Peter's Sorting
Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter related. You know the drill.
Please read & review. This was a fun, creative, in my own mind little story and I'd love to know what you thought.
"Pettigrew, Peter..!"
Peter Pettigrew stood transfixed on the spot. He was shaking all over. He was scared. His body felt twice as hot as it should be and he swallowed hard.
The students all looking at him, goggling at him like an animal in a zoo waiting for him to do something spectacular.
Nervously, Peter began to walk up past the students. Peter felt sick and felt the color draining from his face like hot water dripping off him. His legs were shaking . . . his head was spinning . . . what happened if he wasn't supposed to be here..? What happened if the hat was placed on his head and shouted to the whole school Peter wasn't worth being taught magic. That he was a Squib. Peter gulped at the thought.
One foot . . . in front of the other . . . Peter told himself over and over again, Just one foot in front of the other . . . he kept saying.
He had to stay focused on something.
Just keep walking up to the stool . . . he said, Just up to the stool—
Peter tripped. He felt his shoe lace tighten and the next thing he knew— he was on the floor and he heard something. Laughing. The students were laughing.
Peter glanced up and felt himself turn the deepest red. All four tables were chuckling at him and pointing. Professor McGonagall coughed and glared at them, silencing the students. Peter stood up and brushed himself off and quickly scurried up to the Sorting Hat. The Slytherin table still chuckling at him.
I just want this to be over . . . he said.
Professor McGonagall walked over with a friendly smile. Well as friendly as Professor McGonagall could get, "You'll be fine."
Peter nodded and sat down on the stool . . . the students all looking at him. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on Peter. It slid past his ears, covering his eyes and even his nose. It had almost look like Peter shoved his head in the hat to see how far it would go. He took a deep breath and shivered.
"Nervous are we..?" the hat asked.
Peter jumped and his eyes shot up right to the hat. The brim of it's was moving like a hat, the patches moving with his mouth. It could talk..?
You— you— you just talked..!" Peter told the hat.
"Why of course I talked," the hat chuckled, "How am I supposed to Sort you if I don't talk..?"
But— you— you didn't talk for anyone else..! Peter told the hat. Then Peter felt frightened, The school can't hear me can they..?!
"No, no," the hat said, "I'm talking to you through your mind."
Ohhh...Can they hear us..?"Don't worry," said the hat lightly, "They can't here us."
Oh good because I—"Now that, that's taken care of . . . let's Sort you, shall we..?" the hat said cutting off Peter before he started to worry again.
Peter nodded nervously feeling like the Chocolate Frog he had on the train was going to come back up.
"Let's see now . . . you have—"
Peter all of a sudden blurred out something.
Please don't put me in Slytherin..! Peter blurred out, I don't want to go there..!
Peter had overheard numerous people saying Slytherin was the worst House of them all. Dark wizards went there. He didn't want to got there.
"No need to worry my dear boy," the hat said, "I wouldn't put you in Slytherin."
Oh good . . . Peter sighed. He didn't think he was Slytherin material anyway, but he just wanted to be sure.
"All though . . ." the hat said.
What..?!
"I am seeing something . . ." said the hat, it's brim folded in a thinking position, "I am seeing a bit of crossed friendships."
What does that mean..?!
"It means," said the hat straightening up, "You have shifty qualities . . . something found in a Slytherin."
But I don't want to go to Slytherin..! Peter complained, I mean I— I'm not like them..!
"Are you sure..?" the hat asked.
What..?! Am I sure..?! Course I'm sure...! Everyone who goes to Slytherin becomes a dark wizard..! Peter said, At least that's what I've been told..! And I'm no evil wizard..!
"Not yet," the hat said.
What..?! Not yet..?! You mean— Peter was lost for words, Can you see into the future is that why you're telling me this..?! Am I to be evil..?!
"No, not that I know of my boy," chuckled the hat, "But I see everyone's qualities. And I see your shifty nature."
I don't have a shifty nature..!
"If you insist," replied the hat.
Stupid hat . . . Peter thought.
"Oh am I..?" the hat spoke, "If I'm so stupid why can't youngsters Sort themselves..?"
Peter remained silent. That was a good question. Why didn't the students get to pick their Houses..?
Ummm . . .
"Because they wouldn't know where to go," replied the hat, "I asked you and all you can say is 'ummm'. So if will kindly let me get back to your Sorting, we can continue . . ."
Peter nodded. He wanted this to end shortly.
