Remus thanked his mother for dropping him off at King's Cross station. It was September 30th and he was finally going back to Hogwarts, finally going to see his friends. After assuring his already-late-for-work mother that he would be fine getting in on his own, he left the car and made his way through the station pushing his trolley that held a trunk full of school books, parchment, quills and robes and on top of the trunk was a cage with a twittering young owl inside. He had got his new books and supplies from Diagon Alley as soon as he had received his list last week. He walked along and remembered the first time he had went in search of Platform 93/4. He had asked some people how to get there and had met some strange looks as he was told there was no such platform. But he knew now of course that muggles wouldn't know how to get onto the platform. Muggles were non-magical people. He had been grateful to find a wizard of his own age. He had followed him onto the platform.
As he approached the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten, he noticed a family of wizards disappearing through it. Remus looked around him. He was still amazed how muggles didn't notice families vanishing behind walls. It was baffling. Some people are plain ignorant, he thought. As he made to walk through the barrier, his stomach gave a great lurch as he thought of seeing his friends again. Seeing Sirius again. He closed his eyes and tried to rid himself of worrying that he would lose control over his feelings for Sirius and blurt them out. He had been close to ruining their friendship like this before. And ruining their special friendship was the last thing in the world Remus wanted. He'd rather die. He walked calmly forward taking one last look at King's Cross and stepped through the barrier. He emerged on the other side a moment later and faced the large scarlet steam-engine that was his school train. On the front, the words read "HOGWARTS EXPRESS" and Remus smiled as he turned to look for his friends. He soon spotted them in amongst a crowd of girls, who were hopelessly batting their eyelashes at a tall, black haired boy who was grinning widely.
Remus's heart leapt and began beating audibly from his chest as he saw Sirius. He felt his face flush. Damn, he thought, how the hell can he possibly look even nicer this year. And taller. God, he's stunning. And as he composed himself, he saw Peter look up. He called over the crowd, "Remus!" and James and Sirius looked up smiling. They were all already wearing their robes and to the disappointment of the girls, they broke away from them and walked down to meet Remus. Remus's heart was thundering now as Sirius approached. James reached him first and he placed a hand on his shoulder saying "Good to see you mate". He moved over and Remus saw Peter grinning broadly at him and he nodded to acknowledge his presence. But Sirius burst by him and to Remus's shock, he found himself enveloped in a tight hug from Sirius. He lost his composure once again, but quickly regained it as he tried to act normal. Sirius being so close made Remus feel dizzy.
"Moony, we missed you", Sirius cried, grinning even more as he mercifully loosened himself from his friend. Remus smiled in spite of himself and when he found his voice he said to his friends, "I missed you guys too". They all beamed at him as he looked around them. Except from Sirius.
"What's up Padfoot?" Remus asked, concerned. Sirius's gaze was making him feel awkward and butterflies swam in his stomach. Sirius was looking, he realised at a bruise left on his face from the other night with a look of worry and guilt. He didn't need to ask what Sirius was referring to when he said :
"Was it terrible? You didn't hurt yourself too much did you?" Sirius asked with such worry evident in his voice that Remus smiled inwardly at his caring.
"Nah...", and from a look of disbelief from Sirius he gave in, "Well, yeah, it hurt a lot. But I'm fine now. Madam Pomfrey taught me enough to rid myself of the real pain. It looks worse than it is. Honestly, it's just bruises". Sirius looked for a moment longer as if waiting for Remus to admit to more pain, then accepted his answer and smiled.
"We'd better get on the train then if we want a compartment to ourselves", said Peter.
So they all hauled their stuff on the train and soon found a compartment down the front. They got in and sat on the cosy stuffed leather-cushioned seats after putting their trunks in the luggage shelf over head. Remus pulled on his robes and joined the others in their enlightening conversation of their holidays. Remus sat contentedly listening to his friends and was very happy to be back in their company at last. He listened as Peter moaned about his nagging mother and more intently he listened to James talking about how great a time he and Sirius had had. James spoke of a beautiful girl that Sirius had completely ignored and was delighted to hear he'd ignored her 'cos he'd been worried about him. He was not surprised to hear how the girl had came over and outright flirted with Sirius. This wasn't a strange occurrence around him as Sirius was constantly being approached by girls. And Remus didn't blame them one bit. He'd love to be able to flirt with Sirius. Pity he wasn't a girl. Remus told them how his summer had been really boring and how he wished his mother had allowed him to stay over at James'. Peter agreed that he wished he had too. Then the other three Marauders had to listen as this brought on another long rant about Wormtail's mum.
