Hey guys!
This is a really late update... I'm sorry! Things have been insane around my house, school's starting in a week! Gah!
Well, anyway, I have a few things to point out to you. This chapter is going to be about the train ride and the sorting. In the first two chapters, you might have noticed that I used a pattern in the POVs: Sirius, then James, then Remus, then Peter. That will not be continued in this chapter, and may be used occasionally later in the story. Mainly, I'm writing, as I said, from Sirius' POV and sometimes James'. Remus and Peter won't have their POVs so often - only once in a while, at most.
I hope you guys find this chapter satisfactory! Don't forget to review, mind you!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own the Marauders or any other familiar characters in this story, and I am not getting money off of this story. Boo hoo.
Hate Is Such a Strong Word
Chapter Three:
Nothing Like Your Family
By PotterScar
The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black was a buzz with activity as four students got ready to be sent off to Hogwarts.
Aunt Louisa and Uncle Alphard shepherded their three daughters around the house, getting them to pick up lost and, ahem, stolen school supplies. Sirius was racing about his room while his mother shrieked at him for taking so long to pack. Diving under his bed, he scrambled to pick up two books, a box of owl treats, and a glove.
Regulus, who was nine, wasn't helping matters by whining every three seconds, and Sirius ended up flinging his History of Magic textbook at him, which just made his mother scream even more.
"SIRIUS ORION BLACK, YOU APOLIGIZE TO YOUR BROTHER RIGHT NOW OR ELSE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HOGWARTS!" she screamed at him, and Sirius mumbled an apology to Regulus along with a venemous glare. Regulus just smirked at him from behind his mother, making Sirius' scowl even more pronounced.
Fifteen minutes to eleven, all four students that were departing to Hogwarts were standing in the kitchen, their trunks behind them. Sirius watched the other members of his extended family enter the grate to use the Floo network that would take them to a small Wizard pub right next door to Kings Cross Station.
His Uncle Alphard and Aunt Louisa went first, followed by their three daughters.
First was Andromeda Black, a Ravenclaw who was entering her fifth year. She and her father were the only ones in the Black line not to make Slytherin, but Ravenclaw was, in fact, acceptable. Sirius got along rather well with her.
Then came Bellatrix, who was going into her third year as a Slytherin. Sirius got along with her well enough, although she enjoyed taunting him to no end.
The final of his cousins was Narcissa, who was the same age as Sirius. Sirius hadn't a clue which house she was going to be sorted into, but he suspected Slytherin. She was a haughty little brat, and she and Sirius bickered often.
Sirius followed the three girls, appearing next to them and their parents in the small, cramped pub. His own mother and father followed behind him, holding Regulus' arm tightly, and they trouped out of the pub towards the train station.
As they entered the train station (Sirius distinctly heard his father mumbling under his breath about Muggle filth), Sirius caught sight of the red haired girl who had been at Gringotts. She and her family looked utterly confused as they stood between Platforms Nine and Ten, obviously wonder where Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was. Rolling his eyes, he watched their looks of awe as Andromeda and her mother and father strolled through the brick wall.
Bellatrix and Narcissa went next, followed by Sirius and his parents. The girl and her family decided to follow the Blacks, and were startled speechless when they passed through the solid wall and emerged on the other side.
The Platform wasn't as crowded, because Sirius and his family were rather late. "Go on, go on, get on the train before you miss it," his mother snapped, pushing them and their trunks forward and towards the red steam engine with the words "The Hogwarts Express" marked on the side in gold.
"We shall send a letter after you're sorted into Slytherin, Sirius," his father said curtly, and Sirius nodded and bowed. His father bowed back, and Sirius took his leave, grabbing his trunk and heaving it onto the train.
Once they boarded the train, Andromeda bid them good-bye and went off with her Ravenclaw friends. Bellatrix nodded to her sister and her cousin. "Come with me," she ordered, and the two eleven year olds followed after exchanging glances.
An hour later, Sirius wished he'd made his escape when he could. The people in his compartment were horribly boring, all Slytherins. Several of them were first years, and nearly all of the compartment worshiped the ground Sirius walked on, trying to get on his good side. His money and his power was what brought them all to him, and he hated it.
One particularily annoying one was Severus Snape, who wasn't speaking a word to him, or anybody else for that matter. He had especially clammed up when the conversation turned to the wealth and power of their families.
"It's common knowledge that the Notts are far richer than the Averys," a boy by the name of Malcolm Nott scoffed, before turning his eyes on Sirius. "Of course, the Blacks are richer than the rest of us."
