26This idea popped into my head around 2 am and I needed to jot it down!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I own none of the HP characters/Hogwarts related material
"Living Up To The Name"
"Mum!"Nine-year old Lily Potter yelled, running into the kitchen holding an envelope in her hand. "Mum an owl was pecking at the window and it gave me this!" She handed it to her mother who flipped it over and sighed upon seeing the Hogwarts crest.
"You'd think on a Sunday, James would have something better to do than get in trouble. Don't second years have homework?!" Ginny Potter opened the letter while Harry shook his head.
"What'd he do now?" He asked. Ron and Hermione gave each other a look. They were over to have the customary Sunday brunch with Harry and Ginny while Lily and Hugo played around the house. Every week Ginny had received at least two owls telling of James' latest prank resulting in another detention at school. Ginny scanned the letter.
"Apparently he slipped a Slytheirn a love potion that made him believe he was in love with Mrs. Norris." She said while Harry and Ron roared with laughter. "It's not funny, he's got detention with Filch all week!"
"Aw, with Quidditch practices he'd going to have to stay up late to do his homework." Hermione sympathized. Ron made a face at his wife. "Just because you didn't do an ounce of your own work Ronald," she said in a warning tone. Ron quickly changed the conversation.
"It's your own fault you know," he said to Ginny and Harry. "You named him."
"What does that have anything to do with it?" Ginny asked. Harry nodded.
"He does have a point, luv. James Sirius Potter—kid's got a Marauder legacy."
"Yeah and Al is named after two headmasters and he's the brightest in the class—next to Rose of course." Ron added with a wink.
"And what does your name mean Ron, clueless git?" Ginny teased.
"Actually is means Counsel Rule," Hermione spoke up. The three others looked at her with odd expressions. "Like he gives good advice to the ruler. Which actually makes sense, being as he always seemed to say the right thing to Harry. And Harry means Army Ruler."
"How do you possibly know all of this?" Harry asked incredulously.
"When we were trying to name Hugo, I bought one of those muggle baby-name books and looked up the meanings. And while I was at it I looked up some others. By the way, Hugo means 'bright in mind and spirit'. That's why I picked it." She said proudly.
"What does my name mean?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Well Ginny came from Virginia which means Virginal." Ginny looked at Harry who was smirking. Ron made a gagging noise.
"Honestly Ron, it's been twenty years, have you not gotten used to it?" Harry asked.
"It's still my best mate and my little sister." He said, shaking his head.
"MUMMMM!" Lily yelled, running into the room again, this time with Hugo behind her, with yet another envelope. "Another owl came!"
"Sweetheart, I'm glad you're getting the post for us but how about not screaming so the entire drive can hear?" Harry asked his daughter. Her hazel eyes looked right up into his green ones.
"I'm sorry Daddy," she said politely. Harry grinned, he knew Lily had him wrapped around her finger.
"It's alright luv. How about you and Hugo go each have a chocolate frog?" Her eyes brightened.
"Aw thanks Uncle Harry!" Hugo said and they ran off to go grab one.
"Keep spoiling her like that and no bloke is going to be good enough for her." Ron warned Harry.
"Thanks what I'm counting on." He grinned and turned to Ginny. "Who's that one from."
"Let me read it for you," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "Dear Mum and Dad, but mostly Mum cause she's likely having a fit. I'm sorry about the love potion incident! Uncle George sent me a package of assorted things from the store and one of the things was a love potion (which I so don't need to get a girl to go to Hogsmeade with me next year) and I was going to give it to Albus cause he needs to get his head out of the books but then I thought that it would be funny to give it to Gregorio Flint, the Slytherin Seeker because he was such a git (sorry mum) in our last match. Too bad we still beat him (thanks in part to my Keeper skills and the lucky gloves Uncle Ron gave me!) Anyway, I couldn't think of a girl that I hated enough that I would punish her by making Flint follow her all day…but then I thought of the cat! Bummer that Filch (shouldn't he be dead/retired/just gonneeee by now?) is so protective and McGonigall is 'quite fed up with your antics Mr. Potter!'. Sorry for once again being the cause of another owl home though, I know how nuts Lily gets with post. Please don't send me a Howler, mum. I swear I'll even lay off Al at Christmas time. Love, James." Ginny looked at her husband, who was looking proud, with a pointed look.
"What?!" Harry asked. "I never did that stuff!"
"What did we do back then?" Ron asked out loud.
"Protect the Sorcerer's stone, look for the chamber of secrets, Try to fight Sirius Black, Triwizard tournaments, start underground armies…" Hermione trailed on smiling. "We didn't have time to use the Bat-Bogey hex on random students." She finished looking at Ginny.
"Zacharias Smith is an annoying prat and I stand by that hex. Anyway, there's a P.S. from James and it may interest you two," she motioned to her brother and sister-in-law. Harry leaned over and read the slanted handwriting and started to chuckle.
"Careful Gin, you'll have Ron be on his way to Hogwarts with that information." Ron and Hermione began to look worried and Ginny read aloud the end to the letter.
"P.S. Al is doing alright, I think he feels a little ditched though. Seems Rose and that Scorpius Malfoy are pretty close now—Al reckons they fancy each other by how they're always sneaking out at night."
"WHAT?!" Ron bellowed, standing up. "SHE'S A BLODDY FIRST YEAR! AND HE'S THE SPAWN OF DRACO!"
"Ron, calm down!" Hermione said, pulling his arm so he would sit down.
"I want every Weasley and Potter at Hogwarts to hex this kid and tie up Rosie after seven pm!"
"Ron, Scorpio is only a first year, he couldn't possibly defend himself when he has-" Harry mentally counted the number of family members they had at Hogwarts. "Nine hexes coming his way"
"That's what I'm counting on," Ron said in an angry tone. Ginny, who even after all of these years still loved seeing Ron get all flustered, smiled.
"Well now I can't send James a Howler now, he's provided such good entertainment." This caused Harry to laugh and even Ron and Hermione smiled.
A/N: I had so much fun writing this that I decided to write a full story about James' fifth year at Hogwarts! It's titled "Semi-Charmed Kind Of Life"
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