Shenanigans << Marauders fanfiction

• Chapter 1 •

☾Venus Chambers☽

Home. Such a simple word with many deeper meanings. A home is a place where you feel loved and accepted, a place where you can surround yourself with family. For me, Hogwarts is my home.

As I pushed my luggage trolley through the barrier onto Platform 9 3/4, an overjoyed thrill spread through my body. Looking around, I could see families saying their goodbyes, friends being reunited after the summer and worried-but-excited looking first years clambering onto the gleaming scarlet steam engine.

"VENUS!" I heard a voice shout from behind me. I span around to see my best friend, Lily Evans, running towards me. I immediately tackled her in a bear hug and squealed with happiness from seeing my best friend for the first time in months.

"Oi Evans, where's my hug?" The moment was ruined by the arrogant voice of James Potter. The two of us looked around to see him swaggering across the platform with his three friends following closely behind. Lily just groaned and muttered some curse words under her breath which caused me to giggle slightly. "Did you not miss me, Evans?"

"Of course not, Potter. Why would I miss an arrogant toe-rag like yourself?" Lily glared at him as he faked a hurt expression.

"I'll get you one day, Evans. That I can promise you."

"Not if you were the last guy on Earth." Lily snapped, grabbing my arm and walking away from the laughing boys. "Before we were rudely interrupted, I was going to ask how your holiday was?"

"It was okay. I didn't really do much, I wasn't allowed to talk about school or even study for this year- you know how my parents are with that stuff- and my brother was intensely annoying through out the duration of the summer." I replied with a fake smile. I'm a muggle born witch, so it was obviously a surprise for my parents when I got accepted into Hogwarts. They despise the idea of magic or anything out of the ordinary and didn't particularly want me to attend a 'school for freaks' as they call it. "How was yours?"

"Mine was quite nice actually. We travelled to France and I bumped into a girl from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic! She was a bit snobbish though so I didn't talk to her for long. Petunia brought her boyfriend Vernon round the house a few times and he was horrid." Lily frowned. "It's a shame you weren't allowed to come over, Sev visited twice but I missed you a lot!"

"Aw Lils, I missed you too! I wish my parents were a little more understanding about magic." I said as the two of us boarded the Hogwarts Express. We strolled down the carriages in attempt to find an empty apartment before eventually finding one towards the end of the train.

The ride to Hogwarts was always too long for my liking. Lily left to find Severus after about 3 hours, so I was alone in the compartment. I didn't mind being alone, it gave me an excuse to start reading and not feel as though I'm being rude.

"What are you reading?" I was startled by a voice coming from the other side of the compartment. I glanced up to see Remus Lupin's head, peeping around the door.

"Carrie, by Stephen King." I replied with a small smile.

"That's one of my favourites!" Remus said excitedly, as he sat down opposite me. "I love muggle books! What other books do you like?"

"I really lik- wait a second, where are the other three?" I asked all of a sudden. You never saw the the Marauders alone, with the exception of when Sirius Black is chatting up girls, but even then the rest of them are never far away.

"James and Sirius decided to 'have some fun' by harassing Lily and Snape and Peter is looking for the snack trolley." He shrugged, rolling his eyes slightly.

The Marauders never came to find Remus- nor did he attempt to look for them either- so we spent the remainder of the journey to Hogwarts discussing our favourite books, this years classes and even a bit about Quidditch.