September 1st 1977

Boarding the train was bound to be hard. It would be the beginning of an end. Boarding the train would mean resigning herself to the truth. This was her last year at Hogwarts. As a muggle born witch, it could be the last time she would be around people of her kind. Witches and wizards, the only people who, like her, were able to use magic. For many muggle borns, it was uncertain after their time at Hogwarts whether they would stay within the magical community. The transition was often something people found too difficult. The prejudices of her time, outweighing the integrity and passion of most muggleborns. One of her greatest hopes was to be able to live within the world she cherished, being able to make a life for herself within it. However as a muggleborn, an almost seconds class citizen, that dream was near impossible. Bidding her parents goodbye at the front of King's Cross Station, she made her way to the entrance of the platform. They didn't understand it, and although they tried, they never would. It wasn't something that was expected of a muggle parent, nor was it something they were prepared for. As she made her way towards the gate, she wondered, how would they take her leaving? How would they feel, if she truly left them for the wizarding world? Would they understand? Would they be disappointed, dishonoured by her abandoning? A loud sigh fell from her lips, there was to be no point in worrying. All she could do now, was live and enjoy her final year at Hogwarts, let what was to come, remain that. The future. As she walked, she noticed many familiar faces, all impatiently waiting for their turn to enter the platform. Coming to her turn, she closed her eyes and ran towards the wall joining the platforms, separating her world from the muggle one. She smiled as she came out of the other end. As she inhaled, her eyes widened in awe. The bustle and final mad rush would never fail to astound her. Wizards of every age crowded the platform in an attempt to board the train and make last minute goodbyes. Young first years scampered around, chasing cats and owls in a flurry, some shyer children choosing to hide behind their parents. The sixth year students looking down on them, a fond look hidden behind a mask of exasperation. Objects and animals zoomed over her head through spells gone wrong and accidents. This was the world she loved and belonged in. Leaving it would surely break her heart. She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. For now, she would enjoy her final year. Make the memories of her friends and her time at Hogwarts last for an eternity. She plastered a smile on her face and boarded the train, walking towards her usual compartment. As she walked through the train she took note of the looks thrown her way. Sheepish grins and awed looks from anxious first years and friendly, appeasing smiles from the students of fifth year. These looks would change through time. The first years would become cocky and confident, looking at their predecessors with a challenge rather than with respect. Many, if not most, of the fifth years would adapt, and see themselves as a higher class as they transitioned into their sixth year. All looks, and all ideals, were constantly changing within the people of her world. The looks that would never change came from those from her year. The playful grins from her fellow Gryffindors, the challenging smirks from her friends in Ravenclaw, and the heartfelt waves from the Hufflepuffs. These people had made the last five years of her life something worth cherishing. They had, in some way, become a part of her. Never changing, never faltering. Turning towards the direction of her compartment, a half formed smile upon her lips, she was met with glares and looks of contempt, thrown her way from Evan Rosier and his group of mindless minions. Just what I needed, she thought. Evan Rosier was one of Hogwarts, and indeed Slytherins, most notorious pureblood supremacists, believing that 'mudbloods', like her, were dirt. From their very first day at Hogwarts, all those years ago, Evan had made it his personal mission to do her harm, due to her 'inability' to see her place in his world. For years, he had sectioned her out, causing constant trouble for her, paying more attention to harming her, than to any other muggleborn at school. His mentality troubled her. To him, the harming of muggleborns seemed to cause some perverse and sadistic pleasure. She would have given anything to show him her skills, to prove to him that she was not some piece of meat for him to abuse. Sighing, she swallowed hard and pushed back her pride. Today was not the day to fight. No matter what, she would not let them see how much they affected her. Her ego and pride would not give them the grace of a reaction. Rolling her steely grey eyes, she flashed them a trademark grin, walking past with her head held high. When she passed, she allowed herself a triumphant smile, his taunts from behind, faded to a dull murmur, until she could no longer hear them. It took her no time to find and settle into her usual compartment, the sense of belonging filling her. As tradition seemed to demand, she was the first one there. Smiling, she turned to the window to stare fondly to the platform. Everything here radiated of home. The outward use of magic, the people, the noises and the atmosphere of pure, unadulterated happiness. It was more of a home than she ever could have hoped for. The train jumped forward with a sudden pull, causing her to start. She sighed and leant back into her seat. She would never get used to that. Closing her eyes, she breathed slowly and inwardly. The boys would turn up soon, she thought. They tended to.

Sirius Black chuckled loudly as he made his way through the now moving Hogwarts Express.

"Now that," he grinned wildly "is how you begin the year."

