AN: I'm going to try and update at least once a week. Thanks for checking this story out and please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 1: Dark Times
Remus Lupin did not enjoy the drive to King's Cross as much as he usually did. Normally, his father would talk enthusiastically about cars and no matter what sorts of transportation wizards relied on, nothing was better than zooming down country roads with the autumn breeze whipping your hair. His mother would smile and remind his father that wizarding transportation was far more practical. Then they would laugh. It was a tradition for his Muggle father to ramble on about cars and just as likely that his witch mother would blather on about Floo powder and Apparition taking mere seconds.
Today, however, the atmosphere in the car was tense. His father, who Remus assumed had never quite forgiven the wizarding world for introducing him to werewolves, had been quite nervous in allowing his only son go back to a school where the main enemy of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was headmaster. Remus's mother had reasoned with him, and his father had finally accepted the fact that Remus had to go back to school. Nevertheless, it was still quite a sore topic, and none of them were feeling quite lighthearted enough to bring up conversations about cars.
When they arrived, Remus felt relieved. He wanted, more than anything, to be back with his friends. James, Peter and Sirius were just as much his family as his mother and father were. He had never been able to convey in words the magnitude of what had done for him, in becoming Animagi, but he did know that the couple months without them there during his transformations had been hell.
Remus and his parents walked through the barrier to get to Platform 9 ¾ and Remus said hurried goodbyes. Just as he was turning to try and find Sirius and the others, his father grabbed his shoulder and made him turn back.
"Be careful, please. I don't think I could stand for anything to happen to you…like what happened to those other kids in your school…" Remus winced as his father trailed off. Two Muggle-born children, along with their parents, had been murdered by Death Eaters last year. Just one sad tale in a school that was now full of them.
"I'll be careful, Dad, I promise," he said, feeling a bit exasperated. He knew he had to be careful.
His father lowered his voice. "And do everything Dumbledore tells you to. You don't need to go creating more risks for yourself-"
"Okay!" Remus said loudly. This time he felt a bit guilty. What would his father say if he knew the antics that he and his friends got up to every month? "I'm going now."
"Goodbye, Remus. Take care," his mother said. His father nodded in agreement and waved. Remus turned away just in time to see a small pudgy boy disappearing into the train.
"Peter! Hey! Wormtail!" Peter came back through the door he had just gone through, wringing his hands anxiously.
"Hey Remus," he said, smiling. "Have you seen James or Sirius?"
Remus shook his head. "Could you help me with my trunk?" Together they managed to shove the trunk in a compartment, and began looking for their other two friends. Sirius and James arrived a few minutes later, laughing together as usual.
"Hey, you two," Remus said, and he couldn't help grinning at the sight of his two happy friends, "What's so funny?"
"I was just telling James here how he's going to have to find a new partner for wreaking havoc with because I am moving out of his house at the end of the school year," Sirius said.
"How are you going to pay for a place?" Remus asked.
"Oh didn't you see him over the summer?" James asked. "He was doing shows in the park .Sirius was the one on all fours catching Frisbees for Knuts."
Remus laughed and Sirius tried to look indignant. "I'll get a job right out of Hogwarts and have my own place by August."
"Well feel free to stick around as long as you like, Padfoot," James said affectionately. "I have to go talk to the new Prefects. I'll see you later. Behave yourselves." He winked as he left the compartment. Sirius laughed.
The ride to Hogwarts was rather uneventful. James returned sometime later, and he and Sirius had a contest to see who could eat the most Chocolate Frogs. Peter watched them, cheering each on as they shoved the frogs down their throats. Remus had taken out a book and was switching between reading and staring bemusedly at Sirius and James.
When they arrived at the castle, they sat at the Gryffindor table, James attempting to entice Lily Evans into going to Hogsmeade with him for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"Come on, Evans…just give me a chance. I can be rather charming, you know…" James said, practically pleading, but managing to sound laidback at the same time.
Lily rolled her eyes, but Remus thought that she had seemed much less annoyed with James last year than in previous years and she certainly didn't seem angry now. "James Potter…when will you give up?"
"When you say yes," he said with what he clearly thought was a winning grin.
She rolled her eyes again and this time did not bother to respond. Sirius was tugging on the sleeve of James' robes as he continued to focus his attentions on Lily.
"Hey mate, don't beg. Never beg…you look pathetic," Sirius said.
