All rights remain.

You will recognize J.K. Rowling's direct quotations from the book (plus some added detail from me).

And to be fair, she practically owns this entire story.


Remus looked at his ticket this way and that, trying to decipher what exactly Platform 9¾ meant. He looked at his mother, who had insisted she accompany him while his father stayed at home to recover from a particularly nasty bout of Dragon Pox. The crowds were overwhelming but Remus was able to stick close to her side, following in her wake as she led the way.

The trolley, itself, was not heavy...however, August's full moon had taken a toll on his strength and he was doing his best to hobble along despite being covered from head to toe with fresh wounds and bruises. His tired eyes could not quite hide the exhaustion, but the prospect of something different brought new light to them.

Hope looked over her shoulder to see where Remus was in proximity to her, evidently scared of losing him in the thronging group of bustling people. She ignored the strange looks people gave them both due to the contents of said trolley and moseyed on forward until she reached the gates of nine and ten.

"This is something your father would know better than me," Hope murmured as she looked around, wishing the answer would somehow magically make itself present. She looked at Remus's ticket thoughtfully. "Let's see here."

"This can't be right," he said and worriedly looked at the clock. "What if I miss the train?"

"Well, I'll make sure that won't happen," Hope said soothingly, tapping her lips. "This platform is neither nine or ten. It's...it's somewhere in between."

Remus screwed up his face and looked unimpressed as he abandoned his trolley and walked over to the wall between the two signs. He folded his arms over his chest and glared at the bricks as if they had personally offended him.

When nothing grandiose happened, the lycanthrope rolled his eyes and aimed a kick—except his leg went right through the wall!

Remus yelped and, with great force, managed to yank his leg back.

"Aha," Hope said and as she swiftly walked over to the wall. "It can only be activated by magic, Remus; you must go first but I am sure I can follow close behind."

The hesitant boy's jaw dropped as he paled.

"What?"

"Take your trolley and walk straight between the platforms nine and ten," Hope explained, looking at her wristwatch. "And you best hurry if you want to find a seat. You have less than twelve minutes, dear."

Remus's stomach lurched, but his mother gave him no time to debate. With a gentle shove, she pushed him over to his trolley but the moment Remus put his hands on the handles and steadied himself, he felt his feet freeze. He looked at the traitors, but they would not budge.

He had no desire to make a fool of himself by running headlong into a wall and come out looking like a pug. He looked at his mother helplessly, but she could only shrug her shoulders.

"I can't go through first," she said.

Remus swallowed his fear and began to walk forward at a rather brisk pace.

Three yards away—two yards away—one more yard away...

Remus closed his eyes, bracing his body for the impact that never came. He opened his eyes, peering through momentary darkness as if he were in a tunnel. Seconds later, however, his eyes narrowed at the bright light and his ears twitched painfully at the loud train whistle.

He looked behind him to see what appeared to be a normal brick wall—just on the other side. The first-year waited off to the side impatiently for his mother, who emerged seconds later. She had grasped his arm reassuringly, but Remus was beginning to hyperventilate. His eyes were wide and darting about as if he were trying to see everything at once.

Fortunately, his mother seemed to have noticed his discomfort for she pulled him aside.

"Remus?"

"I-I...what's going to happen?" he fretted as he looked around, jumping at the sound of the whistle.

"You are going to be safe," Hope said and grabbed him in for a hug, kissing him on the cheek as she combed her fingers through his dark-blonde hair. "I promise you. Your father and I will write every week if you wish."

"I mean—"

"Yes," Hope interjected, noticing how the whistle blew for the third time in the span of two minutes. "I promise you will be okay. The moment you arrive at Hogwarts, you can send your letter. Your owl will find us—your father said so."

"I know, I know," Remus said hurriedly before the conductor of the train began to shout inaudibly. He gasped, eyes widening once more as he grabbed onto his mother's arm. "I have to go!"

"Yes," Hope said calmly, giving him a warm smile. "And you will have a wonderful time."

