I cowered upstairs until they had gone. I counted the seconds the minutes, the hours until I heard the front door bang close. I ran down the stairs, almost tripping as I took two at a time. The door to the living room was wide open as I rushed in.

"Mum?" I said, cautiously.

She didn't reply. She was draped across the table, her hair covering her weary face. I ran to her and shook her. She drew her head up slightly, peering through the strands that covered her eyes.

"Mum!" I said, frantically.

She looked at me, tragedy welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said, hoarsely, stroking my face with her stroking hand. "I'm so sorry."

"What for?" I asked, miserably.

"For everything. I'm sorry I got you involved, it wasn't supposed to be like this, I promise you it wasn't."

"It's okay, mum. I'm here now, it's me and you against the world."

"Oh darling. . ."

"I'm not going tomorrow, no way, I have to stay here with. . ."

"I'm not a child, Peter." She said, flaring up suddenly. "I do not need you to look after me, you're going, end of."

"But. . ."

"I said." She cried, angrily.

I couldn't protest, so I kissed her goodnight and dragged myself up the stairs.

The next morning I tried once more to talk her out of making me go to Hogwarts, but I wasting my breath, she insisted it was for the best.

And so I found myself alone on the busy train station. How to get onto the platform, were mum's last instructions, she made me repeat them so she knew I was listening.

My eyes were shutting as I stepped dreamily through the barrier, I hadn't got much sleep that night.

Mum had been crying all night, clutching dad's robes, not that she mourned his death. Dad had never meant much to her, he was just there something you got use to. But now he was gone.

On the train all I wanted to do was sit on my own, I didn't feel like talking But then I met Severus Snape. I don't know why but as soon as I saw him I got the idea he was hiding something. Perhaps like me he was running away.

Severus Snape, was okay to sit with but I did not see my self surviving with him. I needed people of confidence, people I could hide behind. It was not until I reached the school that I met James Potter.

We were standing in a huddled group waiting to be sorted into our houses. And one arogant boy stepped forward, and started talking loudly to a black haired, rather cocking looking person.

"Shush!" A girl said, softly.

"Who are you shushing?" The boy demanded angrily.

"Leave it James." Sirius said, hurriedly.

"No I won't." He walked up to her, and she stared resolutely at him.

"Potter!" Lily hissed angrily. "Leave her alone!"

"Miss Evans, please get back into line." Professor McGonagall said, as she entered the room. "Now follow me."

Lily glared at James as she walked through the door. It was at that point I made up my mind. I was going to be in the same house as Potter. He was an outspoken person, and by the looks of it had strong friends. He was someone I could hang arouns with, someone who wouldn't ask too many questions. And as soon as the sorting hat called out 'Gryfindor' for James Potter, I knew that was the house I was to be in.

James Potter turned out just as I expected him to be. He was aragant and self centred, but not without his charm, and true he did leave Jenny alone after I told him too. But he got me into trouble on my first night, and I wasn;t going to abide his foolish ways. I was annoyed to learn I was to be in the same house as him, but it didn't matter that much. I could be in the same house as a thousand James Potters, as long as I didn't have Petunia with me. It seems such a horrible thing to say about one's sister. But I'm afraid dreadfully true.

James' POV

Gryfindor. Knew I'd be in Gryfindor, I mean there is no other house for me. Hufflepuff? I'd rather be a muggle then be in that house! Slytherin? Well, Snape went in that house. My father mentioned Snape to me once before. Told me to avoid him if possible, seems quite a dark boy, but harmless. Then there's Ravenclaw the only decent house left. For the clever, they save. Nope, I'm a Gryfindor through and through.

I know it seems stupid and petty on my part, but Gryfindor is the house I would have chosen (if I could chose). But the sorting hat did it for me. If only to spite my mother, I was determined to steer clear of Slytherin. I had made a step, a small one, a baby one, but a step none the less. I was rebelling against the strings that held me to the Black Family. And the more I hung around with James and Remus, and even Lily the less I felt like one of them.

Remus's POV

To be honest which house I was in never really mattered. I'm here. At Hogwarts. That's good enough for me.