Chapter Four
The Sorting Ceremony
He awoke the next morning at ten o' clock so he had to rush to get dressed grabbed his trunk ran to the bathroom, brushed his hair and teeth and ran down to the kitchen where his parents and Bertha were already waiting for him.
"Nice to keep us waiting," snarled Bertha.
"Shut up," Remus muttered.
"Give it a rest you two!" his Father ordered. They immediately fell silent. As they were heading outside to the car Bertha muttered to Remus
"Boy I'm going to have loads of fun telling people what you are!"
"You wouldn't!" Remus begged.
"Just you wait, my friends ("If you have any" Remus whispered) are going to tell everyone!" They loaded up the small car they owned and set off for Kings Cross Train Station. When they arrived it was nearly eleven o' clock and the train would be leaving at any minute. They had to run to Platform 9 ¾ gave quick goodbyes and dashed through the barrier wall. When they emerged from the barrier they saw the Hogwarts Express, standing proudly in the sunlight emitting clouds of steam in the air. They gave their luggage to the man at the back of the train and went to find compartments. To Remus's luck Bertha found one with a group of snotty looking girls so she didn't have to sit with him. He was nearing the back of the train when he saw a compartment with only two other occupants. One has neat black hair that fell right down to his eyes, giving him a very handsome look and he had blue eyes. The other had messy black hair that stuck up in the back and had hazel eyes. They were talking quietly among themselves and laughing hysterically at times.
"Excuse me can I sit here?" Remus asked, but they didn't seem to hear him, he spoke a little louder, "can I sit here!" Again they didn't answer so he just took a seat opposite of them and pulled out the book he had gotten for his birthday and began reading. It was about five minutes before the two boys stopped laughing and noticed Remus.
"Oh!" said the boy with the messy hair, "were you sitting here when we got here?"
"No," Remus answered simply, not bothering to look up at them, "I asked if I could sit here, but you didn't hear me."
"Ok," said the boy with the tidy hair, "you can sit here then!"
"Thanks," Remus answered.
"By the way," said the one with the messy hair, "I'm James Potter."
"Yep! And I'm Sirius Black."
"I'm Remus Lupin." James and Sirius continued their discussion and Remus continued reading. He liked the book up until the part about werewolves and how they described them as filthy beasts that exist only to cause devastation. His eyes widened and he snapped the book shut.
"What's wrong?" asked James, "book's a bit too scary?"
"No," Remus answered quickly, "I just don't feel like reading anymore."
"Well anyways," said Sirius, "I read something really interesting in the Daily Prophet a while back."
"What was it?" asked James.
"A boy who was at a muggle funeral (Remus held his breath, this sounded very familiar) transformed into a werewolf. He started attacking everyone! Too bad they didn't mention his name."
"Well maybe they did it for good reason," Remus said defensively. James and Sirius looked at him strangely and then continued talking. Remus tried listening to their conversation and heard they were devising ways to pull pranks. Remus hid himself behind his book again, only pretending to read, and continued listening until they pulled up at Hogsmeade Station.
They jumped off the last step as they were exiting the train and when Remus had tried he accidentally fell right onto someone. The boy he had fallen onto looked about Remus's age, he had long greasy black hair, a hooked nose and a nasty look about him. He stumbled forward when Remus accidentally knocked him over; when he straightened up he whipped out his wand and glared at him.
"Watch where you're going!" he snarled.
"Sorry," Remus answered sheepishly.
"You'd better be!" Sirius and James heard what was going on and marched over with their wands out.
"Leave him alone!" James demanded.
"Why should I listen to you?" the grease boy demanded.
"Because if you don't listen to either one of us," Sirius warned, "we'll do something so horrible to you, you won't be able to survive!"
"Like what?"
"Wash your hair!" With that James, Sirius and Remus ran over to the boats and jumped in before the boy could catch them. They were all laughing hysterically except for Remus, he was laughing but felt a little intimidated by the greasy boy. When they settled themselves in the boat they noticed another boy sitting there. He resembled a mouse a bit with his short haircut and rather long nose.
"Hi," the boy squealed.
"Hi," Remus, James and Sirius said at the same time.
"I'm Peter Pettigrew."
"Nice to meet you," said James, "I'm James Potter."
"Sirius Black," Sirius said.
