A stout, chubby boy looked around Platform 9 ¾ with barely concealed awe. His parents had never brought him here before, saying that his first glimpse of the Platform and the Express should be when he started Hogwarts.

Peter Pettigrew may have been a half-blood, but he had grown up in Muggle London. He had no wizard friends, and, looking around at the crowd of students on waiting for the train, he wondered how he would ever find someone to befriend here. All the children his age looked so sure of themselves – none of them seemed as lost as he was.

The whistling of the Hogwarts Express came closer – closer – and his parents were pushing him onto the train, and he was waving them goodbye, wishing that he had been the squib they had feared he was – at least then he wouldn't have had to leave his only friends behind.

He wandered the halls of the train, looking for an empty compartment he could hide in. Opening the door to the last cabin, he felt his heart sink as he realized that this wasn't empty either – a young boy, about his age, with light brown hair was already inside it, looking at a Chocolate Frog card with a frown on his face.

'Already have that one,' he muttered, setting it aside as he reached for another Frog.

He was about to close the door to the cabin and look through the train once more when a soft voice piped up. "Why don't you sit here?"

Peter looked back in astonishment – the boy was talking to him! That was when he looked at him properly. He wasn't like the confident children on the platform, he realized with a jolt. He face was drawn and tired, already too old for his age, and his clothes were older and frayed compared to those of the other children. This boy was just like him – lost in world he didn't think he belonged in.

He let out a sigh of relief. Maybe Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad after all.

He stuffed his bag in the overhead compartment and walked up to the boy, feeling much more sure of himself now.

"I'm Peter Pettigrew, who're you?"

"Remus –"

Before the boy could finish his sentence, the door to the compartment opened with a loud bang, and a handsome, black-haired boy poked his head in. He looked around appraisingly, before turning around to let out a shout.

"Oi! Sirius! I've found some space, get your ass here!"

He then strutted into the compartment, followed shortly by another boy.

He held out a hand to the other boy in the compartment – Remus Something – while his companion plonked himself onto the seat next to Peter.

"I'm James Potter, and this here's Sirius Black," he announced in a tone that suggested that he was completely sure of himself. "Who're you two?"

It was just chance that Remus had decided to ask Peter to join – and that James had opened the door to this very compartment when looking for a place to sit. But it is small chances of fate such as these that have the potential to change the world. None of the four boys who were forming a quick friendship knew it yet, but this small incident would play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their world.

This – this was the start of an era.

For:

Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes Competition, Category Headless Hats

The Diagon Alley Challenge, Category Second Hand Shop

Harry Potter Spells Contest, Category Alohomora

Honeydukes Competition, Category Fudge Flies

If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 71. A School Bus

All Canon Boot Camp, Prompt 18, Once Upon A Time

Character Diversity Bootcamp, Prompt 1, Forgotten