X.

Remus clapped along with everyone else when Sirius was unexpectedly sorted into Gryffindor. He looked over to the Gryffindor table and sought out his sister, whose mouth was still hanging open. He caught her eye and grinned, then quickly turned back to the hat, where "Carr, Heather" was made the second Hufflepuff of the year.

Soon after Heather was sorted, a girl by the name of "Evans, Lily" was called up. She walked to the hat rather shakily, but she seemed quite calm after she sat down on the stool. After a few seconds—

"GRYFFINDOR!"

James groaned, but Remus was unsure why. Glancing at the Gryffindor table, Sirius seemed to have the same reaction. Peter looked just as confused as Remus felt.

Remus got rather bored waiting for his turn, so he began looking at each of the teachers. There was Dumbledore, obviously, intent on the Sorting. There was an empty seat next to him; Remus assumed that was where the woman now calling "Felts, Heidi" to the hat usually sat.

On the other side of the Headmaster was a very large man with graying hair and an enormous moustache. Remus would have thought him intimidating if it were not for the twinkle in his eyes.

Halfway through his inspection of the teachers, one of the names that was called nearly made Remus jump out of his skin.

"Keen, Alena!"

A slightly familiar girl made her way through the remaining first years. The hat was on her head for a while before declaring her a Gryffindor. Remus groaned; if he was sorted into Gryffindor, he would be associated with her more than he would like, and if she wrote home about a Remus Lupin at school and her parents remembered—

He barely registered his name being called a few names later and began walking numbly to the hat. He uncomfortably saw that nearly every pair of eyes was on him before the hat obscured his vision entirely.

"Very interesting," a voice in his ear said. "Very interesting…there's never been one like you here before, has there?"

Remus felt his face redden. Please don't tell anyone—

"What do you take me for?" the hat chuckled. "Of course I won't. Now, there's no need to be ashamed of yourself. Just because you have an affliction such as this doesn't mean you can't be happy."

But nobody can find out— Remus thought desperately.

"Not everyone will hate you for what you are," it assured him. "Now, where to put you…definitely not Slytherin, perhaps not Hufflepuff…either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, I'd say. Such a thirst for knowledge and quite a strong will…but you are very brave, to live through what you do—"

I'm not brave!

"You are much more than you know," the hat said cryptically. "Yes, I think you'll make a fine GRYFFINDOR!"

He felt the hat being pulled off his head, and he began walking down to the Gryffindor table amidst applause. Just like any other kid. They all think I'm normal. Dumbledore winked at him again as he sat down across from Sirius.

Immediately after Remus, Mary MacDonald was quickly sorted into Gryffindor. She sped off to sit with Lily Evans and Alena Keen.

A few names later, the woman finally called out, "Pettigrew, Peter!"

Peter walked shakily to the hat. Remus had been right—all they had to do was try it on—but how exactly did it sort? It was lowered onto his head, and he sat in terror, waiting for something to happen.

"You're an interesting one," a voice said in his ear. "You'd fit in nearly every house…you have a good heart, yet you're so willing to prove yourself… perhaps not Ravenclaw, but the others are all equally good choices. Your loyalty to your friends would place you in Hufflepuff, yet your will would put you in Gryffindor and your ambition and cunning point to Slytherin."

Peter was rather stunned by the hat's monologue, but thought, My friends have been sorted into Gryffindor, and I'd really like to be with them.

"But you could do very well in Slytherin," the hat told him. "You have the potential to be great there—"

I won't be in Slytherin! Peter thought, alarmed.

"Well, if Slytherin is out of the question, a good second choice would be GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat was lifted off his head, and Peter hurried to sit with Remus and Sirius, both of whom were clapping enthusiastically. "Well done, mate!" Sirius said happily, clapping him on the back. However, Remus shushed them and pointed up to the hat, where McGonagall was calling, "Potter, James!"

