Chapter 2- The Sorting

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Throwing his trunk out before him, Sirius Black looked around the mass of students in excitement. The night air felt fresh and cool on his face. He had to squint slightly, seeing as everything seemed now so much darker than it had been in the lighted up train. Stepping forward, he turned around to see James too hopping off the train. James sighed, breathing in the night air with a grin and spark in his eyes.

Standing where he was too long, the expression on his face changed to one of alarm as Remus Lupin collided with him, letting out a yelp. Remus fell forward and landed next to James, his trunk miraculously managing to stay upright.

Pushing themselves up, James grinned as he listened to Remus rant on about being sorry.

"Sorry, James, didn't mean to crash into you. But you really should have moved. Then again,I should have looked where I was go-,"

"Remus, it's okay. Really."

Remus grinned sheepishly at him and turned to Sirius. "Do you know where we go now?" Before he could answer, a loud voice answered instead.

"Firs' years, over 'ere!"

With wide eyes all three boys jumped back several feet as a humongous man towered over them. They all shrank back as he smiled at them, his large beetle black eyes shining.

"Cum on… firs' years, right over 'ere, in these 'ere boats."

The trio exchanged glances as the giant walked off to start calling for first years again.

"This is going to be – er - interesting.." muttered Remus under his breath.

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"I remember one time.. my sister, she kinda thinks I'm a 'freak' because I'm a witch. Anyway, one time I got so mad at her calling me that, that I-,"

"Sorry to interrupt Lily, but the train stopped like five minutes ago."

And it had. Emily and Alison had already gotten their trunks and Lily's, causing Lily to flush red. "Oh - sorry."

Grabbing their trunks, they filed out towards the doors of the train. They kept tight to each other, trying to make sure not to get separated in the sea of students. As they stepped off the train, one by one, they heard a great voice and spun around. Towering over three students, was a gigantic bearded man.

"Cum on... firs' years, right over 'ere, in these 'ere boats."

Lily and Alison stepped back in fear, but Emily's eyes brightened.

"Hagrid!"

To the two girl's horrors, the giant turned around and smiled down at them. "Em'ly!" He exclaimed, and gave her a hug. When he pulled back, Emily was smiling and put her arms behind her back, beginning to rub them. Lily noted that though she was smiling, she was wincing in pain from the hug.

"Well, I'll be seein' you later, Em.. come on, firs' years go ov'r in those boats… Good luck with the sortin'!"

Lily and Alison let out a breath of relief, and relaxed. Emily, whose previous nerves seemed seemed to have left her, dragged her trunk over towards the boats, a bit of a bounce in her step.

"Come on,you lot! Let's get going then!"

The other two girls looked at each other, before slowly walking after Emily and lowering themselves into the boats.

oOoOoOo

The three boys were waiting expectantly to begin their journey across the lake. Glancing around, it seemed like everyone was in the boats. That was, until they heard the giant again. To their fear, he was talking to them.

"All righ' then… One more fer this boat… then we're off."

Slowly, a boy sat down next to them, avoiding their eyes. He was a small, slightly tubby boy. He had mousy hair, and a rather pointy nose. On the few occasions he did look up, those who saw him saw his watery, dark blue eyes. In his lap, he was twiddling his thumbs frantically. It didn't take a genius to see that he was terrified, even more so than any other student. Sirius was the first to speak to him.

" 'Ello there! I'm Sirius Black -,"

"-I'm James Potter -,"

"-And I'm Remus Lupin."

The boy looked nervously at them and shook their hands one by one.

"I-I'm P-Peter.. Pettigrew.."

"So, Peter, what house do you want to be in?" asked Remus kindly, trying to calm the boy down.

But this only seemed to put Peter down. "Oh, I already know what house I'm going to be in… Hufflepuff." He sighed.

James cocked an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"Oh, I just will be… I don't fit any other houses."

Remus thought for a moment, before smiling at him. " Well, Hufflepuff is for the loyal, you know. And so is Gryffindor. You may be in Gryffindor."

Peter blinked at him for a few moments, before squeaking hopefully, "Really?"

"Sure!"

He let out a sigh, of relief or of depression Remus couldn't tell. "I hope so.. I really don't want to go to Hufflepuff."

Sirius spoke up again. "So, what subjects are you all looking forward too? I myself, wouldn't mind seeing Transfiguration."

"Yea, Transfiguration most defiantly. That's what my wand's made for, apparently ." Said James at once with a grin, drawing his wand.

Remus smiled and replied with a simple shrug, " Defense Against the Dark Arts sounds interesting."

" I don't think I'll be good in any subjects," Peter said, instantly looking upset again.

