Marauders Year 1: Rule the School

Chapter 2: Padfoot, Hogwarts Express

          "Hey, um, could I sit with you guys? The rest of the train's packed."

James nods and scoots over

          "Sure thing," I find myself saying. 

          "Okay, thanks! I'm Remus Lupin and you are.....?" he asks.

          "James Fleamont Potter."

          "Sirius Orion Black III."

          "Cool."

The compartment door slides open for the fourth time revealing a petite witch (who, by the way, is just a little too round around the middle). 

          "Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asks. 

          "Yeah, I'll have a box of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum-12 packs, if you please, chocolate frogs, a sac of pumpkin pasties, 12 cauldron cakes-put them in a box, will you? That's all for me. Sirius? Remus? Care to get anything?" James asks. 

          "Mhm. I think I'll take the lot, thanks," I say nonchalantly. 

The trolley lady leaves before she runs out of things for the rest of the school.

Remus gapes at us, shaking his head. 

          "How do you guys have so much money?" he asks, awestruck. 

          "Well, James's father is Fleamont Potter who has that super successful business. Or two. I can't remember. And me...well, let's just say the Black Family vault is overflowing so we had to have three installed. You can share the food if you want."

He eagerly looks at us and we dump the contents of our purchases along the seats for all three of us to share.

James and I talk about Quidditch with occasional historical input or fact correction from Remus for a while. Apparently, he wants to be the youngest Seeker of the century on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and he's a huge Chudley Cannons fan.

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The train is running along smoothly when our compartment door slides open again. Geez, this better not be another person wanting to share the compartment 'cause it's already full with Remus's books, James's box of Quidditch balls, my own personal self, and the candy. 

In the compartment doorway, however, is a pale, sleek boy with platinum blond hair and a pointed face. I recognize him immediately: Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. Behind him is my cousin, Bellatrix Black with her head of glossy black hair falling to her waist. Behind her yet, there's Narcissa and Andromeda, her sisters and my cousins. Basically, the whole gang of pure-blood kids from pure-blood families on the Sacred 28 list. 

Apparently, they've been looking through compartments and taunting muggleborns (mudbloods, they call them). I suppose they're looking for the same thing here so I stare out the window and pretend not to mind that our peaceful compartment just got intruded on my the meanest gang of pure-blood fanatics in all of Hogwarts. Alright, I don't know about all of Hogwarts, but still. It's quite possible. Especially since Bella's included.

Lucius raps on the side of the frame and leans against it. 

        "Introduce yourselves." 

He says it as a command and  he and his gang snicker. 

          "What, you're too scared to say your own names, eh?" 

More snickers.

It seems as if James has had enough of being called scared. He catches the snitch one last time before turning to Malfoy. 

          "Potter," he says, shortly. Lucius nods, satisfied. 

          "You. Name. Or do I have to order you around like house-elves?"

Bella looks like she's on the verge of doubling over from laughter. It takes all I have not to get up from my window seat and give Malfoy a piece of my mind. 

          "Lupin." 

Seems like, 'Lupin' is not a name in Malfoy's dictionary so he asks,

          "Are your parents magical?" It's more of a statement than a question.

          "Obviously," he says, rolling his eyes. 

Malfoy nods and turns until he spots me. Or rather, the back of my head since I'm still looking out the window. 

          "Oi, you! By the window! Who're you?" he sneers. 

Finally. My chance has come. 

I let silence reign for a couple moments and I can tell my cousins are starting to guess who I am simply from the dramatic entrance. 

They're right. I swivel around and lock eyes with Malfoy. His face is shocked and I smile falsely. 

          "Black. Must say, Malfoy, I'm surprised you didn't recognize me. Surely you would know me from all those....times visiting, no?" I drawl.

He starts to back out of the compartment, instantly intimidated by the mere presence of a Black. See, this is what I mean when I say sometimes the Black name is useful. 

Unfortunately, my dear cousin Bella isn't intimidated. Drat, I forgot she was here. 

          "Morning, Sirius. So, how's Reggie? Doing well? Following mummy?" 

          "Regulus is perfectly fine, thank you. And you? I'm sure you, Cissy, and Andy have loads of gossip from your little trip down the train." I say through gritted teeth in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

          "Don't you use that voice with me, you idiotic bastard! I will-" she's dragged out of the compartment yelling threats at me. 

After a few moment of awkward silence, James shatters it with the most helpful comment in the universe. 

          "Well, that was awkward." 

Thanks for pointing out the obvious, mate.