As James walked confidently up to the hat, Peter was preoccupied with his thoughts. Why'd the hat think I should be in Slytherin? I'd never fit in with all those Dark people!

He was glad the hat had listened to him, as he didn't think he would have survived five seconds in Slytherin.

He resolved to never tell his friends about what the hat had said. They'd never accept me if they knew!

James clapped for Peter after he was sorted into Gryffindor. As soon as the applause died down, McGonagall called his name, and he strode confidently up to the hat. He sat down on the stool, and the hat fell onto his head.

"You'd definitely do best in GRYFFINDOR!"

James grinned as the hat was pulled off his head only a second after it had been put on, and he walked to the Gryffindor table, sitting down next to Remus and as far away from the girls as he could manage.

The rest of the sorting went by uneventfully. The only name that interested James and Sirius after James had been sorted was "Snape, Severus." Lily Evans also sat up a bit straighter on Remus' other side. The hat deliberated for quite a while before finally declaring him a Slytherin. Evans' shoulders slumped, but James and Sirius looked very pleased.

Finally, everyone had been sorted into their houses. The four of them ended up being the only first year Gryffindor boys. Remus' stomach had been rumbling for quite a while. Dumbledore stood up, and Remus internally groaned, bracing himself for a long speech. However, the Headmaster only said one word—

"Enjoy!"

Remus was very confused until he saw that the previously empty gold plates in front of him were now covered with food. He began piling sweet potatoes on his plate as James took a well-done steak.

"Would you pass the rare steak?" Remus asked hopefully.

James made a face. "You like it rare?"

Remus shrugged. "Yeah."

James made another face but passed the plate down. Peter took it from Remus after he had served himself.

"Don't worry, Remus, I like mine rare too," he assured him. James threw his hands into the air.

"Have I made friends with a bunch of vampires?"

Peter and Sirius laughed, but Remus was very worried. If James didn't want to be friends with a vampire, who was to say that he wanted to be friends with a werewolf?

"And what if we are vampires?" he asked with as straight a face as he could manage. James laughed.

"I was kidding, Lupin. As long as you didn't suck my blood I wouldn't care."

Remus grinned and began digging into his steak. This was a good sign; he accepted that he might be a vampire, so maybe he would accept that he was a werewolf.

There was still no way in the world he would be telling them.

On his other side, Lily Evans, Alena Keen and Mary MacDonald were carrying on their own conversation. Apparently Lily was a Muggleborn, and Alena and Mary were telling her all about the magical world. During a lull in their conversation, Remus built up the courage to ask Alena. He was almost positive she was the girl he had met at the hospital, but he had to be sure.

"You're Alena Keen, right?" he asked her. She looked up in confusion.

"Yeah…you're Remus Lupin?"

"Uh huh. I was just curious…are you related to Jeff and Shawn Keen?"

She stared at him, mystified. "How'd you know that?"

Remus' fears were confirmed, but he answered, "I remember they were in the paper a few years ago about something happening about St. Mungo's."

Alena turned scarlet. "When they bullied that poor werewolf? None of my family is proud of that. They're my cousins. They were completely out of line. That kid had never done anything to them…they left real quick after that. I haven't seen them since."

Remus' eyebrows were in danger of rising, but he stopped them so Alena wouldn't get suspicious. "That poor werewolf?" The one emotion that he couldn't stand directed at him aside from hatred was pity. But she doesn't know, he reminded himself. And I intend to keep it that way.

"I was just wondering," he said, thinking of no other way of ending the conversation. She nodded, and they both turned back to their new friends.

Eventually everyone was full to bursting with the wonderful food, and the plates were cleared. Then Dumbledore stood up again, smiling at all of the students. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! It is my greatest pleasure to be Headmaster of this school for another term, and I hope I will do a satisfactory job.

A change in staffing have been made this year. We have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; I hope you will help me in welcoming Professor Neasce!"

A strict-looking man with short-cropped hair stood up stiffly, inclined his head, then sat down just as stiffly. Remus immediately thought him a bit odd, but clapped politely along with the rest of the school.

