A/N: Oh no

A/N: Oh no! A general cry of terror goes up again in the hearts of all as an announcement is made: "SLEEPY GIRL IS STILL HYPER!!!!!" Yep, that's me, folks. Even though I'm happy hyper, at the nice reviews J. Anyway, please r/r. I decided to skip some stuff, like the entire trip to the great hall, and how Birch and Lily meet James and co. (train), so it just starts at the sorting… ooh, scary!!! I just realized this is an incredibly long author's note, so READ ON!!!!!

THE MASK OF REMEMBRANCE, PART 2

A well known man might have announced, "Seeing is believing", but Birch found it very hard to believe that the roof was still attached to the walls as the stars were twinkling their brightest in the area supposed to be there. It was also very hard to believe, even if she had watched Casper several times, that ghosts could suddenly pop out of solid walls and float serenely above them, chatting to a neighbor, or, in the case of one, knitting a five foot long scarf.

And now, a singing hat.

"You may look upon me,

And smirk and laugh aloud,

But I can see your secrets

And for that I'm proud.

This treasure was bestowed upon me,

Years and years have past

Godric Gryffindor took me off his head

And gave me brains at last!

Now I've done your parents,

Your sister, brothers too,

And I've even done your teachers

Who had just come from the zoo!

But now it is your turn,

To step up to the front,

And place me on your forehead,

And let me do my stunt.

I'll worm around your brain,

And then I'll suggest

To sort you in the house

That will suit you best.

Don't be scared!

Give it a try!

Just put me on,

Don't be shy!"

The hall clapped, Lily in particular, as the hat bowed in the direction of the table elevated higher than the four others and then the four in turn. A female professor who looked relatively new but tried not to give the appearance of it stepped forward with a long, flowing parchment or names.

"When I read your names, please step forward and place the hat on your head. Atkins, Sassila!"

A short girl stumbled forward to the hat. After a pause, the hat declared,

"RAVENCLAW!" the table second to the left exploded in cheers.

"Babbitt, Jill!" A pudgy child with strawberry blonde pigtails tripped over to the hat.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted. The table farthest to the right clapped enthusiastically. Birch looked at Lily nervously as her name was called, trying to push back the feeling she was going to be sick.

"Botsford, Birch!" Birch walked over to where the hat sat and placed it over her head, where it fell down to her nose.

"Hmm, you're interesting," said a voice somewhere. It took a moment for Birch to realize it was the hat.

"I am?" she responded.

"Yes, though you or anybody else won't realize it till the very end. Now, back to the main problem: where to put you?"

"Umm, in a house besides Slytherin?" she said, or rather, thought. If the hat could chuckle, it gave a sound just like it.

"Well, you certainly don't fall in that category. Let's see; Hufflepuff is out, you're far too intelligent and brave for that. Ravenclaw you might excel in, but I'm still a bit wary there. Yes, better make it GRYFFINDOR!" the last word it shouted out to the entire hall, and as she pulled off the hat and walked to the table farthest to the left amid cheers.

"Black, Sirius!" the professor shouted, while the boy the girls had met in the robe shop stepped forward and placed the hat on his head. It immediately yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" and Sirius, smiling goofily, sat on one side of Birch.

The sorting continued; "Danvers, Jade" became the first Slytherin, and "Davenport, Edith" became another Hufflepuff. It was getting quite close to Lily now, and she looked absolutely green.

"Evans, Lily!" the professor called. Lily stepped forward, her face ashen, and pulled on the hat. It was about five seconds later when the hat called out "GRYFFINDOR!" with full force. Lily shakily removed the hat and walked to the table, sitting next to her cousin. They watched as other first years tried on the hat and were sorted.

Remus Lupin, a quiet boy they had met on the train, walked up to the hat and placed it on his head. The hat was silent for about five seconds before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" Remus stood up, smiling slightly, and sat down next to Sirius. He was a tall boy with dark eyes and dark brown hair that fell over his eyes. He seemed very weary: the long, willowy shape seemed constantly sleepy. Birch turned her eyes back to the sorting.

"Pettigrew, Peter!" a short boy with thin blond hair stepped forward, clumsily sitting on the stool and placing the hat on his head. It was about two minutes later that the plump first year was sitting at the Gryffindor table, an odd look on his face.

"Potter, James!" One of the handsome boys they had met on the train stepped forward. He had glasses and unruly black hair that fell over his forehead, and of average height. He calmly placed the hat on his head, and it was one minute later before he was sitting by Remus.

After the final six more students were called, Gryffindor now contained eight more students: Sirius Black, James Potter, Birch Botsford, Lily Evans, Colleen Rogers, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and Bridget Weasley. A professor at the highest table introduced himself as Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of the School, and his new Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. She gave a stiff nod, her hair tied in a tight bun and the parchment no longer in her hand. After a swift clap of his hands Dumbledore somehow managed to make food appear on the golden plates in front of them.

"How – how'd that happen?" Lily gaped, staring at a plate of veal. Birch shrugged as she piled food on her plate.

"I don't know! And frankly, I don't care. Eat some, it's delicious!"

Dear Sassy,

I miss you! How's the Pack? Send me pictures, and I'll send you some of my friends. You've never met Lily, she's my cousin, and she's really nice but sorta quiet. She isn't really the type who'd go and play Quidditch before the Christmas party (remember?) but she's still really sweet.

