Chapter 9 – Hogwarts

Remus Lupin sat in the end compartment of the Hogwarts Express and gazed out of the window at the scenery chugging past. The train had left the station a few minutes ago, leaving behind many tearful parents and just as many jubilant ones, glad to have the house to themselves without the children constantly under their feet.

Remus pulled his train ticket out of his pocket once more, trying to reassure himself he wasn't dreaming. He grinned as he read it and settled back in his seat. This was it: he was really going to Hogwarts.

Suddenly the compartment door burst open and two boys tumbled in, laughing about something. They stopped abruptly when they caught sight of Remus and looked guilty. Remus looked back expectantly, but just as one of the boys opened his mouth to say something, the door slid open again and a tall girl with gleaming ebony hair appeared.

"Sirius Black, get out here this instant," she demanded, glaring at the boy whose silky black hair fell in his dark eyes.

"Is something wrong, cousin?" asked the boy innocently, as his friend dropped into the seat next to Remus, grinning wickedly.

"Wrong? Wrong? Sirius, you do realise I'll be writing to your mother about this," the girl called Bella growled, scowling at Sirius.

"About what?" asked Sirius, eyes wide in a bad imitation of innocence.

The girl eyed Sirius for a moment, her expression torn between anger and amusement. "You can't honestly believe that Lucius' hair is naturally fluorescent pink, dear cousin. And you can stop that smirking, boy," she added, throwing the boy sitting next to Remus a scornful look. "You're lucky Lucius didn't see you or you'd both be in detention for the rest of term."

"I notice you haven't told him who it was," chipped in Sirius, collapsing onto the seats opposite Remus and grinning up at his cousin. "You're so sweet."

"I promised your mother I'd look out for you," sniffed Bella. "And speaking of looking out for you, you'd better come with me. I'll introduce you to your new room mates."

"Sirius will be sharing with me," interjected the boy with messy hair, speaking for the first time since Remus had seen him.

"You?" laughed Bella, looking at him with an expression that seemed torn between amusement and derision. "And who exactly are you, pray?"

"James Potter," replied the boy promptly, running a hand through his hair and making it stick up at the front.

"Potter?" repeated Bella, her face now clearly showing her contempt. "And you think you'll be sharing with Sirius, do you? Members of the Black family do not get sorted into Gryffindor, Potter."

"Our great uncle was a Potter," said Sirius, ignoring Bella and propping himself up on an elbow to look at James. "Charlus. Any relation?"

"Oh him, yeah," frowned James. "Married a Slytherin. We don't talk about him much."

"Excuse me," interjected Bella, glaring at James before turning back to Sirius. "But you really have to come with me now."

"No, I think I'm all right here, thanks," said Sirius lazily, lying back across the seats. "James and…" He glanced over at Remus, pointedly, who hurriedly supplied:

"Remus." Sirius nodded his thanks, and continued:

"…Remus here will keep me company, I'm sure. What's the Gryffindor common room look like, do you know?"

"Sirius Black, don't be ridiculous," said Bella through gritted teeth. "Every Black for the past ten generations has been in Slytherin. No Black was ever sorted into Gryffindor: it'd be a disgrace. Now-" She stopped as there was a shout further down the train.

"Hadn't you better go sort that out?" asked Sirius scornfully, gazing idly at the ceiling. "You are a prefect, aren't you?"

Bella glowered at him for a moment longer, then slid the door shut with rather more force than was necessary.

"Ten generations?" asked James as soon as she'd left. Sirius scowled, and nodded morosely.

"Someone got put in Ravenclaw once. No one spoke to her for a month - at least that's what Father said," he sighed, running a hand through his black hair. He glanced up and caught sight of Remus' bemused expression. "Sorry about that. Bella's a bit…intense."

"No problem," said Remus, smiling timidly.

"You got any crazy relatives around?" grinned James.

