September, 1971

Potter and Black

Sirius was one of the first people on the train, with good reason. He wanted to get as far away as possible from his overbearing, nauseating parents as possible. He found a compartment near the back. It wasn't that hard. There weren't even ten people on the train yet, and he was thankful. He didn't want to have to share a compartment with some strangers.

Sirius stowed his luggage in the rack and sat down, taking out his wand and a wizard chessboard. The wand was there in case Bellatrix and Narcissa tried to stop by. Those stupid cousins of his... He was having a fun time playing with himself when he heard a knock at his compartment door. Sirius opened it reluctantly, and found himself face-to-face with a scrawny black-haired boy wearing thick glasses. This boy was smiling widely at him, twiddling his wand in between his fingers. Sirius tried hard not to snicker. What a weirdo.

"Can I sit here?" the boy asked. "Everywhere else is full."

I highly doubt that, Sirius thought to himself. He grunted. The boy took that as a yes. He stowed his luggage also, and sat down next to Sirius.

"My name's James Potter," the boy introduced.

Sirius grunted again, this time in amazement. This Potter boy was actually hoping to talk to him? Ha, what a laugh. Sirius ignored him and went back to playing wizard's chess by himself.

James stuck out his hand. Sirius glanced at it, but didn't take it. James shrugged and lowered it.

"I'm a first year, going into Hogwarts." James was hoping for a conversation. This character playing chess looked like a very interesting person. James saw many people on the train already, with that bloodthirsty look on their faces. A lot of first years needed friends badly. They were willing to take anyone who will have them. James got invited into many different compartments, but he didn't want any of them. He wanted a challenge. He wanted this guy, who didn't need any friends.

Sirius grunted again, trying to ignore the Potter boy. He was seriously beginning to think he would turn into a pig by the end of the train ride.

"What's your name?"

Sirius clenched his teeth. Couldn't he just shut up? "Sirius Black."

"Hello, Sirius."

Sirius grunted again.

"You know, I'm getting the impression that you don't really want to talk to me," James said jokingly.

Damn right I don't want to talk to you, thought Sirius darkly. He went on to destroy his other self's knight, seemingly absorbed in the game.

He didn't look up.

James was looking surprised. He had never met anyone this closed. He decided to try a new tactic. "I love wizard's chess. Can I play? You're playing by yourself."

"No," Sirius snapped bluntly.

"Are you sure? I'm really not that bad."

Give it up! Sirius wanted to shout. I don't need any bloody friends. He didn't. He remained silent.

"One game," James persisted.

"Buzz off," Sirius said, not even looking at James. His curtain of dark hair fell around his face as he pretended to concentrate on his invisible opponent.

James looked a little taken aback. "Fine," he replied. He settled for leaning back on the compartment seat, twiddling his wand in between his various fingers.

Just then, a little boy who looked about seven passed their compartment. Of course he was much older than seven, but he was small. Petite, even, if you could use that description on boys. James smiled devilishly and brandished his new, shiny wand. He opened the compartment door to reveal a sizeable crack. Then, he stuck his wand through the crack.

Sirius was trying hard not to notice the sudden movements, but curiosity got the better of him. He turned towards James, temporarily abondoning his chess game.

James muttered a jinx as the little boy as he walked by. The boy wasn't paying attention. All of a sudden, he started dancing ballet uncontrollably, and was yelling for help. Many heads peered out the compartment windows, and in seeing the little boy dance, laughed at him. James and Sirius were also laughing uncontrollably, hands on stomachs and rolling around. Finally, a seventh year prefect put on the counterjinx. The boy, now beet red from the exercise and the embarrassment combined, ran down the train to the bathrooms. Sirius and James were still in the compartment, having the time of their lives.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Sirius, forgetting to be sulky and moody. "That was bloody brilliant!" He found himself grinning widely. Maybe he had just met someone he could have fun with. Prank with.

"I got it from this book of jinxes my dad gave me. Best present ever!" James replied, enthusiastic that Sirius was finally talking to him without snapping.

"No kidding," Sirius said, and they both laughed heartily. For the first time, he really looked at the boy sitting beside him. James was skinny, very skinny, with jet-black hair that stuck up in odd angles. His thick glasses did not manage to obscure his shining hazel eyes that were filled with a look of both pure excitement and mischief.

"That was the first time I tried out a hex. I can't believe it worked!" James again brandished his wand. Sirius was awed by how shiny it was, and thought guiltily of his own wand, which was smudged with fingerprints.

"You'll have to teach me that," Sirius said between gasps of laughter. He smiled at James. Maybe this Potter boy wasn't so bad after all.

"No problem," said James. "Can we start over? Hi. My name is James Potter."

He stuck out his hand again. This time, Sirius took it.

"Hi, James Potter. Nice to meet you. Fancy a game of Wizard's Chess?"

James laughed. At that moment, the compartment door burst open, and all James saw was a red-headed blur streak past Sirius and himself. She didn't say a word, but stared out of the window after slamming her trunk down beside her. James could hear her crying softly.

"Blimey, what's wrong with her?" James whispered, frowning.

