Marauders through the Years

Marauders Through the Years

First Year

Chapter 2

Of Train Travels

~~

They were riding fast across the country and slowly the houses vanished and were replaced by great fields full of sheep and cows. James saw it as his duty to start a conversation again, the silence was nearly oppressing.

"So, what house do you think you'll be in?" James asked.

"I guess Hufflepuff," Remus answered with a weary sigh. "I mean, I nearly didn't get to go to Hogwarts at all.. . I can't see myself in any other house."

"Which house was your father in?"

"He's a proud Gryffindor."

"Really? Well, maybe you have a chance of being one too. I know I'll be one. My parents and generations of Potters before them have been Gryffindors. The other houses aren't even practical!"

"Sorry to interrupt, but I didn't get a word," Lily said.

"That's true!" Remus said with shock. "We didn't give you one, we are horrible."

"It's a shame."

"Shouldn't be allowed!"

"I'm serious," Lily said with a huff.

"Oh, of course you are," Remus said and patted her shoulder. "We're deeply sorry for our behavior aren't we James?"

"Naturally!"

"Now, Lily, you did read the book I gave you about Hogwarts, didn't you?"

"Hogwarts, A History?"

"Good, Lily, at least I know now that you can read."

"I did read it," Lily answered ignoring that comment.

"The title?" James asked.

Remus chuckled.

"Do you remember the four houses that are mentioned? If you don't you can't have read the book properly or it's you who's got the sieve brain."

She stuck out her tongue.

Remus continued. "They are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and---"

"Slytherin," James interrupted gloomily.

"BOOH!"

"What's so bad about Slytherin?" Lily asked. "As far as I remember Slytherin is pictured as the house that holds all the cunning and ambitious people. You have to be pretty witty to become one."

"Ha! The writer of Hogwarts, A History just didn't want to favor any house. You need wits to be sorted into Ravenclaw. For being sorted into Slytherin you just have to be downright evil," James concluded.

"Really?" Lily asked. The boys nodded. "Wow, sounds.. bad.."

"It doesn't sound so, it is bad!"

"Evil!"

"Monstrous!"

"Horrible!"

"It's as bad as dogs!"

"BOOH!"

"That's quite enough, thank you, I think I got it now," Lily said and absently patted the basket on her lap.

"What's in there?" James asked curiously.

"Something I guess you'll like," Lily said and opened the basket.

James curiously peered into it and sighed with contentment when a fuzzy little ball with pointed ears appeared.

"It's a Kneazle!"

"Yes, we got the license only yesterday!" Lily said excitedly. "Her name is Lalita."

The little cat-like creature curiously looked around the compartment and yawned one time. James sighed.

"She is really cute," he said. And as if Lalita understood the compliment she purred lowly while staring at him with huge blue eyes. Her black fur was speckled with a dark grey and her tail was bushy like a lion's. With one jump she was out of the basket and with another jump she leaped directly into James' lap who gazed at her with amazement.

He began to stroke her stomach timidly and when she purred again he nearly melted with awe.

His head snapped up when the compartment door opened and the tall black boy from earlier entered. He didn't stay long, however; he screamed 'CAT!' and jumped out of the compartment again.

"Put that cat away," he said shaking, "I'm allergic!"

"The Kneazle will be gone in a minute" Lily said and made to take Lalita out of James' hold.

"Mine!"

"Oh just give her to me," Lily said and gently removed her from his hands.

With a relieved sigh the older boy stepped inside and slid the door shut.

"I think I haven't introduced myself yet," the boy bowed, "my name is Mark Jordan and I want to become a prefect in two years and Head Boy in my last year in Hogwarts."

"Nice introduction, any plans on world domination after that?" James asked and tipped his head to one side.

Mark chose to ignore that comment.

"To become a prefect I will not only have to be a good student but I will also have to prove that I can take responsibilty. Helping first years also counts to that. I have chosen to answer any questions you have."

"Well," James said with one eyebrow raised, "that's nice."

Remus nodded with earnestness.

"You'll really answer any question?" Lily asked.

"Sure."

"Well then, how do we get sorted?"

"Right, any question except for that one."

"I knew it!" Lily turned to Remus. "Your father didn't want to tell us either."

"Oh, my father told me how we get sorted," James said casually.

"Really?" Lily and Remus asked with excitement.

"Really?" Mark asked sceptically.

