Monday 1st September, 1976

Platform 9 ¾ was a busy place. Parents were bidding weepy goodbyes to their children, teenagers were meeting up with friends again, causing quite the racket, and through it all there I stood, staring at the Hogwarts Express with a mix of fondness and excitement.

It was my fifth year at Hogwarts, so I should've been used to it by now, and yet every time my gaze landed on the scarlet train, I felt myself go back to my first year; a giddy eleven-year-old ready to learn magic.

Like always, my brother was next to me, and my parents as well, fussing over us and making sure we had everything we needed.

"...and we'll owl you anything you forgot tomorrow, okay? Y/n, are you listening?"

Pain erupted in my skull as James hit me in the back of the head, gesturing to our mother. I rubbed the injury, scowling at my brother as I turned to Euphemia Potter.

"Yes, mum, I'm listening," I said, shooting James a glare.

He grinned at me, ruffling his jet-black hair with his hand, making it even messier than it was. His blue eyes shone with mischief behind his glasses, as they always did when we left for school.

"As you should be," my mother answered. "And James Potter, do not hit your sister."

Euphemia was a kind person in general, but as a mother she had the tendency to be terrifying at times, like right now.

"Sorry mum, won't do it again," James lied sincerely.

"I highly doubt that," I muttered.

My dad, Fleamont, sighed, shaking his head.

"Can't you kids get along just this once?" he asked us imploringly.

"We do get along, don't we Y/n/n?" James said, ruffling my hair.

I swatted his hand away and attempted to fix the mess my brother had made my hair into. The train whistled, my eyes immediately darting to the transport, excitement milling inside me.

"Y/n you are not getting on that train without hugging your own mother goodbye," Euphemia warned.

"I know, I know," I said, moving towards her.

As soon as I got into range, my mother's arms wrapped around me and pulled me close. I sighed in contentment, relaxing into the hug. For all my want to go to Hogwarts, this would always be what I missed most when I was there.

James and I swapped parents as we finished the hug and my dad enveloped me into a warm embrace. I took a deep breath, inhaling his smell, a large comfort in itself. I pulled away just as James did, our gazes landing on each other. Even though I was a year younger than him, we were so alike we could be twins. We were even told we walked the same way.

"Goodbye," Euphemia called as we started running to the train. "Be good! I'm talking to you James!"

James laughed from beside me but didn't stop his sprint to the train. My eyes darted from him to the train as I sped up, attempting to win the race that had started between us. Unfortunately, James had always been the sporty one of the two of us, playing quidditch and running around with our dad, while I preferred to curl up on the couch with a book or help our mum with dinner.

So it was to no one's surprised when James managed to get on the train first, yet I was still disappointed and shoved him aside with my shoulder as I walked past. I received another smack in the back of my head in return.

I turned around, fists raised, when my wrists were caught in a steel grip and I looked up to find Remus staring down at me, lips twitching into a smile.

"Y/n," he greeted, letting my arms fall limply at my sides. "Don't hit your brother."

I scoffed. "He started it."

"No I didn't!" James defended, his voice several octaves higher in indignation.

I rolled my eyes, making a crude gesture with my hand. Remus gave me a stern look and I groaned, throwing my arms up in the air in a show of frustration.

"You remind me of my mother," I complained.

"He is your mother," Sirius said, appearing out of nowhere.

I looked at him in surprise. "When- how did you get here?" I asked him.

Sirius gave me a shit eating grin as he said, "magic."

We waited in the hallway of the train, bickering and joking with one another until we spotted Peter running up to us, out of breath.

"Hey guys," he said. We all let out a chorus of greetings before we started walking, making our way to the compartment we always got.

I sat down next to the window, looking around the compartment with a reminiscent smile. There were red seats lining the walls, as soft and comfortable as couches, with shelves above them to put our luggage on. A large brown polished table sat against the wall, covered in scratches and our initials that we'd carved into it when I was in third year.

As we got comfortable, settling into the familiar compartment, I felt my stomach grumble. I thought of this morning when I'd dismissed breakfast, too nervous and excited to eat. I was regretting that decision now.

"I'm gonna go find the trolly lady," I said, standing up. "Do you guys want anything?"

I listened to their requests, taking the money bag from James's hand as I left the compartment and started walking down the hallway in search for the kind old lady who sold treats on the Hogwarts Express.

I eventually found her at the other end of the train, just starting out her rounds.

"Afternoon," I greeted. The trolly lady smiled brightly at me.

"Afternoon Miss Potter," she said. "What can I get you?"

I recited the list of treats the boys had asked for, adding a bit more for myself and handed over the money. I thanked her as she gave me the sweets and walked back down the corridor, the snacks balancing precariously in my arms when someone exited their compartment and crashed right into me.

The food tumbled to the floor as I stumbled back in an attempt to catch my balance. I looked up at the person who bumped into me, seething, when I stopped dead.

The person that bumped into me was Regulus Black, except he was different. Over the summer he had turned... attractive. His face was less boyish and more defined, with a killer jawline. His hair had been cut short and his curls were now somewhat tamed. His grey eyes were the same though, like Sirius's, as were his lips, which were currently pulled down in a scowl as he stared at me.

"Watch where you're going Potter," he sneered.

I scoffed; the admiration I'd been feeling moments ago forgotten.