She pushed him away from her and took a step back. Remus waved goodbye to his mother, knowing he was going to send her a letter as soon as he reached the castle, and hurried towards the train. He weaved through weeping and tearful parents, mumbling apologies here and there, before he reached the train, itself. He looked at the golden letters: HOGWARTS EXPRESS.

The conductor nodded graciously and waved his wand, levitating most of Remus's things to a storage space out of view. However, he just could not part with a certain trunk and chose to take it with him.

The first thing he noticed were the corridors and compartments. The second thing he noticed was just how many students—witches and wizards like him—were galloping around, excited for another year.

Remus pressed himself against the wall as two burly boys zipped past him as if they were participating in some great race. He found an empty compartment and seized the opportunity to take it. He threw open the sliding door and practically fell on to the seats. He had to take a moment to recompose himself, but he managed to take a few deep breaths and calm himself down.

He lifted his trunk above his head, noticing the racks above. His trunk hit something else and it took a moment for him to realize it was the trunk of another student. Remus blanched, but before he could make his great escape, someone else came into the compartment, wheezing slightly and doubled over. It was a shorter boy with his hands on his knees. He had mumbled something under his breath, which sounded suspiciously like "rampaging hippogriffs", but Remus was not completely sure.

The boy shook his head crossly then finally seemed to notice Remus, who was standing there awkwardly with his trunk held above his head. The poor boy must have been startled by the presence of another for he jumped then put a hand to his chest, rubbing it ruefully.

"I'm sorry," Remus began, trying to bring the trunk back down without it falling over. "I was just—I'm going—"

"No!" the plumper boy said frantically. He managed to catch his breath for he straightened up and shuffled his feet almost as awkwardly as Remus felt. "Sorry, my name's Peter Pettigrew. I was just...trying to find my chocolate frog that hopped off..."

Peter had trailed off, looking at his feet shyly.

"M-my name's Remus Lupin," Remus introduced, deciding to pick up where Peter Pettigrew had left off. "Er—I didn't know this compartment was occupied until I noticed your trunk."

Remus managed to bring his own on ground level without it tipping off balance. Peter seemed to have felt a little more comfortable at the lycanthrope's mild-mannered demeanor, for he looked back up.

"Oh! You're welcome to stay," he squeaked, smiling for the first time. "I don't mind sharing...if you don't!"

Remus's eyes, which were trained on the boy's rather large two front teeth, travelled up to meet Peter's.

"Thanks," he said, a breath of relief and gratitude. There was something about this meek boy that made Remus feel more relaxed and he decided it would be a great way to spend the train ride. "Are you a first year?"

"I am," Peter replied eagerly, voice still high. The poor thing cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm an only child so no one's been to Hogwarts before! I'll be the first one!"

"Wow," Remus said and winced as his fingers got caught in the handle, quick to yank it free. "Are either of your parents magic?"

"My mum," Peter said but waved a hand as Remus looked confused. "She's not from England though! She went to a different school—I forgot what it was called, but it had some fancy name. I think it was Bow...Bow-something."

"Oh," the werewolf said, not quite sure how to respond to that. He made up for his lack of a response by trying to lift his trunk back over his head, forgetting just how heavy it was. He nearly lost his footing.

"Let me help," Peter said and hurried over to Remus's side. However, Peter Pettigrew was about a head shorter than Remus and his arms could not bring themselves to add any height. "Er—here!"

He got right up on the compartment seat and held bolster Remus's trunk. Together, the two of them managed to set his right next to the boy's.

"Thanks for your help!" Remus grunted through his panting, pushing his hair from his eyes, now slightly warm and definitely sore. "You said you were looking for a chocolate frog?"

Peter blushed.

"I hear they've only got one good leap," Remus said, giving him an encouraging smile. "Maybe we can go look for it. It couldn't have gone far. Besides, you helped me. Let me help you!"

"Okay," Peter said uncertainly, but he grinned at the new company. "I've got to show you something else! It's wicked cool!"

.oOo.

