September 1, 1975
On King's Cross Station, the entire platform is very crowded as families hurry to see their children off on the Hogwarts Express.
AUGUSTA: Frank, don't you forget your owl again! (She sprints forward and hands her son a cage with a large, brown barn owl inside).
FRANK: (reaching out and taking the cage through an open window) Thanks, Mom!
HOPE: Be good, Remus! Don't sneak out at night, eat your vegetables, study hard-
REMUS: (boarding the train) I will, Mum-
SIRIUS: Coming, James?
JAMES: Yeah-
JAMES hops on the train just as it begins moving, holding on to one of the bars.
EUPHEMIA: (chasing after the train) Listen to Professor McGonagall! Don't get into any unusual trouble!
FLEAMONT: Good luck with Quidditch, son!
JAMES: Thanks, Dad!
JAMES, SIRIUS, and REMUS enter the main car of the Hogwarts Express, searching for an empty compartment.
SIRIUS: Here, this one's free.
REMUS: I'll catch up with you guys later. Prefects' meeting first.
SIRIUS: (teasing) Nerd!
JAMES laughs and pushes SIRIUS into the compartment. Before long, MARY and MARLENE enter behind them.
MARY: What's up, losers?
SIRIUS: Sorry, this is our compartment. You're gonna have to leave or I'll be forced to call the authorities-
MARLENE: (whacking him on the head) How about I call the authorities on you?
MARY: Where's Lily?
JAMES: She and Remus had some sort of prefects' meeting up front.
MARY: Oh, okay.
SIRIUS: (chuckling) Prefects. What a joke. If the two of them even try to take any points away from me, I swear-
MARLENE: Well, they might! You better watch your step.
SIRIUS: Yeah, yeah.
The compartment door opens again, revealing a anxious-looking PETER.
JAMES: Peter, my boy! How's life treating you?
PETER: Okay, I guess. (He stumbles in with a huge trunk).
SIRIUS: Well, then. Now that we're all here, we better have some fun before their highnesses the Prefects get back. (He opens up his trunk and takes out a bottle of firewhiskey).
MARY: Merlin's pants, Sirius.
MARLENE: Where'd you get that?
SIRIUS: Took it from home before I ran away, of course.
MARY: You're insane.
SIRIUS: Come on, it's our fifth year! We're young and we want to fun! James, are you with me?
JAMES: 'Course, mate.
SIRIUS takes out some small glasses and pours the firewhiskey out. MARY, MARLENE, and PETER share an anxious glance before taking them.
SIRIUS: Here's to the new year. May we break so many rules that old Minerva will officially go insane.
The Gryffindors laugh and toast the new year together, while the train continues to speed towards the Castle.