"Yeah, he said we'll have to fight against a gigantic serpent while wearing a blindfold and armed only with a sword," James answered. "That was after he told me that green mice live under my pillow, trying to eat my ears."

Mark, Lily and Remus laughed.

James looked at them with a frown.

"What are you laughing about? There were green mice under my pillow."

They stared at him in silence before Mark cleared his throat.

"Right," Mark said. "Any other questions?"

James pondered. Actually he didn't have any, but he was a bit put off by Mark. James actually wanted to get to know Remus and Lily better and now that to-be-prefect had burst into their compartment and made Lily take Lalita from him.

"What year are you in?" James asked.

"Third.."

"Any people you like in your year?"

"Sure, I have lots of friends."

"Then why are you not sitting with them?"

"I told you I want to become a prefect and Head Boy!"

"Yes, but don't you want to have fun?"

"Sure I do!"

James stood up and tiptoeing he whispered into Mark's ear. "Then go sit with them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy your presence, but I..."

James gestured at Remus and Lily. He looked up at Mark with wide eyes.

"Of course, what was I thinking. I wouldn't have wanted anybody to interrupt me and my new-found friends," the taller boy said with a knowing smile.

James gave a big grin. "If anyone ever asks me who should be a prefect in two years I'll name you."

"Thank you, I appreciate that," Mark bent up and smiled at Remus and Lily. "Now, I'm off!"

Mark went out with a whistle and a little spring in his step.

Remus and Lily stared at James.

"What did you say to him?"

"Why did he go away?"

"What did you do?"

"Errr---"

BANG

A boy with long black hair had burst into their compartment all of a sudden before quickly shutting the door again. He panted.

"I'm sorry for barging in like that," he said out of breath. "Can I have a seat?"

The three nodded dumbfoundedly and the boy squeezed himself under the bench James was sitting on.

"You don't mind, do you?" the boy asked urgently.

"Err, of course not," James said and bent over so he could see the boy.

The boy's head had came forth from under the bench as quick as a flash and James recoiled with shock.

"Ahhh!"

"I don't think one of you has a wig?" the boy asked.

The three looked at each other.

"Unfortunately not," James said.

"Drat!"

The three looked at each other again.

"What's your name?" Lily asked and the boy opened his mouth to speak when the door slid open again. The boy quickly rolled under the bench.

"SIRIUS QUENTIN URIAH IAN BLACK! ARE YOU IN HERE?" a black haired girl shrieked rabidly.

Remus quickly clamped his hands over his ears and the basket of Lily's started rattling. James could practically see steam billowing out of the girl's ears and nose.

"You!" the girl demanded of Lily. "Did you see a git, taller than me with black hair far too long for his own good?"

Lily shook her head quickly with shocked opened eyes.

"If you see him," the girl said with a manic look in her eyes, "tell him his cousin is looking for him!"

She turned around and - James looked twice - a miniature dragon tail swished after her when she slammed the door shut. They could hear her screaming outside for her cousin.

"Is she gone?" the boy's voice came from under James' seat came.

"Yes," Remus answered and the boy crawled out from his hiding spot. He dusted himself off and sat down next to James, not saying a word, as if he did that everyday.

Then he started to cackle.

"I take it, you're responsible for the dragon tail?" James asked curiously.

The boy brushed away a few tears.

"It's not just any dragon tail, it's the one of a Common Welsh Green. Fits her perfectly evil-she demon that she is," he hiccuped and started laughing again.

"James Potter," James said and extended a hand.

"Sirius McBlack the Fifth, Knight Back and Forth to Grimmauld Castle," the boy replied and took it. "Now, Potter.. Potter,.. rings a bell, it does."

"I've never heard of you before, though."

"You wouldn't have, not the way my family tries to hide me," Sirius pondered then snapped his fingers. "Ah! Of course! Do you know an Auror? Harry Potter?"

"Yes! That's my father!"

"Please give him my regards! He's the one who imprisoned my uncle Syd. Git, could never stand him."

"He- you- he- what?" Remus sputtered.

"His father imprisoned your uncle and you're not angry?" Lily asked incredulous. James gaped at Sirius.

"Why should I? I never much liked my uncle, come to think of it I can't stand my whole family. They're dingbats, all of them. Who are you two?"

"Remus Lupin," he said and held out his hand to have it shaken forcefully.

"Spiffing to meet you! Awesome! Striking!"