"You bumped into me Black," I spat, kneeling down to pick up all the snacks I'd dropped. Once I'd collected them all, I stood back up to see Regulus's stone-cold face.

"Whatever," he muttered, shoving my shoulder as he pushed passed me.

I glowered, watching his retreating figure, before swiftly turning around and storming the rest of the way to my compartment, carelessly dropping the food on the table as I took my spot at the window, glaring outside.

"What's gotton your knickers in a twist?" Sirius asked me with a grin. James snorted at the dirty look I sent at Sirius, causing me to scowl.

I wasn't sure why I was so upset myself. Yes, Regulus Black had been a complete asshole back then, but that was nothing new. For all the time that I'd known him, which was since first year, Regulus Black had been an insufferable jerk. So why was I so upset about this? Why had he gotton on my nerves so easily, when it would have usually taken a lot more to piss me off? The answer was lost to me.

"Your brother," I answered, instantly sobering up the two boys.

Sirius had left his parents' house this summer and stayed with us, though apparently things didn't end well between him and his brother. Not like anything was well between them at all. As I'd stated early, Regulus Black was a jerk to everyone, and that included his brother.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, a forced casualness in his voice.

"I was walking when he bumped into me and then said it was my fault," I muttered. It sounded a lot less important when I said it aloud, petty almost, and yet just thinking about him made me grit my teeth in anger.

"Can we not talk about my brother please?" Sirius asked. He was trying to act normal, but I could hear a tinge of desperation in his voice.

Remus checked his watch and stood up, motioning me to get up as well.

"We need to go the Prefects compartment now," Remus said as a change of subject.

I looked at the shiny prefect badge shining brightly on my chest, feeling proud. James hadn't been happy that I was chosen to be a Gryffindor Prefect and he hadn't, but I had been overjoyed.

The boys bid us goodbye, and we walked to the Prefect's compartment in a comfortable silence. When we got to the Prefects compartment, I couldn't help but look around excitedly as I entered. It was much better than the average compartments, with comfier seats, cleaner tables, and larger baggage spaces among other things. Inside the compartment, there were kids in their fifth year and up, all of them wearing golden badges in the form of a P.

I looked around the room and sighed when I noticed Regulus Black there. He was already staring at me, his lips curled in a sneer. I scowled at him and took up a spot furthest away from him, Remus trailing behind me with a dejected shake of his head.

Once everyone had arrived, the Head boy and girl started talking to us about what we should expect in being prefects and the responsibility that came with being one.

"You will be paired with another Prefect and complete all your tasks with them. A paper will be passed to you with the name your partner and when your patrols will be; things like that. No changing, no complaining," the Head girl said.

Some older Prefects began handing out the papers, and I took mine hesitantly. I looked at the piece of paper, scanning the parchment when I read-

"No," I whispered in horror. I looked up to see Regulus Black staring at me with a similar expression. Remus frowned as he looked at me and poked his head over my shoulder to look at my paper.

"Oh..," he said when he realised what was going on.

I wanted to go to the Head boy and girl and beg them to change me, but they'd said no changing or complaining, and I didn't want to make a bad impression of myself.

I glared at the boy standing across the room, and he glared back. I couldn't believe my luck. Of course I'd be paired with him. Of course. I only hoped it would be a quick partnership and I'd be free of him as quickly as possible.

"Now, please go over to your partners and talk to them, get to know them. These are the people you'll be spending the whole year working with."

"The whole year?" I gasped, dread curling in my stomach. I couldn't spend the whole year with Regulus Black. He was a horrible, arrogant toe rag with ridiculous pureblood ideals and an annoyingly handsome face.

As everyone started walking over to their partners, I waited for Regulus to come to me. He seemed to be thinking the same thing and waited where he was standing, acting like the haughty, preposterous fool he was.

I stood still, crossing my arms, but Remus pushed me towards him lightly, a knowing look on his face. I scowled at him but walked towards Regulus, however grudgingly.

We stood there in silence for a second, assessing one another before he wrinkled his nose as if smelling something unpleasant. I snarled at him, just about ready to attack him, when the Head boy walked towards us.

"Everything alright here?" he asked us.

I managed to nod my head, as did Regulus, though he did a much better job at pretending he didn't hate my guts.

"Yes, we're fine. We were just discussing our favourite sweets," Regulus lied with surprising ease. I wondered where he'd learnt to lie that easily, and what he'd used that skill for.

The Head boy nodded in satisfaction before walking to another pair.

"I hate you," I muttered to him.

"The feeling's mutual," he muttered back.

I rolled my eyes, but from the corner of my eye I saw Remus give me a stern look and sighed in frustration.

"So, what is your favourite sweet?" I asked Regulus, the very act of being civil to him nearly making me throw up. Regulus gave me an incredulous look, scoffing.

"Why would I ever tell you that?" he asked, looking at me like I was something disgusting he'd found under his shoe.

"Fine then," I hissed, glowering at him before swivelling around and trudging back to my compartment, Remus trailing behind me.

I hoped I wouldn't get in trouble for leaving early, but the thought of spending one more second with Regulus Black made me want to scream. How Sirius manage to survive fifteen years in the same house as him, I don't know.

Remus and I made it back to the compartment and one look at me made the other boys quieten down. I sighed as I looked out the window, bitter feelings settling heavy in my gut.

This was going to be the worst year ever.