We, ah . . . the way it works in our world is that all witches and wizards are on their own for the first eleven years. I mean, we live with our families, but we have no formal education. It's up to the parents to teach things like math, reading, writing, et cetera. But when we're eleven, we're sent to Hogwarts.

So there I was, sitting in a compartment, all alone and terrified. I wasn't technically allowed to be at school as a werewolf, and so I'd already decided I'd try to stick to myself and not get much attention, and that way I'd be safest.

[He smiles at the floor rather fondly.]

But then these two idiots came barging in and sat down. I'm James, one said, and the other grabbed my hand in an enthusiastic handshake. What house are you going to be in? I said I didn't know.

We're for Gryffindor, they said, and I nodded and said I'd rather like that as well. Sirius offered me a chocolate frog, and that was that.