The Marauders' First Week at Hogwarts

Chapter 1

Monday: September 1^st

Train

James told his parents goodbye and nervously boarded the train. He looked around, going from compartment to compartment, dragging his heavy trunk behind him. His face fell as he saw all the older students who already knew each other happily reuniting with friends they'd missed over the summer. He felt very lonely.

He peered into one of the compartments and saw two boys arguing; James noted that one of the boys had hair that could stand a thorough washing whereas the other looked as though he hadn't brushed his in 2 days. James decided he'd rather not get in the middle of somebody else's fight and avoided this particular compartment. He kept searching and found one that had only one boy in it. James went in and didn't bother to shut the compartment door. The boy had his head bent over a book.

James turned his head sideways to read the title on the spine. "The Three Musketeers?"

"Yes," the boy said shortly.

James frowned. This boy wasn't being very nice. He decided to try and make conversation anyway. "What's it about? It looks like you're really interested."

The boy spared James a glance, then returned to his book. He couldn't have friends. They'd think he was a freak if they knew the truth about him. He thought himself a freak anyway. Better to just study and not make friends. The dark haired boy looked friendly but he just replied curtly, "It's a Muggle novel."

"Oh? You're a Muggle born?" asked James, with interest. He knew about Muggle-borns but he'd never actually met one before that he knew of.

"No. I just think the Muggles tend to write better books. This one has been around for some time now." He kept reading.

James frowned again. "What's your surname?"

"What's it matter to you?" the boy shot back, not glancing up.

"How about we play a game. There's still almost 20 minutes before the train is supposed to leave. I don't know why you got on so early. I don't know why I got on so early..."

"I know why I got on early. I wanted to sit alone."

"I'm going to make 3 guesses about you. If 2 of them are right, then you have to tell me who you are."

"Fine, I'll make 3 guesses about you and if I get 2 of them right, you leave me alone."

"Deal." James stuck out his hand for the other boy to shake.

The other boy grudgingly shook.

"Guess 1," James said, "You are a half-blood." That would explain why the boy didn't want to give his surname. Maybe his dad was a Muggle.

"Wrong. Pureblood. My first guess, you have a sibling at home that you miss already and that's why you're in here trying to spark a conversation."

"Wrong. I'm an only child." He thought for a moment. "My second guess is that--wow! Look!" James looked out the window.

"What?" The boy with the book looked over to where his chatty "friend" was staring.

"She's beautiful!" said James, in awe.

"Who?"

"That one! The redhead. Look! She needs help!"

"Do you have to keep shouting?" he asked grumpily.

"She can't carry that big trunk by herself. I'm going to go help her." He stood up and was at the door when he said, "Save my place here?"

"Whatever," the boy with the book said.

James ran down the corridor and out to the steps. He found the girl in no time. She hadn't gotten her trunk very far. She looked up and James was caught up in her eyes as though under a spell. Beautiful green eyes.

His mouth hung open a second before he said, "You're pretty."

The girl blushed furiously; then stared at him coldly.

"Do you want some help with that?" he asked, remembering his purpose for coming.

She looked him up and down. "You don't look strong enough. This is awfully heavy."

James was shocked. She thought he was a wimp! Well, that just wouldn't do. He lifted his head haughtily, "I can lift anything. And my friend inside will help." Maybe the boy inside would help; they weren't exactly friends yet though.

She looked at him skeptically again.

"Come on, the train leaves in less than ten minutes."

"Fine," she said grudgingly, in a way that reminded James a lot of like that new boy he'd met.

James gave her his best smile and picked up the handle of the trunk. It was heavy. She picked up the other end and they managed to heave it into the train and bring it through the corridor until they reached an empty compartment. The girl had declined James's "kind" offer to share the compartment he and his friend were in. He helped push the trunk inside. He stood against the door, trying not to pant. "Do I get a thank you kiss?" he asked, grinning impishly.

The girl merely sniffed angrily and slammed the door in his face.

James sighed. Things were not going well. He passed by the compartment where the greasy-haired boy had been arguing with the boy who needed a hairbrush. Everything seemed quiet there until suddenly several people laughed. Apparently one or the other of them had made some friends. Maybe he'd try his luck with book-boy again.

He went back to his compartment and sat down. "Back?" the boy asked dryly, not looking up from his novel.

"Yes. I think it was my question? My second guess is that you are a very quiet person."

He shrugged. "Sometimes." He was thinking about certain times when he was not quiet at all.

"That counts as a right answer then!" James said.

"Fine, but would you refrain from screaming so much?" he winced.

"Yes."

"Good. My second guess is that you didn't have much luck with that girl outside." He didn't mention that he'd been watching with mild interest from the window.

"Define luck."

"As in, she couldn't stand you and didn't really want your help and quite probably screamed at you."

"She didn't scream at me," James muttered.

"I take that as the rest of it is true? Good, then a right answer for me."

The train started to roll away.

James had to think of a really good question. He noticed something then and wondered how it escaped his notice before. The boy was already in Hogwarts robes. "My third guess... you're really eager for school to start."

The boy glanced down at his robes and tried to decide. Did he want school to start? Maybe he'd finally make some friends; his parents hadn't allowed him to have many. But maybe he'd just feel more isolated? But if he did feel more isolated it might partly be his fault. After all the boy sitting across from him had done nothing but try to be his friend for at least the past half hour and all he'd done was shove him aside. Though if he said the boy was right then he'd probably get no peace. Then again if he said he was wrong he wouldn't get any peace either. He sighed and stuck out his hand. "I'm Remus Lupin. Nice to meet you."

