You go out on Friday night/ I stay in but that's alright/ Because I have found a clique to call my own

~Good Charlotte


Chapter Six

Sorting


Before the students entered the Great Hall and were sorted, they were led into the entrance hall. They entered through a side door, barely visible to a passer-by. The hall was very grand, with a high ceiling and an elegant chandelier blazing brightly in the middle. On either end of the hall were two sets of large, ornate doors. They were engraved with the Hogwarts crest and motto. One led back out to the grounds, empty and darkened. The other led towards the Great Hall and the rest of their lives.

The group turned towards to doors to the Great Hall. Excited voices sounded from behind the wood. It was a cacophony of noise. Voices, cheers, ruffling, and scraping denoted the fact that there was a large group gathered. The pressure mounted; they were only a few steps away from the Sorting Ceremony.

Students, most likely muggleborns, grew increasingly nervous, wondering what the ceremony entailed. Some of those with magical blood began to stress over which house they would be sorted into, really feeling the family pressure that the selection of houses inspired. Not being sorted into the correct house could mean disinheritance. It was all very momentous.

Finally, the doors opened. The loud noises that had been emanating from the Hall ceased as the entire student body turned to watch the first years enter. The students were seated at four long tables, separated into their houses. The Professors sat at a fifth long table at the front of the Hall. And, placed before the Professors' table were a single wooden stool and a beaten and worn old hat.

'The Sorting Hat' Sirius thought as he zoned in on the aged headwear. His parents had told him all about the ceremony. That hat, Godric Gryffindor's own, was enchanted to reach into your mind and soul, weigh your character traits, and then determine which house you would best fit into. It was a relatively easy and pain-free process, despite the momentous nature of the event.

Whispers quickly broke out amongst some of the first years, obviously wondering what was going on with the hat. Sirius tried not to allow himself to be inflated by the sense of superiority that came with having knowledge others did not. Superiority was a Black trait that Sirius was desperately trying to repress. He was not any better than anyone else, especially when his superior knowledge came as a result of his pureblood upbringing. Those who were confused about what was going on were not raised in magical houses, or with parents who weren't as obsessed with status. His parents had prepared him for the Sorting, explaining everything that would happen so that he wouldn't be surprised and would definitely end up in Slytherin.

If Sirius were to be superior it would be as a result of his hard work and not a fluke of birth.

The first years gathered before the stool. Professor Greensleigh went to stand in front of his place at the front table. The rest of the school turned to look at the hat. Everyone was silent. A few of the muggleborn first years looked more and more confused and concerned. Finally, the hat began to move. A rip near the brim widened and a melody issued from the hole. The magical hat was singing.

Gather round, young boys and girls,

I've got a tale to tell

Of important this and that's

So listen to it well.

I may look too plain and simple,

But looks can sure deceive.

From me your place at this fine school,

You will, in time receive.

I will gaze deep into your minds

And see what's hidden there.

All your secrets and desires

Before me are laid bare.

Four houses you will have to choose

Each unique, and old, and grand.

They represent the Founders four.

Greatest wizards in the land!

One such house is Gryffindor.

The bravest of them all.

With courage, heart, and chivalry,

Gryffindors stand tall.

Another house is Hufflepuff

Where loyalty is key.

Kindness, patience, and hard work

Make it the place to be.

Or possibly in Ravenclaw

Is where you'll find your place.

Such witty, wise, and learned ones

Always have a book before their face.

And finally, there is Slytherin

Where dwell quite cunning creatures.

They will achieve all their desires

And get around their teachers.

So step on up, and put me on

And let me look inside.

There is no place for you to go,

Nowhere that you can hide.

You will be sorted, here and now

I promise to be fast

And once I've gone and sorted you

At home you'll be at last.

The hat finished its song and then became motionless once more. The hall quickly burst out in applause, Sirius enthusiastically joining them. Each year, the hat started the Sorting Ceremony with a song lauding the traits of the four houses. It was his father's favourite part of the year, and now Sirius could see why.

