ElvenWulf: I AM ALIVE! Exams and lotsa school had me busy...but I'm back in black (bad pun...)!

Thanks so much to the good people who reviewed. Greatly appreciated, guys!

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I was astounded as we walked through golden, torch-lit halls up to a magnificent set of doors. "In a few moments," the woman said, "You will pass through these doors and join your classmates. Once you enter, you will be sorted into your house. There are four houses: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor (upon which she put particular emphasis), and Slytherin (which she said with an air of distaste as she eyed a few students, a blonde boy one of them). While you are here, your house will be like your family. Acheive certain things, and you will gain points; break any rules, and you will lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year wins the prestigious House Cup. My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I shall return in a moment. Ms. Silvermoon?"

"Ma'am?"

"Come with me, please." Artemis gave me a look that said either "Help me" or "Please, don't leave me alone," but it lasted only for a fleeting second. A few other kids began to snigger and say things like, "In trouble already and she hasn't even started," and "Slytherin for that one, no doubt." I didn't want to listen. She wouldn't be in Slytherin, she just wouldn't.

C'mon, Remus, get real, said a nagging voice in the back of my mind. People like you don't go making friends with people like that!

Artemis is my friend.

You really believe that! She's probably just lonely.

No, she likes me. She really does!

She doesn't have anything better to do. And somehow, I forced myself to believe that.

"Hey, Patches, you get that shirt from the dump at Malkin's?" A cold voice sneered. I turned to meetthe boy with white-blonde hair and cold, grey eyes. "No, this shirt was a birthday present," I said with as much confidence as I could muster (which wasn't much).

"From who? Azkaban?" He laughed a cold, hurtful laugh. I had become rather fond of my clothes, regardless of the patches. Months worth of self-esteem torn down in seconds. "And look at those trousers! Our house-elf wouldn't even accept those!" A second laugh joined the boy's own. It was a bit nasaly and annoying, coming from a girl who bore quite a resemblance to Sirius, save the blonde hair. "Do you see his shoes, Lucius? Those," she pointed a long, pale finger at my feet, "are absolute trash. Like something the Weasleys would wear!" Lucius and the girl laughed again. I studied the floor carefully as tears pushed at my eyes.

My mother had often told me about the Weasleys. They were the kindest people you'd ever want to meet, they were just poor. "Poorer than us, even," she had said. "But never look at someone's money, Remus. For money often makes the heart cold, but when all you have is family to hold, all those people are bound to warm your heart."

I tried to remember all she told me as I swallowed the lump in my throat, but, doggone it, it wouldn't go away!

"Hey, bugger off, Narcissa!"

"Yeah, sod off, Malfoy, you slimeball!" I looked up and saw James and Sirius standing there, defending me.

Defending me.

Told you I had friends, I sneered at the nagging little voice.

Maybe they want you whole so they can tear you apart later.

M-maybe they're my friends, I shot back. Ever think that?

Well, they may be, but that Silvermoon probably won't give you a second glance once she's in Slytherin.

SHE WON'T BE IN SLYTHERIN!

Says you...

At that moment, Professor McGonagall appeared with Artemis at her side. Artemis gave me a thumbs-up and a toothy grin conveying the message "I'm okay and I'm excited!" She was wearing Hogwarts robes. Professor McGonagall tapped Lucius on the back with her scroll, and tossed her head in the direction of the door. Artemis jogged over to where I stood. "Hey!--Hey, what's wrong, Patch?" I sniffed and looked at her. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"Just a bit homesick," I lied. That's two. I've never lied before, now it's a regular habit!

Told you she's a bad influence. SLYTHERIN!

She's not!

"And just think, you live right around the corner! I'm all the way back in America. Look, you'll be home for Christmas, right?"

"Yeah," I choked.

"See? It'll be okay! You'll be home before you know it!" She grabbed my hand and led me to where the doors had swung open. She looked at the ceiling, riddled with stars, complete with crescent moon.

"There's an eye opener and no mistake!"

"It's just charmed. There's a ceiling up there, I promise. And it won't rain on you," I said, seeing the look on her face as an ominous-looking cloud drifted overhead.

"How you doin'?" Sirius asked cheerfully, draping each arm over mine and Artemis's shoulders.