The other three boys exchanged glances. Finally, James grinned at him. "Tell you what. If you make it into the same house as one of us, we'll help you."

Peter gazed at them with an anxious expression. "You would?"

"Of course we would."

They were spared Peter's joyous cries, because they all looked up, and saw the most magnificent sight they had ever seen.

It was beautiful. Towering what seemed like miles high, was a glorious castle. Thousands of windows were shining with light, and the whole castle seemed to positively glow with the feeling of protection. The four boys let out a breath of awe all together.

Looking at the other boys, Peter smiled happily. He wasn't so afraid of Hogwarts anymore – Now that he knew he'd have friends like these.

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Lily couldn't believe it. This was Hogwarts? It was HUGE! Jaw still hanging open, Alison shook her out of her thoughts. "Liiiiily…Oh Liiiily, Earth to Lily!"

"Huh? Oh – What?"

"It's time to get off."

"Oh, right!" And it indeed was.

Hopping off the boats carefully, they all turned towards a rather strict looking witch. She was wearing a pair of Emerald green robes, and a matching green witch's hat. Her lips were set in a thin line as she looked around them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. After the students inside the great hall ready themselves, you will enter and begin your sorting through these doors," she motioned to a huge set of doors behind her. " So, while you are waiting I suggest you smarten yourselves up." She narrowed her eyes at several, including Peter.

After she left, Lily turned nervously to Alison and Emily. "Hey, guys, do you know what we do to get sorted?"

For the first time, Alison began to look nervous too.

"My… My brother said we have to challenge a monster." Emily finally said, looking nervous.

Alison gave a shaky laugh, straightening her robes self-consciously. "No way… they wouldn't make us do that... would they?"

They all exchanged a nervous glance.

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Like everyone else, James, Peter, and Remus were a nervous wreck. Remus was muttering spells he knew under his breath, Peter was sweating, and trying to 'smarten himself up', and James was staring at the ceiling deep in thought. Sirius, however, seemed quite calm.

"No need to worry, mates, all they do is put a hat on your head."

Remus looked at Sirius cautiously. "How do you know?"

"My family is full of a bunch of prats. They don't obey tradition or whatever, and not tell what you do for sorting."

James frowned. "How do you know they weren't lying?"

"Ah, they couldn't of lied... Keh... they didn't want a child of their 'precious' family to look nervous. They'd find it shameful." He scowled in disgust.

Peter, who had been shaking wildly, scanned his expression as if trying to detect a lie. When he didn't, he let out a sigh of relief. "You should have told us that earlier!"

"Watching you lot freak out was funny."

They all scowled at him .He was saved from their responses by the doors opening. The witch nodded briefly at them, before turning around and leading them into the halls.

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Walking into the hall was terrifying. All of the student's heads turned to stare at them, down the long walk. The three girls were constantly glancing around. No signs of monsters – yet. They finally came to a stop at the front of the hall. The strict looking witch had started speaking again.

" When I call your name, you will step up and sit on the stool. I will place the sorting hat on your head, and you shall be sorted into the houses of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor."

She stepped back and placed a ragged looking hat on the stool. Lily frowned at it, and nearly jumped back when it began to sing.

"Many years ago

there were four founders of this school,

who decided to build a place

where they could teach and rule.

Each sorted students into houses

In which they were the head,

In which they would sleep and stay,

And by the founders would be lead.

Slytherin's house was for the strong,

His choices were picked with care,

Slytherin students have much ambition

They were ready for any dare.

Dear Helga Hufflepuff

Chose students loyal and just,

For in her house lay students

Who knew helping others was a must.

Sweet Ravenclaw

Was always smart

As were the students selected,

In their homework they were always the very first to start.

And Gryffindor

Chose the most caring of heart,

They were kind, loyal, brave,

Their friendship can't be torn apart.

It was Great Gryffindor who took me off his head,

He put me on this stool and said,

'When we are long gone,

This hat will choose instead.'

So do not fear, just put me on your head,

I'll tell you where they would have put you,

In your house you will not be mislead."

The hat stopped singing, and the hall broke out into applause. Lily's heart began beating quickly as the witch pulled out a long sheet of names, and started.

"Black, Bellatrix."

A rather nasty looking girl with long, sleek black hair stepped up and sat on the stool. It only took a few seconds for the hat to shout out, "SLYTHERIN!"

The table to the far right of Lily broke out in applause ,and the girl walked over, looking pleased with herself.

"Black, Sirius."

Lily looked back ,and saw another student walk up and sit down. He looked a bit anxious, but didn't have that nasty look as the other girl.

"Hot, that one is, aint he Lils?"

