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CHAPTER THREE

Hogwarts/Howler/Friends

The Black brothers, the Granger Twins, and Neville Longbottom got off the Hogwarts Express, following rest of the first year students and a half-giant named Rubeus Hagrid to boats. Only four students allowed in each boat. So, the Black brothers and Grangers Twins shared one boat while Neville sat in a different boat with a redhead and two other students.

Hermione grabbed Colden's hand nervously.

"It's going to be okay, 'Mione. It doesn't matter what house we are in. If we are in different houses, I won't care because you're my sister and I will always be there for you."

James and Reggie heard this and James gave Reggie a look. Reggie pushed his brother slightly and rolled his eyes.

"Maybe you should take some notes from them how to be a sibling," James joked.

"Shut up, James," Reggie told his brother annoyed.

James had a smirk on his lips while staring in front of him, trying not to laugh.

Hermione glared at the two boys, "James. Be nice to your brother," before she turned her head, looking back in front of her.

James rolled his eyes while his smirk stayed on his lips.

The first-year students were standing in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, waiting to be sorted into one of the four houses.

Professor McGonagall was calling out names. That's when she got to the B's.

"Black, Regulus."

Everyone was a little quiet when his name was called. Reggie walked up to the stool with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his lips.

He spun around and down. McGonagall sighed while she placed the Sorting Hat on Reggie's head.

~ Umm...A Black. Hogwarts hasn't had a Black since your father's and uncle's time here. Your father was a Slytherin and your uncle was a Gryffindor. It seems like you are very loyal to your family and friends. You are also very brave and fearless. But the house that's great for you is. . . GRYFFINDOR! ~

McGonagall took the hat off of Reggie's head while he ran to the Gryffindor table with a smile on his lips. He was just like his uncle, being in Gryffindor.

It was awhile before McGonagall got to the Ps.

(Ravenclaw!Hermione, Hufflepuff!Neville. Colden Granger, Hermione's twin brother, is a Slytherin, even though he's a mudblood. Draco Malfoy is still a Snake.)

"Potter-Black, Harry."

The Great Hall was silent when James was called up. He rolled his eyes at the name because he hated to be called Harry. He sighed and walked up to the stool and sat down. McGonagall placed the hat on his head.

~ Ah. Mr. Potter-Black. Or should I just say, Mr. Black? ~

"Black will be fine."

~ Well, Mr. Black. It seems like you're cunning and a great leader. Slytherin would be great for you, Mr. Black. ~

"I don't care what house you will put me in."

~ Okay. You will be great in . . . SLYTHERIN! ~

James hopped off the stool after McGonagall took the hat off and walked to the Slytherin table with a smirk on his lips. Everyone watched, in shock, James strolled to the Slytherin table. He sat down next to Colden and their fist-pumped each other.

It took a minute for McGonagall to go on with the sorting.

Later that night, Colden and James were in one of the dorm rooms for the boys. Two other boys were in there.

"So, Potter. You're a Slytherin?" the blonde-haired boy, Draco Malfoy, smirked.

James was sitting on one of the beds.

"Actually, Malfoy. It's Black. James Black is my name. I don't like being called Potter or Harry. James is just fine."

"And what is a mudblood doing in Slytherin?" the other boy asked annoyed.

"This mudblood was sorted into Slytherin because the hat placed me here," Colden smirked at the Pure-blood boy.

The boy, Blaise Zabini, glared angrily at him before he went to his bed.

James couldn't help but laugh. Colden joined him while the two purebloods stared at the halfbreed and mudblood weird.

"What's so funny, Black and Granger?" Malfoy asked confused.

Colden shook his head while James fell off his bed, holding his side, with them both laughing loudly. Malfoy and Zabini looked at each other before they rolled their eyes annoyed and shook their heads.

The other Black brother was laying on his bed with his feet on his pillow and his head at the other end. He was also reading a comic book. The other three Gryffindors were staring at him.

"Black."

Reggie looked upside down at the Lion that had called his name.

"Yeah."

"You should be a Snake," the redhead boy said angrily, "Harry should be here in Gryffindor."

Reggie sighed annoyed while looking back at his comic, "His name is James, not Harry. He threw his old name out when he was adopted into my family. And papa told James and me that it didn't mean what house we were in, he would still be proud of us. Now, leave me alone so I can read my comic."

The redhead boy, Ronald Weasley, glared at Reggie angrily. He went to his bed and laid on it while the other two stared at Reggie.

"So. Your name is Regulus Black?"

Reggie looked at the other two boys.

"Reggie Black. I don't like to be called by my full name. What're your names?"

"Dean Thomas, half-blood."

"Seamus Finnigan, half-blood."

Reggie smiled, "Also a half-blood. Same with my brother, James Black or Harry Potter-Black. Don't call him Potter or Harry. He doesn't like these names for some odd reason. Call him James or if you must, Black."

"What comic are you reading, Reggie?" Finnigan asked, trying to look at the comic.

Reggie looked back at his comic, "2000 AD (A British science fiction-orientated comic)."

Finnigan grinned, "I love that comic!"

Reggie sat up fast with a smile on his lips and started talking with Finnigan about 2000 AD.

