A/N: Hey again! Oh my God! Another post! Yes! Being in college has somehow triggered my "I really want to write" sense, and here is another chapter in the Marauder Generation.
Just a few addendums. Firstly, thank you SOOOOOO much to everyone who has been reviewing my story! It's so great to see that I have people who loyally read, and it's enough to make we want to put out a chapter a day, if I could.
Secondly, I have to thank my wonderful roommate, Becky (no relation to my character Becca-Becca hates being called Becky, and vice-versa) for the great sorting hat song that appears in this chapter. See, I can't rhyme, and she can, so...yeah, she wrote the song. All the white chocolate macadamia cookies in the world for Becky!
Thirdly, (these getting annoying yet?) here's the ever important disclaimer: if I owned Harry Potter, I really wouldn't be worried about getting loans to pay for my college education. I do, however, own my ideas behind this story, as well as Becca and Liz (well, Liz belongs to my cousin, but I stole her. HA!).
Fourthly...na, I think I'm done. Just please r/r, and enjoy what I wrote! Thanks again!
Sammy Solo
PS-To readers who have gotten to chapter 10, this is the chapter I was talking about that I combined into two; no changes, just 4 and 5 became 4 alone.
"Firs' years, this way!" yelled the deep, booming voice. Remus turned around to face the voice, seeing, for the first time in his life, what he was sure was a giant. He felt Liz grip his arm nervously, and could see the worried expressions painted on Peter's and Lily's faces.
"C'mon, now, don' be shy!" the giant said. Through his thick beard one could hardly see his face, but his voice was cheery and full of friendliness. "The only way to Hogwarts for firs' years is right through here."
Cautiously, Remus, Liz, Peter, and Lily followed the crowd of chattering first years. They were led off of the platform and to the edge of a large lake. Visible in the light of dusk, a huge castle towered over the far side of the lake. The numerous windows glistened with an inviting yellow light, beckoning to the first years to start their new life.
"Alrigh' four to a boat now, quickly. The faster we do this, the faster you can star' your schoolin'." The giant of a man ushered the first years into small boats. Remus, Liz, Peter, and Lily climbed into one boat and waited patiently while the others filled up.
"We got everyone now?" the giant asked no one in particular as he surveyed the dock. "Looks like it! Alrigh' let's go!" On cue, the boats began to propel themselves across the lake. The stars reflected off of the dark surface of the water, creating an illusion of sailing through the night sky itself. The first years talked excitedly to their new friends, unable to sit still.
"Hey Sirius! Look at this!" called a boy's voice from the boat next to Remus and the others. Remus turned to see what the commotion was. Two black-haired boys, one with glasses and one without, were leaning over the side of their boat, staring amazedly into the water.
"Is that a squid?" asked the one with no glasses.
"Yeah!" replied the other. "But it's huge!"
"Let me see!" yelled a voice from behind the two boys. A girl squeezed between them, her dark-brown hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked up from the water for a second and made eye contact with Remus. Remus's stomach flipped a little as she waved to him, and he wasn't sure why. He waved back, opening his mouth to call out and say hello to the girl.
"Going to get her involved in all this too, are you?" the wolf's voice echoed through his head. "Good, one more 'friend' of yours that I can tear apart in a few weeks. . ."
Remus closed his mouth and dropped his hand. The girl frowned slightly, but whatever she might have been thinking was cut off as the boys once again began yelling.
"Wow! That's so wicked! Bec, look at this!" the boy with glasses yelled. The girl turned away and started staring into the water too.
"Whoa!" the girl exclaimed. "That is wicked!"
"Oy, knock it off back there!" yelled the giant, who was stationed in the foremost boat with one first year. "Don't lean over the side of the boats, now, you'll fall in!"
The boys and the girl who was accompanying them completely ignored the command, leaning over even further to get a better look at the squid.
"You heard him," said the fourth member of the boat, a rather pale boy with a large, crooked nose. "Stop leaning over!"
"Oh, bugger off," the boy without glasses said.