His moaning subsided only when the witch brought a welcome cart of sweets and drinks to their compartment. They indulged in everything from Chocolate Frogs to Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans. They had been trading their wizard cards from the Chocolate frogs when the train had slowed to a halt as they pulled into the station. They all got up to leave and James mentioned how the Marauders' enemy hadn't graced his face in on them. Severus Snape and his cronies, Evan Rosier and Rodolphus Lestrange normally came into their compartment on the train to wind them up. Remus and Peter let out a thankful sigh and Remus thought how the absence of Snape and his mates was a very welcome one.
He always stupidly picked a fight with James and Sirius. It was stupid because he and his mates lost the duel every time. Remus thought that they had perhaps got the point that they would lose, but then another possible reason occurred to him. Last year, before his friends had become animagi, Sirius had told Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. He said he thought it would teach him not to be nosy. Well, if Severus (or Snivellus, as the Marauders preferred to call him) had reached the end of the tunnel, he'd have been met by the wolf form of Remus. Thankfully James had found out what Sirius had done and had gone down,just in time to stop Snape. He had done it to his own risk as he had not yet become an animagus and could not transform. But Snape had caught a glimpse of Remus and would have told everyone had it not been for the intervention of the Headmaster. Dumbledore had sworn him to secrecy. But Remus shuddered now thinking of what would happen if everyone found out. Parents would cause havoc at the school, not wanting their children in the company of a werewolf. Chaos, it would be. Yes, Snape's absence was always welcome. Remus had seen the look of fear that now flitted over Snape's ugly features every time he saw him. He thought now that this was probably the reason Snape didn't turn up. He was scared.
As they left the train, they heard the gamekeeper, Ogg, shouting over the crowd for first years. Remus told the Marauders that he had to go do his prefect duties and they said they'd keep him a spot in the horseless carriages up to the castle. After stopping a couple of cheeky second years from fighting, Remus made his way up the carriages checking each one for his friends. He eventually found it and settled into a seat beside Sirius as the carriage drew up to the startlingly beautiful castle. He saw how the lighted windows made the castle look eerily silhouetted against the almost black sky. He was thrilled to be back at the castle and walked up the marble steps to the Entrance Hall happily with James, Peter and Sirius. They joined in the large crowd that was bustling into the Great Hall. Upon entering the it, they made their way over to the Gryffindor table. They took their seats at the end and their house ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, engaged them in conversation. Remus looked around the hall. He looked up to the ceiling that had been enchanted to look like the sky outside. It was dark and overcast and completely the opposite of his mood. He looked around at his fellow students and he spotted Snape sitting at the furthest of the four tables. The Slytherin table. He was sitting there chatting animatedly to his friends with the usual sneer on his face. He had a stringy pallid look about him. This was normal. His black hair hung lank and greasy about his unpleasant face and Remus suddenly wished he had left at the end of fifth year.
Remus dared a look at Sirius and followed his gaze to the teacher's table at the front end of the Hall, facing down on the pupils. Albus Dumbledore sat in the middle of the table in deep conversation with the Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick, who sat on his right. On his left, there was a space where Professor McGonagall would sit once she had instructed the First years in their Sorting into the four houses. He suddenly thought to look for who might be the new Potions teacher, and he realized that must be what Sirius was doing. He looked further left and saw Professor Lorinov of the Care of Magical Creatures class, Professor Sprout of Herbology, Professor Sinistra of Astronomy, Madam Hooch who teaches flying and Professor Stanlik of Muggle Studies. Nobody new here. Remus then looked to the right of Dumbledore. Beside Professor Flitwick was Professor Binns who teaches History of Magic, Professor Bullstrode of Defence Against the Dark Arts then Professor Reficul of Divination. She had only arrived last year. Then, beside her sat a blond-haired man with an unsightly face. He was quite young but his face looked prematurely hoary. His nose was larger than necessary, which reminded Remus of Snape. He had this ugly feature too. He knew this must be the replacement Potions professor. As Remus continued to stare at him, he was brought out of his thoughts as a plump 7th year girl, Bertha Jorkins plunked herself down beside him. She was the school gossip and always seemed to know everything, yet nothing important, that was going on in the school.
