MWPP - The First Year

CHAPTER 1

James Potter looked around and sighed. He was sitting, all alone, for the first time, in one of the compartments of the Hogwarts Express. He had just said goodbye to his mum and dad for a whole year, and he knew nobody at all in his year, except that stupid Lucius Malfoy...and he had only met him once, in Diagon Alley. And Malfoy would be in Slytherin... all his family had been. James sighed. He was terribly nervous about the Sorting that evening...not that he ever would have admitted it. His parents and grandparents had all been in Gryffindor...what if he ended up in Slytherin...or even in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff were a bunch of dimwits, and Ravenclaw were a bunch of nerds. Yes, and James Potter was a wee bit snobby.

He wished he knew somebody. All his life, he had been around people he knew and liked...his parents, the rest of his huge family, in their big manor...all his cousins and aunts and...everyone had fussed over him, he had had everything he wanted...and here he was, all alone, on the way to a completely new lifestyle. Of course, it was supposed to be fun...and he hoped he made some friends soon. He sighed, and was on the point of getting up and looking for another compartment, with maybe some people in it, when the door slid open.

A boy his own age, with longish black hair and roguish black eyes, sauntered in.

"Hi," he said casually. "You new too? What's your name, anyway?" he sat down and put his feet up on the seat opposite him.

"I'm James Potter. Yeah...I'm new."

"Sirius Black."

"Ah," James said carefully. "I've heard of your family."

"Huh," Sirius scowled. "I bet you've heard nothing good. The whole damned lot of them are on the Dark Side, seems to me. But I form my own opinions, I have the most awful time at home...I think the whole war is a load of crap. I can tell you I'm glad to get away to school."

"Ah," said James again. At eleven, he was a bit shy...just a bit...and he didn't know quite what to make of this good-looking, laid-back newcomer. Sirius raised a well-shaped black eyebrow.

"Don't say much, do you? Any idea which house you'll be in?"

"Uhh..." James rolled his hazel eyes at the ceiling. "My whole family's been in Gryffindor. Yeah. But I...dunno."

"Agh, don't worry, I'm worse off, my whole family's been in Slytherin, but I'm tellin' ya, if the Sorting Hat puts me in there I'll..."

The door slid open again, and a shaggy brown head popped in. The newcomer had tired gray eyes that somehow seemed too old for his pale face. He sidled in and plopped down on a seat by the window with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.

"Another first year, I see," Sirius said languidly. "I'm Sirius Black, who are you?"

"James Potter," James said, thinking that the newcomer sure could use a good nights' sleep.

"Remus Lupin," the boy said, and then promptly closed his eyes and began to snore softly. Sirius raised an eyebrow again.

"Chatty, ain't he? Oh well. Are you trying for the House Quidditch Team next year? Are you any good on a broom, anyway?"

They talked about Quidditch until the plump lady with the trolley came along, smiling. They sat there after their meal, swapping Chocolate Frog cards and eating the sweets they had bought.

"Hey...I think this might be cockroach-flavoured," Sirius said mischievously, holding up an Every-Flavour Bean. "Reckon this Remus chap would try it if I woke him up?"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure he could use some food," James said, poking the sleeping Remus with the butt-end of his wand. Remus woke with a start and gazed around blearily.

"Yo. Need any food? How about some Every-Flavour beans?" Sirius handed him the large bean, and James offered him the last Pumpkin Pasty.

"Mmm.." Remus remarked, nibbling on the bean. "Curry flavour." Sirius looked profoundly disappointed. As the last sweet disappeared, the door slid open again. Two girls tumbled in.

"Can we sit here?" The first one panted. She had short curly brown hair and was rather plump. Her companion was red-headed, with large green eyes. James glanced at her, and felt a queer feeling in his stomach. Too much to eat, I guess, he thought.