"So let's see now," said the hat once more, "Shifty, timid, clever though. Clever you are."
You really think so..? Peter said perking up.
"Oh yes," said the hat, "Your mind is very clever. But how will you use it..?"
For school I guess . . . said Peter. He hadn't known he was 'clever'. Most of his family thought him of a little cowardly worm, And to show my family I'm not what they think..!
"And what do they think of you..?"
They think I'm . . . they don't think I can do anything, Peter told the hat, I want to show them I can do it..!
"I see . . ." the hat was silent for a few moments, "Slytherin is no longer in my mind. Ravenclaw is a bit out of the question . . . you're also eager to please. Perhaps Hufflepuff."
Hufflepuff..? Peter stumbled out, Hufflepuff..? Are you sure..?
"You don't want to go to Hufflepuff..?" asked the hat.
Well . . . not really . . . Peter replied, I was hoping I might be in Gryffindor . . . with my new friends . . .
"New friends..?" asked the hat, "And who are these friends..?"
Well, there's Sirius Black—
"Ahhh, the Black boy. Difficult he was."
And Remus Lupin—
"Another good mind to cope with," said the hat.
And James Potter. But you don't know him yet. You haven't Sorted him yet so—
"I know Mr. Potter."
How..?
"Can't give away all my secrets can I..?" the hat said slyly, "Now why did you want to be with these boys..?"
I hoped I was with them. We're not good friends yet, but they were really nice to me . . . but I erm . . . well I actually wanted to go to Gryffindor as well, Peter confessed.
"You wanted to go to Gryffindor did you..? And what do you think gives you Gryffindor qualities..?"
Ummm . . . well— why can't you put me in Gryffindor..?!
The hat chuckled.
What's so funny..?!
"You my dear boy," laughed the hat, "You are an interesting one."
Peter was frustrated with the hat. Why couldn't it just Sort him..? Maybe he wasn't magical and the hat was just toying with him..? Peter felt distraught.
"I think I've found the house for you," said the hat.
You— you have..?! Peter's heart jumped, Which one..?!
"Well, certainly not Ravenclaw. I believe that they wouldn't suit you. Slytherin is out of the picture, they'd obviously eat you alive as they say. And as for Hufflepuff, you've just shown me you're not Hufflepuff material."
How..? Peter asked. He was ever so curious. On the edge of the stool with anticipation in fact, eagerly awaiting the answer.
"You belong in Gryffindor."
I do..?! Really..?!
"By telling me you didn't want to be in Hufflepuff, you stood up to me. You were brave enough to show me you didn't care what I said. And that my boy, is a trait Godric Gryffindor looked for."
So I'm going to—?
"Off to—"
"GRYFFINDOR—!"
Peter felt the hat taken off his head. He looked up. The students weren't laughing anymore. They were cheering. Cheering all for him. The Slytherins less but it didn't matter.
He ran over to the Gryffindor table and was applauded. He sat down near Sirius and Remus. They both congratulated him.
"Good job Pettigrew, Peter," Sirius said jokingly to Peter.
"Ignore him," Remus added, "He did the same thing to me."
Peter smiled and laughed a bit. He was very shy right now. He looked down at his feet under the table and smiled and gulped again.
He wasn't a Squib after all. He was magical. And to top off his day, he was going to write home and tell his family what it felt like to talk to a hat and be Sorted by one. He would also add in (with a smile) how it felt to be the first Pettigrew in Gryffindor.
Smiling again as he saw James cross the room, a large grin on his face, Peter thought of how proud his family would be when they found out he was in the bravest, best House of all. Gryffindor. Peter vowed then that he'd always be a good friend to his three new companions and prove the Sorting Hat wrong when it said he had a shifty nature.
"I'm not evil," Peter said in a whisper, "I'll be the best wizard I can be..! As great as Dumbledore even..!"
And with that Peter smirked as Kingsley Shacklebolt sat down next to him high-fiving Sirius and James with Remus reluctantly holding out his hand as Frank Longbottom pushed it forward. He had no idea that several years later, all these people would be against him and that one of his best friends' would be dead from his shifty nature.
Author's Note: So what do you think of old Peter's Sorting. He was a creative fun challenge. I enjoy my two last paragraphs were Peter says he will always be good and how all the boys around him end up his enemies or in James' case . . . dead to Peter's shifty nature. Tell me what you think. Remus' Sorting is coming. It got lost in the shuffle. Sorry. But anyway, it will be here soon and please read & review Peter's Sorting. Thanks.