Hogwarts; A Home
James was standing amongst a group of friends, leaning with one arm on his upright trunk, smiling at the others and what they were saying, his hazel eyes alight with happiness at being surrounded by welcome company. Two boys were standing next to James. The first was Sirius's good friend, Remus Lupin, who looked slightly thin and tired, with brown hair and caramel coloured eyes. The second of the two, was Sirius's other good friend, Peter Pettigrew, a small, plump boy, with small watery blue eyes and mousey hair.
Sirius walked towards them grinning and happy to see his friends after a long summer holiday with his unpleasant family.
"Hey James!" Sirius called.
James turned around, and he grinned widely to see his best friend striding across the platform, "Sirius, mate! I wondered if you'd make it out alive".
"It was grueling, for sure, but here I am", laughed Sirius as he pulled his friend into a brief hug.
"Hello Sirius," said Remus, with a rather weak but happy smile.
"Hey Remus, how did you go over the summer?" asked Sirius.
"Not too bad actually, the furry little problem behaved itself, mostly", replied Remus.
"Hi Sirius" Peter greeted him jovially "It's great to see you again."
"Its good to see you too, Pete", smiled Sirius.
All three of Sirius's friends were Gryffindors. James was Sirius's best friend and they were as close as brothers. Peter was the last one to join this group of four friends. He was likely to be unpopular, had he not become friends with James and Sirius, the admired rebels. He had no talent with magic, and at one stage, Sirius thought he might have been a squib that Dumbledore had let into Hogwarts, until he managed to give his teacup fur and whiskers in Transfiguration. And while Peter was nothing special when it came to academics and magic, he was a loyal and helpful friend, more than Sirius could ever ask for.
Remus was a Gryffindor Prefect, and a werewolf. He had been bitten by an infamous werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, when he was a very young child, around four, he had told them. His father was a wizard and his mother a muggle. Though they tried very hard to find a cure for his condition, it was not possible and he was forced into his wolf form every full moon, a painful and perilous transformation. On the the full moons that Remus was at Hogwarts, he would be taken down to the Whomping Willow in the evening by the school nurse, Madam Pomfrey. He would then travel through a tunnel to an old and long abandoned building outside the village of Hogsmead, the Shrieking Shack. There he would transform and spend the night. He would often bite and scratch himself with no humans to attack. This was the noise that gave the Shrieking Shack its name. The people of Hogsmead, on the other hand believed that the building was haunted by a group of particularly violent spirits. The Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore had of course made these arrangements for Remus and often encouraged the rumour about the haunting as to avoid suspicion.
Remus had confided this information only to Sirius, James, and Peter. But apart from despising him for lycanthropy, as the rest of the world did, Remus's friends made light of the situation. James had even come to call Remus's illness his 'furry little problem' when the four friends had other company, which lead people to believe that Remus owned a badly behaved rabbit. In their third year at Hogwarts, James and Sirius managed to become animagi. Sirius could turn into a huge, black, shaggy, bear-like dog. James turned into a large stag with chestnut fur and giant antlers. Peter, having nothing near to the ability to able to do this, needed all the help he could get from Sirius and James. However, he became an animagus, transforming into a rat. They were not on the registered animagus list so the Ministry did not know. They each had a nick name, Sirius the dog was Padfoot, James the stag was Prongs, Peter the rat was Wormtail, and Remus the werewolf was Moony.
Once Remus went down to the Shrieking Shack and the common room was empty the three others would sneak down to the tunnel and turn into the animals. In their animal form Remus would not harm them and they would have night time adventures, careering around the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmead. Dumbledore did not know about these adventures.
He did, however, know about other venturing of the four friends that they took part in other days. Walking around the school at night. Exploring secret passage ways, annoying Argus Filch the caretaker, and just generally getting up to no good. And so they had called themselves the Marauders, and they had been friends ever since.
They knew more about Hogwarts more than almost anyone, even Dumbledore. This is why they made the Marauders Map. It was magical map that only they knew how to use. It showed the whole of Hogwarts, secrets and all, as well as the grounds and Hogsmead. It also showed the inhabitants of the area and where they went, in the way of small moving dots of ink with the names of the people written underneath.
