You know this fanfiction business is pretty cool.  I'm sorry if this story doesn't live up to standards and whatnot.  This is my first story I've ever written.  Usually I just write nonsense about useless things, but I'm putting a lot of work into this, and hopefully it turns out decent.

DISCLAIMER: I own all except the Harry Potter characters.  With the plots and whatnot that will occur, if it happens to be similar to some of your stories, then I assure you it's purely coincidental,  for most of this story so far is off the top of my head.

Chapter 4: Assortments and Such

"Now remember James, be good and do well in school.  Being a Potter, I expect you to get the best grades in school just like your father and I have.  Nothing short of excellent do you understand me?" chided Mrs. Potter.

"Yes, Mum.  I understand completely." reassured James

"And son, remember that one of the most important things to do at school is to make the closest of friends.  Whoever you choose, make sure they are important to you, and that they STAY important.  Do not betray them… it will be like betraying your mother as well as myself." said his Dad.

"Sure thing, Dadd-o."

"And don't forget, have a little fun when you're up there.  Live life.  Don't push TOO HARD  on your grades."
"Harold!"

"Ok ok, so grades are definitely important, but make sure you just enjoy yourself!!"

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James repeated his parents' speech in his head as he walked off the train, trying to ignore the mumblings of a certain redhead trailing behind him.

"Firs'years over here please.  Firs' years here!!!" yelled a giant man.

Lily and Jade looked at him with awe.  "HE'S HUGE!!!" exclaimed Jade, mouth wide open.

"Dude James, that guy is huge!" repeated Sirius, not hearing Jade's remark behind him. He then walked up to the immense figure and tapped him on the arm, for that was all Sirius could reach up to.

"Excuse me sir, but have you noticed how incredibly big you are? I mean, you're huge!!"

He chuckled. "Well actually I'm Hagrid, Gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Pleased to meet ya.  An' ya are?"

"Sirius Black.  This porcupine next to me is James Potter.  Firetruck girl over there is Lily Evans, and the girl with the black hole under her nose is Jade Chapman."

Jade then slapped Sirius in the back and shut her mouth, while all James and Lily did was glare at him menacingly. 

"See look at those two and their faces.  They read each other's mind. Oh my, aren't they just PERFECT for each other??" teased Sirius.

James just walked off while Lily turned redder than her hair.  All Hagrid did was chuckle again saying, "Why of course!" 

James couldn't wait to get started with this Hogwarts business.  Ever since he heard about it from his father, he waited daily for his letter to come, and when it did… he was very happyl.  He dragged his parents to Diagon Alley right away, and made sure to himself promising that he fulfilled both of his parents' wishes: Get good grades and Have tons of fun.  With Sirius by his side, and with his natural ability and talents, he was well on his way.

"Good evening. I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts as well as Head of the Gryffindor Household.  Follow me please to the Great Hall where we will begin your sorting.

Murmurs rang through every little mouth as everyone wondered how they were going to get sorted.  Rumors were flying all around, saying that they sorted first years by being able to fight trolls.  Another one was that they had to duel with the headmaster himself, Professor Dumbledore, and if they lasted at least a minute, then they would be accepted.  Lily, being a muggle-born, was completely frightened by these rumors and turned into a palish color. 

"Lily, don't worry, I'm sure it can't be that bad.  My parents never told me, but from the looks on their faces, I'm sure it has nothing to do with any of that nonsense." Jade tried comforting her friend but all she could get from Lily was a slight "Heh." As they followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall, each of them were amazed at their surroundings.  The ceiling was enchanted to look like the weather outside, which was beautiful and clear.  Many older students were already sitting at four huge tables set up in the middle of the Great Hall.  The Professors were seated at the very front of the Hall, with Dumbledore in the very middle, looking as happy as the dwarf in that Muggle cartoon movie.  Suddenly, Professor McGonagall came to a halt.

"Hogwarts' students are to be sorted into four different houses.  These four are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.  When sorted, you will spend your entire educational career with your House.  You will also be able to add points to your house by succeeding in your studies.  However, you may also be deducted points for misbehavior."

