Marlene

2- Harbouring Criminals

Marlene made her way down the train and found a near empty compartment. There was a single person curled up in the corner, but he appeared asleep, so Marlene dragged her trunk in and struggled to lift it up onto the luggage wrack.

Almost as soon as her trunk was secure, the train began to move. Marlene waved vigorously at her family. She could see her father lifting Erica up on to his shoulders so that she could see better, and all three of the waving at her.

In no time, they were gone. Marlene settled back into her seat. Excitement was growing in her stomach. She was going to Hogwarts.

Marlene looked at the sleeping boy for the first time. It was the same boy who had had barrelled into her on the platform. His clothes were shabby and the trunk in the overhead rails was battered and the leather was peeling. He also had a long, thin scar on his face.

Marlene settled into her chair and watched people passing her compartment. She got her first glimpse at what Hogwarts life was going to be like, watching as students of all ages hurried up and down the corridor, carrying everything from sweets to canaries. Two particularly loud boys hurried past the compartment, banging the doors as they did.

This loud noise woke up the sleeping boy. He sat up straight and looked around, blinking and rubbing his eyes.

"Hello sleepy head!" Marlene said happily.

"Uh, hello," the boy rubbed his eyes.

"I'm Marlene," she streatched out her hand.

"Remus," he shook her hand.

"Isn't it exciting!" Marlene grinned, looking out the window at the passing countryside, "we're going to Hogwarts."

"So you're first year too?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, "but mum and dad never shut up about the place."

"My dad is the same," Remus nodded, with a slight laugh.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" Marlene asked.

"I've never really thought about it," shrugged Remus.

"What? That's all I've thought about for the past few weeks!" Marlene exclaimed, "my dad is all for Ravenclaw, but my mum told me she'd disown me if I'm not in Gryffindor. So why haven't you thought about it?"

"I didn't know if I was coming or not," he shrugged.

"Why not?" Marlene asked.

The boy went red and Marlene groaned internally.

"Dammit, I stuck my nose where it doesn't belong again didn't I?"

"No, it's okay," he assured her, "I just-"

"No, don't worry about telling me, I'm too nosy for my own good," Marlene laughed.

********

The two continued talking and Marlene bought a tonne of sweets for the two to dig through.

They weren't bothered by anyone for the whole jorney, and we're both quite content to sit in silence for a while. That was until two boys tumbled into the compartment, shouting and whooping loudly.

Marlene snorted and tried to surpress any more laughter.

"Oh," one of the boys straightened up. He had messy black hair and circular glasses, "didn't see you guys there."

"It doesn't seem like you cared either," Marlene laughed.

"The girl is right," the other boy scrambled up, grinning from ear to ear. He also had black hair, but it was slightly less messy than his friend's.

"I get the feeling that you're hiding from something," Remus observed as the two boys tucked themselves away on either side of the door.

"We irritated a prefect," the first boy said.

"He's searching for us," the second added with a laugh, "but he's not going to find us!"

"So if we're harbouring criminals, then I'd quite like to know their names," Marlene looked between the two boys.

"I'm James Potter," the one with the glasses winked.

"Sirius Black," the second grinned, "and who are you?"

"Marlene- Marlene McKinnon," Marlene replied, "and this is-"

"Remus Lupin," Remus said.

"Well Marlene-Marlene McKinnon and Remus Lupin, I am sure we will be seeing more of you," Sirius Black gave them a cocky grin, "but for now, me and my good friend here must bid you goodbye."

Sirius grabbed James's arm and the two hurtled off as the prefect who they were hiding from stuck his head into the compartment.

"Oh Hogwarts is going to be so much fun!" Marlene grinned at Remus.

Chapter twoooooooo!
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~Em xx