"You'll never guess who the new potions teacher is!" she cried excitedly, her eyes fixed on Sirius who was directly across the table from Remus and beside James. "Oh who, who?!" Sirius said with fake enthusiasm. The Marauders laughed at this. Bertha either didn't notice the sarcasm dripping from his voice or she didn't care because she continued her gossip anyway.
"Know how Miss Reficul?" then without waiting for an answer, "He's her brother!" she said as though it was highly classified information. She was satisfied with their mild surprise and left to tell some other people with one last look at Sirius. They looked back up at the man. Remus saw only one feature he had in common with his sister. Both of them had cold grey eyes. Other than that, Remus saw not one other feature that would reveal the two were siblings. Miss Reficul had brown hair and a tolerably fair face. Her nose was of normal size and there was nothing noticeably displeasing about her face. But they weren't even acting like brother and sister, but instead as though they were merely two professors who had to get along for the sake of their work.
"Wow, who'd of guessed it?" Sirius said in amusement. James looked at him slightly puzzled.
"That they're related? Yeah, you wouldn't - " James began.
"No. Well that too. But the fact that Bertha Jorkins just said something even slightly interesting" Sirius said and was met with understanding laughter from the Marauders and every other person within earshot.
Just then they all looked up as Professor McGonagall stood with the new first years. It was tradition for the first years to cross the lake with Ogg to get to the castle. This was them just arriving and most of the tiny witches and wizards looked terrified as they followed Professor McGonagall to the top of the Hall. Most of them looked as though they'd rather be anywhere else than here, at this time being stared at. Remus didn't blame them. He remembered feeling exactly the same as when he first came to the castle. They lined up as Professor McGonagall placed a stool with three legs in front of them. A timeworn tatty wizard's hat lay on top of the stool. Everyone stared at it and the first years seemed to be holding their breath as they waited for something to happen. A few first years opened their mouths wide in shock, which never failed to amuse Remus, as a hole near the hat's brim opened like a mouth and the Sorting Hat erupted into song.
There was complete silence in the Hall as the hat sang:
Many moons and years ago,
Four great wizards did align
They built a school of sorcery
To teach magic through the times.
But these four friends had different plans
What values were important?
So within the castle they did split
Into four fine compartments.
The different houses did comprise
Of quality, symbol and name,
The wizards gave their names to the houses
And in the students came.
Each wizard, with their separate views
Accepted different scholars,
They picked in them, their dearest qualities
They're ideas, they then hollered.
Gryffindor went for bravery;
A hardworking Hufflepuff passed the test;
Ravenclaw held intelligence;
For Slytherin, pure-bloods were the best.
But what would happen when they died?
And houses teams need stated?
Who would do the honours then?
The Hogwarts founders ruminated.
While worn upon my master's head,
He thought up this great plan
Gryffindor gave his hat a brain
And then my time began.
I now will pick a house for you
And there you will belong,
So place me now upon your head
I never have been wrong!
The hall burst into applause and the first years looked, for a moment, impressed. Then their nerves came back as Professor McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment.
She said, "When you hear your name, you will come forward, sit on the stool and place the Hat on your head", the first years gave each other apprehensive looks, "Once you have been placed in a house, you will then go to the appropriate table and sit with your fellow housemates.....Ackerly, Paula"
A girl with long braided hair, tonnes of freckles and small glasses walked smartly up to the stool. As she was about to sit, Remus heard Sirius say to James, "Well, she looks smart..." and James said, "Yeah, Ravenclaw?" And they watched as the Hat called out "RAVENCLAW". Sirius smirked and Remus looked at them and smiled as Peter gasped in astonishment at their guess. The Ravenclaw table cheered madly.
McGonagall continued, "Baddock, Kiara", and a butch girl hobbled up with a scowl on her face. Sirius and James said together with a growl, "Slytherin" and both of them huffed in disapproval as the Hat confirmed this and the Slytherin table applauded their new housemate, Snape leading the cheer.
