Chapter two is up! I wonder what happened to me! I usually don't do so much work but it's been a hell of a boring week. If this keeps happening I think I'll finish my story by the end of the summer.

NEAH!

I'm going away in two weeks to summer camp. I can hardly wait. Wooohooo! Well, there are two weeks left and my mother is going away for two days soon so you should expect two chapters before I leave. In case you didn't understand, my mother doesn't like the idea of me writing a story so I'm writing behind her back. I also post it as I finish. If there are mistakes I apology. I'm still looking for a beta-reader. By the way I didn't get any reviews. Does that mean you don't like my writing stile?

I'll shut up now…

Chapter two: Carpe Diem

James walked in sure of himself. He was the only one though, because many of them were terrified. Even Lily looked scared. She should be, James thought, this was her first experience as a witch.

They stopped in a hallway and James thought this was going to be another corny joke of Slughorn's. But then he saw the serious expression he had and that it was pointed at him. James gulped and waited for something. He knew things were suspicious already and Remus and Lily had to have noticed something. James knew his going to school would be short but from the very first hour?

"James… why don't you go to see Minerva for a while? I've talked to her and she's waiting for you. I'll do the sorting this year!" He said smugly.

James nodded and went to the teacher's lounge. He knew every inch of the castle from when he was little and visited these parts. He was grateful he done all the visiting when it was summer because the seventh years sure would remember him. It wasn't that he minded knowing someone older than him but he didn't want to attract more questions to himself more than there was.

He finally arrived and knocked at the door. McGonagall opened it and invited him in. She let a small smile escape her usual strait lips. James went in and sat down. He knew this would be something bad.

"James… as you know you are in a difficult position. Dumbledore had had a hard time deciding if you should be left at home with your parents or come here. Since you need education and are a Potter, a very well respected family whom we have great debts to, Dumbledore let you in."

James's face lit up and began grinning like mad "However…" James swore he was expecting this "Dumbledore has special plans for you. He will discuss those with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, keep a low profile" James rolled his eyes, images of Hagrid and Slughorn coming to him "study a lot (we didn't let you in for nothing you know) and make lots of friends. Time is short Potter and you have to make the best of it. Your parents care a lot about you and I hope you're not going to disappoint them. Carpe Diem Potter! And, as Dumbledore would say, don't waste time with making enemies. Spend it making friends. You are a gifted kid Potter. Not many people have that! Also…" McGonagall said in a new firm voice, different to the earlier soft one "you should know that I don't treat my students different no matter how gifted or talented they are! Even if first and second years are going to be easy, you'll have homework for you and I expect them fully done! The other professors may treat you like a prince but IF I catch you(she practically yelled the word "if") sleeping in my class or even making a sound, I won't hesitate giving you detention! Is that clear?" McGonagall finished.

James nodded grinning and after he was excused, he ran towards the last place his new friends were. Seeing no one there, the opened the doors next to where they were and found himself in the great hall.

It was as he remembered it. A gigantic room with five tables, one for the teachers and four for the students. Above them was a ceiling that reflected the outside weather. Many wondered why they even bothered to put a ceiling at all but James didn't put to much thought in it if the ceiling puts up with his part of the job and stops the rain or snow from coming inside the castle. The room was illuminated with candles. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them floating above their heads. The sorting hat stopped singing and students started coming towards it.

James made way though to get a better view of the show. A three-legged chair with a hat seemed to be in the center of attention. James recognized the hat known as the sorting hat. He already knew what the hat would say. His family had been in Gryffindor for centuries and no stupid hat gets in the way of tradition. Besides he had plenty of courage. All those times he…the problem is he couldn't tell anyone about them. He sighed once more and turned to look for Remus. He wasn't in the room. James thought that was strange but decided to ask him later than talk to Lily about him. He saw Corinne and walked towards her and began talking about Quidditch.

People began to walk towards the chair and get sorted. The sorting hat was put on the student head and shouted the name of the house he thought was appropriate for him / her. Sometimes the sorting hat had trouble deciding and needed to converse with the student to open up his mind more. James then heard a name and hushed Corinne who looked hurt at the interruption of her replaying her talk with her mother the moment she found out she was a witch. She turned towards James's view and saw a charming boy going towards the chair. He had black hair…

Sirius was waltzing to the chair when his name was called. He bid a see you later to Peter pointing at the Slytherin table. He sat down preparing for a short stay. He waited. He waited some more. The hat began speaking.

