Chap 2 – Pureblood, halfblood and mudblood

Remus stepped out of the boat gazing in awe at the castle; it was better than his father had told him. "Woah." James said, obviously feeling the same sense of awe.

They followed the crowd up the steps reaching the top a stern looking witch with a sharp face and brown hair pulled into a severe bun stopped them.

"I am Professor McGonagal," she announced, "Head of Griffindor House and Deputy-Head Mistress, in a few moments you will be sorted into Houses. The Houses are Griffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, while you are here your houses will be like your family; you will sit with them at meals and spend spare time in the house common room. Your victories will win points for your house, the same as your bad behaviour will loose you points.

"Now, I suggest you smarten yourselves up, I will return for you shortly." She glanced at James' mess of hair and sniffed. Turning on her heel she disappeared behind the hall door.

James shrugged. "My hair will never be tidied." He murmured in Remus' ear. "Mums tried everything but it refuses to do anything," He indicated the mess. "But this."

Remus grinned back, he was so nervous. He liked Harry and desperately wanted to be in the same house as him.

He was staring at the doors when he felt someone's eyes on him, turning his head he was in time to see Sirius look away. He frowned turning back to James who was speculating aloud as to how they were sorted into houses.

James would never admit it but he was terrified. He had a habit of talking when he was nervous and he found himself doing that now. Remus didn't seem to notice, he was looking paler by the minute. James knew he was rambling but he just couldn't stop his mouth. He was half way through re-telling Remus about the rumour he had heard about having to turn into either a badger, eagle, lion or snake for sorting when the door opened and Professor McGonagal opened the doors and looked down at them

"Follow me." She said loudly and led them into the hall.

It was large and bright, James wished his eyes were bigger or that he had twenty. The first thing he noticed was the ceiling. It was midnight blue with a patchwork of twinkling stars imbedded in it. Just below it a hundred candles floated lighting four long tables. He felt eyes follow them as they made their way to the front of the hall where the teachers sat behind a large wooden table facing them. In the middle sat a man with a snowy white beard down to his waist, half moon spectacles perched on his long nose and a large smile on his lips. He watched with interest as they stopped before a stool with an old hat upon it.

James watched shocked as what had looked like a tear in the hat opened wide and began to sing. It talked of the four houses, Griffindor full or courage, Ravenclaw the cleverest, Slytherin the cunning and ambitious and Hufflepuff the loyal. He listened but took nothing in. It was a singing hat. That was the test? He nearly laughed with relief, turning to smile at Lupin he saw his friend looked even paler which he hadn't thought was possible.

"Cheer up, at least its not dragons." He muttered out of the corner of his mouth. It looked to James like Remus tried to smile but ended up looking more like he was going to be sick.

James watched with interest as Professor McGonagal called out; "Abbott, Lucy," a small blonde girl tripped up the steps and sat down on the stool looking scared. McGonagal placed the hat on her head. It seemed to twitch for a while then shouted out: "Hufflepuff". The same was true for Aswald, Terrence: "Ravenclaw" and Aton, Cornelius: "Slytherin".

Sirius watched feeling completely seperate as student after student was sorted into houses. They all looked relieved and slightly excited as they practically ran to their new places at tables who looked pleased to have them, whooping and cheering.

"Black, Sirius." He moved forward and slowly stepped up. Turning around he sat down and caught Remus' eye but looked away as he felt the hat slip down over his ears.

"Ahhh, another Black eh?" Came a soft crooning in his ear. "Well, well, well. There is certainly talent, and ambition. You would do well in Slytherin, but…" The hat paused for a while. "there is loyalty, intelligence and bravery here." It paused again. "A difficult one; and unusual but you will have to be a GRIFFINDOR!" The hat shouted.

Sirius froze; Professor McGonagal removed the hat from his head and had to give him a little push. He stumbled down the steps. He could hear a buzzing in his ears which was coming from the Slytherin table. The Griffindor's who seemed as surprised as he was started a somewhat delayed cheering.

