Homebound
December 16th, 1971
The morning of their departure was cold and crisp. Snowflakes fluttered through the air as the boys finished packing their trunks in the Gryffindor dormitory.
“Anyone else feel like this term went by too fast?” James asked, shoving a stray sock into his bag.
“Not fast enough,” Sirius muttered. “I can’t wait to be away from my family for a bit.”
“You’re lucky you get to stay with James,” Peter said, sitting cross-legged on his bed and fiddling with the clasp of his trunk.
Sirius grinned. “Yeah, the Potters are basically my second family now.”
“What about you, Remus?” James asked, glancing at him.
Remus hesitated. “I’m… just heading home. My parents are excited to see me.”
Sirius raised an eyebrow, but to Remus’s relief, he didn’t press further.
The Great Hall was abuzz with students gathering their belongings and saying their goodbyes. The Marauders made their way down together, dragging their trunks behind them.
“Make sure you owl us, yeah?” James said, clapping Peter on the back.
“Yeah, don’t go disappearing on us,” Sirius added, smirking.
“I won’t,” Peter said, though he looked a bit teary-eyed at the thought of leaving.
As they reached the carriages, Lily and her friends waved from a distance. James immediately straightened up, running a hand through his hair.
“Hopeless,” Sirius muttered, rolling his eyes.
“See you on the train!” Lily called, smiling.
James waved back, looking far too pleased.
The Hogwarts Express was a mixture of chaos and nostalgia as students found their compartments. The Marauders squeezed into one near the middle, settling in for the ride back to London.
“You know,” Sirius said, leaning back against the window, “it’s going to be weird not having you lot around for a bit.”
“Sentimental much?” Remus teased, though he secretly felt the same.
“Just stating the truth,” Sirius replied. “Who else am I going to get into trouble with over the holidays?”
“You’ll manage,” James said with a grin. “Though I’m sure my parents will appreciate you not blowing anything up in their house.”
The boys laughed, but as the train rumbled on, the mood grew quieter.
As they approached King’s Cross Station, the boys began to gather their things.
“Right,” Sirius said, standing up. “No one gets to forget about me over the holidays, got it? I expect at least one owl from each of you.”
“Same here,” James said. “We’ll regroup at the start of next term.”
Peter nodded enthusiastically. “Promise.”
Remus smiled. “You’ll hear from me.”
“Good,” Sirius said, clapping him on the shoulder.
When the train finally pulled into the station, the boys disembarked together, their trunks rattling behind them. The platform was a flurry of activity, with parents greeting their children and saying their goodbyes.
“Over here!” a tall man called, waving to James.
“That’s my dad,” James said, nudging Sirius. “Come on.”
“See you, then,” Sirius said to Peter and Remus.
Peter’s mother, a small, nervous-looking woman, bustled over and hugged him tightly. “Let’s go, Peter,” she said, glancing warily at the bustling crowd.
Remus lingered a moment, watching as each of his friends disappeared into the crowd.
Remus’s parents stood near the edge of the platform, his mother smiling warmly and his father looking as cautious as ever.
“Ready to go, Remus?” his mother asked, pulling him into a hug.
“Yeah,” Remus said, though his heart ached at leaving his friends behind.
As he followed his parents toward the exit, he glanced back one last time, the sounds of King’s Cross fading into the background. He felt a strange mixture of longing and hope.
The Marauders had made a promise to stay in touch, and somehow, Remus knew they would keep it.