Disclaimer: as always these people are owned by J.K. Rowling. (Lucky lady)
Chapter 2
All of the people on Platform nine and three-quarters were unusually short. Or maybe, Sirius thought, it was just that he had grown.
6th year. He took in a deep breath. Soon now he could be free of his legacy and his family.
From across the way he glimpsed Remus. It was hard to see though the Hogwarts Express's smoke but he thought his friend had gotten thinner, and that his auburn hair was lighter.
He moved closer. "Hi mate"
"Hello Sirius" replied Lupin.
They were interrupted in this strangely awkward moment by James, who raced over, dragging a panting mouse haired boy behind him.
"Peter almost missed the train!" he exclaimed as though this were a good thing.
"My family cares more about Matt. He's a prefect" Peter explained looking down at the ground like always as though everything he said was shameful. Matt was Peter's younger brother.
"No worries mate. We've still got a minute" Sirius reassured Peter.
"That reminds me" Remus dug in his trunk and pulled out his prefect badge which he pinned on his robes. Sirius reached over and unpinned it at once.
"Why'd you do that?"
'Because now you can sit with us instead of patrolling the corridors"
'Alright" Remus put the badge back.
Sirius saw out of the corner of his eye James chatting up a pretty Ravenclaw girl. As usual once James had played hero he went back to ignoring Peter.
Of course Sirius didn't say anything. James was his best mate. You didn't tell your best mate things like that. In fact Sirius hadn't even noticed such a thing until last year when he started spending more time with Remus and some of the werewolf's quite observations had stuck in his mind.
James was arrogant but, (as Sirius had pointed out to Remus engaging in the first friendly debate of his life) the good qualities James possessed outweighed his occasional bigheadedness.
"Come on Pads!" came James's voice and they raced on to the Hogwarts Express just in time to grab a seat. A few Hufflepuffs, seeing them, made room in the compartment. James sat down not even bothering to say hello to the Hufflepuffs, Sirius noted.
Remus dug a book out of his trunk before stowing it, then settled back to read. Sirius flopped next to him with a theatrical sigh.
"Prongs, Moony won't talk to me"
"Yes I will" and Remus took his nose out from behind the book
"Ha there's that pretty nose of yours Remy we thought you'd damaged it"
"No it was my back this turning" Remus looked nervously around, butterscotch eyes scanning the compartment. Luckily the Hufflepuffs had left.
"We're alone Moony" uttered James, deadpan.
"Yes so now you can seduce us" Sirius put his head in Remus's lap and gazed mock adoringly at him
"Come off it Pads, you're so thick" said James and shoved Sirius off the seat where he landed with a thud.
Remus laughed and the other three sat quiet at the sound. Remus so rarely laughed.
"Well that was uncalled for" muttered Sirius pretending to be offended and brushing himself off.
"Sorry Pads you uh, what's that phase 'took one for the team' James laughed. "I had to cheer up Moony"
"Thank you Prongs and Padfoot" grinned Remus his eyes golden in his joy. "I needed that"
"My pleasure to be knocked down for you Remy" Sirius settled back into his seat next to the werewolf.
Nothing was said when they fell asleep on each other but there was a lot of snickering from James which promised later teasing.