Thank you again to everyone still with this story.


The train

"What do you mean, platform nine and three quarters?" Came a hushed whisper to James' left. He glanced over to what could only be a first year student and his bewildered parents. Struggling not to chuckle, he took one more glance over before pushing his trolley through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Someone will explain it to them, eventually.

As he emerged onto platform 9 ¾ he couldn't help but notice odd disquiet that permeated the crowd; a strained silence as students were rushed onto the train by their parents. There were obvious divisions between families as they bid farewell to their children, with house colours seeming to split not only the students.

He turned back to his parents, who were both emerging from the wall behind him.

"I'll see you both at Christmas," he said, hugging them both tightly. As much as he enjoyed school, this war had made him more nervous about leaving home and his parents. Too many students had been informed, mid-term, of a family member's demise. He didn't want to be one of them.

"Just try not to get expelled," his mother warned, "And write to us regularly."

"Of course mum," he said, giving her his best smile. It was a smile that worked on everyone, except his mother and Professor McGonagall.

"Have fun my boy!" His father exclaimed, he never seemed to care about school, only that James was enjoying his time there.

"I will," he replied, "I've got some excellent pranks planned for this year," he whispered.


With one last embrace, he pushed his way into the crowds, barely making his way to the train before a figure rushed into his arms.

"Narcissa, I saw you last week!"

"I know," she replied, "But it's good to see you anyway. Now come on, Sirius has got us a carriage."

James could feel himself smiling as he was pulled through the crowd towards the bustling steam train. Off in the distance he could see Narcissa's parents, deep in what seemed to be a heated discussion with another family. It was a common theme.

"Padfoot," he exclaimed, as he finally made his way to his friend's carriage, before realising that Sirius wasn't alone. Regulus Black was instantly recognisable, sharing his brother's colouring and looks, although being smaller and weedier looking.

"James, you know Regulus, don't you?" Narcissa half asked, as she sat down in the carriage next to her younger cousin.

Sure. If you include the high number of pranks Sirius and I have played on him over the years.

"Of course, hey," he greeted Regulus, before shooting Sirius a questioning look.

"I'll go," Regulus said stiffly, ignoring James almost completely.

"No, don't be stupid Regulus, just stay with us." Narcissa half pleaded, with a piercing look at James.

"…There's no need to leave on my account," It was funny, James thought, how often he found himself saying something he didn't mean, because of one look.

Regulus simply glanced at James, "It's okay, I do have my own friends," he said, collecting his things. "Although, James, could I have a word for a moment?"

"Eh…sure."

"About what, Regulus?" Sirius interrupted, giving his brother what James could only imagine was supposed to be a meaningful look.

"Padfoot, it'll be fine." James said, as he stepped outside the carriage.


"So what is this about, Reg?" James asked, deliberately using the nickname Sirius often gave to his younger brother.

"I don't like you, Prongs." Regulus sneered the last word, "Stereotypical Gryffindor, arrogant, self-entitled and more brawns than brains."

Wow, say what you really feel, James thought. "Why exactly-"

"But," Regulus continued, ignoring James, "Narcissa loves you. So I'll give you a chance. But if you hurt her, I will make you pay." It was an odd threat, coming from someone younger and smaller than James, but he didn't doubt that Regulus meant every word he said. He was more serious than his brother, which was somewhat ironic given their names.

"I won't hurt her Regulus."

"How else do you see this ending?" And with a long breath, Regulus stuck out his hand, "Peace, for right now?"

"Peace, seriously? After that."

"Narcissa doesn't want us to hate each other."

No, of course she didn't. James knew that. "Okay, peace for now," he said shaking Regulus' hand. It was an uneasy peace, one that James didn't have much faith in lasting. This must be how his parents felt, when they made all those uneasy political alliances. At least this one for something better than politics.


"What was that about?" Narcissa asked as he entered the carriage. A worried look across her face.

"Nothing, he was just making sure I wasn't going to hurt you. I told him he had nothing to worry about." He explained, glancing at Sirius, to let his friend know he would explain the rest later.

"I can take care of myself. I don't need my younger cousin defending my honour."

"You know Reg," Sirius yawned, stretching along the compartment, "he thinks he is much more impressive than he actually is."

"That's not fair Sirius."

"Yes, it is, he fawns around Bella, acts like he believes all that Voldemort crap, but you and I both know that he'd piss his pants if he ever met 'the dark lord.'"

"It wouldn't hurt you to be nice to him."

"Yes, but why risk it?" Sirius smiled, lightening the mood suddenly. It was remarkable what Sirius could get away with, just by smiling at the right moment.

"Anyway," James interjected, before more Black family drama could make it into the carriage, "where are Moony and wormtail?"