"Sorry," she smiled at them. "I'm Lily Evans, and this is Susan McKenzie. We, um...didn't like the people in our last compartment too much..." they all sat for a while in rather awkward silence. Even Sirius didn't have much to say, apparently. Then he and James resumed their conversation on Quidditch, and Lily joined in. Apparently her uncle had been a referee for Puddlemere United, and she always got free tickets to all the big matches. Sirius and James were near green with envy as she described the perfect goal Evan Gregor had scored at the last World Cup, and made her promise to get them tickets to the next one. Remus went back to sleep, and Susan stared out of the window, apparently lost in thought.

They were just starting a game of Gobstones on Sirius' trunk when the door slid open again.

"Oh, there you are, carrot-head," smirked the newcomer. "I wondered where you'd got to. Scared you off, did I? But I wasn't kidding...my father told me that the Mudbloods had a really bad time at Hogwarts...he said..."

Lily's face was as red as her hair. James and Sirius regarded the newcomer coldly.

"And who might you be?" Sirius enquired, in a dangerously polite tone.

"I'm Lucius Malfoy. Hello, you're Potter, aren't you? I was wondering if I'd see you on the train."

"Potter, you know this freak? Well I'm sorry, Mister Malfoy, but we're going to have to ask you to leave. We and our 'Mudblood' friend here happen to have been engaged in an extremely interesting conversation...so if you'll excuse us..." he casually chucked a Gobstone at Malfoy. It went down the neck of his robes, and squirted out a nasty-smelling liquid, making a big wet patch. Malfoy yelled.

"Now you smell nearly as bad as you look...nearly" James remarked. Sirius pointed his wand at the door, and it slid shut with a bang, nearly catching Malfoy's nose.

"Thanks," Lily muttered.

"It was our pleasure," Sirius gave an exaggerated bow. "Well, whaddya know...there's Hogsmeade. You should check out the candy store there...but unfortunately we can't until our third year...well, we should be at Hogwarts in ten minutes, I guess."
They tumbled out onto the platform, with the rest of the noisy crowd.

"Where do we go now?" Lily wondered.

"Firs' years! All firs' years to me!" they heard a huge, gruff voice shouting. They hurried through the crowd, dragging the still-sleepy Remus, along with a bunch of other first years, towards a huge man, twice as tall as anyone else in the crowd, with tangled hair and beard covering most of his face. James assumed that he was Hagrid, the gamekeeper...his dad had told him quite a lot about Hogwarts. They followed him down to the lake, which looked like a sheet of black glass, interspersed here and there by tiny ripples. Hagrid hustled them aboard little boats (they were joined in theirs by a tiny, fat, sharp-faced boy who didn't say much, but stared a lot) and then the boats seemed to speed of their own accord in a little fleet across the lake. They ducked as they passed under the vines which led to an underground dock, and then hurried up an underground passage which led right to the lawn of Hogwarts.

James stared up at the castle that was to be his home for most of the next seven years. It was made of dark gray stone, and looked very imposing to an eleven-year old boy who was not quite sure of himself and where he stood in his new surroundings. But the lighted windows looked friendly and inviting, and he was beginning to feel very hungry. He glanced over at Sirius, who was craning his neck all the way back to see the terraces and turrets.

"Some joint, huh?" said Sirius happily. He seemed to be completely at ease, and James envied him. Hagrid marched them up to the huge front door, and knocked three times. It creaked open, and a strict looking witch with her hair tightly in a bun ushered them in.

"Professor McGonagall," whispered Sirius. "Dad said she's one tough baby. Watch out for her."

James had trouble classifying the Professor in his mind as a 'tough baby', but he agreed with the statement that she was not to be messed with. Once she had left them in a little room off the huge Entrance Hall, he sighed and looked around at his fellow first-years. He felt sure he wouldn't be able to remember them all, and not one of them seemed interested in him...which was painful to his slightly oversize ego. He tried his best not to look as scared as some of them did as Professor McGonagall returned and led them into the Great Hall for the Sorting. He knew that he just had to try on the old Hat, but still...he couldn't help being a little afraid about where he'd land up. He tried hard to concentrate on his toes, and pretend that the long, long tables of students and teachers weren't right there in front of him. He didn't even listen to the Sorting Hats' song.

