Astrophile [J.P]

Chapter 24

~ Hum a new song as you walk down the streets

Soon they'll be full with friends and memories. ~

***

It was the start of another school year at Hogwarts for James Potter, his sixth year to be exact. And yet everything was going on the same as usual; he forgot to pack his trunk, nearly misplaced his broom, was saved in the nick of time by his mother finding his things and arrived at Kings Cross at last, grinning widely from ear to ear.

The only thing which was a bit out of the ordinary was that his best mate Sirius Black was nowhere to be seen.

Usually, Sirius would be the first to reach the station since he would be rushing to get his freedom from Grimmauld Place and would often leave on his own taking buses to his destination.

But now, he was living with his Uncle and as evident from his last letter to James that had arrived just yesterday, he was quite happy too. His Uncle wasn't anything like the rest of the Blacks, according to him.

And as James stood there, glancing at the watch from time to time, Remus arrived and joined him at the spot. "What's with the long face, Prongs?"

James frowned, "where's Padfoot?"

Remus shrugged, "he must be on his way here. Besides, he lives on Magnolia Crescent now and technically it takes an hour and twenty minutes reaching Kings Cross from there."

"Yeah... I guess," he turned around taking a look at the other students on the platform, "have you seen Evans, by the way?"

He hid a small smile, "she lives even far away, I guess."

"No wonder, this is my unlucky day. Tell you what, I'm going over to the other side of the barrier and will return when Siri's here."

James placed his luggage in Remus's care and crossed the barrier to platform 9. The Muggle side of the station was much crowded by now and he knew only a short while was left before the barrier would close. However after a little wait, his eyes brightened as he caught a glimpse of Sirius rushing through the entrance.

James would have stepped forward to greet him but stopped when he saw that he was accompanied by Felicity who was probably scolding him for getting late. The more surprising fact was that Sirius seemed to have offered on carrying her trunk as well for he was towing two trunks and also receiving sour remarks from his unexpected companion.

When both of them reached the barrier, they were a bit exasperated to see James standing there.

"Never in my life had I thought I'd witness such a scene," he remarked, a mischievous spark glimmering in his hazel eyes.

Sirius knew exactly what James was thinking so he spoke up immediately in order to handle the situation, "can you believe the extent of my disbelief and misfortune when I boarded the bus from Magnolia and found her sitting there as well? Bloody unbelievable!"

"It's not my fault, besides I'm the one who should be mourning over my misfortune at having to tolerate you for more than one bloody hour," she retorted and taking her trunk from him, stepped through the barrier instantly.

"So what was that all about?" James asked when the two of them had reached the platform as well, "and why did you offer to carry her trunk as well when you were clearly struggling with your own?"

"Apparently she lives in the neighborhood; Fairmile Lane to be exact," Sirius replied, "and here I was thinking that I was free from all the people, who couldn't tolerate me, when I moved in with my Uncle."