"The Potters are richer than the rest of you," Lucius Malfoy said nastily, rolling his eyes. He had just finished the Prefect's meeting, furious that a certain Arthur Weasley had beaten him out for the spot of Head Boy, so his temper was towering. "Stupid little blood-traitors... one of theirs is starting his first year." He fixed his stony gaze on the first years. "Stay away from him," he ordered, and all of them, including Sirius, nodded. "He won't be hard to spot. A big tangle of black hair, glasses, and an ego the size of England."
Sirius chose not to remark that Malfoy's ego was the size of Russia, knowing that he'd be sorry if he did. There was a soft knock at the door, and Malfoy opened it with a flick of his wand.
"Anything off the trolley?" asked the old trolley witch, smiling at the small group in the compartment. The first years rushed forward, including Sirius... but he went forward for a different reason.
Slipping past the crowd of overly-excited first years, he strode quickly down the corridor, looking over his shoulder as he went. He didn't want Malfoy or Bella seeing what he was doing and dragging him back to that hell.
He decided to find some first years to sit with, and peered in each compartment window. Sixth year Hufflepuffs, fourth year Slytherins, seventh year Gryffindors, second year Ravenclaws...
After nearly ten minutes of peeking into compartments and three hexes later, Sirius found himself at one of the last compartments. It contained a small, chubby blonde lad (he recognized him as the Mudblood he'd seen at Gringotts), a brown haired, tired looking boy (Sirius had seen him in Diagon Alley) and - his stomach lurched - James Potter.
Knowing that sitting here would irritate Malfoy, Bella, and the other Slytherins the most if they found him, he hesitated, his hand ready to knock. But they had no control over him, and he wasn't about to sit through another arguement of whether the Notts were richer than the Averys. He knocked quietly on the door.
"Come in," called a voice from inside, and Sirius opened the door.
Only the Mudblood kid looked up when Sirius entered. Potter had his nose in a Quidditch magazine, and the brown haired boy was reading their Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook.
"Mind if I sit here?" he asked, and neither Potter nor the boy reading the text book looked up. Potter nodded absently, flipping a page, and the other boy grunted, "Sure."
They sat like this in silence for nearly half an hour. Sirius, who was sitting closest to the door, looked up at the window in the compartment door every few minutes. If they found him... there would be hell to pay.
But nearly an hour later, Sirius became more confident. They hadn't found him sitting here with a Mudblood, a blood-traitor, and a woe-be-gone looking kid in secondhand robes. Of course, all good things must come to an end. And the one to end it was James Potter.
Potter finished his magazine, putting it down, still not paying any mind to the person who had come into the compartment as he put his magazine away. Of course, as he closed his trunk, he looked up. And he saw Sirius Black.
Sirius hadn't noticed that Potter was looking at him. He was looking at the door, as if daring it to open, with a slight frown on his face. Of course, what James said made him look round.
"What're you doing here?" His hostile tone made the boy in secondhand robes look up and the Mudblood start. Sirius frowned lightly.
"I was under the impression that I could sit here," he said, and Potter scowled.
"And why would a Black," he spat out the word like some filthy swear, "want to sit with a Muggle-born, a half-blood, and what they so politely call 'blood-traitors'?"
Sirius didn't have the chance to reply, because he was startled into silence by the face that had appeared in the compartment door window. A pale face with stony grey eyes and long, blonde hair.
Lucius Malfoy.
The door burst open, and Malfoy stood there, joined by Bella, Cissy, and all of the soon-to-be Slytherins.
"SIRIUS!" Bellatrix screeched, sounding a lot like Sirius' mother at that moment. She glared at his company. "What are you doing here!"
Sirius glared back. "Sitting, Bella, what does it look like?"
Malfoy and Bella glared, and came forward, each grabbing one of his arms. "What're you - gerroffme!" he said, looking clearly upset at being dragged forcedly away.
They both scowled, as did the others that accompanied them. The three first years in the compartment were stunned into silence. "We're getting you away from the filth," Bella said, spitting the last word and looking at the three. Potter scowled.
"Where d'you get off calling us filth?" he snarled, crossing his arms over his chest and standing up. The brown-haired boy seemed to bury his nose deeper in his book, as if trying to hide behind it, and the Mudblood squeaked, wriggling back into his seat.
