Chapter 6 The Hogwarts Express

Sirius was trying desperately hard to get away from his incessantly talkative house-elf and his brother who insisted on listening to him. He ran straight through the brick wall between platforms nine and ten and disappeared in the chaos of a cart collision he may or may not have caused in his haste. He charmed his trunk to be lighter and ran towards the opposite side of the platform before his brother could catch sight of him through the crowd. When he thought it was safe he slowed his pace and started looking for his friends. He spotted Peter talking to his mother a short distance away.

"Happy birthday," Sirius said in a creepy voice after sneaking up behind his friend. Peter jumped and squealed, his heart racing with fright.

"Sirius! You shouldn't sneak up on people. I nearly wet my pants." Peter said with relief after realising who it was behind him.

"That would be unfortunate." He grinned. "You must be Mrs Pettigrew. Peter talks about you all the time."

"It's Ms Harper. Pettigrew was my married name." She said taking his hand. Ms Harper had a firm grip that naturally went with her appearance. She wore a pantsuit, though it wasn't tailored it fit her nicely. She was broad-shouldered and small waisted giving her a manly frame. Her face was shrewd and calculating. It did not have an ounce of the motherly look Mrs Potter had but it wasn't harsh like his mother's.

"Oh, sorry," Sirius responded looking to Peter wondering why he never said anything. Peter refused to look back at him, instead he stared blankly at his mother.

"Don't worry about it. I suppose I should let you get on the train now. Here's money for the trolley." Ms Harper handed a galleon to her son and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder causing him to look into her eyes. "You work on getting your grades up. And so help me if you get one more detention, one, I'll-"

"Yes Mum, I know. I'm sorry." Peter said his cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Don't interrupt me I'll not have you ending up like your father. You'll be a good boy, you'll get good grades, and you'll do well in life." Ms Harper said crossing her arms and straightening her stances so she stood over her son.

"Yes, Mum," Peter said meekly.

"Come here." Ms Harper pulled Peter into a hug which he returned reluctantly. "I'll see you June." She said releasing her son. She turned and left without another word. Sirius had taken out a red leather book and was now staring intently at it.

"Strange." He muttered.

"What?" Peter questioned nervously.

"It says here on the 8th of January, Peter Pettigrew's birthday," Sirius said pointing to the day and showing it to Peter. "We celebrated your birthday on the 8th of January for three years, you'd think someone would have corrected us during that time."

"That is my birthday." He answered.

"And today is the 8th of January?" Sirius questioned feigning confusion.

"We celebrated my birthday on the weekend, that's why she didn't say anything." Peter rolled his eyes. "You keep a planner?"

"Of course. I'm terrible at remembering dates. I'd never get anything done if I didn't." Sirius answered.

"Not even Remus keeps a planner," Peter smirked.

"He remembers dates," Sirius responded.

"James doesn't keep one," Peter argued.

"What sort of dates does James have to remember?" Sirius said growing irritated.

"Speaking of, have you seen him?" Peter digressed

"No, he's always late. Last year he barely made it." Sirius told him. "Merlin. Come on, let's get a compartment before they fill."

They boarded the train helping each other carry their trunks. They found a compartment near the door so they could see when James got on. Peter told Sirius all about his holiday in Germany and even though it was uneventful Sirius listened. That is what Peter liked best about Sirius. He listens and asks questions about his stories. He didn't ask questions about things he did not want to talk about, like his mother. James, on the other hand, would have ignored everything he had to say about Germany and go straight for the throat. Even Remus would have asked about it, eventually. Sirius didn't ask unless you brought it up. Only when the conductor called out "ALL ABOARD!" did Sirius interrupt Peter. James had yet to get on board and though it was a tradition by now for him to be late, he was never this late. They dashed over to the compartment across the way, ignored the protest of its inhabitants, and pressed their faces against the glass hoping to see the messy haired boy run through the sea of waving parents. The train lurched into motion with no sign of James Potter. They split up to search the compartments for their friend, deciding that he might have slipped by without their noticing.

"Did you find him?" Peter asked when they met up again.

"I take it you didn't either?" Sirius said shaking his head.

"What about Remus?" Peter questioned.

"I didn't think he'd come, it's a full moon today." Sirius shrugged. Sirius spotted his brother walking down the corridor glancing into each compartment. "Regulus! Have you seen James?"

"Sirius. I've been looking for you since we got on the platform. Mum told us to stay together." Regulus said approaching the pair.

"Have you seen James?" Sirius repeated.

"James?" Regulus questioned.

"Messy haired kid, glasses, just a bit shorter than me," Sirius said.