Sirius had boarded the train with sore feelings, jaw clenched as he watched his mother, father, and brother stare back at him evenly. He grumbled his farewell, barely sparing his mother a second glance. Walburga seemed only too eager to send him off with a sharp tongue, which made the farewell even more bitter. Regulus, who was snickering behind his hand as if amused, fueled Sirius's anger.

However, the moment they were out of sight, they had left his mind. Now, Sirius was buzzing with excitement, looking around as he tried to take everything in at once. Perhaps it was this newfound sense of freedom, but the ravenette felt like he was on top of the world.

"Oi!" a voice came from behind.

Sirius barely managed to leap out of the way before a boy with unruly black hair and glasses came skidding to a halt. The boy straightened up with an apologetic grin, fixing his glasses, which sat askew on his face.

"Sorry," the boy panted and pointed to a something scurrying out of view. "Trying to catch a dungbomb."

Sirius grinned back.

"What blighter let it loose?"

"Frank Longbottom," the boy said and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "His trunk's just about full of them! I'm James, by the way! James Potter!"

"Sirius," Sirius said and nudged James Potter in the ribs. "A trunk full of dungbombs? That's brilliant! Where are you sitting?"

"Dunno yet, haven't found a place," James replied, using his hand to wave vaguely at his trunk and other belongings. "But I reckon that one there—"

Sirius shook his head and pointed through the window.

"It's taken by one already and I don't want to deal with a soppy girl—and look, there's another trunk here. Let's find somewhere else—"

"Bugger that," James said dismissively and slid open the door, helping himself to the other side; he hoisted his trunk up with surprising ease and grace. "There's nowhere else. They'll just have to share."

Sirius snickered. The two boys entered though the compartment's occupant hardly seemed fazed by the newest additions. The girl sat facing the window, not bothering with any sort of greeting.

Unbothered by the cold shoulder, the two merely went about their own conversation, talking excitedly about the prospect of a new life at Hogwarts. Evidently, they knew all about it.

The train whistle blew and without warning, it lurched forward. The train began to pick up speed as it went down the track, blurring the faces of parents and other various family members waving furiously and mopping their eyes. The Hogwarts Express was off, taking the eager students to their next adventure. Eventually, they had all taken their seats in whatever compartments were available, leaving the corridors rather empty.

Yet, there was a boy with hair just shy of his shoulders and black as ember running amok. He had a dark surly look about his pallid and sunken face as he went from compartment to compartment.

James and Sirius took note of this and snorted behind their hands. The Potter boy had muttered something that sounded close to "poor sod's lost in a train!", making Sirius laugh heartily.

The moment the lanky boy came skidding to a halt in front of the girl's compartment, he nearly ripped the door open, Hogwarts robes billowing and getting caught on the hinges. The girl had looked at the boy then promptly looked away, wiping her reddened eyes.

"I don't want to talk to you," she said, voice strained and constricted as she took deep, shaky breaths.

"Why not?" the lanky boy asked, taken aback and looking hurt.

"Tuney h-hates me," the girl said mournfully, hanging her head as she sniffled, hands twisting in her lap. "Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore!"

"So what?" the lanky boy said though his tone did not seem to sit well with the girl (that he already apparently knew). He took a bit of a step back from the menacing glare she had sent him.

"So she's my sister!" the girl snapped, green eyes narrowing dangerously, as if daring the boy to argue. But the mere thought of her sister had sent the poor redheaded girl into tears once more.

"She's only a—" the boy stopped, biting his lip.

Fortunately, the girl was too busy trying to wipe her eyes discreetly with her sleeve then brushing her hair from her face as an excuse for her actions. She showed no signs that she heard him.

"But we're going!" the lanky boy said and could not help but smile at the elation bubbling just beneath the surface of his being. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

The girl took one last deep breath and, with a sniffle and quick wipe of her tears, attempted a watery smile; the boy looked on encouragingly, trying to get her excited for Hogwarts as much as he was.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," the lanky boy added, glad his friend was lightening up.

"Slytherin?" cackled a new voice.

