Part Two: A glance in the dark says nothing

'If at first you don't succeed then you obviously weren't trying hard enough.'

Sirius was sitting in his bed wondering where things had gone wrong. He and the rest of the first years had followed Hagrid across the lake, Severus had snagged a boat for them easily enough and they had laughed at the reactions of some of other students. Not a few of them turned green when they realized exactly how they were to get to the castle. Their laughter wasn't out loud of course, but to those who truly knew the boys would have been shocked at the strength of their mirth. 'Emotional displays are signs of weakness.' Mrs. Black had always maintained.

Upon reaching the castle a stern woman, who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, lead them into a large antechamber to wait.

"The moment of truth is at hand." Severus told Sirius.

"And why is that?" James Potter called from where he was standing. The boys black hair, which had been messy before, was even more messy thanks to the wind over the lake, he was also obviously still sore about what happened on the train.

"Because we find out exactly what you, and everyone else here, is made of." Severus said calmly. "You might be an over courageous and dumb Gryffindor. He might be a wise, but misguided Ravenclaw." Severus pointed to a small boy with bland features. "He might be a humpty-dumpty Hufflepuff." Severus looked at Peter, "or in a very long shot, you might all become Slytherins with Sirius and I."

"How are we sorted?" A redheaded girl asked cautiously.

"One of the sixth years said we had to fight a troll." A brown haired boy said with a fearful quiver in his voice.

Sirius exchanged glances with Severus. Their parents had told them what to expect, but who were they to argue with legend?

'Knowledge is power, so make sure you have the monopoly on it.'

McGonagall soon returned to usher them into the Great Hall. As they entered Sirius looked over at the Slytherin table, he noticed his cousins Narcissa and Bellatrix watching him. His gaze moved along the table and in his mind he named all the students sitting there. They were all Pureblooded like him, that was the main Slytherin trait.

The first years were brought to a stop in front of the faculty table and the sorting hat was brought out. Sirius only half listened to the song it sang, he knew by heart the gist of it. Godric favored those brave and impulsive wizards who passed through the doors. Rowena took the studious under her wing, Helga looked to the loyal and sturdy for her house and then there was Salazar. Salazar favored the cunning, the pure. 'The Blacks, the Snapes, the Flints, the Malfoys, the LeStranges. All were students when Hogwarts began, and are students still.'

Sirius was suddenly shoved forward by Severus. He looked up at McGongall realizing for the first time that the Hall was now silent. McGonagall gave him an impatient look, and he gathered that it was his turn atop the stool.

Sirius swallowed nervously and sat down facing the older students. The sorting hat was lowed down onto his head and a voice began to fill his head.

"Black. Sirius Black. I suppose you think I should just shunt you into Slytherin with out a second thought." The hat sounded thoughtful. "I must admit that it is tempting to do just that, but I see so much more here then could ever be realized down in the dungeons. You are a flower, you need the sun, therefore you should be:"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius sat there on the stool in shock. Gryffindor? 'Gryffindors are hot headed Muggle loving fools.' His mother was going to be livid.

A hand plucked the sorting hat off his head. The Gryffindor table was cheering wildly, but Sirius's gaze was drawn back to his cousins in Slytherin. The people he had known since birth looked stunned to say the least, his cousins wouldn't meet his eyes. Well, all except Andromeda. From the Ravenclaw table she clapped her support.

The cheering Gryffindors came to a faltering stop as they realized that their newest house mate hadn't moved. Sirius jumped off the stool at McGonagall's pointed cough, but instead of heading to the tables turned to look at Dumbledore.

"There has to be some mistake." He said politely.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "I have never known the hat to make a mistake Mr. Black. Please take a seat with your new house so we can continue."

Shaking with the shock of it all Sirius gave Dumbledore a bow before heading over to the far side of the Gryffindor table.

