Author's Note: Consider this my 'debut' here on fanfiction if you will. I'm really interested in what you all have to say, and whether or not you think I should continue.
But I do feel as though I should warn you that I tried a little bit different style with this piece as I tried to get all of those I consider to be more 'key' characters in my story out into the public eye. It should settle down pretty quick (but I'm going to try not to put all of my attention on the Marauders, handsome as they all are…except Peter…but I'm just going to have to find something that I like about him, aren't I?).
Oh…and I'm sorry that this note was kind of rambling…and that Mrs. Prewett said 'dear' thirteen times…I just couldn't help myself.
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"Now James, be good, and…listen to your mother," Mr. Potter grinned and ruffled his only son's untidy black hair before he stepped back to allow his wife the chance to say goodbye to him as well.
"Really Matthew!" Mrs. Potter chided as she descended upon James with a black comb, attempting to beat his hair into place. Unconscious of James groans and splutters of pain and indignation, she raked the torturous instrument across his scalp determined to make her boy look his best on his first day.
"Mum!" James cried out as he pulled free of his mother's clutches and attempted to hold his trunk up as a shield against her.
"Oh alright!" his mother sighed in mock hopelessness as she thrust the comb back into her rather large paisley red handbag. "I hope you can forgive me for wanting my son to look his very best on his first day of school."
She faked a small sob and James sighed, rolling his eyes as he set the trunk back down on the ground again, wrapping his mother in a firm embrace. "Honestly Mum, when has my hair ever behaved itself?"
"You know, Tilda that is a very good point. He's got hair just like my brother Harold, never has lain flat a day in his life."
"Oh Jamsie!" His mother clung desperately to him as he began to backtrack toward the barrier that separated platform 9 and ¾'s from the rest of the muggle station and sighed, motioning to his father to bring along his trunk as he practically carried his distraught mother through the barrier his father had pointed out to him on their outing the previous weekend.
Shaking his head and chuckling to himself, Mr. Potter hefted his son's trunk up and followed his wife and son through the barrier. "He's lucky Tilda's so short," he
muttered with a small hoot of laughter as he shut his eyes against the bizarre cold of the barrier.
Just as Mr. Potter disappeared through the barrier, a sort of darkness seemed to descend upon the far side of the station, near the entrance. Several well-dressed people had just entered the station, their attire consisting mainly of something many of the middle-aged vacationing muggles defined as 'flashy': Elegant coats and well tailored dresses for the ladies, their children were no less smashingly clad-although in an altogether different style.
The three girls, all tall for their age, were showcasing tightly fit blouses and miniskirts (the one black haired beauty's was just a little too short for her mother's liking and a nearby muggle teen who clicked his tongue appreciatively suddenly developed a startling need to use the necessary.)
Bellatrix Black rolled her eyes and stared haughtily up at her mother. "Was that completely necessary, Mother?" she asked, her long lashes descending over her hooded grey eyes.
"My dear if your skirt was of a more appropriate length, this wouldn't be an issue-"
"My skirt is perfectly fine, Mother," she snapped and stalked away, the high heels on her boots clicking in something of a menacing way as she disappeared around the corner.
"Oh Bella wait!" Her older sister called, blonde curls bouncing across her delicate frame as she set off as speedily as she could manage (and still retain what she believed to be a graceful gait).. "I'll fetch her back, Mother," she added reassuringly as she too disappeared around the corner, the sounds of their heels still echoing about the lobby.
"Ugh! Will you both get back here?" The tallest of the three set off after her older sister, blue sash whipping around the corner after her.
"Tsch, girls." A dark haired boy muttered, crossing his arms and slouching off at the tail end of the family down the same corridor that his two older cousins had disappeared down.
"Now Sirius, don't be so hard on your cousins, they're going through a tough time you know what with starting N.E.W.T classes this year," his mother cooed.
"Listen to your mother, son, maybe you can help them study once you've settled in. I'm sure that Trixie and Cissy will have you familiarized with the castle in no time," his father added.
"Now really Ri, you know they hate it when you call them that!" his Aunt said stonily from behind him.
"Yes well I never liked my nickname either…but I'm the Uncle…I get to call them whatever I want."
Mrs. Black twittered and looped her arm inside her husband's while Sirius shared a disgusted look with the smaller boy who was practically running to catch up with the long-legged strides of the Black family.
Once the boy even tripped over the coattails of the ridiculous outfit their mother had stuffed him in, but Sirius caught him swiftly and put him to rights, thankful that he had not allowed her to put him in anything like that on his first day at Hogwarts.
"Thanks Sirius," his younger brother said, grinning as he panted, almost running again to keep up with his family.
"Anytime, Reg," he said, his face brightening a bit. At least his younger brother knew how he felt.
"Well," his mother began as they pulled up short in front of a brick wall that separated Platforms 9 and 10. "It would appear that the girls have already gone ahead without us."
"No matter. We sent Kreacher ahead with your things so they should be at Hogwarts by now. Pure blood still counts for something in this lamentable world we live in today. Now then, Sirius why don't you and I go through the barrier first and then Regulus can follow with your mother? I trust your Aunt will not mind escorting herself across?"
