Today was the perfect day to be shipped off to a most prestigious, hard-to-get-into school. The sun was shining high in the sky, while the clouds blocked a portion of the heat to prevent anyone from becoming stifling hot. Everyone was friendly to those who were here for their first time.
At least, that's how it was in Remus Lupin's mind. This was possibly the worst day ever. For the eighth time that day, Remus wondered if he should just go back home. This school was no place for a werewolf. He thought of all the students he might put into jeopardy despite having the Whomping Willow and the Shrieking Shack set up for his transformations.
Having made his split second decision, Remus turned around to leave…. And walked right into someone and fell backward.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
"What are you doing heading this way?" Remus flinched at the tone. "The train's that way." The person he ran into pointed behind him. Remus was up on his feet and already making his way around the person he quickly identified as a boy around his age.
"Excuse me, but I must be going."
"You're not even on the train yet and you're already giving up." Remus stopped.
"I won't fit in." The boy laughed at his words.
"I'm Sirus Black, and you are?"
"Remus Lupin."
Sirius grabbed Remus' hand and with his free hand he took his luggage and dragged him onto the train despite the protests. He made his way down to the end of the train and into the last compartment on the right. Practically throwing Remus down on a seat and Sirius set the luggage up on the rack beside his own.
As if Remus' day couldn't get any worse, the train's conductor announced that they were about to depart. As soon as he stood up, the train lurched forward sending him back into the seat. Remus growled in frustration at being stuck. He looked at Sirius Black and glared. The boy in front of him laughed.
"Give it till Christmas, if you still don't like being here then you can just not come back during the break."
"I know I'm going to regret this, but I'll give it a try."
"Good."
Remus stood up and removed a book from his trunk and sat back down. Just as he opened to the first page, the door burst open. A tall, scrawny boy with messy black hair and glasses and a short, slightly pudgy boy stumbled into the room laughing.
"Do-Do you mind if we sit here?" The one with the glasses had trouble speaking in between laughs.
Sirius looked toward Remus as if silently asking if he didn't mind getting his space invaded. The werewolf in him didn't like to be too close to other people. It despised close contact. Remus scooted toward the window and signaled that he was okay even though he really wasn't.
"We've got plenty of room."
Remus and Sirius soon found out that the skinny one was James Potter and the pudgy one was Peter Pettigrew.
"So… What was so funny?" Sirius had a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"It was Snape. We hexed his luggage to dance in the hall."
"That's awful. What would make you do such a thing to him?"
"He was picking on Peter."
"If it makes you feel better Remus, I did tell him to stop."
"Yeah like once. After that you were laughing your arse off."
"Language!"
"Oh come now, my good Remus," Sirius wrapped an arm around him, "We are finally away from home and here you are trying to ruin it for us."
"Then blame it on yourself. I wasn't even going to come but you dragged me onto the train."
"Why didn't you wanna come?" All eyes were on Remus.
He couldn't tell them what the reason was because they would freak and he might lose his only chance at finally having friends.
"It's just that—um…" Remus sighed. Where to start?
"What's wrong?"
"I don't get along with people that well."
"Is that it? Is that all? God Remus! We thought it was something bad like you were a werewolf or something."
Remus laughed nervously avoiding Sirius' eyes. I'll have o be really careful around them. This really was bad idea.