"Why aren't they listening to them?" Liz asked from her position beside Remus. "What if they get hurt?"
"Then it'll be their own fault," Remus said. The three first years continued to stare in amazement at the squid that had taken up residence underneath their boat. The boy with the large nose stood up on his side of the boat, anger glinting in his eyes.
"I said stop!" the boy said. "You're going to get us all in trouble."
Purposefully or accidentally, Remus couldn't tell, but at that point both black-haired boys stepped away from the edge of the boat and sat down, causing the little wooden vessel to tip in the other direction.
"AH!" The large-nosed boy, unprepared for the sudden shift in weight, toppled over backwards, straight into the cold, dark water below. Remus heard an echoing splash, covered up soon enough by the laughter of the two boys who had caused the whole incident. The girl in the boat was laughing as well, and Remus somehow couldn't keep a smile from his face. The giant waved his hand and all the boats stopped.
"What's goin' on back there?" he asked. He stood up, causing his boat to rock. The lone first year in the boat with him looked as if he might throw up.
The two boys looked guiltily at each other, identical mischievous smirks painting their faces. Neither answered the giant's question.
As the silence among the boats grew more nervous, Remus saw something rounded and rather white stick out from the surface of the water. As the pale boy attempted to pull himself back into the boat, Remus realized that the first thing he had seen poke out of the water was the boy's abnormally large nose.
"They're not even trying to help him," Lily noted of the three other students sitting in the boat.
Somehow turning his boat around, the giant had appeared next to the black-haired boys' boat. He reached into the water with one hand and put the pale first year back in his boat. The two troublemakers were seated in the boat, attempting to stifle their laughter.
"Now if there's any more trouble from any of ya," the giant said threateningly. "There'll be letters goin' home to your parents as soon as we reach the castle. Got that?"
All four children nodded. The giant gave them one last glare, then, with a wave of his hand, let the boats continue towards the castle. The two boys laughed hysterically, and the girl joined in. Meanwhile, the third boy was drenched from head to toe to the tip of his nose. He was shivering in the chilly, early-night air, and his nose was running horribly. Between the water dripping from his hair onto his face and the fact that he had to keep sniffing at his runny nose, he looked like he was crying.
"Look at him over there sniveling," the no-glasses boy mocked quietly to his friend. Remus was pretty sure that no one else heard this comment, but with his wolf-enhanced ears, Remus had no trouble at all hearing it. The glasses-boy laughed at his friend's comment, and opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off by a yell from the giant.
"All righ' everyone, we're here! One at a time, now, watch yer step!" The giant stood on the dock, practically lifting each student out of his or her boat and placing them once again on dry land. Once everyone had departed from the boats, all of the first years followed the giant man up towards the castle. The lights from the windows winked at them from above as they stepped up to the wooden front doors. The giant man pushed the doors open and led the first years into a large entrance hall with a number of staircases leading in different directions. Standing in front of another pair of wooden doors was an older woman in emerald green robes. She looked down at them over the ridge of her glasses, looking stern but not overly threatening.
"Thank you Hagrid, that will be all," the woman said, addressing the giant.
"No problem, Professor," Hagrid said. With a final wave at the first years, the giant turned and strode out through the big front doors. Remus sighed, trying to calm his nerves. At last, it was finally time to see where he belonged.
Sirius studied the large entrance hall before letting his eyes fall onto the woman standing in front of them.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," the woman said. "I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. In just a moment you will proceed through these doors and join your classmates. However, first you must be sorted."
She turned to her right and disappeared behind a small wooden door. Immediately, the first years began to whisper excitedly to one another.
"What do you reckon we have to do to get sorted?" Becca asked the two boys.
"Dunno," James said nonchalantly, but Sirius could tell he was nervous. He was digging his hands into his pockets and he kept ruffling his already messy hair.
"Can't be too bad," Sirius said, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. His mother's voice echoed in his head: We'll be expecting the letter telling us you've gotten into his Slytherin. Sirius knew he didn't belong there, but right now he was having a little trouble trying to figure out how he'd convince everyone else of that.