Beside him, his closest friend, James Potter laughed, his round, dirty glasses falling as his body shook. The two boys were followed closely by Remus Lupin, a werewolf boy whom they had sworn to protect since their first meeting. Their friend Peter was nowhere to be found.
"Was that really wise?" Remus asked, the glint in his eyes betraying his serious and paternal tone.

Sirius slowed slightly in order to walk side by side with Remus. Draping an arm over his friend's shoulders he simply shook his head.
"Remus, in all the years you have known me, how many times have I done something wise?" he asked, a mocking tone emerging.

Remus rolled his eyes and muttered in a near silent whisper, "I could count on one hand."

In the compartments behind the boys, loud shouts and exasperated gasps had begun to erupt. James turned to the two boys walking behind him. "Shall we?"
Remus gave an enthusiastic nod as he shrugged Sirius' arm from his shoulder. Sirius' eyes widened in mock offense, but his wide smile remained. They each looked at one another in turn, each meeting a smiling face. James was the first to bolt away, running towards the compartment, Sirius on his tail almost instantly. Remus laughed loudly and followed after a second's reluctance. James and Sirius crashed into the door of their compartment simultaneously, Remus reaching them mere seconds later. Sirius straightened up, grinning widely from ear to ear. On his left, James had doubled over in fits of hysterical laughter, and on his right, a nervous Remus shifted from foot to foot, a sheepish grin shining on his face. Looking up at the three boys, a look of fast fading irritation upon her face was a young girl with skin of china white, and hair the colour of the darkest autumn leaves, just as they are caught in the last failing lights of the day. Her piercing eyes of ocean blue met his of steely grey for an instant, a small and wonderful smile crossing her soft features. Never would he admit the feeling of calm purpose he felt through locking eyes, or when she fixed him with her blindingly genuine smile. Stop it, he thought, you're starting to sound like James. Her name was Joanna, Joanna Redfern. She was a muggleborn girl from an English town, where magic was an unknown pleasure to almost all of its inhabitants. From her first day at Hogwarts, Sirius had been drawn to her. Perhaps it was her smile, so unrestrained and forthright. Or perhaps it was her manner and ideals. It had been obvious from their first encounter that they shared the same ideals on the world, the same free spirited view of how the world should have been. Her liberal and unrelenting nature had led many to believe negatively in her. However, Sirius and his friends had always admired her courage and gall, something which had laid way to the foundations of their friendship. From even their earliest days at Hogwarts, the group had felt a strong and fluid dynamic with the girl, involving her in many of their pranks and their frequently debauched adventures. Whatever the reason, Sirius did not resent it for a moment. To him, she was a light clinging to him in the darkness, pulling him towards a brighter life, with a quirk of an eyebrow and a raise of a smirk. He would never admit this to anyone, not even his fellow Marauders. Why should he? Yes, they were brothers, but this was different. Even he was unaware of his true feelings towards her. Best now to play the companion, the friend in the daylight, he thought. Letting any and all thoughts of his true feelings fall, to the inner depths of his mind, he nodded to James and Remus, smirking as he did so. Opening the door to the compartment, Sirius strutted towards her, an enigmatic and exaggerated smile upon his lips.

"Jo," he near hollered "my favourite little…"
He stopped, her eye roll was enough to tell him he was treading on narrow ground. Plastering a mock look of hurt upon his features, he slumped into the adjoining seat of the compartment. He could feel the smirk from the girl on his right as both James and Remus piled into the compartment. A slight nudge of her foot against his leg caused his gaze to fall upon her, grinning widely. Her laugh, loud and wild, filled the compartment, the beginning of many which were to be heard upon that journey. The conversation among the group flowed easily, as if by some natural force. Many grins and laughs were exchanged, among stories of adventures and a summer gone by. If told in the years previous to this, that his life would become filled with the joy of friendship and family, he would have laughed, the bitter stain of his home life would have made sure of that. Yet now, through the hospitality of the Potter's, and the loyalty of his friends, he was happy, in all senses of the word. He had all that could ever be needed. Love, a family and a future of adventures and wonder, waiting for him to grasp it. Turning to look at his friends, the people he cared most about in the world, he allowed himself the grace of a smile. Not a smile found in the throes of laughter, or in the slyness of a retort. A smile which is not seen by anyone, nor is it meant to be. At that moment, Sirius smiled a smile of the purest kind. One filled with love and trust and, most importantly, hope. This year, he realised, was only the beginning. It was the end of an era; no doubts were made about that. Yet, with the ending of this year, his future could begin. He could become the man he wanted, separate from the dark cloud of his family's past. This was the year that his life would begin.