"Behave yourself," Hannah reminded her son as he squirmed about on the platform, eager to board the train.
"Hannah, let him be. He'll be fine, won't you, James?" A deep voice withhin the crowd asked.
Recognizing it immediately, James whirled around and launched himself into his father's arms. "Dad!"
"Hey, buddy. I have something to give you," Charles Potter grinned, returning the hug. He opened his briefcase, which he carried so often it was awkward to see him without it, and from it pulled a silvery lightweight material.
An invisibility cloak, James knew instantly. He took it gingerly from his father, his eyes lighting up. "Wow," he breathed. "Wow." James was ecstatic, for he had wanted his father's special cloak since his first glimpse of it.
Hannah, however, was not convinced it was a good idea to give an 11 year-old mischief maker a cloak of invisibility. "Charles," she protested.
Charles interrupted her, and bent down to James's level. "Hannah, he'll use it well. He won't use it to hurt other people or do mean things. Because James knows where he'll end up if I find out that's what he's using it for."
Hannah nodded. This, she guessed, was a lost battle. James had the cloak now, and to take it when he had first been given it would be mean.
James gulped. He knew exactly what would happen if he misused the cloak. Smackings weren't often given in the Potter household, but doing something dangerous or outrightly disobeying always warranted one.
"I'm too old," James said, a pink blush creeping up the side of his neck as he looked around to make sure no one was listening. No one was. The platform was too full, too crowded with noises and jabbing elbows and hugs goodbye, for anyone to even pay attention to the conversation.
"Almost," agreed Charlie, hugging his son one last time before he tucked the cloak into the boy's trunk.
"We love you." Hannah stole a hug from her son. "We'll miss you."
"I'll write," James promised, returning the hug and waving as he dragged his trunk towards the train.
Soon, he was lost in the crowd, and Hannah and Charles turned away, misty eyed. "He'll be alright," whispered Charles as he hugged his wife to him.
"I know he will."
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"Alright?" John Lupin brushed his hands together, having just finished stowing Remus's trunk in the luggage compartment under the train.
"Yeah." Remus was quiet.
"It's okay to be sad, son."
Rose walked over, finished with a conversation she'd struck up with an old school mate. "Alright, Rem. You best go get a seat. We'll stand right here until your train leaves, okay?" Rose wrapped her arms around her son, who was standing stiffly and quietly.
"I-I love you," Remus sounded choked as he said this, as if he was holding back tears.
"And we love you," John whispered.
Then he was gone. Just like that. Remus couldn't stand it any longer. He had to get on the train, or he was going to cry. And he couldn't cry, or he'd look like a baby.
Rose watched as her son took a deep, shaky breath and stepped onto the train without looking back. That was when the dam broke. Her own tears came, hot and salty down her cheeks before she could stop herself. "That's our baby, John. All on his own."
"He'll make friends, and he'll be just fine. You couldn't shelter him forever, Rose, and you knew that he would eventually be gone from you, on his way to Hogwarts. We can't hold him back for our own selfish reasons. He has to fly."
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Backpack on his shoulder, Sirius swerved to avoid a Fanged Frisbee that was zigzagging its way across the train. "Oi! Whoever's frisbee this is, get control!" A Ravenclaw Prefect ordered, taking hold of the frisbee. "And you," this was directed at Sirius, "find a compartment to sit in or I'll find one for you."
Sirius stomped along the train, looking into each compartment to see if there were any first years in them. A group of girls were giggling over something. Some boys, older than Sirius, were playing a game of Exploding Snap. Then there were some first years, but not the kind Sirius wanted to be seen with. Half of them had runny noses, and the other half were crying shamelessly. How old were they? Three?
Finally, Sirius found a compartment of three boys who looked like suitable companions. "Hey." Sirius said, opening the sliding door and dropping his bag on the floor.
"Hey yourself," said a boy with glasses and unruly hair.
"Mind?" Sirius gestured to the empty space.
"No. If Remus-is that what you said your name was?-doesn't mind."
The boy called Remus, who had a long scar down his face, shrugged. "I don't care. Go on."
