It was September already (Remus couldn't believe how quickly the summer holidays had sped by), and the Marauders were all at platform nine and three-quarters, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
As Sirius hailed him from his place in the queue near the magical barrier that led to the Hogwarts Express, Remus grinned madly. "Oi, Moony! Over here, mate!"
Remus ran to his best friends and they all piled into a hug, arms in a confused tangle and hands slapping backs randomly. "It's good to see you," Remus remarked, playfully punching Sirius on the shoulder.
"Come on, let's get a compartment!"" James yelled over the clamor of squeaking trolleys, hooting owls and milling peers. Dashing ahead, with Peter puffing in James's wake, Sirius and Remus were left behind rather quickly.
"Blimey, Moony, hurry up!" Sirius raised an eyebrow as he noticed Remus lagging behind him somewhat.
"For Merlin's sake, Padfoot! I'm coming! No need to get touchy." Remus continued at the same, languorous pace as before, not feeling the slightest need to hurry up any.
"Just saying ..." Sirius smirked. "What's got you walking so slow, anyway? Get a new book over the holidays?"
Frowning slightly, Remus replied, "Yes, actually, I did. And what ever is the matter with taking one's time to get to the train?"
Sirius snickered. "Right, I forgot, you like quiet ... and the train can get pretty loud at times."
Remus smiled softly. "Especially if two of the occupants are you and James."
Sirius was indignant, protesting loudly. "Oi, there's nothing wrong with a good prank. I have to admit, Moony, you're brilliant--when you want to be."
Remus sighed, frowning again, though Sirius could tell that his heart really wasn't in the rebuke. "Yes, I suppose so, unfortunately."
"What's got you so up tight, Moony?"
"I think the proper expression in this case would be thoughtful, Pads." Remus corrected. "One would think you'd know that by now."
"Yeah, thoughtful." Sirius muttered. "Anyway ..."
A feminine shriek interrupted Sirius's musings. "Potter! You insufferable git! You have a scull as thick as Mount Everest! Leave me alone!"
Knowing immediately who the voice belonged to, Sirius chuckled. "You couldn't call it a good year without Prongs getting hexed by Evans, eh?"
"I don't blame her." Once more, Remus repeated the monologue he had been saying for the last five years. "Prongs isn't exactly what anyone would call charming."
"Oh, my God," Sirius breathed in disbelief. The reason for his wide eyes and gaping mouth became apparent to Remus when he saw James approaching, his nose swollen to five times its normal size. "Wow! She really did a number on you this time, mate."
"Prongs, I don't think you should talk," Remus warned, but his words came too late.
"Win' t' Lily t' say 'ello, an' she call'd be a' 'n'suff'r'ble git--whuuuuuuush!!!"
"Ew'w'w'w'w'w'w!!! Prongs!!!" Sirius's exclamation of utter horror at having James's snot cascading down his face was muffled by the loud, slightly reedy whistle of the train.
"Come on," Remus said worriedly, peering ahead to see that a lot of compartments had filled up over the course of their lollygagging. Considering the position Sirius was in, Remus sighed, and drawing his wand from where it had been safely tucked away in the front pocket of his robes, he pointed it quickly at Sirius's face and muttered "Scourgify."
"I don't think that's going to stop anytime soon," Sirius smirked, grinning at James. "Thanks, Moony," he added.
"Wa's Mou't--whaaashuuush--Ev'res'?""
"Honestly, Prongs, you took Muggle Studies." Remus chastised. Sighing both at the hopelessly careless way he treated anything in the Muggle world with no consideration, and at the spell Lily had cast on him, Remus shot another scourgify charm, this time at James.
Sirius grinned again as he said, "Yeah, but the only reason he did was because he knew that he could get a passing grade. You and your brilliantness," Moony."
"Padfoot, that isn't even a word. and yes, I'm reconsidering all those years I helped you guys. I should sit back and see what would happen if I didn't." Remus mused, a small smile playing around his mouth.
"Hey!" James gasped in mock horror. "'ow would you feel when we got our marks back, knoing that you'd failed uz?"
"Unrepentant, honestly," Remus said with a chuckle.
In truth, he didn't mind helping out his friends all that much--especially Peter, the least skilled of any of the Marauders. The poor boy couldn't get anything straight, except in Muggle Studies--and this was only because he was a Muggleborn.