Kris
Year 3: Chapter 7
The compartment door opened and Sirius looked up. James was standing there smiling at him; his dark hair was stuck up all over the place and his eyes shone with excitement. Sirius noticed he was taller than before and he guessed for the first time they matched in height.
"Black, long time no contact. Did your owl die or something over the summer?"
Sirius just shook his head as the door opened again. Remus stood in the doorway with Peter standing just behind him. Remus hadn't changed much he was at the same height as James and his sandy hair fell into his eyes.
Peter however stood at about 5"5 a good five inches shorter than the rest, he was properly dressed but his stomach was beginning to show and he was quickly putting on a lot of weight. He looked different from the young boy who had started two years prior.
Remus smiled at Sirius as he took the seat opposite and straight away saw what James hadn't. Sirius smiled at his friend and indicated not to say anything. He didn't want to answer any questions.
Peter sat down quickly by Remus and pulled out a sheet of parchment handing it to Remus. Sirius knew it was the summer essays and he needed somebody to check over his information.
"So Black you up for a few pranks before we arrive?"
"Umm... no it's alright. You go though, Potter, and then you can come back and tell us all about it."
"But it's no fun on my own... Moony?"
"I'm correcting Peter's essays but you can take him if you want to."
So James quickly left followed by his smaller friend. Remus didn't look at Sirius just kept correcting the homework in silence and Sirius was glad of that.
He shifted slightly in his seat trying to be as careful as possible not to move Amanda's head that rested gently on his lap. She had curled herself into a tight ball and fallen almost instantly asleep, and he just sat there watching.
He had seen the change that had taken over her the last few weeks; suddenly she had become insecure about herself. She would sit and look at the floor and refuse to meet people's eyes.
It had taken almost a month to get her to trust him like she use to. He had convinced her that he would never touch her and she had slowly come around.
It had become common for her to sneak into his room once everyone had retired to bed and she slept next to him to ensure nobody would get to her.
Carefully Sirius moved a strand of hair from the sleeping girls face and smiled slightly to himself.
"She looks awful pale, is she ill or something?"
This caught Sirius' attention and he looked up at his friend. His eyes showed concern and he had dropped the quill onto the seat.
"She's not ill... well not really. She's just had a tough summer, you know the way our parents think, well they've really been pushing her and it's just left her a bit unsure of herself. She'll be fine in a bit."
Remus nodded and picked up the quill as he again started on Peter's homework. The compartment door opened slowly and the witch with the food trolley smiled at them.
"Want anything off the trolley, dears?"
Sirius nodded as Remus stood up.
"Moony can you get me two juices and some Chocolate Frogs, the money is in my cloak pocket over there."
Remus took his money and got them some food and sat back down. They ate and joked talking about their summers, both boys kept quiet about certain things but it was enjoyable. A voice came over the speaker telling them to change if they hadn't already.
Sirius looked at Amanda; she was already in a black skirt, that would do for the feast and she wore her shirt, she would just have to add her tie and robe. He let Remus change quickly and then the door opened and James and Peter entered.
They started to change and Sirius and Remus sat there smiling as they told of their pranks.
"We got Snape good, set him up with Dung Bombs that won't explode until he changes out of his clothes, and he was already in his uniform, their dorm will stink for hours."
"Yeah and the first years, tell them about the first years, James!"
James was laughing now and Sirius could see small tears in his eyes.
"We convinced them that they will have to duel with a seventh year to be allowed into a house, they're all trying to learn some charms now, its so funny."
James dropped into the space next to Sirius while Peter took his work from Remus. Looking out the window it was easy to tell they were slowing down and that they would soon be at a complete stop.
Carefully Sirius stroked Amanda's hair and began to talk to her.
"Mandy its time to get up! Come on Mandy be a good girl and wake up for me."
"Sirius who are you talking to?"
James leaned further forward and noticed for the first time the sleeping girl. He gasped slightly and Peter leaned forward.
"She looks ill."
"Well she isn't okay, now sit back she'll be really angry if she wakes up and sees you all staring at her."
Sirius breathed a sigh of relief as they moved back, if she saw them without properly waking she would scream and cause a scene something she would not want to do.
Placing his hand back in her hair he began to call again.
"Mandy open your eyes I want to talk to you."
"Stop calling me Mandy!"
He smiled as she opened her eyes and yawned sticking her pink tongue out through her small teeth. She began to sit up and her eyes landed on Remus who was smiling at her, she instantly drew herself up into a tight ball against Sirius.
"What's wrong with Mand?"
Sirius noticed the way she looked at Peter and then James. Her eyes were wide and he could feel her nails through his robes. He gently put his arm around her shoulders and looked at everyone.
"You've never seen Mand when she's just woken up before, she's always like this she'll be back to normal in a little bit."
With a nod the three boys went back to their conversation about pranks as Sirius leaned in close to Amanda's ear.
"It's alright, I won't let anything happen, you better put your tie and robe on and straighten your shirt you look like you've slept in it."
He smiled and she did back as she pulled her shirt straight and pulled her tie and robe on just as they stopped moving. Quickly the three boys were out of the compartment heading towards a carriage but Sirius and Amanda held back allowing people pass.
"Are you ready for this?"
"No, but I can't hide in here, so I need to smile and pretend to be normal. Come on, let's get past this lot."
Amanda grabbed hold of Sirius' hand and the two left the train, they found James hanging out of a carriage yelling at them to hurry up. Sirius climbed in first holding tightly to Amanda's hand. These carriages were only fit for four people and he quickly pulled her to his lap.
Each was quiet lost in their own thoughts as they headed into the castle. It was packed with students and Sirius noticed Branwen looking as they entered the hall. She whispered something to the other girls and they all looked up.
He squeezed Amanda's hand and indicated for her to go sit with the girls. She went on the opposite side of them and sat facing her friends dragging Sirius along with her.
The two groups looked at each other and no words were spoken until McGonagall entered.