Sirius was jubilant to be standing on the platform, back with his partner's in crime.
"Come on", said Remus, as the whistle of the Hogwarts Express sounded.
"Yeah, better get going", said James, "I'll just say goodbye to Mum and Dad".
Mr and Mrs Potter were standing a little bit away talking to Peter's parents, who were both muggles. James walked over to them and then Sirius saw his best friend point to him through the mass of students swarming the train. Mr and Mrs Potter waved at him, and Sirius knew they would have come over to him and said their farewells, had it not been for the amount of people between them and him, and the short time he had left to board the train. They were very dear to him, and more like a mother and father than his real parents were.
Sirius was talking with a fellow sixth year, Frank Longbottom when James came back and the final whistle sounded. The small crowd around them started to disperse and they made for the train.
"This way to our compartment", said Sirius, pointing over the sea of heads that had flooded the corridor of the train.
He lead his friends down the train, until they came to a carriage around the middle, where the Marauder's compartment was. Technically speaking, the compartment was not theirs.It was the compartment that Sirius, James, and Remus had sat in together on their first journey to Hogwarts. Peter had joined them there later, and the Marauders had spent many good times there from then on.
Sirius pulled open the door and heaved his trunk into the over head luggage rack, then flung himself down into one of the seats. The others did the same. Sirius looked out of the compartment window and into the corridor, where he saw Frank and his girlfriend, Alice Edgecombe, struggling through the crowd.
"Hey Frank!" James called, sticking his head out of the compartment, having also spotted their friend, "You and Alice can sit in here if you want."
"Thanks James", said Frank, as he walked into the compartment, putting his and Alice's trunks in the luggage rack.
Frank sat down opposite Sirius, James and Peter, next to Remus,and Alice sat down hesitantly, not sharing the same friendship with the Marauders that her boyfriend did.
"Hey guys" said a boy with flaming red hair, who had popped his head through the open compartment door.
"Mind if we sit with you?" asked another boy, identical to the first.
"Course not", said Sirius motioning towards what space was left for them.
"Come on in", said James.
"Thanks", said Fabian Prewett, the first boy.
"Nowhere else had room down the back", said Gideon Prewett, the second of the twins.
"And we didn't want to try our luck down the front", finished Fabian.
The Prewett twins were in Sirius's year at Hogwarts, and were good friends of his and the other Marauders. They had the same flaming red hair and each sported a healthy spattering of freckles across their face. Their build was solid, and they were shorter. They came from a well sized family, with a brother who was five years older than them, named Randal, and a sister some ten years older than them, by the name of Molly. The Prewetts, a Pureblood, but mainly Bloodtraitor family, were distantly related to Sirius.
"Everyone have a good holiday?" asked Frank.
"Fairly relaxing", said James, stretching his legs out in front of him, "Mum and Dad took me to a local Quidditch game. Nothing like the big league, but it was still enjoyable."
"Mine was alright", lied Sirius, his family had made sure this was not the truth.
"I had to visit my old aunt", sighed Peter, "Worst cook I've ever met, she sticks broccoli in her cake!"
"What!" cried Gideon.
"She sounds worse than our old Uncle Billius", Fabian said.
"Well, I don't know about you", said Remus, "But I got my O.W.L results back."
This started them all talking about their O.W.L results. James had achieved eight, the same as Sirius. Remus had gotten nine with an Outstanding for Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"What'd you get Peter", asked James, smirking at Sirius.
"Well, I... um", Peter looked down bashfully at his toes.
"Come on, spit it out, Wormtail", said Sirius, "I want to see of you did our help any justice. I'd take it as a personal insult if they didn't give you a pass for the stuff I gave you notes for".
"I got three O. ", Peter blurted out, and he seemed too embarrassed to say anything else.
"Any Trolls...?" Asked James.
"I- ah, only the one, for Divination", Peter said shamefully.
"A Troll for a troll", laughed Sirius, chuckling.
