Authors Note: Hi! It's good to be back writing HP stuff again. I'm sorry that this is not an update to the other HP stories that have posted but this was floating around in my head and just wouldn't go away. I hope you enjoy!

I've used the same sorting hat song that I wrote for 'The Years in the Life' and as you can see, my poetry writing skills leave a lot to be desired.

Disclaimer: I own nothing xx

James Sirius Potter swung into his regular compartment and collapsed down into one of the seats following an extremely dull Prefects meeting. James had been shocked to say the least when he had received both Gryffindor Prefect and Gryffindor Quidditch Captain when he opened his letter at the end of the summer prior to his 5th Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. James wasn't exactly a trouble making but he couldn't claim to be entirely innocent either. So, it had come not only as a shock to James but to his whole family as well when he had received the roles.

"Hey Jem!"

James grinned at his best friends and Gryffindor dorm-mates who were also occupying the compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express: Jasper Adams, Laurence Owen and Chang Sweet. The three had met aboard the Hogwarts Express during their first year and had been best friends ever since.

"Hey…what've I missed?"

Jasper grinned and waved a hand dismissively, "Not much…meeting ran long?"

James nodded and sung down into his seat, "Yeah…bloody Dom…I swear she just kept rambling on and on so that me and Mollie couldn't leave…"

The three boys laughed as the door to the compartment swung open to reveal the remaining 5th Year Gryffindors: Callie Coleman, Elsie Maynard, Kara Riley and Mae Buckley. The Gryffindor 5th Years were pretty close despite the constant dramas that kept unfolding generally regarding the group dating.

"Congrats Jem…on getting Captain I mean…how many spots do we need to fill this year?"

Callie Coleman was one of James' fellow Chaser's on the Gryffindor team and was almost as obsessed with the sport as James and Jasper were (Jasper was the teams Keeper).

"Just one…Seeker…unless someone drops out but I'm hoping no one is going to do that…"

Jasper shrugged, "You know who we're up against yet? Team wise I mean…"

James shrugged, "Most teams are staying pretty stable from last year…Slytherin and Hufflepuff need a new Chaser…and Ravenclaw needs a seeker…Santos and Johnston are still captains of Slytherin and Hufflepuff…but I don't know about Ravenclaw…Barrett, Langley or Wood I'm guessing…but I saw Wood in the meeting and she didn't mention anything…"

Kara shook her head, "Actually it is Wood…I actually hung around after the meeting and her and Dex were talking about it…"

James raised an eyebrow, "When was the last time there was a female captain? I mean…I'm totally for it…and Wood's a great player…but…"

"She's got great boobs too…" Laurence muttered causing Callie to his him around the back of the head.

James chuckled at his friends antics, "Yeah but she's also one hell of a Qudditch player…I guess that means we've got our work cut out for us this year…."

The rest of train journey passed in chatter and laughter until the Hogwarts Express came to a halt at Hogsmeade Station. The students of Hogwarts pushed and shoved their way off of the train, spilling out onto the platform. The small timid first years headed towards the large figure that everyone knew as Hagrid. James waved at Hagrid in greeting as the part giant offered him a wink. James had known Hagrid for the entirety of his life, much like he had Neville or rather Professor Longbottom and James still found it difficult to separate them from their personas at school and what they were like when everyone got together at the burrow.

The Gryffindor 5th Years quickly swung up into the thestral drawn carriages. James hadn't been able to decide whether he was lucky enough to be able to see the thestrals or not even after a conversation with his father. His dad had told him that there were few people who had fought in the second wizarding war who could not see thestrals and that if you treated them with respect there was nothing to be afraid. Of course, that conversation had meant that James had had to tell Harry that his middle child had accidently killed the cat by dropping Hogwarts: A Revised History on its head and that James had sat with the poor cat in its final minutes as it died while Albus went and hid the bloody book. Harry chuckled and told him (and Albus) not to mention what the book had been used for to their Aunt Hermione who had written the revised book.

Suddenly, the carriages came to a stop in front of the castle and the group quickly exited and headed inside hoping that they would not have to wait too long until the sorting and feast began. Entering the Great Hall was always a sight to behold at the start of the year and James took his time in taking in the students as everyone took seats at their respective house tables. James sat down next to Kyra while nodding a greeting to the Gryffindor beaters Lorcan and Lysander Scammander.

"Hey Jem…isn't Lily getting sorted this year?" Chang asked. Chang was named after his mother Cho's maiden name and the pair had found it utterly amusing when they had discovered that Harry and Cho had kissed while they had been at Hogwarts.

James nodded, "Yeah…and Roxie and Hugo…that's the last of us…they're the youngest so far…"

"So far?" Elsie asked from her spot next to Laurence.

James shrugged, "Teddy and Torie are getting married…and everyone knows that Torie wants kids and lots of them…"

The four girls squealed in happiness. They each knew Teddy and Torie rather well considering that the family was exceptionally close and were all constantly interfering in each other's business.

Laurence just rolled his eyes, "I don't know why you lot are acting like that…you all knew they got engaged as it was plastered on the front page of every bloody newspaper in the country…"

Mae giggled, "Aww…is someone jealous?"

Laurence shrugged, "Victorie's hot…can you blame me?"

