AN: just something that came to me when I tried to fall asleep. Marauders forever!
–––––––––––––James–––––––––––––
„No- Mom, don't!" James groaned embarrassedly, wiggling out of Mrs Potter's embrace and feverishly rubbing the spot on his cheek where his mother had kissed him, "People will see!" After his mother had let him go, exchanging a grin with her husband, James stood up tall (or as tall as he could, being rather a little short) and stretched his hand out for his father to shake, who made a valiant effort to keep a straight face while he shook the hand offered to him by his eleven year old son, but couldn't keep from tousling the boy's untidy black mop of hair fondly with a low chuckle.
"Daaaad!" James whined, turning to check his reflection in the glossy window of the Hogwarts Express, and frantically combing his fingers through his hair to get it back into that strange non-shape he had chosen as his signature hairstyle.
"Promise to try and be good at least for a few weeks, will you, son? No explosions, no flying animals, and NO sneezing dishes whatsoever!" his mother said, trying to adapt a stern voice, but James saw right through it, winked and said, "Me? Never! You insult me by suggesting it, Mom." Which caused his father to laugh loudly, before he, too, looked seriously at James and warned: "But if Albus sends an owl to tell us you have been gluing your teacher to their chair, I assure you…"
"Once that happened! I was nine! I have grown up since then!" James pouted, and at his father's amused face, he added: "Don't tell me you have always been able to control your magic, dad! Uncle Thomas told me about that one time when you were at breakfast with your parents and great aunt-"
"Very well, off you go then, James!" Mr Potter interjected, shooting his wife a concerned glance and patting his grinning son on the back to get him to stop talking.
Mrs Potter rolled her eyes at her husband, before smiling widely and telling James: "All right, honey, we'll see you at Christmas. Auntie Alberta had me swear not to tell you until the last minute, but she invited us all to come to the Manor in Wittshire, she's having a big Christmas party this year, and she hinted she had invited several Quidditch players of the British national team."
There was a tiny explosion and when the smoke vanished, James was still excitedly jumping up and down, letting out an endless stream of speculations who it might and might not be, apparently not even aware of his little slip up of uncontrolled magic.
His father laughed heartily and used his wand to clean up his preoccupied son, his amused wife and himself. Finally, he put his hand heavily on his son's head, effectively stopping the jumping by pinning him down to the ground.
With another shriek of "Daaaaad! Watch the hair!", James focused on his parents again, who placed a hand each on James' shoulders.
"I'm sorry, son. Have a good term, don't go looking for trouble, and remember what I told you about the pear in the portrait." Mr Potter patted his James' shoulder fondly.
"What about the… no, don't tell me, I'd rather not know. Anyway, Jamie, write to us and tell us what house you got into, I'm sure it's going to be a great surprise! Anyway, I know you'll make us proud, no matter what.", his mother smiled at him, and after an affectionate squeeze of his shoulder, she unwillingly released her son into the wizarding world, exchanging a wistful look with her husband, who put his arm around her. James hoisted up his owl, tugged once at his trunk before looking at his father meaningfully, who grinned and levitated it to follow James. Then, with a last glance and wave over his shoulder, James stepped aboard the Hogwarts Express.
–––––––––––––Sirius–––––––––––––
"So, this is goodbye. Remember to pay our compliments to young Mr Malfoy. And above all: make sure to check thoroughly who you surround yourself with. Everybody in Slytherin common room will claim to be pure blood, but you will check back in your pocket edition of the pure blood genealogies. Everyone who isn't in there probably won't be worth talking to, anyway."
"Yes, Mother." Sirius said, very quietly, feeling a little resentful at his mother's impersonal goodbye-speech.
"Mind your composure, Sirius. Don't disgrace your heritage with such sullen expression. Your father had me tell you to make him proud. I should assume you will, all that tutoring couldn't have left you completely useless, and with your blood status, you will most likely be top of the year. Well, then. Until Christmas."
Sirius, who had looked at his mother at the mention of his father, continued his staring into the distance, more resentful still, and nodded curtly.
"Will you write to me, thiriuth?" Regulus lisped from somewhere at his lift hip, reaching for his hand shyly. Sirius smiled, bent down and gave Regulus a tight hug, whispering quickly: "Every day, if you wish. Just have Kreacher read the letters to you until I figure out how to do quiet howlers. Be strong for me, will you? I shall think of you very often. Bye, Reggie." He hugged his little brother's tiny frame even closer for a second, then Mrs Black flicked her wand with a whooshing sound and Regulus and Sirius each quickly took a step backwards, ending the public display of brotherly affection that had offended their mother. Regulus, lip quivering slightly, looked at the backs of his stinging hands, where two neat gashes had appeared, almost bleeding. He didn't cry, though. He knew better than to cry. Sirius didn't pay any mind to his considerably larger gashes, nor to the blood trickling down his fingers and to the floor. He just looked back at his mother, who shot him a warning glare.
"Goodbye, mother. Give father my regards." He said coldly, bowing slightly, and with a last little smile to his brother, he turned around, hoisted up his trunk and cage and got on the train.
Once inside the train, he set down his trunk, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Parents, huh." Said a sympathetic voice right next to him.
