A Meeting of 3/4

James Potter woke up without his mother's help that morning, something like that rarely happened. But that day was entirely different from any other day in James' life. It was September and he was finally going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The eleven year old boy could hardly contain his enthusiasm for the entire month of August which had now reached a boiling point. He let out a scream of enthusiasm as he opened the door to the kitchen half-dressed, with his hair being a complete mess –as usual. In the kitchen his mother was standing beside the table with a worried expression on her face and his father was sitting on a chair reading the Daily Prophet. As soon as the boy walked in his mother snatched the paper from his father's hands and tossed it across the room with a flick of her wand. James managed to make out the world "attack" on the cover before the paper was out of sight. His father groaned in protestation but his wife ignored him and addressed James.

"What was all that howling about? You'd think we're raising a werewolf!" She said while trying to flatten his hair. James looked admittedly a lot like his mother; his face was all angles and his nose was straight and long. He had however what his mother called "The Potter Curse" referring to the untamed black mess that was his hair.

His father laughed kindly "Oh come on Dorea darling, the boy has every right to be excited! It's his first day at Hogwarts."

Dorea Potter sighed and gave up on her attempt of fixing her son's hair. "I know Charles, I just wish he wouldn't scare the neighbors" She then proceeded on serving breakfast as James took his seat beside his father barely able to remain still. In his mind he was already making a list of things to do once he found himself in Hogwarts, once he found himself in Gryffindor.

He knew where he belonged since he was eight years old. His father always called him a lion because he was obviously braver than any wizard kid they knew. James always wanted to go further, to see more and he didn't care what danger he had to put himself into to get there. He was always keen to save a damsel in distress or a poor starving cat. Incidentally that was also his first magic. He made a small cat levitate and brought her down from the place she was trapped. Soon he had become obsessed with everything that was related with Godric Gryffindor, the founder of hishouse.

"So tell me son," Charlus Potter said looking up from his round glasses "are you nervous?"

"Of course not" James lied with a wide smile on his face.

He heard his mother's ironic laughter. She could always see right through him. "Oh please! I think he might explode. And I don't even want to think what will happen if he doesn't end up in Gryffindor."

James didn't want to think about that either. Truth is that behind all this bravery and chivalry James was also awfully ambitious and was often thinking that he was indeed much better than everyone else. Those were both Slytherin traits and also his mother's. Dorea Black was a Slytherin when she was in school just like the rest of her family and even though she wasn't quite on speaking terms with them anymore she still had the Black character. James had always admired his mother because she was a powerful and independent woman of strong character but everyone said he resembled more to his father. He had a Gryffindor's heart and he was sure of it. He was more a lion than a snake.

"Do you think we're going to be late?" James said starring anxiously at the clock and causing both his parents' laughter.

…

A long way from the Potters a boy, locked up in a big room in Grimmauld place, was having a very different morning. The day that was currently dawning on him seemed at the same time daunting and liberating. He was going to leave his family behind. His infuriating mother, this palace of dust and darkness and his spoilt brother…all would be gone in a few hours. But he would be forced to live with other people exactly like them. Other Slytherins.Sirius grimaced while thinking of the word. His mother always pronounced it with pride and pomposity.

"At last you will learn some manners! You will learn how to behave like a true pureblood and stop embarrassing me" If someone heard his mother talking he would probably picture Sirius as some sort of uncivilized brute. He was just different. Different from his mother and father, his uncles and cousins. He couldn't care less about his pureblood status. Sirius was constantly seeking adventure and new experiences. He had made multiple muggle friends and he showed-off with his magic tricks.He had performed all his first magic out in the streets, so much that his mother doubted he even was a wizard at first.

"But I caused a fire!" Or "I levitated a car!" Sirius would protest during family meals.
His mother would just ignore him. It wasn't until a big fight started between them that Sirius proved himself a wizard.

Walburga Black was having one of her world-famous hysterics while Orion, Sirius' father, was sitting behind his office probably devising the next tyrannical law he was going to propose. Regulus was hiding behind their father's chair to protect himself from the screaming. The reason behind that evening's hysterics was that Sirius was found playing with a non-magical band of kids. His mother was wailing and screaming and accusing Sirius of being a family disappointment until suddenly Sirius screamed "FOR MERLIN'S SAKE STOP IT!" and quite unexpectedly…she did. Walburga Black was standing in the middle of the candle-lit living room for once completely silent. Her eyes were throwing thunders and her hands were clutching her neck. Sirius laughed and then ran to his room and locked bedroom the door before his mother could find her wand. The spell, if one can call first-magic a spell, lasted for two days. It was the best weekend of Sirius' life.