James shivered, "Stop talking about my cousin like that…"

"But she…"

Fortunately, James was spared from his friends openly drooling over his part-veela cousin by the doors to great hall opening and Nev…Professor Longbottom, leading the little first years down the central aisle of the great hall. James craned his head so that he could see over the heads of the Hufflepuffs to spot and smile reassuringly at Lily, Roxanne and Hugo who nervously offered him a wave as they came to a halt behind Professor Longbottom. James noted that they were each eyeing the sorting hat warily and James was pleased to remember that no one had told the youngest members of the family what the sorting would entail.

The students fell silent in anticipation and then the hat twitched beginning to sing:

I may be old and worn

But when it comes to sorting a student

No hat could be more bright

And no hat could be more prudent

Our founders sought to teach

Exceptional magical technique

An amazing project to undertake

And for their efforts I have no critique

Slytherin or Gryffindor

Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff

Hogwarts now is your home

And surely that's enough

Will you join the valiant,

The strong and the brave?

Or are loyalty and friendship

Something you crave?

Or is the house of cunning skill

The place for you?

Or do you have a yearning to learn,

Knowledge to persue?

So climb up upon the stool

And pull me down around your ears

I'll reveal a new beginning

To your magical careers!

The students and teachers erupted into jubilant applause as the sorting hat fell silent. The hat then bowed to each of the four tables before become still once again. Neville (stop it! Its Professor Longbottom) stepped forward holding a long scroll of parchment. It amused James how long the parchment was considering that there were never more than 40 students in each year.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," he said, "Arnold, Jordan!"

A round faced boy stepped forward sat down on the stool and pulled the sorting hat over his eyes, causing the current students of Hogwarts to chuckle slightly.

"GRYFINDOR!"

James, his friends and the entirety of Gryffindor erupted into cheers and applause as they welcomed the boy into the house. The rest of the sorting passed relatively quickly and then it was Lily's turn.

"Potter, Lily…"

The hall fell silent as the youngest Potter made her way up onto the stage to be sorted. James met Albus' eyes over the heads of the other students, each remembering what their own sorting had been like. James had stuck with the trend and had been sorted into Gryffindor, while Albus had his worst fear come true (only it turned out not to be a fear once he realized that neither James nor the rest of the family actually cared) when he was sorted into Slytherin.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

James clapped loudly and noticed that he was joined by the rest of the family who were in Gryffindor in their wild cheering. Head-girl Dominique, sixth year prefect Mollie, third years Fred and Louis erupted into wild cheering which James noticed was making Lily blush. Not to say that Albus, Lucie and Rose were not cheering loudly, they just had to keep it in check as they were surrounded by the members of their own houses.

"Weasley, Hugo…"

Once again the hall fell silent and it surprised James that people continued to care about what houses the family was sorted into. He had slowly grown accustomed to the near constant media presence. It was only that the family were the most recognizable in Wizarding England due to the Second Wizarding War but now that his father was Minister of Magic things had become crazy once again.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Weasley, Roxanne…"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Well, it seemed that the youngest family members had kept with the expectations of the wizarding world by all joining Gryffindor. Then head-mistress Professor McGonagall stepped forward.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast I have a few announcements to make…First years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden…also I would like to remind you that no magic is to be used between classes in the corridors…Also I have been asked to inform everyone in their second years or above that both the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams are in need of a new Seeker…and that all those interested should inform the respective captains…James Potter for Gryffindor and Katherine Wood for Ravenclaw…Also, both the Hufflepuff and Slytherin teams are in need of a new Chaser…all those interested should speak with Hufflepuff Captain Oliver Johnston and the Slytherin Captain Buck Santos…Now please…let the feast begin…"

"Finally!" Chang exclaimed as the food appeared on the tables and the hall descended into loud chattering and laughter as the Hogwarts school year officially began.

An hour or two later, McGonagall stood once again, "It is getting late…off to bed with you all…first years please follow your respective 5th Year Prefects…Good Night…"

The students began to disperse and James and Kara quickly rounded up the first year who they were to take to the Gryffindor tower. It was relatively easy to gather the group as three of the first years launched themselves at James and began to chatter excitedly about everything they had experienced so far that day. The first years followed James out of the Great Hall were Kara staying at the back of the group to ensure that no one got lost as they made their way up the marble staircase. James smiled as he heard the excited whispers and noted the pointing at the portraits that were moving as they passed and the surprised giggles that occurred when one of the staircases started to move. Luckily, they didn't run into any of the ghosts (especially Peeves, now that had been a shock James' first year to be pelted with water balloons). James came to halt outside of the portrait hall and waited for everyone to meet up with him.

"Password dearie?" she said causing gasps from some of the students.

"Flibbertibigibbert…"

The portrait swung forward to reveal an archway leading into the Gryffindor Common room. They all entered and the first years gasped at the sight of the warm cosy round room full with squashy armchairs and sofas. Kara guided the girls up one staircase to the girls dormitories telling them how the boys couldn't get up the stairs as it turned into a slide anytime they tried, while James led the boys up the other staircase. The climbed around three flights of stairs and they came to an old wooded door which now had the names of the new Gryffindor first years etched onto the outside. James pushed the door open and the first year boys entered quickly finding which one of the five four poster beds adorned with deep red velvet curtains.

James smiled at the boys as they got comfortable, "Welcome to Gryffindor…"

Thanks for reading xx

Please review xx