[Disclaimer: These are not my characters or my world. Everything you are reading belongs to JK Rowling and is protected by copyrights.]
A small boy with mousy hair slid through the barrier to Platform 9¾. His jeans and large t-shirt hung limply from his small, thin figure. Small, grey eyes darted back and forth, watching the other students nervously. Friends greeted each other merrily. People huddled together and shared private conversations.
"They're talking about you..." Hissed a menacing, familiar voice in the back of his head. "No. They can't be. They don't know anything!" He thought reassuringly. "Ah, but how can you be sure? You're a freak. You always will be. I'll make sure of that." It hissed again happily. "No. Leave me alone." He murmured. It laughed. "NO!" he yelled out loud, causing several eyes to glance his way.
He lowered his head and pushed his trolley with his suitcase towards the train. All by himself. His parents, once again, had not had enough time to come with him. They were working. Always working. Trying to get enough money to take care of him. To fix the damages he caused. He quickly repressed a shudder. "Don't think about that." He reminded himself. He couldn't stop what happened each month. When his parents would lock him in his room. His mom would stand by his door crying, while his dad muttered words of support. And then as soon as the sun rose and things had calmed down, they would rush inside, lay him on his bed and bandage his cuts for him.
The boy shook his head, pushing the thought out of his head as he pulled his trunk up the steps to the train, and then down the long hallway. Every compartment was already taken. There were either people sitting together or luggage was already stored there while the students went outside to say a last good bye to their parents. Finally, at the very back of the train, there was a free compartment. The boy carefully slid the door back and stepped inside, along with his heavy trunk. He pushed it under the seat, with a little bit of effort, sat down and slid the door shut. He leaned back and looked out the window.
There seemed to be no one outside towards this end of the train. But then he noticed, in the shadows, a small greasy haired boy, standing with his parents. His mom was a small person, and didn't seem to be saying anything. She was standing behind the man who seemed to be yelling at the boy. He saw the greasy haired boy nod, and turn towards the train.
The greasy-haired boy's eyes darted to up where the boy was sitting, and he quickly looked away. The train gave a long whistle, signalling it was to be leaving soon. Students said good-bye to their parents one last time, and soon everyone was on the train. It gave another long whistle, and began to move.
The boy's stomach lurched. This was it. No turning back now. He thought about being at school for the first time in his life. No one would know the truth. He would tell them he was visiting his sick mum. For the first time in quite a while, he smiled. Things would be ok. Dumbledore was headmaster now, and he would make sure of that. The train rolled out of the city, and into the country. Even though he was alone, the boy started to have a good time, watching the trees roll by.
........
Several compartments down the train sat another boy. He was staring out the window grumpily. His black hair hung gently in his eyes, and even though he was still young, you could tell he had the same good looks the rest of his family was blessed with. He was happy, of course, to be going to Hogwarts at last. He had been waiting excitedly for his letter all summer. But he couldn't help the feeling of dread in his stomach.He was sure he was going to be sorted into Slytherin, like the rest of his family. The rest of his dark-wizarding family. And if he wasn't, boy, would they ever be mad.
A rapping on the compartment door interrupted his thoughts. Before he could get up and open the door, it slid open. The first thing he noticed was a cart piled full of snacks. It was only after she spoke, that he noticed the lady pushing it. "Anything off the trolley m'dear?" she asked. She was very jolly looking. Round faced, with pink cheeks. For the first time today, the boy found himself smiling. His parents had given him quite a bit of money for the year, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to spend some of it now. "Er- yes please, just one minute." He answered. He knelt down and pulled his trunk out from underneath his seat, and pulled out a moneybag. He bought a huge stack of chocolate frogs- his favourite- and ended up paying her 12 galleons, 4 sickles, and 9 knuts. "Ah, well, it's worth it" he said to himself as he sat down and began to rip open a chocolate frog.
Just as he stuffed the frog in his mouth, the compartment door slid open again and a boy with messy hair walked in. Before he could say anything, the other boy sat down and started talking. "Hey. My name's James... James Potter. I'm in the compartment across from yours. It's gettin' pretty boring so, 'figured I'd come over here and see if you wanna talk or something."
The boy stared at him like he was crazy, but since this James person didn't look like he was going anywhere in a hurry, he shrugged. "So... what did you say your name was?" James asked him. "I didn't" the boy replied. "Alright, well then what is your name?" James tried again. "Sirius. Er- Sirius Black." He said before stuffing another chocolate frog in his mouth. "Black... isn't your family like a bunch of dark wizards?" he asked. Sirius shrugged. "Ah, well I suppose it doesn't matter that much, doesn't mean you'll turn out like them."
Sirius stared at this boy for a minute. He was the only person that didn't care that he was a Black. That didn't get scared, just because of what his family was. Besides, he seemed to come from a wizarding family since he knew who his family was. "So- uh- did you buy anything off the trolley?" Sirius asked him. "Nope. Hey you want some Drooble's Best Blowing Gum?" he said holding out a piece. Sirius stared at James weirdly. "I though you said you didn't buy anything...?" "I didn't" James replied, tossing the gum down beside Sirius. "Then how-?" "Nicked 'em." he said simply with a mischievous grin. Sirius laughed, a loud laugh that sounded sort of like a dog barking, and popped a piece in his mouth.