James, Frank, and both Prewetts laughed. Alice smiled but looked reproachful.
"Don't worry, I didn't do too well for divination either", said Remus, putting down the book he had just been reading.
"I did fine", said James idly.
"Me too", Sirius agreed, although not looking at anyone in case they could tell he was lying, "But don't worry, Peter, half the stuff I said about seeing a 'dark future' in the crystal ball was a lie. Although, I did find History of Magic a tiny bit of a challenge".
"Well, it is a pretty useless subject, so there's nothing to worry about if you fail", said James.
"Useless teacher more like it", said Sirius, "It seems to me that old Professor Binns thinks he's teaching people from about ten years ago."
"It does seem like he's caught up in the past... a little", smiled Remus, "I'd say he's at least twentyyears behind."
"He's so old, who knows?" agreed Peter.
"He might, you know, pop his cogs soon", James said with a laugh.
"Regardless of his age, he certainly rambles on", Gideon said.
"Ha, clearly you don't mind the 'tales of old' from Slughorn", contested Fabian.
"Yeah, we end up learning more about history from him than we do with Binns", laughed Sirius.
"Sometimes I think he doesn't realise that he's teaching potions", said Remus.
"Swap him around with Binns", smiled Frank, "Have old Slug teach us History of magic and Binns teach us potions".
"That could prove interesting", agreed James.
They looked round as the compartment door swung open. A girl with long, dark red hair and startlingly green almond-shaped eyes entered. She was also a sixth year, and a Gryffindor prefect. Her name was Lily Evans.
"Ah, Evans, how've you been?" asked James, ruffling his already untidy hair, in what he obviously thought was an appealing fashion, "Have a nice holidays?"
"Yeah, Potter, not too bad. It made a nice change not having to see you", Lily said coldly. Without taking notice of anyone else in the compartment she said, "Marlene, Mary, Emaline and I were wondering if you wanted to come to our compartment for a while, Alice".
Alice, who hadn't said anything for the whole train journey so far, looked relieved to have an excuse to vacate her current compartment; her thoughts on the Marauders were aligned similarly with Lily's, and that meant they weren't exactly friendly with each other.
"That Snape boy's not there, is he?" Alice asked, looking apprehensive.
"What- no, of course not", Lily answered. She seemed flustered at the mention of the name.
"Okay, I'll come", said Alice, grabbing her bag, "See you, Frank".
"Bye", said Frank. He kissed Alice on the cheek and she left the compartment.
Before they closed the compartment door Sirius Heard Lily ask, "Why were you sitting with them?"
James had long since fallen in love with Lily. Unfortunately, Lily was not as keen on James. In fact, she hated him. In her opinion, Sirius and James were arrogant bullies. She was, of course, wrong.
'That Snape boy' was Severus Snape, or as Sirius and James called him, Snivellus. He was a greasy, black haired boy from Slytherin. He was the complete opposite of Sirius and James, and he hated them both, James especially. He was unpopular. He had no talent on the Quidditch pitch, the only subjects he was good at were Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts. The only reason he was good at Defence was because he knew a lot about the Dark Arts. The only friends he had now were all like him; bound to be Death Eaters. When he arrived at Hogwarts he had known more dark curses than all the seventh years put together.
For some time he had been good friends with Lily. She stood up for him when Sirius and James would jinx him, just for a bit of fun. Then one day he had called her a mudblood, in front of the whole of fifth year. Sirius was not entirely sure what happened after that, but they didn't speak to each other anymore. Still though, Lily held a grudge against he and James, the same as Snivellus did.
##
The sky outside the train had grown dark and Sirius could see stars twinkling through small gaps in the clouds that were drifting across the night sky. Frank had left to find Alice, the Prewett twins had gone to visit some friends they had from fifth year, and Remus had up and gone to the Prefect meeting. He and James were sitting side by side, while Peter dozed lightly in his seat.
Sirius could tell that the train was nearing the Hogsmead station, where they would make their stop. Sirius mentioned this, and the boys started pulling on their school robes. Sirius sat back down, only to see that James was standing on his seat, trying to retrieve something from the depths of his trunk.
