Chapter 2
Though we were late boarding the train, our car was empty as usual. Nobody ever bothered to occupy it. It belonged to the Marauders. Putting my bag into the overhead compartment alongside Peter's, I sank down into the worn seating of the car, my arms folded across my chest. The familiar smells, sounds, and feelings were entrancing.
James and Peter had engaged in a lively discussion about the Quidditch tryouts, and I turned to look at Sirius. He was sinking into the corner where the seat met the wall, his legs drawn up before him. His expression was hard to decipher. Pensive? Perhaps, but there seemed to be a yearning in those cloudy gray eyes. Since when did his eyes have that cloudy quality? Had they always been that way? Everything about him seemed changed, yet the same. His long black hair still feel to his mid-back, but it seemed to be limp, and unruly strands hung before his face. His skin had never been overly tanned, but it now seemed rather pale, and the body it covered looked thinner under his baggy shirt. I averted my eyes to the window. Sirius was so strong, mentally and physically, it was odd to see him looking so vulnerable. Why hadn't James confronted him yet? I looked to James, almost as though expecting him to answer the question I hadn't asked.
"Something wrong?" he questioned, and I just shook my head, "Tired, I guess." Peter gave his usual giddy grin, making him look like a large child, "Better not fall asleep, you'll miss the feast!" The thought of the feast caused an audible rumbling deep in my stomach and I thought I saw a hint of a smirk on Sirius' face. I couldn't be sure. It easily could have been my eyes playing tricks on me, because when I looked again, it was gone. Why was he doing this?
At that moment, the door swung open and a pretty witch with a food cart came into the car. The cart was stocked with the usual assortment of things to rot the teeth out of your head: Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, everything one could imagine. We all dug around our pockets for money, purchasing a large fractoin of the sweets. I'd spare Sirius my inquisition for later.
I looked at Sirius once more before induling in the sweets before me on the table. He was staring down at the ones he had purchased, or rather we had picked out for him knowingly, as though he wasn't sure why they were there, and was condemning them for it. His brows furrowed, and I unwrapped one of my Chocolate Frogs while stifling a giggle. As much as I probably should have been concerned, he looked somewhat adorable glaring down at a box of every flavoured beans.
When the train arrived at Hogwarts everyone began to gather their things. I looked down at what was left of my candy and raised a brow. I had barely touched any of it, but I couldn't just leave it on the train. I slid it across the table to Peter with one hand, and he looked confused for a moment, but then accepted it. Peter wouldn't turn down a load of sweets if his life depended on it. I got up and retrieved my trunk after the others had done so, and followed along behind them as we unboarded the train. I was quite thankful that neither of them had bothered me, I had been expecting the opposite. It was somewhat disappointing that they didn't, however. Maybe they just didn't care.
Outside of the train the rain poured from the sky in heavy torrents, rendering us immediately drenched. Delightful. Students scampered about frantically, trying to find an empty carriage. We were unsuccessful in this, and ended up sharing a carriage with two young-looking girls I didn't recognize. We piled inside awkwardly, James sitting on the side with the two girls. One of them giggled and whispered to the other, who then giggled in return. I sighed and rested my head back against the carriage wall, closing my eyes. "Tired?" James asked. I assume he was speaking to me, but I didn't answer.
The sound of the rain falling steadily on the carriage roof became as a lullaby of sorts. Sure, it wasn't peaceful in any manner, but I could feel myself drifting in and out of sleep. I forced my eyes open and looked out of the window, watching the shadowy silhouette of Hogwarts grow closer.
By the time we reached the castle it was taking a great amount of will to stay awake. Getting out of the carriage, I steadied my feet on the ground, reaching for Remus' shoulder as I nearly lost my balance. Quickly I withdrew my hand again, and felt Remus' eyes glancing towards me. What the hell was that? I felt as though I should put my hand back as to avert the sudden wave of embarassment that washed over me, but that would just make things even more awkward. Remus shook his head and walked off towards the front entrance behind James and Peter. I watched him walk away for a bit, but the cold got the better of me and I followed as well, just not too closely. Had I upset him?
Inside, everyone had gathered as usual for the Sorting ceremony. Looking along the Gryffindor table I found that James had saved a seat for me beside him, and I headed over.