The applause died away and Professor Greensleigh stepped forward, a scroll clutched tightly in his hand. He cleared his throat with a gruff cough and the hall was once again silent.

"When you hear your name, come forward and put on the hat. You'll be sorted and then you can join your new house. Once all of you have found your place, Headmaster Dumbledore will say a few words."

Blood started pounding in Sirius' ears. It was now. In a few moments his name would be called. He would go up to the Sorting Hat and put it on. It would then probe his mind and decide which house he would be in. The hat would tell him if he was as set apart from his family –generations of Slytherins- as he felt, or if he was just another Black. He tried to keep himself from shaking and focus back on the Sorting Ceremony.

"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat called out. A meek looking boy with blond hair jumped off the stool and quickly hurried toward the applauding table.

"Black, Sirius," Professor Greensleigh called. Sirius took a deep breath and stepped forward. He quickly glanced towards the Slytherin table and saw the expectant looks of nearly all the members. His cousins especially believed he would quickly be joining them.

Wanting to quickly have the whole thing over and done with, Sirius sat down on the stool and shoved the hat on his head. The brim came down to his eyebrows and thankfully blocked some of his view. He did not like having eyes staring at him and was glad that some of them were blocked.

'Ah, the young Mister Black. I was wondering when I'd get another one of you! Quite the family you've got. Lots of Slytherins, as I recall. Very easy to sort,' the hat spoke, though Sirius did not hear the voice as if it'd spoken out loud. Instead, the voice sounded in his head.

At the words, Sirius tensed and started mentally repeating the word 'No!' very forcefully. He did not want to be in Slytherin. Especially because that was the house that essentially all of his family had been in. If he was going to be in Slytherin, which he really did not want, he at least wanted it to be on his own merits, on his own character.

Suddenly, chuckling sounded in his head.

'No Slytherin for you, huh? Want to be different from your family? That takes some courage, especially with a family like yours. Are you sure you want to go against such strong Slytherin blood?' The hat paused for Sirius to answer, which was an emphatic 'absolutely!'

'Very well.'

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted out loud. The proclamation of Sirius' house was met with startled silence. Slytherin House looked absolutely shocked, mouths dropped open and eyes bugged out. Two of his cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa, glared daggers at him. The third sister, Sirius' favourite, Andromeda who was sitting several tables away from the others at Hufflepuff, looked slightly proud.

Sirius slipped the hat off his head and made his way to Gryffindor's table. The students then seemed to come out of their stupor and, Gryffindor table especially, began to cheer and applaud. Sirius proudly took his spot at the table on the other side of the hall from his family. This was his first step away from them, their legacy, and their awful beliefs and ideas.


"Clark, Patrice," Professor Greensleigh called from the list. Remus watched as a fairly nervous looking girl with stick straight black hair and a fairly small build made her way towards the Sorting Hat. Every time a nervous student went to be sorted, Remus began to feel less and less nervous himself. It was comforting to know that he wasn't alone in his feelings and emotions.

"Hufflepuff!"

Remus wasn't worried about what house he would be placed in. To him, each of the four houses was noble and he would be proud of a place in them. No. What his nerves were really about was not being sorted at all. Ever since Dumbledore had visited his house and told him that he had a place at Hogwarts, a small part of him had been waiting for another letter or visit telling him that it was all a mistake. None had come, but that hadn't settled his nerves at all.

"Dobbs, Leonard."

Now, Remus was sure that the hat would realise the mistake. He shouldn't be at Hogwarts and when the hat would look in to his mind trying to find character traits to help determine his house, it would find the truth. His dark secret. Once the hat knew that, it would surely refuse to sort him and Remus would be sent back to his parents.

"Slytherin!"

There would be no character trait strong enough to override his secret and surely no house, not one of the founders, would want to lay claim to him. He had always known that he didn't belong at Hogwarts. The Sorting Hat would be the thing that would make it all clear and final.

"Evans, Lily!"

