September 1, 1975, 10:45 am

James Potter grinned and walked onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, his parents right behind him. Looking around, he quickly caught sight of his best friend, Sirius Black. "Sirius!" he exclaimed joyfully.

Sirius ran up to him. "James!"

"Honestly, you two just saw each other last week," Euphemia Potter said with a sigh, shaking her head.

"A week was too long," said James. "Love you Mum, love you Dad."

"We love you too," said Fleamont.

James and Sirius ran off to find their other two best friends, and nearly bumped into a girl with flaming red hair. "Lily!" James said with a smile, but she ignored him and walked off. "Wow, she ignored me even more than usual," James said with a frown. What about him was so unappealing to Lily? What would make her pay attention to him?

"You're an arse, James Potter," said Marlene McKinnon, standing a few feet away.

"What, for talking to Lily?"

She frowned. "I suppose you don't know."

"Know what?"

"None of your business." She went off after Lily.

"James! Sirius!" called their friend Peter Pettigrew from where he stood with his mother.

Smiling, they went over to him. "Hey, Peter," said Sirius.

"Hi, Mrs. Pettigrew," James said with a smile.

"Hello, dears. Would you like some toffee?" She pulled some out of her purse.

"Sure," said James, at the same time as Sirius said, "No thanks."

The three continued walking. "So, where's Mr. Prefect?" asked Peter.

"No idea. He can't even sit with us on the train this year," said Sirius. "How annoying is that?"

They didn't have to wait long for their other best friend; Remus Lupin stood not far away on the platform.

"Remus!" Peter called, and he turned to them with a smile.

"Hey guys."

"So, you're a hotshot prefect now," said James. He was surprised any of the Mauraders had become prefect; they were known for pulling pranks. But Dumbledore also knew that Remus was the most responsible person in their group; maybe he had figured that Remus could keep the others in check. He underestimated James.

"Suppose I am," Remus said.

"You better not go turning us in," Sirius said with a wink, pretending that Remus's father was not right there.

"I'd be turning myself in, so I don't think you have to worry there."

"So, everyone excited for another year of Hogwarts?" Mr. Lupin asked, evidently long past resigned to the fact that his son was part of a group of pranksters-the greatest in Hogwarts history, of course.

"Sure," said Sirius. "'Cept for those exams we have to take at the end."

"Well, I'd better get going to work. You have a good year, Remus. Behave yourself."

"I will, Dad."

"I love you, son."

"Love you too."

They all walked towards the train.

"So, Moony, how was your summer?" James asked.

"Fine. How about yours?"

"Also fine."

"Where's your mum?" Peter asked.

"Oh, she's a little sick, so she stayed home. She never really likes coming to the platform anyway, says she can feel everyone staring at her cause she's a Muggle."

"That's not true," said Sirius.

"Just quoting her," Remus said.

"Do you by any chance know what's up with Lily?" James asked.

"Why would I know?"

"Cause she's your co-prefect?"

"I don't really know what you mean. Why do you think something's up?"

"She ignored me."

"She always ignores you."

"And Marlene said I was being an arse and then said there was something I didn't know."

"Well, maybe something is up."

"Anyway," said Sirius, "Speaking of Marlene, I'm thinking about asking her out."

"Careful," said Remus.

"I will be!"

"Yes, because you have such a reputation for it."

"Hey, look," said James, directing their attention across the platform. "It's Snivellus." He hated Severus Snape with a passion; they were always jinxing each other in the hallways when they thought that teachers wouldn't notice.

They all snorted and looked away.

"What a git," Sirius said.

They walked onto the train, found an empty compartment, and sat down, Remus heading to the prefect car. This was going to be quite a year at Hogwarts.