1. James and Lil Petey get on the Train
James was never more excited to board any train in his life. Now that he thinks about it, he doesn’t remember if he's ever even been on a train before… but those are details. He hears the distant sound of his mother trying to reign him in, but he’s bouncing on his heels, looking over the crowd to try to find Peter. He catches a glimpse of a family of dirty blondes in the corner of his eye and it's off to the races.
“James! James come back!” His mother is desperately trying to get his attention.
“Let him go, Fee.” Muttered his father, trying not to smile. He was a little sad today, having to come to terms that his son was all grown up and going to his first year at Hogwarts. It's nice to see him still acting like the lively child he always was.
James couldn’t wait to see Peter, he almost ran into two boys with their mother. One looking at the ground, like he would rather be anywhere else. The other had his nose stuck in the air, wearing the same expression as the woman standing next to him.
“Oh, sorry about that. I’ll look where I’m going next time.” They just stare at him down their noses, as if he was gum on their shoe. He nods his head and gives the woman and her children one last side glace. They never even said anything to him but he got the impression they thought they were better than he was.
“Pete! Hi!” Says James excitedly, running the rest of the way over. Peter is wearing a thick woolly sweater his mother would like to say she made.
“Petey, it's 70 degrees outside, aren’t you a little warm?” As James says this, his mother smiles a little bit.
He finally addresses Mrs. Pettigrew, bowing his head. She just smiles at him. She’s always been distant with him. She's wearing a similar sweater, maybe it's a family thing to be cold.
“Do you need help boarding your luggage Peter? I’m sure my father can help you.” James looks back at his dad, who just waves and smiles while his salt-and-pepper hair moves in the slight wind.
“Oh, my luggage is already on the train, in a compartment. Would you like me to show you? We can sit in the same one.” Mutter's Peter, like he doesn't know how to interact with his friends in front of his mother. James just nods and waits for Peter to say a not-very-warm goodbye to his mother.
Walking back over to his parents, towards his luggage, he realizes that he has to say goodbye to his parents now. He’d always wanted to go to Hogwarts, but he never realized that this part would be so hard. His mom breaks the silence with a tearful, “I love you, Jamie, and I’ll miss you something fierce!” she hugs him halfway through, smiling as she goes.
He breaks away from his mother, to hug his Father. He says nothing when he looks him in the eyes, taking his whole face in for what seems like the last time. “I’m proud of you son. Now go before I do something crazy like try to keep you locked here forever.” When James pulls away, there are tears in his father’s eyes too.
“I love you guys, I’ll write every week, and see you at Yule.” Smiling over his shoulder as he walks away with Pete, he watches his parents until he’s stepping into the train door. Sighing, he lets his shoulders relax, then looks at Peter. “So, what house do you think you’ll be in? I think I’ll be in Gryffindor myself.”
They are at the door to a compartment now, and Peter opens the door as he says, “My family’s been in Gryffindor for generations James, I can’t imagine I could write home about any other house.”
He looks dejected as he says this, pulling his sweater off and over his head, ruffling his hair in the process. He mutters about hating sweaters and being warm until he throws himself down in a seat. James sits across from him and shoots him a smile.
“Well, we’ll be in the same house then.” And for the first time since he's seen him all day, Peter smiles at him. The train whistles and lurches, and then they are moving.