Author's Note: Chapter 4 ! I must thank the first person to flame my work ! But if you're going to flame me, at least give me the reason why it was stupid. Because it would be very helpful to me. Anyways! Any Comments and pointers are most needed, thanks! I don't own most of the characters in this story, but the Sorting Hat's song was created by me and with the help of Miaku-Astradah! Thankies! I must give credit where credit is due, right? Also the name "Dorian Gray" is from both League of Extraordinary Gentleman and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde.

Chapter 4: Gryffindor

In the doorway stood a tall, black-haired witch, in emerald- green robes, who had a very stern look on her face. She looked quite young probably in her late-forties. The group of first years looked at her with great hesitation. Peter once again began to feel scared, and clung to Sirius this time. Sirius had to pry him off in order for him to be able to follow the witch who was leading the way.

"Welcome first years, I'm Professor McGonagall." She said sternly walking through the entrance hall, "Thank you Hagrid. Now all of you follow me!"

The rather large group of children followed Professor McGonagall across the cold stone floor and to a small empty chamber off the hall. Everyone gathered in and squeezed together uncomfortably. Several of the other students rammed into both James and Sirius, and Peter was constantly stepping on Remus' feet.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Spoke Professor McGonagall in a clear voice. "The start-of-term banquet is about to begin, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. You shall be sorted in front of the whole school, of course, so you better smarten up as much as you can while you're waiting."

James and Sirius groaned glancing back at each other.

"The Sorting Ceremony is extremely important because while you're here, your house will become something like a family to you here at Hogwarts. You will take classes with the rest of your house, sleep your house dormitories, and spend your free time in your house common rooms.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. You will gain house points for your house from your successes and you will loose them for any kind of rule breaking you are to do on school grounds. (James snickered at the remark.) The House with the most points at the end of the year will be awarded the house cup, a great honor."

The group of students looked at Professor McGonagall worried, and several of the students began trying to make themselves look presentable. Professor McGonagall on the other hand glanced around at the students and laid her eyes on James for a second, then said, "I shall return when we are ready for you." And she strode off.

Several of the students began to panic; most of them didn't know what they were to do next. James sighed hopelessly and eased his nerves by starting a conversation with Remus and Sirius. Remus seemed strangely calm about the whole sorting thing, and it made both Sirius and James envy him greatly. Unsurprisingly, Peter was once again shaking with fright and nervousness that he was clinging to Remus' arm.

"Well good luck then." James said glancing at each one of them.

"DON'T LEAVE ME!" Peter cried letting go of Remus and jumping to hug James. Unfortunately for Peter (and fortunately for James), he had accidentally miss coordinated where he was to land and accident found himself clutching to another young lad's arm who happened to be standing right next to James.

"Urk!" cried the lad; he was quite startled. "You clumsy fool! Get off me! I said get OFF!"

Peter was flung to the floor and James, Sirius, and Remus were the first people on the scene. The surrounding first years that saw what happened surrounded the scene and were gasping and pointing fingers. Remus and James helped Peter to his feet and they looked relentlessly at the young lad whom Peter accidentally clung to.

"Sorry about Peter," James said looking at him. "He gets a little nervous at times."

The lad was round-shouldered and had a hooked nose, which could be apparent to most everyone. His dark hair looked quite greasy and lanky from the angle they stood from. The lad's eyes narrowed in a despised fashion at the lot of them; Sirius in return glowered back at the lad.

"If he belongs to you, keep him away from me." Said the lad turning away.

Both James and Sirius sneered at the boy from behind his back then turned to Remus and Peter. Peter was rather shaken and Remus was trying to calm him down. They sighed hopelessly again. Sirius still seemed quite steamed by how the young lad acted toward them, but tried his very best to forget about it. The sorting process was the one that everyone had to focus on.

A few seconds later, Professor McGonagall appeared before them, her expression as stern as ever.

"All right, make a straight line and follow me." She told them leading them out of the chamber and into the hall way again. The four of them lined up at the very end of this line: Peter first, then Remus, followed by James, and finally Sirius. Each of them was extremely nervous, but they had their own ways of hiding it.

