Disclaimer: Not J.K., not mine.

Chapter 2: The Sorting

"Hey, Sirius?", Harry asked his godfather after hearing the story he just told him.

"Yeah? What's up?" He replied.

"Well, you know how you said that you didn't want to be sorted into Slytherin?" Harry said. Sirius nodded. "Well, I haven't told many people this, but in my first year, the Sorting hat er, considered putting me into Slytherin," Harry stated, sounding a bit ashamed at the thought of that awful possibility.

"No kidding!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Yeah. I don't even know why I mentioned it, I guess I just wanted to get it off my chest," Harry replied weakly.

"Harry, the same thing happened to me in my first year," Sirius told Harry.

Harry was shocked. Sirius Black was probably the most Gryffindor-y person he knew, next to his father, of course. The fact that he almost got sorted into Slytherin brightened Harry's dark mood. Not the fact that he was almost a Slytherin, of course, but that even a great Gryffindor almost was sorted into a different house.

"Really?" Harry questioned him.

"Yup. So what made the Hat decide to put in Gryffindor?" Sirius asked his godson.

"Well, I kind of just kept saying, 'Not Slytherin' over and over in my head, and then he told me that I would do great it Slytherin. But ultimately, he listened to my wish and put me in Gryffindor. But honestly, ever since then, I can't help thinking that maybe the Hat was right, that I belonged in Slytherin and that I wasn't a true Gryffindor."

"Listen Harry," Sirius started, now sounding more, well—serious. "Don't think that. The Hat only puts people where they truly belong. I mean really, if a Hufflepuff asked the Hat to be put into...let's say Gryffindor, he couldn't because, let's face it: Hufflepuffs are far from brave and courageous. They're "loyal". That's what they call them because they're really nothing good, but they can't tell children that, now can they?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Harry replied, though still unconvinced.

"Harry the Sorting Hat may look like a piece of crap, but it really is smart. I can't believe I actually referred to a hat as smart... anyway, my point is that if the Hat put you in Gryffindor, you're a Gryffindor," Sirius finished.

"Yeah, alright. So Sirius, how did your Sorting go?" Harry asked.

"Well, it was quite interesting, right from the moment we got onto the boats..."

"Firs' years, firs' years, over here," a loud, bellowing voice echoed. The four boys followed the voice, and the speaker turned out to be a huge man who was double the size of a normal sized person.

"Hey, I bet that's Hagrid! My parents told me all about him. They kept telling me,'If you see a giant man, don' be intimidated. He's really great person.' I thought they were crazy, but now I get it!", James exclaimed and made his way over to where Hagrid was.

Sirius, Remus, and Peter, however, remained where they were standing. None of their parents had told them that there would be a nice giant at school. James, realizing he was alone, turned around. "Aren't you coming?" he asked them.

"Hey, er, James, I don't know about you, but I heard that giants are supposed to be really dark and dangerous creatures. You know, like grindylows and werewolves..." Peter said nervously.

Sirius looked a bit concerned and Remus, for some reason, looked very uncomfortable. James, thinking it would be best if he started on the right foot with his new friends, decided that he would introduce himself to Hagrid another time. They all made their way to the boats, and the four young boys scurried into one. Immediately, the boat began to row itself, as they looked at it with amazement in their eyes.

Just then, Sirius saw bubbles form on the lake's surface about 15 feet away. He jumped up excitedly, and shouted, "It's the Squid!" before jumping out of the boat and into the water with a big splash. James and Peter, startled by this sudden event and knocked over by Sirius's abrupt jumping, fell out of the boat and into the lake too. Remus, who remained safe and dry on the boat, at first looked at Sirius with disapproval, but then, failing to stifle a laugh, burst into fits of giggles.

Sirius, now swimming fast, was only inches away from the bubbles, and then was thrown up into the air. He landed on top of a gigantic, dark red, rubbery surface that was the giant squid. The squid, who didn't seem to mind Sirius's presence, proceeded to swim across the lake above water, carrying a screaming and cheering Sirius Black.

When the boats finally docked, Sirius was already waiting for them at shore. "MERLIN'S BEARD! DID YOU SEE THAT? I WAS ON THE GIANT SQUID! THE GIANT BLOODY SQUID BROUGHT ME ACROSS THE LAKE! HOW TOTALLY AWESOME WAS THAT?" Sirius exclaimed, clearly a tad excited at the situation.

As the first years made their way to the castle, Sirius was retelling the whole experience to Remus, Peter, and James and a few of the other eavesdropping first years. Well, you wouldn't call it eavesdropping, since Sirius was talking to his friends as if they were across the lake. His story basically consisted of three simple phrases: "MERLIN'S BEARD'', ''CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? THE GIANT SQUID!'', and ''I'M GOING TO BE A HOGWARTS LEGEND!''

Harry interrupted the story, "Ah, so the arrogance started young, huh?"

Sirius glared at him, with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "As I was saying..."

When the first years approached the castle, each and every one of their mouths simultaneously dropped. The scene was breathtaking. Hogwarts Castle had a profuse amount of towers and turrets. The lighted windows illuminated the castle's facade. The the dark clouds behind the bright lights added and ominous, mysterious feeling. The students made their way to the castle and walked through the doors.

"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here," said a stern looking witch. She wore dark green robes and glasses. Her hair was tied up in a bun that was so tight, it seemed painful to Sirius. "Hello, my name is Professor McGonnagal, and I am the Transfiguration teacher here at Hogwarts. In a moment's time, you will follow me into the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into the house that you belong in. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Once you are sorted, you shall go sit at the appropriate house table where you will wait for the feast to begin. Wait here until we are ready for you." As McGonnagal left, nervous murmurs were being shared amongst the first years. No one knew what you had to do to be Sorted. It could be anything.

