hi again! It's me! As I had mentioned before, this story is for my friend who is a huge fan of Harry Potter. And if any of you were wondering - I am a Slytherin and proud of it. So read the chapter and tell me what you think in a review!

When they entered the Great Hall, Sirius was dumbstruck. His parents had told him a great deal about the school but no words could describe the first look at the Hall.

The ceiling was high up and was lit up just like the night sky outside. The enormous Hall had four tables - obviously for the four houses - and the older students were sitting there, pointing at the new arrivals.

"First years!" Professor McGonagall called to capture their attention, "I will read out your name from the list, "here she brandished a scroll in her hand, "and you will step up here and put on this hat. The hat will decide which house you belong in."

All the children in the line nodded. Some looked scared, some like James were sure of where they would go, and some like Sirius were apprehensive.

Suddenly, the sorting hat opened his mouth - brim, whatever - and began to sing :

Godric Grffindor emerged from fire,

The courage, daring and nerve set in him,

Are to be much admired,

So Gryffindors beware, these qualities mayn't be dim.

Helga Hufflepuff from the earth,

Loyalty, patience and toil, deep-set in her bones,

So be aware, these qualities aren't of mirth,

To Hufflepuffs, these aspects are not unknown.

Rowena Ravenclaw born of air,

Her acceptance, wisdom and wit,

Are known to draw in and ensnare,

Ravenclaws know that these attributes are not of myth.

Salazar Slytherin dawned from water,

Infinite bounds of cunning, ambition and fraternity,

Gain much of his imprimatur,

The Slytherins are aware, such traits yield approval for eternity.

The four founders of Hogwarts,

They decided to let me sort,

The next generation into separate rapports,

Based on their different fortes.

So here I am, a talking hat,

One that can look in your head at that!

Don't be shy, darling first years,

Everyone goes through this, even your peers.

Put me on and I'll say

Whether you belong in Gryffindor with the brave hearts,

Or in Ravenclaw with the smart mouths.

You might belong in Hufflepuff standing with loyalty,

Or in Slytherin with cunning and real friends.

So put me on,

I'll be snug on your ears,

And you'll know,

Which house is yours!

The sorting hat fell silent after it had sang its song and sat on the stool, looking exactly like a tattered, weather-beaten hat.

McGonagall opened the scroll and began calling out names. "Astor, Adrian!"

A boy with black hair ran up to the stool. He shoved on the hat and sat still. It almost seemed like he was muttering things to the hat. Finally, the sorting hat called out, "Slytherin!"

The boy grinned, set down the stool and jogged over to the Slytherin table. His presence was met with a round of applause.

"Aubrey, Bertram!"

The boy ran up the steps and put on the hat. Almost immediately, the hat yelled, "Hufflepuff!"

"Azzará, Katrina!"

A girl with brown pigtails and serious glasses went up to the hat. After considerable deliberation, it yelled, "Ravenclaw!"

After another six or seven names, "Sirius Black!" was called.

Sirius cast a petrified glance at James and Remus and then walked up, schooling his features into an indifferent mask. The school tittered - there was no point in sorting the Blacks, they would always be in Slytherin. Always had been, always are and always would be.

Sirius sat down on the stool, the hat on his head. He shut his eyes, waiting for the verdict.

Suddenly, the hat spoke to him.

A Black, eh? Always end up in Slytherin, they do. But you are different.

"How am I different?"

You have bravery in you. And courage. You would fit in Gryffindor. But perhaps, Slytherin is where you belong after all. You do have cunning in you.

"Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin!"

True. You don't have the ambition or self-preservation for it. But you do have the cunning, resourcefulness and cleverness of a Slytherin.

"Please not Slytherin."

Hmm. Smart enough for Ravenclaw but not enough acceptance. You have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff but you dislike working hard. Would fit in Gryffindor. Brave, courageous and a prankster. Still, won't you reconsider...

"No. Not Slytherin."

"Alright then. If you don't choose Slytherin, then it is "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled out the last part and Sirius let out pent up breath. He had gotten away from his family. He was not on Slytherin!

The school was shocked. A Black who wasn't in Slytherin! A. Black. Who. Wasn't. In. Slytherin!

Then James began clapping from his place in line. Remus joined him and soon the Gryffindor Table picked it up. They had got the first non-Slytherin Black!

Then a "Jacqueline Belmonte". She was immediately placed into Gryffindor.

"Dirk Cresswell!" "Ravenclaw!"

Then, came, "Lily Evans!" the girl from the train. Remus saw James' mouth drop open when she walked over and Remus had an urge to tell him to shut his mouth before flies entered.

