Sometimes People Aren't the Way They Seem

A/N: Read title above. Sometimes people aren't the way they seem. Mayhaps the Marauders weren't the way they are from the beginning. Starring James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, all with very altered personalities.

Humor, maybe.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A tawny owl flew in through a window and landed on a tousled little boy. He grabbed the letter from the claws of the owl with excitement, since he never received a letter by owl before.

Tearing open the sealed envelope, James's eyes widened in surprise. He brandished the paper in the air and whooped with joy. "Mum! I got accepted!"

And one week after that happy outburst, James's family saw him off on the Hogwarts Express. He dressed in his school robes even before he got on the train, in case he forgot to change. It was on the train that James met his soon-to-be new friends.

While carting his suitcases, James bumped into another boy who looked the same age as he was. He had midnight hair and dark eyes and he looked sickly.

James opened his mouth to apologize. "I'm sorry." He offered a hand and pulled the other boy up. "I'm James Potter. You?"

The other guy just looked at him tiredly and said, "Sirius Black."

"Are you a first-year like me?" James smiled sweetly and walked towards an empty compartment with only two people in it. One of them was a lively boy with sandy hair and pale eyes and a cheerful atmosphere around him. He was busy retelling a tale where he hexed one of his fellow students in his old school. The other boy, who was pretty short yet seemingly handsome, listened on with attention.

Sirius nodded to James's question and followed him into the compartment. James tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't talk anymore. Feeling frustrated, James turned to the other two boys in the room.

"Hi. I'm James Potter."

The lively boy stuck out a hand, he smiled and said, "Remus Lupin. I'm named after a wolf."

The other boy whistled. "How cool! Why haven't you told me that before hand?"

James shook with Remus and turned to the other boy. "So what's your name?"

The boy grinned. "Peter Pettigrew at your service. I'm going to make this year an unforgettable one! By the way, who's that sickly boy over there?" He pointed towards Sirius.

"Oh him? I ran into him." James grinned. "So Remus, why are you named after a wolf?"

Remus's eyes took on a mischievous grin. "Do ya really wanna know?"

The two other boys nodded exuberantly.

Remus lowered his voice to a growl and said, "Well, to tell the truth, I'm a werewolf."

Sirius bolted through the door at this exclamation, James's eyes widened in surprise, and Peter whistled again.

"Wow," said James.

"Cool," said Peter.

"..." said Sirius. He wasn't there to say anything anyway.

"But I don't believe you." Peter shook his head and grinned. "Prove it." James nodded quickly, agreeing with Peter.

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Well, would you like to see my scar?"

Without waiting for the two to answer him, he ripped open his robes to reveal a nasty gash running from his chest to his stomach. "I got this from the previous werewolf."

James's eyes widened. "Wow." And he bolted from the compartment without another thought.

Peter shook his head again. "Cool." He walked shakily away from the room.

Remus grinned wolfishly. "What a way to start the year. I thought they'd understand. I was having such a fine time chatting with them about my adventures. I was so sure they're just as much of an adventurer as I am. Pity they're so thick-headed. They'll never be true friends if they always judge a book by its name." He propped his feet on the bench and lied down. "Oh well, I have the whole place to myself."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

James ran into the crowded compartment to bump into a shivering Sirius. "Hi, Sirius." James shakily acknowledged the other boy.

Peter breathed in deeply as he rambled on with disbelief. "Can you believe it? Remus is a werewolf!" All the heads in the compartment turned around to stare at him, some with horror, some with eagerness. "I mean...it's soooooooooooooooo cool!"

James laughed nerviously. "Yeah, I never thought I'd meet a real, live werewolf."

Sirius huddled in the corner, shaking violently. He clenched his hands together.

"Sirius, are you okay?" James asked the other boy with care.

Sirius nodded furiously.

"Then why are you shaking so much?" Peter gazed at him.

"Yeah...are you frightened of Remus?" James blinked his eyes.

Sirius shook his head furiously. "Why should I?"

James blinked again. "You know he's a werewolf."

Sirius nodded furiously.

"So, why are you shivering?" asked Peter again. "If it's not because of fright, then what is it?"

Sirius turned around to look at them with a wide grin. He breathed in ragged breaths and said in a husky voice, "I'm so excited! I've never met a live werewolf before! Do ya reckon he's gonna give me his autograph?" Sirius tried to stand up, but his wobbly legs collapsed beneath him with excitement.

James and Peter both grinned. "I'm sure he will. He seems to be proud of his, uh, lycranthropy."

And so with that, Sirius ran back into the compartment to ask Remus for his autograph. They arrived soon after at Hogwarts and began a very adventured filled year. All throughout the year, Sirius worshipped Remus the Cool Guy, Peter pulled pranks on the Slytherins, James studied and studied, and Remus just kept scaring people.

Peter became the leader of the Marauders. James became the brains of the group. Sirius became the tag-along and Remus became the bully. Things ran smoothly for them and they had a good year.


-the end probably-or tbc maybe-

A/N: Whatever...if you want a continuation of the fic, review! Although this is a twisted and not very humorous fic...