Malfoy sneered. "We stayed true to our pure-blooded heritage, unlike you. Say good-bye to the next Slytherin in the line." With that, Bella and Malfoy dragged a struggling Sirius out of the compartment. Narcissa slammed the compartment door shut, and the three first years could hear Sirius struggling all the way down the hall, along with his swears and threats if they didn't release him.
"Stupid gits," James said indifferently, plopping back into his seat.
Night had fallen, and every student on the Hogwarts Express was wearing their robes. Sirius was sulking in the corridor outside of his cousin's compartment. He'd tired quickly of the other first years and had decided to spend the rest of the trip out here.
He picked at a loose thread in the sleeve of his black, plain robes. They would be emblazoned with the Slytherin crest soon enough... but for now, they were black. Empty.
Sirius sighed. His years at Hogwarts were going to be hell. Either he got into Slytherin and was miserable for the rest of his school career (the more likely of the two) or he wasn't sorted into Slytherin and his family was furious with him.
Sirius sat like this for a while longer, before the train screeched to a halt. Picking himself off of the carpet, he scowled as he was nearly bowled over by a bunch of overly enthusiastic students from a compartment down the corridor. They ran off when they realized who he was. They couldn't have been older than second year, probably first year. Sirius hmphed before striding down the corridor as well.
He looked around at the crowded platform, unsure of what to do until he heard the cries of, "First yehrs o'er here, first yehrs!" Looking around himself swiftly to locate the voice, he blinked several times at the rather large man standing about ten meters away.
He had to have some giant blood in him, Sirius reasoned. His eyes widened when he realized it was Hagrid, the gamekeeper. Andromeda had told Sirius about Rubeus Hagrid - apparently he was expelled in his third year, but nobody knew why, and he stayed at Hogwarts as gamekeeper.
Pulled out of his reverie by a bunch of shoving first years, Sirius strode forward, straight-backed and haughty - the obvious signs of an aristocrat. His eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed that the large man was standing by a pier that led to the lake, where boats were tied in.
Oh yeah... the boat ride. Sirius made a face mentally. Bella and Andromeda had told him and Cissy about the boat ride across the lake - the first years took it and were led by Hagrid. Then they met up with the Gryffindor Head of House, Professor McGonagall, and were taken to a chamber to be sorted by the Sorting Hat.
"Sirius!" Narcissa sidled up to him, and for once, Sirius didn't make some rude comment or sneer at her. "Time for the boat ride," she sighed, and Sirius could tell she was as unhappy about it as he was.
Soon, the platform cleared out as the carriages taking the older students departed for the schools and all the first years were huddled together, shivering. It was an unusually cool night, and a chilling breeze swept through occasionally that made the students pull their thin school robes around them tighter.
"C'mon, four to a boat," Hagrid said gruffly, and students began to scramble into boats. James Potter and the two boys who were in the compartment with him were joined by a short boy with messy brown hair and tan skin.
Sirius took a boat with Narcissa, the greasy haired kid that hadn't spoken on the train (Sirius couldn't remember his name - Snope?), and a dark-skinned boy that was in the compartment with the Slytherins (Sirius thought his name was something Zabini).
Once everyone had a boat, Hagrid led them off the pier and across the lake. The boat ride was rather uneventful except when two boats collided and tipped over, making the rest of the year laugh. Even Narcissa and Zabini laughed with Sirius, though the greasy-haired lad stayed silent, his lip curled into a sneer. Sirius dislike for him deepend.
All in all, Sirius was rather glad to be off the cramped little wooden boats. Several students seemed to share that feeling with him - some scrambled onto land, and one actually collapsed onto the grass. He looked like he was going to be sick, and it didn't help that Hagrid picked him up by the scruff of his collar and set him on his feet, only for him to fall again.
So, several minutes later, the first years were trooping into the school, met in the Entrance Hall by a strict looking witch and led off to the side.
"My name," said the witch, once she had brought them into a chamber, "is Professor McGonagall. I teach Transfiguration and am the Head of Gryffindor. You are about to be sorted into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your house will be like your family. Every triumph will give you points; any rulebreaking, and you will lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will win the House Cup. You will be sorted in alphebetical order. Please wait here until I return for you." With that, the witch left the room. Sirius craned his neck to peer out of the door as she exited the room and was shocked to see the entire school out there.
"Oh my," Narcissa mumbled. "Quite a lot of people out there." Sirius nodded, biting his lower lip.
