Disclaimer: It's all mine...only in my dreams. JKR all the way!
Silhouetted against the light filtering from the Entrance Hall, stood one of the strictest witches' they had ever seen. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun and her intelligent eyes that had a spark in them were framed behind square-framed glasses, as she scrutinised the students in front of her.
"Wow!" said Sirius. "She looks stricter than my mum! And that's saying something."
"Ah, Hagrid. Was there a delay?" she asked.
"Oh no Professor McGonagall. Just a little bit of trouble". He cleared his throat awkwardly and glanced at the four wet students and then at the greasy haired boy.
"Thank you Hagrid. I will deal with them", she said. James, Sirius, Peter and Remus glanced at each other at this statement.
"You four", she called. "Come here please".
They walked up to her slowly, whilst the rest of the first years watched.
"Could one of you tell me what happened?" she asked sternly. They glanced at each other again and then James and Sirius started talking at the same time.
"It wasn't our fault-"
"That greasy haired kid pushed us-"
"We fell into the lake-"
"Lucky we didn't drown really".
The other three grinned as James said that. They had in fact not even been in very deep water.
"Misters-?" asked Professor McGonagall
"Black, Professor, Sirius Black".
"Potter, Professor, James Potter".
"Mr Black and Mr Potter-", started Professor McGonagall, but she was cut off..
"You may call us Sirius and James, Professor", stated Sirius.
"I'd rather not", she snapped, glaring at Sirius. A few muffled laughs were heard from the crowd of watchful first years behind them. James and Sirius just grinned.
"As I was saying Mr Black and Mr Potter, I'm sure I asked ONE person to explain". But then Remus shivered again and James and Sirius noticed.
"Please Professor, can you dry Remus?" started James.
"Yeah, he just recovered from a cold and we don't want him to get sick again", said Sirius.
Remus gave them a sad smile, as though he was grateful, but was hiding something.
"They're great friends!" thought Remus. "But what if they found out- NO, I'll never tell them. They'd leave me and I'll be alone…again".
As this internal battle went on inside his head, Professor McGonagall was staring at James and Sirius as though unable to believe that they were so caring. She then looked at Remus carefully, who looked back at her warily. He knew the staff knew what he was. She gave him a warm smile. James and Sirius looked indignant.
"Of course", she replied. And with one flick of her wand all four boys were completely dry. Peter squeaked and Remus uttered a grateful thank you, but James and Sirius bowed low before Professor McGonagall and pretended to cry with happiness. The first years behind them started laughing, but fell silent when Professor McGonagall frowned at them.
"Mr Potter and Mr Black! Do compose yourselves!" she snapped. But the corners of her mouth twitched and they could tell she was trying not to smile.
"Now, everyone form a line and follow me". She led them into the Entrance Hall. "In a few moments I will lead you through these doors and you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryfindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Your triumphs will earn your House points. Any rule breaking – here she glowered at James and Sirius, who smiled back innocently – will lose your House points. At the end of the year the House with the most points will win the House Cup. I'm sure they're ready for you now. Follow me."
The first years followed her into the Great Hall and all of them sucked in their breath. The Great Hall was huge. Thousands of floating candles lit up the area and when they glanced up at the ceiling they saw a starry, velvety black sky. Remus told them that it was bewitched to like the night sky outside and that he had read about it in 'Hogwarts: A History'. All the older students were already seated. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, James looked up at the High Table, where all the teachers were seated. He immediately noticed the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, with his flowing silver beard and hair, his half-moon glasses perched on top of his crooked nose which framed his sparkling blue eyes. Suddenly, James found himself staring straight into Dumbledore's eyes. He had the unexpected feeling that the Headmaster could read his very soul. James gave him a small smile which was returned. Dumbledore then shifted his gaze onto Remus, who was standing next to James and he smiled thoughtfully. Finally, he let his gaze rest on Sirius. Dumbledore looked intensely at him for a minute and Sirius caught this. For a moment Sirius just looked confused, then he hesitantly smiled at Dumbledore, who for some reason looked delighted at that and smiled back.
