The second hand on his battered old watch seemed to be ticking slower and slower with each passing moment. Only 18 minutes left until dinner. Then again, it seemed like an hour had already past when I'd looked a moment before and my watch had showed that there was only 19 minutes left until dinner, he thought glumly. The blond boy sighed and rubbed both of his eyes with his slightly pudgy, free hand. It was only the third week in to the year and already he had fallen behind. Neither Professor McGonagall's, nor any of the teachers words made any sense to him and no matter how hard he'd tried none of his spells or potions seemed to want to work. He'd expected his time at Hogwarts to be very different.
As the lesson finally came to a close, Professor McGonagall gave out the weeks homework assignments with a flick of her wand. The small boy looked at the parchment that had landed in front of him and internally groaned. This was going to take him all night judging by the complicated questions McGonagall had set them. When the bell rang he gathered up his things as quickly as he could and left the classroom, trailing behind a gang of slytherins as he made his way towards the Great Hall for dinner. While walking down the corridor a large, burly Slytherin boy pushed past him so hard that he flew into the walls, dropping everything that he'd been carrying. The slytherins looked back, laughing at the pathetic sight of the pudgy, blond boy who was sprawled upon the floor. Tears sprung up into his blue eyes which only made them laugh harder as they walked away, unable to contain their glee at his humiliation. Slowly he began to gather up his things when, out of nowhere, a hand grabbed one of his books. Looking up, he recognised the skinny, dark-haired boy with glasses that now knelt in front of him. The bespectacled boy handed the book back to him.
"You alright?" James Potter asked.
"Yeah thanks. I just.. I um-" Peter shakily replied.
"Oi James, I'm starving. Come on," Sirius Black called to his friend as he waited farther up the corridor with their other friend, Remus Lupin.
"Alright mate, coming," James called to Sirius. Turning back to Peter he said, "Fancy joining us?"
Peter smiled and vigorously nodded his head which caused James to laugh. Though he had turned slightly pink, the two boys then walked down the corridor towards the others. They greeted Peter enthusiastically once he and James had reached them.
"Alright, Peter," Sirius crowed, slapping him hard on the back. "Tell us all about you. All your deepest and darkest secrets."
"Umm I- I..." Peter stuttered. Sirius laughed and winked at him, getting a small and timid smile from Peter in return.
As Sirius and James walked slightly ahead, having their own conversation, Peter noticed that Remus had slowed to walk with him. They awkwardly smiled at one another as they walked with increasing haste towards dinner.
"Hi," Remus said shyly.
"Hi," Peter replied just as shy, turning pink again.
James chose that moment to call back to them. "Oi hurry up or all the good seats'll be taken."
With one last look at them both, Sirius and James walked into the Great Hall together. Remus rolled his eyes at Peter and followed suit. Peter smiled privately to himself. Perhaps now I finally have some friends.
