Chapter 4: An Almost Pleasant Experience

"This 'ed be Professor McGonagall everyone," said Hagrid, addressing the first years standing outside of the large wooden doors. He was pointing to a fairly tall aged women, who wore long green robes that fell to her sleek black shoes bespeckeled by grey dots. "I'll leave 'em with you then Professor?" Hagrid received a curt nodd that must have indicated yes, since he turned around and strode away. Between Hagrid and Professor McGonagall, James immeditaly realized he would rather cross Hagrid, even though he had twice the size and strenghth of a normal man. Professor McGongall had a clever, quick-witted look to her that was followed up only by her strict gaze that befell the first years.

"Follow me first years," she said curtly and turned her back to them without a greeting or any other gesture of welcome. Without any hesitation, they all followed her through the doors and into a enormous hall that would have made Hagrid look like an ant from an arial view. But they had little time to stare dumbfounded at the ceiling above them, as they were swiftly brought into a small dingy room. It looked to James as if it had once been a classroom and a bathroom at the same time, but one thing was for certain, both had failed to look nice.

"Now, as our Hogwarts Keeper of Keys and Gamekeeper has told you, my name is Professor McGonagall," she started, in a very clear and consistent tone. "I have been given the task to introduce you to how you will be spending the next seven years here. When we leave this room, I will bring you to the Great Hall, where you will dine at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There will be a feast prepared for the start of term, but before that, it is essential that you are sorted into your houses. There are four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. All of these houses ave their own reputations, and history, some of it glorious, some of it otherwise. You will now follow me." And with that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, occasionally looking back as if making sure that nobody was in need of being told off.

James was feeling more at home with every step he took towards what he supposed must be the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall had promised a feast awaiting them. But what of the Sorting? Was this the moment when he would be seperated from his friends forever? James thought there was a very fat chance that all four of them would be in the same house, as a matter of fact, they could everyone of them be divided. James, being like his father, could be sorted into Gryffindor. Remus, being his his father and his characteristics, could be in Ravenclaw. Sirius, with his 'yet to falter' family past, could be in Slytherin, and lastly, all evidence pointed to the fact that Peter would be in Hufflepuff.

But James's sad thoughts were pushed away quickly as he looked at the ceiling of the enormous room he had just entered. The ceiling sparkeled with light which he realized were stars in the deep black and purple backround which was indisputably the sky. He then focused his attention on the people in the room. Everyone, from the large form of Hagrid at what must be a staff table, to the smallest second year girl all looked large and overwhelming to James. He moved forward, in the line that had now been assembeled by the first years. A small, stout man with a wand poking out of his pants brought into a room a small stool. Strangely enough, ontop of the stool sat a very badly crumpeled and stained wizard hat.

"May I have everyone's attention?" said the small man, who had placed the stool on the ground in front of the first years. "My name is Professor Flitwick, your charms teacher. But before I get to meet you in my class tommorow or in any day of the week, you must first be sorted into your houses. Professor McGonagall has informed me that you all know about the houses already, so we will begin. This year, because of complaints from late-last-named-lettered-people, we will be starting from the letter Z,and proceeding backwards towards the letter A. Now then..."

Professor Flitwick had pulled out a large piece of parchment, which must have held the first years's names, since he began to read them off. Slowly, but articulatly, he began:

"Zambini, Violeta!" he squeaked, as a very goodlooking blonde girl moved forwards towards Professor Flitwick. But Professor Flitwick pointed her towards the hat, and motioned that she was to put it on. When she did, it seemed that nothinghad happend, andVioleta obviously felt very foolish. But before she could say anything, a seam in the hat burst open shouting, "Slytherin!"

At first, she seemed surprised by this, but then, realizng she had been sorted, trotted off towards what must have been the Slytherin table, looking very content.

The sorting went on for a bit, every once and a while the hat talking to itself about where to put the person, and then resolving with what appeared to be a solid reason, and shouting the house.

The names were being shot out very quickly by Professor Flitwick and he first years sorted even faster. Serverus Snape was the first name James recognized, as he was (without any surrprise) sorted into Slytherin. Before he knew it, "Potter, James!" was being shouted bythe Charms teacher.

James didn't care what house he was in anymore, as long as he was with his friends (although mabye not Slytherin). But he had no time to squirm or fidget under the hat as he put it on, for the second he did, it shouted loudly, "Gryffindor!"

A shower of applause fell upon James as he walked to the Gryffindor table, and took a seat in a totally empty area, next to only a transparent ghost.

Right next was, "Pettigrew, Peter," who put the hat on, shaking from tufts of hair to shaking toes. The hat took a long while muttering to himself on this one, but finally, with a very surprisingly unpleasnt voice, said, "Gryffindor!"

Both Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Milvolant were sorted into Slytherin, right after Oulbis, Cakaldon went to Ravenclaw. More and more people were being sorted, in what seemed to be such a fast pace, James was sure they would be done in the next five minutes. Finally, they came to, "Lupin, Remus!" James stood up to get a better view. The hat fell over his head as he put it on, slightly more pale than even usual for himself, and it yelled, "Gryffindor!" James was exstatic. He beckoned for Remus to join him and Peter at the end of the Gryffindor table, and smiling broadly at him as he sat down. The last one of James's friends was left standing in line, Sirius...

But his thoughts were interupted as he heard the mention of,"Lestrange, Bellatrix!", which made him focus again on the sorting. She too was put into Slytherin. Next after that was a couple of kids put in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and then...

"Evans, Lily!" James's heart stopped. He had, for some odd reason, a secret desire fro Lily to be in his house. He didn't understand why though. To his enormous pleasure, she was Sorted in Gryffindor. Lastly, the final person standing by himself, was Sirius.

"Black, Sirius!" Sirius strode forwards and pulled the hat on his long black hair. He sat on the stool and waited patiently, and squirmed a bit, as if the hat was saying things to him he didn't want to hear. The after what must have been fifteen minutes, the hat shouted, "Slytherin!"

A.N. : Okay, bit of a cliffy, I know, but its okay. Now before you get your pitchforks and guns, wait for the next chapter. If ur reading quill of nalbun, then ull know that i have a tendency to do this sorta stuff, and things may not be what they seem. Sooooooooo, R&R PLZE, as in hit the purple button i plead u!