"Follow me" said Professor McGonagall as she pulled the wide door open to let the first years inside the Entrance Hall. It was huge with stone walls lit with flaming torches, high ceiling and a magnificent staircase leading them upstairs.

They followed the Professor across the stone floor. Sirius thought that they were going to the Great Hall but to his disappointment, Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small chamber off the hall.

Sirius and James looked at each other.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" Professor McGonagall began, catching their attention "the start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take place at the Great Hall you need to be sorted into your houses.

The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin-"

Sirius bit his lip.

"-each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards.

The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you to smarten yourselves up as much you can while you're waiting".

She looked over at the first years and her eyes fell on James's untidy mess of hair.

"I shall return when we're ready for you" with that McGonagall left the chamber.

"How do you think they do the sorting?" James asked Sirius at once.

"I don't know, Bella, my cousin, she said that we have got to fight a troll..." Sirius was cut off by a terrific squeak from Peter.

"We have to f-fight a t-troll?" he stuttered.

"Don't worry Peter" said Remus calmly "my dad told me that they have got some old hat which you've to wear untill it decides which house you belong to" he said this in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Ah, that's easy then" said James waving his hand.

"I shouldn't have trusted Bella" Sirius muttered, grinning. Peter gave a shaky laugh.

McGonagall had returned.

"Form a line and follow me please" she said.

The first years obliged and followed her to the Great Hall.

James and several of the others gasped at what they saw.

The Great Hall was was lit by thousands of candles which floated in mid-air over four tables where the rest of the school was sitting.

James nudged Sirius and pointed at the ceiling which was enchanted to resemble the sky outside. He knew about it as his father had already told him about it. He looked down to see McGonagall putting an old hat on a stool in front of the first years.

James looked at Sirius and saw that for the first time, he looked pale and even nervous. He nudged him and grinned. Sirius smiled back. He looked at the Slytherin table and saw Narcissa looking at him. He looked away, but thanked heavens that Bellatrix had passed last year. If she had been present at his sorting he would have found it even more nerve-racking.

Then,to the first years surprise, a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing:

Oh, you might not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself up if you can find a smarter hat that me,

You can keep your bowlers back,

Your top hat sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

and I can cap them all.

There's nothing in your head the Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I'll tell you where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivaly,

set the Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,

and unafraid of toil;

It yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished it's song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"That's some song, isn't it?" Sirius said.

"Exactly" James laughed.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name you'll put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she said.

"Avery, Gaspar".

A boy strolled up the stool and put on the hat.

"Slytherin!"

He ran towards the Slytherin table which had applauded into cheers.

Sirius looked over at it and gulped. To say the truth, he didn't want to get sorted into Slytherin. But did he have any choice?

He felt a prod in his chest and looked to see James looking at him.

"It's your turn" he said.

Sirius looked up and saw that McGonagall had indeed called him.

He walked up to the front, his legs feeling as though it had turned into lead,and sat on the stool.

The last thing he saw before the hat fell over his eyes was James giving him the thumbs-up.

It was silent, then suddenly a small voice in his ear said Another Black, eh? making him almost jump out of his skin.

Then you must be in-

Sirius closed his eyes and said Not Slytherin.

Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure?

Positive, Sirius urged the hat. For the first time in his life he felt as though he dared defy his parents and grinned sheepishly at the thought of how they would react if he wasn't sorted into Slytherin.

We have a rebel here, I see, the hat chuckled.

Can hats chuckle? Oh, nevermind that now.

So if you're sure, you ought to be in-

Sirius bit his lip so hard he felt as though it would start bleeding.

"Gryffindor!"

The Hall didn't burst into applause as it had done before. There was a pin drop silence in it.

Then he heard distant clapping and looked up to see James cheering enthusiastically. Then, slowly, after they'd recovered, the Gryffindor table applauded.

Sirius stood up and grinned at him, as he made his way to the Gryffindor table, still feeling unnerved.

He sat down and chances a glance at the Slytherin table. Narcissa was looking at him as though he had sprouted three heads. Andromeda, however, was smiling at him warmly, though she looked a little worried. He smiled at her.

"Evans, Lily!"

He turned to see the fiery girl from the train walking towards the the front, trembling from head to toe.

"Gryffindor!"