A moment later, Professor McGonagall returned, carrying a small stool in one hand and a ratty old hat in the other.
"Follow me please," she said, and pushed open the oak doors. The first years filed through the doorway behind her. They entered an enormous hall, lined with four long tables on the main floor and one that faced the others at the front. The four main tables were filled with chattering students, while the fifth table held a bunch of adults. They smiled pleasantly as the first years approached the front of the hall.
Professor McGonagall set the stool down in front of the Head Table and put the hat down on top of it. A silence fell over the students and teachers alike. The first years squirmed impatiently, waiting to see what would happen next. Suddenly, one of the seams opened up and the hat started to sing. . .
"Welcome students one and all,
There is not time to wait,
To hear the story of the four,
Who were not a moment late.
They were a power in their time,
And combined their efforts here,
To build a school for magic kind,
To learn without the fear.
The founders were as different,
As the children that they teach,
And to decide who went where,
They looked at traits in each.
'Twas Gryffindor who hatched a plan,
And snatched me off his head,
Waved a wand and cast a spell,
And no longer was I dead.
As I've done in times before,
I'll sort where you belong,
Different houses and different beliefs,
You shall know at the end of my song.
The brave of heart in Gryffindor,
In Hufflepuff the loyal,
Ambition to sly Slytherin,
And Ravenclaw's for brains that toil.
Have a seat, put me on,
It will be so very brief,
I shall show you where you belong,
And end your anxious grief."
The song ended, and all of the students and teachers erupted into applause. The first years clapped hesitantly, still unsure of what was going on.
"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall explained. "You will step up here and sit on the stool. I will then place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your house. Adams, Jeffrey!"
A small, nervous-looking, brown-haired boy stepped forward and sat on the stool. The professor dropped the hat onto his head and it fell down over his eyes. The group of first years held its collective breath, waiting to see what the hat would make them do to determine their houses. After a moment, the seam on the hat split open again, and the hat yelled out "Ravenclaw!" The table second from the left of the hall cheered loudly, and the boy ran over to join his new housemates, a broad grin on his face.
"That doesn't look so bad," Bec commented. James and Sirius nodded, watching as "Bernard, Jacob" became a Hufflepuff.
"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called. Sirius felt his breath catch in his chest. Why does my name have to be so close to the front of the alphabet? he thought bitterly. Despite his nervousness, he held his head high and strode confidently up to the stool. As he sat down, he saw James flash him a thumbs-up and Becca wave, and then he saw nothing but the back of the hat.
"Another Black, hey?" a voice spoke in his ear. Sirius looked around quickly, wondering who was talking. "I know exactly what to do with you. SLYTH-"
"Wait!" Sirius yelled out. He heard giggles from the people seated at the tables.
"Don't yell, boy," complained the hat. "I can hear you just fine when you think it. You have a protest?"
Yeah, I do, Sirius thought.
"Well, go on then."
Well, I don't want to be in Slytherin.
"Really?" the hat asked, sounding genuinely surprised
Yeah, really. I thought you were supposed to be able to see everything about me or something?
"One can only see if one bothers to look," the hat said.
You weren't even going to look? Sirius thought furiously. You were just going to judge me on my last name? That's not right! You can't do that! You should. . .
"Well then, let's have a look, shall we?" the hat interrupted him. "Obviously a strong, determined mind. And. . .you want to prove something."
Yeah, that I'm not a stupid git like the rest of my family, Sirius stated.
"Very well," the hat said. "Not Slytherin then." Sirius sighed in relief. "But where to put you? You must be very brave, to be ready to stand up to your entire bloodline. Yes, plenty of courage. And a pure heart. . .something I've never seen in one of your family before. Plenty of mischief. . .of course. You're going to be a hand full, Sirius Black, but you'll make a great GRYFFINDOR!" This last word the hat shouted to the whole school as McGonagall pulled the hat from his head. There was no immediate applause, like there had been for the others, just a confused silence. For probably the first time in his life, Sirius felt extremely self-conscious. Every eye in the hall was focused on him. He glanced over at the far table, catching his older cousin Lucius's eye. If it was possible, the seventh-year boy was paler than usual, a disbelieving glint in his eye. Sirius smiled at him, a little of his confidence returning. He would have liked to just sit down at his table and get out of everyone's line of sight, but, truth be told, he didn't know which one was the Gryffindor table.