Professor McGonagall led the first years to a large pair of double doors, and when she pushed it open, the first years found themselves in a massive room that was lit by thousands of candles that were just floating in midair. Bellow the candles were four long tables occupied by none other than the rest of the students. Upon the tables were empty gold and silver plates and goblets that shined luminously under the candlelight. The ceiling was what most intrigued James and he found himself staring up it for a time; the ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky outside. So this was the Great Hall, James thought glancing around curiously.

They came to a stop not far in front of what seemed to be another long table where the teachers sat. Dumbledore was also seated in the very center of this long table. The first years watched as Professor McGonagall placed before them a four-legged stool and upon it an extremely dirty, battered, and old wizard's hat. Everything quieted and everyone stared at this strange hat.

Suddenly the hat began to move, the rip in the brim of the hat opened liked a mouth and it began to sing:

"Long ago was when I was created

I was as new one a can be!

Not patched, not frayed, not battered up

For the founders enchanted me.

Each one of them bearing different skills

and different points of views.

They wish for certain traits to be carried within each different house

So hopefully you've got a clear mind

For I can see all your thoughts!

For I am the Sorting Hat, you see, and it's my job to do it all.

You may see yourself in Gryffindor where the brave of heart reside.

Maybe Ravenclaw for those wise and wit full enough.

It is quite possible to be sorted into Hufflepuff for the kind and trust worthy ones.

Or rather a Slytherin you will be, they're cunning and will do much to achieve what they want.

So don't be afraid and try me on

I won't bite you as long as you don't squirm

So just sit on the stool and put me on

And I shall sort you as I see fit!"

As soon as the Sorting Hat's song ended, there was a roaring applause from the students.

"I don't want that thing on my head!" James muttered to Sirius.

"It's not like it'll ruin your hair, I mean, look at it." Sirius whispered back to him looking up.

James's hair, "You're hair's already a mess."

James frowned, but couldn't help but smile when Sirius gave him a haughty grin. They both looked toward Professor McGonagall when the hall finally fell silent again. She then stood forward and held out a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name you will put the hat on and sit on the stool to be sorted." She exclaimed. "Woodsman, Jonathan!"

A boy who looked much older than eleven walked up to the stool, took the hat, sat down, and put it on. Everyone stared and waited for the hat's decision, there was a pause —

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

The second table to the left cheered and clapped their hands as Jonathan happily went to sit down at the Ravenclaw table. Several see-through people, who James realized were ghosts, walked through the wall and into the Great Hall. Several of the first years yelped at the sight of them, but Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter merely ignored it; they were too caught up in where they were going to be sorted.

"Finduilas, Sabriel!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

Sabriel smiled joyously and rushed over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Cresent, Raven!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The table that inhabited the far left cheered exceptionally loud and they welcomed Raven with open arms. She looked awfully happy on being the first person sorted in Gryffindor.

"Artsmathea, Arden" then became a Slytherin, she seemed very cocky and stuck up, James knew that she definitely wasn't someone to trust. Actually, none of the Slytherins looked trust worthy at all; they really looked mean and evil. "Rita, Sibyl" also joined Arden at the Slytherin table.

"Chilperic, Alexander" was a small kid who looked too young, and was quickly sorted into Hufflepuff. James wondered if the boy was even eleven years of age.

"Snape, Severus!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed.

The young lad who had pushed Peter to the floor eagerly walked toward the stool and put the hat on his head. Dumbledore, who was also watching, watched Snape with kind eyes.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat yelled out.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter glanced back each other; no wonder the lad was so sour toward them. He had the qualities of a Slytherin! Though, James worried about Sirius, would he really be put in Slytherin? It made them all wonder, and Sirius began to grow rather uneasy.

"Evans, Lily!"

The girl had dark red hair the fell to her shoulders and she had the most startling almond-shaped eyes one has ever seen. James cocked his head to watch her place the Sorting Hat on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Another loud cheer erupted, and Sirius whispered, "She looks really smart, yah think she'll be a threat to our reputation?" James laughed softly to himself as he continued to watch the sorting take place.

"Gray, Dorian!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

James watched and waited in anticipation of both himself and his friends' names to be called and then—

"Potter, James!"

James was rather startled by his sudden name being called and he looked up at the sorting hat and gulped. As he walked up to the stool, he heard Remus and Sirius whisper "Good luck!" to him, but he knew that this task wasn't that hard. The only thing he had to do was put the hat on and what happened next, happened next. There was really nothing he could do about it.

