pOnce the train pulled into the station they clambered out of the train and into the confusion that was the Hogwarts platform; students seemed to be going in every direction. "Where do we go?" James asked, running a hand through his messy hair.
p"Remus!" a voice called from the crowd.
pRemus turned to see Nerissa struggling to reach him through the many students. "This way," he said to James and Sirius.
p"Hey," greeted Nerissa, once Remus had finally made his way over to her. "There is a man over there, my cousin said his name is Hagrid, he's calling all the first years over to him. Follow me."
pRemus, Sirius, James, and Nerissa made their way to a large man calling all the first years over to him.
pAs Hagrid made sure that all 38 of the new students were with him Sirius suddenly got a worried expression on his face. "What about our stuff," he whispered.
p"Lucius said that they bring it all in for you," Nerissa said and then looked worried herself, "I hope he wasn't lying."
p"And don't worry 'bout yer things; they'll be taken in for yeh," boomed Hagrid, cutting into the children's conversation.
p"Well, he wasn't lying," Nerissa said. Remus wasn't sure, but he though she sounded almost surprised.
pThe four followed with the rest of the first years as Hagrid led them down to the lake. Getting into one of the many boats they made their way across the glassy lake. As they came round the lake Hogwarts loomed above them. The castle stood out starkly against an elaborate backdrop of stars, giving the first years an enchanted first look at their new school.
p align=center* * * * * * * * * * *
pThe nervous group of first years stood clustered in a room just off of what they would soon come to know as the great hall. Sirius, James, Remus, and Nerissa stood together taking in their surroundings.
p"Do you know how they will decide which house we're in?" Remus asked, as he stared anxiously at the door that the Professor that had led them in left through.
p"Well it can't be-" James' reply was cut short by the Professor's return.
pShe waited for the hushed chatter to die away before speaking. "Good evening first years. I am Professor McGonagall, in a few moments you will follow me into the Great Hall. Once inside I will call each student forward to be sorted individually." With that she turned and led the students into the hall.
pThe vastness of the room overwhelmed Remus as he stepped over the thresh hold. It seemed to be a sea of black pointed hats leading up to a platform where the staff table was located. The group had to walk down the center row of four long tables that seemed to go on forever. Remus felt as though everyone's eyes were on him, he glanced at Nerissa beside him and found her to be a bit pale; as he looked at her Lucius Malfoy, who was sitting at one of the tables, caught his eye and sneered. Remus decided to keep his eyes firmly in front of him for the rest of the ceremony. He silently prayed that he would not end up in the same house as Lucius.
pProfessor McGonagall led them up to the front and lined them up facing the student body. Another Professor brought forward a stool and a rather beaten looking hat. Remus stared at the hat curiously, wondering what a hat that looked as though it were on its last stitch could possibly do with the sorting ceremony.
pSuddenly the hat opened along a tear right above the brim. Remus felt the boy to his right give a little start as the hat burst into song.
piSo that's it/i, Remus thought iwe just put on a hat and it tells us where to go?/i
pProfessor McGonagall's voice broke into Remus' thoughts. "Patricia Anderson," she called out sharply. A small brown haired girl stepped forward hesitantly, bit her lip nervously, and then sat down on the stool, pulling the hat on as she settled on the seat.
pAfter a moment the hat gave a shout. "Hufflepuff!" Patricia walked quickly to the table where her new house mates sat.
pA few more students were sorted into the four houses before the professor called Nerissa's name. The girl strode forward with confidence, although Remus that she seemed even paler now. Nerissa sat down on the stool and slowly pulled on the hat, as if her confidence were starting to fade. The hat took quite some time with the girl and Remus began to wonder if something had gone wrong. Suddenly though the hat called out "Slytherin!" Nerissa stood up promptly, a small smile on her face; but it didn't hide the dissapointment in her eyes. She gave a slight sigh and glanced at Remus as she walked to her table where she sat down next to her cousin.
pSirius was next on the stool, and the hat seemed to have no trouble making up its Mind about where to Remus' new acquaintance. It shouted "Gryffindor!" almost as soon as he had pulled it on.
pThe following names seemed to go by in blur, and Remus felt a jolt of anxiety take up residence in his stomach when McGonagall called his name. He took a deep breath, walked up to the stool and pulled on the hat.
pNot being very large, the hat seemed to swallow him. He heard a voice that seemed to almost be inside his head rather than by his ear. "Hmmm yes, very interesting," it said, "it is as though there are two people inside you...but there are aren't there young Mr. Lupin?"
p"Er well, I suppose so," Remus thought haltingly.
p"Hmm yes, powerful, cunning, fierce....those are Slytherin qualities; but there is also dedication, honesty, and bravery. Yes, you showed much bravery in coming here Remus. So the question is Master Lupin, which set of qualities best represents Iyou/I?"