"I'm Lily Evans," she said and Sirius bent down to touch his lips to her knuckles. She giggled.

Remus stared at Sirius then at James.

"You know, you two could be brothers."

The two boys looked at each other and grinned.

"I know, we get that a lot, don't we James?"

"Sure, all the time. Sick of hearing it, really," James said while he threw his arm around Sirius' shoulder.

"Next person to say so will get a huge smooch!"

Lily giggled.

The boys stared at her.

"So, you're a Black?" Remus asked into the silence while Lily cleared her throat.

"Yes, unfortunately. I would claim that somebody at the hospital made a mistake but as I was born at home," he shrugged. "I guess I'll have to live with all my family being schnooks."

"What's so special about Blacks?" Lily wanted to know.

"Oh, we're not special at all, just a bunch of dark wizards who own the whole Potion's Regulation Office. 'S all."

"How can you be so casual about that?" James said disbelieving. "I don't think I could if my family were all dark wizards."

"Ahhhh, they're not all dark wizards, some are pretty alright," Sirius concluded. "No.. on second thought, they're not,.. . Well, maybe one or two.."

"Is it true that all Blacks go to Slytherin?" Remus asked.

"Yep pretty much all of them.. but that doesn't necessairly make them evil," the boy answered good naturedly.

"So you are going to be a Slytherin too?" Lily asked with big round eyes.

"Nah, not me," Sirius shook his head. "One: I don't want to be one. Two: I don't want to be one. Three.. I think one and two are enough, aren't they?"

"So which house will you be in then?" Remus asked.

"Nobody really knows until they're sorted, do they?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I'll be Gryffindor," James said confidentely.

"Why is that?"

"Because generations of Potters have been in Gryffindor."

"But generations of Blacks have been in Slytherin."

"Difference is that I want to be a Gryffindor."

"True, that's a point you have there," Sirius pondered. "Gryffindor, eh? Sounds like a fabulous house.. and the colors are by far the most cheerful ones."

"Definetely," James answered.

"That's reason enough to want to be sorted into Gryffindor isn't it?" Remus asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Of course it is!" James said seriously.

The compartment door slid open.

Sirius was under the bench again. However, he needn't have hid himself, it was only a lady with a trolley full of food. Clearing his throat lowly Sirius stood up and dusted his clothes off, sitting down next to James in a very dignified manner.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?"

"Do you have vanilla pudding?" James asked eagerly.

"No, unfortunately I don't sell that," the lady said and searched through the food. "But I've got pumpkin pies, my dear. Oh, you don't like pumpkin pies? Anybody else?"

"ME!" Lily and Sirius yelled and jumped from their seats. Lily blushed.

"You go first," she said.

"No you do, please, it would pain me if I went first," Sirius insisted.

And Lily smiled.

