Author's note. A lot of people really want Neville to be friends with the trio and he will but he isn't going to make up a quartet. It's just...they are so different, their eighteen/nineteen while he's only eleven. They've gone through so much more so that if they tried to be a quartet, it would quickly become apparent how much closer they are to each other than him. I think that's one reason why Wormtail betrayed his friends, in their early years, they really were a true quartet and the best of friends. But as the years went by, Sirius and James became more talented while Remus was probably very liked for his calm, studious manner. As for Wormtail, he didn't shine in any way, he just ended up becoming a fanboy to his friends and they unintentionally used him that way. So when they left Hogwarts and they weren't the most popular, powerful people any more, he realised that and grew to hate them.

So I'm afraid for Neville's sake, there does need to be a certain distance between the trio and him but not loads. He just can't really be a best friend to well...adults. They are going to take care of him, don't worry but I hope my reasoning makes sense.

On another note, anyone got any idea for Hermione's parents' names? As far as I know, their virtually the only characters who are only known by their surnames. Suggestions would be very welcome as to what they could be called and the blanks will be filled in.

Enjoy and please.

"I can't believe it," Hermione half sobbed as she clung tightly to her two best friends "You're here, you're alright."

"Course we are," Ron said rather gruffly, blinking rather rapidly. "It'll take more than...going back in time to stop us, you know that."

She made a sound that was a half laugh, half sob. Harry did his best to rub her back, a little afraid she would descend into hysterics but she was made of sterner stuff than that. After giving them another squeeze, she released them and took a step back.

"I...my parents are out on the platform," she said, wiping away at her streaming eyes. "They're waiting for me to find a compartment and then dad's going to bring my trunk and Crookshanks."

"About that cat, Hermione," Ron began and Hermione quickly said.

"He won't touch Scabbers, don't worry."

Ron grinned and said.

"Actually, I was going to ask if I've ever told you what a fine specimen of cat he is."

"Really?" she said in mild disbelief, wondering where he was going with these.

"Sure," Ron replied seriously. "And if that stinking little rat ever tries anything, would your delightful cat might eating him?"

Harry chuckled as comprehension dawned on Hermione's face and she laughed.

"I'm sure he'd be delighted," she replied as Harry said.

"We'd better get going; they'll be wondering what's keeping us."

His two friends nodded and after quickly shoving Ron's trunk, hamper and cage containing Scabbers in, they hurried back out onto the platform. They quickly spotted Mrs Weasley and co thanks to their flaming red hair but the real spot of luck was that Hermione's parents were only a few feet away.

"Mum...dad," Hermione called, waving as Ron called to his mum as he jumped off the train.

"Hermione, have you found a compartment?" her mum asked, hurrying over with a wicker basket containing a grumpy looking Crookshanks.

"Yes, these guys said I could share theirs," Hermione replied as Mrs Weasley came bustling.

"Ron, you're sharing with this young lady?" she asked and he nodded causing her to beam.

"Oh, that's very sweet of you Ronnie," she sighed as his ears turned red.

"Oh, you already have some children going?" Mrs Granger asked as she spotted Fred and George heading over, with Percy bringing up the rear.

"Oh yes, we've been going for generations," Mrs Weasley said kindly. "I take it this is your first?"

"Oh yes," Mrs Granger said with a serious nod. "We couldn't believe it when we found our Hermione was going."

"Hermione, what a lovely name," Mrs Weasley sighed. "This is my little girl, Ginny."

Ginny blushed furiously at this and mumbled a greeting but Mrs Granger just beamed at her. Mr Granger now said.

"And who are these find strapping lads?"

"Well, this is my oldest Percy, who's a Prefect," Mrs Weasley introduced proudly as Percy held out a hand to the twins eye rolls. "And these are my fourth and fifth oldest, Fred and George."

The twins bowed dramatically as Mrs Granger said faintly.

"You have more?"

"Yes, my two oldest Bill and Charlie have already left Hogwarts," Mrs Weasley stated proudly as the Grangers stared. With only a single child, meeting someone with seven was a little overwhelming.

"And this is my youngest son Ron, who I think your daughter's already met," Mrs Weasley finished and Ron smiled nervously.

"And this is Harry, mum, dad," Hermione introduced as Harry also smiled rather self consciously.

"Are you a wizard, Harry?" Mr Granger asked and Harry said.