"Fine," I laughed lightly.

"Could be better," Artemis growled.

"C'mon cheer up, cowgirl! I just-" Sirius never finished. McGonagall interrupted with "When I call your name, please step up to the front so that you can be sorted." McGonagall pulled the dark blue ribbon off of the parchment scroll, opened it, and listed off a few names and sorted the corresponding people before reading, "Sirius Black." It hit me like a ton of bricks. Sirius was a BLACK! My mother always said there was something odd about their older son, but that son and Sirius were never put together in my mind. But, Blacks made friends with other purebloods, didn't they? So, why was Sirius chumming up to me? I pushed the thought out of my head. Sirius almost looked nervous as he walked up to the front of the Hall. Thanks the the wolf inside, I caught Sirius's anxiousness and ever-so-subtle shaking as he sat on the stool. "Deny your family? Hmm..." the hat croaked. "Well, if you're one hundred percent sure, then it better be...GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius couldn't have looked more relieved. The Slytherins booed and hissed just a little bit, while the Gryffindors (especially the female population) screamed, hollered, whooped and cheered.

"Severus Snape," Professor McGonagall called. A thin boy (Look who's talking. That darn voice again!) with a sallow face and cold black eyes slowly plodded to the front. The hat "Hmm-ed" a little bit, but finally said, "SLYTHERIN!" Snape showed no emotion whatsoever--not happiness, disappointment, nothing--as he walked to the Slytherin table.

"Lucius Malfoy." The blonde boy walked up to the stool, but there was barely any need; for as soon as the hat came near his head, it shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

"James Potter." I saw that familiar,bushy black mop bounce playfullyas James ran happily up to McGonagall. As it was with Malfoy, so it was with James; the hat barely touched his head, when..."GYRFFINDOR!" Again, more people than needed cheered.

"Remus Lupin." I froze. I forgot that I would have to to go up there. Artemis gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. "Go on," she mouthed. My palms began to sweat, and myhands shook uncontrollably as I approached the Professor. It felt like I was walking through a snowbank; as if I couldn't lift my feet. I was scared. No, I was terrified.

Gryffindor? Oh, God, please. Let me be in Gryffindor.

Are you kidding! You're not brave!

Anything but Slytherin! And I am too, brave! During the "fight," the hat hat somehow nowbeen placed on my head. "Oh,yes, you are brave, m'boy," it said in a rough voice.

You-you can...read my mind?

"Absolutely. And don't doubt yourself so! I was thinking about Ravenclaw, but now I think..."

My heart clenched in my chest as I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped the stool with more force than I knew I had.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius, James, and Artemis's shouts could be heard long and loud above all. I felt proud, knowing I was in Gryffindor. "The most noble of all," my mother alwayssaid. "Gryffindors are what everyone wants to be."

Ha ha, I told the little voice. I took a seat between James and Sirius, both of whom clapped me on the back along with many congratulations. I looked at Artemis, who looked as though she could not decide amongst clapping, screaming, thumbs-up-ing, or all of the above. Then it happened.

"Artemis Silvermoon." Artemis looked confident enough as she seated herself on the chair. "Been waiting for someone like you," the hat said.

"Why?"

"You're a challenge. Hard work has never evaded you, it's in your blood..."

Hufflepuff, I thought. Not bad.

Not as good as Gryffindor.

Shut up, why don't you?

"...You're smart, oh-ho yes..."

Alright, Ravenclaw.

Minor houses. Gryffindor or Slytherin. Probably Slytherin.

"...But where to put you?" The hat was silent for a while, then said, "Best place for you is..."

I don't think I had ever been so scared in life up to that point.

"SLYTHERIN!" The world came down around me. One little word destroyed me.No, she wasn't. She couldn't. It was a joke. My only attempt at a friend, lost to Slytherin? The house Malfoy, Snape, and You-Know-Who himself were in?

Ha ha, the voice spat at me. Then I realised it. The voice wasn't bad or against me. It was the part of my mind that spoke in my father's voice.

The part that spoke the truth.

ASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASA

Dun-dun-dun...Poor Remy, eh? I hate unfinished cliffhangers, so another chapter on the way!