Sirius shrugged.

A second person then burst into the compartment, a slight, greasy-haired boy. The red-headed girl finally looked up, then faced the window again. Snape pushed his way past Sirius and James, and sat down opposite Lily.

"You know, I really wasn't expecting a party in here," James muttered quietly to Sirius.

Sirius snorted. "Whatever," he said. "That git over there looks like he hasn't washed his hair in a year, and it's not worth kicking someone out that attracts flies."

James sniggered.

The two boys played a heated game of chess until the greasy-haired boy said "Slytherin", which made James look up, and Sirius lounge back in his seat.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin?" James scoffed to Sirius. "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Sirius was reminded of his mother on the platform, and twitched a bit. "My whole family have been in Slytherin."

James looked surprised. "Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!"

Sirius grinned to himself. If he could piss off his family, all the better. "Maybe I'll break the tradition," he said nonchalantly. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

Without hesitation, James lifted an invisible sword and almost knocked the chess pieces over. "Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad."

Snape glanced at Lily, and rolled his eyes, making a noise of disbelief. Lily let out a small smile.

"Got a problem with that?" James said, making Snape jerk his attention back to him.

"No," sneered Snape. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy -"

Sirius' eyes narrowed; he was liking the greasy-haired boy less and less. "Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" he cut in.

James laughed as Lily got up, cheeks flushed. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment," she said, glaring at James and Sirius, who watched as she grabbed her trunk and stormed out of the compartment. Sirius snorted in laughter at the sight of her red hair flying behind her. Snape flapped after her, and as he passed, James tried to trip him. "Lily, wait up!" he called, catching himself.

Sirius gave Snape an unfriendly push out of the compartment. "See ya, Snivellus!" he called gleefully, and slammed the door.

James roared with laughter. "That was brilliant," he told Sirius, almost in tears. "Snivellus..."

"The look on his face," Sirius guffawed.

The two boys looked at each other with newfound respect. "Another round of chess," James said. "I'll let you redeem yourself, I won that last one."

"Sure," snorted Sirius.

Through the train ride, James and Sirius talked and talked while playing chess. It was very apparent that the two boys were both competitive. If James won, Sirius asked for a rematch. James would willingly oblige. Competitiveness, as they found out, only made they better. They were friendly competitors, never bitter. They were almost friends.

"Do you like Quidditch?" asked James conversationally.

"Love it. But I can't play to save my life. I love to watch, though," Sirius added.

"Really? I really love Quidditch. I want to play for my house team. I have the newest model out, the new Cleansweep. It flies great! I'm mad that they won't let us try out until second year, though. I really want to play."

Sirius laughed appreciatively at this. James went on a rant about how stupid they were not to let first years play. Sirius laughed some more. James ended with, "who do they think they are?"

"Well, I'll be cheering you on, Potter."

They watched as Sirius's pawn destroyed James's knight.

"I'm a first year," James offered randomly.

Sirius let out a laugh, a bark-like laugh that surprised James in someway. "Well I kinda could have guessed that for myself. Why else would you choose to sit with me?

"Point taken," James said, smiling.

"Hey," Sirius laughed, trying to look offended. He failed miserably. "Besides, you already told me that you were a first year," he added. "About the first couple of minutes that you chose to barge in on my compartment."

"I was under the impression that you were trying to ignore me," James grinned.

"I was, but I still listen, oddly enough."

James laughed. "That is rather odd."

"Well, I was trying to ignore you, but you wouldn't shut up."

James grinned. "Too bad, eh?"

They both laughed.

There was a sharp knock at the compartment door. James threw ithe door open to reveal a plump, middle-aged witch pushing a cart filled with scrumptious-looking food. Piles of chocolate frogs, cauldron cakes and licorice wands were heaped onto the cart. Boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans were loaded onto the cart as well. Sirius started to drool at the sight of it, jaw dropping.

"Anything off the cart, dears?" the witch asked cheerfully.

James looked at Sirius. "Hungry?"

Sirius shrugged. "Kind of, but I didn't bring any money." Like he would ask his parents for food money. They'd love to see him starve. He looked longingly at the cart of food.

As if on cue, Sirius's stomach grumbled.

James stood up. "Well I'm starving."

He walked over to the luggage rack and opened his suitcase. He stuck his hand in it and took out a handful of glittering Galleons. He set them on the seats, then reached in and took out even more Galleons. Sirius felt his jaw drop even further. Did this Potter boy gave an endless pit of money or something?

"We'll take everything," James said to the lady, still pulling Galleons out of his trunk.

She looked surprised, but obliged. The heaps of food somehow found their way onto the seats of the compartment, almost drowning Sirius where he sat. James shoved the coins into the lady's hands, shut the compartment door carefully and sat down in what little empty space there was left, grinning. Sirius could see the cart lady make her way back up to the front of the train, apparently for a refill, since her cart was now mournfully empty.

Sirius stared at the food, then stared at James.

"Well?" James said, smiling. "Go on, eat! They cost me a fortune. Literally."

Sirius smiled back, elated. James was willing to share, with him? A Black?