"D'you reckon Quidditch tryouts will be difficult this year?", asked James, his voice muffled through the wood of the luggage rack.
"Prongs, you are the best player Hogwarts has seen in ages, I doubt you need to worry", replied Sirius, wondering why his friend could be so concerned about the matter.
"But, I was just worried about... well... you", said James.
Sirius was more than a pretended to appear hurt- James must have been kidding around, surely. He had always spoken highly of Sirius's Quidditch skills before.
"What the hell are you talking about Prongs?" asked Sirius, wanting an explanation for his friend's behaviour.
"I thought the new captain might not want you on the team", explained James.
"What? Who's the new captain?" asked Sirius urgently, "It's not that idiotic seventh year, what's his name?"
"No it's not him", said James.
"But you don't even know who I was going to say!" argued Sirius.
"I know it's definitely not him", said James, sitting down next to Sirius and fumbling with something on his chest. He lowered hands and said, "Because I'm the new team captain."
"What!" exclaimed Sirius, seeing the gleaming badge on his friend's robes and shoving James off the seat, "You idiot! Why didn't you tell me?"
Sirius fell off his chair, landing on his best friend, much to the amusement of Peter, who was watching the spectacle unfold before him.
"Gerroff Padfoot!" James yelled, his voice muffled by the carpet that was pressed against his face.
"Not until you say you'll let me on the team," said Sirius, resting his elbow in between James's shoulder blades and leaning on it.
"Agh!" cried James, "No! You're not on the team! You're too fat, your broom won't hold you up!"
"Fine, fine", said Sirius, "You'd better get as comfortable as you can, then, because I'm staying right here. I mean, it's a lovely spot, lots of cushioning."
"No, gerroff!" shouted James, "I'll hit you with your own broomstick when I get out from under here!"
"Sirius, get off James", a voice said from the compartment door, which had slid open to admit Remus, back from his corridor patrol, "I doubt his mother will be too happy if you return him home all flat. Though... he might not eat as much, so she may be thrilled."
Peter laughed as Remus sat himself next to the smallest of the four boys.
"Oi!" said James, and he began to wriggle, trying to free himself from under the gangly boy sitting on his back.
James freed one of his arms and jabbed Sirius sharply in the ribs with his elbow.
"Ow!", Sirius cried out, "Moony, help! He's being violent!"
"Me?" James said indignantly, trying to pry Sirius's arm from where it had wrapped around his neck, "You're the one sitting on me, you great big oaf!"
James began to twist and turn in an effort to unseat Sirius. Sirius, however held on as he felt the train start to slow. Only did he get off his best friend when the Hogwarts Express came to a halt, sending him toppling off James and across the compartment, where he lay laughing. James sat up and put his glasses back on. He stood, and when Sirius made to do the same, still heaving with laughter, James took advantage of his lack of balance and pushed him back down onto the floor.
"Come on, you lot", said Remus, grabbing his trunk handle and swinging it down from the luggage rack, "We'd better get a move on if we want to be in the same carriage."
He left the compartment, and James followed him into the corridor after saying to Sirius, "You'll be lucky to get your Thunderbow back, I'll probably flog it to some kid in Hogsmead now."
Sirius ignored his friend, grabbing his own trunk and leaving the compartment with Peter. The corridor outside was packed with students, and he found himself and Peter squashed up behind James and Remus. Slowly, the line moved forwards, and he found himself outside the train, on the chilly Hogsmead platform.
"Firs' years this way", Sirius heard the voice of Hagrid, the Hogwarts groundsman and good friend of Dumbledore. With the massive build twice the size of a normal man, Sirius had always wondered what kind of spell or potion he had got in the way of as a child.
Sirius, James, Remus and Peter made their way to a carriage, one of which that would take them up to Hogwarts. It started to rain as the carriage trundled along the road that lead to the school, pulling itself as it always had.