At the same time, Hermione was sitting on her bed in the girl's dorm room in Ravenclaw house. She was talking with three other girls because they were too excited to go to bed and couldn't wait to start their classes in the morning.

In Hufflepuff, Neville was already laying in his bed, thinking about what his gran will think of him because he was not in Gryffindor like his father, Frank Longbottom. He had tears in his eyes while he faced the wall. He could already hear the howler.

The next day, James and Colden were talking and eating their breakfast while the other Slytherins glared nastily at the mudblood in their house. Colden pretended that they were minding their own business.

Reggie was sitting in between Fred and George Weasley.

"You know, we don't mind that little Jamie is a Snake. He's still our friend," Fred told Reggie.

Reggie grinned, "That's good to know, Gred."

The twins looked at each other before grinning.

"You want to be in our group, Reggie?"

"Can the Granger twins, Neville, and James be in the group also?"

George shrugged, "Sure. We don't mind."

"Good."

Hermione was talking to her new friends in Ravenclaw, while Neville was sitting alone at the Hufflepuff table until someone sat next to him. Neville looked at him confused while the old student smiled at him.

"Hello, Neville Longbottom. I am Cedric Diggory and I noticed that you were sitting alone. As a Hufflepuff, we are family and we care for each other. What might be the problem, little badger?"

Neville sighed, "My gran will not be happy with me because I am not a Gryffindor like she wanted, like my father."

Before Diggory could say anything, an owl with a letter attached to its leg landed in front of Neville. He grabbed it and both Neville and Diggory knew it was a Howler. Neville opened it slowly.

~ NEVILLE FRANK LONGBOTTOM! HOW DARE YOU GO INTO HUFFLEPUFF!? I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN YOU! YOUR FATHER WILL BE DISAPPOINTED TOO! YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GRYFFINDOR LIKE YOUR FATHER! I DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO BE A HUFFLEPUFF! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPEN TO MADE YOU A HUFFLEPUFF! I AM NOT HAVING MY OWN GRANDSON AS A HUFFLEPUFF! ~

Neville sank into his seat with tears in his eyes while the teared itself up. Everyone was staring at the Longbottom Heir. Neville couldn't take it. He stood up and ran out of the Great Hall. James, Reggie, and the Granger Twins ran after him, not caring that they were in different houses.

Away from the Great Hall, Neville slid down to the ground, crying his heart out.

"Nev?"

Neville looked up at the four students. James and Reggie sat down next to Neville on each side.

"Neville Longbottom," James started, "You are a Hufflepuff. No matter what your grandmother says. I knew right away when I first met you, you have a kind heart and will always be loyal to your friends and family. Yes, I can see some bravely in you but there's more Hufflepuff in you than Gryffindor. You're still my friend, even though I am a Snake and you're a Badger."

"Same here, Neville. The Weasley twins in Gryffindor is allowing you in their group with me, James, and the Granger twins. You're the best friend a mate can have," Reggie said smiling.

"You really shouldn't listen to your grandmother, Nev. Who cares if you're a Puff," the Granger Twins said in unison, "We're still your friend."

Neville wiped his eyes with his hands, "Thanks, guys. I knew this was going to happen. You guys are the best mates that a lad could have."

James and Reggie helped Neville up and gave him a hug. Hermione and Colden joined them.

They pulled away from each other to walk back to the Great Hall but they were met with Diggory and two professors.

"Hello, students. I am Headmaster Dumbledore and this is Professor Sprout, head of the house of Hufflepuff."

"Hello," the five students said softly.

"I am impressed by your four. A Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and two Slytherins helping a Hufflepuff. I have never seen this before," he said with a smile on his lips.

James stepped forward, "Sir. We were just helping our friend. He was upset. We don't like seeing our friends upset."

"I know, Mr. Potter-Black. Let's go back to the Great Hall while Professor Sprout and Mr. Diggory deal with Mr. Longbottom."

The four students didn't want to leave their Hufflepuff friend but they knew that he would be okay with Professor Sprout. So they followed Dumbledore back to the Great Hall.

"Students, follow me to the front."

They looked at the ground, not knowing what will happen. They stood in front of everyone and Dumbledore went behind them.

"When Professor Sprout, Mr. Diggory, and I went to go get Mr. Longbottom, we found these four talking to him. A Gryffindor, A Ravenclaw, and two Slytherins befriending a Hufflepuff. That's what I like to see here at Hogwarts. These four will be the first ones earning points for their house this school year. Ms. Hermione Granger, Ravenclaw, will be getting Twenty points. Mr. Regulus Black, Gryffindor, will also be twenty points. Mr. Harry Potter-Black, Slytherin, gets twenty points. Last and not least, Mr. Colden Granger, Slytherin, will be getting twenty points. They each got twenty for befriending a student from a different house."

James and Colden looked at each other grinning, "Forty points for Slytherin! Sweet!"

They gave each other a high-five before the four students were sent back to their tables. The Ravenclaws were cheering for Hermione. Same with Gryffindor to Reggie. However, with James and Colden, the Slytherins were glaring angrily at them. Just because the two boys were a halfbreed and a mudblood.