He lifted the ragged Sorting Hat; sat on the stool, and waited for the hat to say what house he would be placed in.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat almost at once.

He removed the hat and placed it back on the stool and looked up to see Peter, Remus, and Sirius clapping their hands and the Gryffindor table cheering him. He rumpled his hair and blushed slightly and walked over to the Gryffindor table to sit down. After sitting down he glance up at the rest of the first years waiting in line.

"Pettigrew, Peter!"

The yellow-headed boy had been shaking like crazy and nearly stumbled over when his name was called. Several students nearby laughed but willingly helped him get to his feet. When he put on the Sorting Hat, he shut his eyes tightly as if to prepare for his doom. There was a longer pause than usual, but it was soon broken when the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Peter gasped when he heard what he had just been sorted into and everyone cheered for him. He hesitantly removed the hat and placed it on the stool again and looked back at the Gryffindor table. Before he was able to take any further steps the poor boy passed out.

James watched as Remus and Sirius sighed hopelessly watching the unconscious Peter lying on the floor. One of the teachers willingly got out of his chair and picked Peter up from the floor. Professor McGonagall sighed and said, "Take him to see Poppy, will you?" The teacher disappeared out of the Great Hall and everyone reverted their attention back at the Sorting Hat.

Even if Peter had fainted, James was quite glad he had one out of three in his house so far. He anxiously waited for their names to be called. There was "Indigo"…, "Barron"…, "Feverberry"… then "Stoneburg"… leaving Remus and Sirius to be the last people.

"Lupin, Remus!"

James noticed that Dumbledore had straightened himself up in his seat and beamed brightly at Remus. Remus apparently caught eyes with Dumbledore for a short second and smiled. He then sat down and put the Sorting Hat on his head. For what seemed like 5 minutes, everyone stared in silence. James had his fingers crossed—

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled and a roar of applause filled the room. James seemed to be screaming the loudest and allowed Remus to sit next to him. Dumbledore smiled gently at both James and Remus.

Sirius was the only one left and James and Remus looked at him; both feeling concerned a worried.

"Black, Sirius!"

There was a hush of whispering that took over the Great Hall. James could make out a few comments from other tables mostly saying, "Slytherin that one, I'm sure of it." And "Another one? We already have that other Black to deal with!" These whispering remarks lowered James's hopes and he began to feel rather irritated. The Slytherin table seemed to be smiling rather haughtily at Sirius and they all seemed extremely confident on where Sirius was to be. Remus had looked away, not wanting to see what house Sirius was to be put in.

Sirius seemed to hesitate and he gave a small glance back at James and Remus before going up to the Sorting Hat. When he had finally sat down on the stool and placed the Sorting Hat on his head, the room tensed. The sorting hat took and extra long time deciding. The students found this odd for the 'other Black' AKA Bellatrix who was in her third year now was chosen for Slytherin almost instantly. After a long while the Sorting Hat finally made it's decision:

"…GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

There was silence. Even Professor McGonagall was awe struck. The teachers as well stared at Sirius as if he was some sort of strange and unknown creature. Dumbledore was the only one who didn't look surprised. Sirius was quite happy to be in the same house as James, Remus, and Peter, but he then began feel himself flush red, and embarrassed; for no one had clapped for him.

"WHAT?!" screeched a familiarly high toned voice, startling everyone, "That Sorting Hat of yours must be broken! It must be wrong!"

Professor McGonagall who had finally broken from her awe trance turned to the source of the one who spoke out.

"The Sorting Hat is not broken, Ms. Black." Dumbledore said in a calm voice. "If it says your cousin is in Gryffindor, he is in Gryffindor."

Before Bellatrix could say any more, James had stood up from his seat and began clapping his hands as loud as he could and yelling, "Come down from there, Sirius, if no one's going to applaud you, I will!" Dumbledore turned to look at James, nodded, smiled, and clapped his hands as well.

Remus also stood up from his seat and began clapping. Soon enough all the houses, except Slytherin, were cheering for Sirius. Sirius took off the hat, placed it on the stool and walked down to meet James and Remus at the Gryffindor table. It appeared as though Sirius Black had made history within the Black Family, for he was the only one who wasn't sorted into Slytherin.