"Branstone, Stella", cried McGonagall as the cheers died down. Remus looked to Siri and Jamie for their ideas. "Well", said Sirius, "She doesn't look brainy, brave (the girl was shaking almost convulsively) or particularly retched..." And James cut in confidently, "Hufflepuff", the bitterness gone from his voice. The girl walked nervously to the Hufflepuff table after the Hat called it, as soon as she had placed it on her head. Remus must admit he was quite impressed by this call and he smiled at his friends. Peter was positively squealing with pleasure now.
"Creevey, Louise", and a pretty girl walked up to the Hat with a smile in the Gryffindor table's direction. "She's got to be one of us", said Sirius and James agreed. When the Hat called "GRYFFINDOR" she smiled warmly at her housemates as they roared in welcome and Remus could have sworn that when she spotted Sirius she flushed in excitement. She walked down the table towards the other first years while taking occasional glances at Sirius. Remus just shook his head at this. Even first years could spot beauty when they saw it. A few more people were sorted and Sirius and James guessed correctly each time.
Remus watched Sirius's features contort with (handsome) distaste as the name, "Lestrange, Rabastan" was called to be sorted. "A new member for Snape's group" he said with contempt and Remus understood as he looked to the Slytherin table and saw Rabastan's brother, Rodolphus, give a loud cheer as his sibling sat down. It seemed before the Hat touched his head, the cocky boy was pronounced a Slytherin and he swaggered over to the cheering table to take a place beside his brother. Sirius and James cursed him loudly, but luckily the Slytherin cheers drowned them out enough not to attract any teacher's attention. Paul Madley became a Hufflepuff, Sam McDonald became a Gryffindor and Stephanie Owen became yet another Hufflepuff.
The Marauders were surprised when Peter said with confidence that Casey Pritchard would be a Slytherin and they were even more surprised that he was right. They looked at them quizzically before he shrugged his shoulders and said, "The Pritchards live down the street from me. They've all been Slytherins according to my mum" and they understood. Remus joined in, and together the four of them guessed correctly what house each first year would enter. They concluded as Candida Quirke became a Ravenclaw and finally Thomas Whitby became a Hufflepuff.
Professor McGonagall took the seat and the Hat away and all chattering died away as Professor Dumbledore stood up. Everybody faced him and in a reverent silence, they sat patiently waiting for him to speak. Remus felt a familiar feeling of guilt when he looked up at the wizened wizard. He felt terrible about having lead three of his fellow students into becoming animagi illegally. After all Dumbledore had done for him. He had accepted him when nobody else had. He listened raptly.
"It was once said by a respected wizard that great speeches were those which lasted" and Dumbledore smiled as many people groaned in annoyance, as many people's stomachs were now rumbling. He then continued, "But I never did agree with him! Enjoy your meal" and many people laughed appreciatively as their shining golden plates were suddenly piled with many tottering towers of delicious food. Remus watched Sirius tentatively as the raven-haired boy slowly consumed his food. Professor McGonagall handed out their timetables as the ate. The boys were enjoying their food immensely when Remus heard a definite silence fall around the Hall. It wasn't like the Hall was completely noiseless, but people had started to speak in curiously hushed voices. It was James nudging Sirius and pointing that showed Remus what the strange stillness was about. He looked for Sirius's reaction before turning around and saw that a small smile played on his mouth. Remus's heart sank as he watched three of his year group walking tantalizingly and obviously towards the end of the Gryffindor table...Remus felt great annoyance as three extremely pretty Ravenclaw girls came over, eyes on Sirius all the way. Everyone seemed to be watching now and Remus looked back to see how Sirius was acting. His expression had changed none and Remus looked over to James, who was grinning knowingly. The girls were Siobhan Davies and Shannen Teazel, led by Maria Chang. Maria stood, hand on hip in front of Sirius when she finally reached him. Her friends stood beside her, but further back a little. Sirius now looked up curiously, "Yeah?" The Ravenclaw quidditch captain grinned and she asked with unmistakable confidence, "Well, I was wondering, Siri, if you would go out with me". Remus was sure his heart had stopped. Her friends purred in approval, but also jealousy. Sirius sighed and looked back up at Maria with a frown. It was a moment before he answered. Remus held his breath. "Sorry Maria, but no", he said to Remus's delight. He began to breathe again and his heart pounded once again in his chest. Remus heard a great many girls sigh in relief also. Sirius looked apologetically at her but she shook her head, crestfallen, but as though she'd been expecting it. "Nah...that's okay Sirius", and then her face suddenly brightened.
