A/N: Hello, all! This is another new story I'm working on; it's about the Marauders and their first few years at Hogwarts. I'll also be updating this story along with Siriusly Sexist, but I plan to make the chapters on this story much longer, so don't expect updates everyday! :P

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Well, what are disclaimers used for, hm?

Thick, white clouds of steam billowing out from the Hogwarts Express lazily drifted over Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, which was tumultuous with activity. James Potter, a meekly, scrawny boy of age 11 with messy, raven-black hair and a soon-to-be famous smirk, stepped out of the brick wall that separated the platform from the Muggle world.

Soon afterward, James's parents also walked through the wall. They pushed James's trolley forward, and walked up to their son. James breathed deeply, not even bothering to turn and look at his parents. He eyes were glued excitedly at the Hogwarts Express, every second or so glancing at his golden watch that his father had given to him.

"It's almost time to board!" James said excitedly. He pulled his wand out from his back pocket and twirled it in happiness. Red sparks occasionally shot out of the tip. James' mother snatched the wand out of James's hand.

"James! That's dangerous!" she scolded, though James could see the doting twinkle in her eyes. James grinned back at her.

"C'mon, mum, when have I ever cared about that?" he responded cheekily. James's dad smiled back at his son, who leaped up and snatched his wand out of his mother's hand.

"When you get to Hogwarts that kind of attitude will land you in detention more times than your grandfather has fallen asleep on our couch," Charlus Potter said.

"But that's the point, isn't it?" James said back. His dad laughed.

"James! Don't say things like that," Dorea Potter said, though James could see her fighting the urge to laugh as well.

Just then, the whistle of the Hogwarts Express shrilled loudly. James quickly hefted his trunk out of the trolley.

"That's the whistle! Time to board!" James happily remarked. His mother pulled him into a tight bear-hug.

"Oh, Jamesie-poo, it's time for you to leave for Hogwarts!" she cried. James tried in vain to wriggle out of her grip.

"Muuuum! You're embarrassing me," James complained, fighting down a blush. A couple other kids around sniggered at him.

Finally, his mother let go of him, wiping away a stray tear in the process. James instantly leaped away from her, in case she decided she didn't get enough huggy time.

"Now James, don't forget to write every day!" Dorea Potter said to her son. James rolled his eyes.

"Yes, mummy," he said sarcastically, though he was secretly happy that she cared about him so much.

"And don't get into any trouble. Change your underwear each day. Don't give the teachers a hard time. Don't forget to wash behind your ears! Also, don't-"

"MUM! I get it!" James yelled in exasperation. Dorea Potter smiled while Charlus grinned.

"Oh, alright, dear. Just be happy at school, and we'll be happy," James's mother said. James smiled back at her.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, turning to leave. He waved bye to his parents (of whom Dorea was sobbing hysterically into a handkerchief) and then walked to the train, lugging his trunk behind him. James hefted his luggage up the stairs and walked down the aisle to find an empty compartment. He decided to settle for a compartment near the end of the train. James opened the glass door and lifted his trunk up to a rack, before sitting down.

He looked out through the window of his compartment. He could see the white steam unfurling from the top of the train and drifting sluggishly into the horizon. With nothing else to do, James scanned the bustling crowd of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters for his parents. He was still looking when he heard the door of his compartment slid open.

James turned around to see a boy with shoulder-length, black hair step into the compartment. The boy was fairly good-looking, with his bangs cascading over his face in a casual elegance that James could only dream of achieving with his incredibly messy hair.

"Is this seat taken? No? Guess I'll crash here then," the boy said with a grin, not even giving James time to respond. He then put his luggage on the rack and sat down across from James, who was looking at him.

James felt a slight flicker of annoyance. Why was this boy coming in without asking? But James brushed the feeling aside. He didn't want any enemies so early in the year.

"Hey, what's your name? Mine's James. James Potter," James said, extending his hand out. The boy had something momentarily flicker across his face. Was it irritation? James couldn't tell. The boy hesitantly shook James's hand.

"Name's Sirius. Sirius . . . Black," the boy said cautiously, as if he was ashamed of his name. He whispered "Black" so quietly that James had barely heard him. "Hey, just out of curiosity, but are you a pureblood?"

