A/N - Thanks for the reviews guys. And seeming as N.Beresford asked so nicely, heres the next chapter a little early..

Chap 3 - Bellatrix

Remus rolled over and sat up. Rubbing his eyes he yawned so widely he thought his jaw was going to crack. The elation he had felt the night before had vanished to be replaced with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Worms again.

He liked all his room mates. James was funny and Remus could tell he was going to be trouble. Sirius was a little distant and haughty but he would probably loosen up as he got used to being a Griffindor and Peter was shy but keen to listen which was a rare quality.

But what would they think? How would they react when they realised they were sharing a dormitory with a werewolf?

They'd be shouting, scared looks, and letters from parents. He sighed and stared around. The other three were beginning to stir. He tried to remember how giddy he had been last night as he chatted with James and Peter about whether James should try out for the quiditch team; he should. He had been so happy; it had almost made him forget what he really was…

James leaped out of bed and stretched. It hadn't been a dream. He really was at Hogwarts and he was in Griffindor and he was about to start his first day. He grinned.

Remus was sitting up looking around a little groggily.

"Morning." Remus nodded and stood up stretching too; his pyjama top rode up and James saw the same healing cuts which covered his arms also patterned his back. Looking away quickly he pretended he hadn't seen anything and begun to get dressed.

There was something about Remus; James couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was friendly and talkative enough... but there was something else there. He waited, looking out the window as the other three got dressed.

Sirius was definitely not a morning person. He growled whenever anyone talked to him. His hair was a mess and he didn't even bother brushing it. He simply ran his fingers through it and it arranged itself into a stylish mop.

James could not work him out, one minute he was acting like the typical arrogant pure blood, the next minute he was defending a boy he thought to be muggleborn.

Peter spent ten minutes wetting his hair and combing it, he rearranged his tie three or four times and then took it off completely before re-doing it. James watched as he fingered the red and gold stripes lovingly. He felt a twinge of sympathy; he could understand why Sirius and the two boys had thought him to be a muggleborn. But he would not have put it quite so brutally.

Eventually they all headed down the stairs and into the common room, following the steady stream of students out of the portrait hole and down to the great hall.

Breakfast was already on the table as Sirius slumped down next to Remus. He was exhausted. He hadn't slept at all and he still didn't feel hungry. He watched as James piled sausages, eggs and bacon on his plate. Peter followed suit his small eyes gleaming and Remus just helped himself to some kippers eyeing the bacon in a nauseous sort of way.

Knowing he should eat didn't help, he picked at a dry piece of toast. He wanted to stuff his face and join in talking about the first days lessons which were on the timetables just handed out: Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and History of Magic. But he felt like he would be sick if he opened his mouth.

Then what he had been dreading finally arrived; swooping owls filled the great hall, dropping down to deposit packages and letters.

Sure enough a handsome eagle owl landed on his plate, dropped a bright red letter, nipped his finger sharply and flew off managing to clip him round the head with its large wings.

James and Remus had stopped eating and were looking apprehensively at the letter. They clearly hadn't believed him when he had said last night he was bound to get a howler.

Carefully he picked up the letter which was growing increasingly hot. Closing his eyes he sighed and pulled it open.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" Came a loud screech filling the hall. "HOW DARE YOU! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE SO ASHAMED! GRIFFINDOR! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU WOULD BRING DISHONOUR ONTO OUR FAMILY ONE OF THESE DAYS BUT I NEVER IMAGAINED THIS! I HOPE YOU REALISE THE EMBARRASMENT YOU HAVE CAUSED US. YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!" And with that the Howler burst into flames and dropped onto Sirius unfinished toast.

There were sniggers and laughs from across the hall at the Slytherin table. Sirius could feel his face growing warm and his eyes watering. He jumped up and, head down avoiding the eyes of Remus and James, he made his way out of the hall.

Remus watched Sirius stalk out. He felt an overwhelming wave of sympathy for him. Imagine having a mother like that. He was surprised when James leapt up and hurried after Sirius and taking one more bit of his kipper he followed. He heard Peter scamper up behind him.

As they left the hall Remus was glad he was James had decided to follow Sirius, he had been ambushed by several older Slytherins. James had rushed over and was standing in between Sirius and the taunting group.

"What's the matter baby Black? Can't fight your own battles?" One of the girls was sneering eyeing James nastily; the rest of the group tittered loudly. She had long black hair and a beautiful face which had an ugly expression on it. She was at least in her sixth year, towering over James who was looking back with an expression of utmost disgust. "Have to leave it to blood traitors?"

Remus reached them just in time to grab hold of Sirius' robe; stopping him push past James. The expression on Sirius's face was equally ugly.

Just then Professor McGonagal and Professor Sprout came out of the door talking; they eyed the students suspiciously but carried on walking past them and down the corridor. The girl watched them go, then leaned closer.

"Stay with your mudbloods and blood traitors then cousin, you'll come crawling back eventually." The girl sneered softly eyeing James, Remus and Peter as if they were something disgusting she's scraped off her shoe. She swung round and stalked off; the group followed her, shooting hateful looks over their shoulders.

James turned round and looked at Sirius. He was glaring after the Slytherins with an angry expression, although James thought he saw a tinge of sadness.

"Who were they?" Remus asked from behind him. Sirius' face finally relaxed slightly.

"My lovely cousin Bellatrix and the typical hangers on. She's probably the one who owled my mother as soon as the sorting was over." He scowled, and then turned to James. "She always was a nasty piece of work, more so than my other cousins, but we'd always gotten along ok…"

"Oh come off it, they wouldn't do anything here and now." James said grinning. "Not their style, Slytherin, they enjoy sneaking around, there no where near brave enough to start a fight when the odds are equal."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter, James realised it was the first he'd heard him laugh. "You call five sixth years versus four first years equal?" He smiled. It made him look even more handsome and James noticed several first year Ravenclaw girls walk past eyeing him with interest.

"Tell you what," James grinned, liking this new Sirius "we'll get them before they get us." His grin broadened. "And let's start with the two weasels who tried to throw Peter in the lake…"

This made Sirius laugh again and they began discussing ways in which they could cause mayhem, Peter followed hurriedly, dogging their footsteps his face shinning with admiration which James thought was a little creepy.

He looked back and noticed Remus watching them with a half amused half exasperated expression on his face. "Come on Remus, what do you think of enchanting the suits of armour to insult them as they walk past?"