Chapter Text
1st September, 1971
First Year
Remus Lupin still isn’t quite sure what he thinks of the Hogwarts Express, even as he settles into the corner of an empty compartment, a crisp hardcover book tucked under his arm. Frankly, he isn’t sure what he thinks of leaving his mum for some Wizard Boarding School in Scotland. He has been assured that his monthly predicament will be in the best possible hands, but still it nags at him.
That nagging sensation soon corporealises. Enter a boy, not much older than Remus, paler than parchment with long dark hair, and another who seems to be his best friend. This one seems scrappier than the other, with deep golden skin and a shock of messy black hair and glasses half the size of his face, though both boys stand with shoulders held back and chins pointed upwards. They’re jabbing each other in the ribs and laughing as they stumble into a compartment they must’ve presumed empty, too, because when they see Remus peek above the top of his book to evaluate the new commotion, they freeze dead.
"Alrigh’?” Remus says, watching as the two thaw out enough to speak back.
"Hello,” The long haired one says. He has possibly the most posh accent Remus has ever heard, though given his appearance, it isn’t that surprising.
"Oh, sorry mate, we didn't realise this compartment was taken. D’you mind if we join you?” The other boy asks. He steps forward a bit while he speaks, into the light. Again, Remus considers the word “golden” to describe him. In charm and in looks.
“That’s fine, I guess”
“I’m James Potter, and this is Sirius Black. We met, like, twenty minutes ago but I’m rather sure we’re going to be best mates forever,” the golden one says again. He’s bouncing on his heels now, as if he’s going to overflow with energy at any given moment. The other stands still in the doorframe. He hasn’t moved yet. Has he even blinked? Remus thinks. James, as he now knows, elbows Sirius and he snaps back to the land of the living. He glides into the cabin gracefully and takes a seat opposite Remus, and James flops down next to him.
“Yeah, James and I are going to be mates, ‘cause he’s not in the sacred twenty-eight and it’ll make my mum mad!” Sirius finally speaks again, and his stone-cold facade drops again. He’s back to the boy who got jabbed in the ribs for laughs just moments ago.
“The… what?”
“The Sacred Twenty-Eight,” he enunciates it as if that explains anything at all. He must see the blank expression Remus is making, because he then moves to clarify. “It’s like a blood purity cult, I think. I should know, as heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House Black, but really all I know is it's about keeping the bloodlines sacred. Toujours Pur , of course.”
“You sound like a tosser,” Remus says and returns to his book, not bothering to wait for a response. He makes it through exactly one sentence before his cabin is once again intruded upon. This time, a smaller, mousier boy is sticking his head around the corner and asking if there’s room for one more. James, a “more the merrier” type, it seems, invites him in quickly and warmly, and so much for a peaceful train ride, I guess .
“I’m Peter, uh- Peter Pettigrew,” he chokes on his own name a bit, but offers them a nervous smile all the same.
“Nice to meet you mate, I’m James Potter, and this is my new best mate Sirius Black,” he gestures beside him, and Sirius offers a prim wave. “And that's, um, I guess I never got your name!” He says to Remus, a gap-toothed grin splitting his face.
“Oh. Remus Lupin… Heir to the neither noble nor ancient house Lupin,” He attempts humour, testing the waters of their friendship.
“Oi!” Sirius yelps, as though the joke was a smack to the back of his head. He’s laughing, and it’s a practised little sound, but it’s enough for Remus to smile at. James is all but howling at it, though, holding his gut like it was the funniest thing he’s ever heard. Peter scrunches his face up, confused. He knows he missed a part of the conversation, but he’s too shy to ask what exactly it was. Instead, he digs into a pocket and pulls out a handful of various sweets. His offering. They all take one at random, popping them into their mouths, and then Peter does as well.
Does this make them my friends now? Remus asks himself. If so, that’s a first.
He sits in that thought happily for a moment as he nurses the piece of crystalized pineapple in his mouth. The boys mingle and joke and truly become friends for what feels like forever but isn’t long enough, as again he finds they’re being interrupted. A girl, made up of equal parts red curly hair and freckles, brings with her tension so palpable that it could be physically touched. Though, perhaps, part of that was the boy lingering over her shoulder-- all black hair and black eyes and black robes that reach the floor. They’re bickering in the hall, just beyond the doorway, not realising that the cabin door is cracked just enough for the boys inside to see and hear everything.
“Sev, you aren’t a pureblood either,” the girl says, exasperated. It’s as though this argument has been had more than once on this train ride alone. “And I’m a mudblood! ”
“Right,” the boy nods. He sounds tired, too. All of the girl’s words are simply bouncing off of him. “But you’re different.”
“How, Severus?”
“Uh…” It’s clear that he has no answer, but that his views haven’t changed. She huffs at the fact, finally then registering that they’ve been arguing in front of an open cabin door. She gives a start, then shoves just her head past the threshold of the door.