When the time came, the young students entered the enormous Great Hall, and looked at the 4 house tables, the floating candlesticks, and the charmed ceiling that looked like the sky. McGonnagal placed a stool in front of the staff table and placed an old, ratty hat on top of this. Most of the students looked curiously at the hat, while others **cough cough, Snape, cough** looked at it with disgust. Yeah, even and old dirty hat couldn't make anyone's hair as gross as Snape's, Sirius thought to himself.

The Sorting Hat began to sing a song about its job. Apparently, Gryffindors were brave and courageous and awesome, Ravenclaws were nerds, Hufflepuffs were losers, and Slytherins were gits. Yeah, Sirius was pretty sure where he wanted to be sorted into.

Sirius daydreamed about Hogwarts until he heard McGonnagal shout, "Black, Sirius!" He made his way to the stool and shoved the hat on his head, thinking gratefully that he didn't have to wear it after it touched Snape's slimy head.

"Hmm, a Black, eh?" the hat said. "Well, Blacks are always the perfect Slytherins. Every Black I've ever sorted I put into Slytherin."

"If you put me into Slytherin, I will rip you off of my head and chuck you into a fireplace, you &%^$ hat," Sirius exclaimed through gritted teeth.

"Well! You certainly would be spectacular in Slytherin, since your whole family is. But let's see... you seem to be loyal to friends,but not really Hufflepuff material. Ravenclaw maybe? No you don't seem to use logic much. Perhaps Gryffindor? Well, you certainly have enough courage and bravery to threaten me, and yes you do seem to be quite an audacious risk-taker... GYRFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. Sirius jumped up with a huge smile on his face, as the Gryffindor table burst into applause. He glanced over at the Slytherin table, and found his three cousins: Narcissa looked ashamed, Bellatrix looked apoplectic (which made Sirius grin) and Andromeda smiled at him and gave him a quick thumbs up. He never liked Narcissa much and altogether hated Bella, but he always liked Andy. She never judged him for not believing in the rest of the family's ways.

He made his way to the Gryffindor table. He started a conversation with a fifth year prefect named Frank Longbottom. Lily Evans was called next, and within one minute, she became a Gryffindor, and joined the table, taking a seat next to a girl named Alice.

Eventually, Lupin, Remus was called and he nervously made his way to the stool. He seemed to be having a nervous conversation with the hat, before he joined the Gryffindor table, too. When Peter put on the hat, he responded to its questions by nodding and shaking his head, despite the fact that the hat could not see him. After a long talk, he became a Gryffindor, and joined Remus and Sirius. The hat barely touched James's head before it shouted,''GRYFFINDOR!" Yes! Sirius thought. They all were in the same house. Snape became a Slytherin, to no one's surprise.

Dumbledore went to the podium and began to speak: "There is a time for speeches, but this is not that time. So with these words, enjoy the feast: Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak! Thank you!'' And with those 'welcoming' words, food appeared on the tables.

"So Sirius, why'd it take so long up there for you?" James asked.

"That stupid hat considered putting me in Slytherin just because my family was in it!" he exclaimed.

"So, what happened?" asked a curious Peter.

"I told it that if it put me into Slytherin, I would chuck it in a fire place."

The three boys stared at him and then broke out into hysterics.

"Yeah, yeah it's hilarious! And then it told me that I didn't use my knowledge and wasn't really Hufflepuff material. He said I had bravery and stuff and then put me here," Sirius explained.

"The Hat considered putting be in Ravenclaw, but then he decided on putting me here, so I'm stuck with you guys, I guess," Remus said smiling. James punched him playfully.

"The hat didn't talk to me much," James said.

"Yeah, it was gonna put me into Hufflepuff, but then said I wasn't loyal enough, and I wasn't smart or cunning, so I became a Gryffindor,'' Peter told them, not sure if he should be happy about being a Gryffindor or upset that the hat didn't think he was loyal, smart, or cunning.

"Well, we're all together, right? That's all that matters," James said, and they spent the rest of their time enjoying the extravagant feast.

After they finished, they followed the prefects out of the Great Hall, but not before Sirius could quickly flip Cissy and Bella off and wave to Andy.

"So, does that make you feel better? The Hat almost put me into Slytherin because I'm a Black. But ultimately, he put me in Gryffindor because that's where I was meant to be.''

"Yeah, or maybe it just wanted to not be thrown into a fireplace," Harry teased, and his godfather rolled his eyes. The story really did make him feel better, and once again was thankful that he had Sirius in his life.

"Alright, well, I am glad that I could help."

"Sirius, get down here NOW!" an angry voice yelled from downstairs, causing Sirius to flinch.

"Oh god, I told Molly I'd help her with dinner tonight. If she kills me I'm blaming it on you," he said sarcastically, but actually sounded worried.

Harry chuckled. "OK."

Sirius was about to leave, when Harry said, "Uh, Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, thanks."

"Sure. For what?" Sirius asked.

"Well, I guess just thanks for being here for me,'' Harry said. Sirius smiled.

"Anytime Harry. I'm always here," he reassured him.

"SIRIUS!" Molly yelled again.

"Bloody hell, I have to go."

A/N: Hi! So please please please review so I know that people are actually reading this and so I won't feel silly for talking to no one. So if you are reading this please just leave a quick review, even if you hated it, just to let me know how it was.

Thanks!

-SB345