Just Kids

A Marauders Fic

Summary

Their lives will shape the fate of the world, magic and muggle. They will help drive back the darkness, their names will be known to everyone; they will be loved and hated in turn. Not quite yet though, right now…they're just kids.

Disclaimer

You are gullible if you believe the following:

That the word gullible has been taken out of the dictionary.

&

That I am our beloved JKR. I'm not; I don't own the rights to the Harry Potter books or any of the characters in them. I am not making any money out of this so please don't sue. Since I don't have much money you wouldn't get much out of me anyway.

Authors Note

I have decided that as soon as I reach 30 reviews I will change my summary for something that doesn't sound so quite so desperate, I feel that there is no point saying that you have no reviews when you actually have 25! (Sorry 28) Wow I can't believe I have that many, anyway keep reviewing, you guys are great!

This chapter tells of Remus' Sorting and a division at the Gryffindor table. Hope I've got Remus right. I have been meaning to use this title for ages but was hindered in this by the fact that the contents of my chapters keep changing, so in JKR's word "know that this has been" months "in the making", or something along those lines.

It Takes All Sorts

"GRIFFINDOR"

The hall was shocked into complete silence, no one clapped for Sirius Black, the boy that had just emerged from under the Hat, a triumphant grin plastered all over his face. Everyone had been expecting another audition to Slitherin house and now this…it was a surprise to say the least. Quite a few people at the Gryffindor table didn't look to happy, the long standing rivalry between the two houses meant that numerous Gryffindors had been on the receiving end of a curse sent by Narcissia Black or one of her many relations. They weren't sure how they felt having a representative of the Black clan in their house. The Slitherins were absolutely livid; particularly the boy's immediate relatives, the stain on their family's honour would be the subject of discussion over respectable dinner tables for months to come. The black haired girl that had been Sorted before him was giving him a look that could have stopped a rampaging dragon. Remus was surprised that Sirius didn't seem more concerned, if he had been in his place…your not though, whispered the traitorous voice at the back of mind, your in you're your place, werewolf.

The silence only lasted about a minute, less then that really but it did drag on, the applause started up at the high table and spread down to the Gryffindor table, for some reason the Ravenclaw table joined in, led by a delicate looking black haired girl. Up at the high table Professor Dumbledore over looked the proceedings with interest and he was the last to stop clapping when the applause died down. Professor Shadow gathered herself together and began calling out names again.

Remus watched with only vague interest, at any other time observing this procession of life would have been fascinating, there were so many people doing so many different things! Further down the line of first years a messy haired boy was scowling fiercely at the new audition to Gryffindor, some pretty girls at the Ravenclaw table were teasing a second year, a muscular Gryffindor was waving at a pouting Hufflepuff and a dull looking Slytherin boy was falling asleep. Every single person in the Hall was contributing to the vast tapestry of social interaction, each and every one a distinctive thread. For so many years he had longed to experience what they took for granted and now that he had it he was wasting it worrying about the stupid Sorting.

He couldn't help it though, being terrified out of your mind must have been catching because his fellow first years fear had him in its grip as well. What if the Hat didn't want to Sort him? What if instead of shouting out a house it shouts out what he really was, a monster, something not fit to be taught, dangerous, keep it away, beast…

"Cokelwick, Karen", the girl who had been reading before, was rather predictably sorted into Ravenclaw.

What had possessed Dumbledore? What security measures could he possibly be taking that would allow him to accept Remus into the school? Would he have to be locked in a cage once a month? How could his dorm mates not notice his continual absences? They were certain to guess and then…

"Dippet, Merridock", a freckled faced, boy with strawberry blond hair was next up, he looked slightly disappointed when he was sorted into Gryffindor.

Would they be sympathetic? The Healers had been, but they had seen the damage he did to himself when he transformed, eleven year old boys would certainly not understand; how could they when werewolves had been portrayed as the bad guys in every bedtime story that involved them. Children from magical families had also been exposed to the continuing hype surrounding the werewolves that escaped from their confines and went rampaging around the countryside. Remus could still remember the terror he had felt when the death of Benny Stricket had resulted in an upsurge of werewolf hunts, the fear every time someone came to the door, the interviews by that Umberige woman. It had been almost a relief when the culprit was caught and sentenced…

"Evens, Lily", the petite red head from his boat was Sorted in to Gryffindor almost immediately, Remus noticed that the boy in glasses stopped glaring at the Gryffindor Black, who was obviously no longer his friend, while she was sorted. Meanwhile the Gryffindor table was practically roaring; she was their third new member out of the first five first years.

Yes, if he was found out there would be no way he would be allowed to stay, he would have to have a plausible excuse for his continuing absences…

"Flanders, Cuthbert", the Gryffindors' streak was broken when the card collector was Sorted in to Ravenclaw.

It was a pity really that he had never been any good at making up stories, his father always said that the bite had sucked all the life out of him Of course he wasn't meant to hear this, it was whispered over his head when he took out a book and brought up at night time when he was meant to be in bed. Remus had never had the need to lie, he had no friends to boast to and his parents would have been able to see through any attempt at concealing the truth from them. So what could he say…?

"Happenstance, Gloria", a tall girl with blonde hair was Sorted in to Ravenclaw.

Only three more letters to go until Lupin, he felt sick…

"Jynx, Tanya", it wasn't until she bounded down to join Lily Evens at that Remus realised that she must be the girl from the station, idly he wondered where her trunk had got to.

That was it! He could be sick every month; no, that wouldn't work… Why did all the Ks and Js have to be Sorted so quickly! He silently willed the small boy sitting on the stool to be difficult, it didn't help and soon the boy was trotting over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Lupin, Remus", his hands shook, his teeth chattered and his legs wobbled but from somewhere deep inside he found the ability to take the few shaky steps up to the Hat. So intent was he on reaching his goal that he didn't notice the sudden alertness of the high table, the teachers' curious stares or Dumbledore's penetrating stare.

Within the velvety darkness of the Hat a voice spoke to Remus; afterwards he never told exactly what had passed between them but it was obvious to Dumbledore at least that during his time under the Hat's brim the boy had heard something…just what that something was he couldn't be sure. That was a secret that the Hat did not turn into a song.

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out I have had my end of term exams all of last week and then I lost my very important notebook, still haven't found it actually so you can blame that if some of the characters I am introducing aren't as coherent as they could be. Next chapter will be up as soon as possible and Remus and Sirius will have a little chat.

Thanks to:

Amalynne O'hara: Thanks, glad you like it, sorry that the Sirius/James thing isn't resolved yet but I needed to do Remus' sorting first, their conflict will be resolved one way or the other in their dorm, so look for an argumentative night. You poor thing by the way, I can't stand French as a language can't do the accent or spell it. I dropped it and am now doing Spanish for GCSE. CUL8r (see you later)

brennqt14: I do feel sorry for Sirius, having to deal with a family like that but if he hadn't had them he wouldn't be the Sirius we all know and love. A have an idea for a Sirius fic (pun!) that…well I won't say but it will defiantly be AU. Thanks for the great review.

marauding-siriusly: The hat saw his reckless tendencies and thought that Gryffindor would only make him more reckless, as we see later on his recklessness leads to his ultimate demise. Personally I don't think that that Hat would care what his family would think and there isn't much they can do to him right now anyway

Yoshimiwolfspaw: Thanks keep reviewing.

Rainbow26: Thanks, I smiled when I read your review, keep it up.