The Marauders: take two

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, all credit goes to JK Rowling.

Chapter 1- Hogwarts

Harry James Potter was standing on platform nine and three quarters, trying desperately to pry his sobbing mother away from him "mum!" he protested "I'll be back at Christmas" James Potter watched in in amusement, but secretly, he was just as worried about his only son jetting off to Hogwarts.

"No!" Lily Potter shrieked "you're not going! Come on Harry! We're going home!" Harry looked horrified and Lily was desperately trying to pull him over to the portal between platforms. With a laugh, James decided that it was time to step in.

"Come on Lily flower" he whispered gently "it's time to let Harry go to school, he's old enough sweetheart" Harry was giving his father desperate and pleading looks, whilst Lily was glaring daggers at her husband and clinging onto her son for dear life.

"No!" she sobbed "the women will poison his mind and the Slytherins will poison his pumpkin juice!" James couldn't help but laugh at his wife's dramatics, he grabbed her waist and yanked her away from their son. Harry staggered backwards as Lily turned and sobbed into James' chest.

"That's dad" he breathed and Lily wailed harder "look, mum, I'll be back before you know it and I'll write every day" his voice was desperate, the train would be leaving soon but he couldn't leave her in this state.

"y-you p-promise?" she asked through a sniffle and Harry nodded, she gave him a little smile and pulled him in for a hug.

"I have to go" he announced afterwards "I'll see you at Christmas yeah?" James nodded and Lily gave him a tearful smile. With one final glance at his parents, Harry James Potter went to board the Hogwarts express for the first time.

A tall boy, with sandy blonde hair and deep, chocolate brown eyes, in his right hand was a thick book and in his left was his large trunk, the boy was already wearing his Hogwarts robes and was waiting patiently for his two best friends to arrive. "Harry!" the boy called when he noticed one of his best friends approaching.

"Hey Teddy!" Harry called back, he rushed forwards and gave Teddy Lupin a large grin "sorry I'm late, my mum wouldn't stop crying.

Teddy laughed "yeah, my mum was the same, dad had to hold her off whilst I ran for the train" Teddy Lupin was the son of Remus Lupin and his lovely wife Dorcas Lupin, formally Meadows. He was the quiet, well behaved one out of the trio and tended to be the more sensible, level headed boy, even if he did have his rash moments at times. "Have you seen Reg?" the young Lupin asked with a frown "I hope he doesn't miss the train" Harry shrugged.

"I'm sure he's fine. Come on, we'd better go find a compartment" Teddy nodded and followed his friend down the train in search of somewhere to sit. They managed to find and empty compartment not too far from the front of the train. Teddy immediately dropped onto a bench, opened his book and began to read, Harry rolled his eyes Teddy is far too much like uncle Remus for his own good the Potter thought to himself. He took out the crisps that his mum had packed and began to munch. Teddy looked up and gave him a questioning look, to which Harry just shrugged and said "I didn't eat breakfast and I'm hungry" Teddy shook his head in amusement and went back to his book.

A little while later, just a few moments before the scarlet engine was set to leave the station, the door to the compartment flew open and Regulus Sirius Black strode confidently into the room. Teddy and Harry looked up immediately and Regulus flashed them a dazzling grin "alright there?" he asked with a smile as he dropped onto the bench beside Harry. "Sorry I'm late. Mum repacked all my stuff twice and dad went through his list of rules, what to do, and what to not do. When to write, when not to write et cetera, et cetera" Teddy snorted and went back to reading, whilst Harry just gave Regulus a pleading stare. The Black heir laughed and pulled his exploding snap cards from his pocket "course I came prepared" he said happily before dealing the card out enthusiastically. Regulus Sirius Black was the only son of Sirius Black and Marlene Black, formally McKinnon, he had his father's elegant black hair and his mother's bright blue eyes. He was only eleven and he was already a girl magnet.

The train pulled away from the station and the lush countryside whizzed past the window in a flurry of green and blue. Teddy set his book down and smirked at his slumbering friends, they had fallen asleep not long after they finished playing exploding snap and this was the perfect chance for the young Lupin to test his pranking equipment. Silently, Teddy opened his trunk and pulled out a couple of smart, grey ties, with the skill that only a marauder could possess, he quickly switched his friends' ties for the ones from his trunk. With a chuckle, the young Lupin hopped back up onto his seat and gave an evil grin at his unconscious friends, he counted to three and watched in amusement as the ties began to tickle Regulus' and Harry's necks. The two boys woke with a start and yelped as they fell from the bench in an effort to rip the ties from their necks. Teddy threw his head back and laughed loudly whilst his friends struggled about. Finally, they managed to rip the ties from their throats, they shot Teddy a disbelieving look which just made his laughter increase. Teddy Lupin, quiet, well mannered, respectful, Teddy Lupin did not play pranks often and it always shocked the living daylights out of his friends when he did. With a grin Teddy yanked open his trunk to expose the large box of pranking equipment "got it off of Dora" he explained "she got them of Charlie, who got them off Fred and George. I'm pretty much stocked for the year" the shocked expressions on the faces of Harry and Regulus quickly changed to one of mischief. Yes, the three boys were definitely the next generation of marauders.

-XXX-

The scarlet steam engine pulled into the train station at Hogsmede and the three first year boys gave each other an excited smile, they quickly leapt from the train and rushed towards where Hagrid was standing "firs' years! Firs' years' ov'r 'ere!" Harry was the first to reach the family friend, his small, thin structure coming in handy, next was Regulus, who smiled up at the half-giant in awe, finally there came Teddy, who had run at a slightly more dignified pace. "Well 'ello there!" Hagrid exclaimed "if it isn' little 'arry, Reg and Teddy" he gave them a large grin, which they happily returned "Well, go on then. Get in a boat" the trio nodded happily and charged for the lake where the boats were waiting. They piled into an empty vessel and waited for the other first years to climb aboard, they hadn't been sat there long when a small, rather timid boy approached them.