Remus stared as Sirius sat down at the table, his eyes were glazed and he looked in a state of pure shock. He was watching so intently that he nearly missed his name. It was only James' kick on the shin that sent him tripping up the steps. He didn't have much time to feel terrified as the hat was lowered on his head but he managed it.

"Ahhhh…" A voice whispered. "Lupin, your father was a Ravenclaw. Very good with numbers and words. But you… you're not quite so suited. Not Slytherin, oh no. But there's something… yes. Yes. You try to hide it but you're a true GRIFFINDOR."

Remus jumped up with a yelp. He couldn't believe it; he skipped down the steps and collapsed on the table opposite Sirius. He felt an elation he hadn't felt since he had received the letter from Hogwarts with a personal letter to his father from Dumbledore explaining the specific arrangements for him.

He felt himself beaming. Now he knew the feeling that James had described; he was a Griffindor and he felt as though his whole body was on fire. The House for the brave. He was brave. Looking opposite him Sirius still seemed in shock and was slowly turning an unbecoming shade of green. He was staring at his hands. Avoiding the curious gaze of some of the people around him, the only person not watching the sorting.

Remus couldn't read whether the other boy was disappointed, angry, pleased… All he knew was that he personally felt so happy he could have floated to the ceiling amongst the stars. He barely noticed as a plump boy named Peter Pettigrew joined him sitting next to Sirius. The only thing that could make him fell any happier was…

"Potter, James." James jumped up the steps. The hat plonked down on his head.

"Ahh. Potter. Well, I know where you belong. GRIFFINDOR." James jumped up beaming and sped over to the table. Plonking himself down between Remus and a pretty red head whose name he had already forgotten, he felt like a coat hanger had been shoved in his mouth.

A hush fell over the hall as the tall thin bearded man stood up. James knew this must be Professor Dumbledore. His parents had talked about Dumbledore; they said he was a great man and a great wizzard. The only man who You-Know-Who was afraid of; the safest place at the moment was to be with him.

Looking around the hall he smiled. "Welcome, newcomers and old friends. There is a time for speeches. This is not it, tuck in."

And with that the tables seemed to groan under the weight of so much delicious food. Pork chops, steak, battered fish, pies of all kind, mashed potatoes, mounds of vegetables and thick cut chips. Sausages, roast chickens, gallons of gravy and jugs of ice cold pumpkin juice.

He piled his plate up then taking a bite of chicken and ham pie he looked around. Everyone was eating, talking and laughing. Then he noticed the exception. Sirius Black, the boy from the train was just staring at his empty plate. He had been shocked that Sirius was sorted into Griffindor. Hadn't Sirius said himself that every single previous Black had been a Slytherin? He nudged Remus who was devouring a steak with chips. Remus looked up and James nodded at Sirius.

Remus swallowed and took a swig of juice. "Not hungry Sirius?" He asked.

Sirius head snapped up at the mentioning of his name. He looked surprised then looked around. As if noticing for the first time the piles of food infront of him.

"No." He murmured, looking away. James shrugged, obviously the boy didn't eat. He hadn't eaten on the train either. Maybe it was a pure blood thing.

Sirius felt like the feast went in a daze. He stared at the food which he would normally be stuffing in his face faster than you could say quiditch but he wasn't hungry. He was in Griffindor. It was almost like he was floating above his body watching the meal.

Looking around everyone was beginning to lean back, stuffed and happy as the deserts disappeared from the table. He still hadn't eaten but he really wasn't hungry. He didn't even look up as Dumbledore stood again and delivered some messages about Quiditch try outs, banned objects and the forbidden forest. It was only when the boy Pettigrew sitting next to him gave him a soft prod that he realised everyone was standing and filing out of the hall.