Theories buzzed around the room about how they would be sorted; apparently, Sirius was one of the only ones that knew how they would be sorted. People were convinced they had to fight a dragon or some other Dark beast. Sirius merely snorted, rolling his eyes.
After ten long, painful minutes, the door was reopened and McGonagall looked at the students. "It's time," she said shortly, and the students followed her out of the door.
Sirius, even though he had gotten a glimpse of the Hall, was taken aback, once again, by the vast amount of people. The four long House tables were nearly full but had spaces in them, where the new first years would sit. They were facing vertically across the hall. At the head of the tables was one table that was positioned horizontally - the Head Table, where the Professors sat. One seat was empty - McGonagall's seat. Sirius matched names with faces, using his knowledge of the teachers from his cousins. Slughorn, who taught Potions, was plump and elderly looking. Perry, who taught Defense, was young with scars on his face. Battle scars, Sirius assumed. Then Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Sirius found him easy to pick out, as he was awfully short. Hagrid, of course, was the gamekeeper. Then Kettleburn, who was missing several fingers, taught Care of Magical Creatures. Dumbledore himself, the Headmaster. Then Sinistra and Vector, who taught Astronomy and Arithmancy...
Sirius was cut short by the old hat on a stool opening the tear in it's brim and beginning to sing, startling almost every first year standing in front of it.
More first years, I see
Come try me on,
and I will tell you
where you belong.
Great Gryffindor,
where those who dwell
are especially brave
and here they will excel
Sweet Hufflepuff,
hardworking and loyal
takes those who know
if they want, they need to toil
Witty Ravenclaw,
she takes those with superb wits
Intelligent are her students
they always can outwit
Cunning Slytherin,
his ambition far passes all the rest
If you want to be admitted you must
strive to be the best.
So try me on, I'll look in your head
Poke around a bit
and then I'll tell you (and the whole Hall)
where you best fit
(AN: Now you know you're a better poet than me. Don't you feel special?)
Applause rang out as the hat fell silent, which the first years anxiously joined in, albeit hesitantly. Sirius pursed his lips, knowing his name would be one of the earliest called.
"Appleby, Thomas," called McGonagall.
A small, sandy haired boy walked briskly up to the hat and put it on his head. After a minute or so, the hat's tear opened again and shouted, "Hufflepuff!"
He strode away to the Hufflepuff table, which was cheering for their new member.
"Avery, Michael." One of the boys that had been arguing about whether or not he was richer than Nott sauntered forward, and the hat had barely touched his head before spitting out, "Slytherin!"
"Black, Narcissa."
Sirius nodded to his cousin, a gesture that meant "Good Luck", and she walked up to the hat and placed it on her head, where it was for nearly two minutes before shouting, "Slytherin!"
The Slytherin table hollered as Narcissa joined their ranks and sat next to her sister.
"Black, Sirius."
Sirius could feel the eyes of his cousins on him, but he didn't look at them as he headed towards the stool. Taking the hat and putting it on his head, he perched on the stool.
Another Black? I just got through sorting your cousin! Ah, well, lets have a look inside your head, shall we?
Sirius bit his bottom lip, waiting.
No need to be nervous, my boy... hmmm... you're a particularily tricky one... definitely not Hufflepuff... you're bright, but you're no Ravenclaw. Slytherin? No, no, you're nothing like your family.
Sirius started, sitting up straight. What do you mean?
You're cunning, young man, but not ambitious. You want to be different... you want to prove yourself. And I see quite a sum of courage in you.
But... but I have to be in Slytherin!
No, you don't have to be anywhere. You don't belong in Slytherin. You belong in... GRYFFINDOR!
The hat shouted the last word for everyone to hear. There was a stunned silence that rang in the Hall as Sirius sat there, looking dumbfounded.
McGonagall was the first that spoke. She cleared her throat. "Well, Mr. Black, go on to your table, then."
Sirius blinked at her. "But... but Professor, there's obviously been a mistake - "
"No, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said. "The hat is never wrong. You do indeed belong in Gryffindor. Go sit with your house."
Sirius got off the stool slowly, taking off the hat and setting it down, before walking nervously to the Gryffindor table. Their expressions had changed from surprised to hostile. Sirius looked at his cousins for comfort but saw them and Malfoy staring at him murderously. He slid into the bench, hunching over slightly to avoid the curious glances and glares being sent his way.
Finally, the attention was brought off of him when McGonagall resumed the Sorting, calling out, "Evans, Lillian."
