Hi guys, this is DEI and I'd like to thank you all for reading my story. This is my first, so please give me some love. and reviews. More chapters coming soon!
James Potter stood on the train platform, his trunk and owl cage next to him. He couldn't help but feel nervous, his stomach fluttering despite the constant reassuring of his father and mother. James wiped some purple from his muggle clothes, grinning as he did so. His experience at Diagon Alley had been...eventful.
James walked out of Quidditch Supplies to see a dark-haired, handsome boy sprint down the alley, grinning madly as he did so. Behind the boy was a tall, vulture-like woman screeching and running after him. The boy, looking behind him, didn't see James standing there and crashed into him, sending them both flying into an ice cream vendor, carefully arranged sundae glasses and ice cream cones splattering green, orange, and purple all over the two boys. By the time the vendor was set right and James was cleaned up -mostly- the dark-haired boy was gone and James hadn't even gotten his name.
James was shook out of his thoughts when his father clapped him on the back.
"Best get on the train."
James nodded, hugged his mother one last time, shook hands with his father, and with a wave was off to the scarlet train.
"He's grown up so fast." Dorea Potter said tearfully, leaning into her husband.
Charlus nodded, watching his son board the train.
...
James found an empty compartment and sat down, adjusting his glasses. In the aisle people were talking and laughing. James remained in his seat though, looking out the window. He looked up to the screech of the compartment door opening and the dark-haired boy from Diagon Alley came in.
"Mind if I sit here?"
James nodded and held out his hand. "I'm James."
"Sirius." They shook.
"Err..." James desperately searched for a conversation opening. "Do you have a Quidditch team?"
"No, my family isn't fond of Quidditch. But from the games my neighbors talk about, I would have to say the Cannons." Sirius replied. He looked a bit downcast.
"Really? The Tornadoes-" And soon the two boys were engrossed in a conversation that wandered from Quidditch to muggles to the scene in Diagon Alley-they both chuckled at the memory-and Sirius seemed to cheer up some more.
"What house do you want to get in?" Sirius eventually asked, after they had both made themselves comfortable. James didn't hesitate.
"Gryffindor. It's where my parents went. Home of the brave! How 'bout you?"
Sirius looked uncomfortable. "Anywhere but Slytherin." He didn't elaborate and James didn't want to push him. They were interrupted by a red-haired girl and a rather greasy looking boy stepping into the compartment. They sat in the seat across from them, talking just loud enough for James and Sirius to hear them.
"I'm not exactly sure, Sev. " The girl said. "You know I don't know much about them."
"Go for Slytherin, it's where I want to go."
"Slytherin?" James interrupted, disgusted, "Who'd want to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
Sirius grimaced. "My entire family is in Slytherin."
"Blimey, and I thought you were alright!" James was horrified. He looked closer at Sirius, as if trying to smell the Slytherin on him.
Sirius shrugged, "I told you, I want to break the tradition, with Gryffindor."
The boy sneered. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"
"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius cut in.
The girl sniffed. "Lets go find another compartment, Severus." They both made their way towards the compartment door.
"Ooooh..." James and Sirius jeered, and James tried to trip Severus as he walked past.
"See ya, Snivellous!"
"What a git." Sirius wrinkled his nose. James nodded in agreement. They looked up for the third time to the now – becoming familiar screech of the compartment door. A tall, pale boy with light brown hair and eyes looked around nervously.
"Erm..." The boy started to leave.
"Wait!" James jumped up. "Do you want to sit here?"
The tall boy looked back quickly and nodded. He sat down next to James and pulled out a thick book.
James and Sirius looked at each other, then back at the strange boy.
"Err..." Sirius tentatively reached out and tapped the boy on the arm. "I'm Sirius Black, and he is-"
"The one and only James Potter." James interrupted with a wide grin, trying to break the dampened atmosphere.
The boy smiled nervously. "I'm Remus Lupin."
James and Sirius immediately launched into a conversation about Hogwarts with Remus. He seemed to relax and smiled and laughed with the two other boys. They stopped talking when the food trolley stopped by. James and Sirius each bought a handful of treats, but as they looked back they saw Remus buried in his book, hiding his face. James whispered to Sirius and as they walked past Remus they each dumped a load of sweets into his lap. Remus, looked up, about to protest, but Sirius clamped a hand over his mouth and said firmly,
"It's a gift. From your friends." He waited until Remus nodded with acceptance before going back to his seat.