Relieved, Sirius sunk into the plush booth seat. He examined the boys closer. One of them, the one who hadn't spoken at all, was chubby with blond wavy hair and crooked teeth. He appeared to be quite nervous, and he kept tapping his fingers against the windowpane. "Peter Pettigrew," the chubby boy introduced himself, noticing Sirius looking at him.
"Sirius Black," Sirius replied, reaching down into his bag and taking out some coins. He jiggled them in his palm, looking around for the witch with the candy cart.
"I'm Remus Lupin."
"James Potter. I want to be in Gryffindor, and you three?"
Sirius had considered this question for quite some time. Both his parents were Slytherins, and that was where he was expected to be placed. Except for the fact that Sirius didn't want to be in Slytherin. His parents were both terrible people, and he hated them. "Gryffindor," he answered with a grin.
Peter ceased tapping on the window for a moment. "Gryffindor." Then his fingers began to tap again, and he resumed his gazing out the window.
"Same." Remus smiled.
"Well, then, let's hope we all get in. Sirius, you said your last name was Black?" James had heard about the Blacks, and none of them were good.
James noticed Sirius stiffen. "Yes. I'm from the most Ancient and Noble House of Black." Sirius sneered as he said this.
"Nothing wrong with that," Remus said, wanting to avoid controversy.
"Actually, there is. Sirius, be a Slytherin. Sirius, know your place. Sirius, your a Black! Sirius, stop hanging about with those mudbloods!" Sirius mocked.
The three boys cringed at the word 'mudblood'. "Well, you want to be a Gryffindor," Peter reasoned, "and that means your different." This was the first full sentence any of them had heard Peter say.
"Yes, I suppose." Sirius pulled out a couple of Chocolate Frogs, setting the coins he had in his palm aside. "Nicked these from my cousin, Bellatrix, when we were at her house last month. Should still be good."
The boys laughed, and chocolate frogs were passed about. Remus, sitting next to Sirius, took one, then tossed one to Peter, sitting across from him. James took one, smiling. "Sirius, I think we're gonna be good mates."
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"Gryffindor!" Roared the hat, as James Potter, the arrogant but friendly boy from the train, was sorted.
Sirius had already been sorted, and he was sitting at his respective table, beaming happily. Gryffindor was also his house. Peter stood behind a pretty girl with long red hair. "Lily Evans?" McGonagall called out, lifting the hat from James's head.
The redhead bounded forward and took a seat on the stool. Her emerald eyes gleamed with fascination, and Peter could tell she was a muggleborn. Only muggleborns were this excited about the floating candles and the ceiling enchanted to look like the night sky.
"Gryffindor!" The hat called, and Peter watched as Lily Evans took a seat beside James, shaking his hand and smiling.
"Peter? Peter Pettigrew?" With shaking legs, Peter approached the stool. McGonagall smiled at him, and he gently scooched onto the chair, gripping both sides tight. The hat went on his head, covering his eyes.
Ahhh. Peter Pettigrew. Rather dull mind, I'm afraid, but there's cunning. Oh yes, cunning and slyness. You should be in Slytherin, yes.
Not Slytherin, thought Peter.
Gryffindor, then? Go on. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Cheers erupted from the Lions, and McGonagall removed the hat from Peter's head. Peter made his way to the Gryffindor table, and smiled, flushed and content.
Remus followed Peter into Gryffindor almost immediately, for the hat had barely touched the boy's head when it called out the verdict. "Cheers, mate!" Sirius grinned. He took a slurp of pumpkin juice and burped as Lily Evans crinkled her nose.
"Severus Snape." This was the last first year in need of sorting, and the entire hall quieted, wondering who would get the last one.
"Look at his hair," Sirius jeered, examining the grease, and James laughed. Remus, sitting next to Sirius, jabbed him in the ribs. Lily Evans stood quietly from the table, and moved down a bit, taking a seat next to Alice.
"She's his friend," Remus explained as Slytherin house gained their final member, Severus Snape. "I saw them together on the train, and they sat together in the rowboat."
Sirius didn't appear to care, but James looked at Lily a while longer. Finally, he turned to his plate, which had filled with his favorites. Mashed potatoes covered in gravy slopped on the plate, looking delicious.
Peter smiled. He was happy to be in this house, with these people around him. He was happy he had found a place to belong, after not having a place for so long.