Harry Potter: Fan fiction

Before The Madness

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything to do with it; it is all down to the amazing JK Rowling.

Authors Note: This story is set in the same world as The Healing Touch Of Magic, but you don't have to have read it in order to read this story. I have made new characters for the supposes of the other story that isn't cannon but I have followed this through in this one-shot. I think I will be making another story based on the Marauders' Hogwarts years, so this is a prequel of sorts, I hope you enjoy. I love you lots.

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Sirius' POV

Finally, the day I'd been waiting for my entire life was here, it was September 1st and I was finally getting out of this hell that was called home. I got up early (which is unheard of usually but today was different), and was ready to floo to Kings Cross an hour before the train left. As usual my father ruined my early getaway by requesting me in his office.

"Yes Father?"

"Take a seat son. I know you have been waiting for this day for a while." Try my whole life. "But you I need you to remember there is a Black legacy at Hogwarts and I don't care about your feelings on the situation, as my first son, you have a duty to upkeep the Black name. Do you understand?"

"Yes Father." I had absolutely no intention to 'maintain the black legacy'.

"You do know what that entails, don't you? What you have to work towards?"

"Yes Father." No chance.

"But I'll talk to you more about it after you've been sorted." I love how he still thinks I'm being sorted into Slytherin.

"Sirius, the Blacks have been sorted into Slytherin for centuries, don't ruin it. Don't test me, you know what will happen if you do." He has been threatening to disown me for years and he hasn't done it yet, so I knew he wouldn't.

"I couldn't disown you because you weren't in Hogwarts, now however I can. As I said, don't test me. You are dismissed."

As I walked out of the room, I realised I'd been in my father's office for half an hour, so I flooed straight to the platform with my things and my owl 'Griffin', and stepped into the fire grateful to be finally out of the hell I called home.

James' POV

"James, are you ready? We need to leave now?"

"Yes mum, one second." I wasn't ready at all, my clothes were still strewn all over my room, I quickly shoved them all in my trunk, before realising they wouldn't fit.

My older sister Holly chose that point to walk into my room, silently surveying the mess my room had become.

"It's a good job I can do magic Jamie." She waved her wand over the room and everything began to pack itself neatly in my trunk.

"Thank you Holly." I said sheepishly.

"No worries Jamie." She replied giving me a one-armed hug before leading me out the room, my trunk floating behind us. Holly is 18 months older than me and going into her third year at Hogwarts.

"Right, shall we go then?" My dad asked, and I nodded.

We flooed to the platform and the train stood large and majestic in front of me. I had saw this train several times from dropping Holly off and picking her up, but this was different. This time I was getting on to.

"Ok James, have a fabulous time, work hard and try and not get into too much trouble. I love you very much."

"I love you too mum."

"Holly look after him."

"I don't need looking after."

"We'll see about that Jamie; yes mum, I'll keep an eye on him." We said our final goodbyes before we headed towards the train. Holly met up with her own friends and I found an empty carriage, with no idea what to expect, I was ready, I was finally going to Hogwarts.

Remus' POV

I never had any hope of being able to attend Hogwarts, my parents had already discussed home-schooling with me and it seemed the most plausible option. That was until Albus Dumbledore appeared at my house and announced that I could indeed join Hogwarts as long as there were precautions put in place.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I couldn't believe I would actually have the chance to be around people my own age. I could actually attempt to make friends.

I never had friends before, I wasn't allowed them, in case I hurt them. Which I understood because I never wanted to hurt anyone. I didn't want to give anyone the disease that had taken over my life.

I now had the chance to study magic, I could have my own wand and wouldn't have to borrow my parent's wands. I could buy all the books I wanted.

"I can't believe I am actually going." I expressed sitting at the breakfast table early in the morning on the 1st September.

"We are going to miss you so much, but we are so glad you have the opportunity to go. Make sure you write to us and we want you home at Christmas and Easter."

"I am going to miss you so much too mama, I'll miss both of you. Of course I will write, every week. We get Christmas and Easter off for family so I'll definitely come home."

"Have you packed everything son?"