"No, it's just me," said Remus, swallowing nervously. His parents had always planned to have more children, but after he was bitten they'd had to rethink things.

"Same here," nodded James amiably, before turning his attention to Sirius again. "So, is it just Bella that you know, then?"

"Nah, I've got tons of cousins," shrugged Sirius, pushing himself into a sitting position and flicking hair out of his eyes with a toss of his head. "Got a younger brother too, but he doesn't start school for another two years. Met some other people at parties and stuff too, you know?"

Remus shook his head, but James nodded. "Yeah, some of Mum and Dad's friends have kids that are already here."

"But you don't know anyone?" questioned Sirius, his dark eyes observing Remus critically. "No one at all?"

"I- No," said Remus hesitantly, and James and Sirius exchanged confused looks.

"Are you muggle born, then?" asked James, frowning a little.

"No, I'm half blood," said Remus, sitting up a little straighter. "My family's just not very sociable, I suppose."

"Well never mind, you know us now," said Sirius, with a light shrug, and pulled a pack of cards out of his jacket pocket. "Ever played Exploding Snap before, Remus?" he asked, smirking slightly. Remus shook his head. He hadn't had much contact with the Wizarding World himself, all his knowledge coming from what his mother and father had told him. "It's fun," grinned Sirius, sharing a knowing glance with James. "You'll like it."

xxx

A few singed eyebrows and many miles later, the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station and the students piled out, laughing and talking, or in the first years' case, staring wide-eyed at the giant of a man who seemed to be indicating that they follow him.

Sirius pointed out a haughty looking group of seventeen year olds as they pushed their way through the sea of students.

"They're the Slytherin seventh years," he told Remus and James in a low voice. "You'll steer clear of them if you know what's good for you. In fact, steer clear of Slytherins in general. They're all a bunch of losers."

"Didn't that girl say you were going to be in Slytherin?" asked Remus warily, spotting Bella amongst the group Sirius had indicated. He was slightly worried of annoying Sirius when they'd just spent the past few hours forming some sort of tenuous friendship, but Sirius just pulled a face and said carelessly:

"What, Bella? I don't give a toss what she thinks. I'm leaving if I get sorted into Slytherin."

James laughed and grinned at Remus' shocked expression. "Quite right too. Gryffindor's the only place to be," said James as the first years reached a lake, on which there sat a row of small boats. The giant man, whom Remus had heard addressed as Hagrid, gestured for them to get into the boats and they all clambered in. A brown haired girl took the fourth place in their boat and grinned at Sirius.

"You managed to escape Bellatrix, then?" she asked breathlessly. "I've only just been able to get away."

"You should have stuck with me, Andy," smirked Sirius. "Has she introduced you to all your new room mates then?"

"Yes," grumbled Andromeda, tossing her brown hair over her shoulder as the boats started to move. "There's Nicola Meliflua – Aunt Meliflua's great niece, and Cassandra Rookwood – that's Augustus' sister. Oh yes, and Fiona Parkinson – face like a pig," she sniffed, casting a dark look over at the boat that held the aforementioned blonde girl. "And one more, who was it? Oh yeah, Alexandra McKenzie. She's the red head. Got a twin brother called James, too."

"There's another James?" asked James Potter, frowning, and Remus was certain he wouldn't have minded so much had the other James not been destined for Slytherin. Andromeda nodded and pointed at a red haired boy sitting with three other boys, a few boats away.

"But don't worry, he likes to be called Jamie by all accounts," said Andromeda, as the boats glided silently to a halt. James didn't looked much assuaged by this news but Remus didn't have time to dwell on it because the first years were being herded out into the legendary Entrance Hall of Hogwarts.

A stern looking witch by the name of Professor McGonagall gave them all a speech about Houses and so forth which Remus was too excited to pay much attention to, and then opened the doors to the Great Hall and led them in.

The Sorting Hat was placed on a stool at the front of the hall and, after singing its song, Professor McGonagall pulled a list of names out of her robes and began to read them. As she did so, James nudged Remus and gestured up at the ceiling; Remus nearly gasped in surprise.