"Remus Lupin," said Remus. They didn't talk afterwards because the boats had begun to sail across the lake and they were all too astonished to speak. They had caught their first sight of Hogwarts. It was a grand castle with many towers, made of stone bricks and the outside was lined with flaming torches. When they finally docked on land the giant that had been leading them to the castle, Hagrid left them at the Entrance Hall. They were in the custody of Professor McGonagall, the school Transfiguration teacher. She had brown hair drawn back into a tight bun, she wore rectangle spectacles, emerald green robes and a green witches hat with a feather sticking out. She explained to them that they would be sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin or Ravenclaw and that they would earn house points for their achievements and lose points for their faults and rule breaking. The house with the most points would be awarded the House Cup. She left to go inform all the students that she was going to bring in the first years.
"So," said James trying to make conversation, "you a pureblood, half blood, muggleborn? Remus?"
"What-"Remus said, not knowing he was being talked to, "what? Oh yeah... um... yeah pureblood."
"Ah I see, what about you Peter?"
"Half blood" Peter answered shakily.
"Anything wrong?" said Sirius in a mocked concerned voice, "did someone just drop a bat down your pants or something?" They started laughing until they saw the greasy boy approach them again. They all groaned and turned to face him.
"Yes grease boy how can we help you?" sneered James.
"I was wondering," said the boy, "would any of you like to join me tomorrow at the Quidditch Pitch? I'm having a little celebration for select first years." James, Sirius, Remus and Peter looked at each other and before Remus could answer James said
"Remus will!" pointing a finger at Remus.
"What- I- never said that!" Remus argued but apparently the boy didn't notice.
"Perfect!" he said clapping his hands together, "be there once classes are over. By the way my name is Severus Snape, I'll be seeing you tomorrow." With that he stalked away to another side of the staircase. Remus turned on Sirius and James.
"Why'd you volunteer me?" he asked.
"Well you don't want him to think you're chicken do you?" James argued.
"I'm not for your information! I've done my share of dangerous things, thank you very much!"
"Like what?" Luckily Remus was cut short of answering by the return of Professor Mcgonagal. She gestured for them to follow her and she led them into the Great Hall. Inside were four long tables and at the front of the room was one long table seating all the staff. The ceiling was pitch black with no clouds or the moon, Remus knew what the deal was with the ceiling, and it was bewitched to look like the sky. All the first years lined up in front of an old three-legged stool with a patched and frayed hat perched upon it.
"Now when I call your names," said Professor Mcgonagal, taking out a long scroll of parchment and unfurling it, "you will sit upon the stool and the Sorting Hat will sort you into your house. Abbot, Millicent!" A rather short girl with long blonde hair sat on the stool and listening as the hat shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!" She jumped off the seat and ran over to the house table cheering the loudest.
Professor Mcgonagal called several more names before she shouted
"Black, Bellatrix!" A girl with the same hair, eyes and basic facial structure as Sirius walked up to the Sorting Hat and it considered where to place her.
"Is that a relative of yours?" Remus asked Sirius while looking at the girl.
"Yeah my nasty good for nothing cousin," he answered menacingly. The brim of the hat tore open and shouted "SLYTHERIN!" and she walked happily over to the Slytherin table, Sirius cursing under his breath.
"Black, Sirius!" Professor Mcgonagal called. Sirius walked nervously up to the hat and listened as it talked to him, "hmm... whole family in Slytherin eh? Perhaps you would like to join them?"
"No please don't put me there!" Sirius pleaded.
"Okay if you don't want to. GRYFFINDOR!!!" Sirius jumped up and ran to the Gryffindor table. Professor Mcgonagal called out more names such as, Michael Carter (Ravenclaw), Thora Chang (Ravenclaw) Michelle Demise (Slytherin).
"Evans, Lily!" A girl with auburn hair, and startling green eyes walked nervously up to the Sorting Hat. James could do nothing but gape at her, thinking if he could only get her attention. He was completely oblivious to the fact that Remus was snapping his finger in front of James' face.
"Potter," Remus whispered, "earth to James Potter!"
"Huh? What?" James replied blankly.
"She just got sorted in Gryffindor if you're wondering" Remus answered exasperatedly.
"Oh man did you see her? She's beautiful!" More people continued to be sorted. Alice Gordon became a Gryffindor along with Frank Longbottom, Bertha had become a Slytherin and soon enough
"Lupin, Remus!" Remus walked trembling to the stool but James and Sirius gave him encouraging thumbs up that made him feel a bit better. He sat on the stool looking at all the students that were staring back at him. He wasn't even aware of what they hat was saying. "Him plenty of courage I see in you" the hat muttered, "a brilliant mind, I say you should be in... GRYFFINDOR!" Remus grinned and dashed over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat next to Sirius, who shook his hand.