"Yeah, my parents were but my mum was Muggleborn and I grew up with her family so I know what a TV is while Ron doesn't."

"I do, it's Muggle box thing," Ron defended making the adults chuckle.

"So you're here by yourself?" Mrs Weasley said sympathetically. "Well don't worry, I'm sure Ron will look after you and tell you all you need to know."

"I will," Ron said slyly, making Harry struggle not to grin.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself, Molly Weasley," Mrs Weasley hastened to say as people started boarding the train.

"Richard and Helen Granger," Hermione's dad introduced. "I hope all our kids can be good friends."

"I'm sure they will," Molly agreed as she gave the twins rather stern looks as they gave her innocent ones.

"As a Prefect, its part of my duties to make sure they are coping," Percy spoke up. "Especially if they're in my House of Gryffindor, then they will be my personal responsibility."

"Of course, if Ron ends up in Slytherin," Fred said slyly but Ron only said.

"We'll see which House I'm in."

"We will," George added with a wide grin as Mrs Weasley said.

"I'm sorry to rush everyone but you'd better get on the train, it'll be leaving any minute now."

"If you're not busy, we could always go for a drink," she offered the Grangers who accepted; they clearly wanted to know more about the wizarding world from a mother's perspective.

"Goodbye mum, dad," Hermione murmured as she hugged them tightly while Mrs Weasley bestowed hugs and kisses on her children. Harry was about to step onto the train when he was swept into a hug by Mrs Weasley.

Only a small part of him was embarrassed, the rest drank it all in, it felt so safe...so familiar. Ron's mother had always been one for hugging him and he'd grown to love those hugs. That didn't stop him from being a little shy as he hugged her back as she said.

"You take care dear, I know First year is very scary but you'll do fine."

"Thanks Mrs Weasley," Harry said gratefully as she released him.

"On you get everyone," she ordered and the boys and girl, rushed onto the train.

"Bye," Ginny called, waving her hands enthusiastically as they leaned out the window.

Seeing her tears, Fred called out.

"Don't worry Ginny, we'll send you a Hogwart's toilet seat, how does that sound?"

"Fred!" Mrs Weasley shrieked as the train started to pull away.

"Only joking mum," George happily called back as Percy groaned.

There was a chorus of goodbyes as the train pulled away, the three adults waving merrily while Ginny tried to run alongside the train until it picked up too much speed and she was lost in the smoke and steam. The little group pulled back from the window, feeling strange at leaving their families behind but very much looking forward to their destination.

"I must go to the Prefect's compartment," Percy announced, turning to the trio. "If you have any problem, you can come and find me."

"Thank you," Hermione said graciously, making the older boy smile as he saw she actually meant it.

"We're gonna find Lee, we've heard he's got a new pet," Fred piped up, ruffling Ron's hair before dashing away as Ron swiped at him.

"See you later First years," George called as they left.

"Gits," Ron said fondly as they headed into their compartment. "How long before they try to trick me into going near that bloody spider?"

"Not long," Harry predicated as they settled on their seats, after dragging Hermione's trunk inside.

"There you go Crookshanks," Hermione cooed, allowing the ginger cat out and he promptly took a seat of his own and settled down, eyeing a small cat with a fat rat sleeping inside.

"Don't worry about him," Ron said quickly as they all stared at the Death Eater in disguise. "I feed him porridge with a mild sleeping potion, he should sleep all the way."

"But just in case," Harry murmured, casting Mufliato so that even if the rat did awake, he wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Will he suspect?" Hermione asked but Ron shook his head.

"Nah, I complained that it would be just my luck if this useless rat decided to up and run away so I wanted to make sure he didn't. You know Fred and George would never let me hear the end of it and he knows them well."

"That's a relief," Hermione said, leaning back in her seat. "I've been worried about him all summer."

"He's too cowardly to try anything unless he thinks he's cornered," Harry said knowingly. "If Ron just acts like he hates having a useless rat, he won't be bothered. Just as long as he gets fed and stuff."

"Yeah but how long to we have to wait to get rid of him?" Ron had to ask. "I don't know how much longer I can stand looking after that bastard."

"Not too long, we just need a convincing way to discover him," Harry assured his best friend. "Now, there's no way we could have found out he was Pettigrew unless someone told us he was or he showed himself but that isn't going to happen."

They paused, considering the problem and then Ron slowly said.

"Hey...what about the Marauder's Map? Wouldn't he show up on that?"

