JAMES POTTER and the heir of the defeated

THE HAT THAT SINGS

James plopped down on his seat. His compartment was empty. He thought about the pale skinned boy whom he had met moments before. He had barely got into the train and had made his first enemy. The boy's eyes were in the colour of Hazel nut. His lips were so thin that they reminded James that of a snake's.

"That's Araxas," said a voice to his left breaking his train of thought. James looked in that direction and saw a boy of his age looking intently at him.

"Araxas who?" asked James. The boy had vague Asian features. He had brown skin, shaggy hair, and a silly grin on his face that showed a slight chipped front tooth. He had already changed into​ his Hogwarts robes.

"The boy who threatened you, and made your luggage fly," said the boy. Suddenly the boy smacked his head and shook James's hand.

"Hi, I'm Aditya. Aditya Vungarala," he said. James shook his hand. "I'm James. James Potter," he said. The boy slid in next to him. "You are Mr. Harry Potter's son?" he asked. James nodded smiling. Aditya mouthed a 'wow'.

"I never knew that there will be a Potter in my year, this is so cool," he cried. James looked at him and suddenly remembered,
"Who's Araxas?" he asked. Aditya's smile melted. "He's a nasty piece of work. He's a cousin of Draco Malfoy. And I personally think that Araxas is as sinster as Voldemort had been then." James broke into a laugh.

Their talk was stopped abruptly as the trolley witch's knuckles rapped their compartment door.

"Anything off the trolley dears?" asked the plump witch. Aditya rummaged his pockets,
"Oh, don't bother," said James as he took out his money bag.

"Give us portions of all the items you have," said James. He paid eleven Galleons and five sickles. The trolley witch bowed and left. Aditya looked at James quizzically.
"I would've paid, right?" he asked. James punched him.
"We're friends mate," he said. "And friends don't keep tabs." Aditya grinned at him and helped himself to a pumpkin pasty and a chocolate frog.

The boys knew that something inside them has connected. A tight knot which no one can ever release.

                                 *

The train raced past many villages as evening rays fell. Aditya's head lolled to one side as he silently dozed off. James looked out of the window. Earlier that morning, in their house, his father, Harry had pulled him aside and placed an old piece of parchment and a wrapped package. James recognised them at once. The old parchment was the Marauder's map, made by his grandfather James Potter and his friends, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. It had full map of Hogwarts including the whereabouts of the people in it. James also knew that this was given to his father by his uncle George and late uncle Fred.

The second one was the invisibility cloak of Ignotus Peverel. His ancestor.

He knew that both his father and grandfather had used these two items and was greatly elated to find his father giving them to him.
"Use them well," he had said. "It will be a shame if my son gets to follow the rules,"he said and winked.

James looked at in awe as Harry called again. "Don't tell your mum about it OK," he said. James laughed.

He came to the present as a hollow voice said that they neared Hogwarts and students are required to leave their things in the train. James quickly changed into his Hogwarts robes and woke Aditya.
He groggily woke and brushed his hair. James attempted to flatten his hair but failed. His hair stubbornly stayed shaggy. The train came to a halt and all the students filed out of it.
"Firs' years, oer' 'ere," said the voice of Hagrid. James smiled and waved at him. He had met Hagrid before, and his half-brother Grawp.