Presented as the contents of an old shoebox under Remus Lupin's bed, The Shoebox Project tells the story of Marauders-era Hogwarts through letters, photographs, and diary entries.
"This story will lift you up and make your life a little better, and...
Remus wonders as the train pulls into the station why it is he's wearing a scarf in August. Ostensibly, he knows why he's wearing a scarf: his mother thought the train ride might be cold, or it might be unseasonably chilly in Devonshire, or he might need to strangle a serial killer on the train and a scarf would come in handy. However, now that the train is pulling into the station and his mother is no longer winding it seventeen times around his neck --rather more like trying to choke him than for protection against the elements and the unforeseen but no doubt tragic future -- Remus wonders why it is he's still wearing the scarf. A sense of loyalty, perhaps, or duty, or the fact that it smells nice.
All right, Lupin, he tells himself. Don't look too eager, the Potter family is nice but they're not that nice.He slides a very subtle glance out the window at the slowing movement of the station, a few families here and there waiting for relatives they no doubt despise, a small fat man with a very large hat, a group of young wizards trying to look Muggle and failing. No Potters yet. Remus unwraps and rewraps and unwraps and rewraps his Train Chocolate.
Stop being nervous, he repeats,mentally, for the thousandth time. These are nice people who will not eat you. They will have put dungbombs in your bed but they are nice people who will not eat you.
The train grinds to a halt, shaking awake the worn-looking old witch in the seat across from him, who stretches hugely and favors him with a toothless grin. "Up for the hols, me boy?" she says in a voice like ancient paper.
"Yes," Remus says. Trying to smile at her while simultaneously scanning the platform for the still-absent Potters is giving him eyestrain.
"Don't touch any of the sheep," the old witch warns. "I read about holidaymakerstouching our sheep. Ain't never hurt anyone, a sheep." After giving him one long, narrow look, full of deep accusation, she falls promptly back asleep.
"Er. I won't," Remus says, speaking carefully, so as not to wake her. With one last befuddled look, he grabs his suitcase off the rack and scurries out. The platform is shrouded in steam.
Remus tries not to look as if he's looking, but his heart is beginning to sink or his stomach is beginning to rise. One of the very un-Muggle boys is giving him a withering look, and Remus doesn't blame him. His Train Chocolate is beginning to melt in his pocket and he supposes the large dark stain on his trousers and the fact that he is still wearing a large, prickly scarf, which has no doubt given him heat rash, is doing nothing to recommend him.
Your pants squelch but there is nothing to be nervous about. Remus chews his thumbnail. He removes his scarf.
Your face is covered in large, wool-induced boils but there is nothing to be nervous about.Remus wonders if anapkin can help the mess in his pocket. He sticks a finger in. Chocolate is always good, no matter how gooey.Now there is chocolate on your heat-boils and what is that man looking at anyway, has he never seen a madman before, but there is nothing to be nervous about.
"Smile," Sirius says loudly from behind him. The camera flash goes off.
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