When Sirius' turn came, he swaggered up to the stool quite comfortably and jammed the Hat on his head. "GRYFFINDOR!!" it shouted, after just a few seconds. Sirius leapt up, chucked the Hat to the next person, turned to give James a thumbs-up and trotted off to sit at the Gryffindor table. Lupin, when his turn came, shuffled up, still half asleep, and was also proclaimed a Gryffindor. He shuffled off to the Gryffindor table, where he was hailed by Sirius. Lily Evans had also been made a Gryffindor, and James' stomach did that funny thing again. I'm hungry, he thought. He wished they'd hurry up.

Finally, it was his turn. He marched up to the stool, trying to look as brave and confident and unconcerned as he didn't feel. Sirius waved, and then grabbed Lupins' arm and made him wave too. James tried to smile, before he disappeared into the interior of the hat.

And what have we here? A cheerful voice in his ear made him jump. Another Potter, I see. Well, you shouldn't be hard to place if you're anything like the rest of them.

Uh...thanks...James thought. Where are you putting me?

We-e-e-ell...let me see...hmmm...well, I think the only place you'll really fit into would be...GRYFFINDOR!!

James staggered off thankfully and dropped into a seat between Sirius and Lupin.

"Good show," said Sirius cheerfully. "Gryffindor's lucky, I must say...I mean, three fine specimens of wizardhood like ourselves... d'you agree, Remus? Erm...Remus?" He sighed. "Asleep...again. Oh well. Hey look...that Lucius Malfoy's in Slytherin too. Well...that was predictable, I must say. His dad's been to my place, and all I can say is, some things must run in the family."
James smirked, and watched Malfoy swagger over to the Slytherin table. He had a feeling that before the term was out, he and Sirius would have some fun with Malfoy, and he said as much to Sirius, who agreed.

"Nothing I'd like better than to pull a fast one on that creep."

"Looks like they're done at last," James remarked. "I'm starving. I hope this feast deal is as good as my Dad said it was."

It was, and more. By the time they had managed to wake Remus up and stuff themselves with as much as they could hold, the two of them were nearly asleep in their chairs. They thankfully filed up the stairs and up and down various corridors with the other first years, stopping outside the portrait of the Fat Lady that James' dad had told him concealed the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Here, they were stopped by Professor McGonagall.

"Lupin...Remus Lupin, isn't it?" she eyed the half-asleep Remus with a rather odd expression in her eyes. "The Headmaster would like to see you before you retire for the night. Come along." She led Remus away.

"Wonder what he could have done?" James remarked. "All I saw him do in here was sleep and eat. Dumbledore seems like a rather odd sort. My parents say that he's the only one Lord Voldemort is afraid of."

"My parents can't stand him, but I think he's a good sort, if rather a cracked old bugger," Sirius said cheerfully. "And you'd better not use the name of Lord Voldemort around most of the people in here, they'll wet themselves."

"All my family say it, I'm in the habit..." they walked up the staircase, yawning, into the first-year boys' room, which had six beds in it. There were three other first-year boys, already asleep, in the three at the end. James and Sirius picked the two nearest the window, and sat down, yawning.

"Our fellow first-years look like good enough sorts," James remarked, looking round the room. "And Remus too...when he's awake. I wonder when he'll get back from Dumbledores'.

"Eventually," yawned Sirius. "Goodnight. Hey...look at the moon. It always looks so huge when you get outside the city."

"Just past full," James yawned back. They blew out the candles, and Sirius promptly feel asleep. James lay awake for a while, going over the day in his mind. He had got along pretty decently, he had made friends, he was in Gryffindor...and he was at Hogwarts at last, after hearing his parents and cousins talk about it all his life. See? He told himself. There was no need to be so nervous. Hey..wait...me, nervous? I wasn't a bit nervous...just a bit...unsettled, shall we say? He fell asleep a few minutes before Remus stumbled into the room and fell asleep, for the umpteenth time that day, right on top of his covers.

