Title: Getting To Know You

Rating: K

Summary: Four eleven-year-old boys meet on the Hogwarts Express. Questions are asked, some of which are answered.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter world or its characters. J. K. Rowling does.

The Hogwarts Express, 1st September 1971, give or take a year. One compartment, four boys, eyeing each other warily. Potential classmates, roommates, friends, enemies, for the next seven years.

The little plump blond one is scared half to death. The skinny one's nervous too, but making a good job of hiding it. The other one wears glasses – swotty type? No, haven't I seen…… "I know you!"

"Of course you do, Sirius Black. I'm James Potter."

"You were at our New Year's party, with your parents."

"That's right. And your cousin's wedding last year."

"Which of my lovely cousins would that be? Wait a minute, it was you, wasn't it?"

"What was me?"

"You let that flock of Doxies loose just when the dancing started. And I got the blame." Sirius got up and took a step towards James. "I ought to beat the hell out of you for that."

"You could try," said James coolly, standing up and taking his glasses off and putting them in his pocket.

The other two boys shrank back in their seats.

"Ah, forget it," Sirius said. "Blood under the bridge. It was a good trick, anyway. Wish I had done it myself."

James smiled and sat down. Turning to the other two boys, he said "Well, now you know our names. What's yours?"

The blond boy and the brown-haired one introduced themselves as Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin respectively.

"Four first-years," said James thoughtfully. "Wonder if we'll all be in different Houses, or what? I'm hoping for Gryffindor, myself."

"Slytherin, me," said Sirius. "Bound to be. All us Blacks are." He turned to the other two. "What about you?"

"Doesn't matter," Remus said. "I'm just so glad to be going to Hogwarts, when I never thought I would – well, anyway, I don't mind what House I'm in."

"Same here," Peter nodded vigorously.

Sirius looked astonished. "Never thought you'd – what are you two? Mudbloods?"

Peter's face went red. "I'm a pureblood. But I never did anything magic when I was little, so everybody thought I was a squib. I thought I was a squib. Turns out I'm a late developer."

Sirius nodded, and turned to Remus, who asked innocently "What's a Mudblood?"

Sirius gave a short laugh like a bark, said "If you have to ask that, you are one," and threw himself down in a corner seat.

James shot him a look of disgust and said "Mudblood is an insulting word, which should never be used" – with another significant glance at Sirius – "meaning a wizard or witch who's Muggleborn, that is, whose parents……"

"I know what Muggleborn means," Remus interrupted. "My mum's a Muggleborn witch."

"Then that makes you a half-blood," James explained. "And there's nothing at all wrong with being a half-blood, or a Muggleborn either, isn't that right, Sirius?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Sirius.

"Then I think you should say sorry to Remus and Peter, for calling them names," said James.

"Yes, well, sorry," said Sirius. "And it wouldn't matter if you were Mud – er, Muggleborn, all right?"

"That's okay," said Remus and Peter simultaneously, then looked at each other and grinned.

"Right, that's sorted, even if we aren't yet," said James. "Who's for a game of Exploding Snap?"

It wasn't until much later that Sirius remembered Remus never did answer the question about why he hadn't expected to come to Hogwarts.