"I was not begging…I was making an inquiry," James said resolutely.
"If making an inquiry involves that pitiable whinging, I'm not sure I ever want to ask anyone anything ever again," Sirius replied.
Peter and Remus laughed and James scowled.
"You know, I really like her. Maybe you can concentrate your witty efforts more on finding yourself a girlfriend, Padfoot, and less on making fun of my attempts," James muttered.
Sirius's face turned a light pink, but he quickly recovered and raised his hands in mock innocence. "Hey Prongs, I was just kidding. I didn't mean anything by it."
"I know," James said, and he appeared frustrated. "I just wish she would give me a chance."
At that moment the first years came into the Great Hall, and Professor McGonagall brought out the Sorting Hat. Everyone in the hall stared at the old hat until it began to sing:
A millennium ago
When I was just brand new
Four wizards built this school
With ambitions to pursue
They wanted to teach students
They wanted unity
But Slytherin was angry
So their union was down to three
Gryffindor was noble
He wanted to teach the brave
Ravenclaw was witty
Intelligence, she craved
Hufflepuff took everyone
As long as they would work
Slytherin liked purebloods
And ambition was a perk
When Slytherin left the school
The houses became divided
The students could care less
And I feel they were misguided
There is one thing that division encourages
A rift within the school
And with Dark times upon us
This division is a tool
We quickly learn to fear
We promptly learn to hate
These feelings, they rage on
And they never dissipate
So now I beg you
And I plead
Join together
And we shall succeed
Continue to alienate
Continue to be divided
And Hogwarts will be destroyed
By those who live inside it
Heed this warning now
And there will be no expense
Now I shall do what I fear is wrong
Let the Sorting now commence
Remus clapped along with the other students, feeling that the Sorting Hat could not have spoken more ominous words. He hadn't expected it to touch upon the Dark times. He looked to the faces of the Ravenclaws, to which the two murdered students had belonged. Their faces were somber.
Dumbledore stood up and said, "Let the feast begin."
Food appeared on the table. Everyone dug in and James seemed to be out of his previous bad mood.
"The team looks good this year," he was saying to Sirius. "We got Frollini as Keeper, she's really good. And Moore, Kraft, and Macmillan are excellent Chasers. Hughes is a decent Beater and we still have one Beater position left, but I'm sure we can find somebody decent…"
Sirius was nodding along and stuffing chicken into his mouth. He was the announcer for the Gryffindor team and liked to listen to James prattle on about the team. Remus enjoyed watching Quidditch, but he was no player himself. Still, he couldn't help but be excited, with the intensity that James devoted to the topic, anyone would be.
The chatter around the table dissipated as everyone ate, and after the meal, Dumbledore stood up to address the students.
"As always, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students. No one under third year is allowed to go into the village of Hogsmeade, and Mr. Filch would like me to remind you that there is no magic to be used in the corridors," Dumbledore said.
Remus watched James and Sirius sneak looks at Severus Snape over at the Slytherin table when Dumbledore gave the notice of no magic in the corridors. Not for the first time, Remus wished his friends weren't so obsessed with hexing 'Snivellus' as they liked to call him. It always put Remus in a somewhat awkward position as a Prefect. Hopefully, now that James was Headboy, they would cut that stuff out.
"On a more personal note," Dumbledore continued. "I would like to offer my sympathies to those of you who have lost friends and family during these Dark times. And if anyone has any problems or wishes simply to talk, you may always come to me."
Dumbledore sat down, and everyone began to exit the hall and make their way towards their common rooms. When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, James gave the password ("Acid pop!") and the Gryffindor boys trudged up the staircase and into their dormitory.
"When's the next full moon?" Sirius asked Remus as they got ready for bed.
"Two weeks," Remus muttered, not quite sure what to think that Sirius seemed to look forward to the transformations. He decided that it was a good thing. Sirius had fun romping around with him and James and Peter.
"How were your transformations over the summer?" Sirius whispered as they lay down. Remus could already hear Peter's muffled snores. He assumed the other two boys had fallen asleep.
"Okay," Remus said a bit untruthfully. "I missed Padfoot," he admitted.
Remus looked at the bed to his right. He could barely make out the outline of Sirius's face in the dark. Their eyes met for a moment, and Remus felt an odd shiver travel up his body. He pulled his blanket closer as Sirius looked away. It was rather cold in the dormitory.
AN: Was it good? Did it suck? Please review!