"Can I sit here?" he asked quietly, gesturing in the vague direction of the boat. The trio smiled, they had met Neville a few times before and he had always been painfully shy.

"'course you can Neville" Teddy answered happily and the boy looked up with a grin when he noticed that it was people he knew sitting in front of him. "So" Teddy began as the boats began to row across the lake "how does everyone think the sorting happens?" Regulus, Harry and Neville all exchanged a look, no one knew for sure but their parents had each told them some pretty scary stuff. "my mum says that you have to battle a full grown werewolf" The Lupin boy continued "but then dad rolls his eyes and asks her to 'please not say that' s I don't think it's true" Harry shook his head.

"No! That can't be right! My dad told me that they put all of the students into an arena and make them duel" Regulus laughed at Harry's sentence that he spoke so certainly.

"No mate" he exclaimed with a laugh "your dad's pulling your leg. My dad told me that you have to battle a mountain troll and you know dad, doesn't joke about mountain trolls, he's too terrified of them to find it funny" Neville, Teddy and Harry looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. It did make sense, Uncle Sirius was terrified of mountain trolls. The boats drifted in front of the castle and all four boys looked up in awe, it was beautiful, so large and magnificent with shining lights and stars sparking in the dark blanket above. They hopped from the boats and followed Hagrid inside where they were handed over to a rather stern looking woman known as Professor McGonagall. She gave them a short speech, welcome to Hogwarts, told them that they would be sorted, that she expected impeccable behaviour. It was all pretty boring really. Then the doors opened and the terrified first years scurried into the large room, they looked up at the enchanted ceiling, just the same as their parents had explained. That's when they saw it. A hat. The sorting was a hat. No werewolf, no duel, no troll. A hat. Then the hat did something rather extraordinary, it began to sing. The first years watched in wonder and slight fear as the hat finished its song and Professor McGonagall began to announce the names. She stopped when she reached 'Black, Regulus' and the students gave her a very confused look as her eyes widened and she groaned. Regulus walked timidly to the stool and placed the hat on his head, it had barely been there for a moment before it screamed 'GRYFFINDOR!' McGonagall did not look happy, she let her head fall forward in defeat and could be heard muttering 'not another Gryffindor Black!" He waved at his friends as he went to join the Gryffindor table and Harry and Teddy began to fidget nervously, they had to be with Regulus, no one could split up the marauders. It was soon Teddy's turn and McGonagall shocked everyone by giving him a big smile as she placed the hat on his head , long seconds ticked by before the hat shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!" and Regulus was stood on the bench, cheering loudly for his friend,

"Black!" McGonagall snapped "sit down this instance!" Regulus dropped down from the bench and patted a blushing Teddy on the back before giving Harry a thumbs up ad a wide grin. Harry waited nervously until his name was called, McGonagall pushed her glasses down her nose ever so slightly and peered down at the young Potter as if she was a spider and he was a fly that she was sizing up before lunch. This did nothing to help Harry's nerves but the sorting hat covered is eyes so at least he didn't have to see her. They waited and waited and waited. Minutes had gone by and the teachers and students alike were looking at the sorting hat in confusion. Finally, the hat looked up and shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!' to the rest of the school.

Regulus was, once again, stood on the bench shouting "we got Potter! We got Potter!"

"Black!" McGonagall snapped and he jumped down from the bench, the grin never leaving his face.

After the feast was over and the food had been devoured, the first years followed Percy Weasley, the gryffindor prefect, up to the common room, where they were sent straight to bed, Regulus looked ready to argue that he was too old to have a bed time, but Harry grabbed the back of his cloak and hissed in his ear "come on. We can write home" Regulus nodded and followed Harry from the room whilst Teddy gave the prefect apologetic looks. "Here" Harry said with a smile as he handed his friends some parchment.

Dear Mum and Dad,

Hogwarts is great. There's so many people and I think McGonagall likes me because she smiled when she read my name, it was kind of creepy actually. Guess what? I got into Gryffindor just like you too, Regulus and Harry did too and we get to share a dorm room with Neville. Isn't that great? I didn't have to fight a werewolf! But you already knew that didn't you! How are you? I hope that dad is ok after the full moon and that he's not too tired to write me back. So, are you proud yet?

Lots of love, Teddy. X

Dear Mum and Dad,

I got into Gryffindor! How excellent is that?! We've only been here a few hours and Regulus has already been told off twice, I don't think McGonagall likes him very much, she was giving me a strange look during the sorting, as if she didn't quite know what to think. By the way dad, I don't appreciate being told that I would have to duel the other students! The hat was much less threatening! Anyway, I'm in the same house as Teddy and Reg and Neville got into Gryffindor too! Regulus nearly started a fight with the gryffindor prefect, but don't worry, I saved the day. Make you proud?

All my love, Harry. X

Dear Mum and Dad,

McGonagall hates me! I'm guessing it's your fault dad because she seemed perfect at shouting the name Black. Not that I did anything to be shouted at for! I got into Gryffindor, so you can be proud! I'm not a snake! Harry, Teddy and Neville are in the same house as me. The castle is great but the prefect is kind of annoying, he acts like he thinks he's my mum! Yeah right! But all in all, if McGonagall doesn't kill me and the prefect doesn't mother me to death then this should be fun.

Love from, your awesome son Regulus. X