"Yeah Sirius!" yelled a voice from the crowd of first years. A single set of hands started clapping, and Sirius looked down to see James smiling up at him, clapping loudly. Becca joined in, and soon the rest of the great hall had joined, all except the Slytherins.
Sirius shot a grateful grin at James and headed to the table that was cheering the loudest. He took a seat at the end of the table and smiled at his new classmates.
Just wait 'til Mum gets that letter, Sirius thought, smiling even wider. I only wish I could see her face...
Remus clapped along with everyone else when the black-haired boy was sorted into Gryffindor. He only hoped that he didn't have to sit on the stool for that long; it had taken the hat a good few minutes to place Sirius into his proper house.
"You'll be lucky if you're sorted at all," sneered the voice of the wolf. "She'll probably put that hat on our head and it'll scream 'WEREWOLF!' You'll be laughed at, ridiculed, and thrown out of school before you even start. . ."
The voice was interrupted by a shifting of cloth at Remus's shoulder. He looked over to see Lily making her way toward the stool at the front. She sat down and the hat fell over her eyes. After only a moment's consideration, the seam split and the hat yelled out "GRYFFINDOR!"
Remus clapped loudly with the others in the hall as Lily practically skipped over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat across from the black-haired boy.
The ceremony continued, and Remus grew more nervous with every student who was sorted. Soon his name would be called, and then he faced possible humiliation in front of the whole school. What if I'm not even sorted. . .?
"Lupin, Elizabeth!" McGonagall called. Remus heard the quiet squeak of nervousness as Liz started towards the front of the hall. He smiled at her reassuringly, though he himself was not sure at all. I'm next. . .what if it won't sort me. . .?
"GRYFFINDOR!" yelled the hat, and everyone clapped enthusiastically. Liz jumped off the stool, smiled gleefully at Remus, and ran over to the Gryffindor table, plopping down on the bench next to Lily.
"Lupin, Remus!" Remus jumped at the sound of his name. He took a deep breath and walked slowly towards the stool.
"This is it!" laughed the wolf. "Everyone's going to hate you once they find out! You won't be allowed to stay anywhere near this school! You'll be lucky if they let you stay in the country. . ."
Remus sat on the stool and looked up at the Professor. She smiled down at him, but there was a glint of. . .something in her eyes. Remus couldn't quite place it.
"She knows," growled the wolf. "And she hates you for it. . ."
And then Remus saw nothing but the shadow of the hat across his eyes. He gripped the edges of the stool nervously, still unsure of exactly what was going to happen.
"Well, you're the first of your kind I've ever seen," a voice spoke in his ear. Remus felt himself tense up as the wolf screamed, "HE KNOWS! NOW HE'LL TELL EVERYONE. . .!"
"Never fear, Mr. Lupin, you're secret is safe with me," the hat assured.
You can read my mind? Remus thought. The hat chuckled softly.
"Yes, I can. But you're the first like this I've ever seen. Two minds in one. . ."
No! Remus protested. It's just me, not him. It's only me!
"Ah, what a spirit!" the hat said gleefully. "A definite fear of someone finding out that secret of yours, hey?"
Remus felt an icy hand grip his heart. You're sure you won't tell anyone? They'd hate me if you did!
"I won't tell a soul," the hat replied. "I have seen more horrible secrets and more disturbed minds than yours, Mr. Lupin. You are a strong young man, one so young yet able to fight off something so horrible. The obvious fear of being found out, but a sense of courage to face whatever comes if that ever happens. Your life will be a long, hard fight, Mr. Lupin. Are you sure you can handle it?"