Sirius was now in a seriously bad mood and on top of that he was going to miss the train if he didn't leave now. He got up and dressed in the dark. Then he dragged his heavy truck out in the hallway until he reached the top of the stairs. There he stopped for a bit considering the possibilities. He smiled before giving his truck a big push sending it tumbling down the stairs causing a noise that could wake up a sleeping ogre. He heard his mother scream from the bedroom and his father moan. The next moment she was standing right next to him.

"YOU ARE GOING TO WAKE UP REGULUS YOU DEMON!" his mother said at the highest possible voice she could achieve.

"Oh we wouldn't want Regulus to be deprived of his beauty-sleep. I'm sorry. But I bet you can lull him to sleep with all that lovely screaming." Sirius said with a smirk.

His mother ignored him as usual "KREATCHER" she screamed and half-a-second later their annoying house-elf appeared in front of Sirius with a loud crack.

"What has the nasty boy done to irritate my lovely mistress?" He said shooting a dirty look towards Sirius.

"I'm just trying to get out of here. Go to Hogwarts. Be a true member of the Black family tree. Remember mother?" He said as ironically as he possibly could. Of course irony usually went right over the head of Walburga Black.

"Exactly so. Kreatcher, take him and his truck to the station." She turned her gaze to Sirius. "Write to me as soon as you get in Slytherin. Try not to embarrass our family. If you can."

She then turned away towards Regulus' room who was currently yelling mummy. Sirius felt embarrassed for his brother and remembered with regret the countless times he tried to bring him on his side.

Kreatcher disappeared and reappeared with Sirius' truck on his boney hand. He grasped Sirius leg just as he was starting to protest. "But I haven't eaten-." His protest was cut short as he and the house-elf were apparating. He felt as though he was being scattered into a million pieces and everything around him was a blur. Suddenly he was on his knees in a train station. It was a good thing he hadn't eaten because his stomach was trying to escape his body. That bloody elf!He turned to hit Kreatcher or at least curse him but there was no one beside him. He had probably returned to the manor just in time to make breakfast for Regulus.

Some minutes later Sirius had stormed through the platform and got himself on Hogwarts Express. One step closer to the green nightmare of being a true Black. He wandered what would happen to him once he got into Slytherin, would they brainwash him to believe all that muggle-fearing nonsense. He wandered if he would ever see John again, a muggle boy from his neighborhood. Probably not since his mother had used the memory spell on him once she figured just how much Sirius had shared with him and that he was in fact a muggle. It was too bad. Sirius had a blast convincing his mother that John was from a long line of wizards and had just moved back in London from Australia because they heard that the English were getting rid of the muggleborns. Was he going to forget Johnny? Was he going to hate him like his parents hated all the muggles? Sirius shivered at the idea and made a promise that he would do everything he could to resist. He would burn the house down if he had to.

He found a compartment that was almost empty there was just a black-haired boy sitting there and since he seemed nothing like his family and he had never seen him before in his life Sirius decided he seemed okay. He opened the door and the boy looked up. He smiled and nodded and Sirius nodded back.

"I'm James" the boy said.

"Sirius" He wouldn't give his last name even if he was forced.

"Nice!" James said in appreciation. Of what? His name? Seriously?

"Oh you're reading the prophet?" Sirius said. His family never bought it. It was very bellow the Black status to care about what was happening in the world apparently.

"Yeah I managed to hide it from my mother. She doesn't want me reading it. She thinks I might get scared" James said while rolling his eyes to show just how ridiculous his mother's assumption was.

"Are you done with it?" Sirius asked.

"Oh yes, sure! You can have it, there's nothing new anyway…Just last week's attacks. Over-analyzed." James said handing him the paper. On the front page was Eldritch Diggory, the current Minister of Magic. Complaining about the auror department. He had an angry look on his face and was frantically waving his arms to the photographers.

"Wow what is that?" He heard James saying. He looked up and found the boy looking at his jacket. Inside it was a muggle magazine for football, a gift from John. Sirius explained to James what it was along with what football was and gave the magazine to him. He starred fascinated at the pictures expecting for them to move at any second. That of course didn't happen.

Moments later both boys were so emerged into their reading and hardly even flinched when the door of their compartment burst open. James was the first to look up. It was a red-headed girl. A red-headed crying girl. Sirius met James' gaze. He seemed quite dazzled. When he was sure that the girl wasn't looking he mouthed to Sirius "She's cute" but judging that it would be rude to talk to her while she was crying he returned to his acquaintance with football. After five minutes, when she had finally stopped crying and James was obviously ready to introduce himself the door opened again.

In came a thin boy with long greasy black hair already wearing the school uniform. He looked at the girl as if she was the reason of his existence. Sirius shot a glance at James who sighed, shrugged and returned to the magazine without really reading this time.

"I don't want to talk to you" The girl said, her voice constricted.

"Why not?" asked the boy with the greasy hair.

"Tuney h-hates me. Because she saw that letter from Dumbledore"

"So what?" The boy said. Sirius thought that whoever Tuney was the greasy hair guy didn't like her at all.