"One pumpkin pie, please."

~~~*~~~*~~~

James had wanted to buy something too but then remembered he still had the sweets from 'Prewett & Son'. He took out the bag and poured some of the ecstatic blue Fizzing Whizbees into his lap. He eyed them interestedly.

"What've you got there?" Sirius asked while chewing on his pumpkin pie.

"Fizzing Whizbees," James answered. "Make you float around while you suck on them."

"Ohhhh!" Sirius said with awe and swallowed. "Can I try one?"

"Sure," James said and popped one into his mouth while he passed the bag around.

~*~

"Hehehe, this is fun," Lily said as she hung upside down from the ceiling.

"I think it's rather nauseating!"

Remus somehow wasn't able to direct his floating and proppeled through the compartment at a rather fast pace.

"Spoilsport!" Sirius yelled and made swimming movements in the air.

"I've got some other sweets too," James said and made a grab for his bag.

Soon they were all sitting on their seats again and sharing the bought goodies.

"Oh," Lily said, "this is the last chocolate frog!"

"I insist you eat it," Sirius said and bowed.

"Yes Lily, do eat it, unless you want to reduce your weight to nothingness, which is clearly not necessary as you look like a frizzy mop anyway," Remus said and received a loud raspberry from her.

"Really, you should, Lily," James urged.

"Did you hex the frog when I was at the loo? Why are you all so eager?" she asked sceptically.

"We wouldn't! It's a shame of you to say that!" James cried.

"We would never poison anything edible! Food is too precious to be played around with!" Remus said with a shocked expression on his face.

"But it's I who might explode."

"Don't joke around with death. Death is eeeeeeeevil!" Remus said. "He might want to take revenge if you make fun of him. You know Death, the big cloaked guy who sucks the living daylights out of people that aren't nice to him and make fun of him?"

"I thought Dementors suck the living daylight out of people?"

"Well, Death is their boss, plus he gets to wave around a huge scythe."

"Does the scythe make him their boss?"

"No, if this were the fact then the Dementors would revolt and have a permanent power struggle."

"A putch."

"Yep, you could call it that."

"So the scythe is just a symbol?"

"I think Mr. Reaper actually uses it if somebody annoys him too much."

"Bloody hell!"

"Literally too."

Lily stared at them in a confused manner. "I think I'll demonstrately eat the frog now just to shut you all up."

She stopped shortly before popping the frog into her mouth. "I've got a better idea! Why don't we engorge this little frog here and share it?"

"But we insist you eat it on your own!"

"Sharing means caring," Lily chanted and made a grab for her trunk.

"What are you doing?" James asked incredously.

"Getting my Charm's Book."

"Oh don't be ridiculous," Sirius said. "I'll engorge it, I know the charm by heart!"

"You do?"

"No, but silly wand waving is fun!"

"It wouldn't help a bit if we told you this can be dangerous too?"

"Don't think it would."

"Thought so," James said. "That's why I'm going to take," he grabbed the wand, "this from you!"

"Hey!" Sirius wailed.

"You won't blow up the train on your very first day of school!" James said commanding.

Sirius huffed.

"Good boy, sit!"

With a hop Sirius landed on the bench again.

"You two really could be brothers," Remus said and Sirius jumped up, ran forward, grabbed Remus' head and puckered up.

"HELP!" Remus wailed and pushed Sirius away. "Stop it! What are you doing?!"

"I said the next one to say it would get a smooch!"

They struggled some more.

"I already said it once! Ergo, I can't be the next person!"

Sirius dropped the winding skinny bundle.

"Right, there's a catch somewhere, I know it. I'm just not able to argue it now.. wait, give me a sec.. ."

He shrugged and sat next to James again who had followed the whole incident with amusement. James then stared out of the window to grin while Sirius thought loudly about what was wrong with Remus' argument.

James hadn't thought that the train ride would be like that. He had dreaded being alone but he had never dared immagine that he'd meet so many people he could have fun with. He had never really had friends, he didn't know other children.

It wasn't that he never came to contact with them, it was just seldom. He knew lots of people due to the dinner parties his parents often gave, but hardly ever children were invited. When they were, only children older than him or children who didn't know what fun was came.

And as if that hadn't been enough James had also been homeschooled. Very often he had mouthed his wish of being sent to Hogsmeade. It wasn't far and he could floo to the elementary school, however, his parents had been strictly against it.

Sure, being an Auror his father received at least ten death-threatening letters a week, but James had grown up to never take those seriously. However, his father had once been advised by a person who was to take very seriously to not put his wife and son in danger. Of course his father followed that piece of advice with vehemence. James' broomstick of thought was blown off course by Sirius' wailing.

"I know something is wrong with that sentence! It's not logical!"

Remus sighed "How often do I have to explain---"

"I'm boooored!" Sirius interrupted flinging his hands into the air.

"Do you mean we are not a good enough company?" Lily asked around the chocolate frog.

"Oh, no, you're all fine, couldn't have wished for nicer people to meet on the train," Sirius answered with a grin. "It's just that this compartment bores the mind out of me."