"Well", she said and cheekily continued, "I wouldn't mind some compensation... ..a kiss maybe?" And she looked hopefully at Sirius. Remus's heart gave a jolt of pain as a grin spread over his face. James and a great amount of other people laughed at her boldness. Sirius said "Well, seeing as though you were so forward..yeah" and Maria beamed at him with pure joy. Remus knew he didn't want to see this, but he couldn't leave. Dumbledore was yet to address the school again after the feast. So he would have to suffer this, and suffering seemed the perfect word to Remus just now. The girl and Sirius had the full attention of the Hall now, but Sirius looked as if he couldn't care less. Always so confident, Remus thought.
Sirius nudged James over so he was pressed against Perry McKinnon, who was also watching in deep interest. James did so too willingly for Remus's liking. Maria sat down on the newly made space on the bench with her back to the table, elbows leaning casually on the surface and she was so close to Sirius and Remus's heart, body and mind objected to it. But he said nothing. She looked lustfully up at Sirius and still unperturbed by the amount of watchers, Siri pulled her closer to him and kissed her expertly. She flushed with enjoyment at the sensation and her friends gasped in awe, as did loads of people. Remus, unable to continue watching, tore his eyes from them to see the surrounding scene. Shannen, her friend stood watching with her mouth open and she actually had to wipe away a slight trace of drool from her lips. Siobhan was also gaping at them and her lip quivered, making Remus imagine she was fantasizing she was Maria. He looked about the Hall and almost every girl was staring and looking as though they would have given anything for to be Maria or else they where whispering excitedly to mates without taking their eyes off of the kissing pair. He noticed a few boys were giving Siri yearning looks and other, straighter boys were giving great looks of sanction.
Remus looked back at them. Sirius finally pulled away. Thank God, Remus thought. The girl's eyes remained closed for a second as though savouring the moment. She looked one last time lustfully at Sirius before reluctantly getting up. She made an "mmm" noise as she licked her swollen lips. Some people burst into applause and the girl stood with her friends. When the clapping stopped, Maria looked back down at Siri and said, "Won't you go out with me?" in a pleading voice. Remus's heart was constricting more every second and he wondered how much more he could take. He felt flushed and flustered as he stared hard at Sirius, awaiting his reply. He shook his head, "Nope" and Remus relaxed ever so slightly, but was brought back to boiling point when Shannen spoke up saying:
"Wow, I don't think me and Siobhan would mind some compensation!" Sirius laughed. "No, I've had enough kisses tonight thanks", were the words that gave Remus relief. The girls shrugged off their rejection unconvincingly and they all said their "byes" and walked back to their own table, where they were met by a lot of questions. Remus heard Maria say very loudly, "Yeah, he's an amazing kisser! Best kiss I've ever had" and Remus didn't doubt she'd had plenty. Remus felt as though he'd happily have watched her fall off of a cliff at that moment. It's not fair. I'll never know how it feels to kiss Sirius, he thought. He felt that if he'd been able to look into a mirror, his eyes would have been green, pure with jealousy and misted over with red showing his anger.
Sirius moved back over in his seat to release James from being squashed further by him. His expression was calm and he looked as though nothing remarkable had just happened. Everybody was still ogling at him and Peter looked as though it he'd just heard news that he'd become Minister for Magic. James was staring with an enormous grin. But Sirius just picked up his timetable and began examining it. "Damn, Potions with the Slytherins first", he said with an easy calmness. Remus saw from the look on James's face that that's not what he wanted to talk about at all. He wanted details on how that felt and how the hell had he had the guts to do it in front of everyone. But Siri just looked up at them with a frown, "What?"
