James reached King's Cross Station with his father on the first of September 1971, he was nervous. His father took hold of James' shoulder and pushing his luggage trolley, they stepped through the wall to Platform 9 ¾. They passed through the barrier and James stopped and gasped at the sight of the platform. It was full to the brim of students and their luggage, parents and younger siblings. He nearly fell face first into his luggage trolley as someone ran into the back of him. James' father put his hands on James' shoulders and moved him out of the way. The person who ran into him looked about a year or so younger than James, with curly black hair and a bewildered expression, following him through the barrier were who James presumed to be his parents, a tall man and woman, both with long black hair, the woman's was curly and she had the expression that there was a nasty smell wafting under her nose. Both adults were standing stiffly, dressed in traditional wizarding robes.
The man put his hand on the young boy's shoulder,
"Come Regulus" he said, moving away from the barrier. A few moments later another boy appeared, this time pushing a luggage trolley. He came through the barrier and looked about, presumably for the adults and the boy James had just seen move into the crowd. The new boy caught James' eye and smiled, a wide smile, he had unruly black-brown hair and very bright eyes.
"Have you seen a Witch and a Wizard with a boy that looks like me around?" He asked cheerfully. "I don't know where they've gone" James's father looked at the boy and smiled
"We saw them earlier" he said "Why don't we help you find them?" The boy nodded.
James grinned at the boy and pushing their luggage trolleys, they followed James' father.
"What's your name son?" James' father asked the boy, turning his head but walking on
"My name's Sirius, sir. Sirius Black." He replied
"Sirius, eh? Nice old fashioned Wizarding name there, I'm Charlus Potter, this is my son James." Sirius gave a glance at James,
"Nice to meet you" James said politely.
After a minute Charlus found Sirius' parents. They were standing next to a column having a whispered conversation. They looked up, noticing Mr. Potter.
"Sirius. You didn't follow us through the barrier." The woman said disdainfully.
"I-I did. But you weren't there when I got through. I met Mr Potter and James and the-" He was cut off by his father.
"Sirius, get on the train."
"What?"
"Get on the train"
"Okay.." Sirius put his hands on the handles of the trolley "Bye Father. Bye Mother. Bye Regulus. Uhm.. Am I coming home for Christmas, Father?"
"We'll see." His father said sternly. "Now go"
Sirius turned his trolley around and made towards the train. James and his Father followed him. Sirius' parents and brother stayed where they were, his parents back in hushed conversation.

James' father put his hand on James' shoulder. I'll deal with your luggage boys. You two go and find a compartment on the train. He bent down in front of James.
"No matter which house you get put in, I'll be proud of you son. I hope you have a great time at Hogwarts. Write to me as soon as you can." He drew James into a hug.

"Bye boys" He said, straightening up "I'll speak to you soon James" they watched him go down the platform, pushing the trolleys until he was just a dot in the crowd.

The boys travelled down the corridor, trying to find an empty compartment in which to sit. About halfway down the corridor, a tall boy pushed past them roughly, knocking James into the wall. He was tall with long white-blonde hair, he was already dressed in his robes with a green tie and a green prefect badge. As he pushed past them he sneered at James.
Eventually the boys found a nearly empty compartment. There were two boys in it, they both looked about James' age. One was tall and thin with browny-blonde hair, the other was small and blonde and quite chubby. He looked like he'd been crying.
"Do you mind if we sit with you?" James asked politely, poking his head around the door.
"Of course not" The tall boy said "Come in" As they sat down, the small boy looked at James.
"Are you starting first year too?" He asked. James and Sirius nodded.
"I'm Remus." The tall boy said. "Remus Lupin. This is Peter Pettigrew."
"Nice to meet you." Started Sirius. "I'm Sirius Black"
"And I'm James Potter"
The four boys engaged in friendly conversation until a plump old witch came round with a trolley piled high with all types of sweets and cakes imaginable.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" She asked them, in a motherly way.
"Yes please, I'll have a chocolate frog, a pumpkin pasty and a liquorice wand please." Remus replied, pulling out a handful of knuts and a sickle. He sat back down with his sweets and James got up.
"I'll have a pumpkin pasty, a box of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans and.." He glanced at Sirius who was watching Remus enviously "another pumpkin pasty and two chocolate frogs please." He got out two sickles and gave them to the plump witch. She padded away down the corridor pushing her trolley. James plonked a pumpkin pasty and a chocolate frog in Sirius' lap and began eating his own pumpkin pasty.
"Really, James?" Asked Sirius in awe James nodded "Wow. Thanks!" said Sirius.
A long while after they'd finished their sweets [and Peter had stopped feeling sick from the rotten egg flavoured jelly bean] a Ravenclaw prefect poked her head around the door
"You need to change into your robes now. We're nearly there." She said. She took a glance at them and retreated, they could hear her saying the same thing to the first years in the next compartment. All four boys pulled their robes out of their bags they started musing about what house they'd like to be in.
"I'd like to be in Gryffindor" Said Remus "Or Ravenclaw. I'd much prefer that than Slytherin."
"I'd like to be in Gryffindor. I just feel I should be in that house even though everyone in my family has been a Slytherin" Said Sirius.
"I want to be in Gryffindor because my whole entire family's been in Gryffindor" Said James, smiling.
"I-I kind of want to be in Hufflepuff" Said Peter timidly

