Chapter V

The Hogwarts Express

The day had finally arrived, and Remus and James were packing their suitcases with Sirius watching. He had said little last night, probably mulling over the idea of Peter for a year alone. "Mobilitruncus," Remus flicked a wand at the neatly packed suitcase. It lifted a foot from the floor and moved about the furniture as his wand dictated. It stopped promptly near the doorway of the Dormitory.

"I'm going to miss you," Sirius said

"Of course you are," James smiled, "You're alone with Wormtail for the best part of a year."

Sirius opened his arms to hug Remus, something that the Lord of Gryffindor would never do in front of anyone else; show his emotions. A sort of atmosphere building that moment, when the three realised what was happening. That for the first time since they began at Hogwarts, they would be separated for many months, the Marauders were split.

"We'll write to you every week," James said as Sirius released him from his embrace, "Send photos if we can."

"Thanks," Sirius smiled widely and put his hands in his pockets. The atmosphere had changed again. Now it was the awkward waiting silence, patient for the inevitable. "We best get down there, Dumbledore will only blame me."

"Mobilitruncus," Remus said again, with James copying. His suitcase stayed firmly on the ground as Remus' glided down the stairs. With a shaking head, James picked his up and carried it.

The trunks of belongings were stacked at the back of the Great Hall, and there was activity everywhere. Students saying goodbye and good luck, friends and enemies parting ways, and the teachers looking excited at being rid of the fifteen that were going.

Peter was sat in an empty area of the table. With his head in a book he didn't seem to notice the commotion around him. Sirius sighed again. With a final laugh together, they all took their seats as Prof. Dumbledore took to his podium.

"Good morning everyone. I realise that this may be an emotional time for many of you, and so I will keep the speech short. We will be a hearty Hogwarts Breakfast before we embark, and afterwards we will be heading straight away to Hogsmeade Train Station."

"Please do not forget anything, such as pets or belongings, as we will be unable to return to the school once we have boarded the train. But for now, let us have breakfast."

The plates and bowls filled with many various foods, all traditional British meals. They expected that they wouldn't have food like this for quite a while, and gave it their all in eating. Isabelle Harris even shrunk down a load of black pudding, and placed it in her robes.

"That is disgusting!" Isabelle smiled at Georgina's shocked face. "You know they'll lose their flavour the longer you leave them like that?"

"Well, I want to bring Beauxbatons something totally English. So they'll be impressed."

"And you think a greasy, flavourless chunk of dried pig's blood is the way to do it?" Georgina laughed.

"Quiet you!" she said.

As the group of fifteen stood together in the Entrance Hall, the school students crowded around in a circle. The doors opened and the golden morning-light flooded the hall. The suitcases rose steadily and began to trail out the door and down the steps, Prof. Dumbledore smiled, and walked slowly after them.

Prof. McGonnagal seemed agitated, she had her tartan hat on, the one with the ear-flaps. She was usually quite formidable, a tall woman who seemed to cast shadows over you however tall you were; but the hat changed her. She became something softer and more pleasant.

"Stop dawdling Mr. Potter!" she screamed back at him. "We have not the time to waist!"

James laughed, and ran down the last few steps and through the massive School Gates.

They were greeted by the Hogwarts Express. But this wasn't the ordinary one. The train shadowed the crowd with a wall of red paint and shining gold curls and wings all over it. Only two carriages long, it made up for the lack of length in height, and all along the windows were painted or stained glass creatures and people, moving and talking just like in the castle. James looked along the line of awe-struck students and smiled. Even Prof. McGonnagal seemed impressed.

"Well, you didn't expect us to take the usual train did you?" Prof. Dumbledore smiled at them. "We want to impress our foreign neighbours don't we?" And he climbed up the set of steps that led to the massive, and ornate door.

The students boarded the double carriage train, as the door shut behind them they saw even more glamour inside. Like many wizard containers, the inside of the train was double, possibly triple the size of the outside. James wondered why the normal train was never so fabulous.

The corridor was lined with stained or painted windows with mermaids, hippogriffs and dragons, all moving about in the panes. The wooden corridor led down a wide passage, where James could see dour large doors, each painted with the animal of a house. Candelabras decked the corridor, as he filed down with the other students.

The Gryffindor compartment alone was big enough for ten, with a lion majestically prowling the window partition. James entered to find Remus and Amanda putting their suitcases away in the many cupboards. Lily was stretched out on her own sofa.

"It's amazing isn't it?" Amanda grinned, "I mean, why can't we have it like this all the time?"

"I know what you mean, are the other compartments as big as this?" he asked

"We were just about to see now. Do you fancy coming down to the Ravenclaw one?"

"Um, I need to find the toilet first." James blushed.

"Fair enough, well me and Remus are off for now. You know where we'll be if you need us."

James opened the door to be stunned by the facilities. A golden headed shower, alongside a bath-tub. Many various bottles line the shelves of the walls, with lotions and potions to sooth all manner of things. He stared in amazement at the fountain sink on the far wall, a mermaid and merman sitting there, pouring a stream of water around the white porcelain bowl. He went and locked the door.

"This sort of magic probably takes up a lot of power. That's why we don't have it all the time. This is truly amazing though, I wonder if we'll be sleeping in the school or here, I wouldn't mind staying in here…well, not actually in here."

"Who am I talking too?" he laughed.

"Who were you talking to?" Lily was staring at him when he opened the door again. He reddened, about to spout off some comment when he remembered Remus' advice.

"Myself, sorry. I realised how silly it was after I had finished the conversation."

Lily smiled, quickly covering it, "I do that sometimes too. Have whole conversations and then just think, why?"

"Then we're both as silly as each other," he laughed. She didn't find it so funny, who did he think he was telling her she was silly?

"I suppose we are." she smiled. The compartment door opened to Prof. McGonnagal's face. Lily turned quickly, the smile faded.

"Just checking to see whether you were alright?"

"Fine thank you Professor," the two said together.

"Right then. Well myself and Prof. Dumbledore will be in the next carriage along if you need us. I trust you are finding the train satisfactory?"

"Professor, did you transfigure it?" James smiled

"Well," she blushed at his smile, "All the teaching staff supplied a little magic towards it, so I expect no mess or damage when we arrive in France. Or when we return home either."

The two were left alone again, now Lily had reverted back to silence, and James pulled up a desk from the wall and began practicing his Locomotion Charms. Moving a pencil across the desk.