This is going to follow Remus through a lot of things in his life, mostly his relationship with Sirius Black. It's going to be a series of moments, one from each year of his schooling and then some more afterwards... D: Uh, yeah.
Also, I'm all about Sirius/Remus right now because of The Shoebox Project so uh that's a way huge influence on this. I'm trying to get away from it, though it'll probably have the same tone.
Remus Lupin fell in love his very first day on the Hogwarts Train.
He had been wandering the corridors of the train wide-eyed, amazed that no one here knew what he was. It had been frightening to say the least, but thrilling, and he was irrationally (and oh, he knew it) afraid that if he looked someone in the eye long enough, they'd see the wolf staring back, tell everyone what he was, and then he'd have to go back home.
So he was avoiding eye contact with anyone, which made it hard to make friends, which was really what he wanted to do. But for once in his life, Remus Lupin's luck won out.
As he walked past a shut compartment, an arm suddenly reached out and dragged him in. He found himself pulled down and onto a seat next to a small fat boy, and watched as the boy who had presumably pulled him into the apartment also sat down.
He glanced around at these strangers. There were four people in the compartment including himself. The other two sat across from him. There was one with messy black hair and hazel eyes, who slouched in his seat and had a sort of smirky smile. And the one who Remus Lupin had been dragged into this by had claimed the window seat, and was busy covering it in breath-condensation and doodling in it. Remus couldn't really see his face.
"My name is James Potter," said the one with the hazel eyes and messy hair.
"I'm Sirius Black," said the one doodling in the window, turning towards them and giving them a brilliant smile that relaxed into a cheerful smirk, and that was when Remus fell in love. (He didn't know what it was at the time, of course. But it was what it was, and that was what he came to call it later on. Close enough, anyway.)
Sirius Black had clever grey eyes, and they surveyed both Remus and the other boy for a moment before he spoke.
"You're here because we didn't want anyone uncool taking up space in our compartment," he announced, and James nodded imperiously. But it was Sirius who gave off the impression of a prince. Remus had never before had a clear picture of the words dashing and regal, but he did when he saw Sirius. Of course, another word that came to mind was spoiled. Remus ignored it. "You are cool, aren't you?" Sirius added, surveying them again and with a flick of his head, tossing any stray hair out of his face. It was decidedly one of the cooler things Remus had ever seen.
The boy next to Remus looked absolutely delighted to be considered cool, and nodded fervently. Remus correctly deduced that that was uncool, and so, in what he hoped was a disaffectedly sophisticated manner, he said, "Yeah, we're cool." He would have felt bad if the other boy got kicked out.
Sirius and James seemed to approve, nodding slowly at them.
"That's good," Sirius said. "What are your names?"
"Remus Lupin," Remus said, just as the other boy said, "Peter Pettigrew". But Sirius and James caught the names anyway, and stuck out their hands in a manly way. They all shook hands, masculinely, though Remus felt distinctly excited at the thought of shaking Sirius's hand.
"So, we're all going to be Gryffindors, right?" said Sirius.
"Right," said James, looking at Remus and Peter. They both nodded, although Remus had never thought of himself as particularly brave.
"And now we need a name," said Sirius. "Now that all that's out of the way. Any wickedly awesome suggestions?"
They all thought for a moment.
"Musketeers?" suggested Peter Pettigrew.
"Taken," said Sirius, frowning at him, though not completely unkindly. "Plus, there are four of us."
"Oh, right." Peter blushed, embarrassed. Remus felt a little bit bad for him.
He glanced at Sirius, and tried to remember words from the books he'd read. Growing up as a werewolf, ink and paper had a tendency to be kinder than the kids on his street, so he'd stuck with his books for most of his life. He knew a lot of words, some of them cooler than others.
Finally, one came to him that reminded him of Sirius.
"Marauders," he said. "It sounds... wild. Untamed. Like we're... like we can do anything we want."
Sirius gaped at him.