Finally, James Potter, who had been ignoring the two since he entered the compartment, looked at the two bedraggled duo with a sort of arrogance. He narrowed his hazel eyes, which gleamed behind those black, square-framed glasses, and curled his lip back.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin?" he snorted, then turned to Sirius Black, who looked troubled once more. "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Sirius, who had been comfortable lounging with his feet propped up on his knee and his arms thrown back in a relaxing manner, did not smile. He leaned forward with a sort of worried frown.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said although there was great reluctance in admitting this. He sounded almost ashamed.

"Blimey," James said, biting the inside of his cheek and wanting to make his new friend feel better. "And I thought you seemed all right!"

This seemed to lift the slightly sunken spirits of the eldest Black heir, for he grinned widely.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition!" he said with newfound vigor. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

"Gryffindor!" James answered without a moment of hesitation, lifting an invisible sword and puffing out his chest proudly. "'Where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad!"

The lanky boy made a small, disparaging noise, not bothering to hide his mocking amusement. This caught the attention of James for he rounded on the boy with his shoulders squared back.

"Got a problem with that?" he demanded.

"No," the lanky boy said haughtily, sticking his nose in the air. However, his tone suggested otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy—"

"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius interjected, looking at the lanky boy with an air of superiority.

James, who harbored a rather agitated expression, broke out in laughter, doubling over as he and Sirius sneered at the lanky boy. Said lanky boy paled even more, but the girl rose to her feet, cheeks flushed, and glared at James and Sirius.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment," she said.

"Oooo!" James and Sirius crooned, causing quite the scene as they raised their volume.

"'Come on!'" Sirius said, lifting the pitch of his voice to imitate the girl.

"'Let's go find another compartment!'" James hollered, grabbing onto Sirius's hand and pretending to look at him with great sadness. "Can't stand these blokes having their own conversation!"

The lanky boy rose to his feet, but nearly stumbled when James stuck out his foot.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius and James chorused, waving as the compartment door slammed shut.

.oOo.

Remus and Peter came running back to their compartment only to find their things left outside and now occupied by a couple of students much older than them. Instead of a confrontation, Remus and Peter looked at each other and sighed in defeat, grabbing their things (Peter clutching the chocolate frog close to his chest) and shuffling their way down the corridor. They began their search for another empty or available space.

Finally, they came across one filled with only two boys who looked their age. Remus knocked awkwardly, catching the attention of a boy with glasses, who grinned and waved them in.

"Sorry," Remus said timidly, picking at the fraying fabric of his sleeve as he looked between the bespectacled boy with unkempt hair and the other boy who looked so elegant, he might as well have been a marble statue. "We were...dispatched from our compartment. D'you mind terribly?"

"Not at all," the boy said and waved. "I'm James Potter."

"Sirius," the second boy said with a raise of his hand.

"My name's Remus Lupin," Remus said and gestured to his friend. "And that's Peter Pettigrew."

Peter would have introduced himself but instead of his voice, all that came out was a strange, strangled squeak. He flushed red and looked at the ground, sticking close to Remus's side.

"Wotcher," James said cheerfully and nudged Sirius. "Better than the other two that were here."

Remus's mind suddenly flashed the vague memory of a redheaded girl and sullen boy and he frowned, hoping these two had nothing to do with the exasperated and frazzled expressions of the two other students that looked like they were fleeing.

"So, what did you lot do to get yourselves kicked out of a compartment?" Sirius asked, grinning widely to reveal two rows of perfectly aligned, white teeth. "Did you have anything to do with Longbottom's dungbombs?"

"Longbottom?" Peter asked, tilting his head. "Dungbombs?"

"Who?" Remus asked before shaking his head no. "I dunno who that is. But, we weren't kicked out per say. Er...we left and when we came back, our trunks and things were outside."

"Why weren't you in the compartment then?" James asked curiously.

"Well," Remus said, about to answer, but stopped when he became unsure of whether to share that piece of information in fear of making it sound like he was blaming Peter. He changed courses. "Peter and I were looking for something."

