Title: An Era of Marauding: Year One
Chapter 4: The Hogwarts Express
Author: Mister Moony
Contact: iunasspell@aol.com
Rating: PG
Summary: Ideally, this is a seven piece work detailing the years in which the Marauders attended Hogwarts. It's carried through the eyes of Remus Lupin, and therefore begins on a particularly dull July day at St. Mungo's.


*

4

        There was no fireplace at King's Cross Station, and the nearest one connected to the Floo network was located a half block east in an old, run down apartment complex.

        Remus and his mother left their house at half past ten, and after a substantial amount of struggle between the two of them, managed to carry Remus's trunk the distance to the train station as required (the entire time, Aelia muttered irritably about not being able to use a floatation charm for fear of being seen by muggles).

        As far as most muggles knew, at King's Cross Station, there was a platform nine, and a platform ten. A large, thick, brick wall divided them, and that was that. Actually, the wall was the entrance to the secret platform number 9 3/4, and that was Remus's final destination in London.

        Pausing near the wall, his mother took the time to dust off and straighten his clothes as Remus idly watched the muggles busily pass to and fro about them, some squawking about being late for their train while others pestered station workers, trying to find their platforms.

        "Now, I have some business to attend to, Remus, so I'm going to let you go here. You know how to get on the platform?" Aelia asked after straightening Remus's shirt to the best of her ability.

        "Yes, mum," Remus responded.

        "And you have everything? Robes, ticket? Underwear?"

        Turning a sudden shade of pink, Remus frowned slightly, angling attention up on her from where it had previously been settled on a muggle family. "Mum! I can pack a trunk!"

        "All right then," she breathed in a rush, looking as if she were about to cry. "I'll see you at Christmas!" She reached forward and pulled him into a tight hug before shooing him toward the platform.

        "Bye, mum." Remus spoke as he caught his breath again from the embrace. He then shifted his hold on the cart they'd acquired for his trunk and looked toward the very solid-looking wall that was the entrance. Ideally, you only had to walk through it, but even that was a bit nerve-racking.

        Deciding that if the worst thing that happened to him all year was walking into a wall, it might turn out all right, Remus braced himself and moved forward, pushing the cart along in front of him. He continued until he was within a foot of the brick wall and hesitated before pushing the cart very hard in front of him. It rolled out from his grasp and straight through the wall where it disappeared. Confidence built after that, Remus cast a final look of farewell back onto his mother before stepping through the wall after his cart.

        For the first time since he was bitten, he was free, going to do something he'd dreamt about for years.

        The buzz of King's Cross Station faded away once he was on the other side of the barrier, and was replaced by spirited chattering, owl hoots, and a high-pitched whistle that belonged to an enormous, bright red steam engine with the words "Hogwarts Express" emblazoned across its side in gold.

        Remus took a moment to look up, spotting a sign that read as "Platform 9 3/4," before providing a mute smile. Catching up to his cart (which had rolled to a stop a few feet in front of him), he began to push himself slowly through the crowds of witch and wizard families saying their goodbyes.

        Pulling his cart up alongside a train car, Remus poked his head inside, saw that it was empty and began to unload his trunk. Unfortunately, he realized a bit too late, it had been difficult to manage between him and his mother, and now he was alone.

        He'd been struggling with the trunk's bulk for a full minute before an extra set of hands suddenly appeared at the trunk's base (Remus had clambered up into the train car and begun to attempt to pull it on, as pushing had failed for him).

        "'oy there, Remus," It was the black-haired boy from Madam Malkin's. "Need a hand?"

        "Two would be better," Remus panted slightly in greeting, flashing Sirius a faint smile of appreciation.

        "Sure thing," Sirius said in response, bracing his shoulders and lifting the trunk off the ground. "Ready? One..two...pull!"

        Obediently, Remus jerked on the trunk's handle just as Sirius gave it a mighty heave forward. With their combined efforts, the trunk slide effortlessly into the cart in such a way that caught Remus off guard. He went tumbling backward and was deposited roughly on the carpeted floor of the train.

        He expected to hear Sirius laughing, but no such sound came. Instead, he inquired with a faint trace of concern. "You all right, there? Didn't your parents come to see you off?"

        Picking himself up, Remus dusted off his knees for a moment, taking a breather. "Thanks..and..er..no. My dad has a meeting at the Ministry, and my mum just saw me to the barrier."

        Sirius provided a sympathetic nod, leaning into the cart slightly from the outside to cast a look about it. "Yeah, mine didn't come either. I came with my cousin, Andromeda." He shifted slightly to jab his head in the direction of a tall, pretty girl (she had to be fourteen or fifteen) with long, black, curly hair that fell to her waist who was standing in a circle of other kids about the same age. "She was the first one in my family that wasn't put in Slytherin -- she's a Gryffindor -- and she and I are close, so my parents don't really like either of us."

        Remus frowned at that concept. Granted, his parents were a bit over reactive about his condition, but he never doubted that they liked him. "They don't like you because she's a Gryffindor?"

