I.
As the Hogwarts Express sped away from Kings Cross Station, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter found an empty compartment near the back of the train.
"Thought I was going to miss the train today, the way my mother carried on," James complained.
"Aw, she couldn't stand to see little James go," Sirius teased.
"Shut up," said James as he shoved Sirius inside the compartment.
"Well, I'll leave you three here. They want the prefects at the front of the train," said Remus, trying to sound casual.
"Don't let us hold you up, prefect, sir. Or should we call you Mr. Lupin now?" jeered Sirius. Shaking his head, Remus left the compartment.
"Oy! Don't forget to check out the other prefects! We need to know what we're up against this year!" James called after him. He took a seat next to Peter, while Sirius stretched across the other two seats.
"So did you have a good holiday, Peter?" asked Sirius.
"Yeah, it was all right. Went to Greece with my Mum," he answered. "I'd rather hang out with my friends, though."
"I hear you there," Sirius replied. "If I have to spend one more summer with my beloved family, I'll kill myself."
James spoke up. "While I don't have the family troubles you have, I must say it is good to be back."
"Speaking of which," said Sirius as he straightened up. "Now that we're in our fifth year, with OWLS fast approaching and all...don't you think it's time we, well, you know, start focusing more on our studies and put these childish games behind us?"
James stared at him, alarmed.
"Kidding, mate!"
James sighed. "You had me going for a moment there," he said, laughing with Peter. Sirius laid back down, and the three of them discussed their upcoming adventures.
Remus arrived back at the compartment after the lunch trolly had passed through.
"We're supposed to be patrolling the corridors now, but I figured there's enough trouble in here with you lot," he said as he sat next to Sirius, who nodded in agreement.
"So the other Gryffindor prefect is Lily Evans."
James groaned. "Not Evans! She won't cut us any slack! She'll go completely by the books...Not to mention she can't stand me."
"Oh she's not so bad-" Remus started.
"Not her, so much as the company she keeps," Sirius interrupted. "Why she has to hang out with that slimy git is beyond me."
"Who, Snape?" Peter asked.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Of course I mean Snape."
"Well didn't they grow up together or something?" Peter never quite felt comfortable with the way the others treated Snape. After all...was he himself so different? Scrawny, a misfit, and bullied. But not bullied anymore. I have friends, Peter told himself. The best friends anyone could want. Especially James...He turned his attention back to Sirius.
"...So, it's not like I love my family just because I grew up with them," Sirius was saying.
"Well, I'll just have to work my charm on her," said James confidently.
"Yeah, 'cause it has worked so well all these years," Sirius replied sarcastically. "Want a chocolate frog, Remus?" he said, tossing him one.
"Thanks," Remus replied.
James suddenly sat up. "I just remembered...I've got some news. I've been made Quidditch captain."
Peter could tell that James hadn't really forgotten, but had wanted to wait until the attention was on himself. But why should he, Peter, care? "Well done, mate," he told him. "You're the obvious choice."
"Yes, well done," Remus agreed.
Sirius grabbed his cup of pumpkin juice. "Here, here, to Remus and James, prefect and Quidditch captain," he said with mock sincerity. James and Remus laughed. Peter, however, observed them quietly.
I do have impressive friends, Peter thought. James, the star of the Quidditch team, and always sticking up for me. Remus, less popular, but respected, and now a prefect. And Sirius...not like he even needs a title, with his perfect hair and smile and with all of the girls fawning over him. The three of them are at the top in all of our classes, and everyone thinks they are so funny. So why would they want me around? Peter often wondered this. Though they had shared a dormitory, it wasn't until second year that they had become friends. Peter remembered it so clearly. Lucius Malfoy, then a sixth year, was bullying him on the train. Lucius had wanted Peter's compartment for himself. James, Sirius, and Lupin had been passing through and saw the older Slytherin taunting little Peter. James couldn't stand Lucius, so he hexed him right there in the compartment. Sirius dragged out Lucius's unconscious body and sat down in the compartment with Peter.
"Don't ever let that Slytherin arse push you around," Sirius told him. James came in next and sat down next to Peter.
"Th-thank you," Peter stuttered to his savior. He was amazed that a fellow second year would dare take on a sixth year without the slightest hesitation.
"It's no problem," said James, as he ruffled the back of his own hair.
And from then on, Peter was allowed to tag along with the gang. Although maybe we're friends more because of James's hatred for Lucius than his liking me...
Still lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed Sirius addressing him.
"Right, Peter?"
"Oh….right, I guess." Peter mumbled.
"Honestly, sometimes I don't know what's gotten in to you." Sirius narrowed his eyes at Peter.
"Sorry, mate, I'm just tired...you know..from the...time change. Yeah, must be the time change."
"Right, from Egypt."
"Actually it was Greece-" Peter started.
"Whatever." Sirius turned to James and started talking about his plans for Snape when they got off the train.
Remus checked his watch. "I think we'd better get our school robes on. We'll be there soon."
"Well, if Mr. Prefect insists…"