The Art of Cartography
New Beginnings
September 1, 1971
Plumes of steam filled the air around Remus as he stood amongst the crowd of students and parents, giving their last goodbyes before the school year began. He was quite pale, with the full moon approaching, nauseated and shaking with exhaustion though the day had really just begun. Hope Lupin smoothed his fly away hair from his eyes as she stooped low to stare into his face.
"Darling," she said softly, "I am going to miss you so." Her eyes filled with tears and she pulled him into an embrace that felt like home.
Remus buried his face into her neck and bit back a sob. "I'm scared," he whispered into the weave of her cardigan and he felt her nod, admitting to her own trepidation. Pulling back and wiping the trail of tears from her eyes, Hope glanced hopelessly at her husband. Lyall kneeled down next to the pair, wrapping his arms around them both. Remus could smell the tobacco on his shirt, confirming that Remus was not the only one who stayed awake the night prior in worry.
The hoarseness in Lyall Lupin's voice, expressed the love for his son more than any words ever could as he held his family close. "This is going to be a new beginning. From this day forward the rest of the world is yours, Remus." He pressed his lips to Remus' temple his trying to preserve every sense of this moment. "Everything you've ever wanted, and we've ever wanted for you, is on the other side of the fear we face today."
A whistle blew somewhere in the distance and Remus allowed himself a sob as his father pulled him closer. "I can do this," he said with confidence he did not feel. "I love you both so much."
Lyall ruffled Remus' hair as he stood and wrapped an arm around his wife's waist. "I have no doubt that you can, son."
"Mum, please stop." James Potter whined as his mother smoothed down his hair for the umpteenth time since they had arrived on Platform 9 ¾.
Fleamont Potter beamed at his son. "Just let her do as she pleases, James, my boy! You only ever get to say goodbye to your son once before he goes off to Hogwarts. Soon, you'll be graduating and marrying some little sprite of a witch, and be a father—"
James rolled his eyes and tuned the rest of the speech out. He waited patiently for about two more minutes before announcing loudly, "I'm going to miss all the good seats! Can I please go now?"
Euphemia Potter placed her hands on her hips. "Fine," she exhaled in a great, dramatic huff. Before wrapping both her arms tightly around her son's slight shoulders. "Don't get into too much trouble now. No dueling." She mock scolded before letting him go. "Owl me every day and I'll send you cookies."
"Of course, mum," James lied, "every day."
"Only duel if necessary," James' dad corrected, "And owl at least once a week."
James grinned and hugged his father before grabbing his trunk and jogging off toward the Hogwarts Express.
"And give 'em hell, James!" Fleamont called. He then wrapped his wife up in his arms as the both watched their only son board the train. "It's only a few months," he whispered, eyes welling.
"Hurry, Pete!" Abigail Pettigrew gasped. Out of breath as she tugged on the pudgy arm of Peter, who was trailing behind her as she ran, pushing a trolley loaded with a truck and caged owl through the crowds at King's Cross. "Have mercy," she prayed, "and don't let us miss the train."
Peter stumbled and tripped over his own feet and untied laces, only managing to stay on his feet by sheer will power as his mother dragged him toward Platform 9 ¾. He was quite certain his arm would be ripped from his body if he did fall, judging by his mother's grip on his hand. Several times, he had attempted to tell her to slow down, but he couldn't seem to find the air. Suddenly, Peter realized his mum was running straight toward the barrier ahead and shouted, "Mum, stop!" She did not and Peter tried to brace himself for the impact, shutting his eyes tightly. But it never came.
Their pace slowed and Peter cracked open his eyes to find himself in what could only be described as a completely different world. The Hogwarts Express stood out on the track, steam already billowing from the smoke stack and a high pitch whistle sounded. "I'm so sorry, Peter," his mother panted. "I swear to you: next year I will manage the time better." She tugged at his hand again and he was whisked through the crowds of parents waving at children behind the glass windows of the train. Peter hurried after his mum, keeping pace with her now as she pushed his trolley along toward the open doors of the train.
"Listen Peter," Abigail said, her voice cracking with tears. "You're going to have so much fun and make so many friends. Hogwarts was some of the best times of my life. I'm so proud of you." She stopped abruptly as they reached the doors and pulled him into a tight hug.
Peter hugged her back even more fiercely. "Promise you'll write, every day?" he pleaded.
Abigail nodded. "Of course, twice a day." She gripped him tightly to her, unsure if she could really let him go.
The train gave another whistle and a student peeked his head out of the train, he had a badge pinned to his chest naming him 'Head Boy.' "Sorry, mam," he said with a mild accent, "the train needs to leave." He hopped of the train and loaded up Peter's owl and trunk with a wave of his wand, gesturing for Peter to follow.
"I love you, Pete," Abigail breathed into Peter's hair and clutched at her more tightly. "Japan for Christmas, okay?"
Tears were spilling down Peter's plump cheeks as he pulled away from his mum and sobbed out, "Christmas in Japan." The Head Boy helped Peter up into the train and stood beside him as it began to move, he placed a hand on Peter's shoulder, remembering his first goodbyes to his own mother.
Peter sniffed and let more tears fall down his cheeks as he watched his mum grow smaller and smaller as the distance between them increased.