"Oh. No. Why do you look so worried? He's probably just having an extended holiday." Regulus said.

"He would have written." Sirius shook his head. "Listen, Reg, I need your help."

"Mum said I can't hang out with you at school. You get into too much trouble, and hang around with-" Regulus stopped mid sentence and looked at Peter for the first time since he approached.

"This is Peter. And we won't get in trouble. You've got your broom right?" Sirius said placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Yeah, but-"

"Reg. I need you," Sirius said seriously. Regulus's eyes shifted between his brother and Peter obviously torn between a promise he made to his mother and the love he had for his brother.

"Fine." He conceded turning back to his own compartment to get his broom.

"Thanks, Reg. Met us in our compartment." Sirius yelled running in the opposite direction.

"Uh Sirius, There's someone in our compartment," Peter yelled over the crowd of people trying to buy stuff of the trolley which Sirius was stuck behind.

"Do no tell me that it's James. So help me, Merlin I will castrate him and feed it to my owl," Sirius said fighting his way through hungry pubescent children.

"Nope, its worse," Peter said shaking his head. "You know that girl that hangs out with Snape?"

"The ginger? Oh, don't tell me Snively's in there." Sirius said scrunching up his nose.

"No, but there is someone else," Peter responded.

"Who?" Sirius said finally breaking through the crowd. He looked into the glass of their compartment door and saw Lily Evans, commonly known as "the ginger" in their group, and Mary Mcdonald giggling with each other. He slid open the door rather aggressively startling the girls. "What are you doing in here?"

"It's our compartment," Lily told him.

"We were here first." He said pointing to his marked luggage.

"Oh, well I'm sure they'll be enough room for the four of us," Lily said moving closer towards the window.

"We were looking for James. You haven't seen him have you?" Peter asked taking the seat she freed up. The girls shrugged and shook their heads.

"Maybe he's still on holiday." Mary offered.

"Don't you have a Slytherin to go and play with?" Sirius said bitterly.

"No, he has other friends," Lily said ignoring his tone.

"And you don't." Sirius bit back.

"Obviously I do," Lily responded gesturing to Mary.

"Sirius, all the other compartments are full. Maybe we could call a truce until we reach Hogwarts." Mary suggested.

"I seriously doubt you have no other friends." Sirius scowled.

"We have other friends, Black. Eilidh's with her brother, Marls is with her boyfriend, we were sitting with Josie but she started being her usual insufferable self, so here we are." Lily said seeming to dare him to speak any further.

"We have things we need to do," Sirius spoke taking her dare.

"We'll help." She decided.

"You won't like it." He answered.

"Try me." She smirked. Sirius eyed her up and down seeming to search for any hidden marks of rebellion.

"Even if you don't, you have to promise not to sell us out." Sirius said stepping into the compartment and closing the door behind him. Lily and Mary promised. Sirius refused to go over the plan until his brother got there but with each passing minute he grew more and more anxious. Finally Regulus arrived carrying both his trunk and his broom.

"Did they kick you out?" Sirius said incredulously.

"You're a Gryffindor, our sworn enemy." Regulus reminded him.

"You're so over dramatic." Sirius rolled his eyes help his brother with his trunk.

"Says you." Regulus defended.

"Boys!" Lily yelled interrupting Sirius's response. Sirius clamped his mouth shut and Regulus mutter "sorry" both of them startled by the command. "Now, will you tell us what's going on?"

"Right," Sirius said clearing his throat and moving to the centre of the compartment. Regulus took Sirius's seat next to Mary. "As we all know James is missing."

"Sirius, as they said, he might still be on holiday." Peter interrupted meekly.

"Did he tell you that?" Sirius questioned. Peter shook his head in response. "And where does James live, Pete?"

"Windsor," Peter answered feeling as if he were in class and had asked a stupid question. Regulus and Mary nodded their heads knowingly. Lily still looked confused.

"You two don't read the paper?" Sirius asked addressing Lily and Peter.

"Muggle-born," Lily reminded raising her hand. Peter shook his head.

"Oh, Merlin." Sirius said rolling his eyes and dragging a hand over his face. "There was a series of attacks from the death eaters in Windsor over the holiday, around the time they would usually come back from Scotland. The Potters are well known blood traitors. I haven't heard from him since I left his place."

"Neither have I. He wished me a happy new year but nothing since" Peter said sitting up straight finally matching his friend's concern.

"And you think something's happened?" Regulus asked wide eyed.

"He would have written us if he had other plans," Sirius said firmly.

"Wouldn't his name be in the paper if something did happen?" Lily argued.