“Hello there. Lily Evans, charmed.” She slides her hand in with her head. It’s a curt, almost dismissive introduction, but Remus appreciates the thought. Each boy, save for Sirius, gives her hand a shake. “You too posh to shake a muggleborn girl’s hand?”
Sirius flinches at the question and continues to stare at her hand. It’s foreign to him. He pokes her palm, a test. Then he shakes. “Never touched anyone less than a half-blood before. Mum’s gonna kill me!”
This makes the boy in the hall laugh. Lily groans. “The toerag behind me is my best friend, Severus. Sev, say something polite,” she urges. He does not. In fact, he says nothing at all. Simply sniffs a bit and turns to leave. Lily pulls herself from the doorjamb then and follows him, and peace befalls the cabin once more.
“I’m gonna marry her, y’know,” James says dreamily.
“You’re eleven, you absolute wanker.” Sirius. James slaps his arm.
“No, I’m going to marry her someday. I can feel it! I’m in love!”
“Well you might have to fight her snivelly best friend for the honor, mate. He looked like a right git,” Remus adds.
“And so we shall call him Snivellus, for as long as we all shall live!” Again, predictably, Sirius. All four burst into laughter, James nearly falling out of his seat.
It is like that-- full of laughter and banter and general eleven-year-old-boy-ish nonsense-- that the rest of the train ride passes. Remus reads an astounding zero additional words of his book, but promises himself he will tonight. As the train pulls into the platform, the four boys press their faces into the window, all hot air and squashed noses and tongues on the glass, joining all the other incoming students in a chorus of oohs and ahhs that would certainly be felt if they hadn’t been heard.
They soon pile off the train as if their lives depend on it. They, of course, being James, Sirius and Peter. Remus hangs back, for the wolf has given him a bad hip and he loathes the idea of limping through the crowd, in front of his new friends. He stretches, walks the length of the cabin as if to warm up, and then slowly makes his way off the train and towards a series of wooden boats. James pats a seat in the one that they’ve piled into, and Remus hesitantly climbs in. He looks forward to see an absolutely massive-- no, really, is he part giant? -- man in a boat by himself, prepared to lead all of the students to the sprawling castle that occupies the horizon. In the same glance, he catches Lily and Severus in a boat of their own, and James staring at the side of Lily’s head. She’s truly nothing but knots of ginger hair at this angle, but James looks at her like she’s the best thing he’s ever seen.
“I swear, Sirius, I'm going to marry that girl someday. Evans, was it? No matter, it’ll be Potter eventually. She is the most beautiful girl in the entire world, I think I’m in love”
“You know, they say gingers are supposedly soulless,” Peter says.
“Not this one! She’s perfect, Pete! Absolutely bloody perfect.”
“I think you should let her decide if she wants to marry you ,” Remus says thoughtfully. From the bit of her he saw, he’s sure that Lily Evans will not go down without a fight, especially not in the face of a man. Or boy. Or anyone, really. She’s got quite a fiery spirit, he thinks.
“Mate. Eventually, she will not be able to resist the charm of me, James Fleamont Potter”
“Yeah,” Remus rolls his eyes. “You’re a right charmer, you are.”
Sirius, however, is positively screeching. “YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS BLOODY FLEAMONT?”
“Oi, Shut it or I’ll throw you in the lake with the giant squid”
Sirius erupts into a fit of giggles, but Peter suddenly looks petrified. His eyes wide, jaw on the floor. “Uh... DID YOU SAY A GIANT SQUID? WHY ARE MORE PEOPLE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE GIANT SQUID? What if it eats us… or… I dunno, but really, what if it eats us?”
“True Gryffindor you are. Heart of a lion and all.” Sirius rolls his eyes, leaning over the side of the boat to see if he can spot the squid.
“Speaking of Gryffindor, what house do you think you’ll be in, lads? I’ll definitely be a Gryffindor, my mum and dad both were!” James says, chest puffed as if that makes him more Gryffindor-like
“Well obviously I’ll be in Slytherin, being a Black and all. My mum will kill me if I'm anything else,” Sirius looks as though he’s going to be sick, suddenly going green around the gills. He sits ramrod straight in his seat now. It’s as if this is the first time he considered the possibility he could be put anywhere other than Slytherin.
“Oh, my da was a Ravenclaw and mum’s a muggle, so I don’t really know where I’ll go,” Remus considers. “I’m honestly happy to be anywhere.”
Pete nods, agreeing. “Hufflepuff is nice, though, ‘cause they’re so close to the kitchens.”
The boys all laugh and utter some form of agreement as the boat reaches the dock, letting them all out at the base of the castle. It’s even larger up close, and Remus wonders how he won’t end up lost trying to find class every day. The giant-- a man who introduces himself as Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper- directs them all to enter the castle and follow the stairs up, where a woman named McGonagall is supposed to be waiting. Again, Remus lingers away from the crowd for a moment, before then proceeding after James, Sirius, and Peter. The stairs feel infinitely long, and his hip pops in and out the whole way, but after a few moments he’s reunited with everyone. A regal looking woman stands at the front of the crowd, waiting patiently for any last students, before beginning what feels like a formal address.