They reached the castle, it's magnificent lights twinkling and casting shapes on the wet grass, and it's enormous front doors thrown open, welcoming students inside. Sirius followed his friends into the Entrance Hall, leaving his trunks by the front, as the Hogwarts house elves would take them inside later. They walked into the Great Hall, where thousands of candles floated in mid air above the heads of the students sitting at the long, wooden house tables, and the high ceiling reflected the swirling and dark sky outside. The friends went and sat down next to the Prewett brothers at the Gryffindor table. Sirius spotted Regulus sitting over at the Slytherin table, with a group of known Voldemort supporters.
He remembered the time his cousin, Narcissa had sat there. It was only in his first and second years, as she was five years older than him. Narcissa had two older sisters, and the younger of the two was called Andromeda.
She was the nicest person Sirius knew in his whole family. Andromeda was seven years older than Sirius. She had fallen in love with a muggle born named Ted Tonks during her years at Hogwarts. They were not married yet, but even if they were, Sirius was quite sure his family would have nothing to do with the wedding, except to continue the stoney silence they maintained with her ever since she had been disowned after going to live with him.
The oldest of the three sisters was Bellatrix Lestrange. She was evil and deranged as far as Sirius was concerned. Once she had finished at Hogwarts, she left to Join Voldemort and become a Death Eater. Over the years, she had advanced to become one of the most notorious Muggle slaughterers. Bellatrix had married a fellow Death Eater, Rudolphus Lestrange, who was from Russia, last year. Her new brother in law, Rabastan Lestrange, was also a Death Eater.
Sirius was pulled abruptly from his thoughts about his family as the crowd in the Great Hall grew silent, as the deputy headmistress, Professor McGonagall, lead the first years up to the front of the Hall for sorting. Professor Flitwick came down from the staff table and placed a small three legged stool on the floor, which on top he sat an old battered hat. It was covered in patches and had stitching everywhere. Sirius had never seen it washed, in his whole time at Hogwarts. It was the sorting hat.
One by one, Professor McGonagall called up the first years and placed the sorting hat on their head. Sometimes the hat would shout the house almost before it even touched the student's head. Other times it would sit and think, or make a hard choice between two of the houses.
Once the first years were sorted into Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin; Dumbledore got up to say a few words. The hall grew silent as the frail old wizard with his half-moon spectacles, crooked nose, and silver hair and beard that were long enough to tuck into his belt; made his way to the front of the stage.
"Welcome to our new students and welcome back to our current students and distinguished staff members", He looked out across the Great Hall with his pale blue eyes that gave Sirius the impression that Dumbledore could see right through everyone, "I'm sure you are hungry and you do not want me to stand here waffling on. Don't worry, I won't!"
He clapped his hands and the golden plates and crystal goblets filled with food and drink.
"Finally, some proper food", said Sirius as he piled chicken wings onto his plate.
"What's wrong with the stuff at your place?" asked James.
"Yeah, you've got a house elf and everything", said Peter.
"Just because he's a house elf, doesn't mean he can't be as rude and cruel as the rest of the family", said Sirius, helping himself to some potatoes, "He goes to trouble making sure that my meals are especially hard to swallow. I swear I found a rat's dropping in my soup one time. He's sure gone off his rocker".
"Don't worry, like you said, you'll be eating proper food for a while now", said Remus.
After pudding, the students quietened down, full and sleepy. Dumbledore got up once more, to make his speech.
"I have some reminders for you before you all go to bed", he cleared his throat, "Our caretaker, Mr Filch, wishes me to remind you that using any hexes or jinxes outside of class is not to be accepted, and that he is going to give detentions for any trouble whatsoever. Also students are not to visit the Forbidden Forest".
At the end of this list of things not to be done, Sirius was sure he saw Dumbledore smile briefly at him and his friends.
"I wish you to remember that these are dark times", Dumbledore continued, "Do not go wondering around the grounds at night and be careful while visiting Hogsmead village. Enemies are outside our walls as we speak. Lord Voldemort-" there were gasps of surprise as the name was said "- and his Death Eaters are at large. While we are on that topic, I urge you to use his name, fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself and in order to not be overcome by Voldemort we must be brave, for he operates according to the fear of his enemies... But, you are surely tired after your long journey here, and you need rest for your lessons tomorrow. Off to bed with you all".