p"Er..." Remus couldn't think of an answer. He did not know exactly who he was at all; all he did know was that he fought very hard to keep the wolf under control as much as he could.
p"Yes, yes, I see," the hat said thoughtfully; even though Remus had yet to say anything. "I think, yes I do think that you should go to Gryffindor!" The hat shouted out the last word for the whole all to hear. Slightly dazed Remus walked down to his table where Sirius made room for him.
pAcross the hall he could see Nerissa, she smiled softly at him and held his gaze for a moment. Lucius turned and looked at Remus as well, he then bent down and said something to Nerissa. The girl frowned, jerked her gaze back to the stage, and didn't look at Remus for the rest of the night.
pThere were still a few students waiting to be sorted into the four houses. Remus noticed his compartment mate James was beginning to look a bit nervous; and not far down the line from him stood little Peter, who looked as though he was about to run off the stage and hide at any moment. The sorting continued at a steady rate, despite Peter's on coming panic attack. Two new students joined Ravenclaw, and another went to Hufflepuff. Slytherin picked up a rather smug looking boy, and Gryffindor gained another girl.
pWhen Professor McGonagall called out Peter's name Remus looked up with interest. Peter had turned a ghostly shade of white; he sat down on the stool gingerly and pulled on the hat. There seemed to be some diliberation on the hat's part at first, but then the cry of "Gryffindor" echoed through the hall.
pPeter jumped off the stool as if it had burned him, and practically ran to the open seat next to Remus. "I hat doing things in front of people," he muttered as he sat down.
p"Well at least you didn't have to sing," joked Sirius. Peter only whimpered in reply.
pRemus was about to say something when he heard the names James Potter ring out. Sirius, Peter, and Remus quickly turned their attention to the front of the hall. James strde forward and pulled on the hat; he looked quite determined. After a short while the hat cried "Gryffindor," and James removed the hat and walked over to join his house.
pthe remaining students were sorted fairly equally into the four houses, and when the hat and stool had been taken away a man with a flowing silver beard stood up. "Welcome!" he said to the students, his gaze sweeping across the hall, "I would just like to remind all students that no magic is to be used outside the classroom, and the Forbidden Forrest is still, and will always be, off limits. With that said, please eat!"
pRemus stared at the plates of food that appeared on the table, soon he, James, Sirius, and Peter were happily tucking away.
p"Remus!" a voice called from the crowd.
pRemus turned to see Nerissa struggling to reach him through the many students. "This way," he said to James and Sirius.
p"Hey," greeted Nerissa, once Remus had finally made his way over to her. "There is a man over there, my cousin said his name is Hagrid, he's calling all the first years over to him. Follow me."
pRemus, Sirius, James, and Nerissa made their way to a large man calling all the first years over to him.
pAs Hagrid made sure that all 38 of the new students were with him Sirius suddenly got a worried expression on his face. "What about our stuff," he whispered.
p"Lucius said that they bring it all in for you," Nerissa said and then looked worried herself, "I hope he wasn't lying."
p"And don't worry 'bout yer things; they'll be taken in for yeh," boomed Hagrid, cutting into the children's conversation.
p"Well, he wasn't lying," Nerissa said. Remus wasn't sure, but he though she sounded almost surprised.
pThe four followed with the rest of the first years as Hagrid led them down to the lake. Getting into one of the many boats they made their way across the glassy lake. As they came round the lake Hogwarts loomed above them. The castle stood out starkly against an elaborate backdrop of stars, giving the first years an enchanted first look at their new school.
p align=center* * * * * * * * * * *
pThe nervous group of first years stood clustered in a room just off of what they would soon come to know as the great hall. Sirius, James, Remus, and Nerissa stood together taking in their surroundings.
p"Do you know how they will decide which house we're in?" Remus asked, as he stared anxiously at the door that the Professor that had led them in left through.
p"Well it can't be-" James' reply was cut short by the Professor's return.
pShe waited for the hushed chatter to die away before speaking. "Good evening first years. I am Professor McGonagall, in a few moments you will follow me into the Great Hall. Once inside I will call each student forward to be sorted individually." With that she turned and led the students into the hall.
pThe vastness of the room overwhelmed Remus as he stepped over the thresh hold. It seemed to be a sea of black pointed hats leading up to a platform where the staff table was located. The group had to walk down the center row of four long tables that seemed to go on forever. Remus felt as though everyone's eyes were on him, he glanced at Nerissa beside him and found her to be a bit pale; as he looked at her Lucius Malfoy, who was sitting at one of the tables, caught his eye and sneered. Remus decided to keep his eyes firmly in front of him for the rest of the ceremony. He silently prayed that he would not end up in the same house as Lucius.