"Padfoot!" James exclaimed, "You're not even going to refer to what you just did?" Sirius laughed, "Well...no. It wasn't a big deal. I just kissed a girl. End of story"
James shook his head as he too laughed. "Well okay then..." and another silence fell over the room. Remus thought for one horrible moment that somebody else was coming to ask Sirius to kiss them, but he noticed people were looking up at the staff table. Then he saw why: Dumbledore had stood up.
With one amused expression at Sirius, the headmaster cleared his throat and began to speak. At once the Hall was hushed completely and only a few people were still looking at Siri now.
"Ah", he said, "Now that we are full, I'd just like to give mention to one or two important things before we retire to bed. I'd like to point out to our new students, and remind our older students, that the Forest in the school grounds is strictly forbidden, and also is the wizarding village of Hogsmeade to anyone below third year. It is finally my pleasure to introduce to you our new Potions teacher, Professor Algen Reficul", and he pointed down the staff table towards him. Remus had forgotten all about him. Reficul gave a curt nod as Dumbledore set the crowd in a welcome applause. The Gryffindors clapped unenthusiastically as they heard the tumultuous roar from Slytherin house.
"Figures that they'd like him", James growled. "Yeah, every Potions teachers an evil ex-Slytherin" Sirius added with great dislike. Both their eyes were glinting maliciously, Remus noted. He had a feeling they would have said more, had it not been for Dumbledore continuing.
"Well, that's all I think. Early rise in the morning, so bedtime now!" and he sat down. The Hall rose and walked down to the double-doored entrance. Remus saw James waving at somebody in the crowd ahead and he craned over a second year to see who. Lily Evans, of course. Normally, she'd have scowled and turned away, but now she was waving with a light smile on her face. James beamed at her and Sirius said, "Wow, James! You might be in with a chance this year, mate." James smiled and said "It's only a matter of time" and told the Marauders he would be up in about twenty minutes, so the rest walked up to the Gryffindor Tower. Remus was annoyed as a few daring girls grabbed Sirius' ass on their way up. But Sirius didn't seem to take much notice.
The common room was carefully concealed behind a large portrait of the "Fat Lady". Remus made his way to the front of the crowd outside it and said "Cactus Cellar", the password. The portrait door swung open and he directed the first years into the Gryffindor Common Room and told them how to get to their dorms. Remus looked around the cosy Common Room for his mates and saw they must have gone up already. He stood for a second, taking in the scene he loved. A fire blazed in the grate and the room was very welcoming with the overstuffed armchairs and the old tables that were scattered all over the place. He walked up the last spiral staircase to his dorm and drank in the sight at the top. He looked around the room. Five large four-poster beds stood with dark crimson hangings and at the end of each bed, was their trunks. Remus walked over to his bed. It was the one closest to the door and directly opposite of Sirius. Sirius's was next to James. At the far end of the room was Perry McKinnon and beside Remus was Peter.
He looked over at Peter, who was already in bed talking excitedly about what Sirius and Maria had done. James entered soon behind Remus and was soon in his pyjamas and was hanging up the National Quidditch team poster and some pictures. Perry McKinnon was sitting on his bed listening intently to the conversation. Remus started changing into his pyjamas at precisely the same moment as Siri. Remus stole a look at Sirius as he stood topless while he paused to tell Peter, yet again, that it had been "no big deal". Remus was lost in his fine muscles. The way his smooth skin pulled tightly over his tanned chest. He marvelled at it and imagined running his hands over it. He was pulled out of his reverie by Sirius's voice.
"Moony, are you okay? You look a bit, umm, dazed..", Sirius said, his brows furrowing slightly in a very cute way.
"Yeah...I'm fine..just tired", and he looked away, blushing and trying to hide it as he realized he'd been caught staring.
"Okay, well I'm gonna sleep now guys", and with a nod to Remus, "I'm knackered too."
The five boys got into bed and pulled their curtains closed around them. Remus listened attentively to Sirius's light breathing and sighed as it got slower. He was asleep, as were the others. Peter was definitely out for it because he was lightly snoring. Remus lay there, comfortable in the snug bed, and drifted off to sleep feeling perfectly happy to be back, sleeping in the same room as Sirius and his other mates. As dreams flitted through his head, the tall, dark-haired boy made his many usual appearances and he lay there, asleep, with a smile of utter fulfillment. ,--,--,--,--,--,--,