Title: Tuck In
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Any of the characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing with them. Not profit is being made and I have no money so please don't sue me.

The ride to the school had been uneventful. After James came back to the compartment, looking sullen and told everyone to bugger off, they all changed into their robes and stared out the windows until the towering castle that was Hogwarts appeared in the distance. Remus thought of the scaly horses that pulled the carriages, tossing gaunt heads back and forth, greasy manes floating through the air. He closed his eyes and tried to think of something else, those animals, for some reason, made him feel uneasy. Sirius however thought they were awesome and was even more intrigued by the fact the James and Peter could not see them.

The boys walked through a light wind, dusk setting on them, toward the black carriages. Remus turned tentatively to Sirius, "Don't they ever remind you of a funeral procession?"

Sirius thought for a moment, then nodded slowly, "Maybe a really old one I guess." He waited for Remus to climb into the car before scrambling in after him and sitting on the warm cushion next to him. His hand strayed momentarily to Remus' thigh before the other two boys jumped in, and slammed the door. The carriage moved promptly, swaying slightly at first. Sirius moved his hand, and, Remus, his face burning, leaned against the cooler window and watched the sun going down.

They walked through the Great Hall, sighing and pushing their warm cloaks off their shoulders before walking into the Dining Hall. The golden plates shimmered on the table, teasing Remus' empty stomach. He groaned and the four boys sat in their usual position, center of the Gryffindor table. He picked up a goblet and glanced into the bottom of it before looking at the head table. Professor Dumbledore was sitting in the Headmaster's chair. He elbowed Sirius in the ribs, "Guess he did get it then?" Sirius nodded, staring at a shapely Ravenclaw girl.

Suddenly, Remus' insides swelled with an urgent emotion. He grasped his stomach and let a small yelp. His stomach, empty as it were, was doing flip flops and turns while knotting itself. James looked at him in concern, "What's wrong Moony? It's a week before the moon." Remus sat up with great difficulty and failed at forcing a smile, "Nothing, nothing's wrong."

He rubbed his stomach just as the first years started to file in. They were led by Ogg, the ground's keeper. Next to him was a young man who was much broader and taller than he. Remus touched his arm as he walked by and the boy turned around, "Hey, Hagrid!"

The boy waved genially before moving on. The first years gathered in a little clump near the Head table and watched as Professor McGonagall set down a wooden, three legged stool. It wobbled slightly before she set a tattered hat on it. Slowly the rip opened, at though the hat were yawning through it. It stretched its tear/mouth and opened wide before emitting a noise.


Students young
Teachers old
Listen while I speak
Hear what I behold

There's trouble in east
Trouble in west
If you are to quell the beast
You must do your best

Band together
Stay strong
Let your houses bond
In this you can't go wrong

Now sit under me
Let me decide
Where you may be
For the rest of your Hogwarts ride

It closed its mouth and was silent. Suddenly, Professor McGonagall unrolled a sheaf of parchment and started saying names. One by one trembling first years mounted the stool and placed the hat their heads. It would scream out their houses at random intervals.

Remus recalled when he was placed in Gryffindor.

The hat was put on his head and it suddenly whispered to him, "How would you feel about Ravenclaw? You're very smart you know. You could do it." Remus shook his head violently. "No?" It almost seemed to be teasing him, "Where then?" Remus thought. He remembered those two boys who had befriended him on the train. They had been sorted into Gryffindor. "Gryffindor." He whispered it, almost silently. He thought it loudly. Suddenly, the hat screamed out, "GRYFFINDOR!" He took the hat off and raced to sit next to his two new friends at the table. "Good job, mate," the one in glasses slapped him on the back.

Coming back from his reverie, Remus realized the sorting itself had just adjourned. Professor Dumbledore stood as Professor McGonagall walked to stool to the back of the hall.

"As you can all tell," their new Headmaster addressed them, "I have replaced Professor Dippit. I am sad to say he died in an extraordinary Muggle accident this summer, a roller coaster, if you've ever heard of one. I will not keep you from your feast. So I have two more words for you, Tuck In."

Sirius raised his fork in assent and all the boys began dishing food onto their plates, subsequently shoveling it into their mouths.