CHAPTER 2

James Potter tilted his chair back on two legs, yawned, and glanced over the class. He had been the first the first to finish...every head was bent over their sheets of parchment. He looked back at Sirius. Sirius was lounging back in his chair, his finished scroll rolled up on his desk. He caught James' eye, and grinned, scribbling something on some spare parchment. When Professor Flitwicks' back was turned, he folded it up and flipped it neatly across to James. The price we pay for genius...a load of free time, it said. James grinned back, and then looked around for something to do. His eyes brightened as they fell on Lily Evans, who was sitting by the window, gazing out dreamily at the lake. Apparently, she had finished too.

James looked around quicky...Professor Flitwick was writing something on the board. He leaned forward, aimed carefully, and his simple adhesive charm flew across the class and stuck Lily's hair to the back of her chair. He turned and winked at Sirius, and then unrolled his parchment and pretended to write. Sure enough...

"Miss Evans, as you appear to have finished your work, come up to my desk and hand out these scrolls."

Lily started, got up, and fell back with a shriek into her chair. Everyone stared.

"Miss Evans?!"

"I'm sorry, Professor!" Lily cried. "My hair seems to have got stuck to my chair again..."

"Miss Evans, this is the third time this week. I would advise you to either change the consistency of your hair cleanser, or to simply inform me if you would rather stay in your seat." Everyone giggled. Lily went scarlet. James leaned forward and casually performed the unsticking charm, just as she tried to get up again.

"My hair's come unstuck again, Professor," she said eagerly. Flitwick sighed and frowned slightly.

"Never mind, Miss Evans. Mr. Black, please come forward and hand out these scrolls."

Lily dropped back into her seat. Sirius rolled his eyes at James, before reluctantly rising and swaggering to the front of the class. Lily turned and scowled at James. He made an innocent, what did I do? face. She shook her head and turned away.

"WHY, James Potter? Why do you always pick on me in Flitwick's class?" Lily was stamping down the corridor behind James and Sirius. "Do you know what he thinks of me now? He thinks that I don't even want to do a simple thing like help a little in class! He thinks that I'm trying to disrupt the class by making STUPID jokes..."

"Hey, it was pretty funny, Lily," Sirius pointed out.

"Yeah," James grinned. "Everyone laughed but you."

"If that happens a few times Flitwick will really get mad and minus points from Gryffindor," Lily said with tears in her eyes. "And I only just got here!"

"It's not a big deal, Lil...we've lost dozens of points already...besides, you have no idea what Flitwick thinks..."

"Well, you don't want to know what I think of YOU!" Lily shouted. "And don't 'Lil' me!!" she stamped off down the corridor.

"She likes you," Sirius smirked.

James rolled his eyes. "How could she not?"

"Why don't you give her a break, guys?" Remus said quietly. He had just come up behind them. "She's Muggle-born...she's just getting to know the wizarding world..."

"Aww...Remus..."

Remus looked at his watch, and then looked around, looking hassled. "I have to meet Professor Sprout," he called as he hurried off down the corridor. James and Sirius followed him more slowly out into the sunshine, and sat down at the top of the steps.

After a week at Hogwarts, spent mostly in the company of Sirius Black, James' tinge of arrogance and conceit had had time to reassert itself. He and Sirius made a good pair. They had already 'lost dozens of points' from Gryffindor, but that didn't bother them much...anyway it was mostly because of their habit of playing what they called 'harmless pranks' on their unsuspecting classmates. Half of them were Muggle-borns, or half-bloods, who knew almost no magic, and anyway James and Sirius knew more magic than anyone else in their year...not that either of them knew much. Everyone knew Black and Potter, and their fellow first-years regarded them either with admiration, suspicion or mild dislike.

