the owl had collided with.

"Oh, hello, Timothy." Her brown eyes gave an awkward glance between her housemate and the older boy. Now she remembered why he was familiar: it was Timothy's brother. "How are you, Tim?"

Timothy Pepper had grown quite a few inches. He may have been shorter than his brother, but he was still several inches taller than herself. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. It had only been two years ago that she was a timid, mouse-like Ravenclaw that hid behind her curtain of dark brown hair. She was still shy and dangerously curious, but no longer in hiding. Her dark brown hair had been pulled back with a blue headband so that people could actually see her face. That was about as "open" as she could be right now.

"Hedwig!" Harri called out when someone bumped her Owl's cage and the snowy mess of feathers had burst out only to instantly attack someone's face. Typical, Harri thought. Her father had been very against her getting an owl but he hadn't been too fond of her excitement over getting a toad and finally relented. She had purposely named it after the pet owl her father's cousin had while growing up. Her grandfather apparently had hated the bird and never let it out, Harri was determined to do better with her own pet though this wasn't exactly what she had in mind.

She approached the small cluster of students that had gathered around the tall boy that had Hedwig on his arm. Harri straightened herself up trying to look as imposing as her small frame would allow her. Her short cropped hair was matted and hung over her grey eyes. She wore regular muggle clothes, her favourite oversized football jersey and a pair of torn jeans with a scuffed up pair of trainers. The only thing that placed her as a student was the wand sticking out of the hem of a knitted cap she had pulled over her hair.

"Sorry bout that mate," while still at the pitch you'd expect from an Eleven year old, her voice was gravelly, further hiding her gender, "did she hurt you?"

As the owl settled down, Ambrose realised his surroundings. His father was a few metres away, shoulders relaxing, Tim was by his side, letting out a sigh of relief. Further back on the platform his uncle Monty was having a good laugh, each arm around Zeta and Eta.

There was a cry from a smaller student, and one of Tim's classmates apologised about the cage sheepishly, and greeted Tim.
"How are you, Tim?"
"Hi Serenity, I'm good thanks, you?" His younger brother was BLUSHING. Oh ho ho, was this the girl he had a bit of a crush on, from the same house? He was about to tease his brother, who was smiling dreamily at Serenity while he pushed his glasses up his nose when he heard his name yelled.

"AMBRROOOSEEE!" Winnie flew out of nowhere, the crowd on the platform parting in alarm at her cry.
"Winnie!" Ambrose called in return his face lighting up at the sight of his best friend. She was looking ever so much more pretty - as were all the witches he was friendly with. Ambrose could see Mr and Mrs Oliver not far from his uncle, who gave them a nod and a wave, familiar with each other from four years or more of these two knowing each other.

He went to give her a hug and then remembered the owl on his arm.
"That's one mean bugger there, isn't it? It was going to eat your face! I saw it!"
"Hah, yeah, I had a horrible thought it might, but hey, still in one piece. Pretty isn't it? Look at the feathers." He was oblivious to the fact he'd accidentally implied his face was pretty.

"Sorry bout that mate, did she hurt you?" Ambrose tore his eyes away from the owl to a figure shorter than him, in a football shirt and a wooly cap. He presumed they were a first year.
"Oh, no mate, she was just startled like." Ambrose replied in a friendly tone. "Here, you want a hand putting her back in the cage?"

Ambrose looked about for the cage for the bird, and held his arm out for the owl to return to its young master.
"There. She's a pretty bird." Ambrose complimented. "You a first year? That's cool, doesn't seem long since me and Winnie were first years, though we're fifth years now. I'm Ambrose Pepper, Gryffindor." He stuck out his hand to shake.

"This is Winifred Oliver, Hufflepuff, and that's my brother Tim, he's a third year, Ravenclaw. Hey Tim, why don't you introduce your girlfriend."

His younger brother went bright red and he spluttered, but to Ambrose's amusement he didn't deny it.
"This is Serenity Blackthorne, we're both in Ravenclaw." He shot Ambrose a look that said as soon as Dad's gone I'm so going to try and hex you.

Winifred watched a younger student talk to Ambrose's little brother. For some reason, Winnie always forgot how many siblings Ambrose had... But Winnie forgot lots of things and if it wasn't something she cared about or someone she regularly interacted with then she had no reason to remember... But the girl wasn't talking to her, or to Ambrose, so she was quickly written off as background noise.

But at least Ambrose seemed happy to see her! That was something, wasn't it? She still couldn't believe how different everyone looked and how much older they all were and the fact they were going to be doing OWLs this year and how important fifth year was. "Yeah, all in one piece. Thought for sure he'd fly off with your nose in his beak..." She laughed when he called his face pretty. "Pretty is what you call girls, Ambrose. But I'd agree your face is pretty handsome." He mentioned the feathers of the owl, and frankly, Winifred could care less. She wasn't a big fan of owls. She much preferred cats. And Lord Fluffybutt was fatter than ever as he sat in his crate now tucked safely on the train.

