Peter looked around the great hall nervously. Anytime now, they could call his name and then he would have to go. He would have to go get sorted. He would have to go and put the hat on his head.
But…
What if he never got sorted? What if he had to sit there with the hat on his head forever, till they had to pull him off? What if he…
"Pettigrew, Peter."
Peter winced at his name.
'Too late to list out the possibilities now.' he thought as he made his way toward the stool.
He quickly sat on the stool and jammed the hat on his head.
"Aha! You're a tricky one." said the hat
"I am?" asked Peter, even more nervous
"Oh yes. You definitely think you're smart." Said the hat
"But not Raven claw…No not there. Perhaps Hufflepuff…No…Not loyal enough. You would fit quite nicely in Slytherin" said the hat
"What about Gryffindor?" asked Peter
"Gryffindor? You're not brav-... Never mind Gryffindor. Slytherin is the house for you." said the hat
Peter looked over at the Gryffindor table. James was there with Sirius, Remus and Frank and many others. If anything happened to him, they would be there for him. They wouldn't leave him on his own like the Slytherins would.
"But I want to be in Gryffindor!" said Peter loudly
"Eh? Now that's brave of you to admit that. I wonder why…?"
"I want to be in Gryffindor!" repeated Peter, more confidently
"Bravery…but for all the wrong reasons." Said the hat
"Bravery is bravery, for whatever reason." said Peter
"That is not untrue, but I wonder…"
Peter waited anxiously for the hat to say something.
"Very well… Better be...
GRYFFINDOR!"
Peter flung the hat of his head and nearly ran to the Gryffindor table.
"I'm going to prove that hat wrong." Thought Peter, determinedly as he sat with his fellow Gryffindors.
"I'm going to become smart, loyal and brave. Just wait and see, you dumb hat!"