The rest of the first years were sorted with Sirius paying only minimal attention. Andrew Conners was sorted into Hufflepuff, Jane Doyle was a new Ravenclaw. Terrence Elmont was the first new Slytherin, Lily Evans joined Sirius in Gryffindor. More and more of the students went under the hat. Stella Kingston.... Hufflepuff, Remus Lupin... Gryffindor, Impetual Malfoy.... Slytherin, Nathan Norton.... Ravenclaw, Evelyn Norton.... Slytherin. Peter Pettigrew, followed by James Potter, ended up in Gryffindor.

Sort of makes you think you should have been nicer to them. His mind smirked. Sirius told his mental voices to be quiet and retreated further into himself until he heard the name he had been dreading. "Severus Snape." McGonagall called.

The small boy stepped forward, his black eyes caught Sirius's briefly before turning aside to look toward the Slytherin table. Sirius watched Severus's face disappear as the hat was placed on his head.

"Slytherin!"

For the second time that night Sirius felt like the world had dropped out from beneath his feet. Severus didn't even glance in his direction again, but strode purposefully over to the cheering Slytherins.

Maybe you are more Gryffindor then you thought. His mind's voice was back. As if Severus would put himself in the public position of being friends with a Gryffindor.

The opening feast passed with Sirius eating very little. He had tried to catch Severus's eye again as they left the hall, but the Slytherin hurried after Lucius with out a glance back.

Numbly Sirius had trudged after the Gryffindor prefects. He didn't notice when Potter and Pettigrew warned Lupin against him. He climbed into his bed with his clothes on, and drawn the curtains around him. I wonder what Mother is going to say.



The first day of the term dawned brightly, which didn't suit Sirius at all. He hadn't slept much the night before. James Potter, an early riser, had thrown back the curtains of Sirius's bed so that the sun could shine directly into his eyes.

A headache reminded Sirius that not only had he been sparse on sleep last night, but he hadn't eaten much either. He rolled out of bed shaking off the shivers and turned toward his trunk. There was some evidence that someone had tried to break into it, Sirius gave silent thanks to his parents who had insisted on putting wards on it.

About a half an hour later a showered and changed Sirius entered the Great Hall for breakfast. "Its good to see that you're feeling better." The female Gryffindor prefect called out to him as he sat down. "We were beginning to wonder if you were just going to pine away."

"You appear to have offended your year mates." A redheaded girl sitting next to him commented. "Two of them were talking about you this morning and it wasn't flattering."

Sirius bent his head down to show that he wasn't in the mood to talk. The other Gryffindors shrugged and left him alone, until someone sat down next to him.

"Sirius?" Sirius's eyes were drawn to the amber eyed boy next to him. "I'm Remus, we're dorm mates?"

"Sorry," Sirius mumbled. "I'm just having a little trouble adjusting."

Remus gave him a bright smile. "Yeah, it sort of hits you suddenly doesn't it." Sirius was entranced as the other boy laughed. "One minute you're living in a cozy home with parents who love you. The next you're being sorted into a house in a drafty old castle with people you barely know."

Sirius tilted his head. "It wasn't that. My parents weren't much for affection. Our house in the country is even draftier than this place, and I don't think anyone could call the town house cozy."

"Oh," Remus blinked.

A great whoosh of air heralded the owl post. Sirius watched for his family's owl and wasn't surprised to see it carrying a distinctive red envelope.

"Someone's mother is mad." An older Gryffindor joked.

Sirius swallowed as the letter was dropped onto his plate. He reached for the Howler intending to take it and run to a private place, but the moment his hand touched it the envelope burst into flame.

"GRYFFINDOR!!" His mother's voice seemed to fill the hall. "I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT A SON OF MY BODY WOULD ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR! BLACKS ARE SLYTHERINS! IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR UNCOUNTABLE CENTURIES! EVER SINCE THE FIRST BLACK SET FOOT IN HOGWARTS! I AM ASHAMED THAT I COULD BARE A SON WHO WAS SORTED INTO THE HOUSE THAT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN OUR ENEMIES! EVEN ANDROMEDA WAS ONLY A RAVENCLAW! HUFFLEPUFF WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER!" The voice stopped abruptly.