With this statement, James and Sirius grinned.

"Each house will sum up points leading to the end of the year, and the House with the most points will be honored with the House Cup at the Feast.  It is a great honor, and I am sure each of you will make your Houses, as well as yourselves proud.  After the opening song, when I call your name, please sit on the stool and place the hat on your head.  You will then be sorted into your House as well as sit with them for the dinner this evening.

 Jade was suddenly caught off guard..

"A hat?!?! That's it? I thought it was going to be a bit more tough than this."

"What song are they supposed to sing, Jade?" said Lily. She let out a deep breath and regained her normal color once she found out the news of the Sorting Hat.

Lily's answer came when a loud and somewhat obnoxious voice echoed through the Great Hall.  It came from none other than the hat itself, as it sang a song about the four houses of Hogwarts.  James and Sirius were easily amused, and couldn't stop laughing, that is, until they saw the stern and firm look on Professor McGonagall's face.  They managed to compose themselves until the hat belted its last note. 

"Once again, when I call your name, please step forward, and sit on the stool with the hat and wait patiently to be sorted.  Agdaw, Ryan!!!"

A small boy stepped up to the stool and placed the hat on.  After a couple of seconds, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!!" and he ran towards the far right side of the Hall towards the Ravenclaw table.

"Avery, Steven!"

A stern bulky (not to mention ugly) boy sat down.  The hat barely touched his head before shouting "SLYTHERIN!" and he joined the group on the far left.

"Baghdad, Iris!"……."HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bertman, Joseph!"….. "GRIFFINDOR!!"

"Black, Sirius!" …… "GRYFFINDOR!"  Sirius bounded down towards the Gryffindor table, anticipating the sorting for the rest of his friends.

"Casey, Benjamin! ….. "SLYTHERIN!"

"Chapman, Jade!"

Jade slowly strode on to the stool and placed the hat on her head.  It took a minute before saying, "GRYIFFINDOR!" and she happily sat on the table clapping its loudest for her.

The list went on until it came upon Lily.

"Evans, Lily!"  She stepped up and placed the hat on her head.  For a while, the hat didn't move.  She was beginning to be frightened.  Then all of a sudden it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and with a smile on her face, she seated herself next to Jade.

Once again, the list went further down until it rested on a certain "Potter, James!"

James shoved the hat on his head and sat there, for a minute.  Then for two.  Then for three.  Lily, Jade, and Sirius were beginning to wonder if the hat malfunctioned.  Lily however noticed that James was muttering something under his breath.  It seemed like he was having a conversation.  With a hat?? Impossible.  Though it does talk, and it sang that awful song.  I wouldn't be surprised.' After a couple more seconds the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and James sat alongside Sirius.  They sat across from the two girls, so that they would have more than one person to converse with.  All four of them decided that they should tolerate the other two for now.  After the entire list was finished, Professor Dumbledore stood up and all he said was… "Shower!" and that's exactly what happened.  The empty plates and goblets were soon showered on with food and drinks galore… and the quartet happily stuffed themselves to whatever they could find, filling their plates quickly.  In the middle of dinner, a shy boy entered the Hall and James noticed this.  He had sandy-brown hair, and looked rather pale for an 11-year old.  He was soon making his way over to James, because he was the only one looking at him.  Maybe he'll be my friend, the boy thought. 

"Hey what's up man, I'm James."
"Remus Lupin. Pleasure."

Sirius spun around.  "Pleasure?? Well I'm Sirius Black!"

Remus smiled a little and asked, "Umm d-d-do you mind if I sit here?  I came late, and Professor Dumbledore said that I was sorted into Gryffindor.  He says I'd do well here."

"Sure thing, Remus.  Here, I guess we kind of involuntarily saved you a spot anyway!" said James as he scooted to make more space for him.  There was already a gap next to James because the girl next to him was practically on the guys' lap that sat next to her  Remus was definitely surprised at the reaction from the two boys and sat down with them.  The three conversed with each other all night long and all three knew that for some reason, they would form a very strong bond together.  They became fast friends, and it almost seemed as if James, Sirius and Remus, knew each other for a hundred years, the way they were talking.