James smiled. "James Potter. So, what do you know about Hogwarts? You already know I don't have any brothers or sisters. I only know as much as my parents told me and that wasn't much. They said I'd just have to see it for myself."

Remus gave a small smile. "That's what mine said too. I don't have any brothers or sisters but I've got cousins. Unfortunately I'm the oldest. They're all younger so it'll be me telling them all about Hogwarts."

"I bet you could have some fun with them over the holidays though. Tell them awful things. Like say that in the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class we have to wrestle a troll. Or say that for Herbology we have to go into the Forest at night. I heard the Forest is supposed to be really dangerous. Werewolves and things even."

Remus paled slightly. "That's not true," he said, a little quickly.

James laughed. "I know that and you know that, but your little cousins don't."

Remus found himself laughing a little too. James had just made an off-handed joke anyway. It's not as though Remus had "werewolf" stamped on his forehead in big bold letters or anything.

"So which house were your parents in?"

"Oh, my mum was a Hufflepuff. Dad says she was bright though and should have been in Ravenclaw. What about your parents?"

"Ravenclaw for my dad, and Gryffindor for my mum. And your dad?"

"Gryffindor," he said proudly.

They talked for a while. James was glad to see that the boy had gotten over whatever had caused his silence before, but he wasn't going to ask just what that was.

About an hour or so into the trip, a young woman with a trolley of deserts and candies came by. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

James grinned at the lady. He loved candy. He noticed Remus hadn't gotten up. "You want anything?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Come on, my treat. If it weren't for you, I'd have been stuck sitting all by myself with no friends and very lonely. What's your favorite type of candy?"

Remus sighed, seeing as there'd be no use in dissuading his new friend. "Chocolate."

"Great," James grinned. He picked out his favorites, added some extra chocolate frogs, and then bought a lollipop for a certain somebody.

He carried all his candies back into the compartment and shared with Remus. They'd devoured most of the candies when James said, "I'm going to go back and see if--huh, I never asked her name."

Remus gave a snort of laughter.

James laughed too. "Well, I'll see if she'll tell me her name or if she wants this lollipop I got her."

"Ah, so it's a bribe?"

"Perhaps. Wish me luck."

"You'll need it."

"What do you know?" he asked, turning to leave. He walked down the corridor until he found the compartment he remembered her being in. He took a deep breath and knocked.

An unfamiliar voice answered, "Who is it?"

"Me. James Potter. I'm the guy that helped your friend carry her trunk on to the train." He heard whispering and decided to open the door.

Before he could, the unfamiliar voice asked, "What do you want?"

"I want to talk to the other girl in there with you. The one with the red hair and gorgeous green eyes."

There was some whispering before the door opened and the unfamiliar voice was matched with an unfamiliar face. The face was very round and open, but the voice was tart with vexation, "She doesn't want to see you. She said you're very impertinent and should go stick your head in the toilet."

"Tell her I'm hurt, but I wish her well. I'll see her again." He reached into his pocket and tossed the girl at the door a Chocolate Frog and the lollipop. "One for you and one for her." He winked and turned around.

He'd only just turned and taken a few steps when he heard 2 angry shouts and felt both the Chocolate Frog and the lollipop thrown at him. He stumbled, but when he got up and looked back, the door was shut. James sighed and went back to his compartment.

"How'd it go?" asked Remus mischievously.

James glared at him. "She wouldn't even see me! Her friend answered the door and said that Miss Red thought I was rude and that I should go stuff my head down the toilet." He sat down with his head in his hands. "I gave them the candy and they threw it back at me!"

Remus was bent over double, clutching his stomach. James soon realized that his friend was laughing silently at him and was very near hysterics.

"It's not that funny!" he said sullenly.

Remus gasped, "Yes it is!" He started laughing harder and rolled onto his side, nearly falling out of his seat.

James obliged him by helping him the rest of the way and pushing him onto the floor. Remus dragged him down with him, grabbing onto his ankle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

His parents asked, "Do you want us to come through with you?"

"No. I'll be fine alone."

"Okay. Then just walk straight through the barrier. Don't let the Muggles see you and remember to be proud of who you are."

The boy nodded gruffly and started pushing the trolley with his trunk on it, in the direction of the barrier. He'd just about reached it, his dark hair flowing back in a gust of wind when he said gruffly, "Don't expect me for Christmas." He disappeared without further words.

He found the Hogwarts Express facing him. Wow. The scarlet steam engine was amazing. Breath-taking. Better than he'd thought it would be from what he'd been told. He got on board.

He found a compartment that only had one person in it.

The other person glared at him. "What do you want?"

"Nothing more than to watch you squirm in pain. But for now I'll settle for a train ride without any trouble from you."

"Me?"

"Snivellus, we're going to school now and if you tick me off I can give you worse than a black eye and you can't go crying to your mummy."

They got into a heated argument which ended when he pushed the other boy to the floor. Now he took the time to stare out the window. Wow that girl was pretty. Or at least, as far as he could tell from here. She looked like she was having a little trouble. Maybe he ought to go help her. Darn, he thought. Looks like somebody beat me to it. He watched a little dark-haired boy exchanging words with her and eventually convincing her to let him help. He decided to leave the door open in case anybody other than Snivellus decided to come keep him company.

Eventually a few second years came in and he got along great with them, making old Snivelly the butt of his jokes and telling funny stories he made up on the spot.

When the woman with the trolley came around, one of the second years offered to buy him some candy. He accepted the offer.

"Aren't you going to tell us your name, mysterious one?"

He considered. "No. Just call me..." he considered for a moment. "...the Unnamed Genius."

Everyone had a good laugh at that. "As you say, Unnamed One."

"You forgot the Genius part," he said airily.

Everyone laughed again.