Title: Before They Were Marauders
Author: Kararen
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters…only this plot.
Author's Note: I was sitting in the waiting room at the hospital waiting for a pre-op appointment (I'm having surgery on my knee next week) and was early and had an hour to kill, so I thought I'd do some writing since I haven't done any since the summer (sorry about that readers!). Anyhow, that's how this got started. This is the first day of school of the Marauders. I'm taking it from an outsider view. It'll start on Platform 9 ¾, and follow their first day at Hogwarts. I might even add some chapters before this one of them each going to Diagon Alley, and a bit of their lives before Hogwarts. We'll see how it goes. So, anyhow, enjoy!
-Chapter One-
The Platform
It was the first of September and Kings Cross Station was busy as usual, but today, one with a keen eye might have noticed something different about that day's crowd, particularly in between platforms nine and ten. Dozens of young kids passed with their parents with their trunks in tow, quite often with an owl on it. Any ordinary person might have supposed a train to one of Britain's prestigious boarding schools was leaving that day, but a more careful observation would have noticed that none of these kids got on to a train at either of the two platforms. One might be slightly confused at this observation, but if they were to continue watching, they might see something unbelievable happen…something magical.
~*~
A boy with unusually untidy black hair stood near the barrier between the two platforms. He had a trunk that bore the initials 'J.P.' on the side, and a cage covered by a gold sheet. A grin spread across the boy's face as his parents gave him the okay to proceed. He grabbed hold of the trolley his trunk was on, squinted his hazel eyes, and took a run straight at the wall. Just before he reached it he held his breath, but instead of the expected collision, he just kept running. He stopped to find himself staring at a red engine bearing the name, 'The Hogwarts Express'.
He had dreamed of this day for years. Being from a highly respected family, he had heard too many stories about Hogwarts School to count. Finally he would learn how to do magic. He was a wizard after all, and he was expected to become a very talented wizard, just like the rest of his family.
"Let's find you a seat shall we James?" his mother said to him softly.
"That's alright mum, I can find one on my own! I see that boy I met in Diagon Alley last week, Sirius. I'll find a place with him."
"All right son. You're going to have a wonderful year. You'll make a terrific Gryffindor. Work hard, make yourself some good friends and…"
"…and please behave yourself," his mother chimed in.
"But what's the fun in that?" James asked.
"You'd do well to do as your mother tells you son!" his father said.
James sighed. He hated promising his parents he'd follow all the rules. That left no fun for the imagination. Just as he was going to agree, he saw his father wink while his mother looked the other way. James winked back quickly.
"I'll do my best mum!" he said quickly. His father gave him a hug, his mother a hug and kiss, and he turned to the train and stepped on. He couldn't wait to start his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it was going to be the start of the best years of his life.
~*~
"Sirius! Get back here!" a woman screeched across the platform.
A brown haired boy stopped in his tracks. He knew better than to disobey an order.
"You don't know what kind of mudblood filth might be here," she snarled. "Remember what I told you, now! You are not to associate with anything but purebloods. It's such a disgrace how many half breeds there are, and even worse are the mudbloods. It's a shame that they allow them to go to the same school…but that's Dumbledore for you."
Sirius had heard this all before. He was used to lecturing like this.
"Your father would be disgusted if he could be here. But he expects from you the same thing as I expect. You will do as I say. You are not to disgrace this family! Remember that you are a Black! Take pride in our name and you'll turn out to be a good son yet. Though Regulus is much better behaved than you ever were, you still have a chance to show us you can make us proud. You will do well in your studies, you will respect your fellow pure-bloods, and you'd do best to stick within Slytherin House."
"Yes, maim," Sirius answered respectfully.
"Now go, I can't stand to be in this place with these ingrates any longer."
He obediently turned and lifted his trunk onto the train. He stepped off the platform onto the train and felt an enormous weight lift off his shoulders. He was only eleven, but already he had begun questioning everything his parents told him. He simply could not believe so many people to be such despicable things and he was curious in fact to see what people who weren't pure-blood witches or wizards were like. It would be quite an adventure going to the same school as them, and he could do it without his mother breathing down his back. He was free to be himself.
~*~
"Do you really think he'll be all right going?" a woman whispered to her husband as a young boy with light coloured hair walked in front of them.
"We've worked it all out with Dumbledore. He'll be just fine. He's a good lad, and besides, he can't be kept in the house forever!" he whispered back.
"Well, I suppose but…"
"No buts. We decided if it's possible for him to he needs to go to school. He won't want us to support him forever. Besides, he needs to have some friends his own age. It's part of being a boy."
"I know, but I'll worry about him so,"
"I'll be fine mum," the boy chimed in. His parents couldn't possibly have believed he could not hear them.
"Oh, I know you will Remus, but you know your…condition…makes it hard," his mother added.
"It'll be fine. You said Dumbledore has made good arrangements. As long as no one else knows it'll be fine."
At this point the three of them had reached the train and began loading Remus' things.
"Now remember Remus, you are to go straight to the hospital wing after dinner on the day all right? Dumbledore will have everything set up and everything will be fine. Take care of yourself. Don't forget to keep us informed each time and let us know that everything went okay," his father told him for the hundredth time.
"We're really going to miss you Remus," his mother said as she hugged him.
"I'll miss you too!" the boy replied.
"Take care," said his father giving him a hearty handshake.
And with that, Remus got onto the train. He had never been away from his parents before. And it was for a specific reason he did not like to share with people. His parents were the only friends he had. He had no idea how he would survive at school, but he was determined to. He had dreamed of attending Hogwarts for a long time, but he was sure it would never happen.
"Whoever this Dumbledore man was must be really great to let people like me go here," he thought to himself.
He turned, gave a final wave to his parents, and made his way in.
~*~
"Quickly Peter, or you'll miss the train!" said a man, addressing a rather round boy.
"I…I can't. It's a wall," his son replied.
"Don't be a coward, you know perfectly well this is how you get to school," the woman who was clearly his mother said.
"Let's go!" said the man, and he put his hand on his son's shoulder and walked him through the barrier onto Platform nine and three quarters.
Peter held his eyes shut the entire time and had to be pushed though.
"Now, Peter, try to find some nice friends. Just try to be like the others okay?" his mother said.
"Yes, Peter, just do what you need to do. You have to look out for yourself because there won't be anyone else there to do it for you. All right?" said his father.
"I'll try," Peter replied quietly.
"Now get on the train before it leaves without you," his dad instructed.
Peter stepped up to the edge of the platform, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the train. He had never had many friends, but he knew he wouldn't be able to make it through the school year without any, so he decided that he would do whatever it took to find some worth having.
~*~
Parents, younger siblings, and even a few krups stood watching as the red engine's whistle blew and began to move. Hundreds of kids, ages eleven to eighteen were on their way to a wonderful year learning witchcraft and wizardry at Hogwarts school. Adventure lay ahead for them all!
~~~~~
Author's Note: There we go, first one done! Let me know what you think! The next chapter will be aboard the Hogwarts Express.