So far, they had found classes almost ridiculously easy. They had received praise from every teacher, even Professor McGonagall... regarding their schoolwork. Of course, it did help a bit to come from a wizarding background, where they had seen things of the same sort every day, but they attributed it all to their own genius...and of course, they were smart.

Sirius' eyes lazily wandered over the students strolling around the lawn, not without a touch of condescension. "Ha...there goes little Lucy Malfoy. And that skinny greasy-haired kid he's always with. Huh...what're they staring into the lake for?"

"Probably have an eye out for something tasty." James yawned widely. "Or maybe looking for the giant squid...who cares? I met Greasy-Hair down in the Potions dungeon, by the way, when I went to give in the extra work I had to do for gluing Travis' toes together. His name's Snake or Snape or something. Nasty bugger. Devon said he knows more about the Dark Arts than most of the seventh-years. Said he's completely obsessed with them."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well...he is in Slytherin, isn't he? He couldn't beat my cousin Bellatrix, anyway. She knows all the most evil hexes I've ever heard of, and she's only in the fifth year."

"You have a cousin here? You didn't tell us."

"You wouldn't talk about Bella either, if you were related to her. Her sister Narcissa's in Slytherin too...in our year, and her other sister Andromeda's a Ravenclaw third year. Andro's my favourite cousin...she's the only one other than me who isn't in Slytherin. She taught me loads of stuff before I joined school."

"Wish some of my cousins were still in school..."

"Well, I wish mine weren't," said Sirius irritably. "Hey...check this out..." He pulled out his wand and muttered, "Zippoficus!" and a small yellow flame appeared on the end of it. He grinned. "Neat, huh? My dad uses it to light his pipe...I only just remembered it..."

"Cool...hey...I wonder where Remus got to..." James looked around. "HEY!!"

Lucius Malfoy and Snape were passing them on their way up the stairs...and Snape had bumped into James' bag, sending it rolling all the way to the bottom...it split open, and the ink-bottle smashed all over his completed Transfiguration homework. Snape barely glanced over his shoulder before continuing up the stairs.

"What the...he could at least have stayed and helped me get my stuff."
"He's a Slytherin, remember?"

"Well, Slytherin or not, I'll get him back for that," James snarled, coming back up the stairs with his dripping papers and books. "McGonagall's really going to blow. I'm supposed to give this up today... 'And not a day later, Potter,' as she was kind enough to inform me at breakfast this morning..."

"What's that load for?" Sirius grinned.

"Sticking Bertha's robes to her seat," answered James sulkily, attemping to magic the ink of his papers.

"Well, if you're stupid enough to get caught...or try anything in McGonagall's class..."

"Sod off," James snarled.

"Okay, okay, calm down. I've just thought of something. Don't we have double Potions with the Slytherins next, after lunch?"

"Yeah, so?!"

Sirius waved his still-lighted wand under James' nose. "I wonder if grease burns?"

James face lighted up with a mischievous grin.

"Loooopy!" James called, as he and Sirius wandered around a corner, heading somewhat towards the greenhouses. "He still hasn't come back from Sprout, and Potions will start in a minute...wonder where he could have got to?"

"He missed lunch, too," Sirius patted his bulging stomach. "Hey...look over there..."

Sprout, Dumbledore and Lupin were standing above what looked like a round hole in the ground, in a spot somewhere near the gamekeeper's cottage and the Forbidden Forest. Dumbledore was saying something to Lupin, who was nodding. James started to go forwards, but Sirius pulled him back around the corner. Making sure they couldn't be seen, they watched as Sprout seemed to be digging a small hole with the butt end of her wand, and then putting something into it. She straightened up, and looked around. All the students were in at lunch. She pointed her wand at the spot, and they saw a jet of dark green light shoot out of it.