"There were several families unaccounted for, they didn't give names," Sirius told her. They all looked pale and worried though three of them didn't know him half as well has Sirius and Peter did.

"What are we going to do," Lily said with a determined look on her face. Regulus already had his broom in his hand, ready for what was to come.

"We're gonna sneak off this train," Sirius smirked grabbing the two brooms from the self in front of him. "Evans, have you got a broom?"

"Nope," Lily said opening the window. The cold winter wind blew in whipping her hair about her face.

"You'll ride with me then. Peter and Regulus stay on my sides, and Mary you take the back. We'll climb on top of the train and then take flight. We stick closely together and keep your wands ready. Regulus if there's an attack you stay behind me, you're not trained as much as us." Sirius ordered making a move to climb out the window.

"Wait a minute!" Regulus protested dragging his brother back to the floor by his robes. "I can hold my own in a fight. Radagast said that I'm doing so well in defence he might get me into one of the higher classes this term. I just have to take a test to see what level I'm at."

"That's great, Reg, but death eaters aren't defence class. You've never duelled before." Sirius argued.

"Neither have you!" Regulus returned.

"Have so," Sirius answered.

"Shut up!" Lily yelled once again silencing the boys. "Regulus if, on the off chance, there is an attack get behind your brother and attack from there. Peter, you'll get behind Mary. Don't argue, I've seen you in defence. Settled?" The four of them nodded. "Good. Let's go get James."

Lily started to climb out the window. Mary followed, then Regulus, Peter, and Sirius last. Mary, Peter, and Regulus mounted their brooms and hovered above the train. Sirius mounted his and was about to pull Lily off her feet when four thick ropes whipped out of nowhere and pulled them back onto the top of the train with a thud.

"Not on my watch you don't!" The trolley lady yelled with her wand pointed at them. It was clear now that she was the one who was pulling them back onto the train. Mary, Sirius, Peter, and Regulus still struggled with their bonds as she came closer and closer.

"You can't keep people tied up like this!" Lily yelled after Mary nearly fell off the train but was able to catch Regulus's outstretched hands just in time, her broom, however, was not so lucky.

"I'll release you once your back on the train." She yelled grabbing hold of Lily's arm. She led the five of them back to the window above their compartment. They climbed back in one by one and as promised the trolley lady released them from their binds. She shot a gecko shaped patronus out into the hall to send for one of the trains recently appointed aurors. The auror approached them with a stern face and a decisive march, his fingers clenched into a fist.

"What is this about?" He barked at the lady.

"These five tried to get off the train. I need you to guard them till we get to Hogwarts." She answered unflinchingly.

"I was appointed to guard the train from dangerous dark wizards, not babysit a bunch of children." He scoffed turning to leave.

"You were sent to prevent an attack that will never happen. Unless your job is to sit and do nothing you'll watch these children. If they get out, there will be an attack." She said. The Auror scowled at her as she walked past. He stood in door way glaring at the five of them.

"Guys!" Yelled a voice from the corridor that sounded terribly familiar. "Guy! You will not believe!" James Potter stopped in front of the guarded compartment wild-eyed and out of breath. "Someone's trying to get off the train!" He grinned at Sirius ignoring the Auror completely. Sirius glared back at him, while the others exchanged looks of thorough confusion."What's with you? Why's he here?"

"You git! I swear if this is a prank- if you did this on purpose! I was so worried!" Sirius ranted pointing a finger at his friend. The Auror had to hold him back for he was charging at James.

"What are you going on about?" James asked his eyes tearing between the five of them.

"What are we going on about! You! You disappear, after what's happened." Sirius started ranting again.

"We were the ones that tried to get off the train," Lily explained over Sirius's rants, holding back laughter.

"We thought something happened, because of the attacks that happened after New Year's," Peter added.

"Wicked!" James grinned. Sirius lurched at James again. This time, the Auror pushed him into a seat. Sirius glared back at him with eyes so cold they were black.

"That's enough." The Auror said firmly. "I don't know what's going on here, but you need to go back to your seat. As for the five of you, sit down and be quiet!"

"Sorry Reg. Had I known I would be getting you in trouble for nothing I wouldn't have asked." Sirius said loud enough for James to hear as walked back to where he had come. They spent the rest of their journey in silence apart from Lily's random giggles as she went over the ridiculous event in her head. Sirius glared each time she burst out laughing, seeming to know what she was thinking. Peter, however, seemed to share her humour but kept quiet about it. Regulus sat miserably not knowing how much trouble he'd be in when he returned home. Mary was so wrapped up in terror, anger, and laughter that she barely noticed when the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station.