Just as they finished getting changed, there was a knock on the door window. A firl pushed the door open and stood in the doorway eyeing the boys. She was dressed in first year robes,, James noted.
He couldn't stop himself from looking at this girl. Her smooth red hair, the way it shone in the light, her bright green eyes bright with excitement. She reminded James of someone he knew.
"Has anyone seen a toad?" She asked. Brushing her hair behind her ear. "A boy named Frank's lost one." All the boys hook their heads. "Nope sorry." Said Remus.
"Oh. Okay then" She said, closing the door and walking past the compartment.

Not soon after that, the train pulled up at the station. As the four boys stepped off of the train, they saw the tallest man they'd ever seen. He was immensely tall, with a long brown frizzy beard and long brown frizzy hair. He was wearing a long brown trenchcoat and was calling
"Firs' years this way! Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" The boys struggled through the crowd towards the man and were soon at his feet, waiting for the other first years to arrive. They didn't have to wait long and soon they were walking towards a massive dark lake. It was very nearly dark by the time they got to their destination, a long jetty with about three dozen small boats floating about in the water.
"I'm Rubeus Hagrid." The tall man said. "Keeper o' the keys and groun's at 'Ogwarts. C'mon. Don' want ta be late." He instructed the first years to get into fours and get in a boat and as soon as everyone was sitting down, the boats started moving by themselves. The little light that was left reflected on the water like The first years stared in awe and wonder at the immense castle that loomed above them.

When they'd clambered out of the boats and up the hill to the castle, James felt nervous. He could see the red-headed girl a couple of people in front of him. He half-hoped he'd be put in the same house as her.
The group reached the castle and made their way across the grounds, their path lit up by a lantern Hagrid was carrying. They reached the tall, wrought iron doors and made their way into the entrance hall. They were met by a Witch in long deep green robes. Once the first years were quiet, she stepped forwards, straightened her Deep green hat and said
"I am professor McGonagall. Through these doors is the great hall where you'll be sorted into your houses in front of the school. I am the head of Gryffindor house and the transfiguration teacher here at Hogwarts. Now If you'll follow me please." She had a soft Scottish accent and was tall with black hair tied in a bun.
Professor McGonagall turned and pushed open the great doors. She walked forwards, towards the front of the hall, the students looked around in awe. There were four long tables in the middle of the hall. Each table almost full with students. There was also a long table at the top of the hall, facing the students.
Professor McGonagall directed them to the front of the hall, where there was a stool with an old, raggedy hat placed upon it.
"When I call your name, you will come up, sit on the stool and wait to be sorted." She pulled a long piece of parchment from her robes and called out the first name.
"Abbot, John" A small blonde boy went and sat on the stool, his eyes bright with excitement. The hat was placed upon his head and it cried out "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table on the right erupted with cheers as the boy jumped off the stool and went to sit down. After "Armstrong, Lucy" had been sorted into Ravenclaw and "Armstrong Louis" Had been sorted into Slytherin, "Black, Sirius" Was called out.
"Good luck" James whispered to him as he nervously made his way to the stool.
The hat was placed upon his head and waited a moment. "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat called out, Sirius broke into a smile and practically ran towards the Gryffindor table. A few students later and Professor McGonagall called out "Evans, Lily", the red-haired girl skipped up to the stool and the hat was barely on her head when it called out "GRYFFINDOR!" She smiled wildly and ran to sit opposite Sirius. Remus and Peter were both sorted into Gryyfindor and James wanted nothing more than to sit on the Gryffindor table with his friends.
As soon as "Potter, James" Was called out, he stepped up to the stool and sat on it.
The hat was placed on his head and thought for a few minutes. "GRYFFINDOR!" it called. James felt estatic! He ran down to the Gryffindor table and sat between Lily and Remus as the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers. As "Snape, Severus" was called out to be sorted, Lily stood up and waved to him with both hands, a large grin on her face. But as the hat called out "SLYTHERIN!" she looked crestfallen and sat back down again. She didn't even clap politely like everyone else.