Yes, I am, Remus thought determinedly at the hat.
"Remus Lupin," the hat said, a sense of reverence in his voice. "It is a name I will not soon forget. Good luck, young werewolf. GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat was pulled away, and Remus smiled out at the cheering crowd of students. Professor McGonagall was smiling broadly, and nodded approvingly at him when she caught his eye. Unable to contain himself, Remus grinned broadly as he made his way over to the Gryffindor table. He surveyed the group of first years still waiting to be sorted and caught the eye of the dark-haired girl from the boat. She was clapping along with the others, and she smiled at him when they made eye contact. Remus smiled back, somehow feeling his excitement and elation increase.
As he reached the Gryffindor table, Liz immediately jumped up and gave him a hug, and Lily wished him a fond, "Congratulations."
Take that, Remus thought at the wolf. No one knows, and no one laughed, and no one hates me.
And for once, amid the cheering and the congratulations and the pats on the back, the wolf had nothing to say in return.
Becca clapped loudly and smiled at the sandy-haired boy who had just been sorted into Gryffindor. He had looked so nervous when he went up there! Yeah, Bec would admit, she was nervous, but nothing like Remus Lupin (assuming she had heard his name correctly). He had looked like he was about to throw up. But Becca was glad he had been okay, and had also been sorted into the best house.
Both Mum and Dad had been in Gryffindor when they went to Hogwarts, and Becca was hoping desperately that she and James would make it in there too.
Bec clapped with everyone else when "Morris, Denise" became a Slytherin-even though Becca already knew that Slytherins were no good at all. The next name called was "Pettigrew, Peter!" She watched as a small blonde-haired boy stepped anxiously up to the stool. He sat under the hat for almost two full minutes before the hat finally called out "GRYFFINDOR!" She jumped as the sound of her last name echoed over the applause for Peter.
"Potter, James!" James flashed her a cocky smile and strode up to the stool. Hey! Bec thought. B comes before J! I should be first!
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted after only a few seconds of being on James's head. All protests forgotten, Becca cheered wildly as her twin made his way over to the appropriate table. He dropped down next to Sirius, who gave him an immediate high five.
"Potter, Rebecca!" Oh, they used THAT name, Becca though disdainfully as she stepped up to the stool. She sat down and the hat fell over her eyes.
"Ah, fascinating things, the minds of twins. So alike, yet so different at the same time," the hat said in her ear. "But your brother was surer of himself than you are."
I'm sure of myself! Becca protested in her mind. I know I want to be in Gryffindor like the rest of my family!
"Oh yes, you know who want to be," the hat agreed. "But do you know who you are? You want to be just one of the guys, to be able to have the same friends your brother has, but you also want to be your own person, to make sure everyone knows who you are. Are you sure you can do that?"
I can do anything, Bec assured the hat.
"Ah, the famous Potter pride. I remember it well from your father, and now I see it vividly in both you and your brother. The same stubbornness, the thirst to prove yourself, it's all here. You are unique, though, Becca Potter; you feel that you have more to prove than all the others. I wish you luck, and I hope you can find what you're looking for in yourself. GRYFFINDOR!"
The confusion from the hat's cryptic words disappeared in a wave of joy as the hat called out the name of her house. Becca leapt off of the stool and practically sprinted to the Gryffindor table. James gave her an immediate hug as she dropped onto the bench next to him, and Sirius yelled, loudly enough so that Bec was sure even the Slytherins on the other side of the hall heard, "YEAH BEC!"
The ceremony continued, sorting faces and names that Becca didn't know, until Professor McGonagall called out, "Snape, Severus!"
"Guys, look!" Bec interrupted James's and Sirius's conversation and pointed to the pale boy now sitting under the hat. "It's the boy from the boat!" James and Sirius looked up immediately.
"What did McGonagall say his name was?" James asked Bec.
"I dunno," Becca replied. "S-something, I wasn't really listening."