        Sirius frowned in shadow of Remus's own, furrowing his brows as he attempted to explain. "Well, it's a bit more complicated than that. Y'see, it's a bit of a family tradition to be in Slytherin... pureblood honor and all. Me and Andromeda don't think like the rest of them, though, so we're a bit of outcasts. Understand?"

        "I guess so," Remus stated at length, but the frown didn't fade much. "Sounds terrible, though."

        "I've gotten used to it," Sirius said with a shrug. "Hey, keep a spot open in your cart, all right? I've gotta' go talk to someone, but I'll come back once the train starts moving."

        "All right," Remus replied with a nod and a distant smile.

        "See you later," said Sirius, and with a nod of acknowledgement, he turned and fell into step towards the crowd of older students with his cousin.

        After Sirius had disappeared into the slowly thinning crowds of witches and wizards (Remus assumed they were either leaving or getting on the train), Remus turned back to his trunk and shoved it under one of the cushioned benches to stow it for the trip. He'd just settled down onto the bench above his trunk when he heard whirring clicks and the door through which he'd pulled his trunk onboard slammed shut.

        Similar slams about him suggested that all of the train's doors were doing this, and another blaring whistle signaled they'd be leaving soon. Fighting down a fresh surge of butterflies in his stomach, he took in a long breath and closed his eyes.

        A voice brought him out of his slight trance. "This cart full?"

        Remus opened his eyes. A short, stalky blond-haired boy with more freckles than open skin was peering in the doorway from the hall.

        Slowly, Remus shook his head and indicated the space on the bench beside him. "Just that spot's saved."

        Nodding, the blonde-haired boy tilted on a heel and called over his shoulder. "'ey, Michael! Found one!"

        Shortly after, a taller, gangly boy with a nose that looked like it had gotten squashed by a sledgehammer joined him. They stepped inside together.

        The freckle-faced boy was prompt then in sticking a hand out to Remus. "I'm David Gudgeon the second, but me friends call me Davey. This here's me mate, Michael McCoy."

        The taller boy just nodded in greeting as Remus reached out to shake Davey's hand. "I'm Remus Lupin."

        "Pleased t'meet'cha," said Davey, releasing Remus' hand and falling backwards to sit on the bench opposite him. "Yer a first year, huh?"

        Remus nodded slightly.

        "Yeah, us too." There was a momentary, awkward pause before Davey plowed on. "What house are ya' lookin' to be put in?"

        That question was easy enough, as Remus had put a lot of thought into it. "Ravenclaw," he provided with little hesitation.

        Davey's response was hardly reassuring. He sputtered out a laugh slightly, staring at Remus in a wild manner. "Ravenclaw? Why would anyone wanna' go there? It's gotta' be as bad as Slytherin!"

        Remus frowned slightly. "What makes you say that?"

        "Brainy gits, the lot of them," he explained with a slight shrug. "Hufflepuff's the only place to go, now. My brother's prefect there." A prefect was an upper-classman student charged with looking after the younger kids in their house. "Plus, they've got the best Quidditch team Hogwarts has seen since ole' McGonagall played."

        "I don't really like Quidditch," said Remus. Instantly, he realized it was a mistake.

        The silence in the cart was overwhelming.

        Davey stared at him for a long while, at first looking confused as if he hadn't understood him, and second, as if he were some sort of alien. "...maybe ya' do belong in Ravenclaw," he finally stated with a sobered tone. "What about yer friend?"

        "Who?"

        "The person yer savin' a seat for."

        "Oh," Remus said after a moment of realization. "I don't know... most of his family's in Slytherin, but he says his cousin's a Gryffindor."

        "You're sittin' with a Black?" This time, it was Michael who chose to speak up, his voice bordering on shock.

        "..I don't know his last name," Remus began defensively.

        "I do!" Davey squeaked out, staring at Remus as if he was a lunatic. "Slytherin's full of Blacks, and they do gotta' Black in Gryffindor. It must be Sirius.. me Pop said he'd be in me year...just my luck, too."

        "What's wrong with Sirius?" Remus was getting a bit testy. He'd met Sirius twice and he seemed perfectly friendly to him.

        "Nothing, if yer into dark arts and pureblood superiority mumbo-jumbo," said Davey.

        "Sirius isn't like the rest of his family," Remus snapped irritably.

        "You can't avoid sumthin' like that," Davey softened his voice with a sigh as if he were now patronizing Remus and explaining it to him like he was a small child. "Me pop knows all about th' Blacks. Bad blood, he calls it. If there was ever a family of dark wizards, it's them. He even reckons they have somethin' to do with all those disappearances at the Ministry..."

        "Does he, now?" A voice from the hallway door asked. Sirius had returned and now was standing patiently in the doorway, leaning against it in a perfectly casual manner.

        Davey made a sound as if someone had crammed a toad down his throat. Stiffening, he jabbed Michael with his elbow. "Let's go, Michael." They rose as one and moved toward the door. Davey hesitated, however, casting a look back on Remus. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, Remus. Oh, and watch your back."

        He turned and left, colliding shoulders with Sirius in passing.

        The cart was deadly silent for a moment or two before Sirius dropped his arms from their fold across his chest and wearily stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

        Remus broke the silence first. "How long were you standing there?"