Lily looked in surprise over at Alison, who was grinning widely. Lily couldn't help but grin back ,and pushed her shoulder playfully. "Do shut up, Alison." Alison pretended to look hurt and drew away from her, clutching her heart. Lily looked back up. Something about that boy seemed familiar… The hat call out again. "GRYFFINDOR!"

The boy had hopped up, and punched the air triumphantly, grinning widely. This caused the hall to laugh, all except for the Slytherin table, Lily noticed. The Bellatrix girl looked rather alarmed, and furious.

Lily turned back to the sorting, her nerves beginning to double. She would be coming up soon.

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James grinned as Sirius made his way over to the Gryffindor table. Now he HAD to get in Gryffindor, for sure! He waited impatiently for his name come, anxiety creeping over him.

"Bones, Martin!"

"HUFFELPUFF!"

"Donairez, Domonic!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Evans, Lily!"

James watched as pale and shaky girl made her way towards the stool, and sat down. James' mouth opened a fraction. She was…really pretty. It didn't take long for the hat to call out, "GRYFFINDOR!" She immediately let herself relax, and scrambled off to join the table. James' eyes followed her for a moment. It was official. If he didn't get into Gryffindor now, he'd have to do something drastic.

Remus, whom had followed James' gaze, nudged him as the hat continued sorting. "Got a crush already?" he asked with a wink.(The name "Alison Kinmund!" was called) James flushed pink, and shook his head, putting on his best scowl.("GRYFFINDOR!") Before he could make a retort, the name "Lupin, Remus!" was called.

Remus instantly paled, and slowly trudged almost unwillingly towards the hat. As he placed it on his head, James was surprised when it waited practically forever. After a good three minutes had passed, the hat shouted out;

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius' calls of triumph was heard above the rest of the Gryffindor table as Remus hopped up, beaming ,and went to sit next to Sirius.

Now, James began to panic. 'Remus and Sirius are in Gryffindor. What if I'm the only one who doesn't make it?' he thought frantically.

"McGransin, Julia!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Miles, John!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

'It's getting closer…'

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Lily sat at the Gryffindor table next to Alison, smiling her widest possible smile. She was in Gryffindor! And she already had what she suspected to become a best friend. This was probably the happiest moment of her life.

"Pettigrew, Peter!"

A short, slightly tubby boy walked up, looking as if he was about to faint. The hat was jammed on his head. It took several long moments before it finally called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Two boys cheered, and Peter looked as if his heart had stopped out of pure joy.

"Potter, James!"

Lily watched as a fairly messy headed boy walked up, his face stuck in between a look of terror ,and one of confidence.

"He's not too bad looking either."

Lily scowled at Alison, barely hearing the hat call out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

At that, three boys (one whom she recognized as the boy that had just been sorted) stood out the loudest as they cheered wildly. Lily practically had to cover her ears. They must have been good friends.

oOoOoOo

All four boys were grinning as if it were their birthday as they settled down. Peter was sitting on the far left, Remus next to him. Sirius was on the far right, with James in between him and Remus.

"Rishe, Emily!"

James turned to Sirius. "When's this ganna be over?"

("GRYFFINDOR!")

"Dunno."

But James barely heard his quiet answer, seeing as two girls who were sitting near by had stood up, cheering like the others had cheered for James. He recognized one of the girls (his heart jumped) as the redheaded girl. Tearing his gaze away, he turned to Remus for his opinion.

"When's this going to be over, you think?"

Remus shrugged. "They've reached R. Not much longer, I don't think."

And he was right. After only about five more people, the sorting stopped.

Standing up from the teaches table, was a tall, man. He had long, silvery hair, and a beard that looked like it fell to his toes. The Great Hall became quiet as he began to talk.

"Welcome, first years, to Hogwarts. And welcome back, to everyone else. I hope you enjoyed your summer holidays, but I also hope your brains did not empty themselves during that time. I'd like to tell the first years and remind the older students that the Forbidden Forest is, as its name suggests, forbidden. Other than that, there is only one thing I must say; Tuck in!"

At the clap of his hands, food instantly appeared all over the plates on the table. Sirius let out a yelp of delight, and began piling items onto his plate. James, Peter, and Remus laughed, and followed his lead.

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Emily and Lily watched in amusement as Alison began to pile a large mountain of food onto her plate.

"You're actually going to eat all that?" Emily asked in disbelief as Alison began to – the only way to describe it – shovel food down her throat.

Lily's nose wrinkled, and Emily's amused expression turned to one of disgust. They began to put things on their plates too, thought much slower and much less. As Emily had just started to eat some of her mashed potatoes, Alison paused in her chewing of a chicken leg to look at both of them.

"Foo don't feet fuch." She said through her food, spraying Lily with bits of chicken. Wiping it off in disgust, Lily scowled.