"Yes papa, my trunk is ready in my room."

"Ok, I'll bring that down for you now."

"Thank you papa."

A few hours later we were stood on Platform 9 & 3/4. We had to come to muggle way because my mama was a muggle, but I was actually glad. I had read about the magical wall in Hogwarts: A history, and it sounded so cool. Because Dad was a pureblood he flooed onto the platform when he attended Hogwarts.

After an emotional goodbye with my parents, I walked onto the train looking for a carriage. I came across a carriage with two boys who looked like first years so I took a deep breath and walked in.

Peter's POV

"Get my drink boy,"

"Yes mother." I stumbled towards her with her bottle of whiskey. Today was the day I was going to Hogwarts, today was supposed to be special. She wasn't supposed to be drunk.

"Peter, do you have everything ready?" My dad came through the door. He was a small man about 5ft 8, but he was kind, and patient especially when situations like this occurred. Which to be honest was very often.

"Yes dad, it's by the door."

"Ok, perfect, Thelma I am taking Peter to Kings Cross, I won't be long. Have some water." I had a brother who was older than me by 6 years, he was my mother's favourite person, she loved Michael, he was everything I wasn't. Tall, confident, clever, popular, everyone loved him. He died from a wand backfiring when I was 9. It ruined my mother and she became a bitter drunkard, she blamed me, I have no idea why I wasn't even there but I guess she needed someone to blame.

"Buy some more Whiskey Wilfred."

"Come on Peter, let's get you to Kings Cross." After apparating us a few blocks from Kings Cross, we began to make our way to the station. "You have a choice at Hogwarts, you can live in the shadow of Michael or you can be your own person. Make friends, make choices that make you proud to be you. Learn how to love who you are and don't hate yourself. You don't have to come home for Christmas and Easter if you'd rather not, but that's completely up to you.

After a 10 minute walk we got to the station. Where I began, hopefully, a better chapter of my life.

Severus' POV

"Your supposed to be cleaning the floor not spreading the dirt boy!"

"I'm so sorry sir." I scrubbed the floor harder and made sure I rinsed the sponge out thoroughly. In case you were wondering my mother could just clean the floor with a wave of her wand, but my father forbids her to do that when there is a 'perfectly acceptable boy' to do it instead.

I hated my father from a very young age and it was quite clear that he hated me too. He was a drunk and abusive muggle who took my mother and her sweet nature for advantage.

After a few hours of scrubbing every inch of the floor in my small home, my mum came in from her work. I looked forward to this part of the day, as my father had passed out from alcohol consumption and my mum allowed me to go to the park for a while.

I got to the park just as Lily was walking down to the swings. She had soon become my best friend, well quite honestly she was my only friend.

"Hi Sev, how was your day?"

"I was scrubbing floors as usual, how was yours?"

"I was getting all my stuff ready and organised for tomorrow. I can't wait Sev!"

"I can't wait either Lily, we will finally be able to do some magic."

"Can we meet on the platform? I don't want to have to ride on the train alone." I knew the risks that this could pose, Lily was a muggleborn and I knew I would get into Slytherin, my new friends definetly wouldn't approve of Lily, but she was my only friend.

"Of course we can."

"I hope Hogwarts won't change anything between us Sev." I knew it probably would but I also knew I wanted us to stay friends for as long as we could be.

"It won't, you shouldn't worry so much." Hogwarts would change everything, and I was scared but I wasn't going to tell her that."

Lily's POV

*Knock knock* "Petunia get the door please!" My mum yelled down the stairs, it was early Saturday morning, and it was my birthday.

"Hello, is there a Miss Lily Evans living at this address?" A woman's voice asked from the door.

"Who is it?" Was my sister's response,

"I think I better come inside." The woman replied, however my sister wouldn't let a strange woman into the house that easy.

"Please wait here, I'll go and get my parents." She said politely closing the door, as soon as the door was closed she came into the living room, "Lily someone is at the door for you." My dad who was sat on the chair near me, said,

"Come on Lily, I'll come to the door with you." Dad got up and walked with me to the door and opened it, a woman about medium height with bright green robes and a kind face, her hair was in a tight bun and she was the strangest woman my 11-year-old self had ever seen.