James nodded. "Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?"

Sirius grimaced, before attempting a grin. Even with his attempts, it still ended up looking forced onto his face.

"Because I, being from the ancient and noble House of Black, wouldn't want to be friends with 'scum', now would I?" Sirius said mockingly, putting air quotes around the word "scum". He had a look of deep disgust on his face and then frowned. "At least, that's what my family thinks."

"To be honest mate, it doesn't really sound like you fancy your family a lot," James remarked. Sirius smirked at him.

"You guessed right. My family is chock full of pureblood maniacs," Sirius stuck out his tongue. "Bunch of demented buggers, the lot." James laughed. He was beginning to like this kid.

He and Sirius then struck up a heated conversation about Quidditch. They were engaged in a heated argument about whether the Appleby Arrows were going to defeat the Wimbourne Wasps at the World Cup this year when the compartment door opened, and a red-haired girl stepped in. She quietly stepped by James and Sirius, and sat alone at the end of the compartment beside the window, leaning against it with her face behind her veil of crimson hair. James could hear faint, sniffling sounds coming from behind her scarlet curtain of hair and he turned toward her to see what was wrong when her hair shifted slightly, revealing her face. The girl's eyes were red from crying, and light tear tracks were strewn all across her cheeks that were flushed pink against her ivory skin.

Despite that, James thought he had never seen anyone more beautiful.

He was still staring at her when the compartment door opened a second time and a black-haired boy with a long, hooked nose stepped in. He swept past James and Sirius and sat across from the girl. When he sat down, James could see the girl glance at him and smile slightly. James felt a flicker of jealousy and irritation at the black-haired boy.

". . . so as I was saying, the Apples got absolutely no chance against the Wasps this year. I mean, with Bagman as the Human Bludger himself and Edward as Seeker, the Wasps are practically unbeatable. Hey, James…? Are you even listening?" Sirius waved a hand in front of James's face, before following his eyes to the red-haired girl sitting by the window. Sirius smirked.

"Like what you see, Jamsie-boy?" Sirius mocked. James turned back to the boy and cuffed him playfully on the ear.

"Shut up! I'm just looking," James replied.

"Right. 'Just looking', you say. Looking at what, I wonder?" Sirius said, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. James pushed Sirius, though he laughed all the same.

He and Sirius then continued their conversation. James didn't look over to the red-headed girl by the window after that, afraid that Sirius would tease him again. But he did occasionally get a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye.

While he and Sirius were then discussing the difference between a tangerine and an orange (Sirius insisted they were the same thing, just that one was fatter than the other and that people were prejudiced), they both overheard a specific word (or rather the whole sentence) from the boy with the greasy black hair.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," he said, smiling. James turned his head around, and scoffed.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James asked Sirius, smiling. But Sirius didn't return that smile.

"My whole family has been in Slytherin," he said softly.

"Blimey," James said. Even after hearing that, he still grinned. "And I thought you seemed alright!"

Sirius grinned back.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James mimed wielding a sword. He felt a familiar jolt of excitement as he envisioned telling his parents he had gotten in Gryffindor.

"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad."

The greasy haired boy by the window made a small noise in his throat. James turned to him. He liked this kid less and less.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," responded Snape, though his sneer gave it away. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy –"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected Sirius.

James roared with laughter. He reached over and high-fived Sirius, who grinned back at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the red-headed girl get up, slightly flushed but still not failing to look annoyed and angry.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment," she said, glaring at James and Sirius.

"Ooooooooo . . ." James and Sirius chorused together.

James and Sirius mimicked her lofty voice. When Snape passed by, James tried to trip him.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius yelled at Snape's back. James saw it stiffen, before the compartment door closed.

James and Sirius sat there, revering in that moment of victory, before both succumbing to fits of laughter.

"S-snivellus!" James choked out, wiping tears from his eyes. "That was brilliant!"

Sirius grinned cheekily at James, and mimed Snape's sulky demeanor. He hunched his back and scrunched up his nose. It made Sirius look rather like a grumpy elephant.

James erupted into laughter again. He and Sirius were going to be good friends. James could already tell.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!