CHAPTER 2

Slytherin's Legacy

It was later that night that the first years were ushered over to a large figure standing on the platform of Hogsmeade. It was a giant of a man, holding a florescent pink umbrella and untangling his enormous beard with his free hand. He stood at least twelve feet tall, and wore a brown trench coat big enough to wrap four men in. All of the first years stared at him with awe, their necks craning to see the top of the giant.

"Now, firs' years! Follow me, please!" he bellowed over the high winds and rain that were beginning to take form. James and Sirius were still eating the last of the Chocolate Frogs, and now were trying to find a Mirva card in the pile that they had required. So far, they had come across five Dumbledores, three Merlins, seventeen Godric Gryffindors, one Helga Hufflepuff, two Frank Longbottoms, and no Mirvas.

"That old broad was lying to us," Sirius snarled, as he shuffled through his pile again, "There aren't any Mirvas anywhere in here! And you swiped about half of her stock!"

"She didn't notice," James laughed. "Did you see her? She looked like she'd just seen a basilisk in her mirror." He grew stiff, and mocked the expression that the lady with the cart had been wearing. Sirius guffawed, and they drew nearer to the giant.

"Ah, 'ello you two. Yeah, come closer. Jus' a minute, I'll open up me umbrella. Jus' waitin' on a few stragglers. Come on, now! We haven' got all day!"

Soon, all of the students were crowded under the very large and very pink umbrella, shivering in the cold. The giant peered down at them from the shadows, through his brown shaggy beard.

"This all of yeh? Good. All righ'," he said, clearing his throat, "A few things before we star' in on this journey. Me name's Rubeus Hagrid. I'm the gamekeeper here at Hogwarts. Yeh can call me Hagrid. Now, we're gonna be goin' over the lake in a few, and I've got to remind yeh all…'specially in this weather…don' rock the boats. Four to a boat. Keep yer lanterns on at all times. No splashin'. No divin'. No enchantin' the boat. No nothin'. Jus' sit an' enjoy the view. Understan', everyone?"

They all nodded obediently.

"All righ', then. Follow me," he turned, his elbow almost taking out five giggly girls, and headed towards the docks.

James and Sirius stood by each other, still trying to make out the faces of the cards in the pelting rain. The wizards inside the elaborate frames were screaming for shelter and complaining about how they were becoming quite drenched.

"Take mercy!" screamed a Merlin in James's hand.

"Oh, geroff," James hissed at it, and stuffed his cards into his robe's pocket.

The docks weren't that far off, and as they approached, they were told to form groups of four. Sirius and James stood close together, and scanned the pitiful crowd of first years.

"Hey, you!" Sirius shouted out at a pudgy boy. "Need a seat?"

The boy looked around, and then stared back at Sirius, "Are --- are you talking to me?"

"No, we're talking to the tree behind you," James snorted. "Of course we're talking to you!"

The boy's face became bright, and he waddled over to the duo, his eyes beaming.

"Wow, thanks," he said, and found his way onto the back seat of the boat.
James rolled his eyes, and stepped in behind him.

"Excuse me, is this boat full?"

Sirius turned around to come face to face with a streak of red. That red haired girl with green eyes stood, looking hopefully at the empty seat next to James. James and the boy with the rat turned towards her as well, and James's eyes grew big.

"Uh --- well --- uh ---" he stammered.

"Where's your greasy friend?" Sirius hissed at her, and the girl said nothing. But James could see the answer right over Sirius's shoulder. Snivellus the Slytherin had accidentally found his way into a boat with a white-haired boy and two gnarly looking girls. There was no room for his red haired friend, and he looked just as abashed as she did. Good, James thought. This girl needs better boys to hang around than stupid gits like him.

"We've got one more seat," the pudgy boy offered, and ushered her into the boat. She forced a smile, and taking the boy's hand, made her way off of the dock.

