I Solemnly Swear that I am up to No Good
Chapter 2: The Sorting

As the first years walked into the Great Hall, Sirius couldn't help but feel that he were walking the Green Mile. He leant over to James and whispered, "Kill me if I get Slytherin."

"Alright," said James. "But only if you'll do the same for me if I get Hufflepuff."

"Deal."

James' face may have been calm, but Sirius could tell that his friend was nervous just by the sound of his voice, which shook slightly when he spoke. This was highly unusual for James. He was usually so confidant, even to the point of being slightly arrogant, that seeing him like this made Sirius' own butterflies ten times larger. Still, there was only one thing that could make James Potter nervous: her. He wanted to tell James to get over her, but he knew it would be a waste of breath. James was too stubborn to even think that it was never going to happen, but then again, Sirius had seen some pretty crazy things in his time so why couldn't they end up together? …Yeah right.

'Still', Sirius thought, 'if he's going to be like this every time something happens I might have to knock some sense in to him. Bloody ridiculous…'

"Now," came a woman's voice. Sirius looked up to see a strict-looking woman wearing dark green robes, her salt and pepper hair tied back in a tight bun. "I am Professor McGonagall." she continued. "When I call your name, please come up here and place the Sorting Hat on your head. Once you have been sorted, you should head to your House Table. She pointed towards four beautiful antique tables, each decorated with an elegant tablecloth colored with their House Colors: blue and silver for Ravenclaw, purple and yellow for Hufflepuff, red and yellow for Gryffindor, and green and silver for (Sirius shuddered) Slytherin. Each table had been set, and now held empty kitchenware, plates bowls, silverware, the works. The china shone brilliantly in the light let off by the enchanted ceiling of the hall, which showed the sky outside: bright stars everywhere, the occasional shooting star, and the moon, now reaching the halfway point of its nightly trek across the sky. Sirius reckoned it would be full the next evening.

McGonagall pulled out a roll of parchment that nearly reached the floor, and the first of the first years was called.

"Alicia Abbot."

A frightened looking girl with blond hair and sky blue eyes emerged slowly from the safety of the crowd of first years and walked up to the stool. Placing the sorting hat on her head, she sat down and waited for its decision.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted, from what appeared to be a mouth made from a tear in it's patched, graying side. The Hufflepuff table burst into applause, as the girl nearly ran from the stool as though afraid that hat might change its mind, and sat next to another blond girl Sirius assumed was her sister. The Sorting would continue for a few minutes before he was called, so Sirius spent the time he had looking around at his class. James was to his left, desperately trying (but failing) to look calm, as though this was no big deal. Peter was behind James, practically cowering. He was sweating profusely, biting his nails, and he looked about ready to faint. He found Remus to his right, partially obscured by a group of girls that seemed about to collapse like Peter. He looked sickly and pale, as though he had recently gotten over a bad illness. What little color he had on the train had vanished, and he looked up at the hat with absolute fear in his eyes, like it was some kind of monster hell bent on making his life miserable. 'Why?' Sirius wondered. 'Was there something that would stop him from being sorted? Could it be that he's trying to avoid something?' Sirius put the thought out of his mind as he looked over the others, and much to his displeasure, found that Serverus Snape was smiling.

'Of course he's smiling!' thought Sirius angrily. 'When he gets into Slytherin he'll be surrounded by thugs and dark magic, just the way he wants.'
Sirius frowned. 'Snivellus, you slimy git if I get into the same house as you I swear I'll –'

"Sirius Black."

Sirius' heart skipped a beat. 'Oh, man...'

He began walking towards the tattered old hat, and almost involuntarily looked back at James. James was smiling, giving a silent thumbs up to him. Reassured, Sirius sat on the stool and placed the hat on his head. It fell over his eyes, which he was very thankful for. The last thing he wanted was to watch everyone staring at him.

'Here we go.' He thought.

"That's the spirit!" said a voice in his head, making Sirius jump.

"I don't bite." said the hat casually, as though people were accustomed to having conversations with 1,000-year-old wizard hats. "Now let's see, another Black, hmm? Not surprising… But where to put you…?" The hat sounded puzzled.

This was his chance. 'Not Slytherin,' He pleaded with the hat. 'Not Slytherin, not Slytherin, not Slytherin…'

"Not Slytherin, eh? But it's in your blood, boy. Slytherin is where you are meant to be!"

'I don't care; put me anywhere, just not Slytherin!"

"Very well," said the hat slowly. "If you're sure that's what you want. Then you're a…

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted into the hall.

A wobbly-kneed Sirius walked towards the applauding Gryffindor Table, and took a seat next to another first year. His butterflies calmed in the pit of his stomach as he heaved a sigh and relaxed, determined to enjoy the rest of the sorting.

After several minutes, Sirius perked up his ears at the sound of a familiar name.

"Remus Lupin."

Sirius looked over in Remus' direction and saw him battling his own butterflies. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in a desperate attempt to calm himself. Opening his eyes, he strode up to the hat and placed it upon his head.

"Good luck, mate." Sirius said, even though he knew Remus wouldn't hear him.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus walked quickly to the Table and sat next to Sirius. Sirius was surprised to se that he was smiling.

"What did it say to you?" He asked Remus quietly.

"It told me…" he paused, as if looking for the right words. "…that I shouldn't be worried."

"Worried?" repeated Sirius. "About wh-"

Sirius suddenly stopped and looked up as James strode casually up to the hat. Remus gave an almost inaudible sigh of relief at this interruption. Clearly there was something he did not want to discuss. Sirius noticed, but didn't make any conscious thoughts about it, because the hat was about to say something.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Again, the Gryffindor Table burst into thunderous applause, and James took a seat on the opposite side of the table, across from Sirius. James was beaming, with a broad smile stretching from ear to ear.

"Looks like you won't have to kill me after all." He said quickly.

"I wouldn't have done it anyway." replied Sirius, now smiling himself.

James faked a look of extreme hurt. "My own best friend wouldn't even have killed me!"

They laughed together for several seconds, only stopping when Peter's name was called. The hat seemed to take the longest with him, as though it was unsure where to place him. Sirius watched the seconds tick by on Remus' wrist watch. Eight, Nine, Ten…Finally, the hat made a decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius was sure he heard uncertainty in its voice.
But that hardly mattered. After all, every one of his friends was sitting around him, all in the same house.

'Now,' thought Sirius. "If I manage to get at least three classes with James…'

Preview of Chapter 3
"First of all, I would like to remind you that the forest in the grounds is off limits to students. Yes, that means you, Clark."

A student at the Slytherin table faked a look of being deeply hurt.

"Second," Dumbledore continued. "We have a new addition to the plant life here at Hogwarts. Some of you may have noticed the new Whomping Willow in the grounds? However, I would ask that none of you go near it. Its beauty is best admired from afar."

"Then why is it there?" asked a Hufflepuff boy.

"Why wouldn't it be?" asked Dumbledore. "It's an interesting tree to study! Not to mention how creepy it looks at night." He chuckled along with the students. But Remus sank a little further. He knew why the tree was there, and what its true purpose was. And he also knew what kind of chaos would undoubtedly ensue should it ever be removed.