"What?" Sirius prompted.

"This," Peter said, voice barely above a whisper as he gingerly lifted the inanimate chocolate frog.

"Brilliant!" James shouted happily. "Where's your card?"

Peter looked up at James in surprise then he looked back down at his toes, which were poking at the carpeted floor.

"I dunno, I think I lost it," he mumbled.

"No, hang on!" Remus said and fished through his Muggle clothing and pulled out something. "I saw this on the floor near your things. Is this your card?"

Peter's face brightened as he nodded eagerly and took the card to inspect it. However, he frowned when he saw who it was and sighed, setting it back down in his lap much less enthusiastically.

"I've already got two of Artemisia Lufkin," Peter said dejectedly and held it out for Remus. "D'you want it?"

"Would I!" Remus exclaimed and accepted the card gratefully, inspecting it from every possible angle with a smile on his face. He turned the back of the card over to read the text. "She's the first witch to become the Minister for Magic! That I knew already, but I've forgotten it happened in 1798."

"Did you read that somewhere, Sirius?" James asked teasingly, putting a hand to his chest. "I think I missed that crucial piece of information somewhere in my haste of good living."

Sirius laughed, but surprisingly so did Remus.

"I've got a whole trunk full of books about the history of magic," the lycanthrope said earnestly, unable to keep a hint of pride from his tone as he spoke highly of his book collection. "They are wonderful reads."

"I'll take your word," James said and held up his hands in surrender. "But I can't see myself reading those for fun."

"Well," Remus said, pulling out one seemingly from the crevices of his trunk. "Why don't you give it a go?"

"I prefer transfiguration to history," James said although he took the book with a skeptical look. He flipped the book open to the first page of the first chapter and scanned it with his lips turned downward. "Definitely not a fan of history."

"It's an entire subject at Hogwarts," Remus said and accepted the book back from James with a slight smile of amusement.

"I hear the professor's dead," Sirius said with a grin. "I reckon he lived through some of the stuff he's teaching! I think his name was Botts or something? Or maybe I'm thinking of Flourish and Blotts."

"What? But how can they teach if they're dead?" Peter wondered out loud, gears turning in his head. "Oh!"

"Ghost," Sirius and Peter said together then laughed simultaneously.

"You're all right," James said to the two newcomers before he rose to his feet. "I'm changing into my school robes if anyone's concerned or even wondering."

The four boys took turns putting on their school uniforms, admiring themselves and one another. By the time the sun began to set, other students with the same idea had changed, too. And, the atmosphere was completely different. Everyone was growing even more excited now that the castle was drawing closer (plus most students were now bouncing with sugar in their systems from the trolley).

"The first thing I'm going to do when I get there is..." Sirius paused for dramatic effect, grinning impishly as his mind seemed to reel with all sorts of ideas. "Pull a prank. How else are they going to remember me?"

"Merlin's beard, you're right!" James exclaimed happily, eyes alight. "What do you reckon?"

"Dunno yet but we'll think of something, won't we?" Sirius said, turning to Remus and Peter.

Peter had been engaging in the conversation, breaking out of his shell and feeling more comfortable the longer they spoke. Remus, deciding around the time they started on about Quidditch, chose to open the book in his lap and read it. This did not go well with his compartment company for they had snagged the book away on multiple occasions, trying to tell him that reading could wait.

"What about exploring?" Peter asked, breaking the momentary silence. "After all, we'll be there for the next seven years. We might as well get familiar with the grounds we're living on."

"Yes!" James and Sirius roared.

"I've got just the thing for that, too," James added. "But I'll save it for later."

"Then that's settled," Sirius said and nodded as if he had determined some great choice.

Hogwarts castle was lit up bright against the night sky, illuminated by hundreds of lights streaming from every window, every crevice...it was a magnificent sight.

The moment the four boys caught sight of the castle, not even Remus—the mild-mannered boy—could keep his excitement at bay. But, they were far from being the only hyper children. Excited shouts and cheers came from just about every compartment.

This was, after all, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.