"I told you, James," he said triumphantly, elbowing the other boy. James nodded coolly. "I told you, nobody that I would catch from the corridors would be uncool. This one's bloody brilliant. Marauders." He tested the word on his tongue. "It's perfect. You'd better be in Gryffindor. I'd hate to think we stole that word from you."
"Too right," agreed James. "We can't use it if he's not with us. It'd be... unchivalrous."
They nodded at each other.
"So, we're the Marauders," said Sirius. "And we'll be up in Gryffindor Tower, away from those bloody Slytherins and their greasy ways. Like that git from earlier, and that loser redhead with him-"
Remus had no idea what Sirius was talking about.
"That's no way to talk about a lady," said James, scowling at him. "Hint: If you want to be in Gryffindor, start bloody acting like one. That means no insulting girls. 'Specially not the pretty ones."
"Oh, but you heard her," Sirius taunted him. "She likes the brainy ones. Sorry mate, you're out of luck."
Remus sat back and watched them argue, unable to keep at least a small smile off of his face.
Friends.
He had friends. Real friends.
"Sirius Black!"
A moment's silence. Remus Lupin, far back in the line, held his breath. On the train, Sirius had told them all about his Slytherin-obsessed family.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. He sighed with relief.
More names were called, and finally, Remus was next.
He pulled on the Hat.
"Let's see now." It had a wheezy voice. "Smart, very smart," it commented. "Ravenclaw would make you very happy indeed... Ooh, and a big secret, too. Don't worry. It's safe with me."
I don't know who you'd tell, Remus thought back at it. And I want to be in Gryffindor.
"And a little bit cheeky. That's perfectly all right... Slytherins are supposedly the cheeky ones, you know."
I don't want to be in Slytherin.
"Ahh," said the Hat knowingly. "Yes, friends are important- that's why you want to be in Gryffindor, isn't it? But such a Hufflepuff mentality about it. You're so very loyal to them, and you only just met them. Definitely not Slytherin, you know. It's not for you... the guile and the ambition. No, I won't put you there."
Thanks.
"It was very brave of you to come here," said the Hat. "Very reckless. Very bold. Very much without concern for the safety of the other students. But I know Dumbledore. Nobody will get hurt while you are here. But still... And even with the fear that your secret will be found out, and you'll be shunned, just as you were..."
I had to try, at least. I had to come. I never thought of it like that.
"They never do." The Hat sighed. "That's the mark of a true Gryffindor."
Without warning, the voice suddenly grew deafening. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius grinned at him, and Remus joined him at the table.
"Congratulations, mate..." he said to Sirius.
"You too. This is brilliant," said Sirius, practically glowing. "My parents are going to go mad. This is the best day of my life. I have been waiting for this for years."
The Hat chose Gryffindor for James as soon as it hit his head, and he strutted towards them. He congratulated Sirius. Sirius bowed. Peter Pettigrew took a long time.
"Longer than you, mate," said James, staring at him.
The Hat was more hesitant this time. "GRYFFINDOR."
Peter joined them, grinning. "I made it, guys! The Hat wasn't sure but then it said, okay! I did it. I'm in Gryffindor."
"Great," said Sirius, still glowing with pride. "The Marauders are all together. That's us. And we're going to have to let everyone know it."
"The Marauders will be the kings of the school," said James. "Everyone will fear us, and be amazed by us."
"I will tattoo it on my arm- no, on my head," Sirius continued. "And yes, I am serious about that. Ha-ha. Serious. Sirius."
They all laughed, too busy basking in the glow of their recent Sorting to care that it wasn't funny.
"Seven years," said James. "Seven years in which to wreak havoc on Hogwarts students and make them remember us for years after. Seven years to become brilliant wizards. Seven years of Sirius making seriously terrible puns on his name."
"I am brilliant," said Sirius. "Nobody at Hogwarts will ever forget it."
And at that moment, the Head Boy (whose hair Sirius decided to turn pink later) rounded them up and led them to the dormitory.