God, you'd love Sirius! He's this hyper, funny kid who is always playing tricks on this kid called Severus Snape. Snape is so messed up! And even worse, Lily, Bridget, and Colleen say he has a crush on me. EWWWWWWW!!!!! Anyway, Sirius is really cool.

James is really cute, really nice, really into Quidditch, and likes Princess Bride. Unfortunately, Lily has the BIGGEST crush on him (she told me) and will kill me if I even try to go with him. Oh well (sigh).

Remus is really cute, but in a different way. James is a little more baby cute, and then Remus is all solemn and somehow regal looking. He's really great at school, but he's not a goody-goody. I mean, he's always helping think up some plan to kill Snape (that's how we amuse ourselves).

Colleen is really great. She's more a friend of Lily's than mine, though. Colleen wears the prettiest shades of purple. I look horrible in the purple she wears, but she's got this silvery white hair that falls just off her shoulders: it's SO pretty! Colleen is the supply finder of the group for Snape attacks (get it, snack attacks and Snape attacks? Isn't that funny?).

Bridget Weasley is pretty much my best friend here. She dresses like a gypsy, wears beads in her hair (which is bright red), and has about twenty earrings on each ear. And then on her wrists she has nine bracelets, on her other hand she has six rings (two on her pinky) and whenever she moves it's like hearing a Christmas tree walking.

I've got to do my homework. Say hi to Amy, Ali, Jessie, and Nicola for me. Remember, send pictures!

Luv,

Birch

"Birch, what're you doing?" Bridget said, beads clinking as she sat down on the pouf across from the subject in question. Birch sighed and licked the envelope closed.

"My best friend in Hawaii, Sassy. She's really cool, you'd like her."

"Sassy? Interesting name." Bridget said with a grin.

"Her real name is Sally, but she hates that name."

"Oh, I see the light. Is she a witch?"

"Yeah. Her Mom, who's a witch, is home schooling her. Neither of us told each other until finally she asked the name of this boarding school in a letter. Interesting, isn't it? She's got two sisters, Amy and Ali, and they're all supposedly witches."

"Very interesting." Bridget rearranged her pouf and sat back with a sigh. Both girls looked at the layers of parchment waiting to be written on. "You do know that the History of Magic essay is due tomorrow?"

"Yes," Birch groaned, sitting back in her chair. "What I wouldn't give for some Tripe right now."

"What's THAT?"

"A classic Hawaiian dish made from the intestines of a pig." Bridget looked disgusted.

"I'll refrain from commenting. I'm already done my essay and I'm feeling pretty pooped myself. 'Night, Birch."

"'Night, traitor."

"JAMES POTTER, SIRIUS BLACK, AND REMUS LUPIN! GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!" the inhabitants of the first-year girl's dormitory screeched.

Laughing, the three boys walked up the curving stairs and into the room. They started crying from laughter at the sight before them.

All the girls were wearing pajamas or a nightgown. Bridget had her beads carefully placed in a shower cap, obviously thinking it would protect them. She was wearing bright green pajama tops and bottoms and was obviously furious. Colleen had her hair in curlers, and wearing a purple silky nightgown, she looked like she would personally assassinate anyone who whistled. Lily had an angry look in her eyes, and as James looked at her in her flower nightgown with her hair in a braid along her back, she hit him with a slipper on the head. Birch was glaring at Remus, who seemed to be laughing behind his hand at her teddy bear pajamas and her hair, for once, out of the braids. It had enormous waves for always being plaited and looked, in Remus' opinion, very amusing.

"Can you explain," Lily began, voice deadly soft but clear to the core. "Can you explain why our trunks have been completely excavated through and," a slight pink shade came to her white face. "And where my personal diary is?"

"Come now, Jamie boy, you know you want to give it back to her. We know you want to cherish her amazing writing skills but someday when she's famous and you're not, I'm sure she'll sign an autograph for you. I'm sure –"

"Shut up, Sirius." James said quickly, and dashed out of the room. Sirius fell onto the closest bed, which happened to be Bridget's, faking death.

"I'm mortally wounded! My best friend has stabbed me in the heart with a…" he examined the object he was holding, then continued. "With a purple bunny slipper." Bridget pushed him off her bed. Sirius fell to the floor and laughed.

"I could make a list of couples for the entire school, don't you think?"

"Yeah, and cause many heartbreaks." Birch muttered. Sirius ignored the comment.

"Hmm. James and Lily, that's an easy one, Birch and Remus, and – "

"What? Me with Birch? I don't think so, oh fine and worthy divinator."

"First of all, he's too quiet. Second of all, what sort of name is Birch Lupin?"

"A fine one. Would you rather it be Birch Snape? Now shut up so I can go on. Colleen with… with… how about that Ravenclaw, Dylan something? He likes pretty girls. He's smart. Just for you, perfecto."

"Ooh, I can finish this list," Lily said, about to push Sirius out of the room. "Bridget with Sirius, the cutest couple of all!" Sirius was pushed out of the room, Remus falling out the door seconds after.

"Interesting conversations we have." Remus said, standing up and dusting off.

A/N: Yeah! Another part done! Yeah me! In case you haven't noticed, I love the character of Sirius and even though you might not have noticed I love Remus too. What a cute little werewolf! Anyway, r/r and bring me Halloween candy! Wee! Tomorrow's Christmas and I don't have any homework to do over break! Next part coming eventually, I promise!