September 1st, 1894 — The Black Lake

"Jameson Potter, by the way," the lad added by way of introduction to the unfamiliar boy, "and this is my friend, Gideon Riley."

With all the excitement, he had struggled to keep his mouth shut since boarding the small rowboat with his fellow first years. "I wonder if they'll teach us the spell that makes these boats go..."

After what had seemed like a lifetime of waiting (but was really only three to four years as before that, he had been too young to care), Jameson Potter was finally off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had definitely not cried as his aunt had levitated his trunk from their Bartonburg home, had definitely not cried as she, Uncle Baxter, and Elspeth had accompanied him by carriage to the train station to meet the other students, but may have teared up a little as he had hugged his little sister goodbye, abruptly aware of the fact that he would not see her again until the Christmas holidays.

This sadness, though, had swiftly given way to eagerness as he and his fellow first years had been ushered down to the shores of the Black Lake where oar-less rowboats awaited them. There had been a moment of awkwardness as the children who clearly knew one another quickly filled up the boats, but having initially lost Zack in the crush of children, Jammy had only Gideon to board a boat with. So, he had joined a lad with sticky-outy ears, and a final student had rounded out their quartet, prompting the boat to take off across the quiet surface of the lake.

Phineas Black II & invitational to one of Zackary Carter Chloe Greene Caroline Weasley Caspian Pettigrew

  

They were now off to Hogwarts. Being a Hogsmeade boy, he had not been provided the experience of the train. He and his father had said their goodbyes and now here he stood at the Station. He looked around at all his fellow first years that would be going on boats before spotting familiar faces. "Jammy! Giddy! Phinny!" He greeted all in turn as he helped himself to the last slot in their boat. He knew all in varying levels but did count all as friends on top of familial connection so he was quite glad to have glommed onto their boat.

  

"Phineas Black," Phin introduced himself to the boys. And then, somewhat more awkwardly, "Er. The younger one, obviously. Not the headmaster." He was, thankfully, saved from his own awkwardness by the arrival of Caspian Pettigrew, who he waved to as the boy approached.

Phin was more nervous than he thought he'd be, to be honest. He'd been waiting just about his whole life for this, and now he couldn't help feeling... jittery. He wasn't expecting that. But still, Phin would rather be here than at home, so probably he'd just get used to it. Presumably most people felt like this when they started school for the first time. Right?

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The moment he had set foot on the boat Gideon had known that seafaring was not to be his destiny. His stomach churned, his head swam, the boys blurred together and he was extremely grateful to Jameson for not obliging him to open his mouth. He managed a vague wave to Caspian, nodded at Phineas Black the Younger and was promptly sick over the side of the boat.

"Sorry," he muttered pathetically as he took in the great expanse of the lake and how much more of this he would have to endure.

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   Jameson Potter

Jameson's eyes widened in some horror as Gideon was promptly ill over the side of the small, now-moving boat.

"Better over the side than in the boat," he offered in what he hoped was reassurance, but it came out as more of a prayer, as he put a reassuring hand on the other lad's back.

Caspian, he knew at least, would not give his friend a hard time; they were "cousins" in much the same way he and Jameson were. Jammy's guardian (who had once been married to his uncle) was the younger sister of Caspian's late mother; similarly, Gideon's (also late) father's (late, too) brother had been married to one of Caspian's other aunts. They did say that all purebloods were related to one another if you looked hard enough.

(How strange it was, that all of them had lost parents so early. In this regard, Jameson knew the younger Phineas Black to be the odd man out.)

He looked over to the young Black, who did not seem overjoyed to have been identified as such, for... reassurance?

Gideon Riley Phineas Black II Caspian Pettigrew

  

Phin offered a smile, mostly because it seemed like the right thing to do. though he was too nervous personally to care much what anyone else was doing. "The ride will be over before we know," he offered. "And next year we'll be going with the carriages, so it's just this to get through."

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