"It's enchanted. Looks like the sky outside," whispered James as the students around them began applauding the first new student. Remus glanced down to see who had been sorted – he'd missed it in his fascination with the ceiling, but all he found out was that the student had gone into Slytherin. He caught sight of Bellatrix who was looking judiciously down the table at the new arrival, an odd expression on her face.

Avery, Robert was also sorted into Slytherin, and then it was the girl who'd shared their boat – Andromeda Black, Remus discovered. The hat was silent for about half a minute and then it declared in firm voice:

"Ravenclaw!"

There was an audible gasp from the Slytherin table as Andromeda removed the hat and set it back down on the stool with trembling fingers, before making her way over to her new house table. Beside Remus, Sirius was grinning at his cousin, while on the Slytherin table, Bellatrix was glaring furiously at her sister.

"Black, Sirius," called Professor McGonagall calmly.

Sirius strode forward and put the hat on his head. It fell down over his eyes and remained there for well over a minute. Eventually, after much consideration, the hat finally made a decision.

"Gryffindor!"

There was total silence for a full five seconds, then the Gryffindor table started cheering and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs joined in. The Slytherins remained quite still as Sirius made his way over to the Gryffindor table. Bellatrix, Remus noted, was looking murderous.

The list continued, drawing inexorably closer to Remus' name. Remus distracted himself by trying to imagine what Katherine was doing right now. The last letter from her had arrived almost three months ago, the day before she'd been due to move to France. They'd kept in contact of course, but ever since she'd revealed she was going to Beauxbaton, the letters had become fewer and far between. What was the point in retaining a friendship that was doomed from the start?

She'd given him Bane as a small reminder of their friendship, though. Even now, the raven was probably settling into the Owlery that Remus' parents had told him about, and Katherine? She'd be starting Beauxbaton right about now. Maybe even sorted – if Beauxbaton had houses. He sighed as Professor McGonagall read the next name on the list. Lacerta, Jessica, a pretty brunette who was promptly sorted into Ravenclaw. Then Longbottom, Frank was put into Gryffindor and finally Lupin, Remus.

"Good luck," whispered James as Remus trotted forwards. Remus picked up the hat, dropped it onto his head and everything went dark. The hat started to mutter thoughtfully in his ear, debating on where to place him. Remus thought of James and Sirius, his newly found friends and thought Gryffindor, as hard as he could.

Gryffindor? The hat sounded amused. Are you sure? Slytherin is another exceptionally good House, you know? No? Oh well, nothing else for it then.

"Gryffindor!"

Remus beamed and made his way over to sit next to Sirius who was grinning at him. There were five other first year girls who'd already been sorted into Gryffindor and Frank Longbottom smiled nervously at him from his place next to a red haired girl, whom Remus remembered to be called Lily Evans.

The next three students were placed in Slytherin, then Elliot North was placed in Ravenclaw. Nott and Parkinson went into Slytherin, and a blonde haired girl called Rose Perseus sat on the stool for about a minute before the hat called out: "Hufflepuff!"

Pettigrew, Peter, joined Remus and Sirius at the Gryffindor table and then it was James' turn. The hat had barely touched his head before it yelled: "Gryffindor!"

"Excellent," grinned Sirius, as James sat down opposite them.

"Wow! I've never seen anyone get sorted that quick!" whispered the plump boy called Peter, gazing up at James.

"Potters have been in Gryffindor for centuries," said James smugly as Rookwood, Cassandra was sorted into Slytherin. "Congratulations by the way, Sirius. You've succeeded in thoroughly annoying the entirety of Slytherin House in one go."

Sirius grinned, casting a look over his shoulder at the Slytherin table. "Andy got out too. I think I'll stay here for Christmas, you know. And Easter. Give mother and father some time to cool down."