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The feast ended and with a final word from Dumbledore, the House Prefects led their respective students towards the dormitories.  Lily and Jade interlocked arms so that they wouldn't be separated, and strolled along, following their fellow housemates.  Jade spotted a young girl, about their age, who seemed like she was lost.  She pulled Lily along with her and went up to the girl.  "Umm are you lost?"

"Why, y-yes of course.  I'm sorry, where are the Gryffindors heading?"

"Well follow us! We're your trusty housemates!" exclaimed Lily.

With a smile, the girl followed the two girls towards the dormitories.

"My name is Carly.  Carly Atwater."

"Hi I'm Lily, and this is my best pal Jade." Each of them took turns shaking hands, and even Lily and Jade decided to shake each other's hands again, causing Carly to laugh.  Jade offered her other arm to Carly, and she happily agreed, and the three walked along together talking merrily.  As they reached the Gryffindor Tower, they were in deep conversation, and as the Prefect shouted the password "friar-cakes", the three girls reached their rooms and followed each other up the steps to the first-year girls' dormitories.  Lily, Jade, and Carly soon found out that they were to be rooming with two other girls as well.  One was Alice Clearman, a short brown-haired girl.  The other girl was a blonde-haired beauty named Penelope Hunsworth.  She, however, would like to be reffered to as just plain 'Penny'.  The five girls, after unpacking spent the rest of the night conversing and bonding together, for they would be with each other for the next seven years.

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James, Sirius, and Remus went into the boys' dormitory laughing uncontrollably at Sirius' attempt to try and make his hair identical to James.  James was laughing so hard causing his hair ruffled even more, and Sirius soon gave up. The three then became acquainted with their fellow roommates.  One was Frank Longbottom, a brown-haired boy with eyes to match.  Another was a short, stubby, blonde-haired boy named Peter Pettigrew.  The five instantly became friends, and each felt a strong bond towards one another, and realized that it was this bond that would get them through anything and everything Hogwarts would throw their way. 

Well being the mischievous trio.. James, Sirius, and Remus decided to pull their very first prank of their Hogwarts days.  They decided to start off their new year as well as their new friendship with a bang.  Each of them wanted everyone to know that not that James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin are around, things will bound to be interesting from here on out.   Who would be the perfect targets for these three to unleash their mischief upon, you may ask?  Well none other than Lily, Jade, and company of course!  Remus taught them a couple of harmless, but embarrassing hexes, and in the middle of the night, they slowly crept to the girls' dorm and the full-proof plan went into action.  James found Lily and dyed her hair purple, with a green highlight.  Sirius ran over to Jade's quarters, and muttered a charm that made one of her legs shorter than the other.  Remus, though at first astonished by Carly's innocent look, followed through anyway and tangled her fingers together in an awkward fashion.  With great stealth, the three crept back towards the door, and James whispered a charm so that the hexes would not take effect until two hours after they all woke up.  That would be so Alice and Penny couldn't see at first, and that they would be well into breakfast by then, so the whole school would be able to see their wondrous creation of their fellow Gryffindor gals. 

"Boy are they going to have a fit when they find out!" whispered Sirius as they walked back towards their room. 

James then imagined the horrendous look on Lily's face.  "Yeah….. uhh.. maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"Looks like Jamesy-boy is scared of a certain flower, eh Sirius?" teased Remus.

"Remus, you are a genius! Another nickname for our dear friend Potter!" said Sirius after noticing a scowl on his friend's face.

"Oh, and by the way," mentioned Remus, "thanks a lot, both of you, for letting me join.  I've never really had friends before and I'm just glad that I'm accepted by my dorm mates at least."

James smiled remembering his father's words. "Anytime Remus.  The three of us are the best of friends already and it's only the first day!! I am honored to be friends with you and dummy-head over here.  We're going to be something special, I can feel it.  The three of us, we're inseparable."

Remus laughed as Sirius just smiled, both taking in James' words to heart.