Chapter 1
Sirius
‘Come on, Reggie!’ Sirius begged his brother. They were standing just inside the red Hogwarts express and much to Sirius's annoyance Regulus was still insisting on sitting with his dumb Slytherin friends instead of joining the Marauders.
‘I said no, Sirius.’ Regulus said, harshly pushing his brother’s hand off his arm. Sirius scowled and stepped back.
‘Fine. But my friends are a lot more entertaining.’
Regulus paused for a second then glared at his brother and hissed, ‘And I don't have bloody bandages on my leg because of my friends.' loud enough for only Sirius to hear.
Sirius flinched and looked away, suddenly aware of the sticky wet feeling covering his calf. Images flashed through his head, his mothers disapproving frown, her raised wand, Regulus and his father standing on the other side of the room watching silently.
Reg rolled his eyes and walked to a waving Pandora Rosier. Sirius stood frozen for a few seconds before flipping off Regulus's back and hurriedly grabbing his trunk and heading in the opposite direction.
As he walked his anger faded, and a slow smile spread across his lips as he watched nervous first graders scrambling into compartments and the growing sound of excited voices filling the train.
He had escaped again. His horrible parents were far away for another year. And he was going to see James again! And Remus! He hasn't been able to visit the Potter’s home this summer and he was itching to be back to his real family.
His pace quickened until he reached their usual compartment. He was aiming for a big dramatic entrance. He would throw the door open and pose dramatically, then he'd fall into Remus's arms who would roll his eyes and shove him onto James.
Sirius didn't get remotely close to achieving this entrance.
The moment he swung open the door his eyes fell on Remus and all the air in his lungs seemed to disappear.
Sirius had always known Remus was handsome, it was a more modest sort of handsomeness than his own, shy smiles and nervous eyes.
But something had changed over the summer. He sat with a new air of confidence even though his nose was still borrowed in a book.
His mum must have finally let him grow out his hair because the mousy brown curls fell almost to the shoulders.
He must have been out in the sun more too because his skin was a few shades darker and the freckles that decorated his face were much more evident.
He wore torn muggle jeans and an old band shirt, and in the middle of his face, running over the bridge of his nose was a new scar. It made Remus look unbelievably cool though Sirius knew his friend wouldn't agree with him.
For some reason Sirius couldn't seem to tear his eyes from the sight.
‘Mate?’ The voice of his platonic soulmate brought Sirius back from wherever his mind had drifted off too. He turned to James, hair still untamed and glasses sitting crooked on his face.
‘You alright Padfoot?’ he asked. He really did sound concerned. Merlin, how long had Sirius zoned out?
‘Oh, Prongs,’ he said dramatically. ‘You know I'm never alright.’ James grinned. ‘There he is!’
Sirius laughed and finally looked at the other members of the compartment.
Peter was sitting next to James and babbling about something that only James could have the patience to listen to.
Next to Remus sat Lily Evans. Red hair cut at the shoulders and wearing a muggle dress even though she knew it would make her more of a target for pureblood bullies. Brave girl.
She was laughing at something Remus had said and with a pang Sirius realised that his arm was slung across her shoulders.
Something angry and red fizzled in his stomach but he pushed it down and quickly looked for a distraction.
‘Where's Mary?’ he asked as he sat beside Evans.
As if summoned by the bare mention of her name, McDonald crashed into the compartment looking a mess, unlike her.
She bent over resting her hands on her knees and taking deep breaths.
Sirius raised an eyebrow and glanced at the others, they seemed just as confused as him.
‘Alright there, McDonald?’ he asked.
She straightened and with barely contained excitement shouted, ‘MARLENE IS SNOGGING A SLYTHERIN!!!!’
Almost all of them jumped out of their seats, from shock and the volume that Mary delivered the shock in.
‘What?’ Remus asked.
‘WHO?’ Lily shouted.
Mary grinned and took a slow breath, building anticipation. ‘Dorcas Meadowes.’
Lily squealed and the boys exchanged confused glances.
‘Who?’ James asks.
Mary frowned. ‘You should know her. Only girl on the Slytherin team?’ James made a silent ‘O’ with his mouth and turned away, embarrassed that he didn't remember the name of the competition.
‘Wait,’ everyone turns to Peter. ‘A girl?’ he asked Mary.
They all went quiet and stared at him. Mouths straight lines or turned down in disappointment.
It wasn't particularly uncommon for Peter specifically to make a comment like this but normally they averted their eyes and changed the subject or James might try to talk to him but it felt different when he said it about their close friend.
‘Yes. And?’ Lily said, clearly trying to keep the strained disgust out of her voice. His comment must have finally gone to his head because he turned away and mumbled a ‘sorry, sorry.’
Mary sat next to James and after a few moments normal conversation flooded back.
Since James was occupied with Peter, Sirius took his chance to stare at Remus and figure out why he had been so shocked by his change of appearance.
It was still the Remus he’d always known. The same smile, the same laugh, the same dimples at the corners of his mouth, the same glancing at his book bag when he wanted to be finished with a conversation. But then why did it feel so different? Why did that bubbling anger settle in his stomach again when he realised Remus's hand was now resting around Lily's waist? Why did every glance thrown his way make Sirius want to break into a huge grin?
The compartment door opened again and Sirius reluctantly looked away from Moony.
In the entrance stood Marlene, the last of their group.
Her lips were red and slightly swollen and Sirius swore he saw a purple mark forming beneath her collar.
His parents' teaching filled Sirius’s head. Their voices shouting in condescending disgust. Sirius quickly pushed it away and grinned at Marlene.
She was already in her uniform and her hair was sticking up in all directions, if it was from the snogging she’d clearly been doing or simply a style, Sirius couldn't tell. You often couldn't with Marlene.
She took a deep breath. ‘I SNOGGED-’
‘WE KNOW! WE KNOW!’ Mary and Lily shrieked excitedly. Lily got up and moved on to the opposite bench with Mary. They pushed off James and Pete to make space for Marlene and started talking in hushed whispers combined with uncontrolled giggles.
James rolled his eyes and joined them with Pete.
A moment later, Sirius was pressed against Moony. One of Remus’s curls tickled his neck and he smelled of fresh parchment and that tea Sirius knew he drank every morning. Sirius had to pinch the back of his hand to stop himself from inhaling the scent.
To his relief and disappointment after a few breathless moments Remus stood.
‘Come on, Lily. We ought to be there already.’
Lily jumped up, suddenly frantic. ‘Oh no. Oh no. Oh fuck!’ Sirius startled. Lily swears?
‘Merlin, I haven't even changed yet!’ she glared at Remus. ‘Why didn't you remind me earlier. He shrugged apologetically and stepped aside as she rushed past, robes in her arms.
‘What's all this about?’ Sirius asked as Remus started to go after her.
He looked back at them and his gaze landed on Sirius. (Was the room getting hotter?)
He smiled his Marauder smile. ‘Perfect's meeting.’ Then he closed the door and ran into the next carriage.
Mary and Marlene laughed at the shocked expressions on the boys' faces. And they eventually joined in. Of course Remus hadn't told them he'd made prefect till the last possible moment. Was there anything more Moony?