He followed dumbly as they made their way out of the hall and up the staircase. He ignored the hostile stares on his back as the Slytherins disappeared down a spiral staircase. He barely took any attention to the moving staircases or portraits who shouted welcomes and peered down at them. Finally they reached the top of a grand staircase with the picture of fat woman wearing a bright pink ball gown.

"Niffler." Said the prefect at the head of the group, the painting swung open revealing a hole and one by one they scrambled into the common room.

James looked around. The common was filled with squashy chairs and sofas and a large roaring fire. It was just how he had imagined it. He was still walking as if he was floating a foot off the ground, his eyes wide and his face beaming. He knew he looked a right idiot but he really couldn't help it.

"Boys dormitory up there, girls that way." The prefect nodded, James and

Remus scrambled up the stairs and into the room marked '1st year boys.' The inside was every bit as warm and cosy as the common room. Four large four poster beds each had a trunk infront of it, ties in the Griffindor colours of gold and red already laid out on top. James flung himself happily on the bed with his trunk infront of it. It was by the window and he gazed out, he could see the quiditch pitch!

Looking back he say the small boy named Percy or Peter or something had settled by his own bed and was gazing around looking petrified. Remus was sitting cross legged infront of his trunk pulling out books. Sirius was standing by his bed eyeing the ties looking convinced. He sighed and slumped down on his bed his head in his hands. James suddenly felt very sorry for him. He looked confused, and scared.

"So." James said breaking the silence. "Are we gonna have a riot or what!" Remus looked up and smiled and the boy Percy beamed. "I'm James." He said to the smaller boy. "We haven't met."

"Peter." The boy said his voice firmer than James had expected. "Peter Pettigrew." James grinned at him, and then turned his attention to Sirius.

"This is a surprise." He said, trying to keep his tone light.

"You're telling me." Sirius drawled, lifting his head and looking directly at James. "I'm bound to get a howler tomorrow."

"Why?" The boy named Pettigrew asked, sitting cross legged at the foot of his bed, looking at Sirius with an admiration which annoyed James immensely.

"Complicated." Sirius muttered, he sat up and picked up one of the ties laid out on his trunk, he held it on his front. "It is my colour though." A small smile was pricking his lips.

James nodded, not quite sure what to say. "Don't they normally sort families into the same House?" He asked after a while. "All of my family have been Griffindor's."

"Not necessarily." Remus said from his book. "My dad was a Ravenclaw but the hat said I wasn't as well suited."

"Which means you weren't brainy enough." Laughed James, Remus sent a scowl over.

"No, it means he doesn't look just in books for answers." Sirius interrupted. "Ravenclaw's worship books," He eyed Remus who had a book open in his lap and another three sitting beside him. "It's more about potential than anything else."

"So you obviously have Griffindor potential." James added snidely.

"Obviously." Sirius muttered. There was an uncomfortable silence, searching for something to say which wasn't quite so antagonistic, James was beaten to it by Peter.

"What's a mudblood?" He asked looking up at James. James felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of him.

"What? Why do you want to know?" He glanced over suspiciously at Sirius.

"Mudblood is an insulting term for someone who's muggleborn," Sirius started before James could think what to say, "it means dirty or unclean blood."

Peter looked from Sirius to James, his mouth hanging open. "But... but my mums a witch!" He exclaimed. "Why did they call me that?" He pitched the last question to Sirius, who looked at him unflinchingly.

"Because you looked like one in the boat. All wide eyed and scared. I thought you were muggleborn too."

"What's this?" James asked staring from Peter; who looked like he was about to cry, to Sirius who was twirling his wand between his fingers unconcernedly.

"In the boat." Peter stuttered. "On the way here." He looked at Sirius who stared right back.

"There were two boys who called Peter a mudblood and tried to throw him in." Sirius explained as if the conversation bored him.

"What happened?" Asked Remus putting his book down.

"Sirius." Peter said softly, James looked over at the boy in question but he shrugged and lay back down on his bed. "He did something with his wand and the boy let me go."