MISCHIEF MANAGED

Chapter Two – The Hogwarts Express

Firm friends already, James Potter and Sirius Black began the search for a compartment. After a few short moments they found one which contained only a scruffy looking boy with his nose in a book which was to make it less desirable to the other two, a school textbook. James and Sirius didn't bother asking; they just sat themselves on the free seats and began talking. They looked at the boy in the corner and decided to make their presence known.

'James Potter and Sirius Black. Soon to be the best trouble-makers Hogwarts has ever seen. Pleased to make your acquaintance.' James said all this in a sarcastic tone and Sirius roared with laughter listening to the drabble. Remus Lupin looked up from his book at the two boys and gave them a weak smile.

'Remus Lupin. Nice to meet you.' After his quick introduction, he gave another little embarrassed smile before retreating back into his book. But James and Sirius were not about to let him do that. They'd turn this boy into a trouble-maker before the year was out. Well, if he and they were in the same house, anyway.

Sirius and James made a lot of noise and did as much as they could to distract Remus from his book. Nothing worked. The boy was totally entranced by his textbook. James and Sirius shared a disbelieving glance. They continued to make a racket and finally Remus snapped his book shut and stood up.

'Will you PLEASE be quiet? I am trying to read.' James and Sirius began to laugh.

'It's about time. Now are you going to talk to us or do you want us to continue making noise?' Remus looked at the two boys in shock. They wanted to talk to him. For the first time, he felt accepted.

They continued to talk to one another, joking and laughing loudly. At one point the compartment door opened and only Remus glanced up to see a small red-haired girl enter and sit on the free side. She sat hunched in the corner, her face pressed against the window pane, tears shining on her cheeks.

She was followed soon after by a skinny boy with greasy, overlong black hair. Remus glanced up again and began to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place between the sad little girl and her companion.

'I don't want to talk to you,' she said in a constricted voice.

'Why not?' The skinny, greasy-haired boy questioned her, looking distraught.

'Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore.'

'So what?' Remus watched the girl throw the boy a look of deep dislike.

'So she's my sister!'

'She only a -.' He caught himself quickly; the little girl, too busy trying to wipe her eyes without being noticed didn't hear him.

'But we're going!' he said, unable to suppress the exhilaration in his voice. 'This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!' Remus watched the little girl nod, still wiping her eyes and give a small half-hearted smile.

'You'd better be in Slytherin,' said the boy, encouraged now that she had brightened up a little.

'Slytherin?' James looked around at the word, a look of absolute disgust etched on his face. 'Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?' James addressed this last comment to Sirius, who was lounging on the seats opposite him. Sirius didn't return the grin.

'My whole family have been in Slytherin,' he said.

'Blimey!' exclaimed James. 'And I thought you seemed all right!'

'Maybe I'll break the tradition,' Sirius grinned. 'Where are you heading if you've got the choice?'

'Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart', James quoted, lifting an invisible sword. 'Like my Dad.'

The boy on the other side of the compartment made a small, disparaging noise. James rounded on him immediately.

'Got a problem with that?'

'No,' said the boy, though the slight sneer on his face implied otherwise. 'If you'd rather be brawny than brainy - '

'Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?' interjected Sirius.

James roared with laughter. The little girl, silent until this point, sat up, very flushed and glared at the two boys in dislike.

'Come on Severus, let's find another compartment.'

'Oooooooooooooo....'

James and Sirius imitated the lofty voice. As Severus passed, James attempted to trip him.

'See ya, Snivellus!' Sirius called just as the compartment door slammed.

The boys laughed their heads off for the whole journey, only closing their mouths to devour their food off the trolley. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum littered the seats, both wrappers and sweets alike.

'Want one?' James tossed a Pasty to Remus.

'No, thank you. The only sweets that I like to eat are chocolate.'

James then proceeded to toss him every Chocolate Frog in the compartment. Sirius joined in and before long they were interrupted in their joy by the little red-haired girl.

'I can hear you from the other end of the train,' she said in a bossy voice. 'Please be quiet. Just for the remainder of the journey.'

She began to close the door but turned quickly and scolded them. 'You should be in your robes already. I expect we'll be arriving soon.'

The little girl walked away, leaving the boys to laugh at her in their mad rush to get into their robes.

Approximately twenty minutes later, the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station. James and Sirius leapt up as though their pants were on fire, thrilled to be at their new school. Remus packed his book away slowly and only followed the other two when he heard them call his name.

'It is nice having friends,' he decided as he left the compartment.

As the three boys were leaving the train, Sirius bumped a short, podgy boy. He gave him a glare to rival Medusa and continued. As Remus passed the boy on his way off the train, he gave him an apologetic smile.

Once outside, the boys followed the loud voice calling to the first years.

'Firs' years, this way please. Firs' years, follow me.'