Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling created Hogwarts and most of the characters in this story. I made them younger, but they are still HERS!!!!!

The Sorting

The four first years stepped down off the train, laughing fit to burst. They had turned Malfoy's face into a fungus patch and managed to cover his compartment with slime. Red and gold, of course, just to annoy them since they were all either Slytherins or potential Slytherins. Somehow, they managed to escape with only a few minor curses shot at them, which they had dodged. The Slytherins had seemed too surprised to do anything else.

Just as they were starting to calm down, Remus gestured towards where the prankees (A/N: is that even a word?) were getting off, all of them still covered in red and gold. The four of them burst out laughing once more, and they weren't the only ones. Students all along the platform were now giggling and pointing at the unfortunate Slytherins. James gave Sirius a discreet low-five. "Great plan, Sirius," he said, grinning. "Somehow I don't think they'll forget this in a hurry.

Sirius was about to reply when somebody called over the crowd. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

The four of them turned and struggled towards the source of the voice. When they reached him, Remus and Peter stopped dead. The man was several feet taller than Sirius, who seemed to be the tallest of the first years. Who, or rather what, was this man?

"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind your step now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and sliding, all the first years struggled to keep up with the man's long strides. After a few minutes, the first years were out of breath and they had reached a lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The man called.

Immediately, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter claimed a boat for themselves. James leaned over the side. "Wicked," he said, watching a tentacle move just below the surface. "Hey, Sirius, if any of your cousins get too annoying, you could always toss them in here."

"Really?" Sirius asked eagerly, looking down into the lake. He saw another tentacle move under the boat and grinned. "Sweet."

A few minutes later, the boats landed. The first years all trooped up to the castle, where a tall woman was waiting for them. As they stopped in front of her, her gaze swept over all of them, eventually landing on two figures covered in red and gold slime, which she removed with a flick of her wand.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be Sorted into your houses. While you are here, your house will be like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Sirius pretended to gag, but stopped after a sharp look from McGonagall. "Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards." ("Even if they are all Dark," Sirius muttered.) "While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points." (James and Sirius grinned at each other.) "At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I shall return when they are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

"I'm starving, I hope the Sorting is quick," Sirius said.

Peter looked at him incredulously. "How can you not be nervous at a time like this?"

"Easily. My mother's described the Sorting to me thousands of times. You put the Hat on your head, it sometimes talks to you, and then it yells out your house. Easy."

"You just put on a hat?" Remus asked, stunned.

"Yeah."

Professor McGonagall had returned. "Come with me," she said. She led them into the Great Hall. Even Sirius was slightly awed. It was huge!! Four long tables with students and one with teachers fit easily into the Hall. Glancing up, He saw candles floating in mid-air and above them…was that the sky?

He didn't notice that the rest of the first years had stopped and as a result, ran right into the boy in front of him. The boy turned and glared at him. "Watch it!"

Before Sirius could say something that would get him into trouble, the Hat started to sing. Leaning over to James, Sirius whispered, "I found our next target."

James looked at the boy Sirius had run into and grinned. "I think he might appreciate some help washing his hair, don't you?" he asked quietly as the Hat finished its song.

Sirius grinned back. "Yeah. It's so greasy, he probably never washes himself," he whispered back as Professor McGonagall started calling off names.

"Avery, Anthony!"

A small boy with light brown hair strode forward, trying to look bored.

"Slytherin," Sirius whispered, just before the Hat open its "mouth."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Told you so."

"Black, Bellatrix!"

Sirius' cousin stepped forward and sat on the stool.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Big surprise there."

"Black, Sirius!"

Sirius gave James, Remus, and Peter a grin before going up and sitting on the stool. Just before the hat slipped down and covered his eyes, he caught sight of his cousin Andromeda waving at him from her seat at the Ravenclaw table. He grinned.

"You're a tricky one," a small voice said in his ear. "Brave enough to go against your family, yes, but definitely cunning and ambitious."

"If you put me in Slytherin, I will kill you," he told the Hat silently.

"What's wrong with Slytherin? It will nurture your ambition, sharpen your cunning."

"Yeah, and make my parents proud! I don't want them to be proud, I want them to know that I'm not like them!"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Very well, you belong in GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius heard the last word shouted to the whole Hall. He took off the Hat and walked over to Gryffindor, smiling happily.

The Sorting continued, with McGonagall calling out one name after another. When she called out "Evans, Lily!" the girl James had been going gaga over stepped forward and Sirius filed the name away for future reference. More names were called and Sirius stared longingly at his plate, willing it to fill with food.

"Lestrange, Rodolphus!"

A twitchy, dark-haired boy walked up and put on the Hat. It took a long time to make up its mind, but finally yelled out "SLYTHERIN!"

"Lupin, Remus!"

Remus took a deep breath and stepped out of the line of first years. He walked up to the Hat, hoping that he didn't look as nervous as he felt. He sat on the stool and let the hat slide down over his eyes.

"Now, then. A great deal of courage, an excellent mind, fierce loyalty…but where to put you?"

"Please Gryffindor, please Gryffindor," Remus chanted silently.

"Gryffindor, eh? You would do just as well in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff."

"Gryffindor, please, Gryffindor!"

"Ah, well, if you insist. GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus took the Sorting Hat off and lightly set it on the stool before stumbling over to the Gryffindor table and collapsing on the bench next to Sirius.

"I'm glad that's over," Remus said, looking completely relieved.

"Aw, was wittle Wemy afwaid of the big bad Hat?" Sirius teased in a baby voice.

Remus elbowed Sirius in reply. "Quit it. It's not funny."

"Yes it is. C'mon, Remus, admit it. If it was anyone but you, it'd be hilarious."

Remus decided that the wisest course of action would be to ignore Sirius, which he started doing at once.

Sirius laughed to himself for a couple of minutes before realizing that Remus wasn't looking at him. "Remus?" No answer. "Aw, Remus, I was just kidding! Come on, say something!"

"Shhh! Peter should be called soon!"

Sure enough, the next name called was, "Pettigrew, Peter!"

Peter walked up to the stool, shaking like a leaf. The Hat slid down over his eyes, shutting out the light. Peter had a brief panic attack before hearing the voice start to talk.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Unless I'm much mistaken, you're not Ravenclaw, and not Slytherin, either. No, and definitely not Hufflepuff. That leaves you in GRYFFINDOR!"

Peter walked over to Gryffindor table on legs that were not quite steady. He sat down next to Remus, who patted his arm sympathetically.

"Potter, James!"

James walked casually up to the stool without a trace of nerves. The Hat barely touched his head before yelling out "GRYFFINDOR!"

James grinned and joined his friends. They had all made it into Gryffindor. Hogwarts had better watch out!

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A/N: I wasn't sure where to put Peter: I didn't see him as having enough brains for Ravenclaw, and I couldn't put him in Hufflepuff "where they are just and loyal" because he sold his best friend out to the most evil wizard ever. I did consider Slytherin, but I figured that James and Sirius wouldn't be friends with a Slyth, so I threw him in Gryffindor.

Thanks to EloraCooper4 for reviewing! And Andromeda is fourth year Ravenclaw. ^_^