Halfway through the lake, James yawned and leaned back in his boat. Hagrid was in front of them, accompanying a boy with silvery blond hair. The boy looked like a mouse next to the giant, and he kept wringing his hands together, nervously looking at the waters below.

"So, yer Remus, eh?" Hagrid asked the little boy.

"Yes," said Remus, still not looking at the gamekeeper.

"Yeh got the jitters abou' school, have yeh?"

"Yes, sir," he mumbled, and his hands fidgeted faster.

"Well, the Headmaster wanted me ter welcome yeh to Hogwarts. He wants teh speak with yeh as soon as yer sorted. Abou' the end o' the month?"

"Yes, sir," Remus gulped.

The boat gave a lurch. James gripped the sides of the boat, and gasped. The green-eyed girl was also taken by surprise, and they both stared at Sirius, who had an evil glint in his eye.

"I heard there was a giant squid in this lake," he said, his lip curling into a smile. "I wonder if he's awake."

"Stop it," the girl said, taking hold of Sirius's hand. "Stop it. You're going to get us into trouble."

This just made Sirius smile even more, and he gave the boat another lurch. The boy with the rat turned a pale green.

"Oh, oh, oh," he murmured to himself.

"Come on, James," he laughed, and rocked it again. James returned the laugh, and for some reason, joined in the fun.

The waves hit the other children's boats, and they looked over to the four, two who were laughing and two who looked sick.

"Hey! Watch it!" the white-haired boy hissed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sirius said, and lurched the boat harder. The red haired, green-eyed girl screamed, and Snivellus nearly stood in his seat.

"Oi! Stop rocking it! Don't you see you're scaring her!"

"Oi! Shut up!" James snarled.

"Sev, stay out of this ---"

"I'll jump over there and ---"

"Sev! Stop!"

Remus, the little boy in Hagrid's boat, turned around to look at them, and he stared wide-eyed. He could see what was coming. The pudgy boy was leaning over the side, trying to hurl, when Sirius gave the boat an extra- hard jolt.

"Aaah!" The boy fell face first into the murky waters, and disappeared with a splash. Hagrid swiveled around on his seat, and his eyes grew large and his cheeks red.

"Didn' I tell yeh not to mess aroun'?" he reprimanded the entire boat. All of the first years were screaming, scanning the surface for any sign of the boy. Soon a gasp was heard, and a face and a hand withdrew from the water. Remus was the first to see him, and grabbed hold of the hand before it could disappear again.

"Hang on!" he said as he pulled the boy into Hagrid's boat.

"Oh please! Oh help!" the boy screamed and shivered as Remus struggled to keep him afloat.

"Give 'im here," Hagrid said, and pulled the boy straight out of the waters, and with a loud plunk, sat him right back in his seat. He then turned on his companions and added, "Now, if I see anymore funny business from the three o' yeh, yeh'll be takin' the next train home. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the girl said, trying to fight back tears. But Sirius and James used all of their energy to hold back laughs.

The Great Hall was amazing. It was just as Remus had pictured it. It was large with paned windows, and five long tables set perfectly on the stone floor. The ceiling was painted with the night, and candles hung from mid air. It was magic. It was home.

The other students were already set at the tables. The teachers were already in place. A tall, bearded man with half moon glasses sat in front of the crest of Hogwarts, which included the lion, the raven, the snake, and the badger. A strict looking woman in all green stood behind a stool where an old worn hat sat, waiting to be tried on. A long scroll of parchment lay in her hands, and she waited for the first years to come to the front of the Hall.

When they were all situated, the hat burst at the seams, and seemed to come to life before their eyes. Sirius stood in utter amazement, and the hat turned in his direction as if he could see him, and then he turned to James. Somehow it knew the trouble they had caused outside. Was it already judging them? Did it already know where he was going to spend the rest of his life?

Slytherin, no doubt. And the little lake escapade hadn't helped his case.

Then the hat opened its largest seam (which was apparently its mouth), and began to sing.

Oh, I may not be the greatest hat
To sit upon your head.