James laughed, but Remus thought he heard a touch of anxiety in Sirius' voice that told him his new friend wasn't joking. The sorting ended at last a few minutes later with Vernica, Carol, being sorted into Hufflepuff and by the time everyone had eaten their fill and the feast was over, Remus found he was exhausted. Therefore, when he found his bed that night, he collapsed onto it without undressing and was asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

xxx

"Double Potions?" exclaimed Sirius in disgust the next morning. "Four perfectly good subjects to choose from and they give us double Potions with the Slytherins."

"With the Slytherins?" asked Remus in surprise, checking his timetable. "I thought we got taught in our House groups?"

"We do," answered James morosely. "But Potions is always mixed. Gryffindor with Slytherin, Ravenclaw with Hufflepuff."

"Come on, we'd better get moving or we'll be late," sighed Sirius, draining his orange juice and picking up his bag. Remus stood to follow him but before he could move more than a few steps, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Professor McGonagall standing over him.

"Could I have a quick word, Remus?" she asked, not unkindly. Remus nodded – it wasn't as though he had much choice – and gestured for the others to go on ahead of him. He followed her to her office where she went over the conditions of the safety precautions the headmaster had set in place for his arrival.

She also added that on the night before full moon he was to report to the Hospital Wing and see Madam Pomfrey, the matron. The staff had been informed of his condition but it was up to him whether or not he wished to disclose his secret to other students. Remus nodded, deciding then and there never to tell anyone his secret. He'd just made friends for the first time in seven years – he didn't intend on losing them any time soon.

By the time she let him go, he was late for his first lesson and had to run down to the dungeons, whereupon he promptly got lost and had to ask a ghost for directions. When he arrived, well over twenty minutes late and had explained himself to the teacher, a jovial man by the name of Slughorn, he discovered that Sirius and James hadn't been able to secure him a place at their table. They looked apologetically at him and he sighed, taking the only other seat available.

He sat down and looked blankly at the table where it's three occupants were examining a pile of what Remus recognised as Potions ingredients.

"We've got to identify them," said the girl opposite him, sighing heavily. She had gleaming red hair and dark brown eyes, and her tone indicated that she didn't like sitting near him anymore than he liked sitting near her.

A boy with the same noble features and flaming red hair sat next to her, turning a kidney shaped stone over in his elegant fingers. He glanced up at Remus for just long enough to give him a condescending look, and then turned back to classifying the stone.

Remus racked his brain for their names – he'd heard them twice already. Andromeda had mentioned them on the boat, and then he'd seen them being sorted. James and Alexandra McKenzie, that was it: the red haired twins.

He pulled out his Potions book and picked up a bottle of something vaguely fluid that shone gold in the torchlight.

"It's a bezoar, Jamie," said Alexandra suddenly, showing him a picture in her own textbook. "Cures most poisons. Comes from- urg! A goat's stomach! That's disgusting!"

"I don't think you'll be worrying about that too much if you're an inch from death," said a quiet voice next to Remus. Remus glanced at the girl he'd sat next to, trying not to grin at the sour look on Alexandra's face. Straight black hair fell across the girl's face, but she tucked it behind her ear now as she flicked through her textbook. He didn't remember seeing her at the sorting yesterday – she must have been the one he'd missed when James had distracted him.

"How are you doing?" asked Professor Slughorn, as he approached their table. "Miss Archer?"

"Those are lace wings," answered the girl, pointing to a scattering of fine gossamer wings that lay in a heap on the desk. "And Alexandra found out that was a bezoar," she added, smirking slightly as she indicated the small, kidney shaped stone.

"Very good," smiled Slughorn as someone waved their hand frantically in the air on the other side of the classroom. "Excuse me," he smiled genially and hurried over to the desperate student.

