Chapter Four: The Wizarding School
Remus sat in a lonely compartment all by himself on the Hogwarts Express. He wasn't upset he was alone, he actually preferred it. No one asked about his ugly scars or why he was almost always sick.
He looked out the window and saw a giant lake to the left of the train. There was a giant man standing by all these rows and rows of boats. He had a big, bushy, brown beard and wore a dark green colored jacket. His pink umbrella was hanging out of his coat pocket and a big black-colored puppy sat by his feet.
When all the first years-along with Remus-filled off the express, the large man spoke, "Welcome all ye little firs' yeers. My names Hagrid an' I'm the groundkeeper here at Hogwarts. Since you all are little firs' yeers, the lot of you will ride over the lake with me and Fang here," Hagrid said.
Remus liked Hagrid. He liked his loud voice. He liked the way he looked kind of like a teddy bear. He liked Fang.
Remus loaded into one of the boats that had only two other boys in it. One had black hair that stood straight up towards the back of his head and had square glasses. The other, without glasses, had dark brown hair that was swerved and curled in every direction. The two boys were at the front of the boat sitting side by side, facing Remus. Remus didn't speak, but looked down at the bottom of the boat.
"Hello," the one with curls said.
"Hi," Remus muttered back.
"What's your name?" The one with glasses asked.
"Remus. Remus Lupin," Remus said back.
"Cool name. I'm Sirius Black. This is James Potter," the curly said.
Remus nodded at them and they all stayed silent the rest of the boat ride.
Remus could feel the knot in his stomach as he entered the huge doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His eyes wandered to one thing after another, from the enchanted moving pictures to the floating ghosts coming from the staircase from the left.
"All the first years, come this way please!" All the first years heard a thick accented voice say.
All of the first years followed the older lady with the accent and a pointed, black hat. She had a bit of sagging skin around the cheek area and thinning hair.
"I'm Professor McGonagall, the Gryffindor House leader. Now when you walk through these doors,"-she motioned behind her at the tall dark brown wooden doors-"you will be sorted into a house. There are four houses here at Hogwarts. Gryffindor, for the brave and chivalrous. Ravenclaw, for the intelligent and witty. Hufflepuff, for the loyal and just. Finally, Slytherin, for the cunning and ambitious."
As the professor finished the speech, there were many whispers about the different houses between many people including a conversation between James and Sirius.
Remus heard James say, "I hope I'm in Gryffindor, just like my mum and dad."
Sirius replied, "Well, if I'm anything but a Slytherin, my mum will shoot me off the tapestry!"
Remus smiled with them as he heard the two boys laughing behind him. He felt someone poking him from behind then. He turned to see it was Sirius.
"What house do you think you'll be in, Remus?" Sirius asked thoughtfully.
Remus just shrugged his shoulders. He was being honest; he had no clue where the hat would place him. He could be in Hufflepuff; he was definitely a hard worker. He helped his mum all the time with the house chores. Then, he could be a Ravenclaw. He loved to read and learn, but he though friendship came above that. Remus did know, he wasn't a Gryffindor. He was not brave or strong enough; he was a weakling and didn't deserve to be a house with such good reputation. Werewolves had terrible reputations, therefore, no Gryffindor.
As Professor McGonagall called at each name-starting with 'Ample, Georgia'-Remus's knot that had formed in his stomach became larger and larger.
"Lupin, Remus," called the professor.
Remus shakily stepped forward to the stool in front of the entire Great Hall. He felt his face flush as whispers broke out front he Slytherin table and he could've sworn he heard someone say the word scars. Remus sat on the stool facing away from the other professors-including, Remus had noticed, the Albus Dumbledore himself-and Professor McGonagall placed the heavy faxed hat onto the boy's head.
The bat spoke to Remus inside his head, "Ahh, so this is the young wolf. Dumbledore has heard about you. Have you talked to him yet? No? Pity... Anyway, well well, look at all these great characteristics. But, what's this? No Gryffindor for the young wolf? You know I never make mistakes... I hope you can trust me when I say,"-then the hat spoke to all-"Gryffindor!"
Remus was too stunned to get up off the stool for the first few seconds. The Gryffindor table was exploding with cheers, along with the cheers of Sirius Black, who had been sorted there earlier on.
Sirius patted the table next to him and Remus obliged with sitting next to him. Sirius said, "I think we'll get along swimmingly, you and I."
Remus smiled at his new friend then turned at the words, "Potter, James."
The hat didn't need to think twice about James. It barely touched his head before sorting James into Gryffindor along with Sirius and Remus.
