Chapter Two: Welcome To Hogwarts

As the train pulled into the station James, Sirius, Remus, and Storm hurried off onto the platform. As they looked around, curiously, they suddenly heard a voice saying, "First years! First years this way!" So they headed over to a middle aged man standing with a lantern in his hand.

He was short, but grinning brightly. As the first years gathered around him, the man looked pleased with himself. "I am Merlin Hagrid. I work here at Hogwarts... even if I am a muggle."

The first years laughed.

"So anyways, s'a tradition that you, the first years, cross over the lake to the castle. So there we have it, just down this path here is the lake, if you'll all follow me." Merlin turned and started down the beaten path, the first years following behind quietly.

It was a dark night. The stars were twinkling brightly, but there was no moon, so the path was rather hard to see. As Storm stepped forward over a root, she stumbled slightly. James and Remus were a head of her, but Sirius was beside her. He quickly grasped her arm to keep her from falling.

Storm's breath caught in her throat. "Thanks," she mumbled.

Sirius nodded and they continued walking, Storm's arm still threaded through Sirius'.

As Remus was walking he was paying more attention to his surroundings then anything else, yet he did not trip. As he glanced around him at the trees, he heard an owl hooting lightly, and smiled to himself. He turned his attention from his surroundings to his friend walking next to him.

"James," he hissed quickly.

"What?" James asked.

"How much farther is..." Remus' voice trailed off as they turned a corner in the path, and before them lay the castle. Remus looked up, an expression of awe crossing his face.

James grinned. "It's just as I imagined it! Brilliant this is!" He turned around to look at Sirius. "Oi, mate, look!"

Sirius had been having a whispered conversation with Storm, and hadn't noticed when they'd turned the corner. He looked up and his face broke into a wide grin. "Wicked..."

Storm glanced at Remus, who, feeling her gaze upon him, turned around and smiled at her.

"I think I'm going to like it here," he said quietly, causing Storm to smile.

"I know you will, Remus," she replied.

Sirius let go of Storm's arm and hurried up and walked next to James for a moment, before the two of them began to sprint ahead.

Storm looked at Remus, and impish grin on her face. She took off after Sirius and James, Remus following close next to her. The four of them arrived at the lake shore at the same time. There was a fleet of boats waiting before them, so Remus and Storm clambered into one, and James and Sirius another. Remus and Storm exchanged curious glances, and James and Sirius grinned.

The rest of the first years, led by Merlin, came up to the shore, and began climbing into the boats. James and Sirius were joined by two boys, who looked as if they'd instantly be in Hufflepuff, and Storm and Remus were joined by Lily and a boy who looked rather rat-like almost.

James scowled in the direction of Remus and Storms boat, while Sirius started laughing.

Storm grinned at Lily, who smirked back.

The new boy looked slightly unsure of himself, and rather confused.

Storm raised an eyebrow at Lily, who shrugged, but it was Remus who made the first move as the boat began to move.

"I'm Remus Lupin," he said, quietly introducing himself, "This is Storm O'Malley," he gestured to her, "and Lily Evans."

The boy smiled, slightly relieved, though still slightly nervous. "Peter," he mumbled, "Peter Pettigrew."

Storm gave Remus a withering glance, before pasting a very fake, but very real-looking smile on her face. "It's nice to meet you Peter," she said. "What house are you hoping to be in?"

Peter shrugged. "I dunno... Gryffindor sounds best, but I'll be lucky if I even get thought of for Hufflepuff. I'm libel to be told I'm a squib and sent back on the train."

Lily looked surprised, and Storm raised her eyebrows, but it was Remus who, once again, saved the moment.

He made a 'tsk, tsk' sound and shook his head. "Now, it's not right to think like that, Peter. You'll only succeed in life if you believe you will. Other wise you won't." Remus smiled. "Plus it's rather depressing for the rest of us to listen to." He laughed lightly, and Storm and Lily giggled.

Peter's face finally broke into a grin. "I s'pose you're right, Remus," he said at last.

James and Sirius' boat had been trailing Storm and Remus' since they had taken off, and James was staring at Lily as if he'd never seen such a beautiful sight. He sighed and Sirius punched his arm.

"Staring at the back of her head won't get her to notice you, you know that James," Sirius said, a smirk on his face.

James turned around, a curious look on his face. "What are you planning?" he asked curiously.

Sirius leaned towards James and quickly described his plan in a hurried whisper.

James grinned. "Sounds good," he murmured, pulling out his wand. He murmured something, and the boat began to speed up, until it was neck and neck with Storm, Remus, and Lily's boat.

When they pulled up next to them, Sirius pulled out his wand.

"Hey Lily!" James called.

Lily turned to look at him. "What do you want?" she called back.

"To know if you took a bath this morning!" he hollered back.

By now all the first years were eyeing the boats in front of them warily.

Lily's eyes flashed with indignation. "You arrogant little jerk!" she hollered, "That's a personal question!"

James grinned. "I'll take that as a no then?"

Lily's face was turning red with anger by now. "OF COURSE I TOOK A BATH THIS MORNING!" Lily was practically screaming by now.

Sirius and James burst into equally wide grins. "So then you won't mind taking another one!" James hollered back.

Sirius pointed his wand at Lily's boat, and whispered something.

Suddenly their boat began to tip.

Lily screeched lightly and grasped onto the edge, but Remus and Storm, knowing they were going to get wet anyways, jumped into the lake.

Peter looked horrified as he was tipped into the water.

Lily was still grasping onto the hope that the boat wouldn't tip any further, but sadly, to no avail. T

he boat completely flipped over and Lily squealed as she landed in the water.

James and Sirius gave each other high fives and continued on towards the shore.

Storm looked at Remus and grinned. "C'mon Remus, we're not going to let them get away with that are we?"

Remus grinned and they began to swim towards James and Sirius' boat. They reached the boat, and quickly reached up, grabbed the sides of the boat, and tipped it over.

James let out a whoop as he flipped into the water, and Sirius dove off the side of the boat.

The two other boys in the boat squeaked as the boat flipped over.

Lily, who by now had swam to shore, turned around and began to laugh. "Serves you right James Potter!" she called.

As Storm, Remus, Peter, James, Sirius, and the two boys swam to shore, the rest of the class arrived in the boats.

Merlin shook his head. "Happens almost every year..." he sighed, "Follow me everyone!" Merlin started walking up to the castle doors, and the first years trailed behind him, whispering about the boating 'incident'.

Remus, Sirius, James, and Storm were walking together, laughing as if nothing had happened to make them soaking wet, with Peter trailing along behind them.

Storm noticed Peter trailing them, and turned around suddenly. "Peter, you can walk with us, instead of stalking us you know," she said with a smile.

Peter grinned and hurried up his pace to walk next to James.

"Everyone who doesn't know, this is Peter Pettigrew. Peter, this is James and this is Sirius," she gestured to them. "And you know me and Remus."

Peter nodded.

Merlin stopped suddenly, turned around, and looked at the First Years. The five new friends looked at each other and exchanged glances of curiosity.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Merlin said, as he turned and knocked on the giant wooden doors.