No, I'm not a pretty color,

Crimson, pink, or red.

But I am the smartest hat you'll wear

As long as you may live,

For I will sort you to your house

And futures I will give.

Long ago when I was born

Magic was placed in me.

Godric Gryffindor and Slytherin

Were someday to be

The greatest of enemies,

And yes, for many years,

All they did was shout and squall

About things a wizard fears.

Who was to be chosen

After all of them were dead?

This is where my part came in,

And they put brains inside my head.

So sit and I shall tell you

What your future may hold.

Are you sly like good ol' Slytherin,

Or Gryffindor of bold?

Are you smart like charming Ravenclaw,

Or skilled like Hufflepuff?

Sit upon this stool,

And I'll see interesting stuff.

I will sort it out

And tell you where you ought to go,

So take your chance,

And I shall tell you what you need to know.

The hat then smiled and gave a bow to the cheering audience of the Halls. The sharp old lady then took out her scroll, and cleared her throat.

"First years, I shall call you by alphabetical order. When your name is called, please seat yourself on the stool, and place the Sorting Hat carefully on your head. After your House is announced, you may take a seat at your given table. First…Arslen, Hannah."

A sharp looking girl of eleven was sorted into Ravenclaw, and Sirius found himself pacing. Black. B. Why couldn't his name be Zanders?

"Anderson, Gregory."

Oh, please not Slytherin. Please not Slytherin.

"Black, Sirius."

He felt his legs walk to the stool, and his buttocks touch the warm seat. He couldn't open his eyes as the hat was placed on his head. He was too nervous. He couldn't think properly.

Ah, another Black. Yes, I've been waiting for you. Hmm, yes . Your family does have a knack for landing in Slytherin, no doubt. And what's this about Chocolate Frogs? A boat? Oh, Mr. Black. You're a troublemaker.

I can't go into Slytherin, thought Sirius. I'll go with Hufflepuff, even, just not Slytherin.

Not Slytherin? Why? You have a darker side that pines for the house of the snake. It would make you strong. Your parents would be proud.

Sirius felt his heart sink. His parents would be proud. That's the last thing he wanted. His entire life he had been trying to make his parents ashamed of him.

Ah, I see. A rebel I have on my hands here, eh? Yes, I have been waiting for you. Quite indeed. Well, I guess I only have one choice.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius's heart flew back up into his chest, and he felt his entire body beaming. He was in Gryffindor. Not Slytherin. Not Hufflepuff. Gryffindor. Oh, how his father would be mad. Oh, how his mother would despise him.

It was perfect.

James grinned again, and slapped his hand as he went past him. He took a seat at the Gryffindor table, along with other students, and waited for his friend to be sorted.

"Evans, Lily" was called, and the green-eyed girl was also put into Gryffindor. Sirius tried to make room for her on the bench, and she made the mistake of taking his offer. But seeing who he was, she turned her back and crossed her arms, not saying one word to him.

Then came "Lupin, Remus."

The staff jumped to attention, and scanned the heads of the first years to make out the next child. A tiny elfish professor spotted him first. He gave a tiny squeak and fell backwards off of his chair. All were entranced with this small boy, except for the sharp lady in green and the long bearded man. Even Hagrid the giant was caught staring at the boy. Yet at least he was smiling.

The little boy named Remus shuffled up the small stairs to sit on the stool. After a few seconds, the Sorting Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus smiled to himself, and made his way to the table under the lion's flag. He sat away from the students, trying to pretend as if he was the only Gryffindor student seated there.

"Mulciber, Martin." Slytherin. "Pettigrew, Peter." The pudgy boy, still sopping wet with lake feces, was put into Gryffindor. Finally "Potter, James" was called, and the two friends were reunited at the table.

"Snape, Severus," the lady said, and a hooked nosed boy rose to the stool. James looked back at the Sorting Hat's latest victim, and smiled.

