Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter Series, All rights to JK Rowling

James Sirius Potter stood outside his father's office next to his partner-in-crime Fred Weasley II. Both had mischievous grins planted on their faces. Both were pranksters who regularly caused havoc and mayhem at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And both knew they would find something interesting and havoc- causing in the office of Harry Potter, head of the Aurors and James' father. As it was the summer holidays all of their cousins were at the Potter mansion being looked after by Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley whilst their parents were at work.

James waited a second to ensure all of his relatives were still downstairs before nodding to Fred which led him to then pick the lock on the office door, a muggle trick taught to him by his father George Weasley prankster extraordinaire which had been a very useful trick to know in some very tight situations. As his Father was head of the Aurors he had used spells that the alohamora charm would not work. So, therefore, when the door swung open James was surprised that Harry hadn't put any measures up against the muggle lock picking trick.

Once the lock was picked and the door was open both boys hastily ran in and closed the door behind them so no-one would know they were in there. Once they were in James turned to Fred and spoke in a whispered and urgent tone:

"Look quickly and make sure you put everything back where you found it, my Dad will go mental if he knows we were in here." James whispered

"I know, you've told me a thousand times!" Fred exclaimed irritably

James rifled through the drawers of the filing cabinet and then, after finding nothing interesting, turned to his father's desk and looked in the drawers of that. He was just about to give up and tell Fred it was time to leave when something caught his eye. A small violently purple package sat on his father's desk. He hastily undid it finding a curious object in the shape of an hourglass. He examined it for a moment before shouting to Fred

"Hey Fred, Look at this!"

"I can't see it from here! Bring it over you weirdo!" Fred retorted

James pivoted and turned to Fred before walking over and showing him the curious object

"I've never seen anything like it before! I wonder what it is!" Fred muttered in amazement

"Well we're not going to find out anything by standing here let's go ask Teddy he'll probably know!"

The 2 boys made their way out the room before carefully shutting the door and making their way down the stairs and to the living room where, judging by the sounds issuing from within, an Exploding snap tournament was occurring. James carefully opened the door before walking towards a blue haired boy on a sofa near the back of the room with an arm around the blond haired beauty seated next to him. Both were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice the 2 mischievous boys until James tapped Teddy on the shoulder.

"Teddy" James said with the air of someone doing something they shouldn't be "we found something and we weren't sure what it was. Do you think you could look at it and tell us what it is?"

"Sure" Teddy replied "why not?"

So whilst Teddy was examining the curious hourglass Fred and James turned to their younger siblings and cousins.

"Hey guys!" Fred said brightly as he and James sat down "what are you lot doing?"

"Swimming in the lake!" James' younger sister Lily Potter said with the tone of someone talking to a 2 year old "what does it look like idiot! We're having an exploding snap tournament, duh!"

"Sorry I asked!" Fred muttered to James

"Hey James! Fred!" Teddy called "where did you find this?"

"Find what?" Rose Weasley asked

"Nothing!" James exclaimed snatching the hourglass out of Teddy's hand

"If it's nothing then why are you being so jumpy about it?" Rose inquired

And suddenly James was engulfed in a mound of cousins and siblings thinking quickly James turned to Fred and shouted

"Fred! Catch!"

But Fred was taken totally by surprise as the hourglass went hurtling through the air, hit the tips of his fingers before smashing on the floor as a violently purple fog filled the room…