1st September, 1972

Platform Nine and Three Quarters was crowded with people, trunks, owls and cats. A new year was beginning at Hogwarts.

As soon as Sirius entered the station through the barrier, he went in search of James, Remus, and Peter, feeling glad about having escaped his family after two months.

Suddenly someone thumped him hard on his back. Sirius turned around and found his best friend grinning at him.

"Come and meet my parents," said James, pulling Sirius's arm.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were standing beside James's trunk together.

"We've heard so much about you, dear," said James' mother. "We hope you'll come to stay with us during the next holidays?"

"If they allow me, I will, Mrs. Potter. Thank you so much," said Sirius, putting on his mature and polite voice. James rolled his eyes.

Harold Potter shook Sirius's hand with a twinkle in his eye. "Take care, son."

"Look—there's Remus," said James suddenly. "REMUS! REMUS!" he yelled, waving his hand vigorously.

His mother covered her ears. "There's no need to shout quite so loudly, James. Look—your train's about to leave. Sirius, dear, try to keep James in check, all right?"

"I'll try my best, Mrs. Potter," said Sirius seriously. "But it's not always easy to keep him in check."

"Git!" said James, hitting him on the head as they boarded the train.

Remus joined them. "I think my mother thought you are an escaped lunatic, James."

"James doesn't know how to behave with elders at all," said Sirius scornfully.

They found an empty compartment and settled down. After a few minutes Peter joined them too. They had a noisy journey to their school, as Gideon and Fabian Prewett also came in their compartment.

When they alighted from the train, Sirius caught a glimpse of Regulus.

It was his last chance to make Regulus understand that he should be in Gryffindor—that he should ask the Sorting Hat not to put him in Slytherin.

Sirius tried to reach his brother through the crowd. But someone else reached him first.

"There's no need to be afraid, Reggie," said Bellatrix, with an attempt at kindness which looked almost scary on her. She took Regulus with her.

Sirius turned away bitterly, his fists clenched. He could bet that his parents had put Bella on to it.

"Hey, Sirius, come on!" yelled Peter from a carriage.

The carriages were pulled by apparently nothing. They were taken to the school. This time they didn't feel like the entire school was gawking at him.

Now they belonged to the school.

The students sat at their house tables, waiting for the Sorting to begin.

"Hi, Evans, how are you?" asked James cheerfully, as Lily sat down with Marlene and Alice opposite to them.

"I was all right before you asked me this," she said haughtily.

"Does she always need to be so high and mighty with us?" muttered James to Sirius and Remus who were sitting on either side of him.

"Surely you don't mind?" said Sirius wickedly.

"Of course I don't," said James indignantly.

Professor McGonagall called for silence. The Sorting seemed incredibly boring to the hungry Marauders, who kept grumbling.

They stopped when Professor McGonagall called, "Black, Regulus!"

The Hat took a minute or so before declaring, "Slytherin!"

Remus and James glanced at Sirius. Sirius was staring aimlessly at the ceiling which was bewitched to look like a clear night sky, pretending that he hadn't heard anything—pretending that he didn't care.

The food that night seemed even more wonderful than last time's.

"Do you know our new Head Boy is Ted Tonks?" said Marlene. "He's a Hufflepuff. It must be decades after which a Hufflepuff has been made Head Boy."

"Who is Head Girl?" asked Remus.

"Didn't I tell you?" cried Sirius. "Andromeda's been made Head Girl this year!"

"Really?" said James. "That's great!"

"It is," said Sirius, grinning. "Our family didn't know how to react. In the end, they ignored it."

"That's terrible," said Lily sympathetically. For the first time while talking to them, her eyes weren't narrowed in dislike. "Why did they do that?"

Sirius didn't answer. They were going back to the topic he wanted to avoid.

"Family issues, Evans. Nothing you'd understand," said James, defensively.

"Actually I do understand," retorted Lily. "My sister hates me because I'm a witch and she's a Muggle."

"Let's leave the disagreeable topics alone," advised Sirius.

The rest of the meal passed cheerfully.