Moonlit Bonds: The Tale of Moony and Snowy

Chapter 2 - New Beginnings

I leaned against the window, watching the countryside blur past in a tapestry of greens and golds.

Sirius nudged me gently. "Feeling any better?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"A bit," I admitted. "It's just... all so new. And we know what Mother and Father expect."

Sirius scoffed. "Forget them. We're on our own now, Liz. This is our chance to be who we want to be."

Suddenly, the compartment door slid open, and three boys entered, their faces alight with curiosity. "Mind if we join you?" asked the boy with messy black hair and glasses. His name was James Potter, and beside him stood Remus Lupin, who looked slightly shy but offered a warm smile, and Peter Pettigrew, nervously clutching his bag and glancing around the compartment.

Sirius grinned, his usual charisma shining through. "Sure, come on in. I'm Sirius Black, and this is my sister, Eliza."

James' eyes sparkled with mischief as he sat down opposite us. "James Potter," he introduced himself. "And these are my mates, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew."

Remus gave a small wave. "Nice to meet you," he said quietly, his voice gentle and kind.

Peter nodded vigorously. "Yeah, nice to meet you," he echoed, his nervousness evident in his voice.

As the train journey progressed, we quickly fell into easy conversation. James regaled us with tales of pranks he had pulled at home, his laughter infectious and his excitement about the year ahead palpable.

"I can't wait to see what kind of trouble we can get into at Hogwarts," James said, his eyes gleaming. "I've heard the place is full of secret passages and hidden rooms."

Sirius leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Really? That sounds brilliant! We'll have to explore every inch of the castle."

Remus chuckled softly. "Just try not to get caught," he advised, though his tone suggested he wouldn't mind a bit of mischief himself.

Peter, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. "Do you think it'll be hard? Hogwarts, I mean. The classes and all."

I felt a surge of sympathy for him. "I'm sure it will be challenging," I said, "but we'll help each other out, right?"

"Definitely," James agreed. "We're going to be the best of friends, I can feel it."

For the first time since we had left home, I began to feel a flicker of excitement. The idea of having friends, of being part of a group that supported each other, was a comforting thought.

"So, what house do you think you'll be in?" Sirius asked, his eyes darting between the boys.

James shrugged nonchalantly. "Gryffindor, of course. My dad was a Gryffindor, and I've heard it's the best."

Remus looked thoughtful. "I'd like Gryffindor too, but I wouldn't mind Ravenclaw. I love learning new things."

Peter fidgeted with the strap of his bag. "I don't really care, as long as it's not Slytherin. My mum says they can be a bit... intense."

Sirius and I exchanged a glance. We knew all too well about the intensity of Slytherins, given our family's expectations. "Gryffindor sounds perfect," I said softly, hoping against hope that the Sorting Hat would agree.

As the train chugged along, we shared stories, hopes, and fears. The compartment was filled with laughter and camaraderie, and for the first time, the future seemed a little less daunting.

"We're going to have an amazing year," James declared, his confidence infectious.

"Absolutely," Sirius agreed, his grin wide. "The best year ever."

As the countryside blurred by, the compartment felt like a safe haven, a place where we could be ourselves and dream of the adventures that awaited us at Hogwarts. And with new friends by our side, I felt ready to face whatever challenges came our way.