James was never nervous. Even when his father found out that he had stolen his wand and cursed his haughty cousin, he wasn't as nervous as he was when Professor McGonagoll led the first years into the Great Hall.
McGonagoll crossed the room with a distinct air of authority and placed a hat that seemed to come out of nowhere onto a stool that sat there.
"When I call your name you will step up and put the hat on. It will sort you into one of the four houses," said McGonagoll and drew out a scroll.
James looked to Sirius, his new friend. His face looked resolute, although a little pale.
"Allen, Jonah," cried McGonagoll, and a short, dumpy boy sat on the stool. He was almost immediately sorted into Hufflepuff.
Many other children were sorted, but none of them caught his eye until a radiant girl stepped up. Her name was "Evans, Lily." Her auburn hair shown brightly and her green eyes sparkled knowingly. After a few moments, she was sorted into Gryffindor.
He was captivated. The girl was perfect in every way. James suddenly had a very strong urge to join the girl at the Gryffindor table.
More kids got sorted. A few more joined Ravenclaw, and even a couple were Slytherins. Soon McGonagoll called, "Potter, James."
James stepped shakily up to the stool. He sat with a soft thump on it, and felt the hat fall down over his eyes.
Hmmm…said a small voice in his ear, Slytherin or Gryffindor? You are courageous, but your family line is very much on the Slytherin side. I guess you shouldn't follow your descendents; you are very much like Godric Gryffindor himself…
"GRYFFINDOR!" Called the hat. James shakily slipped it off and sat numbly at his house table.
After awhile, another person caught his eye. But it was not for the same reason that Lily did. This kid was greasy haired, snide-looking, and a sort of unpleasant aura emanating from him. His name was "Snape, Severus," according to McGonagoll. The odd thing about him was that the hat didn't even touch his head before the hat cried "SLYTHERIN!"
After the sorting was over, Dumbledore stood, his eyes twinkling merrily.
"Welcome, students, to another wonderful year at Hogwarts!" He said. Most of the older students applauded vigorously, "Tuck in!"
A great feast appeared before him, and his mouth started to water as he took a bit of everything. Soon the feast was over and desserts of sorts filled the enormous golden plates.
After the feast, Dumbledore stood again.
"A few start-of-term announcements," he said cheerily, "for one thing, the dark forest is forbidden to all students. Filch has asked me to remind you…."
James didn't hear what a dirty looking man named Filch wanted to remind them. His eyes wandered and fell on Lily. She turned and suddenly her gaze met his. There was breath-taking tension between the two, and James felt himself flush with embarrassment. He tore his eyes away from hers, still blushing furiously.
How can I be so stupid? James asked himself dejectedly. He had no time to continue to broad on this; Dumbledore had dismissed them, and a haughty prefect was leading them to the seventh floor.
They turned a corner sharply, and many gasped. Flights and flights of stairs went up and up, almost never ending. The people in the portraits waved cheerily at them, though James was used to this unnaturalness.
"Here we are," said the prefect lazily, facing a huge picture of a fat woman. "The password is: 'Pumpkin juice.'"
The portrait swung forward and the prefect ushered them in. Many of the first years stared around with awe.
"This is the Gryffindor Common Room. The boys' dormitory is up the stairs and to the left, and the girls', the same to your right. You'll find that all of your things have already been brought up for you. Good night," said the prefect, already heading up to his dormitory.
James followed a flock of boys up to the dormitory. His trunk sat idly at the foot of his bed. James gladly collapsed on its soft four-poster exterior, and almost immediately drifted into a dreamless sleep.