The red-haired girl that Sirius had seen at the station and in Gringotts approached the stool and put the hat on her head. Ten or fifteen seconds later, she was announced a Gryffindor.
"Fenwick, Benjamin."
A wiry boy with messy brown hair stepped forward. Sirius recognized him as the boy that boarded with Potter and his friends. He placed the hat on his head, and it contemplated for a few minutes before yelling, "Gryffindor!"
Benji walked forward, acknowledging Sirius with a nod of his head and sitting across from him. Sirius was startled, but nodded back.
"Goldstein, Marcus."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Jillen, Anna."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Lupin, Remus."
Sirius instantly recognized Lupin as the boy that had been reading the Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook on the train. The boy looked worried as he walked towards the stool and placed the hat on his head, which fell over his eyes and was only stopped by his ears.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lupin got up, placed the hat on the stool, and walked over to their table, sitting a few places down from Benji.
"Malcolm, Theodore."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Nott, Malcolm."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Pettigrew, Peter."
It was that Mudblood on the train with Potter! Sirius watched the chubby boy walked nervously forward and perch on the stool with the hat over his eyes. It was on him for nearly ten minutes, by which time the school was growing bored watching. Finally, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Pettigrew got up, walking over to their table and sitting next to Lupin as they turned to watch the Sorting of -
"Potter, James."
Sirius scowled lightly as the boy swaggered up to the hat, as if he owned the school. Stupid git. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius sighed and politely clapped as the boy sauntered up to the Gryffindor table, promptly scowled at Sirius, and sat with Pettigrew and Lupin.
"Don't mind him," Benji muttered to Sirius. "He's a bit sore about a Black sitting in his compartment and all. I heard him talking about it on the boat."
Sirius nodded and was about to reply but was cut off by the hat shouting, "RAVENCLAW!"
The Sorting, from then on, passed rather quickly. A few more Gryffindors came, all girls, and soon, the Headmaster was standing up. Sirius scowled - he was starving, he didn't want to listen to a speech!
"I've got a speech to make, but now isn't the time for speeches, it's time for the feast! So tuck in!"
An apreciative laugh passed over the hall, and the first years gasped (with the exception of Sirius, who managed to hold it in). Helping himself to boiled potatoes, roast chicken, and steamed vegtables, Sirius spent the dinner chattering with Benji. By the time dessert cleared, Sirius was desperately hoping Benji was dorming with him.
Dumbledore stood up once again, and another hush fell over the Great Hall. "I have a few start-of-term notices I'd wish to announce." He paused.
"Mr. Filch as asked me to remind you for what he calls the three-hundreth and fifty-eighth time to not perform magic in the corridors, as it can leave quite a mess that our caretaker has to clean up. Also, he has a list of banned items hanging on his door. I'd like to inform the first years and remind our older students that the Forbidden Forest is named that for a reason."
His pale blue eye swept the hall. "Quidditch tryouts will be held at a scheduled time. If you wish to play for your house team and are second year and up, please talk to your Head of House. Prefects, please lead your houses to your common rooms, and have a good night!"
The scraping of benches filled the hall as the students rose, chattering amongst themselves. Benji and Sirius followed Frank Longbottom and Alice Prewett out of the Great Hall, Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew not far behind.
"SIRIUS!" came a sudden bark from behind Sirius and Benji, and the former spun around. He knew that voice.
A furious Bellatrix stormed over, Narcissa not far behind.
"How dare you get into Gryffindor! You can be sure your mother and father will be informed of this, and I have no doubt that they'll demand a resorting! A Gryffindor, I can hardly believe it! What possessed you to get into that house?"
"It wasn't my fault!" Sirius said defensively, aware that many people had stopped to watch the arguement, Potter and his friends included. "Look, I didn't ask the hat to put me there!"
"You didn't exactly protest it, now did you. Did you?" Bellatrix snarled, her eyes so narrowed they were almost slits.
Sirius remained silent, scowling. Frank and Alice came out of nowhere.
"Black, I'd advise you to go with your house," Frank said coldly to Bellatrix, who glared at him.
"Be sure you're going to get some mail from your mother and father," she said, and with that, her and Narcissa stormed off. Alice and Frank sighed, shook their heads, and led their houses away.
"Your cousin's not very happy with you, is she?" Benji said, once they had started walking again.
Sirius smiled bitterly. "You could say that."
So, what did you guys think? Review, review, review!
'Til I get my lazy butt off the couch and to WordPerfect,
PotterScar