Today was the day. Finally. He had dreamed about this day for as long as he could understand what Hogwarts was. He sat up in bed, throwing the blanket backwards. His glasses affixed to his face, he looked around the room. He had been his whole life sleeping in this room, and now, for the first time ever, he would be sleeping in a different room for the majority of the year, for the next seven years.
His trunk was packed and waiting by the front door. His rucksack sat by his bedroom door, waiting for a few last minute addtions, such as his toothbrush and hair brush. The rucksuck contained his new uniform, to change into on his journey, and his wand, purchased at Ollivander's two weeks prior. He also had a book to add it, as he had been awake reading the Defense Against the Dark Arts book. It was his dream to be an Auror, and he couldn't wait for Hogwarts to teach him all he needed to know.
He ventured to his bathroom, where he had a lengthy shower, enjoying the warm water. He hoped Hogwarts' showers were as good as his ones home. He hopped out and put on his plain clothes, that would help him blend in amongst the Muggles at the train station. He put the last of his needed belongings into his rucksuck, then made his way down to the kitchen, looking forward to one last breakfast with his parents before he left for Hogwarts.
Yes, James Potter lived a charmed life, but Hogwarts was a new adventure that he couldn't wait to begin.
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"Get up! I said, get up you lazy little prick!"
He raised his had off the pillow, listening to his mother shout at him through the door. Merlin forbid she enter the room and actually look at him as she woke him up. Surely the other kids off to Hogwarts were woken up a lot nicer. Then again, their parents were probably actually sad to see them leaving, whereas his parents had counted down to this day since he was born.
He looked at his trunk and rucksuck, double checking in his mind that he had packed everything he needed. He could see the tip of his wand, begrudgingly purchased by his mother the day before, poking out of the top of his rucksack. He couldn't wait to learn how to use it. Maybe he could learn a spell that would make his life better.
He looked at the time, noticing it was already ten, so gathered his belongings and made his way to the downstairs' kitchen where his mother instructed him to meet her. When he got there, he found no breakfast waiting, not even a glass of juice.
"Right", she began, "we ain't coming to the station with you. Kreacher will take you and tell you what wall to run into. Don't disgrace our name, gottit? We're a proud family, and you should be honoured to be a part of Slytherin, like the rest of us. Now, go." She left the room, probably to get a start on her daily hobby of polishing off a bottle or four of mead. Kreacher appeared, ready to Apparate the both of them to King's Cross Station.
Sirius didn't care about disgracing the family name. He didn't even want to be in Slytherin. in fact, he wanted to be in Gryffindor. That'll show his gargoyle of a mother - he would not be like the rest of them.
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He hadn't slept much. The anticipation and nerves was getting to be too much. Maybe he should ask his parents to write to Professor Dumbledore and ask if he can behomeschooled. Surely that would be safer, for everyone. What if he hurt someone? What if he killed someone? Besides, it wasn't like he would be able to have friends. How would anyone believe the lie his parents had concocted - his 'ill mother' who required monthly visits. Did they really think that people would believe that for a whole seven years?
He could smell breakfast being made - toast with jam and a cup of tea. His absolute favourite, it was a breakfast that made him feel normal, like a proper wizard. Both of his parents were sat at the kitchen table, both beaming at him. The night before, his mother had helped him pack his trunk, and his rucksack. They'd looked at his wand together, marvelling at the lovely engravings on it. It seemed to him, too pretty a wand for child werewolf. But his parents were adamant - the wand chooses the wizard, and this wand chose him.
"Are you excited, son? Just think about how much fun you're going to have. Hogwarts was one of the best times of my life, and I got to meet your mum there. Maybe you'll find your wife too!"
"Oh, don't listen to your father. Just go and have fun - but make sure you take everything in. Hogwarts isn't the best school because of nothing!"
He listened to his parents talk about Hogwarts, almost as if they forgot there was no way he was going to be able to have a normal time there. He would be lucky to have even one friend.
