The reunion was glorious. James was there first with his family but he was soon joined by Remus, whose parents looked tense and weary but seemed rather glad that their son was welcomed in such a warm way by the Potters. The Hogwarts Express huffed and gleamed in the sun, everywhere around First-Years were trying to get rid off their parents and older children met old friends. Finally Peter came huffing and puffing along with his luggage.

"Patty Gru!" James exclaimed grinning. "We thought you wouldn't make it!"

Peter just grimaced, sat down on his trunk and panted.

"Where are your parents?" asked Mrs Lupin.

Peter's face grew dark. "Ministry task."

"What do your parents do?" James inquired.

Peter looked up, sniffled and wiped his nose. "I think we should get on board."

"But Sirius hasn't –"

"He'll be here soon enough."

Remus shrugged. "Alright. Probably a good idea, that way we'll get a space of our own."

Remus and James said goodbye to their parents and then helped Peter with his huge trunk. As soon as they'd settled down comfortably, James opened a window and looked outside on the platform.

"He still isn't here," he muttered worriedly.

"He'll come in a moment, I'm sure," Remus said and yawned. "Gosh, I'm glad full moon's over, I was afraid I'd miss the train."

"Nah, you wouldn't have. We'd have bought a nice collar for you."

Peter grinned. "One with your name stitched on. 'Moony'."

James snorted against the glass. "Oops," he chuckled, wiping it. "Good one, Pete."

"There he is!" Remus said hastily to change the subject. "With the whole clan!"

Indeed, a herd of Blacks and Malfoys had just appeared on the platform, among them a very sullen-looking Sirius. They were followed by a somewhat larger herd of house-elves carrying and pulling luggage.

"OY!" James shouted and waved through the window. "Sirius!"

Within a second, the two other Marauders were at his side shouting and waving.

Sirius' sulky face sparkled with a warm grin, then he simply shooed away an elf from his luggage and dragged it to the train, ignoring his family's furious complaints about how he was supposed to travel with Lucius and give a proper goodbye first.

The three Marauders rushed to the door and helped Sirius get his stuff on the train, then they led him to their compartment, shoved him into a seat and gave him some candy.

"I've never been so glad in my whole life to get away from home," Sirius sighed happily. "Mother's gone frantic after your last visit."

"You've visited him, James?" Peter asked wide-eyed.

"Yes."

"How?"

"On my broomstick."

"You're mad," Remus said admiringly. "That's such a long way to fly!"

Sirius clapped James's back. "He'll get into the Quidditch team this year, just you wait and see."

Soon the train started moving and the four Marauders were busy telling about their holidays, joking, eating candy and planning assaults on the Slytherins, "especially a certain blond arrogant prat called Malfoy", as Sirius insisted. And none of his friends disagreed.