Remus took a deep steadying breath. He tried to stop his thought process, derail the train of negative thoughts that was barrelling through his head. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school, had told him he had a spot at Hogwarts, had told him that he belonged here. It would be very unlikely for the Headmaster to make such a mistake. The hat would place him in a house because he belonged in one.

"Gryffindor!"

Repeating his mantra in his head, Remus focused back in on the sorting. A girl with red hair had just hopped down from the Sorting Hat stool and made her way to the table of loudly cheering Gryffindor students. Another girl, with dark raven hair was confidently making her way up to be sorted. Remus enjoyed the distraction that the Sorting Ceremony was providing. Turning his thoughts over to an internal commentary of what was happening, telling what each student looked like, how they were acting, how long it took to sort them, and the reaction of each house, helped keep the negative thoughts at bay. It kept his mind focused on other matters.

"Lupin, Remus!" Professor Greensleigh finally called his name. It was now or never. In the next few moments, Remus would be given a house and finally quash all lingering doubts about his place at school.

Nerves overcame him. The possibility that he wouldn't be placed in a house rose to the fore once more, and Remus paled. He took several shaky steps forward and nearly collapsed onto the stool. The hat was placed on his head and Remus held his breath in anticipation.

'Hmmmm, let's see where to place you,' a voice spoke in Remus' head. He continued to hold his breath and waited as the hat looked through his mind. He tried not to think about his secret, hoping that the hat wouldn't find out about it. That was unsuccessful.

'Ahhh, you're the one! I've overheard several conversations about you. You've caused quite the stir. It's very brave to put yourself in this situation, not knowing how you'll be received. For that, I think it should be-'

"Gryffindor!" the hat called aloud. Remus let out his breath as a huge smile spread across his face. He had a house! He had a place!


Peter was paying full attention to the Sorting Ceremony. He was carefully observing each person as they were called upon and sorted. He was looking for commonalities, things that people that were sorted into certain houses had in common. Then, he would compare what he observed in each student to himself and try to find where he might fit.

"McKinnon, Marlene," Professor Greensleigh called. Peter watched as a confident girl with long brown hair and almost matching brown eyes strode up to the stool. She quickly put the hat on her head and sat with her back straight, her eyes staring out at the crowd.

'She's pretty,' Peter thought, taking in the confident stare on her soft face.

"Gryffindor!" the hat finally called out. Peter wasn't surprised.

With each person, Peter was quickly becoming more and more sure that the house he would end up in was Hufflepuff. Each and every single person sorted into Hufflepuff looked extremely concerned and mousy, just like Peter. Those sorted into Slytherin or Gryffindor looked self-assured, like they knew they belonged in one of the two great houses. Those sorted into Ravenclaw looked serene, like they had already figured their brains would place them in the house of wisdom.

Peter was exactly like all other Hufflepuffs. Extremely concerned. Extremely nervous. Extremely not confident.

This realization spread absolute dread through his entire being.

His father would not take him being sorted into Hufflepuff well at all. To his father, Peter had only two options for houses. It was either Gryffindor or Slytherin. Ravenclaw might be an option, but his father had made it clear that Peter was not smart enough for that house. Hufflepuff was not even a consideration, not even mentioned in the Pettigrew household.

If, and more likely when, Peter was sorted into Hufflepuff, it would cause some serious problems for him. The only shinning light in it all was that Remus, who looked about as concerned as Peter, had been sorted into Gryffindor. But that one example was not enough for Peter in the face of all the other observations he had made.

"Pettigrew, Peter!"

Trying to act outwardly confident, Peter made his way to the Sorting Hat and the stool. He figured that, if he at least appeared like those sorted into either Gryffindor or Slytherin, he, too, may receive a similar sorting.

The hat was placed on his head and, as a result of his small stature, it slid down to almost cover his eyes. Being so close to a determining factor of his future, Peter began to shake uncontrollably. He hoped it wasn't too obvious because he was still trying to appear like a Slytherin or Gryffindor.