The woman sighed, inspecting her fingernails as she retorted, "I suppose not, Orion, if I must."
"Come Sirius!" And before the boy could say 'shrivelfig' his father's hand had closed upon his upper arm and they had marched straight into the barrier.
As the last of the Blacks disappeared through the barrier, Mrs. Lupin made a tutting sound and put a hand lightly on her son's arm. "Now don't you let people like that intimidate you, Remus. Fancy clothes and pureblood don't mean anything at Hogwarts. Or...well…" Mrs. Lupin sighed and looked over at her husband for assistance.
"What your mother means to say is-"
"I know Father," Remus Lupin whispered, lifting a pale and scarred hand to brush his light brown locks back out of his blue eyes. "I shan't allow myself to get coerced into
saying anything about…you-know-what," his face took on a drawn and pained look and Mrs. Lupin thrust a small corner of her kerchief into her mouth to keep from saying something.
Instead, her hand tightened on his shoulder and he smiled. The Remus Lupin she loved most to see was back, even if it was only a show he put on for her to mask his true feelings on occasion. The fact that he could smile at all made her feel just that much better about his…condition.
"Don't worry Mother. I trust the Headmaster to protect me from everyone and…vice versa. I'm sure that everything will be alright."
Though as he knelt to reclaim his possessions, his face did not show any of those things whatsoever; it showed a young boy who had been forced to grow up well before his time, a young boy who was very, very afraid.
"Well," his father muttered as a way to break the silence that had grown up around them. "I'm sure you'll be just fine, son. You are quite meticulously careful, after all. Just-just don't let your-" The grin slipped a little from his face and he wrapped an arm around his son as Remus stood. "Try to make friends, alright?"
"Yes Father," he whispered tonelessly as he straightened, dragging his father's old school trunk through the barrier that was before them.
"Oh I hope he'll be alright," Mrs. Lupin whispered into her husband's shoulder as she let go of a few tears.
"He'll be fine, Vera. Stop worrying," Mr. Lupin replied, patting her reassuringly on the back as he started for the barrier, thoroughly hoping for the best.
"Come on Mom! Ms. Hopkirk said that it was this way! Right he-" The small red-headed girl stopped dead in front of the brick wall that separated the two platforms-she'd just missed the Lupins disappearing through it.
"Maybe you're too much of a freak for them to even let in," a voice said scathingly from behind the red-head's parents.
"Really Petunia!"
"No Mom, it's OK. She's just jealous after all."
"Jealous, ha! Why would I be jealous of a freeeeeeak?" Petunia taunted her sister singsongingly.
"Now Petunia, this is Lily's special day. We're supposed to be supportive not…not doing whatever it is that you're doing." Mrs. Evans was at a loss for words, her daughters had never been on uneven terms that she could recall. Well…not since before that Snape boy had shown up anyhow.
"Really Mom, it's fine. I don't need you defending me from my own sister," Lily answered back with a reproaching glance at her sister. "Now if I could only remember what Ms. Hopkirk said about getting onto the platform…" she started, turning back to contemplate the apparently solid brick wall before her.
"First time getting on the train?"
Lily looked up, surprised to see a girl who was almost two whole inches shorter than she was! But her round face and bright blue eyes were kind and Lily nodded. "Yeah, no idea how to get past this barrier thing…or even where it is, really."
The other girl laughed. "Well you're standing right in front of it silly! Of course," she leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "I only know where it is because my older sister Molly went when I was little," she giggled and straightened. "Of course, that was ages ago now…she's with some Weasel-king somebody-or-other off doing who knows what!"
"It's Weasley, Alice dear. Arthur Weasley and he's a very nice boy." Mrs. Alice's Mother was just as kind and round as Alice herself…perhaps rounder…and most certainly taller, though, Lily noted, not by much. "Oh now Alice dear, you simply must introduce me to your new friend!"
Lily gasped in surprise as her pale cheeks were subjected to a quaint round of pinching by Alice's mother who exclaimed, "My goodness, dear, you're skin and bones! Where are your parents? They can't be feeding you properly at all!"
Mr. Evans coughed politely behind the delightfully round woman who turned around almost immediately, a kind smile quickly blossoming on her face as she surveyed them with interest. "Oh look, muggles! Archie, dear, aren't they just adorable?"
Mr. Evans did not look exactly thrilled to be called adorable, but the term muggle still was taking some getting used to though he was trying to be patient around the magic-folk seeing as his daughter was one of them now.
"I prefer the term normal," came the small voice of Petunia and Mr. and Mrs. Evans faces reddened as the smile slipped a fraction from the woman's face.
"Forgive her, madam. She and Lily are quite close, you see, and it's taking Petunia here some time to adjust."
The smile returned on her face and she nodded, patting Mr. Evans more than a bit strongly on the shoulder in an attempt to be reassuring. "Oh yes of course, dear I understand perfectly. My boys-Fabian and Gideon-were thick as thieves growing up but darling Fabian was a year older than his brother and their separation was simply terrible. I almost didn't let Gid come, poor dear. Of course Alice wouldn't remember any of that, would you, sweetheart?"
