"Wicked..." Sirius breathed out behind him, motioning to the ceiling, which matched the late evening sky perfectly down to the swirl of the clouds. Breath taking, really. Sirius kept his gaze on the ceiling only long enough to show Remus and the other two boys the features dancing over the enchanted ceiling.
"Well..." a voice, honey-dipped and taunting danced over Remus' sensitive ears and thus stole his attention from the ceiling. The girl standing at Sirius' side had ivory features and long silver-blonde hair which fell daintily against her high cheekbones and stone-like silver eyes. "I've counted four of the five Slytherin first years, Sirius... Hm... But you shouldn't converse with such riff-raff... Come meet Lucius..." Before she could drag him away, the group was stopped at head of the Hall, an old hat revealed sitting upon a three-legged stool.
Remus' breath caught in his throat again, sharply this time. He realized that he was in fact going to Hogwarts... What House would he be in? Would he have any of the three around him in the same House? Remus found himself unable to breathe as his golden orbs danced frantically along the faces of those in the group, trying not to let his eyes stray to the older students watching them, in search of his twin brother, Romulus.
The Sorting started even as Remus searched the crowds in vain. Only two 'A' names... Both were sorted to Hufflepuff House. Romulus. Where on Earth was he? Why did Remus not see him in the crowds? Was he all right? Did he get off... He was over-reacting, obviously. Remus clenched his fists and rose his brows as he was pulled from his thoughts upon the name, Black, Narcissa. It took only a moment before the Hat bellowed out "Slytherin." The girl winked to Sirius and took her seat at the clapping of those at her new table.
Black, Sirius was next and Remus watched him quietly. Sirius grinned back to him as if it was a piece of cake; perhaps it was nothing to the young man. Sirius seated himself and allowed the hat to flop down his ears. Remus held his breath and counted...1...2...3...4..."Gryffindor!" A few gasps touched the students along the Slytherin table and Remus noted the slight tick of ... surprise? Shame? drifting over Sirius' previously cool features. Had everyone expected him to dwell in Slytherin?
Remus wanted to go to him as he watched the boy slip into the Gryffindor table, a few clapping, though many looking blank with confusion. Sirius kept his head bowed slightly, but when he caught Remus's gaze, he gave him a boyish grin and a thumbs-up for luck. He could have stepped out of line in order to keep the dark-haired boy company had 'Evans, Lillian' not been called. It was not the name that struck Remus, but the flowing braids and scent of the girl. Lily Evans? Lily. She had a name, finally. Lily. Remus felt his head spin at the desires of wanting to sniff her hair... to make that bright smile light up her nervous, freckle-licked face. The Hat, again, interrupted him by calling out 'Gryffindor'.
More students were called and Remus just watched Lily seat herself next to two friendly faced girls. She looked less nervous now that it all was over. The crowd thinned and Remus found himself smiling, staring at the emerald-orbed Witch while she watched the other students take their turn into the Sorting Hat. He could watch her forever... Those pool-like Emerald eyes and fire-danced hair... So beautiful... so perfect.
"Lupin, Remus." Remus looked up, colour draining from his face. His turn? Why not Romulus first? Romulus always went first... But Remus came before Romulus, did it not? With the room spinning, and James Potter nudging him forward, the young werewolf walked towards the Hat. What would it be? What would it be? He questioned constantly, his trembling, weak figure pulling himself into the stool. The hat hid his hair and he watched the other students stare at him with their anticipating expressions. Hmmm... A Werewolf... Interesting, indeed. Always need a beast, the world does... The voice hissed into his skull in a raspy, deep tone. ...Where shall you go, Werewolf? Slytherin? Where one like you would be... expected? No. Gryffindor? That shouts from your thoughts, doesn't it? Hm. All right, then... "Gryffindor!" The Hat shouted.