“Welcome, students, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” She begins, taking only a brief second to introduce herself as professor of transfiguration and head of Gryffindor house, Minerva McGonagall. “In a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But, before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses-- Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will become your family. You will have classes with your housemates, sleep in your house’s dormitory and spend any free time in your house’s common room. Your triumphs will earn house points. Any rule breaking or otherwise mischief will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup.”
The crowd all nods, some more ooh-ing and aah-ing taking place amongst circles of muggleborn students. McGonagall remains silent until the shock dies down, at which point she continues, “The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily.”
With that, she excuses herself. Remus stands, staring at the doors as the anticipation grips him, for what feels like an eternity. It was probably only a matter of minutes, but who’s counting. The doors open, and again it’s McGonagall there, escorting the kids towards the front of the hall. Remus tips his head back, staring upwards at a sea of floating candles, and what looks to be the night sky above him. He can smell the food, too, though none has so much as graced a table. He must’ve zoned out for a bit, because next he knows, James is nudging him excitedly.
“It’s starting!” He whisper-yells, that toothy grin emerging again, as McGonagall stands before them with a dingy looking old hat, explaining that she will place it on each of their heads to determine which house they will then join.
“Are you sure I won’t get head lice from that thing?” Sirius asks, already scratching at the back of his head. “I’m quite proud of my hair, you know.”
“I’m sure you won’t. This is going to be wicked!” James says, once again bouncing as he did on the train. A few random students are sorted, and then she calls James up.
He walks-- nay, skips-- to the stool, practically vibrating from sheer excitement. He takes a seat and she lowers the hat, but before it can even fully make it onto his head, it confidently declares him the newest member of Gryffindor house. James hops off the stool, confident and smiling, as he walks over to the table that is screaming and shouting to welcome him.
Called next is Lily’s friend from the train. Severus Snape. As he settles onto the stool, the hat settles onto his head, too. The hat has a few moments of pondering before reaching a decision:
“Slytherin!”
The Slytherin table is much more subdued in their reaction, just polite claps and a few soft cheers. Maybe a whistle, but if so, it’s quiet. They’re nowhere near as raucous as the Gryffindors.
Peter and Lily are called consecutively and both are sorted into Gryffindor as well, Peter happily taking a seat beside James once he reaches the table. Following them, a couple of other Gryffindor girls, Mary Macdonald and Marlene McKinnon. Then...
“Remus Lupin”
Remus gulps and takes a breath, as all of a sudden he is very aware of all the eyes on him. He limps his way up to the stool and takes a seat. The hat seems to take a moment to consider where it should put him, even going so far as to suggest he would reach great success with Ravenclaw before ultimately deciding to place him in Gryffindor. He hops off the stool as if he hasn’t a poor hip, bounding towards the table and taking the spot that James has already cleared for him. He claps him on the shoulder as a form of congratulations as they both turn their attention back to the ceremony.
A few students are called and sorted after Remus, such as the impossibly kind Dorcas Meadowes, who greets everyone at the Gryffindor table with their own “it’s so nice to meet you.” Thus, it feels like quite some time has passed when McGonagall finally calls “Sirius Black.”
He swaggers his way to the stool, shoulders back and chin high, confident he knows where he is going to be placed. After all, he’s a Black. Why wouldn’t he? After a long moment, the hat bellows “Gryffindor!” and Sirius immediately deflates. His ego seems to vanish and he blanches as he glances at the Slytherin table. He mouths what looks to be an apology to someone there before he makes his way to the Gryffindor table. James and the others, naturally, are whooping at him excitedly, giving him the warmest possible welcome. He slips between James and Remus, but says nothing. He looks a bit ill, even, as he looks down the length of the table, taking in his new surroundings once and for all.
As the sorting ceremony wraps up, Headmaster Dumbledore gives an address of his own and at last, the food appears before them. Remus dives in, absolutely ravenous, with Peter hot on his heels. James eats too, but politely. Sirius, however, pushes his food around the plate without eating much of anything at all.
The feast comes to a close and the first years are instructed to follow behind the prefects to their house dormitories. They receive their password, which they must tell to the portrait of the Fat Lady in order to access their common room or dormitories. At present, it’s “Cauldron Cakes.” Upon entering the space, they get barely a second to look around the common room before they are ushered to their respective rooms for bed. Best of all, their things are all already waiting for them.
“Lads, I can’t believe we are this lucky. We all got put in Gryffindor together, and now we get to share a room, this is well cool!” James says as he all but falls into his bed, limbs akimbo. Remus and Peter hum in agreement, getting settled themselves, but Sirius says nothing as he shuts himself into his bed, curtains pulled impossibly tight. He hasn’t so much as uttered a peep since sorting. They all eventually tuck in for sleep, and, as he reads quietly to himself, Remus is sure that he can hear soft sobs coming from Sirius’ bed.