'An interesting life you've lived thus far,' a voice spoke in Peter's head. He momentarily wondered what the hat meant by 'interesting'. Personally, he would describe his life as 'ordinary' or 'routine'. Nothing had ever happened to Peter that he could conceive as interesting.

'Definitely had some hurdles and struggles. You seem to have conquered them quite well. Yes, yes. And then there's your father. Definitely important. Definitely important. Looking at all of this, I would have to say-'

"Gryffindor!"

Peter nearly fainted. He had been sure he would have been in Hufflepuff. He did not, in his estimation, possess any courage. He'd certainly never done anything courageous . But, not wanting to look a gift-hippogriff in the mouth, he quickly scampered off the stool and towards the boisterous Gryffindor table.


James sat right where he belonged. It felt like home. It felt absolutely right. Only a few minutes prior, his name had been called and he'd confidently made his way to be sorted. He hadn't really been worried. Potters had been in Gryffindor for generations. There were very few individuals with the Potter name not in Gryffindor. James was going to be in Gryffindor.

So, when the Sorting Hat proclaimed James Potter as a Gryffindor, he was not in the least bit surprised. He confidently, and maybe with a slight swagger, crossed the hall to the loudly cheering table. He took his rightful place beside his new friend Sirius Black. He turned and nodded to Sirius, acknowledging that they'd both gotten exactly what they wanted.

"Gryffindor," James commented, a wide smile on his face. Sirius returned the smile. The pair then turned back to the sorting. There were only a few more first years left. One of them, looking extremely nervous and dejected, was the boy from the train, the one they had bothered about wanting to be in Slytherin. James turned to his right and saw, looking relatively sad and upset herself, the read-headed girl who was with the boy.

'Lily,' James thought, remembering her name from their encounter back at King's Cross station. She and her greasy haired friend had been planning to be in the same house, Slytherin. But now, they would both have to be in Gryffindor, which seemed very unlikely. That boy was definitely not Gryffindor material. Even just looking at him, James felt like he was slimy, a clear-cut trait of Slytherin.

'If he gets into Gryffindor,' James thought. He couldn't even complete that thought because it was so ridiculous. That nervous, slippery, slimy boy –Snivellus- belonged with the equally slippery and slimy Slytherins.

Scott, Moira was called and James briefly recognized one of the girls that had shared their boat trip over with them. Sirius apparently knew her. They'd given each other a friendly nod when they'd all boarded, but then James and Sirius had been too busy trying to entice the squid that the large man, Hagrid, had mentioned to pay to much attention to her or the other girl.

She was sorted into Slytherin, meeting up with her friend from the boat who had been sorted into the same house earlier. Finally, James would see if his estimation was right. Next up…

"Snape, Severus!" Professor Greensleigh called. James watched him carefully. He made his way to the hat, his movements hesitant and, in James' estimation, fairly snakelike. He sat on the stool, had the hat placed on his greasy black hair, and waited. James knew that the Hat was delving into Snivellus' brain to try and sort him. Perhaps the hat would even hold a brief conversation with him.

James' sorting had been relatively brief. The Sorting Hat had quickly picked up on James' naturally courageous personality. It had seen that, while James was very smart and able with magic, and extremely loyal towards his friends and family, courage was the biggest part of James. It had taken the hat about 20 seconds to figure this all out.

However, as James focused in on Snivellus' sorting, he realised that the hat seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time. His father had told him about Hatstalls, where the Sorting Hat couldn't decide which house to place you in to; your sorting would take minutes as opposed to seconds. This sorting was looking much like that, when finally the slit just above the brim of the hat opened and spoke.

"Slytherin!"

James let out a sigh of relief. As the time had extended on, James had become more and more concerned that Snape might be sorted into Gryffindor. If that were to happen James would have been forced to essentially re-evaluate his entire world view. Thankfully, that didn't happen. James settled back into his calm, confident emotional state.

However, in that moment, James made a mental note to keep a close eye on Snivellus. Something about him set James on edge.