…
James, Sirius, and Remus hopped off the train, dressed in their school robes and were startled by a roar that split through the air.
""Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" They simultaneously turned their heads in the direction of the voice and Sirius and Remus turned pale with shock. Only James's face split with a smile.
"It's Hagrid!" James beamed and ran in the direction of "Hagrid". Sirius turned to Remus.
"Hagrid who?" Remus shrugged, and they both ran after James.
...
James, Remus, and Sirius walked in single file down the Great Hall of Hogwarts, towards a battered hat on a stool. Professor McGonagall, the strict-looking witch who
had given to welcoming speech to the first-years led them until they stopped by the hat. The hat, a dirty and rumpled cap, sat on the stool, and as James watched in surprise, it opened its "mouth", which was a tear in the cap, and started to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat then me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
Where you'll meet your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For a Thinking Cap."
The whole hall burst into applause when the Sorting Hat finished. James looked back at Sirius and Remus. Remus nodded and Sirius gave a thumbs-up, though James could tell Remus was nervous by the way he clenched his fists. Sirius, however, looked as excited as a 5-year-old, bouncing up and down. James smiled at Sirius's antics then turned his attention back to McGonagall and the Sorting Hat. McGonagall took out a scroll and began to read names. James zoned out until "Black, Sirius" was called. As Sirius walked towards the stool, Remus gave him a thumbs-up and James clapped him on the back. McGonagall placed the battered hat on his head so that it covered his eyes. And the Sorting Hat sat on Sirius's head for more than five minutes. The hall waited. And waited. This was surely a record for how long the Hat took to decide which house a student belonged in.
Back in the line, James frowned. Sirius shouldn't be too difficult to sort. Even though James had only spent a couple hours with him, he knew Sirius was a true Gryffindor. But there was his family to consider…
As the hall was getting restless, the Sorting Hat finally made a decision.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius smiled as he got up from the stool, his legs shaky, and walked towards the Gryffindor table, which was cheering loudly. He turned and pumped his fist at James and Remus. James smiled back as the Sorting continued.
"Evans, Lily", the red-headed girl on the train got sorted into Gryffindor. James felt his spirits sink slightly. He did not want to spend seven years living with this girl. However, he forgot all about that as "Lupin, Remus" was called for Sorting. James crossed his fingers and smiled at Remus. Remus was sweating but he managed a tight grin at James. McGonagall once again covered Remus's eyes with the hat and the hall was silent once more.
James was alarmed when Remus turned pale under the hat. After about a minute he was sorted into…
"GRYFFINDOR!"
James sighed in relief, it looked like Remus was-
"Snape, Severus!" McGonagall called.
James crossed his fingers again, please, please-
"SLYTHERIN!"
James breathed a sigh of relief. He noticed Evans was frowning and grinned. Served her right.
After a small boy named Peter Pettigrew was sorted into Gryffindor, "Potter, James" was called and James sauntered over to the stool. He was confident, and sure enough,
"GRYFFINDOR!"
James leapt off the stool and jogged over to his friends at the Gryffindor table. He sat next to Sirius, opposite Remus and Peter Pettigrew and high-fived all of them.
"Man, I've never been more nervous in my entire life!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Are you kidding me? You were acting like a six-year-old girl!" James said.
"Yes, but I've learned to hide my inner feelings." Sirius responded.
Before James had a chance to reply, Albus Dumbledore stood up.
James knew who Dumbledore was, as much as any pureblooded family did. He was a legendary wizard but acted like a senile old man. Dumbledore gave his speech and then the feast began.
Yes, James's parents had told him about the legendary Hogwarts feast but he was unprepared for something like this. There was every food he liked and still more. James overloaded his plate and began stuffing himself. Sirius was doing the same, but Remus was picking at his food, a piece of bloody steak on his plate. However, James and Sirius were too busy eating to take notice.
When they finished dinner dessert appeared. James once again overloaded his plate.
After the feast, the prefects led the Gryffindor boys to their common room, where they approached a painting showing the "Fat Lady."
"Password?" the Fat Lady asked in a high voice.
"Jiffer-jugs," the prefect responded. He directed the girls to one dormitory and the boys to the other. James sank into the four-poster bed next to Sirius, the thought crossing his mind before drifting to sleep was that Hogwarts, even though he had been here for a short time, really was home.
Thanks for Reading!
DEI