Farewells
Hogwarts Express was already whistling when they arrived, followed by the Potters, the Mckinnons and Oreon. After quickly putting their trunks inside they ran to farewell their parents. Sirius was surprised when he saw himself being hugged by his father, who wished a good school year and studies, and suddenly realized how much he liked it.
The Mckinnons hugged Marlene, and Mark smiled as he said:
"I'd like to thank you, dear."
"Why, dad?"
"Thanks to all this mess around you and Sirius I've had time to think and realized it was foolish to think so bitterly about this story for so many years. I've talked to Oreon, and let's say we'll be talking again."
Marlene beamed happily, and Lorraine blinked to her. Beside them Mrs. Potter hugged Harry tightly.
"Sweetie, it was so good to have you at our house. For some reason I liked you right when I saw you, and I wasn't disappointed."
"I liked you too, Mrs. Potter." Harry hugged her back, wishing the moment to never end. Trying to control the tears, they ran inside the train to James "booked" cabin, where they waved by the window. The express gained motion, and Harry leaned on the seat holding Ginny's hand.
"I can't believe it's over."
"Yeah." James sighed, and then grabbed his hair."I can't believe the N.E.W.T's are coming!
"I'm throwing myself from the astronomy tower." Sirius said in false desperate, and Remus rolled his eyes.
"Why don't you and Ron hold hands and jump from a cliff?"
Harry didn't understand at first, but when he saw Ron beating his head against the cabin's door he laughed with the others. As they played chess and snap, a particularly annoying group of Slytherins arrived, commanded by a young man with light brown hair who Harry recognized as Barty Crouch Jr.
"Black, we wish to talk to you." Announced Avery and Barty smiled maliciously. Regulus rose up, but James interrupted before he left.
"What do you want? Go away, Avery, Regulus is with us now."
"I was told about that." Muttered Avery and Barty snapped his fingers. Behind them Snape and the Carrow brothers appeared, wands prepared. "Come, Regulus. Calm down, Black, we're not hurting your little brother. Yet."
Regulus glanced for the last time to them, and Sirius waited him with his wand ready for action as the sound of conversation was heard outside. Some minutes later the door opened again, and Regulus was pushed inside by Avery.
"It's a shame, Regulus, we were expecting you. Well, the choice is yours. Farewell."
The boy sat nervously and Remus asked:
"What did they want?"
"Call me to join the Death Eaters." Regulus sighed.
Harry dropped the chocolate frog over Ron's head, who was sitting on the floor, and James frowned.
"And you said…"
"No thanks. I've got friends and just made things clear with dad. I'm not changing this for Him."
"You did well." Sirius congratulated, throwing him a box of beans.
"They asked me the same before the holiday." Peter commented as he bite the sandwich Emmeline had given him.
"You?" Sirius asked bewildered.
"Yeah, they thought I could spy on you for them."
"And you denied?" Harry asked anxiously. Peter shook his head.
"I'm being honest with you, new kid. For a moment I really thought of accepting, but then I thought about how nice you have been with me, and decided it wasn't worth it exchange this 'new' way which you treat me. Besides, Emme's diet is great, my mum had to buy new uniforms for me."
Harry felt a poke in his back, and Hermione was smiling to him. She whispered something, and Harry had to read her lips to know:
"Congratulations."
"Sorry we mistreated you, Wormtail. If it wasn't for the new kid's idea and Emme's diet, I would be forever blind." James grinned.
"No problem, Prongs, as long as you help me lose more weight."
James laughed whilst Emmeline took a cake from her purse.
"Take it, Pete, you deserve it."
A large smile appeared in Peter's face as he took the sweet, and Harry had never seen him eating so slowly. When the train got closer to the platform everyone grabbed their things and left. When they entered the carriage James asked excitedly to Harry:
"Now there're only two horcruxes left, right?"
"And Voldemort."
"Yeah. When we're going to this cave?"
"As quick as we can."
"Wait for the game, please."
Harry laughed at James' worry about the championship, but agreed.
"We'll go after the match, then."
"My cake is over!" Peter complained licking the remains of chocolate from his fingers. Remus put his hand inside his pockets.
"Do you want another?"
"No." he gasped. "I promised Emmeline."
"Will you call her out?"
"After training, yes. She said we could go out if I lost weight."
"What are you wearing?" James asked, and Sirius gazed scared at him.
"I think he has a night dress. Stop it, Prongs."
"I'm just asking!" James answered, and Harry interrupted what could become an argument.
"We can lend you some of our things. I mean, girls love Sirius' perfume."
"You too?" Sirius moved away from Harry, who punched his arm.
"Stupid."
"Remus save me." Sirius jumped beside Remus, who drove away.
"What do you want, a hug? Get off, dog."
The carriages stopped, and nobody understood why Sirius ran to drag Marlene by the hand, or why James and Harry were laughing or even why Remus slapped his own forehead gazing at the scene.