"So she's my sister!"

"She's only a-." A muggle. Oh the girl was muggleborn Sirius liked her better already. He didn't like the greasy guy, a Slytherin obviously. He felt a bit guilty about eavesdropping. He glanced at James who was also paying attention to the conversation and immediately felt better.

"But we're going! This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!" The greasy guy exclaimed causing Sirius to grimace and James to smile. The girl sitting beside James was also smiling despite her red eyes.

"You'd better be in Slytherin" said the boy enthusiastically.

Sirius' sarcastic snort wasn't heard because James decided it was the perfect moment to intrude.

"Slytherin?" James said like he could hardly speak the word. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He asked Sirius.

Sirius stared back at James gravely. He didn't want to be in Slytherin, he wanted to be a decent person he wanted to change his family…but he couldn't. "My whole family has been in Slytherin" he admitted.

James was completely shocked. "Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright."

Sirius grinned at that. The thought that James had found him alright made him hopeful. "Maybe I'll break the tradition" Along with my mother's nerves, he thought to himself. "Where are you heading if you've got the choice?"

James answered while lifting an invisible sword. "'Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad" James said proudly thinking about the letter he was going to send to his dad when he got in. IFhe got in he forced himself to think.

The boy with the long black hair made a noise and James snapped. "Got a problem with that?" He asked obviously infuriated.

"No." Said the other boy sneering "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy –."

Sirius decided it was time to stand up for James. He was pissing off Slytherins every day, this should be easy. "Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?"

James laughter filled the small room. The girl sitting beside him stood up, her red hair matched her face now. "Come on Severus, let's find another compartment."

"Ooooo…" said James and Sirius at the same time. "Come on Seeeeverus" Sirius said imitating her.

"Let's find another compartment." James completed and they both started laughing. Severus and his bossy friend left the compartment as Sirius called out "See ya, Snivellus" causing James to start laughing again.

When they managed to stop laughing James said. "I think you are definitely going to break tradition."

"Shh, if my mother hears you she's going to bring me back and lock me in the basement with the house-elf." Sirius joked.

"If you're from a long line of Slytherins you're probably a pureblood right? What's your last name?"

"Black" Sirius said trying to stop himself from grimacing.

"No kidding!" James exclaimed. "My mother's a Black. Dorea Black, heard of her?"

"Nah, it's a huge family tree. My mother tried to make me study it but I zoned out every time she talked about the 'House of Black'" He said mimicking his mother's voice.

"Ha! Well if your folks are as bad as you make them sound I can see why my own mother wants nothing to do with them."

"Was she in Gryffindor?" Sirius asked hopeful that one Black escaped.

"No…" James said reluctantly. "She was in Slytherin. Dad says she was just like everyone else in the house for the first two years but then she met a muggle-girl on vacation and realized how irrational it was to hate them. Anyway…everyone always said that I might have my mother's face but I have my father's heart, the heart of a lion." James said proudly trying to vanquish any shadow of doubt in his mind. He was going to be a Gryffindor.

"So I guess we're cousins?" Sirius said laughing.

James smiled widely. "It would seem so. Good to meet you cousin"

"You too cousin."

Few minutes and a lot of laughing later James heard Sirius' stomach growling like an angry dog.

"Wow man, were they even feeding you? Forget it don't want to know" he said and stood up "I'm going to find us something to eat. My treat!" he added when Sirius started digging through his pockets.

James opened the compartment door and followed the stream of students who were obviously searching for the food too. He did find it in the end and purchased double quantity of all his favorites. On his way back to the compartment he saw many familiar faces that he greeted warmly and then suddenly a few meters before he reached the door he tripped and found himself on the floor surrounded by chocolate frogs and every-flavor-beans. He stood up and searched for the obstacle responsible for his ridicule. He found a short blond boy with freckles sitting on the floor against the wall. The boy starred up at James and stuttered an apology.

"Bloody hell! What are you doing on the floor mate?" James said as he started picking up the food he'd bought for Sirius and himself.

"I was just…I couldn't find a compartment." The boy said standing up. "I'm Peter. Pettigrew"

"James Potter" said James extending his hand for a handshake. "And there are plenty compartments. Mine is right over there. And it's almost empty. Want to join?"

The boy nodded shyly and picked up his things. Sirius was quite happy to see the food and greeted Peter eagerly while eating two chocolate frogs at once. Peter turned out to be a pureblood too and when they asked him in which house he'd rather be he said Hufflepuff.

"My parents were both in Ravenclaw. But Hufflepuff seems much easier. Much more me." James and Sirius both understood what he meant and went on speaking about Quidditch teams, muggles and Daily Prophet's headlines. The hours passed quickly and soon it was time to put on their robes. By then all three of them had forgotten their doubts and stress, their family history and anything unpleasant.