Chapter Text
Eleven year old Reighley Lupin held onto her carriage with ghostly white knuckles through the bustling train station. She brushed a strand of shoulder-length hair behind her ear, maneuvering her way through the catacombs of businessmen and families bustling about.
Although she tried her best, Reighley couldn’t find platform 9 and ¾. She checked the time, there were only fifteen minutes left before the train pulled out of the station. Her eyes flicked around the platform as she paced between the two brick walls of platforms nine and ten. Reighley’s hair was standing on end as the eyes of the crowd around her began to bore into her skull.
“Hurry up, James!”
Across the platform, a slightly heavy-set woman with sleek dark brown hair and a medium tawny complexion hurriedly rushed her son along the platform. The boy seemed to be about Reighley’s age. His hair whipped around in every different direction, but his softly squared glasses contrasted his otherwise messy appearance. The boy also pushed a carriage so full he could hardly look over everything.
As the mother leads her son across the platform, Reighley tentatively approaches the pair.
“Pardon me?” Reighley asked, lightly tugging on the mother’s sleeve.
The woman turns around and her eyes land on the helpless girl in front of her. She crouches to Reighley’s level and smiles warmly.
“Are you trying to get to the platform, dear?”
Reighley nods.
“I’ll help you out,” She stands back up, ruffling her son’s hair. “It’s James’s first year, too.”
Mrs. Potter went behind her son and Reighley and put an arm around both of them.
“You see that column ahead of us?” The kids nodded. “You want to run full speed into it!”
Reighley’s eyes widened; Was this woman mad?
James on the other hand bubbled with excitement, practically jumping on the spot. Without warning, James rushed his way through the crowd, hurtling himself against the wall. However, just before he slammed into it, the wall gave way beside him and he faded into the world beyond.
Reighley stood aghast; it actually worked!
She followed James closely, Mrs. Potter ran after her. Reighley tensed and squeezed her eyes shut as she phased through the platform.
On the other side brilliant sunbeams shone through the window panes at the entrance of the station. Large, pillowy puffs of smoke flew out of the top of the shimmering, sleek maroon engine. Gold lettering engraved on the side displayed The Hogwarts Express.
Reighley had really made it. It wasn’t just a dream!
From behind her a large crack sounded, echoing through the stone building. Light fizzled in small balls of electricity before revealing a tall, sleek, man in a three piece suit apparated beside Mrs. Potter.
“Dad!” James rushed over to his father, hugging him quickly. “You made it!”
“Of course I did,” Mr. Potter grinned, his unruly black curls falling messily in front of his face. He ruffled his son’s hair lovingly. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Now quickly, get on!” Mrs. Potter called out to her son, wrapping an arm around her husband. “Send us an owl when you get the chance! I love you!”
James ran to his mother and squeezed her tight before rushing onto the train with Reighley trailing behind him.
A few compartments into the train, a meek, pudgy, blond-haired boy with a noticeable overbite and slightly beady eyes sits lonesome, slumping sadly against the window of the otherwise vacant compartment. Reighley and James come stumbling into his compartment, laughing to themselves. They didn’t even notice the kid until they had slouched down in their seats, screaming in response.
“Gosh, I’m terribly sorry,” Reighley squeaked, straightening out her pants. “I didn’t see you there.”
“What’s your name, kid?” James asked, opening a stray chocolate frog that had come off of the trolley and throwing it in his mouth.
“P-P-Peter Pettigr-grew.”
“Nice to meet you,” James gave a toothy, chocolatey grin. James swallowed hard and turned to Reighley, “Hey, I never asked, what’s your—?”
The compartment door slammed open and shut within seconds, as another first year boy stepped in. His wavy black hair shaded his face as he sat down by the doorway, trembling. He pressed a finger over his lips, his silver-blue eyes swimming with worry.
From the hall of the train, a few older students passed by. A young woman with unruly, long black curly hair, dark bags under her eyes, and a wicked cackle came rushing through, followed closely by a young man with shoulder-length icy blond hair tied back in a tight ponytail and a lean but muscular frame, yelling after the girl in front of him. Finally, behind him, a girl with sleek, blonde hair, strong cheekbones and a nearly perfected slim build graciously made her way through the corridor. Their heads all bobbed from side to side, as if searching for someone.
The boy peeked up from his hiding spot and sighed in relief, collapsing beside Peter.
Peter inches awkwardly towards the window, “Uh, hello.”
“Who are you?” James asks.
“Sirius,” the boy pants, “Sirius Black.”
Peter and James gasped in unison.
“Black?” James questioned, “As in, the Most—?”
“Ancient and Noble House of Black,” Sirius finished, sighing. “Yup, that’s me.”
James sighed, crossing his arms. “You’re going to be another Slytherin git, I guess.”
Sirius chortled humorlessly, his hair falling into his face. “Fat chance. As much as Mother would like to believe I’ll be a Slytherin, I doubt it.”
The boys were interrupted by the small, constant clack of the trolley chock full of treats coming past each compartment, stopping occasionally so that students could make purchases. As the trolley lady approached their compartment, James whipped open the door in excitement, practically drooling when he spotted the mountain of sweets in front of him.
“Anything from the trolley, dears?” Asked the cardigan-clad, graying trolley lady with a smile that could melt butter.
James handed over all the money he had.