Sirius Black held his chin high as he marched down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, glancing in open compartments looking for an empty place to sit. He didn't travel far before one was made available by a weeping red haired as she whirled out of a compartment and toward the entry doors. With a shrug, he entered the compartment and confirmed its vacant state, an ornate trunk sliding in behind him. The ease of which he was able to lift and sling the trunk into the storage rack, eluded to the fact that it had been charmed to weight much less than it appeared. Coolly, Sirius draped himself across the seat, his sleek black hair the only cushion for his head against the window. Flipping open the pages of Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science, he glared at the words written within, in hopes that no one would disturb him.
Neither his mother or his father had bothered to see him off. Sirius pretended that pain hadn't ached through his chest to see the other children with their parents giving heartfelt goodbyes. He supposed the exceptional breakfast spread out for him when he came downstairs and the exquisitely hand carved trunk, charmed to be light as a feather and carry whatever his heart desired were intended to make up for his parents lack of presence on his last morning home before school. Sirius had hoped, that appearances would require them to at least see him off, but that hadn't been the case. Kreature had been left with a portkey and note to deliver to the eldest Black child when he was set to leave.
Closing his eyes, Sirius willed away the hot tears that pooled behind his lids. He would not cry.
It was at that moment, a similarly sleeked haired boy of about eleven stuck his head into the compartment. "See you've made the right decision and fled the doting parents before a disastrous scene could be played out, as well," the boy said conspiringly, heaving his trunk through the door. Sirius blinked at him, confused, before standing up to help him lift his trunk on the rack. The rules of gentlemanly behavior kicking in before he realized it.
"Yeah," Sirius muttered and returned to his seat.
The boy sat across from him, wildly running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to free it to its natural state. As the stands began to stand and kink every which way on the boy's head, Sirius tilted his chin toward him and said, "You sure you want to do that?"
"Definitely!" the boy cheered. "My Dad is the creator of Sleekeazy. I'm constantly being doused with the stuff. I can't stand it!" Sirius bit back a smile. "I'm James, by the way."
"Sirius," was the simple reply.
James grinned widely and stopped ruffling his hair. "Whatcha reading?" he queried, glancing toward the book Sirius had set aside to assist in the lifting of James' trunk.
"Just something my mother sent me with," Sirius answered curtly.
James grimaced. "Sounds awful." He hopped up onto the seat and opened his trunk riffling around. "Down for a round of Exploding Snap?" he asked, his messy head peeking out of the trunk.
Sirius allowed himself a real grin, feeling happy for the first time that day. His parents may not like him, but James seemed to. "Sure."
The boys completed half a round before the train rumbled off, the students passing by the compartment leaving the two rowdy boys alone as they yipped and crowed throughout the game. A short time after the train began moving the red haired girl returned, her eyes still gleaming with tears. James smiled up at her and she hiccupped an 'excuse me' before sitting near the window. James and Sirius exchanged confused grins before continuing with their game.
Again the compartment door open and another sniffling student appeared, but at least this one seemed to be attempting to hide it. "Sorry," he mumbled, wiping away at his round cheeks trying to rid them of tears. "All the others are full."
James grinned and announced brightly, "This is the place to dry your tears, my friend!" He glanced back at the girl and doubled back. "Well, not really. We haven't done a thing to cheer her, but the more the merrier for Exploding Snap!"
The boy smiled and tugged his trunk inside. "Thanks." Sirius stood to help the boy with his trunk and James barked with laughter at the round boy as his raised his arms above his head. His pants had slipped down slightly, revealing the tops of his underwear, which showed the name 'Petey' stitched in.
"Petey, eh?" James chortled and Peter flushed pink.
Peter tried to smile and laugh as well. "Peter, actually. My Gran kind of does that." He flushed deeper red. "To all my clothes.
Sirius cracked a smile and James laughed even louder. It was an infectious laugh and Peter and Sirius soon found themselves laughing heartily along with him.
The three failed to take notice as a fourth boy entered the compartment and sat across from the girl staring out the window and ignoring the others. None of them seemed to take notice of the other until the word 'Slytherin' left the new boy's lips.
"Slytherin?" James sounded appalled. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He asked Sirius. When Sirius didn't smile in response, James deflated a little.
"My whole family have been in Slytherin," Sirius answered. His heart gave a clench of pain at the thought of his family. And maybe at the thought of losing the easily attained friendship he had received from James so far.
"Blimey," said James, "and I thought you seemed all right!"
Sirius grinned. The threat of James unfriending him seemed easily avoidable suddenly. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"
James lifted an invisible sword. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad." The boy who brought up Slytherin made a small, withering noise and James turned on him. His eyes flashing excitedly at the challenge. "Got a problem with that?"
"No," said the boy, sneering in a way that clearly stated the contrary. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy—"
"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you are neither?" Sirius interjected and was rewarded as James roared with laughter.
The red haired girl stood up, glaring at James and Sirius with distain. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."
James and Sirius both cooed in an imitation of her voice as James made every effort to trip Severus as he followed her from the compartment.
Very much afraid of being left out, Peter stood up to slam the compartment door, calling out, "See ya, Snivellus!" as he did so.
Sirius and James bother erupted into laughter and Peter quickly joined them.
"Sniv-Sniv-Snivellus!" James hooted. "I never would have thought of that."
Peter grinned ear to ear and would never admit that he thought that was the boy's name.
End note: Next up, Hogwarts! Please review, it makes me smile.