For a girl at the age of ten, who never had been in the crowded public of London, a big and crowded place like Kings Cross could be terrifying. The loud noises and the incoming trains which were hissing like treacherous snakes were not the only frightening things about Kings Cross though, because this train station was old. The high walls full of birds, the hisses of the trains that echoed in the hall and the old stones of the pillars that already started to brick only helped creating a frightening atmosphere for a little girl. The girl looked around frightened she shivered and a cold chill was climbing up her spine. She wondered how the boy in front of her could whistle happily.
"Mommy, when will we get to platform 9 ¾?" she asked looking at the two adults behind her. Her parents didn't answer but the boy in front of her suddenly stopped and stood beside her.
"We're nearly there Cat. We only have to go through that wall there than we shall see the train." The girl looked at the wall. It was between two huge pillars that seemed to be holding the ceiling.
"We should run through that wall, but James that's impossible!" The boy looked at her a bit confused by what the girl had just said.
"Cat, you are so smart you should know it isn't impossible." The little girl blushed. How could she forget the wonders of her world? "Don't worry Cathrina, your brother is right nothing will happen to you if you run through the wall." Cathrina looked up to her mother and smiled. Them James ran through the wall followed by Cathrina and their parents.
Suddenly many children and their parents were standing on the platform waving goodbye and the Cathrina felt comfortable again. The wind that the incoming train brought into the platform felt like a light summer's breeze on her skin and the red train was more wonderful than the modern black monsters she had seen earlier. She was so overwhelmed by the impressions she gained that she didn't realize her brother running away.
"James! Wait for us. We want to say goodbye to you!" Cathrina's mother yelled after the James and he came back. When he wanted to leave, his sister ran to him again hugged him and bagged him not to go. She couldn't believe her brother would be leaving her alone until Christmas now. They had never been separated and she feared her home would be boring without him.
"Hey Cat, next year this time, it's your turn to drive with that train the first time, and we'll be together all year. I promise." James said and hugged his sister.
"Sweet little sister you have there." A boy said to him.
"Oh, thank you. Are you a first year as well?" James asked.
"Yeah I am. My name is Sirius by the way."
This Sirius looked very handsome even to Cathrina who didn't have any special interests in boys jet. He had almost black Hair that hung into his eyes and his brown eyes twinkled like two little stars as she looked into them. Somehow he remembered her on James. That mischievous way that boy just grinned was the same way James did it whenever he pranked someone.
"Hi my name is James. And that is my little sister Cathrina. She will be going into Hogwarts next year." He said and Sirius smiled at Cathrina.
"Kids you should get going. The train leaves exactly at 11 and that's in 2 minutes." Clarice, Cathrina's mother, said.
"Bye Cat, I will owl you very often okay? And I'll be back for Christmas, so look forward to that." James said waving one last time before he got into the train with his new found friend. Cathrina was sobbing until now she had hoped her brother would miss the train and wait with her to go to school next year.
James and Sirius went through the whole train, but all compartments were full, except from one. Only one boy was sitting there clenched into a corner with his old clothes.
"Can we come in? Everywhere else is full." James asked politely. The boy looked at them. "Sure if you really want to be in one compartment with me." James looked at the boy confused.
"Why wouldn't we? It's not like you'd bite would you?" Sirius asked smiling. The boy however, didn't smile.
" N-no I'don't bite, for now." A weak grin appeared on the boys face.
"So why are you so alone in here?" James asked.
"None of the others likes me, think I'm too ugly to talk to." The boy looked on the ground
"Hey if they think you're ugly, then it's their problem not yours." Sirius said seriously.
"Sirius is right. You're not ugly just because you're wearing those clothes. In fact I don't see anything ugly on you. It would be ugly if your hair would be as slimy as Lucius Malfoy's. And obviously you don't. So don't be upset if someone calls you ugly." James said. "By the way, I'm James. James Potter." " And I'm Sirius Black" the three boys smiled at each other. "My name is Remus, pleased to meet you. And thanks for cheering me up. You know I didn't have much contact with other kids until now." Remus said.
"Well then lets practice it shall we? Let's go outside for a moment. I want to explore the train." Sirius said. "But aren't we supposed to stay in our compartments?" Remus asked hesitating on standing up.
"So? Here are no adults. Who wants to check if we follow the rules?" Sirius asked. James just nodded so Remus stood up and all went up the train.
When they came to the toiletts suddenly the door opened and a boy fell out.
"Hey!" Sirius said as he and the boy fell on the floor.
