Chapter Text
A/N: I have made Lucius Malfoy a little younger, then he could fit in with the whole Slytherin gang and Snape. I mean, I've sort of already messed up the whole time line, if anyone needs any explanation, just ask for it whilst reviewing, I would be glad to explain.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any recognisable characters or features of the world. It all belongs to JK Rowling. I do not support her disgusting transphobic views.
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Steam billowed through the station, and a magnificent scarlet steam engine whistled piercingly. Teary eyed mothers said their farewells to their children, who were bursting with excitement, ready to be on their way to school.
'Goodbye Mum!' A scruffy haired boy called from over his shoulder, dragging his trunk onto the train.
'Take care James! Don't get into any trouble, and make sure to write everyday!' The boy James' mother yelled back.
'Mum!' The boy groaned and turned away.
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'Okay son, remember, the most important thing is to have fun!' A father was telling a young boy with slightly curled sandy brown hair. 'Of course, you must also remember to pay attention in classes.' He admonished at a stern look from the boy's mother.
'I love you, write everyday please!' The boy pleaded, there was no need to point out that he was extremely nervous.
'We will honey, now run along or you'll miss the train!' With a final hug and kiss from his mother and father he spun around and faced the train, hauling his trunk behind him.
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'Bye Reg! Give the old witch hell from me!' Two young boys snickered snidely from behind their hands.
'I'll try my best! Write to me okay?' The younger threw his arms around his older brother's waist.
'Definitely!' The older boy patted the younger's back then strode off with a lopsided grin plastered over his face.
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'Now, listen here Pete, just make the most of your time at Hogwarts, and, please son, try your best!' A short, plump woman was crushing a boy to her chest, before releasing him and placing a sloppy kiss on his forehead.
'Yes Mum.' Peter responded, although not without a nervous tremor shaking his voice.
The scarlet 'Hogwarts Express' gave one last mighty whistle, before the cogs started turning. Teary eyed mothers waved away their children who had immense expressions of glee stretching their faces.
The boy with scruffy jet black hair was hauling his trunk along the corridor as the train pulled out of the station. Suddenly, he heard shouting from further down the carriage, and moved forward to investigate.
'What's wrong, you gonna cry?' A boy who looked to be a few years older than himself was sneering down at another boy, who had just put up a wall of blank emotion. 'Does someone miss their Mummy?' The senior boy jeered. He was surrounded by a group of companions, who all looked mean and unforgiving.
'What do you want?' The younger boy asked calmly.
'Ooh, he talks!' The group of bullies burst out laughing, though the scruffy haired boy could not see why, it wasn't funny.
'Leave me alone.'
The older boy slammed his hand on the side of a compartment. 'Don't tell me what to do! Listen here, you! I'm Malfoy, and you're an ickle firstie; there is an order around here!'
'Oh, a Malfoy, that explains it. By the looks of it, you lot will all be Blacks, or Lestranges.' The younger boy had a quick, witty mouth, and the boy with unruly hair gasped as he ducked under Malfoy's punch, before sending a right hook to the bully's face. Malfoy staggered back, surprised by the strength of the eleven year old, fresh blood gushing from his clearly broken nose.
'Get him!' Malfoy ordered, however, the boy had already escaped, and was haring it down the carriage, before he smashed into the onlooker.
'Sorry.' He muttered before leaping over the mess he had created.
'No worries, you better get moving!' The crazy haired boy gestured at the older boys, who were shoving each other out of the way in an attempt to get at the younger boy. 'Here, lets go!' The two of them continued into the next carriage, where they found an empty compartment which they quickly stumbled into. 'I'm James by the way, James Potter.' The boy, James, stuck out his hand.
'Remus Lupin.' He took James' outstretched hand and shook it firmly.
'That was a real nice punch you gave there! Could you teach me one time?' Remus looked mildly shocked, before recovering, the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
'What, teach you how to probably get expelled before arriving at Hogwarts?!' The two boys burst into laughter, and they took seats opposite of each other.
'Hey there! I'm Sirius! Could I sit here?' A boy who slightly resembled one of the bullies was standing in the doorway. He had black hair that hung just below his ears, and a slightly haughty face. However, he held a proud air of defiance about him that the bullies lacked.
'You're a Black.' It wasn't a question. Sirius' face darkened at these words and he nodded slightly.
'I wish I wasn't though. My mother is a right old hag! And my cousins are the most awful gits.' Remus and James looked slightly more cheerful at his words. 'I heard a scuffle going on down this part of the train, and decided to check it out, only, when I arrived, my blasted cousin, Bellatrix, was there.'
'Yeah! Remus here broke Malfoy's nose after he tried to punch him!' The tips of Remus' ears went red and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks.
'I- really- it was nothing-'
'You punched Lucius Malfoy?! Brilliant!' Sirius looked at Remus, awe written across his face. He took a seat next to James. 'Anyways, who are you?'
'I'm James Potter.' The black haired boy answered.
'Cool. And you're Remus. Nice glasses by the way.' Sirius aimed the last remark at James. He seemed genuine and so James replied
'Thanks.'
'Do you mind if I join you?' A round faced boy with blond hair this time was obscuring the doorway. He was hauling a heavy looking trunk behind him. 'I'm Peter by the way, Peter Pettigrew.' He added hurriedly. His face was rather sweaty, and it looked as if he was constantly shifting from one foot to another.
'Yeah, I guess.' Sirius seemed more subdued as he said this.