As Harry looked interested, Hermione shook his head.

"I don't' think so Ron."

"Why not, he did for Lupin," Harry asked but Hermione said.

"Yes he did and yet all those years Fred and George used the map, they never once spotted a Peter Pettigrew in your dorm? Or somehow hanging around with us and yet never showing up in real life?"

The boys considered this for a moment that was a bloody good point.

"So how come he showed up for Lupin?" Ron demanded. "How come none of us ever spotted him?"

"I could be wrong," Hermione said, fiddling with a strand of bushy hair. "But maybe because Wormtail was one of the makers of the Map...he knew how to disguise his presence on it. We've no idea what he saw as a rat; he might have seen the twins with it and recognised it. Then he could have...I don't know, altered it so that it only ever showed Scabbers the Rat or nothing at all."

"But Remus was also a maker," Harry now added. "So maybe, if a Marauders uses that Map...it cancels out any enchantment placed upon it."

"Makes sense," Ron said with a shrug. "And I bet Wormtail never thought Remus would get his hands on it."

"Or he didn't know that another Marauder could do that," Hermione suggested. "It could be a side effect of all the enchantments placed upon it...and they created this in school, they might not have realised just all it could do."

"That can happen," Ron confirmed. "Remember dad's car? It became wild and developed a sort of mind of its own; it saved us without us even asking it to."

As Hermione nodded, Harry said wryly.

"So it looks like the Map's out, especially as Fred and George still have it and aren't due to give me it until Third year."

"We could nick it off them," Ron suggested. "But maybe we could save that for later."

"So we need another, convincing way to discover him," Harry stated as an idea hit him. "Hey, what about that spell Remus and Sirius used, to test whether he was an Animagus?"

"That could work," Ron said excitedly, pleased at the prospect of getting rid of the rat.

"But why would we be casting a spell like that?" Hermione pointed out. "I don't even think a First year would be able to cast one, they'd ask questions."

"Unless someone who should be able to cast one did," Ron said with a widening grin. "Like...McGonagall, she could easily cast that."

"But why would she?" Hermione pointed out but Ron had an answer.

"We know she's going to show us her cat form. What if we make out we're really, really interested in that and get her after class with questions. She'll tell us it takes years and stuff but one of us could say something like it's a really good disguise and how do we know there isn't Animagi everywhere. She mentions the spell and we ask for a demonstration and I'll handily have that rat. She transforms him and he's caught."

"Ron, that...that sounds perfect," Hermione exclaimed. "And if anyone can react and catch him, it would be Professor McGonagall."

"And for safety, we can have Crookshanks standing by outside," Harry added, he liked that idea a lot. "And one of us could always scream and whack that rat over the head; it would make sense to do that."

They all grinned, that was one problem solved and it made them feel a lot better. A noise made them glance to the door of their compartment but someone was just passing it. Harry sank back in relief and Ron said knowingly.

"No one knows Harry Potter's on this train yet."

"No and I'm hoping it'll stay that way," Harry sighed. "All the way up to the feast with any luck."

"Well, at least we won't have to deal with Malfoy," Ron pointed out happily. "He won't come looking for us if everyone isn't talking about you being on the train."

"Don't jinx it," warned Harry. "It would be just my luck if he did come and he might...his father will be on the lookout for me arriving at Hogwarts and he'll know this is the year I'm meant to start. He might have sent dear old Draco looking for me."

"Don't say that," groaned Ron. "I was hoping for a train ride without him."

Harry laughed before growing serious.

"Listen, I've been thinking about him," he began as his two friends looked at him. "And honestly, I really can't be bothered dealing with him again, can you?"

"I'd rather not," Hermione said softly as Ron shook his head.

"Well, I think when we do meet him, we need to avoid picking a fight with him," Harry explained. "I know he's a git and a bigot but if we avoid rubbing him up the wrong way first time, we may avoid seven years of him bugging us."

"I'd better not open my mouth," Ron said rather dryly. "I'm bound to say something to spoil it all."

No one disagreed, when it came to people like Malfoy, Ron was rarely ever to hold his silence.

"We'll manage," Hermione said reassuringly. "Just remember that we're of age and he's just an eleven year old boy, it's hardly worth getting into an argument with him."

As the boys nodded, Ron couldn't help but ask.

"What about people like Snape? How are we going to avoid getting into an argument with him?"

