Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: The Marauders, Lily Evans and Severus Snape are starting their first year of Hogwarts. However, secret meetings between the DADA teacher and someone else leave them wondering what's going on.
I've read HBP, so there may be some spoilers.
AN: Wow. I can't believe I got so many reviews! Thank you so much. I think I reviewed everyone, except those who haven't got any fics up yet, or any in a fandom that I read (sorry to the person who only had Inuyasha fics, I did click on one just to see if I could give a general review, but I was completely lost.)
Aimee – Thanks! I'm glad you liked my Sirius and Snape. Malfoy will make some appearances, but only in the holidays and things… by my timeline, he will have already left school. However, seeing as he's marrying Narcissa and going to end up an important DE, he'll definitely be there.
Kreeoth – Thanks! I'm glad you like how I've done Sirius and Bellatrix. Yes, those two sections are definitely interesting. :) It's going to take a lot to make Sirius change, and James is definitely not going to like him at first. Thank you again!
Sugur-huny-bun – Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. :)
The Sweetest Cherry – Thanks! Also, thank you for pointing out about the breaks. I did try to put a row of stars in, but deleted them. So, I've gone back and changed it. Anyway, thanks for your review.
Night Worest – Glad you like it. Thanks for reviewing!
Purtyinpink71121 – Thanks! I'll try and work on that. This is just their first year, but then I'll have another fic for their second and third and so on. I read your fic, and it is interesting to compare. Anyway, thanks for the review!
Eliniel – Thanks! I checked out your story and loved it. It had a great hook. As for the breaks on my story… yeah, originally I put in a line of stars, but they were deleted. I've gone back and changed it now. Thanks for pointing that out. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it. :)
Loved it – Thanks!
Anifan1 – Wow, thanks! I'm glad you thought so. Your web address was deleted, though. – Trry writing it as www dot name dot whatever. But I'm glad you liked it. I only had time to review one of your fics, but I'll go back later and review more, I promise.
WeasleyWife – Thanks! I've always thought Sirius couldn't possibly like muggles before Hogwarts. Anyway, I'm glad you like it. Just hope I don't disappoint you in future chapters. :)
Maybelline1802 – Thanks! I'm glad you like Sirius. I'll work on my sentence flow, and put in breaks (I originally put a line of stars in, but they were deleted.) Thanks for the advice.
Lia Tween – Thanks! I'm glad you liked it, and added it your story alerts. I've never thought of Sirius as being 'nice' before Hogwarts (lol, that was a stupid way to put it) and I'm glad that though you've never read something like this before, you still like it.
Gcshipper – Thanks for your review. Sorry if it was confusing, I'll try to make it less so in future chapters. Thanks for the constructive crit!
PadfootObsessed329 – Thank you! Glad you liked it.
Stackles – Thanks! I'm glad you like it :)
Teri – Thanks! I'm glad you like it, and agree with my interpretation of Sirius. My reasoning with Snape was that he couldn't really hide it – there are so few pureblood families left that it would be hard not to know the names. As Sirius said in OotP, they are all related in some form of another, and pureblood maniacs like the Blacks would probably know most pureblood names. Just look at the Tapestry – I would never make Snape say 'I'm a half-blood', but his last name is telling enough, IMHO.
Thanks again!
Chapter 2
A brown-haired, freckled girl walked forward and placed the Hat on her head. Nothing happened. Sirius stared, confused, until he realised something. At times, she would bob her head slightly or her eyes would widen, as if she were in a silent conversation.
'A talking hat?' he thought. 'Possibly.'
"RAVENCLAW!" it eventually yelled, and Mellissa Arvin slid off the stool and quickly walked to a cheering table.
"Black, Sirius," Professor McGonagal said.
Feeling suddenly nervous, he took a deep breath and fixed a self-assured smirk on his face before swaggering over to the Hat. Before he sat down, he glanced over to the Slytherin table. Bella was smiling at him, confident in what would happen.
He sat down and placed the Hat on his head, where it slid down to his mouth.
"Mr. Black, how nice to see you," a voice murmured.
His smirk was hidden under the Hat's canopies. 'So I was right,' he thought.
"Yes, you've got quite a brain on you, Mr. Black."
He stiffened slightly. 'But, I will be in Slytherin, of course,' he thought, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Slytherin? Why assume such things? No ambition… cunning, yes, but not really enough… I don't think the House suits you."