'D'ya need any help with that trunk?' James called. Peter nodded vigorously and the two of them struggled to lift it onto the luggage racks. Peter then took a seat, and a slightly awkward silence followed.
'Well! Does anyone know what house they'll be in?' Finally, Sirius had started a conversation.
'I bet I'll be in Hufflepuff, I belong with those duffers.' Remus said dejectedly.
'Fat chance!' James scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 'After that punch, you'll for sure be in Gryffindor with me!'
'What makes you so sure you're gonna be a Gryffindor?' Peter asked.
'Both my parents were Gryffindors, and, I guess, so was everyone else before them.' James grinned sheepishly. 'What about you Sirius?'
'Well, the whole of my family is Slytherin through and through, but if I end up there, I swear I'll kill myself. I want to be anywhere else besides Slytherin.' Each time Sirius said Slytherin, he said it with a nasty sneer in his voice.
'Er, anyone up for a game of exploding snap?' James asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.
'What's exploding snap?' Sirius and Peter queried at the same time.
'What's exploding snap?!' Remus and James asked, dumbfounded. Peter simply sat there and grimaced slightly, and Sirius looked between Remus and James.
'Well?!'
'How come you don't know what exploding snap is, if you come from a wizarding family?' James asked, albeit a little pushy.
'My parents are really strict, they don't really let us play games and stuff.' Sirius replied.
'Oh. Well, I guess we could teach you two. James and I could play an example game, and then we could have an all round tournament!' Remus suggested.
'That's a brilliant idea, here I'll deal.' James pulled out a battered looking pack of cards from his jumper pocket and started dealing them.
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An hour later, the boys were all deep into the tournament, when the compartment door slid open.
'Anything off the trolley dears?' An old woman was pushing along a cart that was choc a bloc with sweets and delicacies.
'Er- could I just have a few chocolate frogs? Thank you.' Remus handed over a few sickles and accepted a few frogs. (A/N: I figured he might have had a bit more money when growing up with his parents, as his dad could still work.)
'What about you boys?'
'My mother says I'm not allowed to have sweets.' Sirius answered glumly.
'I have no money.' Peter returned.
'We'll have a bit of everything, thanks!' James beamed around the compartment and dumped the large amount of sweets in the middle of them all. Sirius stared enviously as James popped a piece of Drooble's Best Blowing Glum into his mouth, and began to make large bubbles. When James realised no one else was eating, he asked, 'Why aren't you guys eating? C'mon, I won't finish it all!' He grinned at each of the boys in turn and laughed when Sirius picked up a packet of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
'You'll want to be careful with those! I once had a dirt flavoured one!' Remus mimed gagging and the other boys chuckled lightly.
'So they're actually every flavoured! Wow!'
'Why don't we play truth or dare, but with the Bertie Bott's?' James suggested.
'Great idea! I'll go first, Peter truth or dare?' Sirius asked.
Peter hesitated before answering, 'Erm, truth?'
'Okay, when was the last time you wet your bed?' The compartment burst out laughing, including Peter.
'I think about a year ago.' James and Sirius sniggered but Remus simply looked on kindly.
'So, do we think that was true?'
'Yes!'
'Yes.'
'Brilliant Pete, you, my friend, have worked your way out of getting a bean!' Sirius proclaimed.
'Okay, James, truth or dare?' Questioned Peter.
'Dare! Of course.'
'I dare you to eat this odd looking bean!' Peter held out a bean, is was orange covered in red spots. James accepted it from his hand, grimaced, put it in his mouth, and grimaced again.
'Oh bugger, I think I might vomit!' The sound of laughter could be heard throughout the carriage as the boys continued with this newfound, fun game.
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BAM! The compartment door slid open at this last explosion, and a pretty girl with dark red hair stood, framed in the doorway.
'Could you lot keep it down please? I think the whole train can hear you!' She said, with a slightly bossy tone in her voice.
'So?'
'So, we would like a little bit of piece and quiet please!' She scoffed. 'I'm Lily Evans.'
'It is an almighty pleasure to meet you, Lily Evans! I, am the one and only James Potter.' He stood up and took a stupid little bow. 'Might I say, you have stunning green eyes, your smile would make you the most beautiful person alive!'
'Ew! What is your issue!' Lily took a small step away from James, before adding, 'You'll all want to put your robes on, we'll be there soon!' With that, she turned tail, slammed the compartment door behind her, and stormed out into the corridor.
'Will do, Evans!' James called after her.
There was a shocked moment of silence, before Sirius piped up. 'Well, looks like James here has a little crush!'
This broke the tension and once again, the compartment was filled with guffawing, whilst James looked around, bewildered. 'What do you mean?!'
'Well, you practically got down on your knees and asked to marry her!'
'I did not! I simply complimented her!'
'Simply!' Remus scoffed.
'So what if I have a crush on Evans? She is a darling!'
'A darling who would most likely kill you if she heard you calling her that!' The playful banter was kept up as they pulled their robes on, and they could feel the train beginning to slow.
As they stumbled out of the train, they noticed a giant of a man yelling out, 'Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere!' The large man, Hagrid, led them through a clump of trees and as they emerged out of the thicket, they saw the most breathtaking sight. A castle sat high upon a cliff, twinkling lights shining through the windows. Tall towers peaked into the night sky, and the moon shone down on the glassy lake below the castle. The four boys grinned with giddy anticipation, and James was able to tear his eyes away from Lily long enough to drink in the dazzling scene.