September 1st, 1972
2099 days
F.J.L.
The Hogwarts Express seemed larger than it had last year. It poured steam and hissed loudly and seemed to loom menacingly over the hoards of oblivious children.
The platform was pure chaos. Everyone stumbled about through the throng of clattering trunks and screech owls and fussing mothers. Returning friends embraced and laughed and chattered excitedly over the din.
Faye did her best to remain at her brother's side without looking too much like a lost little first year.
Truth be told, the noise and crowds and unfamiliarity of it all intimidated her as much as the next eleven-year-old who could count the people she knew personally on her fingers, but she was determined to make a self-assured impression.
Her brother frowned slightly and scanned the crowd. He was a gangling, skinny, pale boy of twelve in a faded red jumper, with fluffy brown hair and small slanting scars across his face. He was quiet, but clever, and incredibly kind.
He'd started at Hogwarts last year, and despite his shyness and other... more personal challenges, he had quickly fallen into a happy rhythm with three new best friends.
His name was Remus, and Faye thought he was wonderful.
"Now let's see here." Remus paused, muttering and let his trunk clunk to the ground. He turned in a slow circle. Faye watched him scan the crowd and tried not to look anxious. She was counting on him to introduce her to his friends.
"There they are." Remus' face relaxed and he breathed a sigh of relief, grinning and waving at a huddle of boys crowded next to the train.
"Oi, Moony!" One of the boys shouted gleefully over the hubbub. He had very untidy black hair and glasses. "Get over here! Wormtail's already having a crisis!"
Remus laughed aloud and lifted his trunk handle again. Faye stared at her brother curiously. He was hardly ever this... exuberant? She didn't know how to describe it. But he was happy. Happier than she'd seen him all summer.
She followed him toward the group of four boys. "Look!" the same kid was grinning wickedly and pointing at a smaller, mousy-looking boy.
The small boy's nose was neon red, and he was staring at his reflection in the train window in a panic. "I've got to get rid of it! How do I put it right?" he blubbered.
"Don't you worry." A third boy, the tallest of the group with lanky dark hair reassured him earnestly, but with a gleam of laughter in his eye. "Madame Pomfrey has just the thing for sunburns." He had an air of rebellion about him and a smudge of chocolate on his cheek. Faye became both wary and fond of him almost immediately.
Remus gave this boy a reproachful look and Faye heard the boy mutter to her brother. "What? We can use magic now. Vacation's over, Moony."
"We're not even on the train yet." Remus protested, but the boy waved him off impatiently.
"Never mind." He clapped Remus on the shoulder. "It's good to see you, mate! This must be that sister of yours?" He looked inquiringly back and forth between Remus and Faye.
Remus sighed and shook his head, smiling. "Yes, this is Faye. Faye, this is Sirius Black."
"Hi." Faye gave an awkward wave.
Sirius, on the other hand, made a great show of bowing deeply with a flourish and extending his hand. When Faye held her hand out, he took it and lightly kissed it in an old-fashioned gentlemanly way.