Lily sprinted towards the Gryffindor table, looking relieved but she turned back and threw a disappointed glance to someone still in the line. Sirius didn't need to look over to know to whom that look was meant to. One glance at Sirius, she threw him a glare and sat down as far she could from him. Remus Lupin and Peter Petegriew were also sorted into Gryffindor. Sirius started to get impatient. When was McGonagall going to call James? As if his wish was heard, McGonagall called "Potter, James".

James walked to the stool and the hat had barely touched his head when it yelled "Gryffindor!"

He ran towards the Gryffindor table, feeling a lot more cheerful and happy that he'd made it to Gryffindor, and sat down beside Sirius, who clapped him on the back.

"Congrats mate" he said.

"Thanks" James grinned "you too, I knew you'd make it into Gryffindor".

"I thought I'd be put in Slytherin" Sirius muttered.

"But you aren't, and now we're together!" James said cheerfully. Sirius smiled and nodded.

"Snape, Severus" McGonagall's voice called and the greasy haired boy from the train walked up to the stool and put on the hat.

"It's that greasy git from the train!" James yelled, pointing at Snape.

"You shouldn't talk about someone like that!" Remus said, surprised.

The boys paid him no attention.

"Slytherin!"

It yelled after a moment.

He walked up to the Slytherin table looking over his shoulder at Lily, who smiled at him, but it vanished the moment he turned back.

"I knew it" James said.

"Suits him" Sirius muttered.

They all stopped talking as the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, got to his feet.

"To my new students, welcome to Hogwarts, and to my old ones, welcome back! I wouldn't bother you with an old man's blabbering now-"

Some people laughed.

"-I just have two words to say to you. Tuck in!"

James looked at the empty plates and goblets and gasped as he saw that they weren't empty at all now. They were filled with all kinds of food.

"Merlin" Remus breathed.

"It looks delicious, doesn't it?" Sirius murmured, pulling a plate of chop towards him.

"Bet it tastes the same" James said happily "my dad said the food at Hogwarts is the best".

"This is great!" he said.

"I like Hogwarts already" Sirius exclaimed, while Peter nodded vigorously, as he couldn't speak because his mouth was so full.

"Everybody does" Remus said, but quietly. He looked around the Great Hall, still hardly believing that he was here. He had almost given up hope of ever being able to come. His eyes fell on Dumbledore and he smiled. If it hadn't been for that old man, he really wouldn't have been sitting here.

Dinner went on smoothly. He laughed and talked with the other three boys. James came up with a ridiculous idea of finding out whether their was really a Giant Squid or not, but had to dismiss it as Peter pleaded that he was incredibly scared.

Once they all had finished pudding, the plates automatically cleared themselves. Silence fell as Dumbledore again got to his feet.

"Now, I've got a few notices to say. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, here has made it clear that Dungbombs are stricty banned and so are Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees and a lot more...for those who want to know the names of all the items, I'm afraid they've got to visit Mr. Filch's office" Dumbledore's lips twitched.

"And I'm also to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is strictly out of bounds. I have got something important to tell you too. A very valuable tree, The Whomping Willow has been planted in the Hogwarts grounds and I would like you all to know that it does not appriciates being touched".

There was a hush of murmur in the Hall.

"Now, off to bed!"

Everyone got to their feet and started shuffling out of the Great Hall.

"First years, follow me" said a broad black boy. He had a slow, deep voice.

The first years all obeyed and the older boy led them through moving staircases and it felt like ages until they sreeched to a halt in front of a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress. The older boy turned towards them.

"I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt, your sixth year prefect" he said. He then turned to the portrait and said "Bimbulus".

The portrait of the Fat Lady swung backwards to reveal a hole in it.

The first years climbed through it and found themselves in a room full of squashy armchairs with a fire merrily cracking in their midst.

"Now, girls' dormitory is there" Kingsley pointed towards one of the flight of the steps "and boys' up there" he pointed at the other.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were ushered into their dormitory and found that their trunks were already there, waiting for them.

James and Sirius both lunged at the bed beside the window but it was Sirius who won, so James had to take the bed next to his. Remus took the one closest to the door and Peter the one between James and Remus.

"G'night, guys" said James sleepily.

"'Night" the three others replied.

A/N: So guys this was the second chapter, hope you liked it. See you soon.~Nat