Sirius, who had buried his head in his hands, looked up hopefully. "We're coming to sort this all out." His mother's voice sounded calmer. "We'll have you in Slytherin, where you belong, in no time at all."

The paper finished burning with a pop.

"I guess that answers my question." Remus said quietly. "You were expecting to be sorted into another house."

"All Blacks are either Slytherins or Traitors." Sirius intoned flatly. "Ravenclaw is the only acceptable alternative."

"Wow," Remus gave him a lopsided grin. "All my parents tell me is to be careful who I talk to around the full moon."

"Too true." A sleepy seventh year cut in. "Moon equal full equal werewolves equal bad."

The prefect who had expressed concern over Sirius earlier now leaned over to the seventh year. "You, Mr. Brown, need to sleep. Not stay up until God Knows When going over Quidditch strategies."

"Do you want us to win this year or not Miss Wood?" Brown yawned. "If you don't then I hope you won't mind me sleeping through the year."

Remus rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Sirius. "So, is there anything more to you then what has been evidenced already?"

"Why are you bothering with that Slytherin?" James Potter called down the table to Remus.

"He was sorted into Gryffindor." Remus pointed out calmly. "Didn't you hear Dumbledore last night? The hat is never wrong."

"Or Dumbledore could just be losing it." James returned. "Nothing is infallible."

"My parents would agree with you Mr. Potter." Sirius said rubbing his eyes.

"I think everyone in Hogsmeade is aware of how your parents feel." Remus gave Sirius another grin.

Sirius returned the grin half heartedly and did what he had been avoiding so far during breakfast; He looked over to the Slytherin table. Severus was talking to another first year, one that Sirius was surprised to say he didn't know. Severus briefly raised his eyes and the two boys made eye contact.

Before Sirius could signal that he wanted to talk to Severus a hand was placed on his shoulder. "You okay?" Andromeda Black looked at her younger cousin worriedly.

"A little shaken." He admitted.

"Blacks never admit weakness."

Yeah, well Blacks are never in Gryffindor either.

"I can imagine." She smiled. "Suddenly announcing to the world that you are very different from your family is one of the harder things to deal with. Especially since it wasn't your choice to have it exposed."

Sirius looked back over the Slytherin table. Severus was standing up to leave. "If you'll excuse me." He smiled to his cousin.

She nodded and headed back to the Ravenclaw table.

"I'll see you in History of Magic." He said to Remus as he hurried off after his friend.


Sirius caught up with Severus outside the Great Hall. The moment Severus saw him he rounded on the other boy. "How could you!" Severus demanded. "You must have known that the hat was going to place you in Gryffindor. That the only explanation for that promise you made me make."

"I didn't know!" Sirius protested. "I tried to make Dumbledore see last night that it was a mistake, but he wouldn't listen. My parents are coming to put pressure on him to correct this fiasco."

"Just stay away from me until then." Severus snapped. "I'm getting enough grief from the older students as is with out it becoming common knowledge that we're friends."

"Are we?" Sirius raised his eyebrow. "Because I wasn't aware that friends made unfounded accusations based solely on what was a third party judgment."

"You should have been a Slytherin." Lucius drawled from behind the two boys. "But since you aren't perhaps you should leave those of us who are alone. Don't you agree Severus?"

Severus lowered his eyes from Sirius's face. "Of course Lucius."

"Is this Gryffindork bothering you?" The older boy asked.

Severus glanced up and met Sirius's pleading eyes. "Yes he is."

"Very well then." Lucius's drawl became more pronounced. "Mr. Black, I think you have a detention or two coming your way."


End Notes:

- There is a fic, somewhere, where Draco gets sorted into Gryffindor and tries to get out. I don't think I copied that fic, as I sincerely can't remember it very well. But if I did I am sorry.

- I just couldn't imagine Mrs. Black, from all we hear about her in Book 5, taking the knowledge that her son is in Gryffindor all that well.

- Please Review