Remus left his seat in a hurry, going to show the Gryffindor first years the way to their dormitories. Sirius watched him go as he got up. Lily was already with the group of small eleven year olds, awaiting the help of Remus.
Sirius, James, and Peter exited the Great Hall together, pushing through the jostling crowd, making their way into the marble staircase that lead to the floors above. They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, then realised that none of them knew the password.
"You two are back again, then", said the Fat Lady to Sirius and James, "To cause more trouble, as usual".
"We don't have the password", said Peter.
"Oh, and you're still dragging this poor boy around with you, I see", the Fat Lady said, ignoring Peter.
"Hang on! I've got the new password", a voice shouted from down the stair case. They turned around to see Frank hurrying towards them.
"Oh, good", said James.
"Rumblebark", said Frank, nodding.
"What?" asked Sirius.
"Password", said Frank.
"Oh", said Sirius.
"Are you going in or do I have to hang here all night?" asked the Fat Lady impatiently.
"Sorry", said Frank to her, as the four of them entered the common room.
"I'm pretty tired", said Sirius, as they entered the cozy common room, "I reckon I'll go to bed."
"Yeah, me too", said James.
"You two must be getting old", smiled Peter, "But I'm pretty knackered myself."
Sirius, James and Peter went upstairs to their dormitory. Remus was already there, reading his book. Gideon and Fabian were also there, hanging posters of their favourite Quidditch team on the walls beside their beds.
"Hey Padfoot", said James, "Here".
James handed Sirius his Thunderbow 9 broom. He grasped the smooth handle and let go the broom hovered a few feet from the ground.
"You can't imagine how much I want to fly it out the window right now", said Sirius to James.
"I have some idea", smiled James.
"I know you love flying, but you haven't been shut up inside for two months", said Sirius grabbing the broom and putting it under his bed.
"I s'pose", agreed James, as Sirius got his pyjamas out of his trunk, which now lay at the foot of his four-poster bed, "But I have a new training regime for the team this year, absolutely gruelling. After all the flying you'll be doing, you're going to get boils the size of Russia."
Sirius finished pulling on his pyjamas and sank down onto his comfy mattress.
"You're a cruel man, Prongs", said Sirius.
"You might say that now", said James, pulling his pyjama shirt over his head, "But after we win the Quidditch Cup, you'll be begging to know how I, James Rorian Potter the Great, managed such a feat. I'll also be expecting you to throw petals over me every time I enter the common room."
"He'll most likely expect a foot rub, too, Sirius", said Gideon.
"With skin softening potion, of course", agreed Fabian.
"No", said James, "That job belongs to you, if want to be my two other chasers."
"Yeah", Sirius agreed, "You peasants. You get the nasty jobs."
"James has terrible toe jam, too", added Remus from over the top of his book, "But a lot worse than toe jam will happen to you lot if you don't quiet down."
"Don't go all prefect on us, Moony", Sirius said with a sad face, "You're so mean. You wound me, you do!"
"Oh, shut up, Padfoot" sighed Remus, as he half-heartedly threw a pillow at Sirius.
"Ow! Moony!" Sirius gasped, feining shock, "Now you're trying to hurt me, too! First James on the train, now you!"
"Just go to bed", said James, pulling his covers up and taking off his glasses.
"Yeah", said Remus, sitting his book on his bedside table and lying down.
Frank and Peter were already on their sides, and when Gideon and Fabian turned out their lamps, Sirius called out, "All this abuse. I'm going to have mental and emotional trauma from you two! Honestly I-"
"Shut up!" cried James and Remus through the dark, finally seeming genuinely irritated.
Sirius rolled on to his side and rested his head more comfortably on his pillow, trying to suppress his laughter.
He felt more happy and relaxed than he had all holidays, since he had left Hogwarts at the end of the last school year. It was good to be back at Hogwarts. It was good to be home.