As Sirius and James watched, a tree began to grow right before their eyes...when it reached ten feet, Dumbledore and Sprout jumped out of the way, pulling Lupin with them. It kept growing, until it was a tall, thick, knobbly willow tree, drooping right over the hole in the ground, which was now between its roots. Dumbledore said something to Lupin, who nodded. He threw a bit of stick at the tree, and to their amazement, it swung one of its branches, trying to attack Dumbledore. Lupin nodded again. The three of them turned and began walking back towards the castle...James and Sirius ran back around the castle, up the steps, and into the Entrance Hall, where they leaned against the wall, panting. Sirius turned to James and raised his eyebrow.

"That was weird."

"Huh. Wonder why they did it while everyone was at lunch? An attacking tree...yeah...weird."

"Agh, who cares," Sirius shrugged. "We'll ask Remus." They went up the stairs with the students who were now streaming out of the Great Hall.

Sirius and James were careful to place themselves right behind Snape, in Potions. They didn't get the chance to do anything, though, as Professor Plutonium didn't look away for a minute. Their chance came when they came to practical Potions, where they took the cauldron next to Malfoy and Snape. As Snape leaned over the table, carefully shredding his dragonfly, Sirius murmured "Zippoficus!" and handed the wand to James. James crept up behind Snape, and gently touched the flame to the ends of his long, greasy hair.

It turned out that grease did burn, but slowly, and with a lot of acrid smoke. James and Sirius watched, doubled up with silent laughter, as Snape, and then Malfoy sniffed and then looked around curiously. It wasn't until the flames had crept halfway up Snapes' greasy hair that Malfoy spotted them and he felt them, almost at the same time. Malfoy yelled, and Snape, in panic, ducked his head into the runny mixture in their cauldron.

When Snape pulled his head out, James and Sirius couldn't help it...they rolled around on the floor, shrieking with laughter...Snapes' hair was a bright, shocking pink. Coupled with his sallow skin and black eyes, the effect was rather startling, to say the least...the rest of the class burst out laughing, too, as Professor Plutonium strode up the aisle, looking furious.

"What in Merlin has been going on here?"

James and Sirius abruptly stopped laughing as Snape glared at them furiously and said loudly, "It was Potter, Professor. Potter set my hair on fire!" At this, the rest of the class burst out laughing again, but the Professor was not amused. Oh, definitely not.

Twenty minutes later, James and Sirius walked glumly out of Professor McGonagalls' office.

"Spiteful old bat," James said resentfully. "Why'd he have to report to our Head of House?"

"I think McGonagall could have thought of something other than cleaning out the Potions dungeon during our first flying lesson," muttered Sirius, even more resentfully.

They walked up to the common room in silence. Surprisingly, there was no one there, except for Remus and Lily. Remus waved them over.

"How was Potions? What did I miss?"

"Guh," replied James, morosely.

"Eh?" said Remus, surprised. "What's up with the two of you?"

"We set Snapes' hair on fire and then he went and turned it pink trying to put it out," Sirius explained, even more morosely. "And McGonagall gave us detention...during our first flying lesson."

Remus' expression turned from surprise to concern.

"Who's Snape? Is he all right?"

"Gah!! Snape's a slimy-haired Slytherin, and the stupid bugger shoved my bag downstairs, and he ruined my Transfig. homework, and then we set his hair on fire, and now we miss our first flying lesson...are you listening to me??? I don't care how Snape is, I'm sure he's still alive, worse luck."

"Well, I think you deserve it," Lily said decidedly, from her seat next to the fireplace. "That was an awful thing to do. Setting someone's hair on fire? How could you do something so mean and stupid?"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Evans?" James turned to her furiously. "You have no idea why we even did it, so why don't you mind your own business?"

"Well, I still think you deserve it. All you ever seem to do is brag and boast and make other people look stupid...it's time something like this happened to you. And if you ever make a fool of me in class again...I'll tell, I swear it." She stalked out of the room.

"What a prig," James muttered.

"Well, don't you think setting someone on fire is a little drastic, James?"

"I didn't set him on fire...sod off, Lupin!" and James stalked off, too. They heard the dormitory door slam in the distance. Sirius looked at Lupin.