"Archer?" asked Remus softly, hardly daring to believe his ears. The girl glanced around at him, enabling him to see her properly for the first time. Jet black hair cut into a neat fringe, dark blue eyes under thick lashes and pale white skin. "Katherine?" he whispered, gazing at those familiar features in utter astonishment. The girl stared at him for a moment, then her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Remus? Bloody hell, you've changed!" she exclaimed, still gaping at him.

"Have I?" asked Remus, both amused and disconcerted.

"Yeah, but, oh Remus!" Katherine beamed and pulled him into an impromptu hug, much to the disdain of Alex and Jamie.

"I thought you were going to Beauxbaton," said Remus quizzically when she let him go.

"I was, but then Dad's job fell through or something, and they changed their minds, and I couldn't contact you because I'd already sent you Bane, and what with the sorting and everything…I completely forgot," gushed Katherine, still grinning insanely.

"You're telling me you didn't see him being sorted?" asked Jamie, regarding Katherine distrustfully through dark brown eyes.

"Avery was distracting me," frowned Katherine, throwing a disdainful look across the dungeons at the blond boy. "Kept quizzing me on my parents."

"It is true they're muggles?" interjected Alex quickly, and Remus could tell she'd been dying to ask this for quite some time now.

"I was adopted," said Katherine, observing the red head coldly. "I don't know who my birth parents are."

"You're probably a half blood or something then," said Jamie, losing interest at once. "If you were pureblood, they wouldn't have abandoned you. Doubtless they couldn't stand the shame."

Katherine gave Jamie an icy look and muttered a colourful word that Remus didn't know the meaning of, before turning back to identifying the ingredients. Remus grinned and opened his Potions book, feeling happier than he had in a long time. Not only did he have two new friends, but Katherine was back in his life.

He had a feeling he was going to have a great time at Hogwarts.

xxx

When they packed up after the lesson, Katherine slipped a note into his hand and smiled as Alexandra hustled her off to break. Apparently the red head had decided that Katherine needed looking after since she knew nothing of the magical world. Remus stashed the note in his pocket as James and Sirius appeared at his side.

"Sorry about that, mate," grimaced James. "Sanders insisted on sitting with us. She's fallen out with the girls already."

"Sanders?" asked Remus as they walked out of the classroom.

"Susan Sanders. The short brunette," answered Sirius, sighing. "Never stops talking. What did McGonagall want to see you about, anyway? You were away ages."

"Oh, um, family matter," muttered Remus, thinking quickly.

"Everything all right?" asked James, as Sirius frowned sympathetically.

"Yeah, my Mum's a bit ill, that's all," said Remus uncomfortably, as they went past a small group of Slytherins, Katherine amongst them. She gave him an odd look as he passed and Remus guessed she'd overheard him and, from her sceptical expression, had not believed a word.

He didn't see her again until dinner and only then remembered the note. He unearthed it from the depths of his pocket while Sirius and James argued about something Quidditch related, and read it quickly, grinning.

Tonight. 8:00pm. Trophy Room.

We've got a lot to catch up on.

You didn't think you'd be rid of me that easy, did you?

Love Kat

He glanced up at the Slytherin table just in time to catch Katherine's eye. She smiled faintly before frowning in annoyance at the black haired boy sitting next to her, who was asking her something. Remus stuffed the note back into his pocket and smiled to himself. Yes, it looked very much as though Hogwarts was going to be the best thing that ever happened to him.

"What you grinning at, Remus?" asked James suddenly; apparently the Quidditch debate had been either resolved or abandoned.

Remus looked up innocently. "Oh nothing. Just thinking."

"About?" probed Sirius, giving him an amused look.

"Nothing."

"You think about nothing a lot, huh?" Sirius laughed. Remus nodded and grinned back at his friend. For the first time in his life, he had friends. Real friends, that weren't going to leave him. Not yet anyway. Not until they found out what he was. But maybe they wouldn't find out - or not for a good while at any rate.

And if they did – if they left him... Well, he still had Katherine, and she had him.

They were stuck with each other, and this time, it was for good.

~ Fin ~