"Might as well have been Snivellus, with all the complaining and whining and crying he was doing on the boat," Sirius joked, and James tried to contain his laughter.
"SLYTHERIN!" yelled the hat, and the far table cheered loudly. Meanwhile, the Gryffindors kept silent as the Snivellus boy made his way to his table.
"I coulda figured that one out," Sirius commented. "He's got 'Slytherin git' written all over him!"
The ceremony finished off with "Zabe, Gabriel" becoming a Hufflepuff. Professor McGonagall grabbed the hat and the stool and walked out of a door off to the side of the Head Table with them. Then, the man at the middle of the head table stood up, and the entire school fell silent.
"Welcome, students, and congratulations to all our first years!" he said, his long gray hair and beard disappearing under the table. "As none of you know, since it's my first year, I am Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. I'm sure we're all famished, so I won't take up any time with any boring Headmaster-like speeches. Now, tuck in!"
Becca didn't realize just how hungry she was until the food appeared in front of her. The hall became a cacophony of clanking plates and excited conversation. As Becca took her first bite of Hogwarts food, she was sure that it was even better than Tink's. . .and that was saying something.
After the main course came the desert, and when everything was said and done there were only two feelings in the Great Hall: full and tired. Once the plates had disappeared, Professor Dumbledore stood up again.
"Just a few new rules this year, ladies and gentlemen, before we say goodnight." His blues eyes twinkled happily behind his small spectacles. "Most importantly, Professor Root has planted a new tree on the grounds this year: a Whomping Willow. All students must be warned that this tree will attack anyone who comes within its reach, and therefore all students are forbidden from going near it. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Cook, has added a few items to his list of banned objects, so please be sure to consult that list, now posted on the door of Mr. Cook's office. And, as always, the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Now I bid you all goodnight, and good luck in all your endeavors. Sleep well, young ones, and dream dreams that ensnare the senses and please the soul. Prefects, if you will."
"Okay, first year Gryffindors, come with me!" yelled a tall boy with light brown hair. "C'mon, now, I'll take you to the common room."
Becca obediently fell into line behind the other first years. She walked with James on her right and a blonde-haired girl on her left. The girl was talking to the Remus Lupin boy who had looked like he'd almost thrown up when being sorted. Becca tried to look over at him, to check if he was feeling better, but before they got very far, Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Mr. Lupin!" The boy whirled around, looking a little better but still rather nervous. He reached Professor McGonagall's side, and she steered him away from the others and toward a side door. The rest of the first years continued on, up several flights of stairs to a tower. The tall boy stopped in front of a portrait of a rather large lady in a red dress.
"Okay, first years, this is the entrance to Gryffindor tower. This year's password is 'toad's breath."
The lady in the portrait nodded her head and the picture swung aside, revealing an archway. The prefect led the way through the arch and into a large common room. Red, squishy armchairs were scattered throughout the room, with a trio of couches surrounding the large fireplace that was built into the wall.
"Welcome to the Gryffindor common room," the prefect said. "I'm Frank Longbottom, a sixth-year this year, and any help you need, you can ask me. For now, the girl's dorms are upstairs and to the left, the boys are the same on the right. Goodnight."
Becca said goodnight to James and Sirius and proceeded up the stairs on the girl's side, ready for her first night as a Gryffindor.
She pushed open the door to find herself facing a large, circular room. It contained three four-poster beds, decorated with red sheets and curtains. She found her trunk at the foot of one of the beds and immediately leapt onto the mattress. It bounced her towards the ceiling, and she laughed as she fell back down. She heard the door open again and crawled out through the curtains to face her new roommates.
When her feet touched the ground, Bec was facing two other young girls. One had long blonde hair and blue eyes that smiled out at the world around her. The other…
"Hey, you're the girl from the train!" Becca said, facing the red-haired girl. The green eyes connected with Becca's brown ones, and the two girls smiled at each other.
"Yeah, you saved me from that boy," the girl replied.
"I didn't save you," Becca said modestly. "I just helped. But I don't remember your name."