Alice merely smiled and shook her head, which satisfied her mother who returned her attentions to relaying all sorts of details about her elder children's' lives at Hogwarts.
Snippets of "Oh she'll love it!" came flying into their conversation as the two girls began chattering about school and the sorting.
"Sorry about my mum," Alice muttered as she watched her mother finally release Mr. Evans and decide to head towards them-and the barrier.
"No problem, Alice-isn't it?"
Alice nodded; grinning at the girl, pleasantly surprised that she'd caught it in all of her mother's animated waffle. "Yes, Alice Prewett."
"Well I'm pleased to meet you, Ms. Prewett," Lily stated formally. "I'm Lily, Lily Evans."
"Please, call me Alice."
"Call me Lily?"
"Certainly."
Amid a cacophony of giggles, the two girls headed through the barrier, arm in arm, with Alice coaching instructions as they went. "Now it's a little better to do it at a run, Lily dear…so perhaps we should drop arms now."
"Alright. See you on the other side!"
And in a flash of red and brown, they both disappeared.
"Ah! Uh Mrs.…ah…"
"Prewett, dear."
"Mrs. Prewett," Mr. Evans tried to keep his panic to a minimum as his wife clutched his arm chanting his name. "Where exactly has my daughter gone?"
"George….George!"
Mrs. Prewett turned around and positively shrieked with laughter. "Oh Archie, isn't that just charming? My dear Mr.-?"
"Evans," Mr. Evans replied shortly, his eyes fixed on the brick wall before him.
"Ah, Evans. That's a nice name, isn't it Archie? Anywho, your daughter's gone through the barrier with my dear little Alice." She looked down and spotted the trunks lying on the ground. "Oh and they've forgotten their things already, little darlings. Archie if you wouldn't mind."
"Not at all dearest," the thickset man grunted, bending down to collect his own daughter's possessions and Lily's, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Evans rather shell-shocked.
"Through the barrier? But we don't even know where the thing is!"
Mr. Prewett cut across his wife's squeal of 'Archie, how precious!' to say, "It's that brick wall that divides the two platforms. You just step right on through it." He smiled warmly at the looks of apprehension on their faces. "Don't worry-it's really quite enjoyable. You do experience a slight tingling sensation that's really top-notch."
The man ran a hand through his thinning hair and smiled nervously. "Well I'll just be taking these then. I'm sure that Esme will be more than happy to see the rest of you through."
Mrs. Prewett waved the hand that held her enormous black handbag, shaking the contents at her husband in farewell. "See you in a tick, Archie dear! Now George-" she turned toward the Evansies, a business-like gleam in her eyes. "If you and your lovely daughter, Petunia isn't it, dear? If you two wouldn't mind going through the barrier first…best do it at a bit of a run if you aren't sure. Not everyone likes the tingly feeling as much as Archie does," she added softly to Mrs. Evans who was suddenly overcome with a fit of laughter which she endeavored to hide in her handkerchief and missed her husband and daughter disappearing into the bricks.
As soon as she realized they were gone however, she sobered up immediately.
"Oh they're fine, dear. Perhaps you'd better go in front of me though. I'm not sure we'd make it going together," she added, blue eyes twinkling as she patted her ample bosom.
Not wanting to offend, Mrs. Evans merely nodded and began to walk purposefully toward the brick wall that had swallowed the rest of her family.
"That's the ticket! Straight on to the other side, there's a dear."
As Mrs. Evans disappeared, Mrs. Prewett checked to be sure they hadn't left anything behind and slipped through the barrier as easy as butter.
"You know dear," an aging woman and a small, yet slightly rounded boy rounded the corner. The woman continued speaking as they walked slowly along. "We're rather lucky that the other two trains were out of service today; ordinarily this station is so crowded that-Peter? Are you coming?"
The boy was shaken from his thoughtful daze at his mother's call and smiled. "Coming Mother!"
Mrs. Pettigrew nodded and continued down the corridor-headed for Platform 9 and ¾ s. "As I was saying, we're lucky that it isn't too crowded-I don't know that my nerves could take all that rushing about that young people get up to these days. Everyone seems to be in such a hu-Oh, we're here already?"
Mrs. Pettigrew seemed surprised and almost a little bit disappointed by this. "Well, run along Peter."
With a tiny nod, the boy squared his shoulders and rushed at the barrier, his face screwed up tight as he tried not to open his eyes before he got to the other side.
Mrs. Pettigrew quickly followed her son through, dreading the crowd that almost certainly awaited them on the other side.
"For Heaven's Sake, Severus, what-are-you-looking-for?" Eileen Snape was practically dragging her son along the corridor.
But as hard as she was pulling, Severus was doing his best to dig in his heels, grey eyes darting around the station eagerly, scanning it for signs of something-or someone.
"I'm trying to-OW!"
"ENOUGH!" his mother shouted over his howls of pain, thin, bony fingers clamped about her son's left ear lobe. Aware of the growing stares, Mrs. Snape heaved an angry groan and began dragging both her son and his battered school trunk through the barrier.