pProfessor McGonagall led them up to the front and lined them up facing the student body. Another Professor brought forward a stool and a rather beaten looking hat. Remus stared at the hat curiously, wondering what a hat that looked as though it were on its last stitch could possibly do with the sorting ceremony.
pSuddenly the hat opened along a tear right above the brim. Remus felt the boy to his right give a little start as the hat burst into song.
piSo that's it/i, Remus thought iwe just put on a hat and it tells us where to go?/i
pProfessor McGonagall's voice broke into Remus' thoughts. "Patricia Anderson," she called out sharply. A small brown haired girl stepped forward hesitantly, bit her lip nervously, and then sat down on the stool, pulling the hat on as she settled on the seat.
pAfter a moment the hat gave a shout. "Hufflepuff!" Patricia walked quickly to the table where her new house mates sat.
pA few more students were sorted into the four houses before the professor called Nerissa's name. The girl strode forward with confidence, although Remus that she seemed even paler now. Nerissa sat down on the stool and slowly pulled on the hat, as if her confidence were starting to fade. The hat took quite some time with the girl and Remus began to wonder if something had gone wrong. Suddenly though the hat called out "Slytherin!" Nerissa stood up promptly, a small smile on her face; but it didn't hide the dissapointment in her eyes. She gave a slight sigh and glanced at Remus as she walked to her table where she sat down next to her cousin.
pSirius was next on the stool, and the hat seemed to have no trouble making up its Mind about where to Remus' new acquaintance. It shouted "Gryffindor!" almost as soon as he had pulled it on.
pThe following names seemed to go by in blur, and Remus felt a jolt of anxiety take up residence in his stomach when McGonagall called his name. He took a deep breath, walked up to the stool and pulled on the hat.
pNot being very large, the hat seemed to swallow him. He heard a voice that seemed to almost be inside his head rather than by his ear. "Hmmm yes, very interesting," it said, "it is as though there are two people inside you...but there are aren't there young Mr. Lupin?"
p"Er well, I suppose so," Remus thought haltingly.
p"Hmm yes, powerful, cunning, fierce....those are Slytherin qualities; but there is also dedication, honesty, and bravery. Yes, you showed much bravery in coming here Remus. So the question is Master Lupin, which set of qualities best represents Iyou/I?"
p"Er..." Remus couldn't think of an answer. He did not know exactly who he was at all; all he did know was that he fought very hard to keep the wolf under control as much as he could.
p"Yes, yes, I see," the hat said thoughtfully; even though Remus had yet to say anything. "I think, yes I do think that you should go to Gryffindor!" The hat shouted out the last word for the whole all to hear. Slightly dazed Remus walked down to his table where Sirius made room for him.
pAcross the hall he could see Nerissa, she smiled softly at him and held his gaze for a moment. Lucius turned and looked at Remus as well, he then bent down and said something to Nerissa. The girl frowned, jerked her gaze back to the stage, and didn't look at Remus for the rest of the night.
pThere were still a few students waiting to be sorted into the four houses. Remus noticed his compartment mate James was beginning to look a bit nervous; and not far down the line from him stood little Peter, who looked as though he was about to run off the stage and hide at any moment. The sorting continued at a steady rate, despite Peter's on coming panic attack. Two new students joined Ravenclaw, and another went to Hufflepuff. Slytherin picked up a rather smug looking boy, and Gryffindor gained another girl.
pWhen Professor McGonagall called out Peter's name Remus looked up with interest. Peter had turned a ghostly shade of white; he sat down on the stool gingerly and pulled on the hat. There seemed to be some diliberation on the hat's part at first, but then the cry of "Gryffindor" echoed through the hall.
pPeter jumped off the stool as if it had burned him, and practically ran to the open seat next to Remus. "I hat doing things in front of people," he muttered as he sat down.
p"Well at least you didn't have to sing," joked Sirius. Peter only whimpered in reply.
pRemus was about to say something when he heard the names James Potter ring out. Sirius, Peter, and Remus quickly turned their attention to the front of the hall. James strde forward and pulled on the hat; he looked quite determined. After a short while the hat cried "Gryffindor," and James removed the hat and walked over to join his house.
pthe remaining students were sorted fairly equally into the four houses, and when the hat and stool had been taken away a man with a flowing silver beard stood up. "Welcome!" he said to the students, his gaze sweeping across the hall, "I would just like to remind all students that no magic is to be used outside the classroom, and the Forbidden Forrest is still, and will always be, off limits. With that said, please eat!"
pRemus stared at the plates of food that appeared on the table, soon he, James, Sirius, and Peter were happily tucking away.