"Lily," the girl replied. "And this is Liz." She indicated the blonde-haired girl, who waved shyly. "I don't remember your name either."
"I'm Becca Potter."
"Potter?" Liz asked. "Isn't your dad an Auror?"
"Yeah," Becca said, blushing slightly.
"Wicked," Liz exclaimed. "What's it like?"
"Um…okay, I guess," Becca shrugged. "He works a lot. I usually only see him for a couple minutes a day."
"What does he do?" Lily asked, trying not to sound too lost.
"He's an Auror," Liz repeated.
"Oh, right." Lily's expression showed that Liz's explanation hadn't done much for her.
"He catches bad wizards," Becca tried.
"Oh, so he's like a bobby," Lily said.
"Sure," Becca replied, not really sure what she was agreeing to. Liz opened her mouth to add her own idea to the conversation, but whatever she was going to say was lost in a yawn. It was only then that Becca also realized how tired she was. The train ride seemed forever ago, and she had been through a lot of excitement since then.
"Maybe we should go to bed?" Lily suggested, now looking more tired than Becca had realized before.
"Good idea," Becca agreed, and Liz nodded too. The three girls dug into their trunks and found their pajamas, quickly changing into them. After quick goodnights to her new friends, Becca crawled through her scarlet curtains and into the freshly-made sheets. She felt sleep pulling at her eyelids as soon as her head hit the pillow, and drifted into dreamland with the comforting smell of her new home wafting around her.
Remus followed Professor McGonagall toward a door at the side of the entrance hall, keeping his eyes directed toward the floor.
"Here it is," the wolf sneered at him. "They're going to tell you it was all a mistake and send you home, and then it'll be just you and me…"
"In here please, Mr. Lupin." McGonagall ushered Remus into a small office with a desk and two chairs. McGonagall sat in one and Remus in the other, while behind the desk sat…
"Good evening Mr. Lupin," Albus Dumbledore said, smiling cheerily. "And congratulations on your sorting. You know," he continued, leaning forward conspiratorially. "I was a Gryffindor myself." He winked, and Remus smiled, feeling the wolf retreating from the old man's presence. "Unfortunately we must discuss other matters. I have made arrangements for your monthly engagements."
Wow, Remus thought. It sounds so much better when you think of it like that.
"I mentioned a new Whomping Willow that was planted on the grounds this summer. That tree was planted for you."
Remus blushed and looked away. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble or anything, sir," he said embarrassedly.
"For a wonderful student like you," Dumbledore said. "This was no trouble at all." Remus blushed and looked into the old man's twinkling eyes.
"I have made arrangements," Dumbledore continued. "For Professor McGonagall to come and get you every full moon at promptly 5 p.m. You will be ready to leave at that time every night. You will be escorted to the Whomping Willow, which leads directly into a building that is safe for your transformations. In the morning Professor McGonagall will pick you up again and take you to your classes, or back to the common room. As long as we stick to these guidelines, everything will go smoothly. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Remus said, nodding. Dumbledore smiled in approval.
"Very well, Mr. Lupin. You must be tired, after such a long day. Professor McGonagall, if you would?"
"Of course," McGonagall said, and stood up. Remus did the same, and turned to stride from the room.
"Oh, one more thing, Mr. Lupin." Remus turned around again to face the Headmaster. "It will be your decision who you tell or don't tell about your condition. However, I would advise knowing a person very well before you tell him or her. Some people are more accepting than others, as I'm sure you've found out." Remus nodded grimly. "Good night then, Mr. Lupin, and good luck with everything. I'm excited to see what you can contribute to our school."
"Thank you, sir," Remus said, then followed McGonagall from the room. They walked in silence through the hallways and up the stairs, allowing Remus time to think about all Dumbledore had said.
Maybe this won't be so bad, Remus thought hopefully. They have a place for me already, and Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall seem okay being around me, and I don't have to tell anyone else…I can handle this.
