Sorry this chapter took so long...I hate school!! I'll try to get the next chappie up soon, as long as I'm not swamped in homework...Disclaimer: I don't own James Potter, Sirius Black, Lily Evans, or anyone you can remember from the Harry Potter books. JK Rowling does. The woman who has more money than the Queen of England. Ahem. So, anyways, come on! R&R!!

The Hogwarts Express

James was excited. He couldn't wait to see Sirius again. It was the 31st of August, and the Express was leaving for Hogwarts the next day. The excited eleven-year-old couldn't stop thinking about his new school. All day he was thinking along the lines of 'Hmm... I wonder what my new room will look like...' or maybe 'I wonder what my friends and I will do in our spare time?'

The next day, James woke up in a rush. He had to make sure he hadn't forgotten to pack anything, and he had to eat a piece of toast on the run, or he was going to miss the train.

Once at the Platform 9 ¾, James set himself to trying to heave his heavy trunk into the last car in the train. Soon, his father came to help him put all his luggage in the rack above his head, along with the cage for his boreal owl, Artemis. After all James' baggage was hidden from view, his father pulled him aside.

"Ok, here's the deal. Don't get into too much trouble with this," he said. He handed his son a long and silvery cloak. James' eyes widened. "It was my fathers, and he passed it on to me. Take good care of it, and at least try to stay out of trouble. Oh, by the way, have a look behind that mirror on the fourth floor." With a mischievous grin, Mr. Potter left his son in awe.

James looked out the window and waved to his parents as the express pulled out of the station, and saw his father give him a small wink. James still couldn't believe it. His father had given him his invisibility cloak! It was one of Mr. Potter's most prized possessions... James vowed to try it later, at the school.

Finally, as the train sped past fields of sheep, James decided to go look for Sirius. He went out into the hall of the train and started looking into all the compartments. Trying to decide if a long, black haired boy was Sirius, he felt someone run into him. He looked around and saw a boy about his age. His robes were slightly baggy, and his skin was pale. He had short light-brown hair, and he looked extremely embarrassed.

"Sorry mate, I didn't see where I was going... The name's Remus Lupin... I was running away from my friend, Peter. Oh look, here he comes now!" At that moment, a larger boy came puffing down the corridor.

"James Potter, at your service" he said, extending his hand to the two of them. "That's ok, Remus, and hello Peter...?"

"Pettigrew," gasped Peter.

"Well, I must be off; I'm looking for a friend of mine. Do you know him? His surname's Black," James told them. He liked these boys, they seemed friendly.

"Oh, Sirius?" asked Remus. "Oh, yea, he's in the second compartment on the right. Well, anyways, we have to go too... Maybe we'll see you at Hogwarts?"

"See you there!!" James turned away, before turning back. "Oh, and thanks!"

James found Sirius reading the newest copy of 'Which Broomstick'. "Hey mate... what's new? Get yourself in trouble with Lily lately?" James joked. Sirius saw the sarcasm in his voice and was just saying "Well..." as James burst out laughing at the comical memory. They talked for the rest of the trip to Hogwarts, joined later by Remus and Peter. As soon as the lunch cart appeared, James bought a load of chocolate frogs for them to share. They played exploding snap and wizard's chess for quite a while, and it felt only a short time before the express started slowing down and stopped at the Hogsmeade station.

The Sorting ceremony was to begin as soon as they got to the school. James looked around. All the first years around him looked pale. No one had any idea what was going to happen. James could feel himself going slowly pale, and Peter was shaking. There was a young, red haired boy who had plenty freckles standing next to Remus. He was muttering under his breath to the scrawny boy on the other side of him, "My two big brothers said we might have to wrestle a troll..." James just thought it was an absurd idea, and a girl in front of him started shaking, but not as openly as Peter.

A huge man, about eight feet tall, though still looked in about his thirties, started shouting. James could barely hear the boy next to him over the noise the rest of the students were making, but he could hear the half-giant (he was sure that's what the man was) clearly.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Come on now, move along... FIRS' YEARS!!! Yea, that'd be you..."

As the rest of the students moved away, all the first years were herded towards the glassy lake nearby, the surface occasionally rippling due to the warm breeze. Suddenly, the first years in the front of the line gasped.

"Yep, that's the castle alright. Welcome to yer new home," the half giant said. "Now, get into a boat and follow me."

James saw the line of little boats along the edge of the lake. The nervous first years climbed into them, and suddenly the little lamps at the bow light up. Before they knew what was happening, the boats pushed themselves off shore and slid over the ripples to the other side of the lake.

Once they had all successfully gotten to the other side of the lake, directly under the castle, the large man lead them to the main entrance. He knocked loudly on the door. After a minute, an man with graying hair answered it.

"I'll take them from here, Hagrid" said the man.

"Good..."he replied. Then he turned to the students. "I guess I'll be seeing you later then, shall I?"

Then he walked off, and the other man opened the door and said "Welcome to Hogwarts."

Ok, it took a lot longer than a few days... I hope someone will review; I want this to be a great story... Just tell me your ideas, or any comments, and I'll look at them all! I'll probably post again next week, I have a day off on Monday! TTYL