The Call of the Moon

Chapter Four

The train was packed full of students, old and new, finding compartments and friends to sit with. Remus squeezed by a boy with a blonde ponytail who barely glanced at him as he shouldered his way through after the same blonde girl Remus had seen on the platform with her sister.

Though Diagon Alley had been every bit as crowded so close to school term starting, this seemed suddenly much worse. Unaccustomed to being around so many people, Remus found himself sidling into the nearest compartment he could, trying to catch his breath.

"First year, huh?" A cheerful voice made him spin around with wide eyes and he recognised the blonde seventh year from the platform. He was already in his Hogwarts robes, splashed with Hufflepuff yellow and a shining badge pinned to his chest. When Remus said nothing, the seventeen year old laughed and helped the first year lift his trunk up.

"Ted Tonks, Head Boy, what's your name then?"

Remus finally found his voice, quiet though it was and as the train lurched, he fell into the seat. "Remus Lupin."

"Well, Remus, if you want any help just call out. Don't need to be nervous, Hogwarts is brilliant, I promise."

Remus smiled a little and stared out the window as the train pulled away from the station. He was well and truly the furthest he had ever been from home, surrounded by so many people that he was quietly terrified would somehow find out about him and be scared of him. He didn't know how to make friends, he'd never had one before.

"Ah, hello!" Ted was talking again, but not to him now. A boy with a round face, and a fellow first year, had just entered the compartment slightly out of breath.

"Can I sit in here?" He squeaked and Remus arched a dusty brown eyebrow and resumed his staring in wonder out the window.

"Sure you can. I'm Ted Tonks, Head Boy-oh..." The older boy grinned as a girl waved to him from the doorway. "Listen, I'm gonna go, you two will be fine I promise. Coming, Andromeda!"

"He-He's very cheerful..." The round faced boy muttered as the seventh year vanished from the compartment and slowly sat on the edge of the seat opposite Remus.

Neither of them said anything after that until the door slid open again and two more first year students entered. One of them a girl with bright red hair and a smile so full of excitement it was hard not be infected by the same energy. The boy that followed her seemed almost her opposite. He had coal black hair that hung limp and skin so pale it was almost white. His face was impassive, but held the barest hint of a smile as he helped the girl put her trunk away and tucked his own, very old and worn one beside hers.

"Isn't it exciting, Sev? We're finally going!" The girl addressed her friend, sitting down on the seat beside the rat faced boy and the dark haired boy she had called 'Sev' sat beside her.

She seemed by far the most keen on talking of the four of them in the compartment and seemed to appoint it her duty to introduce herself and inspire some sort of conversation.

"I'm Lily Evans, this is Severus. What are your names?" She said, smiling at the boy on her left and then across at Remus.

"P-Peter...P-Pettigrew." The boy stammered but smiled and seemed to relax a little bit from his nervousness.

Remus' mouth dried up when he felt three pairs of eyes on him expecting him to introduce himself now. He wasn't used to anyone talking to him apart from his parents, the only other time he had even so much as spoken to any kids his age had been for about a minute when he was seven.