Sirius gripped the edge of the stool. 'What do you mean! I'm the Black heir; of course I'm in Slytherin! 'It's ridiculous – '
He was cut off by the Hat chuckling to itself, causing Sirius to get goosebumps on his neck. "And in the song, I said Slytherin favoured the cunning, the ambitious, and the Blacks, did I? No, you're not suited for Slytherin."
'But – '
"Mr Black, this is my decision, and my decision is final!"
Sirius quietened down, sullen and sulky.
"Not Hufflepuff – you're loyal but not really hardworking. You've never had to. You're clever, but learning doesn't appeal to you."
"However, you have an immense amount of bravery."
'No way! I cannot be a Gryffindor!' Sirius was panicking. 'I can't! I'd be killed – and I hate Gryffindors!'
"How do you know when you've never met any? Hmm… not much nobility – but you have the bravery to change and stand up to others."
Sirius took a deep breath. 'Please don't put me in there.'
"You certainly seem eager not to be in there… a Black, pleading? But, I think you would enjoy Gryffindor more anyway."
'What?'
"GRYFFINDOR!"
There was silence. Then the Staff Table started clapping, and as he shakily removed the Hat and stood up, a stilted applause came from the Gryffindor Table.
He made his way to the table, and sat down. However, as he did, he looked towards his cousins at the Slytherin Table. Bella was looking at him. She held his attention for a few minutes, before turning away.
He gulped. The message was clear: you're dead. And this wasn't even his mother's reaction.
Worried, Peter watched the Sorting. 'I don't sound like any of them,' he thought. 'Since when have I been brave or clever or anything? I might be in Hufflepuff… but would I even fit there?'
He applauded politely when a red-haired girl – Laura Evans or something like that – was placed in Gryffindor, but didn't really pay much attention.
'And what if I can't do magic? Blowing up Mum's flower beds is nothing like enchanting the roof to look like the sky,' he thought, scuffing his trainer on the floor.
"RAVENCLAW!"
He clapped as Meghan Farrell, a small blonde girl, was Sorted. He bit his lip, feeling sick.
'Some of them sit on there for ages. I hope I don't. But I probably will be… where do I want to go? Gryffindor's sound cool, but I don't think I'd get in there. Mum would be really proud if I was put in Ravenclaw… Hufflepuff sounds a bit boring. Slytherin just sounds scary. Am I ambitious?'
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A pale, sandy-haired boy got off the stool.
'What letter was he? 'L', I think – it's going so fast, it'll be my turn soon.
He fiddled with the hem of his robes, feeling scared. Everything was so different here. He watched as Jack Northgate became a Hufflepuff, then Luscinda Orme-Thompson became a Ravenclaw.
'Pettigrew, Peter,' Professor McGonagall said.
Nervous, he walked to the stool. Before he sat down, he looked at the multitude of faces watching, and blanched. He sat down and put the Hat on. Too big for him, it enveloped his head. It was like wearing a mask, hiding him from view, but it was hard to breathe through the thick material.
"Hello, Mr Pettigrew," it said.
Peter jumped. "H – h – hello, Sir," he said.
"There's no need to speak aloud. Now, let me see… not Ravenclaw, no. And not Hufflepuff, either. You're not loyal enough, unfortunately. But, you're quite cunning and ambitious, as well as brave."
'So… Slytherin or Gryffindor?' Peter asked, a sudden smile on his face. 'Gryffindor would be cool.'
"I'm sure it would – but are you one? I just don't know what would fit you best. You're very lacking in self-confidence… I'm not sure either will help you, but unfortunately you really aren't a Hufflepuff."
'Oh. But, Gryffindor's better than Slytherin, right? The other kids said Slytherin was evil.'
"Evil? Cunning and ambition does not mean evil. But, at the same time, I don't think you'll fit in there."
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Peter smiled. 'I can't believe it thought I was brave,' he thought, excited.
He quickly walked over to the Gryffindor table amid applause, and sat down opposite the pale, sandy-haired boy. He smiled at him and mouthed hello, before cheering for Gryffindor James Potter.
The Sorting ended as Young, Jessica became Hufflepuff. Clapping politely, Cissa waited for Dumbledore's speech. Normally, she would be wishing it to end faster; now, she wanted it to last for ages. She wasn't looking forward to seeing what the other Slytherin's would say about Sirius' Sorting.
Dumbledore stood up, and waited for silence. "Another year has begun at Hogwarts, and I would like to say welcome to all the students, new and old. However, I doubt I shall have your attention until after the feast, so for now I shall just content myself with this: supercallafragilisticexpiallydocius." He paused, a smile on his face. "You may recognise it, it's a line from one of my favourite books, Mary Poppins."
