"Hey dude, anyone sitting here?" Sirius casually asked a black-haired boy with an extremely messy mane. The boy looked up and his piercing hazel eyes scanned Sirius before a wide grin spread in his face. Without waiting for an answer, he settled down casually onto the comfortable seat.
"So, I'm Sirius Black. Who're you?" Sirius asked casually, with what he hoped was a casual smile.
"James Potter, pleased to meet you," the hazel-eyed boy grinned.
Before their conversation could go on, a pretty red-haired girl entered the compartment. Sirius flashed a charming grin and asked, "Hey, what's your name?" The girl rolled her eyes lamely and stared pointedly out of the window, muttering something inaudible. Sirius raised an eyebrow. He noticed then that her shockingly-green eyes were puffy and red. James looked at him and they both shrugged. They silently decided not to bother her any further.
"Lily," the boys looked up in surprise as a soft male voice interrupted the silence. Immediately after he saw the source of the sound, Sirius resisted an urge to laugh at his appearance.
The first thing that Sirius noticed was his hair. It was a direct contrast to his own crown (perfect, sleek, black hair which brushed his shoulders) - greasy and disgusting. For once, the Black was thankful for his parents. "Who needs to dig for oil?" he muttered to James in an almost inaudible whisper. James nodded with a grin.
Sirius tried to listen to the conversation between Lily and the boy, but he could only comprehend that she had a muggle sister who was upset at her. "A muggleborn," he thought to himself and grinned. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it in horror when the boy proudly said, "You'd better be in Slytherin."
"Slytherin?" James spat incredulously. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
Sirius swallowed. "My whole family has been in Slytherin," he mumbled.
James was utterly shocked. "Blimey! And I thought you seemed all right!"
Sirius grinned slowly. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"
James brandished an imaginary sword. "Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Just like my dad."
The scrawny-looking boy coughed. James and Sirius gave him identical skeptical looks.
"Got a problem with that?" James challenged.
"No, if you'd rather be brawny than brainy-" the boy started.
"Where're you hoping to go, seeing that you're neither?" Sirius smirked, a look of intense dislike etched on his face. James threw back his head and laughed. A red-faced Lily looked at the possibly future-Gryffindors disgustedly.
"Come on Severus, let's find another compartment," she muttered under her breath.
"Oooooo..." Sirius and James mimicked her lofty voice. As James stuck out his foot to trip the sallow-skinned boy, a twinkle entered Sirius' eyes.
"See ya, Snivellus!" he yelled, and the sudden reddening of Severus' face as he slammed the compartment door shut gave him the satisfaction of knowing that he had gotten to his victim.
"Good one, mate!" sniggered James. Sirius shrugged.
"That's just the way I roll!" he winked.