"Want to recolour it?" Remus asked sarcastically but Sirius head snapped up.

"That's a good idea! Could you please give my my wand, James Potter the first?"

"Are you mad?"

"Actually I'm Sirius not Mad."

"Actually I'm James Potter the second or third and not stupid."

"But I want to have my wand! I need it! It's the core of my existence!"

"And the bane of our existence."

"You wouldn't know, you've never seen me do magic before!"

"You emit magic, baaaad uncontrolable magic."

"I know, I'm too charming for my own good."

"Oh just give him his wand!" Lily sighed.

"Are you mad?"

"Yeah! You want him to give it to me in front of you guys?"

"Are you mad?"

"Put on another record James."

"Record?"

"Muggle stuff, plays music and tends to repeat things over and over again."

"Muggles are really weird aren't they?"

"Yeah they--- Hey! Don't distract me! I want my wand!"

"I see I'm overruled here,.."

"No! Stop don't hand it over to him! NO!"

It was too late.

Sirius cackled.

"Right, I need to find the appropriate spell to make this compartment a bit more comfortable," Sirius said and jumped up. "Will be right back, and wish me luck!"

"Good luck!" Lily screamed when Sirius was nearly out of the door. "Why?"

His head appeared, "In case I meet my cousin."

And off he scuttled with his wand raised.

"This boy surely is funny," James said shaking his head.

"Yeah, he's hip," Lily said and looked out of the window.

"Awww, is widdle widdle Lily blushing?" Remus teased her.

"No, I'm not," she answered briskly.

"Why so cold to your old friend, Lilith Chrysanta Evans?" Remus sighed dramatically.

"Lilith Chrysanta?"

"He's just joking, aren't you!" Lily glared at Remus.

"I'm not! Who would dare make fun of such a, how to say it, ah... flowery name?"

"Cut that out, would you?"

Remus copied the movements of scissors in the air with his right hand before it dropped to wander to his ear.

"What is it Remus?" Lily asked.

"You hear that?" the boy said and got up to open the door. He stared out, left it open and stood next to it.

"Remus what---"

"Stay away from that door. "

Slowly they were able to hear Sirius' voice shouting something very loudly if not very clearly.

"What is he shouting?" James asked Lily and Remus with a frown and strained his ears a bit more.

"Something like 'oody ell pen doo oy!!' but that doesn't make any sense does it?" Lily answered. "What do you think Remus?"

"I think you should just wait and see yourself," Remus replied.

So they waited.

They didn't have to do so very long.

"OPEN THE DOOR! OPEN THE DOOR!"

Sirius barged into the compartment and slid under the bench while Remus slid the door shut.

"CLOSE THE DOOR! CLOSE THE DOOR!" he yelled frantically.

Remus clasped both hands over his ears.

"Don't be so loud! My poor poor ears! I have very sensitive hearing," Remus scolded the foot that was sticking out from under the bench.

James kicked it under the seat --- and not one second too early. With a crash the door slid open again and a raging girl, established Sirius cousin, stood in it. James stared at her. The girl had two fangs sprouting from her mouth and this time steam was billowing from her nose.

"WHERE IS HE?" she shrieked.

"My ears!" Remus said and threw his hands up.

"I guess you mean the blockhead who ran screaming past our compartment," Lily said with an icy voice and glared at the girl, "again. Just as he did earlier."

She was glared at in return.

"I hope for your own good that you're not lying!" the girl threatned and slammed the door shut. They heard her stomping off.

"Sirius Quentin Uriah Ian Black!"

They heard her scream for a long time before her voice faded away.

A low chuckle was heard from under the seats.

"Thank you for covering up again," the voice came. "You know, it's pretty cozy down here---"

"Not to mention safe."

"---I think I will stay here."

"You really don't like her do you?" Lily asked.

Silence for a few seconds.

"Not especially, nah."

"Is all your family like her, because if they are I can understand why you don't like them," Remus finished with a low whistle.

"Yeah.. I'm poor aren't I? Doesn't that make you want to give me a pumpkin pie?" the voice sounded hopeful.

James put some into the hand that was sticking out from under the seat.

"Don't eat too much or you won't be able to come out again," Remus said.

"Nah, I'm skinny enough," Sirius' voice came. "Hardly any meat."

James chuckled.

"Didn't feed you well, did they?"

Silence.

"Not really, nah."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lily said and reached to pat the hand before it was replaced by a grinning head. Instead her hand chose to poke Sirius' eye.

"Argrargh!"

"Oh I'm so sorry!"

Lily fell to her knees to help Sirius up while James and Remus fell to their knees to laugh.

After two minutes Sirius finally managed to sit up with Lily's help (who had managed to knock him over three more time before successfully hauling him up). He looked a horrible mess. His eyes were swollen red and puffy, his nose was running and his shirt was torn because Lily had instinctively grabbed the first thing she could get hold of when she tripped over his feet.

James nearly suffocated on his guffaw.

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Comment of the Chapter:

A: Today it's Sirius' turn to enrich mankind with a very unique statement.

S: Thank you.

A: It's a pleasure. So what do you want to tell us all?

S: When I first saw James it broke my heart, he looked just like a little owl.

A: Thank you very much. Tune in next time to the Comment of the Chapter!