"Dunno actually," Sirius frowned, as if he had only just considered his other two friends. "I'm sure they'll turn up," he said before closing his eyes. Sirius had never been a morning person, it was always worse when coming back from the summer holidays though, Sirius became practically nocturnal over the summer months.

With his friend's eyes closed, James leaned in to kiss Narcissa. Melting into her, and feeling that heat flare in his body when she touched him.

"Even if my eyes are closed, I know what you are doing," Sirius interrupted. He was getting far too good at that.

"Maybe you could go find Moony and Wormtail's carriage then?" He said, an edge in his voice that he hadn't intended.

"Remus was in the prefects carriage, when I checked in this morning," Narcissa remarked. He had forgotten that she was the Slytherin prefect, or that they had to check into their carriage.

"That's right, shouldn't you be patrolling the corridors, Prefect?" He teased.

"Probably," she acknowledged with a dry smile. "But I'm a Slytherin, we don't follow the rules. Also, I've been meaning to ask where these ridiculous nicknames come from?"

You would think more people would have asked about the nicknames James and his friends had given one another, but they rarely did. James glanced at Sirius, whose eyes had flickered open at the question. The unspoken question hung between the two. Narcissa glanced between both of them, "If it's that big a deal, you don't have to tell me."

"No, Cissa, it's just…it's not just my secret to tell."

"It's fine…Prongs," she said leaning into kiss him, but not before Wormtail burst into the carriage, with the remnants of what looked like a Bat-bogey hex over his face.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked, as his friend passed out on the floor. Narcissa in the meantime had grabbed her wand and enchanted the remains of Wormtail's face back to normality.

"He wandered into the wrong carriage. Looking for you, I believe," came the slippery voice of Severus Snape. In an instant both James and Sirius were on their feet, wands in hands. Snape looked remarkably calm, despite being outnumbered, although his eyes narrowed at the sight of Narcissa with them.

"Snivellus, I almost missed torturing you over summer. You cleaned your underwear yet?" Sirius taunted him. They were both waiting for Snape to draw his wand, didn't want to jinx him without just cause. Mainly because it would get them in much more trouble with McGonagall. Narcissa was ignoring them all, focusing too much on getting Peter to regain consciousness.

Of course, that didn't stop Snape from ignoring her: "You've been spending an awful lot of time with blood-traitors recently Narcissa."

"Forgive me for spending time with my cousin." Narcissa snapped. James went to interrupt, to defend Narcissa further, but she put her arm on his, quieting him. "You wouldn't know the meaning of family though, would you?"

Snape's fingers tightened around his wand, knuckles going pale. But he still hadn't drawn it. The whole situation seemed very melodramatic, James felt. Usually they'd have already started Jinxing one another by this point, but the Slimy haired Slytherin was showing remarkable self-control.

"We all know it's not that idiot of a cousin you're here for," Snape replied, glancing at James, "Tell me, does everyone else know you're screwing the enemy?"

"Stupefy," Sirius' voice rang out, and in a flash Snape had his wand in hand. Rebounding the spell down the carriage. The three of them traded spells in a flash of movement, until Snape finally doubled over in pain. Of course, on the train the sounds of a fight had drawn more students, and in the corridor outside, a group of Slytherins were facing off against Gryffindors and Ravenclaws.

"Oh, for God's sake, get up Severus," Narcissa proclaimed. "It was just another stupid fight between Snape and Potter." Narcissa explained to the crowd, an authority in her voice that surprised James. That must be why they made her a prefect. She half dragged a groaning Snape to the other Slytherins. "Take him back to his carriage, while I decide how many points to deduct from Gryffindor for this debacle."

She was a good liar.

"Is it possible to lose points before the start of term?" Sirius whispered to James.

"How would I know? I'm not a prefect."

As the crowds started to drift back to their carriages, Narcissa turned to them an exasperated look on her face. "Ten points each."

"What?"

"Are you kidding me?" Both exclaimed heatedly.

"It was self-defence, he drew first!" Sirius proclaimed.

"I was standing right here!"

"…Oh…Right." And with that they were all laughing at the stupidity of the conversation.

"Don't worry I can't actually deduct points before term."

"Cissa, you can be scary when you want to be," James said, impressed by her ability to handle the situation so well.

"I suppose Bella has rubbed off on me." Although hopefully not too much.

A heavy knot had returned to James' stomach, "I suppose Snape will tell everyone about us now."

"Honestly, who cares if he does," Narcissa said, with a nonchalance that surprised James. "But I don't think he'll tell anyone. He'd much rather hold it over my head and try and use it against me."

"Sounds like the slimy haired git," Sirius agreed grimly.

"Anyway, I'm going to have to check in with the Slytherin carriages. Don't want to be seen spending too much time with you vagabonds." Narcissa sighed.

Ignoring Sirius' protests, James leaned over to kiss the Slytherin princess one last time before term started.