"When I call your name, you will come forward and sit down. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your Houses", said Professor McGonagall.
"Abercrombie, Helen", she called.
A timid looking girl with pigtails walked up to the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall put the Hat on her head.
"HUFFLEPUFF", yelled the Hat. The students sitting at the table that was wearing yellow and black burst into applause.
"Oh no", muttered Sirius, who by now was very pale. "Why couldn't my name be – I don't know – Zebra or something" mumbled Sirius in panic, saying the first 'Z' word that came into his head.
James and Remus tried not to laugh as Professor McGonagall's searching gaze swept over them. Peter didn't open his mouth, because he felt if he did, it wouldn't be words that came out.
"Black, Sirius", she called.
Sirius walked up and sat on the stool. The last things he saw before the Hat was placed on his head were his cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa, both of Slytherin House, watching him carefully and James' fleeting thumbs up.
"Hmm…another Black". Sirius nearly fell off the stool in shock. "Did the Hat just talk", he thought.
"Yes, I did talk", replied the Hat smartly.
"Please, don't put me in Slytherin, please not Slytherin. I'll do anything. Seriously, and I mean Siriusly. I know some nice -er- female hats and-"
"Can I get a word in edgewise?" interrupted the Hat. "You don't belong in Slytherin anyway", said the Hat matter-of-factly.
Sirius' heart leapt.
"Right, better be GRYFINDOR", yelled the Hat.
Sirius jumped right off the stool and shouted "Yes!" He handed the Hat to a smiling McGonagall and walked over to the cheering table, decorated with scarlet and gold. He grinned even more broadly when he saw the stunned looks' on his cousins' faces. He sat down at the Gryfindor table and watched the rest of the Sorting. After a few more names…
"Lupin, Remus", Professor McGonagall called. Sirius saw Dumbledore wink at Remus knowingly.
"I wonder why-", thought Sirius, but his train of thought was cut off by the Hat yelling, "GRYFINDOR!"
Sirius cheered madly along with the others. Remus, who was smiling widely, came and sat down next to Sirius.
"McKinnon, Marlene".
"GRYFINDOR!"
"Nott, Benjamin".
"SLYTHERIN!"
Then two Patil twin boys were sorted into Ravenclaw, before-
"Pettigrew, Peter".
The Hat took an exceptionally long time to decide with Peter when finally it yelled, "GRYFINDOR!"
Peter fell backwards off the stool in shock and had to be helped up by Professor McGonagall. He then jogged over to the Gryfindor table amidst gales of laughter. Professor McGonagall silenced them with her best Deputy Headmistress glare and continued.
"Potter, James" .
The Hat hadn't been on James' head for two seconds before-
"GRYFINDOR!"
James grinned at the Hall before handing Professor McGonagall the Hat and going to sit with Sirius, Remus and Peter.
After a few more names, the Sorting was over and Dumbledore stood up. Everybody stopped talking at once,
"Let the feast begin!" he said.
The rest of the feast passed in a blur and at the end, James and Sirius only half-listened to the school rules Dumbledore stated. Then when they were dismissed, they followed a Gryfindor Prefect up to a portrait of an enormously fat lady.
"Password?", asked the Fat Lady.
"Porlock", said the Prefect.
The portrait swung open and once the boys had been directed to their dormitory, which had four, comfortable looking beds, the boys fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.
Back downstairs, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were talking quietly.
"I think you're going to have your hands full these next few years, Minerva", said Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I know what you mean Albus. Black and Potter in my House!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryfindor House. "I see they've made good friends with Lupin though. Maybe he will control them", she said, hopefully.
Dumbledore chuckled at her tone and said, "I have a feeling that these next few years are going to be very interesting…"
"Interesting in what way?" asked Professor McGonagall cautiously.
"We shall see Minerva, we shall see", Dumbledore replied.
A/N: I hope you liked that little bit at the end there with McGonagall and Dumbledore. With the Marauders, you can never know what they are going to get up too! Please Review. All reviews will be responded to!
