The Hogwarts Express screeched to a stop as the five young adults stood up from their seats.

"We have arrived at last!" clamored Sirius as he ran to the compartment door and slid it open. Grinning, Joyce, James and Peter followed his lead, grabbing their backpacks and heading for the platform. Joyce looked around for Remus, but instead, she caught a glimpse of her two friends, Alexandra and Jessica Walker.

"Jess! Alex!" hollered Joyce. The two girls turned around and smiled broadly.

"Joyce!" they shouted. Running towards them and leaving Peter, Sirius and James, Joyce jumped into the arms of the tallest of the two girls, Alex.

"Ah, Alex! Jess! I've missed you so much!" sighed Joyce happily.

"Aw, we missed you too, Jo," said Alex, rubbing Joyce's back. "But as much as I want to stay here, maybe we should get to the coaches in order to get to Hogwarts, don't you think, girls?"

Jess nodded. "Yeah, or we'll have to walk, and you know how that agrees with me..."

When she was little, Jess had been born with a very low endurance level, and she couldn't walk for more than five to ten minutes. Joyce shook her head. "You know full well we wouldn't do that to you, Jessie dear."