••••
The somewhat-soaked first year students bustled through the great hall led by a middle aged witch with an elegant, pointy black hat and silken emerald robes that flowed with each step she took. She led the students through the catacombs of the school, passing by glimmering suits of armor (some of which could move on their own), paintings full of lifelike people, and ghosts swirling around the students, curiosity swimming in their eyes.
One particular poltergeist with unruly hair and a fairly beaten suit swung around a corner to an unsuspecting Lily Evans. She squealed and recoiled, eyes welling with tears.
The professor at the head of the group whipped around, “Peeves! What did I say about scaring the First Years?”
“Come on, Minnie,” Peeves flew onto his stomach, folding his hands innocently under his chin. “I’m just having some fun.”
Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless. She took a couple more turns before stopping and turning to the students just outside the Great Hall.
“Now before we enter, as some of you may know you will now be sorted into one of four Houses. Gryffindor, favoring the chivalrous, daring and courageous among you. Hufflepuff, notably patient and loyal hard workers that will be friends until the end. Slytherin, the ambitious, cunning, strong leaders of our world. Last but not least Ravenclaw, those wise and creative in every way imaginable.
“Now, on behalf of all my fellow professors, I welcome you to Hogwarts.”
Professor McGonagall pushed the doors open, and hundreds of eyes of returning students bored into the First Year’s faces.
At the back of the group, Sirius ran his hands through his hair, awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck. He could feel the judgemental stares of his cousins Narcissa and Bellatrix from the Slytherin table. This was Bellatrix’s sixth year attending Hogwarts, but that doesn’t mean that she is going to help her little cousin through his first year, and neither would her second-year sister, Narcissa. The only person Sirius felt he could rely on is their other sister, fourth year Andromeda. Andromeda was always there for him when he was little, and assured him that nothing would change between them if he wasn’t sorted into Slytherin.
Professor McGonagall conjured a list of the first year’s students names as she approached the front of the room. To her left on a beaten bar stool sat an even worse looking, patched up hat with folds for a mouth.
“Lily Evans!” The name echoes through the Hall. A small girl with flowing ginger hair rushed up to the front of the hall excitedly, folding her skirt down hastily as she sat on the stool. McGonagall places the Sorting Hat on Lily’s head, the brim flopping over her face.
“Gryffindor!”
The returning students at the very right of the Hall erupted into cheers, one of the newly elected Prefects warmly patting a seat next to herself in greeting.
“James Potter!”
James sauntered up to the hat with a lopsided grin, and before the hat was even placed on his head it had clearly made its decision.
“Gryffindor!”
James went to high-five Peter on his way over to the Gryffindor table, accidentally smacking him in the face as he went by. Sirius bites back a bark of a laugh as James walks by.
“Severus Snape!”
A meek boy with slick, stringy black hair flopped over his eyes and poor posture slouched his way towards the Sorting Hat. Severus avoided eye contact with any students as the Sorting Hat rang out his House.
“Slytherin!”
Severus slumped unceremoniously down at the Slytherin table and watched with glossed-over eyes as the Sorting continued. Peter Pettigrew was put into Gryffindor after five minutes of the Hat’s consideration, Evan Rosier joined Severus at the Slytherin table, and a little boy named Adrian Crosswell joined the Hufflepuffs.
“Sirius Black!”
Murmurs whipped around the Great Hall; another child of the House of Black? He was bound to be a Slytherin, of course!
As the hat flopped over Sirius’s head, its expression scrunched up in concentration, but there was also a bit of pride hiding in its stitches.
“Gryffindor!”
The Hall fell silent.
“A Black in Gryffindor?” One Ravenclaw student whispered.
“That’s madness!” A Gryffindor replied, soon being elbowed by a friend to their side.
The whispers fell short when Andromeda stood up and began to applaud her cousin, albeit from the opposite of the Hall. Soon enough the Gryffindors erupted in boisterous cheers and hollers, drowning out the whispers from his cousins across the Hall.
“Congrats, mate!” James hollered, side hugging Sirius. “We’ve got the whole group!”
“Almost everyone.” Peter mumbled, motioning to Reighley.
James scoffed, “There’s a Gryffindor in him, he’ll be here soon enough.”
“Reighley Lupin!” McGonagall called out.
Reighley slouched awkwardly; why was she so nervous? Her palms began to sweat as she took a seat on the stool, awkwardly folding her skirt down as far as she could as she sat. Finally, she folded her robe over her legs with a frustrated huff.
Sirius stammered, “Did-Did she say—?”
“Yup.” James nodded. Across from him, Lily let out a quiet giggle.
“You’re incredibly thick, Potter.”
James recoiled in shock. “Am not!”
Lily just gave him an eye roll and looked back at Reighley, whose face was now as red as the banners floating above the Gryffindor table.
“Gryffindor!”
Reighley gasped and leapt off the stool in excitement. She turned to the Gryffindor table and was met with the flabbergasted stares of Peter, James and Sirius. On the other hand, Lily shot up from her seat and applauded Reighley, offering up a seat next to her at the table. Reighley softly trudged over to the Gryffindor table, suddenly becoming very interested in a spot of dirt on her hand-me-down Mary Jane heels.
“I’m so happy we’re in the same house!” Lily hugged Reighley, “I’m Lily, by the way.”
“Reighley Lupin,” Reighley mumbled, “Nice to meet you.”
Reighley made no effort to talk to James, Peter or Sirius after the sorting. She figured that she had Lily, and one friend was better than none.