"I think we need to make a really good first impression," Harry said softly. "Hermione...could you avoid always answering his questions? If he directly asks, you should answer but I think it really annoyed him that no one else ever bothered. We all know your brilliant, Snape did too but you know how fickle he was."

Hermione sighed heavily but she couldn't fault Harry's logic.

"I'll do my best but you guys should try to answer some questions. Not a lot but since you do know more than our year, you should do a few."

"Okay," Harry chuckled. "In return for you not always answering questions, we'll answer a few."

"It's weird," Ron commented upon as he idly scratched Crookshank's ear. "I did look over my books and...It's bloody easy. I know practically all of it."

"Of course, you're a Newt's student," Hermione pointed out. "I would hope that First year stuff would be easy for you."

"Yeah but it's still weird," Ron said in wonder before saying slyly. "Looks like I won't have to copy from you anymore."

"Something I'm looking forward to," she said dryly. "But we'll have to be careful our essays aren't too good."

"It's going to be hard pretending to be real First years," Harry sighed, pushing his fringe away from his eyes. He took out his wand and with a simply wave, levitated Crookshank's empty basket, letting it float to the ceiling.

"We've already mastered all the First year spells and beyond," he murmured as the others watched.

"Well, I've got a new wand so I'd be better anyway," Ron pointed out, bringing his wand out, pointing it at Scabbers and turning the rat bright yellow. "But yeah, this is too easy. How do we pretend we're having trouble with stuff when it's so easy?"

"I think we won't to a certain extent," Hermione said softly. "I think we have to accept the fact we will be the best in our year and some of the years above. Which is why we should focus our energies on magic that's at our level, we need to keep ourselves stimulated when our classes can't."

She now quirked a smile and said.

"At least Potions should be a breeze."

"Pah, Snape will find a way to make it hard," Ron stated firmly as he looked at Harry. "But speaking of Snape...what was all that about him fancying your mum and stuff?"

Harry smiled very wryly.

"Those memories he gave me, I viewed them in Dumbledore's Pensieve. He knew mum before Hogwarts, he was her neighbour and introduced her to magic."

"He did?" Ron exclaimed in shock as Hermione stared. "Well, why the bloody hell didn't he tell you that?"

"Because he hated my dad," Harry said softly. "Because he won mum's heart, he took the one thing Snape wanted. Although it was also to maintain his role as spy, he could never allow himself to like me in the slightest. He also convinced himself that I was literally a clone of my dad but he still would have given his life for me...well, he did."

He quickly explained what he'd seen, how Snape had always loved Lily, how they'd been best friends, how they'd come into conflict with the Marauders, how they'd grown apart until that fateful day when their friendship broke. And how he'd already seen that memory but not known what it had truly meant.

"I knew there was another reason you stopped those lessons," Hermione couldn't help but exclaim and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, well, that was it, Snape was hopping mad that I'd seen that memory and I understand why. I thought it was just because he was humiliated but it was when he lost mum. From what Sirius and Remus told me, dad slowly became less of a jerk and she grew to like him while Snape got more into the Dark Arts."

He paused and then said.

"When I had his book...I did like the guy who'd written that book, I felt like I knew them. But you could tell he was getting darker, his spells getting more violent but because I liked him, I didn't see it until it was too late. I think...that's how it was for mum, she really liked him but he was just getting too mixed up with the Dark Arts. They just reached a point where they couldn't be friends unless one of them changed."

"It must have been really awful for him," Hermione said softly. "He had a difficult home, he was bullied and unpopular, Slytherin was a bad environment and he was interested in a dangerous subject. He bought into the power Voldemort promised but at the same time he wanted Lily...and it could never work."

"And he only realised that when it was too late," Harry finished softly. "He came to Dumbledore and begged to be allowed a chance to save mum when he realised he had inadvertently sighed her death warrant. In return, Dumbledore demanded his eternal loyalty and a promise to protect all the Potters."

"And when your mum died...?" Ron said slowly.

"He was devastated," Harry said softly, remembering Snape's tears of grief. "But Dumbledore told him that above all else, mum would've wanted me to live. So Snape swore to protect me no matter that. That didn't mean liking me though."

He added this part rather wryly.

"And...it was this promise that meant he had to stay in school?" Ron asked and when he received a nod, groaned.

"Bloody Voldemort," he muttered. "It's thanks to him we had to put up with Snape for seven years."

"He is truly evil," Hermione said teasingly. "But I can barely believe he pulled it off. All those years and he kept everyone guessing but Dumbledore."