At the exclamation, Remus felt his eyes roll back into his skull, showing the students the whiles of his eyes. Breathing ceased and Remus found himself tilting backwards a bit only to feel a thin, firm hand on his back, pushing him back to his feet. McGonagall looked to him, her doleful eyes slightly worried. "Are you all right, Mister Lupin?" Remus nodded, blush spattering and blotching his cheeks. He did not speak, but did allow her to take off the Hat in order to allow him his leave for his House table. Among those clapping was Sirius Black, his bright, handsome face accented with a full, toothy grin.
"Lupin, Romulus." Sirius' hand left Remus' shoulder in order for him to crane his neck curiously, bright sapphire eyes gleaming as he watched Remus' twin drift up, boldly, towards the stool. The hat was placed upon his head and Remus found himself wondering how many boys could be sorted into a House; Romulus would have to be in Gryffindor, right? It was only logical... Twins, after all. No. The word forced from the hat caused an uproar of clapping from the tables whose students were claddened with green and grey: Slytherin.
"Slytherin..?" Remus questioned slowly, shocked beyond words at the idea that, for the first time since birth, they would not be sleeping in the same room, let alone House! What would his mother say? Was it Remus' fault? The Hat did say his curse would be useful and well-placed in that House.
The rest of the sorting went of in a blur of names and Houses; students clapping their young hands raw, seemed to be the most accepted behaviour as someone was sorted into their House. Remus, however, simply lost himself in the worrisome thoughts of what his mother would say upon hearing that himself and his twin were in separate Houses for the next seven years of schooling; what House would Lanris be in, then? Gryffindor or Slytherin?
Before the feast was started, 'Malfoy, Lucius' and 'Snape, Severus' were Sorted into Slytherin, a few nameless faces into both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw (Including a dark-haired girl who smiled at Remus as she waited to be called: Tate, Lilandra); Finally, 'Potter, James,' and 'Pettigrew, Peter,' were placed in Gryffindor with Sirius and Remus. Still, no food yet... Dumbledore slid to his feet and spoke a warning for the student body that the Forest was strictly forbidden and a new tree, the Womping Willow, should not be neared unless the said student wishes a visit to the Hospital Wing.
The feast was long and filling for the young werewolf, who listened to idle conversations about Quidditch, classes from the older students, and a bit of his new friends' bloodline. (It would appear that all four of them were Full-Blooded Wizards, though the Black Family, of all of those spoken, were, by far, the most infamous. The Black family ranked high with the Malfoy Blooded ones seated at the Slytherin table.)
"Yeah, Narcissa is already pre-wed to Lucius... It's been said since we were kids... 'Pure Blooded children and families will be the only ones to survive' ...This that and the other thing..." Sirius let out a dramatic yawn, showing his beliefs on the subject at hand," Mum always did try to make the Blacks and Malfoys appear to be godish among Wizards and Witches..." A friendly pat on Remus' shoulder assured him that all families, to Sirius, were equal.... And that was that conversation.
Alas, soon enough, the end of the feast came and the Prefects led the First Years towards their House, which, to the Gryffindors, was a tower. Explanations were given on the paintings, stairs and the password (Flippers) to the wide-eyed eleven-year-olds and they were guided past the Commonroom and into the First Years' Dormitory; four beds and four boys.
Remus was undressed and in bed the second to last
of the soon-to-be-Marauders, having waited to to talk to Sirius about his
brother. Sirius was the kind of boy you could tell everything to; he was
so trustworthy, even after a day of knowing him. Remus would have killed
to have been able to tell Sirius what he was... And with that on his mind
and 'Good Nights' said, Remus closed his heavy curtains and slid into bed,
staring at the four-poster for an hour before finally closing his eyes...
And so was the first night in school.
****
Urk. My Writing is going down-hill, but I wanted the introduction chapters
up and done with... Now I can get on with the plot, woo. I'm sorry if I
forgot to Sort anyone who needed Sorting... If that's the case, I'll fix
it...