The Moon and Star

Chapter One

Remus

I shook in my battered boots as I stared up at the magnificent Hogwarts Express, my father's hand on my shoulder.

"It'll be alright, son. Dumbledore will take care for you." He said, softly pushing me towards the train. I stepped through the doorway, closed the hatch and turned to look at the man named Lyall Lupin who stood waving on the platform as the train began to chug away to it's destination: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I sat alone in a dark compartment, my father's previous words ringing in my ears: It's not your fault you're different. Try your best, my boy. You don't have to stay if you can't.

That's exactly what I was afraid of. That I would not be able to stay at Hogwarts because of my… condition. But I wanted to learn. I wanted to learn so badly that I would jeopardise my secrecy and overall safety for it. I was going for education, not friendship. If I did not make a single friend in all my seven years at school, I wouldn't mind as long as I got as many N.E.W.T.S as I needed to succeed in life.

I sat in silence for the whole journey. Was this what it was going to be like every year? Eventually, I caught a glimpse of the castle through the shallow window. My eyes widened in wonder; the tips of the tall turrets were lost in the fluffy clouds above; the grounds were extensive and the lake blue and glimmering. I found myself in anticipation of finally seeing the inside of the beautiful building.

Once we had disembarked from the slim boats with which we had got across the lake, I shivered with anticipation. We were lead up the steep stone staircases towards the famous Great Hall my father had told me about. The large oaken doors gave only a slight inclination of what lay behind them; as the serious looking Professor McGonagall pulled open the huge doors, gasps emitted from those surrounding me. A loud laugh echoed from the back of he crowd of first years, which was hurriedly shushed. I turned to see two messy-haired boys surprising laughter behind a short, frightened looking boy who seemed to shrink into his robes when he saw me looking at him. I hastily looked back to the front, and we all began to stumbled forward into the hall.

Sirius

Sorting. The best part, my family told me. If I wasn't in Gryffindor, I'd eat my hat.

"Hey, James." I whispered.

"Yeh?" The bespectacled boy next to me whispered in return.

"What house d'you second you'll be sorted into?"

"Gryffindor, o'course!" He chuckled, turning his attention back to the Sorting.

"James Potter?" the harsh Scottish voice of McGonagall called out. James struggled to the front and plonked himself down on the three-legged stool, a smirk on his face.

"Hmm… very interesting… plenty of courage, I see," The Sorting Hat had began to speak as it sat upon his head, "You have a long way to go, young man… GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted. The table to my left cheered uproariously, as James sauntered over and sat down. He caught my eye and winked; it was then that I began to feel nerves over which house I would be sorted into.

"Sirius Back?"

I took a deep breath and strode up to the platform, sitting myself down on the stool.

"Well…" the hat began as it was placed on my head. My eyes locked with James' once again, and we seemed to share a terrified thought. "You seem clever… yes, very cunning… you would do well in Slytherin but… RAVENCLAW!" Ok, then; my mind worked quickly. How to get myself out of this one. I smirked, and walked over to the Gryffindor table. The hat spluttered,

"I-I said Ravenclaw, boy."

"Oh, I no speak English, I stay here at lion table." I said, imitating a Latino accent. The hat chuckled,

"I take it back, Minerva," It whispered to McGonagall, "Definitely a Gryffindor."

James

Oh thank Merlin for Sirius' quick mind! Oh how lucky I was to have scored a friend like him. I smiled to myself, and my smile widened even further as a feast appeared before us. A young freckled Irish girl squealed and dug into a large pot of beef stew.

"Siobhan." She said with a smile. "What're your names?"

"Sirius," my tangle-haired chum grinned through a mouthful of garlic bread, "A pleasure to meet you."

"James, James Potter." I said graciously, "Lovely to meet you, Syoban." She giggled.

"No, silly, it's said like shi-vawn." She did have a lovely laugh, but then the sight of the girl sitting next to her was even lovelier. Light auburn hair falling in curling locks down her back. Her hazel eyes glanced up to meet mine, and I shuddered slightly. How beautiful they were. Siobham]n had seen my eyes wandering and turned to her friend.

"This is Lily. Lily, this is James," she said, indicating to me, "And Sirius." Sirius waved absent-mindedly his eyes on a small, pale boy sitting diagonally to us, picking at his food.

"Hey!" Sirius shouted. The boy jumped, and his fork clattered onto his plate.

"Y-Yes?" he replied, terror etched on his face. Sirius smiled gently,

"It's alright, mate, I was just wondering your name. We're fellow Gryffindors now, aren't we? We ought to be acquainted." The boy straightened slightly, and drew in a deep breath.

"I'm Remus Lupin," he said quietly, "I didn't catch your name?"

"Sirius Black. Lovely to meet you, Remus." He said happily. Remus' face relaxed as he smiled. I grinned back at him before Sirius jumped on me from behind, yelling,

"I'VE GOT YOU, YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM MEEEEE!" Laughing hysterically, and forgot all about Remus as I fought to reclaim the right of my back.

We only lay down to sleep when the early hours of the morning were peeking around the clock hand; Remus had taken the bed by the door, furthest from the rest of us. I had bagged the one by the window before Sirius could, and he had grudgingly taken the bed next to mine. A small, scrawny boy named Peter Pettigrew had taken the bed on my other side, furthest from Remus. Sirius brightened slightly when he realised he would be sleeping nearest to the boy with the scarred face and golden heart.