"You just eat too much," said Emily, who had covered her plate protectively with her hands so that food would get spit onto it.

Alison swallowed. "Oh yea?" She asked challengingly. Emily raised an eyebrow.

"Yea."

Alison glanced around, and spotted a boy with a plate equally as piled as hers – if not more - a few seats away. "Hey! You, with the whole lot of food!"

As if it had been his name, the boy's head turned expectantly, his cheeks full with macaroni. "Fut?"

"Is this too much food for a person to eat?" She motioned to her plate.

He shook his head, swallowing his food. " 'Course not. These blokes over here," he motioned to the boys sitting beside him, "just don't eat enough."

"Sirius, you're just a pig." Said another other black haired boy.

"Hey!" Alison said before Sirius could respond. "If you're calling him a pig, you're calling me a pig!"

Emily grinned, and was on the verge of agreeing with the black haired boy, before thinking better of it.

The black haired boy just shrugged and turned away back to the others, as did a grinning Sirius.

Unsure if this was a triumph or a loss, Alison just shut her mouth and continued to shovel food in her mouth.

oOoOoOo

After they had eaten several courses of meals, everyone was quite full. They watched with a moan as Sirius somehow continued to shove food into his mouth, feeling so full themselves that they had too look away. When even Sirius was done, the headmaster Dumbledore ordered for the prefects to take them off to bed.

Trudging through the hallways, full and sleepy, they barely heard the prefect telling them the password ("Pumpkin Pasty"). Trudging up the staircases, they paused at the door of their dormitory. Sirius was the first to grin and walk over to a bed.

"I call this one."

Returning the grin, the four boys each rushed around the dormitory, choosing beds. After they had unpacked, they all instantly pulled themselves under their sheets, too tired to talk, or do anything. Anything but sleep.

oOoOoOo

Opening the doors to their dormitory, the three girls saw that there were already two girls unpacking at two of the doors. One girl had short, curly black hair and bright green eyes. The other was a blonde, and her hair fell straight and a little past her shoulders. Her eyes were a dark blue, almost a violet. They looked up as they entered, and smiled.

"I'm Catherine Steel," said the girl with the short black hair importantly, as if it were an honor to meet her. Alison, Emily, and Lily introduced themselves.

"And I'm Crystal Venaira," smiled the other girl, continuing to pack. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same here," said Lily, returning the smile as she walked over to a bad and began to unpack there.

As all the girls were unpacking, Catherine began to jabber about random things. Lily was quite annoyed, and by the time she was crawling into bed, the subject had changed again.

"Wasn't that Sirius Black just so hot? And he's so funny too!" she giggled.

Before she could go on, Emily interrupted her. "I think it's time we went to sleep. We want to be ready for our lessons in the morning, don't we?"

The girl agreed, and pulled the curtains shut after saying good night to each other.

As Lily began to fall asleep, she could already hear the steady breathing of her roommates. Smiling, she drifted off into slumber, dreaming of giants, singing hats, and mountains of food with little piglets eating from it.

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Alternate Universe- More spelling mistakes? Hmm.. I need better betas. And, of course there's going to be that. That's my favorite part of fictions about the Marauders. I can't wait until I get into their third year, which is when they found out about Remus, I'm pretty sure. Didn't they? I don't want to write it in their third year and then look like a complete idiot. :P About the last thing, that REALLY makes me mad. Not the comment, as it's true, but the fact that I did put something there, but it didn't show up on fanfiction. It seems like in /all/ my stories, the divider disappears. I'll try something different this time, and see if it works. Thanks for the second review!

Ladytithenmamiwen- Thanks for the second review. :D I hope my other chapters will be greeted with enthusiasm, too. I just hope that in them, all the dividers will work. It makes it much more easy to read… sorry about them not working in the previous chapter.

Hogwartsgirl52 – Thanks.  And like I said a moment ago, sorry about the dividers not working… it better work this time. I don't see why it wouldn't.

I am very proud of myself, for two reasons.

A.I didn't mutilate the image of Peter, as much as I wanted to. :P

B.I managed to make up a sorting hat song. It may be a bit like the others…but still!

Er..let's see.. what else did I want to say? Oh, yes. I don't know if Remus seems quiet in character at the moment… He's going to open up even more once he gets to know them all better. Does he seem in character? If not, I'd appreciate it if you could tell me how to improve on his character, or any other. Thanks!

Oh, and, I don't think Bellatrix was the same age as Sirius, but I can't be perfectly accurate, can I? Besides, I think it might make it a bit interesting.

That stated, I suppose I shall get off to writing the next chapter! ;D So long!

Prongsy Girl