Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter or the world in which he lives, in other words anything written here is based on JK Rowlings' wonderful work.

Chapter 1

It was a dull day in London, rain was bouncing off the cavernous glass roof of the station, not audible over the babble of the people below, but enough to make a security guards' job just that bit more problematic. This was exactly what one was thinking as he stood near the edge of platform nine.

He sighed, 'With this many people here today I'll be surprised if there wasn't an accident.' Not two moments later did he hear a loud squeal.

'Sirius Black, if you do that to your brother one more time'-

'It's not my fault he's so clumsy. He must have slipped.'

'Your fault or not, you'll still get a cuff around the head,' came the sharp voice of a woman. 'Get up boy,' she snapped at her youngest son.

The crowds on the station part a little and the guard could see a very young boy flat on the floor having unmistakably slipped. An older boy of around eleven years was sniggering, clearly amused by his brother's misfortune. Turning away the onlooker thought how strange the woman looked, her clothes were several decades out of date, as she was wearing an odd looking coat too, but she wasn't the only one dressed like that. Today there seemed to be lots of oddly dressed people on this particular platform. It was strange really – platform nine wasn't normally very busy in the morning, but today it saw lots of families. What was stranger was that the all seemed to disappear somewhere. It must be his imagination he decided, people don't just disappear at the end of the platform.

'Don't you get yourself into any trouble at school.'

A skinny boy tried to put an innocent look on his face. 'Would I do a thing like that? Besides I don't know anyone who is going to Hogwarts this year. Most of my friends are coming next year.'

'James, darling, don't you worry yourself about that – you'll make friends soon enough,' said the boys mother. Straightening up, the brown haired woman hitched a stern look onto her face. 'Either way I don't want to be getting letters home telling me that you've – you've, I don't know-'

'Bewitched the fat lady to speak in French?' cut in the boy's father. He was a tall man with glasses that didn't quite conceal the mischievous glint in his eye, and his hair gave he impression of one who didn't always follow the norm for it stuck up a lot at the back, just like his son's did.

'George!'

'Come on now Mary, our son was bound to find out about your little exploit in our sixth year. It was a brilliant bit of magic.'

'Yes… Well, I still not want to hear anything.'

'Don't worry mum, you won't hear a thing. I won't be getting caught!'

'Spoken like a true Potter!' said the boy's father.

'I'm gonna get a good seat on the train, bye mum, bye dad.' The woman began to cry, her hazel eyes shone with tears as she saw her only child leave for school for the year. Seeing this James hopped back off the train and gave his mother a hug, saying goodbye again.

A whistle blew somewhere on the platform and there was a sudden push for the doors of the train. James was followed on by a tall boy with good looks, and dark hair, it as the boy he had noticed on the platform standing near an old woman and child all dressed in green. 'Slytherin,' he muttered under his breath.

James found an empty compartment near the end of the train and took out his wand and a book. Half way through the first line the door opened, and the dark haired boy entered.

'Anyone sat here?' he asked.

'Depends who's asking.'

'My name is Sirius Black.'

'I know of your family – this compartment isn't free. Move along. The next one might be more to your taste; seems to be full of Slytherins.' The Black family were a well known 'pure-blood' wizard family, nearly all of whom were frightful snobs. Every Black had been in Slytherin house.

Anger flashed in the other boy's eyes and he pulled out his wand preparing himself for a duel. Undeterred James pulled out his and faced the boy squarely. Sparks were sent at each other briefly (neither of the boys could do any more damage than that) before the smaller boy stopped, shocked. They had both sent red sparks at each other.

'But your sparks-' began James.

'Are red,' finished Sirius, 'I know.' I was quite well known among the wizarding families that when young people produced sparks from there wand they often showed a bit of personality. On the first day of term when many would be thinking about which house they would be sorted into the colours would be a general indication. At least all the Slytherins produce green sparks unconsciously. This boy was no Slytherin.

'James Potter,' said the boy holding out his wand free hand and introducing himself. Looking wary, Sirius shook it.

'Does that mean I can sit here?'

'Sure,' a brief pause where James looked as though he was trying not to ask something he really wanted to and he finally burst out 'but you're a Black!'

'Don't remind me. I'm not out of choice, I wish I wasn't. Pretty much my whole family is stuck up, some of them evil. I can't stand them,' he finished with a dark look.

While the two boys were happy enough chatting away, getting to know one another they took no notice of what was going on in the corridor outside the compartment. Some of the older (Slytherin) students were picking on a young sandy haired boy, who was back against the door looking terrified. They had decided to pick on him because of his general small weak appearance. The boys soon lost interest, and turned away allowing the first year to enter the compartment, looking shy and frightened, and also annoyed and frustrated with himself.

'Can I come in? Everywhere else is full.'

''Course,' chorused the boys and introduced themselves.

'I'm Remus Lupin.'

James gave a sharp intake of breath. 'Are you related to that witch – Stella Lupin – the one who invented the reversing charm on the Comet one twenty?'

'Erm… Yeah, she was my great auntie or something.'

'Cool! I was really shocked when I found out it was a witch who invented that. Flying always seemed to be a man's thing, if you know what I mean.'

'Remus, mate, what was going on before? If you don't mind my asking but you had a right odd look on your face as you came in,' asked Sirius.

'Oh, that. Some of the older Slytherins decided to pick on me 'cos I look small and weak. I was frustrated because I couldn't get to my wand. I wanted to use the Furnunculus Charm on them.'

Sirius and James looked at each other, highly impressed. 'You can perform that charm?' asked James.

'I've only managed it once before and that was an accident; I was holding my wand and reading a book and it kind of happened.'

'Who were you aiming at?' persisted Sirius.

'I wasn't aiming it was an accident! But if you really want to know it was my dad.'

The two boys burst out laughing and Remus smiled, seeing the funny side now that he wasn't being told off by his mother. From that moment on the three boys became good friends.


This is only the beginning. It does get a better, please read the second chapter at least before you give up on it.

Thanks for reading! please review so I know what you think, If yo like it tell me, if you don;t I'd really appreciate you telling me why. Cheers!