The owl belonged to a first year. Winifred blinked the boy and nodded enthusiastically as Ambrose said it didn't seem long since they were first years. "Just like yesterday!" she agreed. "But I wouldn't go back to it for all the galleons in the world. I like being older, more sophisticated, and more talented." Mostly she liked not being an idiot and being able to properly do magic at least half of the time instead of almost never.

Winnie noticed the blush on Ambrose's little brother's face. She crowed loudly. "Oh look at him blush! I bet somebody has a crush!" Winnie grinned at Ambrose. "I remember third year. S'when I started getting all of my first, big, real crushes. You remember that time we kissed?" she asked him. "Bet your brother will be smooching all the girls pretty soon himself." She didn't much care if she embarrassed either of them. Winnie was always such a loud and open individual other people's boundaries were rarely something she really considered.

Serenity recognized the girl as one of Morrigan's peers: a first year. The curious question crossed her mind if this girl liked Morrigan as much as Morrigan liked her. Since her younger sister had no real friends, she had a habit of calling people 'friends' just because they were acquainted. Serenity knew better than anyone how annoying her sister could be because Morrigan was always most eager to help and show that she was a good friend...and also because she was a little childish and energetic. She glanced up at the windows, suddenly wondering where her charge had got to. She was supposed to be looking after Morrigan. Maybe she was with Angerona?

"Hi Serenity, I'm good thanks, you?"

She looked back at Tim, who was blushing. Serenity had no idea why he would be embarrassed. She smiled, slightly confused.

"Ready to go back, honestly. It's been a long summer." And then it occurred to her, quite suddenly, that she had never written any of her friends. She was in the middle of being surprised by this news when the older students had suddenly commented on Tim's red face.

"Oh look at him blush! I bet somebody has a crush! I remember third year. S'when I started getting all of my first, big, real crushes. You remember that time we kissed? Bet your brother will be smooching all the girls pretty soon himself."

"This is Winifred Oliver, Hufflepuff, and that's my brother Tim, he's a third year, Ravenclaw. Hey Tim, why don't you introduce your girlfriend."

Serenity's own face burned really hot then and she was sure it was glowing as bright red as Tim's at the comment. At the same that Tim was spluttering, she was also opening and closing her mouth rapidly trying to think of something to say. Finally, her housemate managed a full sentence:

"This is Serenity Blackthorne, we're both in Ravenclaw."

It did not register that Tim hadn't denied anything. She simply nodded fervently in agreement with what he had said, her flushed face clashing with her dark brown hair. Someone moved up behind her from the train, another older student, and she squeaked when the girl spoke. The girl turned out to be her older sister, Angerona: another fifth year, but in Slytherin house.

"Morning, everyone. Winnie, Pepper." She nodded curtly to each before looking at her sister. "Ren, have you seen Morrigan? I can't--why is your face red?"

Angerona's green eyes slid from Serenity to the blushing Timothy up to the older students, a puzzled sort of look on her face. This was rare because Angerona was usually quite clever. Serenity glanced at Tim and ducked her head a bit so that her hair could fall around her face in attempt to hide herself.

Harri beamed brightly at Ambrose as he helped put Hedwig back into her cage. She was happy he wasn't mad at her for the sudden attack and was also thankful for the help. The bird, while pretty as she agreed with him, was willful much like herself and could be more of a handful than Harri was used to. As introductions were being handed out Harri brushed a mat of brown hair out of her eyes, "Harri Dursley. I don't have a house yet, I was told that happens when I get to school. My cousin was a Gryffindor though, so maybe I'll end up there with you."

Harri narrowed her brows at the older girl with Ambrose who was introduced as Winnie. She talked too much and too fast and too loud and really about nothing. Harri made a slight gagging noise when she mentioned kissing. Typical. All girls ever thought about was kissing. She had thought about asking the other younger girl if she was related to Morrigan, since they had the same last name but then she was blushing and speechless and Harri had to roll her eyes. Girls.

Harri gave a sympathetic look to the younger of the Pepper boys. She felt a little bad that he was suddenly pounced on by the Hufflepuff's suspicions about his feelings for the Ravenclaw. She had no idea if the boy actually liked the girl but boys were usually smarter than girls and didn't start caring about girls until they were about Ambrose's age. She turned to the older girl who had just arrived asking about Morrigan (Harri figured they were both her sisters, or cousins, or whatever, there was no way there was more than one witch called Morrigan Blackthorne) "They think that's her boyfriend." Harri offered in response pointing from Ambrose and Winnie to Tim and Serenity.

There was no hiding from Winnie's gaze, even for younger brother Tim.