"Way to say the wrong thing, Remus."

Remus shrugged. "I still think it was a bit drastic, but..." he grinned, "it must have been funny."

"Speaking of funny," said Sirius, plonking down onto the sofa next to him, "What on earth were you doing with Dumbledore and Sprout and that weird tree?"

Remus started. "Huh?"

"We were coming to call you in for Potions...and we, er, happened to see..."

Remus rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you couldn't stop yourselves."

"Well, what was it about? Why plant a hitting tree in the school grounds...and why have you along?"

Remus regarded Sirius in silence for a moment.

"Sprout was telling me about Whomping Willows the other day after Herbology...and I was pretty interested, so she said that she was going to try and grow one, and asked me if I'd like to watch."

"Why didn't she take the whole class, then?"

Remus made an impatient gesture. "I don't know, okay? Why don't you go and ask her?" He got up. "I'm going to meet Prof. Pluty and catch up with whatever you did in class...lesson-wise." He climbed out of the portrait hole. Sirius climbed up the stairs to the dormitory, where he found James lying flat on his back on the bed, absent-mindedly flicking drops of ink off the end of his quill.

"I didn't think you had all that much ink left," he drawled. "Remus said that Sprouty mentioned to him that she was going to plant, um...a Whomping Willow, and he asked if he could watch."

"Yeah, right."

"Ah, he'll tell us what was up sooner or later. Let's go down and take another look at that thing."

They wandered down to the common room, where they were joined by Peter Pettigrew, the fat, funny boy who had been with them in the boat on that first evening. He didn't get along very well with the other first-years, and followed Sirius and James around everywhere he could, watching everything they said and did with obvious admiration. Sirius and James tolerated him, partly because they liked the admiration and partly because he never disapproved of anything they said or did.

"In Potions...that was so funny!" Peter said breathlessly to James. "I'd never be able to do anything like that...especially with the Professor right there...wow!"

"Thanks, Peter," James rolled his eyes at Sirius. Peter followed them out of the portrait-hole, down to the grounds.

"Where are you going?"

"You'll see."

When they got to the Whomping Willow, the found a curious circle of boys and girls already gathered around it. One of the boys was bleeding, from a gash across his forehead. Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"What did we miss?" he asked Travis, a Canadian wizard and a fellow Gryffindor first-year.

"Arthur was trying to figure out what kind of tree it is, and then it whacked him." Travis scratched his head. "No tree I've ever seen before, that's for sure."

Arthur Weasley came up to them, wiping his forehead with a large handkerchief. He was a quiet, mild Gryffindor sixth-year, whom Sirius and James hadn't spoken to before. His brother Archie was a first-year. They both had flaming red hair, and neither of them said all that much.

"Tree conked me," Arthur said ruefully. "Ouch. Well, I guess I'll be off to Madam Pomfrey..." he wandered off.

"That's a Whomping Willow," James informed the little crowd importantly. "Better not go too near it...it hits."

"We kind of noticed," Travis said dryly. "Well, I'm not going to have some stupid tree whack me every time I pass too close, that's for sure."

They started an uproarious game, which involved trying to get in far enough to touch the trees' trunk without getting hit. At the end of it, it was dark and nearly time for dinner, and all of them were bruised, cut or injured in some way. Madam Pomfrey was in for a surpise.

After dinner, Dumbledore made a short announcement.

"You might be surprised to hear that we have decided to plant a Whomping Willow within the school grounds, near Hagrids' cottage," he began. He then proceeded to explain what a Whomping Willow was and what it did, and instructed them to stay a safe distance away from it. He did not, however, explain why it had been planted.

"We've had quite a day," James remarked, chucking his pointed hat onto the floor and getting into bed. "Are you ever going to tell us what Dumbledore told you about the Whomping Willow, Remus?...Remus???"

He turned. Remus was already in bed, and fast asleep. Or so he looked.