The Hogwarts Express

By Ezgi Toper

Sirius looked out at the hallway through the dusty window of the compartment door of the crimson, Hogwarts Express train. What was all the laugher about?

There he saw a skinny, messy-haired boy with round, jet-black inky glasses over his misty, hazel eyes, running around the halls with a bunch of people surrounding him. Their laughter seemed to echo from every corner and compartment on the train. Sirius looked away from the window and the boy and his admiring fans. When at that instant something collided into the compartment door and shook the whole compartment. Sirius's trunk fell open and exploded clothing and textbooks everywhere. Gideon's cage fell to the floor with a loud thud. The metal cage door burst open and with an annoyed screech the owl flew out of it and hooted at his owner, in irritation. Ignoring his pet owl, which had been in his family for a while, Sirius's grey eyes narrowed with anger at the door, as he heard the culprit roll over laughing.

"You git! You almost smashed down the door." He barked, sliding open the rusty door and coming face to face with the boy he had seen causing all the chaos in the hall.

"Wouldn't be the first one." His skinny shoulders went up into a shrug.

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"I'm James, James Potter" He held out his hand with a broad grin in place.

"Sirius Black" Sirius shook his hand, a bit taken back.

"Seriously?" James asked, laughing.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Very original."

James took an infantile low bow, while Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Sorry about that, mate." James gestured behind his shoulder; his eyes rested upon the mess of Sirius's belongings and the agitated, coffee-colored owl, still in flight.

"Its alright, I s'ppose." Sirius muttered. It was much cleaner then the state of his bedroom and to be honest he never liked that good for nothing owl. Sirius could not help but bite away a small smile as the owl let out another disgruntled hoot.

"Need help?" James bent down and started helping Sirius throw his belongings into his trunk.

"So, first year?"

"Yup," James responded, his fingers waving patterns threw his already disordered hair. It seemed to stick out in every direction and all he managed to do was make it worse…a lot worse. "And yourself?"

"Yeah…"

"Oi! James! You coming or what?" a head peaked through the ajar door.

"Nah, I'm going stay here, Frank."

The bottle blond boy looked a bit let down and with a sad nod, he closed the compartment door.

"That is…if you don't mind" James head span round to Sirius as he locked his trunk up.

"Not really used to sharing a compartment with fithly rodents!" Sirius's face scrunched up in a disgusted way as he sat up dignified trying to keep a straight face. "But what the heck."

James laughed and gave Sirius a hard clap on the back. He grinned and broke into laughter as well. No longer, enjoying the ignorance by the two boys, Gideon swept down and pecked James hard on his hand.

"Ow!" James shouted as blood oozed out of the cut.

"Bloody bird" Sirius made a swing to catch him but missed. Gideon hooted angrily and popped himself on top of Sirius's trunk, glaring down at them.

"Hm, still sure your not use to sharing a compartment with rodents?" James gestured towards the owl. Sirius burst into laughter and they grinned even more widely at each other as they flung themselves on the couch. Soon the boys had warmed up to each other. They discussed Quidditch and when James pulled out a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, they were in fits of laughter at the disgusting taste of boogie, sardine and spinach flavored beans.

"Ever tried the earwax one?"

"No but my cousin once did, and almost threw up" Sirius grinned evilly at the memory.

At that moment a girl with endless flame hair and bright emerald eyes walked in and without even a glance at the two startled boys, she sat down at the set nearest to a window, staring out at the country side now flashing by and began to sob.

James hesitated. Should he say something?

Sirius, not enjoying the awkwardness, tried to start up a conversation about Quidditch once more.

"Chaser sounds alright, more interested in being a Seeker though. My dad was one and it sounds brilliant!"

"I'd rather be a Beater, teach those bludgers a thing or two. It's be wicked if I knocked someone off their broom."

"For your sake, it better be the other team's player."

The girl's silent sobs were masked by the uproar of the two boys. When all of a sudden a pale, first year boy slid open the compartment door and went to sit next to the girl. His long sleek black hair covered his shadow eyes like coal colored curtains keeping out any form of sun.

"I didn't know bats come out at this time of day." Sirius muttered. James had to stuff his fist in his month, to stop from laughing out loud.

"Up for a round of exploding snap?"

"Your on." Smirked James.

The strange boy and girl's chatting was disguised by the sound of cards exploding, and James and Sirius dissolving into laughter. It was only after that, that James heard what the boy was talking about.

"You'd better be in Slytherin" he said. The girl seemed to have cheered up a bit and was now beaming at him.

"Slytherin?" James's head span around at the word. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James asked Sirius, who was now lounging on the seat with burnt cards, on every side of him.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin" he said. There was no humor in the way he said this.

"Blimey and I thought you seemed all right!" said James.

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

James lifted an invisible sword and declared, " 'Griffindor where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

The creepy boy made a small almost disgusted noise. James turned on him with eyebrows raised. "Got a problem with that?"

Sirius turned on the boy two. His eyes narrowed in disgust. He definitely didn't like this kid. Just look at his expression….the git.

"No," said the boy sneering at them. Sirius had a sudden urge to hex that sneer right of his waxy face. The boy didn't seem to notice Sirius, and still had a sneer in place, as his eyes lingered on James. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy –"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Interjected Sirius before James could open his mouth.

The two friends roared with laughter again as the girl sat up and glared at them with the deepest of loathing.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." She said

"Oooooo…"

"Defensive, much?" Whispered Sirius in a low voice, that only James could hear.

James and Sirius imitated the girl's voice.

"Lets find another compartment" Sirius screeched in an overly high pitched voice, placing his hands on his hips and sticking his nose up in the air.

The boy called Severus got up. His fists were clenched and shaking as he followed after her. James made an attempt to trip him.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius shouted as the compartment door slammed shut.

James and Sirius high fived each other, as they rolled over laughing once more.

"Snivellus? Nice one, mate!"

"Better then Sevisris, or what ever the hell he was called."

James clutched his stomach and he once again wobbled around, chuckling.

"Come on, we're almost there. Better get dressed." Sirius said as James nodded, still in fits of laughter. Sirius grinned, this was turning out to be a great day.