A/N: Hello, welcome to my fourth fan fiction. If you are not familiar with me or my fiction stories, I'd like to say a few things. I appreciate constructive criticism in the reviews and ideas are welcome, I will credit you if I use an idea you've approached me with. If I don't, please let me know because it was probably a mistake. Enjoy!
The Marauders: Year 1
A small, black-haired boy sat three compartments down the row in the Hogwarts Express, quietly stroking his owl and wondering if he would ever make friends. He certainly wasn't shy. Not at all, but he was a bit picky about his friends. He didn't want any that would reprimand him for getting a detention or doing something he shouldn't, as he was quite the little troublemaker.
He knew which house he was going to be in, or rather, which house his parents expected him to get into. Gryffindor house was the only one that would suit him and he was convinced that if he got into Slytherin he would beg his parents to transfer him somewhere else. But he was almost certain he would get into Gryffindor. His mother had been placed there and so had his father and all of his family that had gone to Hogwarts. As far as he knew they were all pureblooded and so was he, but he didn't care about that sort of thing.
His compartment door slid open and his snowy owl, Horace, shifted in his lap. A boy who looked about a third year invited himself in and sat opposite of him.
"James Potter. Are you a third year?" James introduced himself.
"No, I'm in first year," the boy said, grinning, "But I look older, don't I. I'm Sirius Black. My brother is in fifth year, his name is Regulus. But I don't like him very much. He's sort of a prat."
James smiled, "I don't have any brothers and sisters. I'm an only child."
"I only have Regulus as my brother, but then my cousin, Bellatrix, she went here too, almost thirty years ago, then she married that git Lestrange. I don't like her much either. Regulus and her are more like siblings than him and I are. They're both into the dark arts."
"Really?" James asked, surprised that it was so easy to talk to Sirius.
"Yeah. But I'm not."
"Are they death eaters?" James curiously asked.
"What?"
"You know, death eaters. It's a rumor, but I've heard that's just a stupid name for a group of witches and wizards who follows this supposed dark lord. I think his name is 'Voldemort' or something. I don't know, it was only just on the news the other day. Supposedly this guy is the darkest, most powerful wizard in about a century. I don't think he's very powerful; not many people have been killed yet."
"Voldemort you say? Does he happen to have another name?"
"I don't know, why?"
"Because my mum talks about some dark lord all time and sometimes she talks about this guy named Voldemort, but then she goes on about another one named 'Tom Riddle' and she talks about him as if he were the son she never had."
"Oh, I'm not sure. I heard Voldemort went to Hogwarts a couple decades ago. Isn't that amazing? To think, this guy that's supposed to be the darkest, most powerful wizard ever known to wizarding kind went to our school!" James exclaimed in awe.
"Yeah, but so did Dumbledore. I hear people debating whether or not it's Dumbledore or Voldemort that's the most powerful."
"Dumbledore?"
"Yeah, he's the headmaster now. He's quite old; I would expect him to kick the bucket and day now, but he went to Hogwarts when he was our age."
"Oh. If he's one of the most powerful wizards, then why is he headmaster of a school?"
"I don't know," Sirius said, a confused expression coming over his face, "But I heard he is also head of a group that is trying to stop Voldemort from doing…well… 'dark deeds' I guess before he even gets started."
"Those would be called aurors," James said, sitting back in his seat.
There was silence between them as twilight fell and the lights of the castle came into view.
Sirius and James changed into their robes and quickly grabbed their animals; James his owl and Sirius his bat.
"What house dyou think you'll get into?" James asked his newfound friend.
A bitter expression stole over Sirius face as he said, "I hope I get into Gryffindor, but my whole stupid pure-blooded family has been in Slytherin since we ever stepped foot into Hogwarts. So I'm probably going to be in Slytherin. You?"
James felt his cheeks warming up, "I'm pure-blood too but my whole family has been in Gryffindor."
"Oh," was all Sirius said as James spotted a mane of red hair push past him in the train corridor.
The girl turned around and said, "Sorry!" and continued on her way.
James stood in the compartment doorway, completely unaware that he was blocking it from Sirius, "Wow," he whispered, "She's beau…" he began as Sirius shoved him through the door way.
"Close your jaw and let's go!" Sirius shouted through the crowd of students who were making their way out onto the platform.
From that point on James knew he would never be able to get that beautiful, angelic face out of his mind.
