A/N: Well, it took a little longer than it should've, but here you go. I was caught up in a new fic about Sirius and Regulus that I started writing. That should be up in about a week, so I'll let you know and then you should all totally go check it out (see my plug??).
I was going to make this chapter and the next one (the Sorting, of course!) all one chapter, but that would have meant it would've taken AGES to get up here, and I decided this bit was long enough on its own, so I split them into two. I haven't finished the next bit yet.
Of course, I don't own any of this. Even most of what happens in this bit is right from the hand of JK Rowling. It's all in Deathly Hallows, in that Prince's Tale chapter (I think that's what it's called...). Snape staring at something (Lily of course!), the storming-out-of-the-compartment bit, the 'See ya, Snivellus!'...yeah, none of that is mine. Gutted.
This story isn't just from Remus's POV from now on, BTW. It just worked to have this one from his. I'll change it every time. But I'll probably do more from Sirius's POV, cuz he's my absolute fav. XD Tell me if I'm showing too much favouritism...
So, as always, I BEG you to review! The more reviews I get, the more motivation I have, the faster the next bit arrives!
Part Five – The Hogwarts Express
Remus looked around in wonder. Platform 9¾ was packed with parents and students, the young faces full of excitement for the beginning of a new year at Hogwarts. Remus would have felt completely overwhelmed if his mother and father hadn't been standing next to him. Although he was excited about going, he was also a little scared of leaving. He had never really been in the company of kids his own age – or anyone other than his parents, really.
Remus looked around, taking in the sea of faces. He was an inquisitive boy by nature, and his curiosity had been piqued by the multitude of people, despite his nerves.
The first people to catch his eye were a boy and his mother. Remus guessed that the boy was a first-year, just like him. He was small and stringy, with lank black hair. His mother was thin and sallow; she looked very similar to the boy standing next to her. Neither of the two seemed particularly happy. The mother was looking around with a sour expression and the son was staring at something intently, but Remus couldn't tell what. He didn't think that this boy would be very pleasant company, somehow.
Remus's gaze drifted away from the small family and landed on another, much larger, family, who were standing slightly away from everyone else on the platform. Although there was a number of children and a group of adults, Remus could tell that they were all related – they all had the same dark hair, grey eyes and haughty air. There were three girls, all of whom were older than he was, and two boys, who seemed to be arguing with each other. One of them looked around Remus's own age, the other about nine. Suddenly one of the adults, a scowling woman with her black hair pulled back in a tight bun, turned around and said something to the boys. The older one replied with a cheeky grin on his face, and the woman – presumably his mother – clipped him on the ear. Remus was shocked. His parents would never lay a hand on him. He couldn't imagine being hit by a member of his own family, no matter the reason. He saw the boy poke his tongue out at the woman, who had resumed her conversation with the other adults. Apparently violence was a normal method of punishment for this family, because neither the boy nor anyone else in the group seemed at all surprised.
Remus was snapped out of his people-watching reverie by the shrill whistle of the gleaming scarlet steam train. It was time to say goodbye to his parents and climb aboard. He was suddenly overcome with a desire to stay with his parents, and go back home, where it was safe. No, he told himself sternly. This is all you've ever wanted! Pull yourself together, say goodbye and get on that train!
Remus turned to his parents, who were both smiling at him. He knew that they were feeling a mix of happiness and sadness, just like he was.
"It's time to go, sweetheart," his mother said.
Remus nodded silently, more scared than ever. His father bent down to his level and put his hands on Remus's shoulders.
"Remus, you have just as much right to be there as everyone else. You're a very bright boy and I know that you will do well. Remember, you are no different to anyone else. Keep your head down, work hard and be the best you can be."
John stood back up as Remus nodded again. Faith hugged her son tightly as another piercing whistle echoed around the platform. Remus picked up his small trunk and his father clapped him on the shoulder.
"Do us proud, son," he said.
"We love you," said Faith, as she gave Remus a last quick hug.
"Don't forget to write to me," he whispered, so that only his parents could possibly hear him.
"Of course we won't," his father promised. "Now off you go, or you'll miss the train!"
Remus turned and boarded the train, giving his parents a last wave and a smile before the door of the carriage shut and the train slowly started to move. He kept looking out of the small window in the door until he could no longer see his parents.
When the platform had disappeared from view, Remus's sense of excitement started to outweigh his fading nerves. This was it! He was off to Hogwarts!
He turned and started making his way down the train, looking for somewhere to sit. All the compartments were occupied, and although plenty of them had spare seats, he was too shy to enter and sit down in a compartment full of strangers on his own.
Remus was so busy looking into all the compartments that he didn't notice the boy in front of him until he almost walked into him.
"Oh, excuse me! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Remus apologised quickly.