She sat down on the stool nervously and yanked the hat on. A minute later it had yelled "Gryffindor!"

The slimy boy from the train glanced disappointedly at her and Lily gave him a quick smile, before heading over to the Gryffindor table.

Another ten or so students later Remus was called on. The hat was kept on for a few minutes. Remus was visibly paling at whatever it had said. Then it yelled "Gryffindor!"

James couldn't be happier. The two boys he considered his friends were in his own house. The world couldn't be a better place!

A "Mary McDonald" was called on next and she was sorted into Gryffindor.

Mulciber was called on next and was sorted into Slytherin.

Peter was called next and he spent almost the same amount of time as Remus, fidgeting nervously. Finally the sorting hat called out "Gryffindor."

"James Potter!"

James grinned easily and loped up the steps and sat down on the stool. He put the hat on his head and after barely touching his forehead, the hat yelled out "GRYFFINDOR!"

James grinned again, dropped the hat and went and sat between Sirius and Remus. The Sorting Ceremony ended with Something-or-the-other Wilkes getting sorted into Ravenclaw.

Dumbledore got up and looked down at the students benevolently. "Now, is definitely not the time to chat. So after you eat, I suppose I'll tell you the rules. Two words for now, Tuck in!"

Sirius said, "Are you sure he's not off his rocker?"

"Of course he's not!" Remus said.

"He's the greatest wizard of all time! Even Voldy fears him!" James added, then paused, "Though he might be mad?" it came out as a question, seeing Remus' glare.

Further conversation was halted when good magically appeared in front of them. Of course magically, Remus thought candidly, we are in THE most powerful magic school.

Further thoughts on this matter were shoved to the furthest corner of his mind when he saw chocolate pudding appear in front of him. With a shriek of "Chocolate!" he snatched the entire bowl off the table and refused to give it to anyone.

James and Sirius had their plates piled high with everything foodie which was present in their nearby vicinity. After all the vessels containing food were completely empty ( and this is saying something since, the entire meal was magic ) Dumbledore got up.

"So students, I would like to inform you that The Forest is put of bounds," there were a few groans at this. "The older students should know this," he said with a stern look at Gideon and Gabriel, the current reigning pranksters of the school.

"Also Fanged Frisbees, Horned Scrumpets and other such items are all out of bounds and anyone seen with them will be given detention with Filch. For a more detailed list of the forbidden items, please go and look at the one pinned in front of Filch's office."

James, Remus and Sirius were having a burping contest and currently, Remus...Remus was the one who was in the lead, with the loudest burp. The girl from the train was looking at them in disgust before she focused her attention on what Professor Dumbledore was saying.

"That will be all. Goodnight! Prefects, please lead your first years to the Common Room."

Remus stood up yawning and the other two soon followed him. They followed the Gryffindor Prefects - Keith Jones and Silena Robin. They walked up winding staircases and came to a sudden halt.

Craning their necks, to see what was going on, the three of them pushed their way to the front where they saw a ghost throwing water balloons at the Prefects. The Prefects, being the Prefects were dismissing it but the ghost got lucky and one hit Silena.

"Peeves stop! Otherwise I'll tell The Bloody Baron."

Peeves paused. Then the thought of pranking obviously got the better of him because, "Ickle firsties!" he cackled and threw the balloons into the crowd.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other and whispered, "Wicked."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" James asks.

"Yep."

"Definitely. We should totally get Peeves to help out."

After ten minutes, Peeves left them, soaking wet to go and prank the Hufflepuff first years who he could hear moving to their common room.

Keith sighed and led them to a portrait of a fat lady. "You need to tell her the password or she won't allow you in."

"Password dearie?"

"Cornua Draconis."

The first years followed the Prefects inside to the common room. It was big with loads of comfy armchairs and a roaring fire. Two staircases could be seen towards the end.

"The girls' dormitory is to the right. Follow Silena. Boys! Follow me."

They split up and Sirius, James and Remus found themselves in their new room. They shared it with Peter Pettigrew, the boy who had been pushed into the lake.

"So mates, got any ideas for a prank?" Sirius asked, almost giggling in delight.

"Not good ones."

"I'm too sleepy to think."

"Alright. But we have to prank the school by the end of the week. Otherwise, I'm disowning the lot of you."

"Sure mate."

"We'll prank the living hell out of this school, don't you worry Sirius."

And they went to bed. Sirius was thinking about his new lifestyle when he hit upon the fact that his mother, Walburga, would be furious. He cringed. He was sure she would be disappointed. God knows what she would do to him.

Tomorrow morning he would find out.