"Oh look at him blush! I bet somebody has a crush! I remember third year. S'when I started getting all of my first, big, real crushes. You remember that time we kissed?" She asked Ambrose loudly. Ambrose had managed to tuck that memory into a shoebox in his mind, and he hadn't anticipated it to be blurted out on the platform at the start of his fifth year. As such, his eyes widened, and he almost looked as flustered as his younger brother, who seemed to gag and look the other way a moment.

"Bet your brother will be smooching all the girls pretty soon himself."
"Well, that or the boys." Ambrose replied - and winked at Tim, managing to regain his composure - Winnie was easily forgiven.

From behind Serenity and Tim appeared Angerona, Winnie and Ambrose's classmate from Slytherin.
"Morning, everyone. Winnie, Pepper. Ren, have you seen Morrigan? I can't--why is your face red?"

Harri's sympathetic look to Tim wasn't missed by the Ravenclaw.
"They think that's her boyfriend." Harri explained to Angerona and gestured between the fifth years and the third years.
"Nice one little bro." Ambrose grinned and Tim only blushed redder, muttering that he had to find somewhere to sit on the train, pushing past his brother and ascending the carriage steps.

Ambrose turned to watch him go and shrugged, not quite understanding what was wrong. He looked back to Harri.
"Gryffindor's the best, but I'm biased. If you make Hufflepuff, then you're just as good. Don't want to be in Slytherin, you end up like Ange." Ambrose joked, and grinned at Angerona meaning no harm.
"You had any brothers and sisters here?" Ambrose asked, "The Blackthornes get everywhere, like." He gestured to Serenity and her sister.

Winifred watched the display between Serenity and Tim with amusement. She remembered being a third year and how awkward all of that had been! Thank goodness she was nearly a real and proper grown up so that she wouldn't have to ever worry about this kind of awful feeling ever again.

"Oooh!" Winnie exclaimed. "Are you a muggle then? You must be, if someone had to tell you that. Gryffindor is a great house!" she told Harri. "And so is Hufflepuff. That's me- I'm a Hufflepuff. And Ravenclaw is good too, if you're super smart anyway. You just want to hope that you don't end up in Slytherin," Winifred said. "Because Slytherin is just... Well..." Winnie shifted her gaze a little. Her prejudice against the house wasn't well-hidden, but she was always awkward griping about it in front of other Slytherins.

When Ambrose suggested maybe Tim would prefer to kiss boys, Winnie shrugged. "Yeah, or maybe boys. I know I definitely like kissing boys. No reason for me to keep all the cute ones to myself... But, you know, whatever you do, just make sure you get enough kissing practice in before you get too old. That way you know what you're doing when you're a fourth and fifth year. You know I had my first real boyfriend when I got to be a fourth year."

"Who's your cousin?" Winnie asked. "Is your cousin still at Hogwarts?" She hadn't caught the was part of Harri's sentence.

Harri watched the younger of the brothers slip away and just shook her head. The conversation kept getting back to kissing. She didn't hide her distaste for the subject. She thought it was gross no matter which way you looked at it. Boys, girls, either way kissing was just gross and definitely not something she wanted to be practicing any time so, or like ever.

She winced when Winnie called her a muggle. She hadn't liked that word much ever since she first heard it while shopping for school supplies. It made her feel weird, like the wizards were making fun of her just because her parents were normal. She kept this to herself though. Neither Winnie or Morrigan seemed to used the word in a mean way despite whatever Harri might feel about it. It seemed to just be something wizards said.

She was happy to have some more insight into the school houses though. She had already decided she wanted to be in Gryffindor but from what she'd been told she didn't have a say in it. It was good to know which ones were the houses to look out for.

As Winnie asked about her cousin she hesitated. It had been such a big deal when she had told Morrigan and her cousin she didn't want to cause a big commotion but she didn't want to ignore the older girl either. She decided to answer Ambrose's question first, "Nope only child, my parents aren't magical so it was a bit of a surprise to them. Though my cousin grew up with my Dad so he knew all about it already." She then took a deep breath and turned to Winnie, figuring she might as well get it over with, "My cousin doesn't go to Hogwarts anymore, he's an Auror anymore. His name's Harry, just like mine. Ummm Harry Potter."

---

Sorry for holding the thread up guys

"Who's your cousin? Is your cousin still at Hogwarts?" Winnie asked politely to the boy before them.

"Nope only child, my parents aren't magical so it was a bit of a surprise to them. Though my cousin grew up with my Dad so he knew all about it already." Harri explained to them all. Ambrose couldn't imagine growing up with parents who didn't know about magic. Even aunt Catherine, who was a Muggle and an accountant, knew about it.

"My cousin doesn't go to Hogwarts anymore, he's an Auror anymore. His name's Harry, just like mine. Ummm Harry Potter."

Ambrose's jaw fell open in surprise at this confession.
"No way!" He exclaimed, though it was less accusatory, more in shock.

The guy in front of them couldn't be related to Britain's most famous wizard in the world! That was insane.

"For real?" He asked.