A/N Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Written for the Quidditch Fanfiction League Competition: Little Leagues

Next Generation Character: Hugo Weasley

Prompts:

(restriction) no using the word 'Weasley'

(creature) owl

(word) backpack

Hugo sat quietly on the train in an empty compartment, his head resting against the window as he watched the familiar scenery fly by. His messy brown hair, inherited from his mother, refused to lay still and he wondered whether perhaps he should do something about it. His grandmother would be disappointed; he knew that she despaired at his untidy approach to life.

Several students ran past his compartmemt, chattering noisily. He closed his eyes and tried to remember a time when he had been that young. It had been years since he had first started at Hogwarts, since that moment when he had proudly stood on the platform, weighed down by his heavy backback and waved goodbye to his parents. His time at Hogwarts was nothing but a memory, and it was almost like walking in to a dream to be heading back to his old home.

In reality it had only been a few years since he had graduated school. He had been lost in the first few weeks, utterly unsure of what he wanted to do. Hogwarts was his home, was the place he loved more than any other in the world. Once he had realised that it had been obvious what choice Hugo should make. He had always loved learning, and now he had the opportunity to pass on that knowledge and to inspire new students as his own teachers had once inspired him.

As the train slowly pulled into the station he realised that he had fallen asleep. Rubbing his eyes, Hugo stood up and grabbed his case, making his way through the streams of children onto the platform and into a carriage reserved for professors. He looked around, smiling warmly at the others; Professor Longbottom and Professor Brown, both of whom had taught him. It would be weird calling them by first name, and Hugo had to shake himself slightly to remind himself that he belonged amongst the adults now, that he was one of them.

When he took his seat at the grand table at the end of the Great Hall Hugo could hardly believe that he was back again. He looked out over the crowd of students and felt a thrill of excitement. This was where he belonged. Professor McGonagall - Minerva - introduced him and he smiled out at the long tables as they clapped to welcome him.

Hugo was sitting at breakfast when the first letters from well wishers began to arrive. He felt the same thrill that he always had as his owl swooped overhead and dropped a pile of letters before him. Absentmindedly, Hugo let the owl nibble on a piece of toast as he flicked through the letters. Aristotle the owl had been a graduation present from Hugo's dad, a beautiful tawny owl who had never failed him.

Hugo strode through the halls of Hogwarts, an easy smile on his face. He swung open the door to his classroom and felt a shiver of excitement as he made his way to the front of the room. Reaching into his bag, Hugo pulled out the beautifully organised and detailed lesson plan thay he had written and carefully wrote his name on the board.

Taking his seat, Hugo sat back and anxiously waited for his first students to arrive. His first class was a first year class, and he consoled himself with the knowledge that they would be even more nervous than him.

It wasn't long before the first couple of students poked their heads around the door and he beamed at them, ushering them in with an excited wave of his hand.

They slowly trooped in and he tried to smile invitingly at them. He could just about remember being as unsure as they were, although he had had Lily to drag him to classes and she had never been nervous.

When Hugo judged that most of his class had arrived and found a seat he cleared his throat and began the lesson. He had just distributed the feathers that had been sitting on his desk when there was a scuffle of feet as two boys stumbled their way into the classroom.

He smiled to himself but turned a stern face on the boys as they shamefacedly sat down. Deciding that there was no point in terrifying the students on theur first day he let it go, continuing with the lesson as though he had not been interrupted.

"Today we will be looking at the incantation Wingardium Leviosa." He announced, and noticed a flicker of recognition cross some of his students' faces. The spell was one of the many things that Hugo's mother had taught him about before he had started school, and obviously some of his students had the same preparation.

Hugo drew his wand, clearly spoke the incantation and used the familiar wand motion. Slowly and gently a feather began to rise up and he looked around to find that the whole class was enthralled. He let the feather float softly back down and then began to demonstrate the wrist motion that he had used.

As his class hurried out of his room, excitedly chattering about what they had achieved, Hugo began to sort out his notes for the next class. There had been a few successes and the others would learn soon enough. Satisfied, he leant back in his chair.

"How was it?"

Hugo jolted upright with a shock and looked around for the owner of the voice. Neville Longbottom stood by his door, an easy grin on his face.

"Professor Longbottom-"

"Hugo, I think you can start calling me Neville now." He chuckled lightly. "Anyway, your first day was a success?"

Hugo grinned. "I think I'll be very happy here."