Remus' parents did not have a lot of money, but they had a lot of love for their son, even after the bite had been made. It was a love Remus was scared of leaving, even temporarily. The nerves that had kept him all night instensifed, and he ate his breakfast quietly, not knowing what to expect about what was to come.
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He looked around the table, his mother and father sitting across from him. His father had been able to start late that day at work, as he had wanted to enjoy a last meal with the family before his son went off to Hogwarts. They all chatted about rather mundane topics, such as the weather and who won the Quidditch match the previos weekend. His mother once again told his father about their trip into Diagon Alley for school supplies, and how there had been so many Muggleborns. She claimed to have never seen that many in the stores.
Eventually, the topic turned to him, and how he was feeling about heading to Hogwarts. He told them he was excited, but that he would miss them both, and promised to write them weekly. Truthfully, he would write to them daily but would only send one letter a week. He was not ready to leave this home. His mother did not work,and had not since shortly before his birth. She kept the house - washing, cooking, cleaning. His father didn't have to lift a finger and nor did he. But what would it be like at Hogwarts? Would they have someone there to look after him like his mother?
Peter was a mix of emotions at the thought of heading off to Hogwarts today, and even considered saying he did not feel well. Before he knew it, he was being bundled up and led out the door. This was it, time to become a big kid.
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James was standing on the platform, looking around. There were peopele everywhere - students that were as new as him and even starting their final year of education. There were parents seeing their children off, who really were to catch up with their friends who were also seeing off their children. Any chance to socialise these people. He said a warm goodbye to his parents, then climbed aboard the train, hoping to find an empty compartment so he didn't have to deal with the awkwardness of asking to join other people already in compartments. He found an empty one, stowed his owl overheard and rucksuck under his feet, before sitting and getting ready to depart the platform. He looked out the window, where his eye was caught by pretty girl with red hair.
Sirius had been shown the wall by Kreacher, who promptly disappeared upon receiving confirmation Sirius knew what wall he meant. This didn't help much, as Sirius didn't know what the wall meant. He moved closer, and watched as a family of three ran at the wall. Then poof! They disappeared through the wall! He knew this is what head to do. He made his way to the wall, before running at the wall. Anticipating a hurt head, he actually felt himself fall through, and so had to pull himself up so as to not fall into anyone. He looked around at the scene in front of him, but saw some of his father's associates, and so thought it would be best to just board the train. He left his trunk with the porter, then climbed onto the train, having to walk to the end of the carriage before he found the least full compartment - there was just one boy in this one and he was staring out the window, so didn't even notice Sirius enter.
Remus hugged his parents one last time, still unsure if this was the right idea. He hopped onto the train, hoping to find an empty compartment. Unfortunately, he had arrived quite late and therefore all of the compartments he walked past were full. He walked throught the first and second carriages without a single vacancy. It was until he reached the end of the third carriage that he actually found a compartment that only had two people in there - another two boys. He weighed up his options - he could keep walking through the train but risk there being no other space and returning to this one just to find it full, or he could just be strong and walk through the door.
He went with option number two. He even decided to really be strong.
"Hi there, I'm Remus. Remus Lupin. How are you two today?"
Both James and Sirius had been in their own worlds but turned to face Remus when he spoke. They both took him in, thinking alike in that they both thought he looked quite thin and small, and that the pupils of his eyes looked a bit different. He seemed nice enough to them though.
"Hey there, I'm James Potter! I'm good, how are you?"
"I'm Sirius. Black. But please don't hold that against me."
The three boys quicky lapsed into an easy and comfortable conversation while they waited for the train's horn to sound. As it did, the door to their compartment opened a fourth time.
"Hello! I am Peter. Can I sit with you guys?"
That train ride was one that none of the four boys expected. They spoke about themselves, about their hopes for Hogwarts and what houses they wanted to be in. They all figured that they would never speak again, because honestly, who makes lifelong friends on the train trip to Hogwarts? No, they thought these conversations would be insiginficant after this trip, but they would repeat them, again and again for many years to come. All because of their first meeting.