The beginning of a new era at Hogwarts: the first year of the Marauders.
When James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew arrive at Hogwarts, none of them are prepared for what awaits them in their first year. For each of them, this...
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Autumn, September 1971
Around ten o'clock in the evening, the three children stepped off the train, among the last of the first-years to do so. The night chill wrapped around them as they joined the line of students moving along a path dimly lit by the wavering glow of a few oil lamps. It was a well-known tradition that first-year students had to cross the Black Lake in boats before being sorted into their respective houses.
"I can't see a thing," murmured a voice ahead of them, and it was true. The darkness was thick, so dense that some could only be guided by the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel.
"Follow me! FIRST-YEARS, OVER HERE! Quickly now!" boomed a deep voice through the gloom. "Oi, you! Yes, you! Why haven't you got that cloak on? Put it on NOW! Come on, come on, four to a boat! Five in the larger ones!"
Following the voice, they moved forward for a few moments until, suddenly, the path opened up, and a silent lake stretched out before them. Then, as they lifted their gaze, the three children saw the silhouette of Hogwarts for the first time, and their breath caught in their throats.
"Blimey..." James whispered, his eyes wide, almost shining with excitement. All summer, he'd imagined this moment, but it was even more incredible than he'd dreamed.
High on the hill, Hogwarts stood so majestic it seemed impossible that something like this could exist outside of fairy tales.
Every window of the fortress glowed, casting golden flashes into the darkness, and the towers and battlements were etched against the starlit sky. Seeing it all made his skin prickle with awe.
"It's... astonishing," whispered Remus beside him, wonder in every syllable. In the pitch darkness, Hogwarts seemed to have a glow all its own, a magical aura bright enough to light up the blackest night.
"It's beautiful..." Sirius murmured, barely breathing, captivated by every detail of the place. He knew he would never forget this moment: the castle towers, the warm lights in the night, the lake beneath their feet. Everything felt so surreal that his heart raced, as if trying to wake him from a splendid dream.
The three friends stood motionless, gazing in silent awe at the castle of their dreams, as the boats began to glide across the water.
"Guys... I-I-I think he's a giant," whispered a boy's anxious voice from behind them, tugging on James's robe. Unlike the others, he wasn't staring at the castle; he was looking at the enormous man helping students into the boats. The three friends turned to see who he was pointing at, and they quickly understood his astonishment.
The man in question was, indeed, immense—at least three metres tall. His figure was broad and sturdy, with a thick beard covering most of his face, giving him a wild, mysterious look.
"Under no circumstances are you to touch the water creatures!" he suddenly bellowed, causing more than a few to jump. "The creatures of the Black Lake will drag you to the bottom, and no one will EVER find your bodies!" he warned in a serious tone as the students began boarding the boats, making it clear he wasn't joking.
