Introductions
September 1st, 1971
The train was a maze of narrow corridors and compartments, most of which were already full. Remus dragged his trunk along awkwardly, peering into windows as he passed. Everywhere he looked, groups of friends were laughing, talking, and settling in. He felt more out of place with every step.
Finally, he found an empty compartment near the back of the train. Sliding the door open, he shoved his trunk into the corner and collapsed onto the seat. The hum of voices outside was muffled here, and for a moment, he let himself relax.
The peace didn’t last long.
The door slid open suddenly, and two boys stood in the doorway: the messy-haired boy from the platform and the stocky blond one.
“Everywhere else is full,” the dark-haired boy said without preamble. “Mind if we sit here?”
Remus hesitated, but before he could answer, the blond boy piped up. “We’ll sit here anyway.”
The first boy grinned and dropped onto the seat across from Remus. “I’m James Potter,” he said, sticking out his hand. “And this is Peter Pettigrew.”
“Hi,” Peter added with a small wave as he plopped down beside James.
“Remus Lupin,” Remus said quietly, shaking James’s hand.
James tilted his head, studying him. “First year?”
Remus nodded.
“Us too,” James said, leaning back with a grin. “What house do you think you’ll be in?”
“I—I don’t know,” Remus admitted, feeling his cheeks heat up.
“Gryffindor,” James said confidently, as if there were no other option. “My dad was in Gryffindor, so I will be too.”
“Me too,” Peter said quickly, though he looked less certain.
Remus just nodded, unsure what to say. He had no idea what house he belonged in, or if he belonged at all, he never spoke of his life within the wizarding world.
A few minutes later, the door slammed open again, startling them all.
“Move over,” said the boy from the Black family, Sirius, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. He shoved his trunk into the corner and flopped onto the seat next to Peter, who scooted away slightly.
“Er—hello?” James said, raising an eyebrow.
“Everywhere else is full,” Sirius said, waving a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, I’m not staying long. Just need to escape them.” He jerked his thumb toward the window, where the Black family was still standing on the platform.
“You’re a Black,” James said, his tone more of a statement than a question.
Sirius smirked. “Unfortunately.”
James’s grin widened. “I like you already.”
Remus watched silently as the two boys exchanged introductions. Sirius was loud and brash, a stark contrast to Peter’s nervous fidgeting and James’s easy confidence. Yet somehow, they all seemed to fit together in a way that made Remus feel even more out of place.
Sirius turned to him suddenly, his gray eyes sharp. “What about you?”
“Remus Lupin,” he said, his voice quieter than he intended.
“Well, Lupin, welcome to the madhouse,” Sirius said with a dramatic sweep of his arm.
For the first time all day, Remus found himself smiling.