        "Long enough," responded Sirius. "Thanks. You didn't have to stand up for me like that."

        Remus tightened his lips for a moment, shaking his head. "I know how it feels to be persecuted for something out of your control."

        Sirius stared at him inquisitively, but didn't ask.

        Remus was relieved he didn't.

----------------------------

        After the first few moments of awkwardness left in the wake of Davey Gudgeon's parting words, Remus and Sirius got along marvelously, speaking about anything and everything conceivable. Sirius was funny, polite, and honestly the first person Remus could remember willing to be his friend because he was him -- not out of sympathy because he was a werewolf.

        It was an elating feeling.

        Around one o'clock, a middle-aged, kind-faced witch came around with a cart full of different sorts of wizarding candies, but it was what was stacked neatly on the very bottom row and almost out of sight that caught Remus's attention; stacks of the Daily Prophet.

        Sirius was busy emptying his pocket change in exchange for sweets when Remus piped up, inquiring. "How much for a copy of the Prophet?"

        "Two knuts," the witch replied, meriting Remus a slight double take. He reckoned few students purchased a paper.

        Rising, he fished into his pocket hastily before holding out the two knuts as required.

        The witch traded out the knuts for a copy of the newspaper and after Sirius paid for the large amount of sweets he'd purchased, she closed the door and continued along her way.

        Remus retreated to his bench and hastily unrolled it to the front page.

        Sirius, who was halfway through cramming a cauldron cake into his mouth furrowed his brow faintly, leaning forward to glance down at the headline. "Why' yew 'uy 'a?"

        "My father's in the Ministry of Magic," Remus explained as he skimmed the main headline, saw nothing of interest, and began to scan the smaller article titles. There had to be something, somewhere. "..and supposedly, there's been a slew of mysterious disappearances going on lately. He reckons it has something to do with dark wizards."

        "So does Davey Gudgeon's dad, apparently," Sirius stated with a bit of ice to his tone, swallowing the bite of cake he'd been chewing.

        Ignoring that comment, Remus frowned, unable to find anything of interest. "He was reading the Prophet this morning and wouldn't let me read it. There has to be something here."

        A second scan-through of the list of articles proved him wrong, and with a slight sigh of confusion, he leaned backward, bracing his shoulders against the wall behind him. "He was reading something. I just wish I knew what."

        Sirius gave a languid shrug before tossing a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans onto the seat next to Remus. "Maybe it was something completely unrelated to what he was talking about."

        "Then why wouldn't he have let me have a go at it?"

        Again, Sirius shrugged unknowingly, finishing off his cauldron cake.

        At Sirius's prompting, Remus's search through the Prophet was brought to a close, but Remus still rolled the paper carefully and set it aside for future reading. They plowed back into general conversation and got a good laugh (well, Sirius did at least) when Remus's box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans contained not only a vomit, artichoke, and tripe bean, but an earwax, belly-button lint, and black pepper one as well.

        By the time Remus got over the burning sensation and watery eyes caused by the black pepper, he was finished with candy for a month and refused to eat anything else.

        A few hours later, a tall, dark-haired, and friendly fifth year poked his head into their cart and flashed a faint smile. "All right there, you two? I'm Frank Longbottom...Gryffindor Prefect for this year, and just thought I'd check in and tell you that we'll be arriving shortly so you might want to change into your robes."

        Nodding their thanks, Remus and Sirius shifted to begin retrieving their robes from neat folds alongside them so they might change.

        "..Just for reference," Frank continued after a momentary pause. "When we arrive at Hogwarts, just leave your things in your cart. Someone'll come along during the Sorting Ceremony and gather them up, and they'll be waiting in your dormitories after the feast. I'll leave you two at it, then." With little more than a nod, he vanished through the door again and closed it after him.

        "He seemed nice enough," Remus stated halfway through tugging off the heavy sweater he'd worn over a thin, white undershirt so that he might pull on the standard, gray, Hogwarts-issue one.

        "Bloody genius, according to Andromeda. They're in the same year, fifth, and she says Auror-school's already trying to recruit him." Sirius said, pulling off his shoes.

        An Auror was a highly trained wizard employed by the Ministry to locate and capture dark witches and wizards. They were easily the most powerful and intelligent students ever taken from a school, and required perfect marks on the O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels, tests students take in their fifth year at a school), and very similar marks on the N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, similar, but high-leveled tests taken in the seventh and final year).

        "Whoa," Remus managed out in consideration, his respect for the prefect escalating sharply. "He hasn't even taken his O.W.L.s, yet."

        "Everyone's expecting him to get top marks," Sirius explained casually, rolling his shoulders forward in a shrug. "Only person that might do better than him's his girlfriend, Alice. Just as sharp as he is, supposedly, but I've only met her once." He hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, almost as an afterthought. "Just think of their kids. Going to be writing books and casting spells before they're two..."

        At that moment, the train's whistle blared, and they could feel the slight shift as it began to slow down. Taking their cues, they didn't speak anymore until they had both changed fully.

TBC