"No, no, it's my fault, I shouldn't be standing in the corridor, I know it's silly, it's just that I can't find anywhere to sit, I'm so sorry!" the boy said, in a rather squeaky voice.
"Err…that's okay," Remus said, shaking his head. He was slightly nonplussed by the boy's profuse apology, which he thought had been very unnecessary. "Don't worry about it," he added, when he realised the boy was clearly doing so.
He looked at the boy. He was quite plump, with watery blue eyes and mousy hair. He was considerably shorter than Remus was.
"Are you a first year?" Remus asked.
"Yeah, which is why I can't find anywhere to sit. I was looking for my sister, but I don't know where she is, and I've got no friends yet…my name's Peter, Peter Pettigrew. Are you a first year too?" The boy said all this very quickly. He put down his trunk (which he had been carrying with two hands) to shake.
"Yes, I am. I'm Remus Lupin," replied Remus. He was wary of making friends, because of his condition, but he had to admit to himself that he'd find a seat more easily with another first year – who seemed to be just as nervous about starting Hogwarts as he was – alongside him. Besides, the boy seemed nice enough.
"Shall we try to find somewhere to sit together?" Remus asked.
"Oh! Yes, please, that'd be good!" Peter replied.
They walked down the train, carrying – or, in Peter's case, dragging – their trunks. By the time they'd reached the end of their carriage, all the compartments they'd passed had either been full or contained students much older than themselves.
Suddenly, the door to the very last compartment opened, and two people walked out. One was a pretty redheaded girl; the other was the lanky, sallow boy that Remus had seen standing on the platform with his mother.
"See ya, Snivellus!" came a voice from inside the compartment. Remus and Peter pressed themselves against the walls to let the two agitated-looking students pass.
When they'd gone, Remus looked into the compartment they'd vacated. Two boys were in there, both with black hair, both laughing fit to burst. Remus recognized one of them as the boy he'd seen on the platform, being clipped on the ear by his mother. The other was small and skinny and wore glasses.
"I think they're first years," Remus whispered to Peter. Peter nodded and Remus slid open the door.
"Is it alright if we sit here?" he asked. The boys stopped laughing. The one with glasses shrugged, and the one from the platform said, "Free country."
Remus and Peter stowed their trunks and sat down, Peter next to the boy with glasses, Remus opposite him, next to the boy from the platform.
"I'm James Potter," said the boy with glasses, pointing to his chest, "and this is-"
The other boy cut him off. "I'm Sirius. But you can address me as 'Your Highness'. I will also accept 'Lord Almighty', 'Magnificent Mortal', or 'O Great One'."
The boy called James laughed, but Peter obviously couldn't tell that the boy was joking, and Remus was too busy wondering why Sirius hadn't given a last name. Maybe he was a Muggleborn, and he thought he'd be teased? But his family had seemed accustomed to the magical sights of Platform 9¾…Remus shook his confusion away.
"Well, I'm Remus Lupin, and this is Peter Pettigrew," he said, speaking for Peter, who was still visibly confused and nervous.
Sirius shook the hand that Remus offered, but James was looking at Peter.
"Are you alright, mate?" he asked.
"Oh – er, yes – yes, I'm fine," Peter stuttered.
"Nervous, huh? You guys first years too?" Sirius asked.
"Yes," Remus replied.
"You know what the Sorting's all about?" said Sirius.
"I know about the houses, but not about the actual process." Remus said. Peter shook his head.
"Well, they put this old mouldy hat on your head, and then it magically squirms into your head and it wriggles around inside your brain and finds out which house you'd fit into." Sirius must have noticed the look of horror on Peter's face, because he added, "Well, that's what my cousin told me, but we fight all the time and I think she was just trying to scare me."
"It doesn't really physically go inside your head," James said. "It just sort of reads your mind. That's what my dad told me."
"Well, that's a relief," Sirius said, grinning.
The four boys talked through the journey – or rather, James and Sirius talked, and Remus and Peter mainly listened. Remus learnt that James was a pure-blood and an only child, and that Peter had four older siblings, all of whom had been or were at Hogwarts. Sirius kept very quite about his family, but Remus gathered from his knowledge of Hogwarts and the wizarding world in general that he did, in fact, come from a magical family.
Despite his trepidation, Remus slowly found himself becoming more and more drawn into Sirius and James's conversations. Maybe he was going to end up with friends afer all, in spite of his condition. Unless, of course, anyone found out about it. Then no-one would ever talk to him again. If he became friends with anyone, they would be sure to notice something. And then they might find out. And then he'd be worse off than he would've been if he had stayed alone. Was it worth it?
Remus decided to reserve judgement for the time being, and see whether or not he would feel the need for friends once he had his studies to focus on.