Add us to Your Favorites

[Tangerina]

The brisk September wind whistled through the empty corridors of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The teachers, after settling into their offices for the year ahead, were helping decorate the main hall, ready for the arrival of the students. Professor Albus Dumbledore sits at his desk studying some letters that are spread across the polished wooden surface. A portrait behind him cocks it’s head and reads over the headmasters shoulder.
“I see the ministry is requesting your assistance again, Albus,” said the painting in a slightly pompous voice. Dumbledore stayed silent and stared at the letter for a few more moments; piercing blue eyes scanning each word carefully from behind the half-moon spectacles perched on his nose. “Mm,” he said finally, and started to fold up the letters on his desk, placing them in a neat pile in the drawer next to him.

Meanwhile, almost 500 miles away, we come to the heart of London. Trains, buses and cars rattle through its tightly packed roads and motorways. A boy, perhaps 14 or 15 years of age, weaves his way between the hoards of people, eagerly pushing his way towards his goal: Kings Cross Station. Finally free of his parents - who had let him travel the short distance from car park to platform alone – he practically had a spring in his step at the thought of a new year at Hogwarts.
The boy hurried along the platform of Kings Cross station and through the crowds of people. The portal was just ahead, looking around, the boy broke into a run and vanished through into platfor nine and three quarters. He spotted his friends almost instantly, standing in a group by the wall of the smoky platform, they all wore wide grins at the sight of their friend.

“Remus!” called a dark haired boy loudly, “We thought you weren’t coming!” The boy laughed, throwing back his head, black hair flopping around the place.
“Hey Sirius,” Remus said smiling; he nodded at the other boy, whose hair was jet black and shorter than Sirius’ “James,”
“Remus,” said James, grinning and pulled Remus into a hug.
“I thought you said that we looked gay when we hugged?” Remus pointed out, “you said we weren’t allowed to hug anymore in second year...”
“Yeah well, Lily says-“
“Lily says James is insensitive!” interrupted Sirius, who had joined in the conversation at last, sidetracking himself from the group of fifth year girl near them.

A long conversation ensued, that covered a wide range of boyish subjects, such as: which Quidditch team were going to win the league (started by James), which girl was the hottest (by Sirius), what they had done all summer and the threat of OWLs (started by Remus). Somewhere, someone mentioned the time and the trio began hauling their trunks onto the train, t hey found an empty carriage and slumped in the seats, Remus by the window, ad waited for the train to depart.

“Aren’t you a prefect now Moony?” asked James, interested.
“Mhmm,” replied Remus, non comitedly, “But I’m not going to the prefect carriage, they are a bunch of nerds up there,”
“What and you aren’t a nerd?” joked Sirius, grinning.
“Shut up, Padfoot,” Remus muttered, green eyes cast down to the floor. He hated e=being a prefect, it just meant more eyes on him, more responsibility and more pressure. How would he explain his absence at night duty once a month? He shuddered at the thought of everyone knowing he was...well...a werewolf. Remus stared out of the window as the last few students boarded the train.

OOC: apologies, that is awwwfffuull!

[MoonysGal]

A gentle, misty snow settled on the gently crumbling roof of Kings Cross Station. A family of three crossed the busy road that led to the entrance of the station. Icy patches crunched under their feet, while flakes of snow settled in the family’s hair.

A shot of warm air hit the family as soon as they had entered the station. They brushed the snow off their coats, and they headed towards the magical wall that was between platform nine and ten. They took it in turns to run into the wall, finding themselves in a completely different platform: Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

''Come on dear, or you'll be late!'' The woman sighed.

''Have a good year at school,'' the man said, smiling at his daughter.

''I'll see you at Christmas!'' The young girl called.

Tonks entered the train, while stumbling over the step in which she had to take to go into the carriage. It was the 1st of September, and Tonks was about to enter fourth year at Hogwarts. She sat down in the carriage, with her three friends following her. Emmeline, Megan and Louisa had all been her best friends since she was in first year, and they had stuck by each other ever since they got into trouble together a few weeks into first year. Tonks chucked her coat on the floor, and sat in one of the seats.

‘‘Hi Tonks,’’ said Emmeline as she walked through the carriage doors. ‘‘Did you have a good holiday?’’

‘‘Not really,’’ replied Tonks. ‘‘My Mother was the usual pressuring, irritating, daughter-hating clone she always is.

‘‘Sounds nasty,’’ said Megan, while Tonks grinned at the three of them.

Suddenly, the Hogwarts Express jolted into life. The abrupt movement caused Tonks to fall out of her seat, and onto the grimy carpet.

She sighed and picked herself up; things like this always happened to her. It was as if she was a magnet for clumsiness (and trouble).

‘‘I’m going to the loo,’’ Tonks said when she got up. ‘‘Back in a sec!’’

Once Tonks had finished, she made her way back down to her carriage. She slid open the doors, to find it has been overrun by four fifth year boys. One had extremely messy black hair and glasses, one had pale, watery eyes, and he seemed quite nervous. Another boy was telling a joke, and he had an air of arrogance around him. The boy sitting next to him seemed very quiet, and was reading a book. Tonks immediately felt a special connection to him, as if he was someone that she could really be a friend to. When she entered, all four boys looked up and stared at her as if she was a museum exhibit.

Tonks suddenly realised that she had entered the wrong carriage. She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

‘‘Sorry I didn’t mean to intrude, I came to the wrong carr-’’

‘‘Do not worry,’’ said the quiet boy, who had a shiny prefects badge gleaming on his chest. ‘‘Everyone does it at some point or other.’’ He gave her a small smile, and Tonks smiled back. He seems very friendly, she thought.

‘‘Welcome to the Marauder carriage!’’ The arrogant boy boomed. ‘‘Sit back, and enjoy the ride!’’

He pushed her into a seat, and grinned widely.

This is going to be one hell of a ride, Tonks thought.

[Tangerina]

Remus stared at the open book in his lap, not really paying attention to it; it truly was impossible to catch up on your reading with James arround. Remus had forgotten how anoying he could be sometimes. After a whole summer with nothing but Owl post from the other two, Remus couldn't help feeling a little put out. He suspected that Sirius and James had been meeting up all sumer, probably planning Sirius' escape from his parents house. Remus scowled.

He tried to concentrate on the book, ('My Life as a Werewolf' by Tay Stee Nibble) but to no avail. He stared at the page in front of him instead, listening to the others messing around.
"Okay, so a guy walks into the three brromsticks and he says..."
'oh god,' Remus thought, 'James is telling jokes...'
He prepared himself for the punchilne, expecting some crude pun about slytherins, but none came. He looked up from the book to see a pale girl standing in the doorway, looking slightly flustered. As the boys stared the paleness of her face disappeared as she blushed deeply, ‘‘Sorry I didn’t mean to intrude, I came to the wrong carr-’’

"Don't worry," said Remus quickly, seeing James and Sirius grinning, "Everyone does it at some point or other." He smiled warmly at the girl, she looked to be about in the fpirth or fifth year, but Moony hadn't noticed her in school before. But, then again, Remus tended to stick with the Marauders, not seeing many other students.

Sirius was poking Remus with his foot and waggling his eyebrows enthusiastically. Remus would tell what he was saying, it made little sense but went along the lines of: "wahey, wahey, you've got yourself a charmer there Lupin,"
Remus raised an eyebrow in reply and poked Sirius back with the toe of his trainer.

James, thankfully forgetting his joke, pushed the girl into the seat opposite Lupin (the only space devoid of sweets, feet, wrappers or boys) and grinned widely, ‘Welcome to the Marauder carriage!’’ he said proudly, sitting down and winking at the newcomer.