"I-I'm very sorry. I-I didn't mean t-to hurt you." The boy said and ran back into his compartment. Suddenly someone came to them.
"What are you four doing here? You should be in your compartments. "
" W-we didn't know about that, we're first years you know. And by the way we had to go to the toilette." Sirius said. "All four of you together?" the older boy asked.
"We're only little boys and have t go to toilet together" Sirius said laughing
"Don't play me like a fool. I'm Prefect! You can call yourself lucky that you're not already sorted or your houses would just have lost points." The tall guy said.
"And what house are you in. I bet you wouldn't take points from your own house would you?" Sirius asked provocating the much older student.
"Of course not. I want Slytherin to win the house cup this year. Not this filthy Mudblood house Gryffindor." The guy said and another guy came out of the compartment.
"Hey McNare, are you teasing first years again? Should I help?" a blond haired guy asked. "And who are you three?" the blond haired guy asked.
"That is my filthy cousin Sirius Black, he hates our ways Lucius there's no way on changing his mind. His mother tried by beating the crap out of him, but it didn't help." A blond girl said stepping out of the compartment.
"Nobody asked you Black!" McNare snared at her.
"Really? You are Sirius Black? I wanted to meet you since Narcissa here told me about you. I couldn't believe a Black was changing sites, but yes here is the proof. Strutting around with a Potter and that Lupin guy. So there's one part of the Black family left standing against the opinions of the noble Salazar Slytherin."
"NOBLE? ARE YOU NUTS? Slytherin was …" Sirius started but James pulled him away, he didn't want to pull off a fight the first time they drove to Hogwarts. So the three friends went back to their compartment without saying a word. When they got in it they all started to laugh.
"Well what house would you like to get in?" Remus asked.
"Gryffindor for me", "Yeah me as well. And you?" "Gryffindor." Remus said and all laughed. So they all had something in common. Suddenly a girl entered the compartment
"You should change to your school uniforms we should be at Hogwarts anytime now."
"It is appropriate to introduce oneself before telling other people what they should do." Sirius said smirking at the really beautiful girl.
"Well I'm sorry. I'm Johanna Longbottom. My brother Frank is Prefect and he asked me to tell all first years like me to put on their things." She explained.
"Okay. To be polite. My name is Sirius Black." "Remus Lupin." "James Potter. Nice to meet you, Johanna. Please sit down with us for a little while." Johanna sat down and they talked about what they expect from Hogwarts and what they already knew about it.
"Well I know that the ceiling of the great hall is jinxed so it looks like the sky outside." All looked at Remus astonished
"How do you know?" Johanna asked.
"Don't tell me you haven't read 'Hogwarts: A History'" Remus looked at all the others.
"Well you should. It's very informative. For example how the four founders built the school and what they wanted from the students that came into their houses. That's how I decided I wanted to be in Gryffindor, even though the hat might sort me into Ravenclaw." Remus explained, but there was no time for the others to ask why, because the train stopped. They all got out of the train.
"FIRST YEARS THIS WAY!" a voice shouted. Johanna searched for the origin of that voice and when she saw it she stood still. There was a tall, no, gigantic man right in front of her.
"Y' don't need to be frightened, I won't bite y'. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, but just call me Hagrid." The man said looking down at Johanna.
"I-I'm not scared Hagrid." Johanna said. Sirius ran into her and looked up at Hagrid and reacted just like she had a few minutes ago.
"You don't need to be frightened Sirius, that's Hagrid." Johanna said acting as if she hadn't been afraid.
"FIRST YEARS THIS WAY" Hagrid screamed again and all first years went with him to the lake where boats were waiting to bring them across the water.
When they arrived an old woman was standing on the stairs waiting for the first years.
"Hello I'm Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house and deputy headmistress of Hogwarts. For you come to Hogwarts the first time, I will tell you that you soon will be sorted into your houses. Your house is likewise your family for the time being here. You will win or lose points for your houses. By doing good things you will earn points if you break rules you will lose house points. There are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now please wait till I bring you into the great hall if were ready for your approaching." Then Professor McGonagall left again.
"She seems really strict." Sirius said to the others.
"She is Sirius, she is. She is my aunt. She can be really nice, but also terribly strict." James said.
"Well than we shouldn't prank her too bad." Sirius said smirking.
"You want to prank the teachers?" A small boy asked. It was the boy that fell onto Sirius in the Hogwarts express.
"I want to prank everyone once in a while" James smiled at Sirius.
"Well seeing as I aspire the same we should be 'The Marauders' from now on." all nodded. So it was set James, Remus, Sirius and this strange boy were called "The Marauders" from that point forward.