A couple of names later Professor Mcgonagal shouted "Peter Pettigrew" and Peter jumped up and scurried over to the Hat and it took nearly ten minutes before it muttered, "I guess, yawn, Gryffindor." The Gryffindor table broke into unenthusiastic applauses except for Sirius and Remus who tried to make Peter feel good by applauding loudly. Soon after Peter had taken a seat next to Remus Professor Mcgonagal called
"Potter, James!" James walked confidently up to the Sorting Hat and sat on the seat, "Finally" said the Sorting Hat perking up, "someone easy to place! GRYFFINDOR!" James ran over and sat down on the other side of Sirius. A few more names were called; the boy named Severus was sorted into Slytherin. When the sorting had concluded Professor Mcgonagal rolled up the parchment, picked up the stool and stalked away. The burst into chatter again until Dumbledore tapped the side of his glass with his spoon silence fell once again.
"Let the feast begin!" All the golden platters filled with every single food imaginable. Remus, so hungry from the ride, began loading up his plate quickly. As he was eating his mashed potatoes he glanced over at the Slytherin table. Bertha was sitting with the girls she had been sitting with on the train, she was whispering to them and then pointing to Remus. The girls looked at Remus and then looked at her and pointed back towards Remus. Remus rolled his eyes and continued to eat.
"What are those girls doing?" James asked Remus.
"They're probably new friends of my cousin," Remus answered simply.
"Eww she's your cousin!" Sirius exclaimed, looking at Bertha disgustedly.
"Unfortunately."
"How'd you ever get so unlucky?"
"Don't ask me, ask my pain in the neck aunt for having her." As they were eating James pulled a book out from next to him. Remus looked at it and saw it was his.
"By the way, Remus," he said, handing him the book, "you forgot this on the train." Remus snatched it back, "you were reading about werewolves?"
"Yes," Remus answered nervously.
"Find them interesting?"
"In a way." As the puddings appeared on the table Remus began thinking about the promise James and Sirius made for him. He had no idea what Snape was going to do to him and personally, he didn't want to know. By the looks of Snape, he was probably devising some incredibly humiliating thing, and if his cousin uttered a word to Snape about Remus being a werewolf, Snape would never let Remus forget it.
"So as I was saying," Sirius was saying to James and Peter, "if the Snape kid tries to pull anything funny, we catch him off guard and pull the old Dungbomb in the morning pumpkin juice gag, sound good?" James and Peter laughed happily, but James suddenly chocked on his last laughs. Sirius was patting him on the back, thinking he had chocked on food, but it wasn't that. Lily Evans had just walked over and sat down next to James.
"Hullo, Miss. Evans," said James in a manly voice.
"Is something wrong with your throat?" Lily asked innocently.
"What-oh no!" James answered, blushing slightly, "just saying hullo to the lovely lady!" Lily started looking up and down the table with a confused look on her face
"Where?" she said, still craning her head to look.
"The one sitting right next me!"
"That's Sirius." Peter, Sirius and Remus started to laugh hysterically, but James just turned darker red and continued to try and charm Lily.
"On the other side!"
"Oh me?" Lily said, looking flattered, "that's very sweet of you. Now I just came over here to get the pumpkin juice, I'll be heading back to my seat." She grabbed the jug and walked back over to her seat, James drooling as she left. Sirius was sniggering at James and once again snapping his fingers in front of James' completely blank face.
"Gee, she's wonderful!" James said breathlessly.
"Yeah, I guess so," Sirius agreed spooning his pudding around his plate, "Anything wrong Remus?" Remus was still feeling ill and his face was pale. He was staring fixedly at the ceiling and didn't hear Sirius,
"Remus?" Sirius continued, "REMUS!"
"What?" Remus answered, breaking out of his trance, "What'd you say?"
"I asked if anything was wrong."
"Oh, no I'm f-f-fine," he answered breaking into a yawn, "just tired." Sirius nodded and turned back to James and they started discussing their first day of classes' pranks. Soon enough Dumbledore stood up and gave them his announcements and they left to go to bed. When they arrived at the Gryffindor boys' dormitory they saw all their belongings had been brought up. Everyone so tired to say anything else just climbed into bed and were asleep within minutes.