Running With Wolves

Part 1: The Oncoming Storm

Chapter 1: Introduction

"You'll be sure to write?" Remus' mother asked placing both hands on his face and standing on her toes to brush her lips to his cheek.

"Of course I will, Mum."

"And if anything happens, you make sure and tell us, alright?"

"Yes, Mum. I have to go," he urged as a high pitched whistle sounded from the scarlet steam engine fifteen feet away.

"Oh, be safe dear." She kissed him one more time for good measure, and sent him off to the train. Quickly, Remus heaved his trunk through the door with a heavy thump, and made his way down the train corridor, giving short "hello"s to a couple of people as he passed. He had to dodge a young Ravenclaw girl who seemed determined to keep him in a conversation.

His friends were sitting in a compartment near the back of the train. James and Sirius were shoving each other around and laughing, while Peter sat in the corner, looking up at them with reverence.

Sirius stopped immediately when he saw Remus at the door. James batted at his shoulder then turned, and his face broke into a grin. He grabbed Remus' trunk from him and hoisted in onto the luggage rack above their heads. Sirius just stood there, gaping at him, holding onto the windowsill like his life depended on it.

"Are you alright, Sirius?" Remus asked, eyebrow raised. Sirius snapped his mouth shut and promptly released the window. Remus sat down next to Peter.

Another high-pitched whistle cut the air, silver steam billowed up in front of the window, and the train lurched forward, rolling lazily away from the platform.

"Have a good summer then, Rem?" James asked, leaning back and taking up most of the seat on his side. Sirius kicked him away so he was forced to take up only half the space. James scowled more out of formality than actual irritation.

"Definitely could have been worse. My great Aunt came to visit. God, you have no idea...the night mare." Remus rolled his eyes and laughter pealed through the compartment. "And hiding my 'fury little problem' from her—not an experience I'll be eager to repeat."

"She doesn't know you're a werewolf?"

"She doesn't know I'm a wizard. What about you James? How was Paris?"

"Trip was cancelled. You should've seen it. He showed up—," James flipped a finger in Sirius' direction. "In the middle of the night, in the pouring rain, soaked through to the skin and knocking on my bedroom window." Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"He hid in my bedroom for three days before my parents found out. Looked a right mess, too, until my mom fixed him up, covered in b--." But the James caught Sirius' eye, suddenly stern, jaw clenched and James stopped talking abruptly.

"Why were you at James' house," Remus asked curiously, "covered in what?"

"I ran away from home. Couldn't stand it. My parents are more intolerable than ever, what with the war everyone thinks is about to happen. He said the word "war" in a whisper, as if speaking it would somehow make it happen faster.

"My parents haven't been ignoring it either. That's another reason we cancelled Paris." James added

"My dad says the war's been going on for years now." Remus said quietly. "That You-Know-Who's been gathering followers since before we started school and the ministry's been trying to hide the damage. That's gotten a little harder now what with all the..." Remus let the word trail away.

"Deaths." James finished for him.

Remus glanced out the window at the grey clouds forming on the horizon. "We're in for one hell of a year," he murmured so softy he thought the others hadn't heard him, but James let out a small sigh of agreement, Sirius nodded his head with resignation and Peter gave a small groan. The group fell into a melancholy silence.