Title: I Knew You When, Do You Know Me Now?

By Tigerlily

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and am not making any money in the writing of this story.

Summary: A short drabble in which it is not James and Sirius who meet first, but Remus and Sirius.

Prologue: In which Remus and Sirius Meet

Remus Lupin clutched his school books to him in an almost obsessively possessive manner. He was going to Hogwarts! Dumbledore had spoken on his behalf and enabled the unthinkable. Now that Remus stood at the platform though, he felt nauseated. Hoards of families swarmed about him and he felt hopelessly alone. Although his parents had wanted to accompany him to the platform, money constraints had rendered that impossible. Remus had assured his parents he would be fine, but now that he was actually here he wasn't so sure.

A sudden brutal shove sent Remus and his belongings flying as a gang of black cloaks swirled past him led by a tall boy with the most startlingly white hair that Remus had ever seen.

"Don't worry; he's like that with everyone." A young boy with thick black hair, who looked to be Remus' age, stated as he helped Remus to his feet and collected his belongings. "I should know," the boy continued after a bit, "My family is friends with his." Remus merely blinked in response. "You're a quiet one aren't you?" The boy said with a laugh as he handed Remus back his textbooks. "So," The boy began again, "What's your name?"

Remus finally managed to pull his wits about him enough to stutter out a response. "I, I'm Remus."

"Just Remus?" Asked the boy with a sly grin.

"Well no-" Remus began, but he was interrupted.

"Well I understand if you need to guard your privacy from an adoring public..." He goaded with a grin. Remus' stricken face erased that quickly enough though. "Anyway, I'm Sirius."

"It's nice to meet you Sirius." Remus said dutifully as he'd been taught.

"Sirius,… BLACK." The boy added, stressing his last name with a curiously hard glint in his eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sirius Black." Remus repeated not at all sure what the boy was driving at. The boy's face suddenly broke out into a huge smile, the storm obviously over as quickly as it had set in.

"It's nice to meet you too, "just Remus.""

"Well my last name is-" but Remus didn't get to finish as Sirius interrupted him.

"We'd better get going or all the compartments will be taken and we'll be stuck with him for company." Sirius motioned with a snicker towards a sallow, greasy looking boy who also appeared to be their age.

Remus, too used to being targeted, nervously coughed in what he hoped would be taken as agreement.

A few minutes later the boys had stored their trunks and were situated in a compartment all alone. Remus looked nervously at his companion. Now that he had time to assess his companion he felt dreadfully out of his league. This boy was obviously rich. His clothing was made of fine materials and shiny buttons. Remus slowly slid his right leg, which had a large patch below the knee, behind his left in a futile attempt to hide the worst example of his poverty. He needn't have worried though, for at that moment the sweet cart came to their compartment and Sirius was busy picking out his treats for the rest of the journey. Remus quickly cracked a textbook and made a show of pretending to read in order to avoid another situation involving money.

"Look here, I bought some pumpkin pasties and Bertie Bott's beans, would you like some?" Sirius asked.

Remus shook his head, not looking up from his book. His mother had warned him that interacting with the other students was going to be difficult for more than one reason, but he had never thought it would be this bad.

"You know, you're a hard one to be friends with." Sirius said, cutting through his melancholic thoughts.

Alarmed, Remus' head shot up. A wry grin on Sirius' face greeted him.

"Here, have one." Sirius held out a single pumpkin pastie. "I'm gonna gain ten pounds if I eat these all alone."

"I…" Remus nervously twisted his fingers together, "I can't afford to pay for it."

Sirius burst out into laughter and Remus cringed in response until Sirius said, "Silly, I'm giving it to you. I bought enough to share."

Remus bit his lip, but he accepted the pumpkin pastry with a hesitant quirk of the lips. Sirius' mouth transformed into a grand smile at that and he quickly tucked into his treats.

Twenty minutes later Remus had given up all pretense of pretending to study and he and Sirius were now animatedly talking and eating the treats when there was a rap on their compartment door. A mop of black hair, connected to a spectacled boy, popped in the door.

"Mind if we join you here?" The boy asked looking at Remus. Remus merely blinked in confusion. The boy switched his gaze to Sirius.

"Sure thing." Sirius said without hesitation. Remus internally sighed. Things had been going so well between him and Sirius. He had been hoping that maybe they'd be friends later at Hogwarts. Remus attempted to stifle a surge of jealous irritation towards the messy haired boy.

"Swell!" The boy replied as he slipped into the compartment followed by a slightly round boy with dirty blonde hair.

"I'm afraid I got Peter here kicked out of our former compartment with me. Sorry to crash on you and all, but the rest of the compartments were either full or had older blokes who didn't want us "cramping their style" if you know what I mean."

"What if you're cramping our style?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. Remus was shocked at the audacity Sirius expressed, not to mention rather surprised that he'd mention the word "style" concerning anything to do with Remus.

"Nah, I figure you're first years too right?" James replied eyeing the two of them for confirmation. "We have to stick together against the older students if you catch my drift. Peter here saw them tormenting some kid with greasy hair earlier. Anyway, my names James Potter and this here is Peter Pettigrew. What are you're names?"

There was a long silence.

"Names Sirius Black" Sirius stated.

"of THE Black family?" James asked with a note of alarm. Remus noted the wary look apparent in both newcomers' eyes following the statement. Sirius' expression was more difficult to gauge. He looked uncomfortable with how to proceed.

"My name is Remus." Remus interjected to draw the attention off of Sirius.

"JUST Remus." A relieved Sirius jumped in to add.

"You're name can't be JUST Remus." James interrupted with a slightly superior air. Peter just looked confused as his head swiveled frantically between the three boys.

"My full name is Remus Lupin." Remus stated to James, but his eyes were looking at Sirius.

"hmm, Remus Lupin." was all Sirius said as though trying the words on for size. "It'll do." He added with a quick wink towards Remus. Remus blanched. He just couldn't figure out Sirius black. He really couldn't.