I watched the boy (eleven years, auburn hair streaked with grey, amber eyes, sort of short) board the train, his nose stuck in a book. I smiled, boarding the Hogwarts Express myself.

Looking through the glass into the compartments, I saw all of them were full, except for one.

I knocked on the door. "Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

He smiled, looking up from his book. "Remus Lupin."

I took his hand. "Azalia Baines."

He nodded, returning to his book.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

Remus looked up from his book. "A Lycanthrope's Guide to Werewolves."

I nodded thoughtfully. "You're reading that because you were bitten correct?"

His eyes took on the appearance of a cornered animal's. "Please don't tell anyone."

I reached over to squeeze his hand. "Don't worry. My cousin was bitten. She killed herself during her first transformation, though."

Remus's eyes were glued to the book.

I sighed. "I learned about werewolves, and I know that they wouldn't harm animals, only humans." I had an idea. "Hey, since I'm keeping your furry little problem a secret, can you keep mine?"

Suddenly interested, Remus looked at me. "Oh?"

"I'm an animagus. Grey wolf."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! I'll keep your secret."

"If you want, I can accompany your transformations. It may reduce your injuries at the very least."

He smiled. "I'd like that very much."

Our conversation was interrupted by three boys, one with messy black hair and hazel eyes, one with grey eyes and shoulder-length black hair, and a pudgy one with blond hair and light blue eyes, who walked into our compartment. The hazel-eyed one stuck out his hand. "James Potter."

"Remus Lupin," Remus replied timidly.

"Peter Pettigrew," the pudgy one said.

The last boy looked at me curiously. "Sirius Black," he said, extending his hand to Remus, then me.

James finally caught sight of me. "Oi, sod off, girl."

My wand was poking into his throat almost immediately. "First, I have a name. And second, if you'd like to have your bits intact when we reach Hogwarts, I suggest you don't talk to me like that." I stood up. "Nice meeting you, Sirius, Remus, But I have to go."

James let out a sigh of relief as I stepped out of the compartment.

I whirled around, my wand back at his throat. I didn't even stop to think as I fired a jinx at the boy's face, turning it a vibrant pink, his hair green, and adding a hideous puke-orange bow into his newly green hair. "Be seeing you."

Remus yelped, trying to undo the jinx.

As I left, I heard Sirius saying to Remus, "Welcome to the Marauders."

"Baines, Azalia," Professor McGonagall called.

I sat down on the stool, watching the hat get lowered onto my head.

Daughter of a Shafiq, already hexed Potter, the hat chuckled. You could do well in Gryffindor. Or Slytherin. But your loyalty to Mr. Lupin when you barely know him could land you in Hufflepuff. Of course, your intelligence rivals that of a Ravenclaw's…

Slytherin, I thought. Please Slytherin.

Slytherin, eh? The hat's tone changed. The Dark Lord comes from that house, you know.

I want to bring them into the light, I insisted.

Very well, the hat sighed. Better be… "SLYTHERIN!"

The hall was silent as I walked to the Slytherin table.

"Black, Sirius," McGonagall called.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A girl with black hair snarled, "Traitor!" Other than that, the hall was silent.

"Bones, Amelia."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Evans, Lily." A red-haired girl stood up and walked to the stool.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A boy with black hair looked after her sadly.

A few names later, "Lupin, Remus."

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius could be heard over the cheers.

"Quirrel, Quirinus."

"RAVENCLAW!"

A few names after that, "Pettigrew, Peter."

Peter took longer than everyone. Hatstall, I realized.

Finally, the hat said, "Gryffindor."

Uncertainty settled at the bottom of my stomach. The hat sounded unsure.

"Potter, James."

James strutted up to the stool. The hat barely touched his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Now the boy with the black hair was scowling.

"Snape, Severus." The black-haired boy stood up nervously.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Severus sat down next to me.

Professor Dumbledore stood. "Let me say a few words. Tweak," laughter. "SILENCE!"

Everyone shut up.

"Let the feast begin."

Severus and I pushed food around our plate. Finally, I said, "Azalia."

He looked up. "Severus."

"So what's the deal with you and Evans?" I asked.

Severus stiffened. "We're friends. Her sister began making fun of her when Lily got accepted into Hogwarts, so I keep her company."

"How's that going to work now that you're in different houses?"

"I could ask the same for you and Lupin," he said.

I shrugged. "I guess we'll find our ways, eh, Severus?"

He smiled. "I suppose so."

Hi!

So yeah, I don't own Harry Potter (Shame, right?). I don't claim to.

And I just wrote this for the personal enjoyment of fans.