The Marauders

2

James walked down the corridor of the train, dodging kids running by, poorly aimed hexes, and once a Dungbomb. He peered into every compartment, searching for an empty one, or at least one with children his age. Near the back of the train, he pulled open the sliding glass door to find himself looking at a grumpy looking boy, with long black hair, a narrow face, and pale cheeks, slouching in his seat and glaring out the window at the rolling countryside. The boy looked up as James entered, his face still glaring. James saw that the boy looked more nervous than angry, now that he could see his eyes. They widened as James sat down across from the boy and stuck out his hand.

"I'm James," he said, still holding out his hand, a grin on his face.

The boy looked at his hand, and slowly, sat up, took James's hand, and shook it. "Sirius," he said shortly. "Sorry," James said perplexedly, "Your name is Serious?" The boy's eyes narrowed. "Its S-i-r-i-u-s," he said with a slightly bitter tone. "Sirius Black, of the noble and most ancient house of Black. It's a star."

James arched his eyebrows and asked:
"You're a pure blood?"
"Are you?"
"Yes."
"My parents say not to mix with anyone less than a half blood, because muggleborns are second class."
"Well, my parents say to mix with everyone, since everyone's got a chance to prove themselves better than the status they were born with."

Sirius's eyes softened. "Did they?"   he said with a relieved tone. James  replied, "Of course they did. Its human decency to accept everyone for who they are. But your parents, no offense, don't seem to understand that."

Sirius was sitting up fully now, sitting on the edge of his seat, hanging on to James's every word. "You're right," he said happily. "My parents don't know anything of human decency. You're absolutely right."

James smiled and was about to speak when the sliding glass door opened and a red headed girl about their age came in, followed by a small, pale, greasy haired boy. "Oh, hello," the girl said. "Do you mind of we sit here?" James quickly made room on the already almost vacant seat and said "Of course," completely ignoring the other boy. The red haired girl sat down and said to the still standing boy, "Come, sit down Severus." The boy didn't move. Instead, he turned to James and said, "What house will you be in?" James puffed with pride and chanted, " Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad," he added. Sirius was grumpy again, and he muttered, " My whole family has been in Slytherin. That's the worst house." James contorted his face into fake surprise and said, "Funny, you were just beginning to seem all right." Sirius cracked a grin. Severus looked over the two and said with some resentment, "Well, I knew neither of you would be in a house that has brains, not brawn." James opened his mouth to retort but was beat to it by Sirius, who snapped, "Where are you going, seeing as you've neither?"

James roared in laughter and ignored the girl leaving the compartment and beckoning to the boy. "Let's go Severus!"

Sirius laughed and said, 'Yes, bye bye Snivellus!" He basked in the sound of James's laughter.

"Mate, I've got the feeling were going to be good friends," said James.

Sirius's grin stretched from ear to ear.