He sat down, and Cissa sneered. The typical – and annoyingly short – garble one could expect from him. She sipped at her pumpkin juice, her eyes flitting between Bella and Anthony. All of the upper years were tense, waiting for someone to say something.
"So, the Black heir is a Gryffindor," Anthony said. "First Andromeda in Ravenclaw, now your cousin in Gryffindor."
Bella glared at him. "Nott, I assure you that something will be done."
Rodolphus Lestrange spoke up. "I'm sure something will be done about it. Everyone has a few… mishaps. After all, wasn't it your cousin, Anthony, who became pregnant with that mudblood's child?"
He didn't seem bothered. "Yes, it was," he said, pouring gravy over his chicken. "But that was soon dealt with."
"As will this be," Cissa insisted.
"I'm sure it will, Cissa." Anthony didn't sound convinced.
She smiled at him, determined not to let her anger show. "Of course. But, anyway, at least your brother is managing fine. I see he has made friends with that boy from the train… Snape, didn't McGonagall say? I don't recognise the name."
Anthony shrugged. "A lackey is a lackey. Perhaps he is from a less well-to-do wizarding family. But, after all, what other choice is there among the first years?"
"Adrian Goyle is at least a pureblood."
"True, but he was born lacking brains, unfortunately. A great tragedy." He smiled at her.
She laughed. It was clearly fake. "That's true."
After everyone had finished eating, Professor Dumbledore stood up. Severus Snape round to look at him, effectively cutting off Richard's boasting.
"Welcome, everyone. Now that we've all eaten, I would like to inform you that – as always – the Forbidden Forest is forbidden. Also, dungbombs have been added to the list of items that aren't allowed in the school."
He paused. "We have a new teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts, after Professor Murdock's resignation. Please welcome Professor Dayton!"
The school burst into applause as a tall, dark-haired man stood up. As the clapping finished, he sat back down.
Professor Dumbledore smiled, and then continued. "Now, if the first years would follow their House prefects to the Common Rooms."
As he sat down, a girl stood up and called, "First years, come on!"
"That's Bella Black," Richard said. "She's the sixth year prefect, along with my brother. She's really big-headed and annoying."
He nodded, offering no comment. As he followed her out of the Hall, however, Anthony froze.
"There's Sirius Black," he said, nodding at a black-haired boy who wasn't walking with the other Gryffindor first years.
Severus nodded, before walking a bit faster so as to cut him off. Standing in Black's way, he said, "Blood traitor."
Black raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a messy-haired Gryffindor who had obviously heard.
"Hey, slimeball! Why don't you go and wash your hair or something?"
Severus went to retort, but Black spoke first. "Why don't you mind your own business, Potter?"
"I was helping you! I – "
"I don't need your help, Potter." Black sneered. "Snape, have you forgotten about your mother? At least I'll never marry a mudblood."
Severus drew his wand, furious, but Bella Black quickly strode over. "Ten points from Gryffindor. And Snape, put your wand away."
He put it in his pocket, still glaring at Potter.
"But – "
"Potter, do you want to lose more?" she said.
He quietened, staring at her sullenly.
"Oh, and Black? We'll talk tomorrow."
She then walked off, and after smirking at Potter and Black, Severus followed.
"That was brilliant!" Richard exclaimed, grinning.
Severus just nodded, fed up with his boasting. "Come on, we'd better keep up. I can't believe she didn't take points off of us."
"What did you do that for? I was trying to help you! And why did you say mudblood?" James said, fuming.
Black looked at him. "Potter, this isn't your business. I don't want your help. And I said mudblood because it's what his father was."
He went to walk off, but James carried on. "You know, you belong in Slytherin. You're just as much of a pureblood snob as all of that lot are, and you're not going to be wanted in Gryffindor."
Black laughed. "Right. I'm so offended, now." He walked off, following the other Gryffindors.
James glared at his back, before following. 'That… I hate him! He'll regret it tomorrow, though.'
AN: Well, I hope you liked it! I always feel that Remus & Peter don't sound very convincing in fanfic, so I hope my Peter section sounds okay.
I'm going to Spain tomorrow for two weeks, so the next chapter will be up early September. Sorry! But, I promise to make it extra long to make up for it. (It's also my 16th birthday on Saturday!)
Again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! Please review this chapter,
Tanya