"Now, before you go to bed, I have a few start-of-tern notices for all of you. Mr. Filch has added those new Fanged Frisbees to his list of forbidden items..." Many people groaned. "If you would like to see the complete list, it is posted on his office door.

"As a reminder to some and a notice to all, the Forbidden Forest is indeed forbidden. The centaurs have been rather restless, and it is my sincerest hope that none of you get on their bad side.

"Any second year or above—" James grumbled about the unfairness of it, "—who wishes to try out for his Quidditch team should give his name to his Head of House.

"And, as a final notice, Professor Sprout has added a new tree to her collection of dangerous plants out on the grounds. It is aptly called a Whomping Willow, and it is my sincerest hope that none of you come within reach of its whomping branches.

"Now, up to your dormitories! You will want to be rested for your classes tomorrow!"

Everyone stood up from their tables, the first years unsure exactly of where to go; however, their fear dissolved when two older students, one whom Remus recognized as Frank Longbottom, began calling for all the Gryffindor first years. Once they were assembled, the prefects led them off. The first years had to nearly run to keep up with Frank's long strides.

After going what Remus thought must have been at least a few miles, they finally stopped in front of a portrait of a rather large woman in an unflattering dress. "Password?" she sang.

"Frog spawn," Frank said clearly. The woman in the portrait nodded and swung her frame out to allow them entrance.

"The password will change about once a month, but word will get around quickly enough as to what it is," the girl explained. She had long, blonde hair, pulled back into a ponytail. "I suppose we should have introduced ourselves? I'm Emmeline Vance, and this nutcase is Frank Longbottom. If you need any help around Hogwarts, we or anyone—but the Slytherins—would be happy to point you in the right direction."

"Now, go to bed!" Frank said in a tone of mock severity. "The girls' dormitories are on the left as you walk in, and the boys' are on the right. You'll be on the top level," and he bowed them elegantly through the portrait hole.

Still very confused, the first years climbed through the portrait hole. Not many people were in the common room; Remus assumed that they were already up in their dormitories. He, Peter, James and Sirius turned right and saw the door Frank had mentioned. Remus took the initiative to open it, and the four of them climbed up the stairs until they found the door labeled "First Years."

There were four magnificent four-poster beds spread out around the edge of the circular dormitory. There were also a few windows and a bathroom.

After all of them were settled in, they were faced with the predicament of changing into their pajamas. James and Sirius apparently had no qualms about changing in front of each other, but Remus and Peter were a little more apprehensive. Peter quickly sped off for the bathroom, toiletries and pajamas in hand, which left Remus to fend for himself.

Eventually he decided on pulling the curtains around his bed and changing behind them. After he pulled them closed, James' voice came from the other side—

"Merlin, Lupin, just because you don't have muscles like me and Sirius doesn't mean you can't change out here with us!"

Remus snorted. "I'm sure you've got muscles of steel, Potter."

James didn't reply, but Sirius' guffawing carried into the bathroom, and Peter came out, toothbrush in hand.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, Sirius and Remus are just astounded by my muscles, is all."

"Wait, so Remus is a queer vampire now?" Peter asked, sounding very confused.

"According to those two buffoons," Remus stuck his head out of his hangings, laughing. "No, I'm not," he assured him at his horrified face. "But we can let them think that!"

"Oh, so you're calling us stupid buffoons now?' James tossed a pillow at Remus' head, hitting him straight in the face. "Great thing for a friend to say!"

The three others laughed, but Remus withdrew back behind his hangings. He kept forgetting that he couldn't allow himself to make friends!

The problem was that James, Sirius and Peter were far too trusting, willing to make friends on sight. How can I tell them I can't be their friend?

Deciding to sleep on it and ask Greta in the morning, he buttoned the final shirt button, bid his dorm mates good night, and, without even entering the bathroom, fell asleep the second his head hit the pillow.