Sirius, now bored with Snivellus Snape, looked up at the old bearded man. He caught him staring, and exchanged a look with him. It was the man off of the Chocolate Frog cards. It was Albus Dumbledore, and he was smiling at Sirius.

"Perfect," Sirius whispered. Dumbledore, long enemy to the Blacks, was smiling at him. He was in Gryffindor. He had a Gryffindor friend.

Looked like Father wouldn't be getting his pure blood grandchildren after all.

"Everyone, if you could take a seat and hold the noise," Dumbledore said, standing up. He was old, yet his eyes glittered with excitement as he faced the students. As he instructed, every student's focus turned to him, and slowly the Hall became silent.

"Thank you for your divided attention," he said in his hoarse voice, "Now, let's see. Well, first off I would like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts, and to the first years, welcome for the first time. Remember, this year, Mr. Filch has added another item to his growing list of illegal items on school grounds. He has now outlawed Jumping Jumpers in the dormitories. Also, if you will look to my right, you will see a new addition to the staff. Professor Klein comes to us all the way from Wales to be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He has had experience in the field, and will be a large help. Possibly he will be able to make up for lost time. Our last teacher was definitely a waste of all our year."

The older students nodded their heads vigorously.

"Professor Klein, could you stand?"

A skinny man with a receding hairline rose to his feet to accept his applause. He bowed, and then returned to his chair.

"Oh, yes, and one last thing," Dumbledore said as the students turned away from Professor Klein. "We have a new addition to the grounds. You may have noticed it when you arrived. Professor Sprout and I have planted a Whomping Willow outside Gryffindor Tower. This tree is very dangerous, and we advise students to stay at least ten feet away from its branches. It has been known to become aggressive at times."

Sirius looked at James, and raised his eyebrows.

"I don't know, but the more dangerous it is, the more pleasure we'll get from our year, eh?"

James laughed and said, "I knew I liked you for some reason."

"Thank you," Dumbledore concluded.

Mounds upon mounds of food appeared in front of the students, and a large "Oh!" sounded from the first years. Sirius hadn't seen so much food in his life! He grabbed at a turkey leg, and gnawed at it hungrily.

Remus watched him from across the table intently. Was it all right to just dig in? All of this food, sitting in front of him…and it was free…he could just pick it up and ate as much as he pleased? He felt his face gleam brightly as he took a handful of everything and set it on his plate. Oh, he was so hungry. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday's dinner, and he was starving. Turkey. Plum pudding. Pumpkin juice. It was all there in front of him, waiting to be taken. Oh, this was Heaven. This was what Remus had been hoping for.

After everyone had their share of the feast at the Gryffindor table, a fat fifth year with pimples on his face stood. He had a shiny badge sporting the letter "P."

"First years, could you follow me to the Gryffindor common room, please? Gather together. Come, let's go."

The food vanished, and Sirius and James jumped back in surprise.

"Whoa ---" James whispered, and then looked at Sirius.

Sirius returned his surprise.

"It's magic, huh?"

The pudgy boy with the rat --- Peter, his name was --- stood behind them, looking eager. Sirius forced a nod, and then sighed. That's right. The rat boy was in his dorm.

"First years!"

The three of them made their way out of the hall and up the marble staircase. Sirius could see the little boy with the silvery blond hair trudge behind all of them, looking at his feet. There was something different about him. The way the teachers had stared at him when he went to be sorted. Those circles under his eyes. Something wasn't quite right with him.

The sharp lady in green ran out of the Great Hall in a tizzy, and grabbed the boy by the shoulders. Sirius stopped to watch. What was going on?

She whispered something in his ear, and he nodded obediently. Then he followed her out of the first year line streaming up the staircase, and in another direction.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

A girl slammed into Sirius's side, and he turned around to look at his classmates. They were all glaring at him in disdain.

"Come on, Sirius," James said, pulling him up by the robes to keep up with him.

Sirius shook his head, and continued on his trip to Gryffindor Tower.