"That's what you think now," sneered the wolf. "But you just wait. A few more weeks and you're mine again…"
"Here we are, Mr. Lupin," Professor McGonagall interrupted the wolf. "The password is 'toad's breath'." As she spoke these words, the portrait in front of them swung open to admit them. The common room was pretty much deserted, aside from a few older students who were still catching up with the events of the summer. Remus followed the Professor to a set of stairs. "The boy's dormitories are right up these steps. All of your belongings have already been moved up there. Goodnight, Mr. Lupin."
"Good night, Professor," Remus said. She smiled and strode from the common room. Remus took a deep breath and started up the stairs. He pushed open the door labeled "First Years" and stepped into the room beyond.
"Watch out!" Remus ducked and felt something whiz by his head and impact the wall with a thwap. He looked up just in time to be hit in the face by something soft and red. He grabbed the pillow from the floor and stood up to actually get a look at the room.
"Sorry about that," said the boy with glasses from the boat. He was standing on one of the four four-poster beds that made up the room, his black hair tousled and his glasses askew on his face.
"That's okay," Remus answered, surveying the rest of the room. The other black-haired boy from the boats was standing on one of the other beds, pillow clutched in his hand. Peter was sitting on a third bed, watching gleefully whatever had been happening before Remus had entered. The boy with glasses jumped off the bed and strode over to Remus, smiling.
"Hi, I'm—OW! Hey!" The boy whirled around as he was stuck in the back of the head with a pillow. The other boy grinned triumphantly and leapt off of his bed.
"And Sirius wins the duel!" he cried out, running around James and Remus with his hands in the air. "I told you I would win!"
"You didn't win!" James argued. "I stopped fighting to say hi to our other roommate." He turned back to Remus and extended his hand. "James Potter."
"Remus Lupin," Remus answered, shaking the offered hand. The other boy came around and grabbed Remus's hand also.
"Sirius Black," he introduced himself. "The boy who just beat James Potter at pillow dueling."
"Did not!" James argued, grabbing the pillow from the floor where it had fallen after hitting him.
"Did too!" Sirius retorted, snatching the other pillow out of Remus's hand. They began to duel again. They circled each other, swinging their pillows out in front of them. Remus took a seat next to Peter and watched the duel, laughing as James smacked Sirius upside the head and mussed his already messy hair.
"I win!" James called.
"I won first," Sirius complained, throwing his pillow back onto his bed and flopping down beside it.
"No you didn't," James said, sitting down on the edge of his own bed. Sirius opened his mouth to continue the fight, but Remus interrupted.
"How about we just say you tied?" he asked, realizing that neither of the boys would admit total defeat.
"Fine," the boys chorused, neither looking totally satisfied. Remus nodded and looked around, eyeing the fourth bed that was his own. His trunk was nestled securely at the foot of the bed, and the sheets were freshly made, glowing an inviting scarlet color. He walked over and plopped down on the bed, feeling all of the worries of day fade away as his body hit the soft mattress. James and Sirius were arguing about something else, with Peter chiming in everyone once in a while, but Remus didn't care. He was here; he had been sorted; he really fit in now. But as he surveyed the view of the room from his bed, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"Hey Remus, you okay?" James called across the room, hearing the small gasp of surprise that had escaped Remus's lips.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine, just really tired," Remus lied quickly, staring in something akin to horror at the window right next to his bed. Visible through the pane of glass, Remus could see the moon staring right back at him and laughing mockingly. The wolf howled joyfully.
"You thought that this school could protect you from me!" he mocked harshly. "You thought that crazy old man could keep me away? Soon enough, little boy, you'll be mine again…"
Hands shaking, Remus dug into his trunk and got changed for bed. He called a hasty goodnight to his roommates and jumped onto his bed. After forcing the curtains closed around him, he threw the covers over his head and tried to calm himself down, but he could still feel the moon staring at him through the curtains and sheets as the wolf laughed sadistically.
"Just a few more weeks, boy, just wait…"
After a while Remus heard the other three boys go to bed, and he lay awake a long time after, trying to quiet the wolf so he could get some sleep.