"Eat," James said. "Or I swear I'll make you."

Sirius laughed. "Empty threat, Potter. But all the same, thanks." With that, he dug in to the nearest Chocolate Frog.

They had plenty of fun digging through all the food. James confessed that he had probably the biggest collection of chocolate frog cards ever.

"I'm missing one, just one. It's a new one that just came out. Andros the Invincible. It's supposed to be really rare, and I hope that in this stash somewhere there is one," James said enthusiatically.

Sirius laughed. "Well, lucky you. I've never collected these cards."

James looked shocked. "What? Well then, you're starting today."

"Why?"

James shrugged. "You need a hobby. Something to collect. I'll help you eat the chocolate."

"Okay," Sirius agreed. "And I'll help you look for Andros."

"Thanks," James grinned.

They broke their way through all the cards, which took a long time as they were piled nearly to the ceiling. Box after box was broken open. The chocolate melted in Sirius's mouth, and he marveled at how good it tasted. Heck, his family hadn't given him chocolate in what must have been ten years. James was disappointed when they couldn't find Andros after searching through all the cards, but was smiling all the same. Sirius soon had accumulated a collection that took others years to collect.

"These are really cool!" Sirius said, fascinated.

James grinned. "I knew you'd get hooked."

Sirius stared at a picture of Albus Dumbledore on a card. Albus Dumbledore, sworn enemy to the pure-blood manics that lived in his home. But even though Sirius didn't know Dumbledore yet, he was already beginning to like the wise old wizard much better than his family. Dumbledore looked...cheerful. His family looked like idiots.

James and Sirius ate and ate until they both felt bloated. They then crammed the rest of the food into James's suitcase. It barely fit. Sirius then challenged James to a game of chess, still bitter about James's last victory in which James tricked Sirius into making the wrong move.

"What classes are you looking forward to the most?" James asked, making the first move with his knight.

Sirius thought for a moment. "I'd say Defense Against the Dark Arts. It sounds mortally interesting. I hear from my cousins that they've never had a teacher last for more than three terms. It's almost ominous, in a weird sort of way." He smashed James's knight with a strategically placed move.

"So then the job is jinxed?"

Sirius shrugged. "Seems like it. It's kind of cool, though."

James moved his remaining knight who promptly shattered Sirius's bishop. "That's exactly what makes life a hell of a lot of fun."

Sirius grinned in appreciation. "Exactly."

They played on silently for a while longer, with occasional cheers from either one of them.

"So what are your parent like?" James asked conversationally.

"Evil," replied Sirius promptly.

"Why?"

Sirius sighed. "I don't know. Well, I mean, I do. They're so into the dark arts is scary. They want me to become one of their clones." Sirius gave out a harsh laugh. "No chance. I would never live with myself if I turned out like them.

"Wow," James said, eyes wide open.

"That's why I want to learn Defense Against the Darks Arts, and not the dark arts," Sirius continued. "They want purity of blood, which means mudbloods and half-magic people dead."

James looked surprised. Sirius caught his look. "What?" He asked.

"You said mudbloods," James replied.

"So? Everyone uses it," Sirius said indifferently.

"Not really. It's a really foul word, Sirius, you shouldn't use it."

Sirius took this information in. No wonder everyone in his family said it. They were foul people themselves. "Alright, I promise I'll never say it again. You've turned me into a saint."

James laughed. He moved his pawn.

"So what house do you want to be in? I want Gryffindor myself, as I've already said… my dad was in that house. I mean, even Dumbledore was in that house."

"Gryffindor sounds pretty inviting," Sirius said thoughtfully. "But for me? Anything but Slytherin," Sirius said darkly. He had a fleeting memory of his mother hissing in his ear. "Even Hufflepuff would be better. Anything but Slytherin."

"Really? Do you hate Slytherin that much?"

"As I've said, all my family has been in it. I'm not like my family. I wish I could disown my last name."

James shrugged. "It's not really your last name that defines you, you know."

"To some people, it is," Sirius said quietly. He knew it was true. Whenever people heard the last name Black, they always categorize him with the likes of his mother and father.

"I can tell that you're different," James said, grinning. "You actually seem okay."

Sirius looked at him, surprised but pleased. "Thanks." At the moment, it was the best compliment he had ever recieved.

"So maybe you belong in Gryffindor then," James said, going back to the subject of the Sorting. "Your choice shows courage, and standing up to your family seems like courage to me."

Sirius smiled. "Maybe Gryffindor. We'll see." Secretly, he knew that his parents would kill him if he got sorted into anything but Slytherin, but he didn't care. He grinned to himself, imagining their faces if he indeed got sorted into Gryffindor.

James moved his queen, taking Sirius's pawn.

"Maybe we'll get into the same house," said James hopefully. "It would be great to have a friend in the same house."

Sirius frowned slightly. Potter threw around the word friend way too easily. It would be a long while before he himself would start to trust those around him. After all, he still had a little Black left in him, no matter how much he resented it. He looked at the chessboard carefully. "Checkmate," he said, surprised to find himself grinning.