"My name is Professor McGonagall and I am a teacher at a school I want to give young Lily here the opportunity to go to." My dad looked at her with shock and disbelief.

"I think you better come in," he managed to say. "Petunia go and get your mother."

"Yes dad." She said resignedly.

"Erm, Professor would you like a drink?"

"No thank you, Mr Evans."

"Oh eh, call me Robert." At that moment mum came in, "This is my wife Evelyn."

"Mrs Evans," the professor said bringing my attention back to her, "I think it would be better if you all sat down." Mum sat on one side of me and dad was sat on the other.

"Petunia, go and get Kia please." Tuney left, and we had to wait for her to return with Kia.

"Ok, so I am professor McGonagall and I am here to offer Lily here a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lily you have magical powers, in other words you are a witch." I of course already knew this from Severus, but for my parents and sisters, it was new.

"She's a witch?"

"Yes, Lily have you ever had instances were strange things had happened, that you couldn't explain?"

I nodded, of course I had.

"That was what we call accidental magic, I am offering you a place at Hogwarts which is a school that will help you control this magic. It is a boarding school in the highlands of Scotland."

"A boarding school?" My mother said weakly.

"Yes," She said directing her attention back to me, "you will be away from the 1st of September until the 20th December, on the 20th you will be able to come home for Christmas and New Year. On the 4th January, you will come back to Hogwarts. You will be able to leave again for Easter break."

"How will she get there?" Dad asked, they were taking this extremely well, as if they had expected it.

"Train, the Hogwarts Express will leave Kings Cross Station at 11 O Clock on the 1st September. The Platform is 9 ¾, and to get on the platform you walk into the wall in between platforms 9 and 10, just believe you will get through it and you will. Please make sure there are no muggles (what we call non-magical folk) looking when you go through. Here is your letter, and your equipment list, please let me know by the 31st July whether you want to take up your place or not. You will need to let me know by owl, but as I am sure you don't have one just take it to the post office we will pick it up there."

"Mum, dad can I go?" I asked them excitedly.

"Will it help her control this magical power?"

"Yes that is the main aim, it will be possibly dangerous to stop her from going." My parents shared a look, before saying

"Well then of course you can go."

"Thank you," I started.

"But you still need to get good grades."

"The grading system works slightly different than the one you will be used to. In your 5th year you will take OWLs, which stand for ordinary wizardry levels, these are similar to your GCSE's and 7th years take NEWTS which stand for Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test, but don't worry about them yet. You will also get tested at the end of each year to get into the next year, but you have to do quite badly to not pass."

"Okay, well I guess that is settled then." My mum said, standing up.

"Do you know where Charring Cross Road is in London?"

"I do."

"On that road on the left-hand side in between the record shop and coffee shop there is a pub called the 'Leaky Caldron', Miss Evans you may have to show your parents were it is as non-magical people can't see it, so don't be alarmed if you get dragged into a pub you don't know is there. I'll be waiting for you there on the 1st August at 12PM, to get your things, is that okay?"

"Yes, I'm off work that day," dad nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you then, good luck Miss Evans." I had no idea what she meant and no idea that I'd need all the luck I can get.

Several weeks later and the day had finally arrived. "Petunia, please put your shoes on we need to go."

"I am not going anywhere near that freaky place." I knew she was just bitter because she wanted to come to Hogwarts.

"Why can't you just be happy for me Tuney?"

"Because she is jealous. Lily do you have everything?"

"Yes daddy," I responded and the same time Tuney shrieked,

"I am not jealous!"

"Stop acting like a 9-year-old then, Kia is acting more grownup than you." Kia was my sister, younger than me by 18 months.

10 minutes later we were on the platform, I found Severus leaning on the wall, waiting for me.

"Hi Lily, are you ready?"

"Hi Sev, yes I am, or as ready as I'll ever be." I said my goodbyes to my family before I followed Severus onto the train. We found an empty carriage towards the back of the train, and settled in for the long journey into the Scottish Highlands.