He looked up to see a slightly shorter boy with a wild mop of black hair grin at him.
Sirius nodded and, in a very rare air of immaturity, he rolled his eyes.
James beamed at him and elaborated:
"My mother just about licked my face, and my father simply ruined my hair."
"I'm sorry. It does look a little dishevelled." Sirius said distractedly, realising with a sudden pang of shame that they had very different views of difficult parents.
"…luckily, I managed to fix it again just now. In the bathroom?" James pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the door from which he had obviously just appeared, seemingly not the least bit offended at Sirius's comment. "Anyway, parents. I am so glad finally to get to Hogwarts. Isn't it exciting?" he asked, punching Sirius lightly to the shoulder and grinning widely again.
"Quite." Sirius agreed, returning the smile politely.
"Quite." James echoed with an even wider grin. "No need for such manners with me, mate. But still: I'm James Potter." He stretched out his hand, which Sirius took without thinking, then both boys winced, James at his suddenly blood soaked hand, Sirius at the sudden sting of pain.
"Merlin's beard! You might want to be more careful!" James laughed.
Sirius muttered a hasty apology, then pulled his wand from his sleeve and tapped both of the little farewell gifts his mother had given him, sealing and cleaning the skin until just a thin pink line remained. Then he turned to the other boy and shot a cleaning spell at his still outstretched hand, leaving it spotless again.
"Thanks, mate. You're very good already! What's your name?" he asked.
"Oh, excuse me. I'm Sirius-." For some reason, Sirius was hesitant to tell this boy his family name, and stopped talking abruptly. The boy seemed not to notice, but stared at him, appatently amused.
"What?" Sirius asked, a little confused and self-conscious.
"I told you. No need for manners with me. And you certainly needn't bow."
Sirius realized with another jolt of embarrassment that he had unconsciously done the obligatory introductory bow before Potter that had been part of every greeting at the Black household.
"No need to be embarrassed, mate. Happens to the best of us." James winked, obviously thoroughly enjoying himself. "fancy finding a compartment together?" he asked, and before Sirius could help it, he had nodded and followed James down the narrow corridor, guiltily ignoring his mother's voice warning him to check the blood status of his acquaintances immediately.
––––––––––––Remus–––––––––––––
"Come on, John, we're actually going to miss the train!" Mrs Lupin moaned, attempting for the fifth time to open the passenger door of her husbands car, but he looked at her imploringly and said, "Just one last thing, Remus: If you write to us about your lycanthrophy, use some kind of code. Who knows who might be reading over your shoulder-"
"I know, dad. We've been through this, all of it. Several times. But I really am very late now." Remus smiled back at his concerned father, who sighed deeply, and said, "Fine. Let's go."
They sprinted into kings cross, through the barrier to platform 9 ¾ and were just in time to witness the train doors beginning to close.
"RUN, Remus!" his mother shrieked, and his father levitated his trunk to follow Remus, who sprinted hopelessly towards the closing doors- which fell firmly shut just as he arrived at the first compartment door. He threw a glance back over his shoulder at his parents and was about to give up when the door flew back open and two black haired boys grinned down at him.
"Are you coming or what?" prompted the shorter one, the other simply stretched out his hand and pulled Remus the compartment that was just starting to move. As soon as the door had fallen shut firmly behind Remus and his trunk, he leaned out of the window and waved at his parents who had almost caught up by now and were running behind the train, shouting farewells and waving at Remus.
A few seconds later, the train took a little turn, and Remus parents were out of view. He then finally turned to the two boys who were exchanging little smirks.
"Thank you very much." Remus said quietly, a little shy.
"No problem. We were just about to catch some fresh air anyway. Got caught in traffic?" James asked, and checked his reflection in the furbished surface of a plaque on the corridor wall, before starting to comb through his hair manically with this fingers.
"My name is Sirius, pleased to meet you." Sirius said politely, omitting his surname again automatically and offered Remus his hand.
"Remus Lupin." Remus replied, shaking Sirius' hand, almost blushing.
Both dark haired boys seemed to be rich, he thought, judging from the state of their robes and their –well, Sirius'– impeccable manners.
"And thou shalt call me Jameius Potterious, Duke of Merlinsbottom. Kisseth my ring." James said, mocking Sirius' politeness shamelessly, holding out his hand for Remus, who looked confusedly at Sirius.
Sirius, in turn, let out a pained smile, gave James a little shove and said to Remus: "That's James Potter. Court jester, apparently."
Remus laughed along with James, shook his hand finally and said, "so- can I sit with you guys?"
"Sure you can, if you wish. We were just made to believe we are insufferable to ride in the same compartment with, though, eh Siri?" James grinned at Remus, before shoving Sirius playfully, who smiled as well, although he seemed a little self-conscious.
"I'll give it a try." Remus shrugged, and James took the suitcase from Remus, handed it over to a surprised Sirius to carry it and said, "So then, young Remus- let me show you into our realm…"
AN: I don't know whether I will continue this. there have been a lot of Marauder-POV-Hogwarts-stories, and I'm not sure the world needs another one. We'll see.
Have a great day, you!