"It is something," Harry agreed. "And we've got to keep his secret...and that means learning Occlumency."

"How can we learn that?" Ron questioned and Harry said dryly.

"By indulging in Hermione's favourite school time activity."

They stared at him before realising what he meant.

"Oh, you mean the library," Ron said with a groan as Hermione looked interested.

"Yep," Harry said with a grin. "What I think we need to do is present a normal First year mind to anyone who might be looking and hide our real minds behind a wall of some sort. The good news is that apart from Snape and Quirrel, we don't really need to worry about anyone looking. There is Dumbledore but we won't be in as regular contact with him like the others."

"So Snape's been reading our minds all these years?" Ron said, sounding very outraged.

"Not exactly," Harry said with a small smile. "It mostly means he can tell if we're lying or not but I think anything else he does see, he's not allowed to use. He always has to find other evidence but basically, avoid having an eye staring contest with him."

This made his friends smile, Harry had always engaged in this contest with Snape and it obviously had backfired every time. Harry continued.

"There's bound to be books on the subject and if we're discreet, we can learn what we need and put it into practice. No one would think First years would ever be interested in something like that so we do that that advantage. I'm afraid we'll have to wait until Christmas for my Invisibility Cloak but we can manage without it."

"It's going to be weird not having it until then," Ron stated just as their door was opened.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" the kindly trolley lady asked them.

Just as Harry stood up to buy some things, Ron quickly said.

"Hey Harry, just get sweets."

As Harry gave him an odd look, Ron said with a grin. "Trust me."

With a shrug, Harry bought a large number of sweets, enough to last them the whole trip. As he dumped his purchases on a free seat, Ron said.

"I've already got us some lunch."

Grinning at their curious looks, he grabbed the hamper basket and set it on the ground between them, carefully opening it up. Harry and Hermione gasped as they beheld just what was inside, sausage rolls, pasta, a tart and lemonade. And this was only what they could see on top.

"I thought you're mum was too busy for this?" Hermione exclaimed.

"She is...that's why I made it," Ron stated proudly.

"You...you made all this?" Hermione couldn't help but say in disbelief, last time she'd checked; Ron didn't know the first thing about producing any sort of food whatsoever.

"Yeah well," Ron said, his ears going red as he fiddled with the strap of the hamper. "It's just...I know I was a major git at the times on that trip, especially about food. It wasn't fair of me to moan when you were doing all the cooking Hermine and Harry the foraging. So I thought...this might make up for it and if, Merlin forbid, we find ourselves on another camping trip, I'll be able to contribute."

They both stared at Ron and then Hermione moved and kissed him on the cheek. As Ron's face flamed a rather deep shade of red, she said softly.

"Ron, I think that's one of the sweetest, sensitive things you've ever done and I couldn't be more proud."

"Well...I thought it would make you happy," mumbled Ron, still red but looking pleased.

Harry grinned, at least he wouldn't have deal with these two dancing around each other for seven years. Glancing over at Scabbers cage where the fat rat was still snoozing and noting he was still yellow, said.

"Guys...do you fancy playing a little joke on the twins?"

Ten minutes later, Ron stuck his head in the compartment his brothers were sharing with Lee Jordan and some others in their year.

"What do you want Ron?" Fred demanded, not terribly pleased to see his little brother.

"I just wanted to thank you," Ron said brightly, beaming. "For that cool spell you gave me."

"Which one?" George asked in confusion, not remembering giving Ron a spell that he'd enjoy.

"The one to turn Scabbers yellow," Ron said, pulling out the unconscious yellow rat and brandishing it inside for all to say. "I guess you could say, it worked like a charm."

"But...," Fred said in complete astonishment. "That was a dub."

"A dud?" Ron laughed as he stowed Scabbers back in his pocket. "Don't be silly, let me show you."

Bringing out his wand, he said dramatically.

"Sunshine daisies, butter mellow...turn my silly brothers yellow!"

There was a flash of light, a yelp and everyone was left gawking at the twins whose skin had turned a bright shade of yellow. With their flaming red hair, they appeared to be glowing with fire. Before any of them could react, Ron gave them a little wave and said.

"See you at the feast."

And tore away with his friends, laughing all the way back to their compartment.

Author's note. Just to be clear, Harry and co are not about to turn into the next generation of Marauders but they will enjoy a little joke every now and again.