"Hello!"

Sirius looked around not prepared for the hat to talk to him. His stay had to be short.

"Good morning!" he said charmingly remembering a advice his mother gave him ("if you want something the others can give you at least be polite to them. Unless they have dirty blood. You can just steel it from them then."). He wasn't sure if the hat was pure or not or even if it had blood at all. His mother was so ambiguous sometimes…

"It's evening but nice try" the hat laughed. Sirius swore and cursed himself for not preparing subjects to talk to living hats. "So you want in Slytherin eh?"

"Well, that's the general idea! Why?"

"Your place isn't with them!"

Sirius began worrying. What if the hat had other plans?

"Then where is my place? All my friends and family are in Slytherin. The hell I don't belong in there!"

"Those are fake friends. They would betray you in a moment if they had something to win from it."

"Of course! That's what I would do!"

"You're better than them. You could make real friends who understand you better and don't betray you!"

"And where will I find that?" Sirius laughed at the hat's absurdity! He instantly regretted saying that when he heard the hat's next words.

"In GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.

The entire hall was mute to say the least! Everyone looked shocked at the idea. A Black in Gryffindor? Was the hat really turning crazy? While Peter looked like he was going to cry for being left alone, Sirius took off the walk and ran out of the hall.

James was amused of all this. Then another though crossed his mind. The Blacks belonged in Slytherin as much as the Potters belonged in Gryffindor. What if James was put there? Then he wondered what if he gets in Gryffindor also? Will they have to share a room? He hoped not! That would be barbaric.

A girl was puling his sleeve and James looked at Corinne who looked upset.

"what?" he asked innocently.

The girl snorted "nothing! Go back to your dream world. That's the most you're doing anyway!" she ran off to the hat and tried it on. James cursed himself for not paying attention to her or to her last name.

He waited one minute for the hat's answer to come. A yell of "Ravenclaw" was heard and she went to her seat. She waved at James and turned to her future new friends.

The doors opened once more and Remus came in gasping for air. He looked like he did a ten mile sprint race.

"Where have you been?" James asked raising an eyebrow.

"That's what I wanted to ask you! What did you talk to McGonagall?" Remus replied.

James paled and simply shrugged. He wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Well then that's your answer to your question!" Remus said smiling.

James grinned and turned to the hat again. So he wasn't the only one with secrets…

"Lupin, Remus!" Slughorn yelled while reading the scroll.

James muttered a "good luck" to him and saw him leave. He also saw every teacher's attention turned towards him.

Remus sat down and jumped when the immediately heard the hat talking to him.

"I've been expecting you!"

Remus looked around scared.

"Don't worry they won't hear us."

Remus exhaled but still felt fear.

"I haven't met one like you before. You're special!"

Remus laughed at the term the hat used. The truth was that he indeed had something special but that was nothing to boost about.

"You have everything. Good spirit, a talented wizard, a heart of courage and you know very well the other side of people. Hm…you're hard!"

Remus felt more nervous by the second.

James was waiting for five minutes for the hat to decide. "What's taking so long?" he asked to no one in particular. The hat seemed to be enjoying a deep conversation with Remus. James laughed. "Even the hat likes him." he muttered.

"So…what will it be? Kindness, courage, knowledge or darkness?" the hat asked.

Remus was shaking. Was it his destiny to be in Slytherin? To be evil? To hurt people like he had been hurt when he was little?

The hat seemed to notice his fears "well courage isn't your strong point that's for sure!" he laughed "maybe that's why I should place you in GRYFFINDOR!"

Every teacher began clapping along with the rest of the students. Sure they did it every time but now there was heart in their applause.

Remus headed to the gryffindors. He was practically floating from the joy. James also saw Evans there and wondered when the hell she got placed there. A more important question was why! Student by student went to the hat and tried it on. Then Peter Pettigrew was called. He stood there for ten minutes almost as long as Remus stood. Then the hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR" and Peter went happily to sit next to Sirius.

"Potter, James" Slughorn read.

James began advancing to the chair. He wasn't so sure anymore that the hat will place him where he wanted. He heard numerous people from other years wish him "good luck". Even Slughorn was encouraging James though he was wishing for him to be in Slytherin.

James sat down and felt the hat fall over him.

"Hello James!" he heard.

James replied with a "hy". He didn't know how to talk to hats. Did you have to be polite or just say whatever came to your mind?

"Dumbledore had a chat with me before the sorting started. He wanted you to go where you belong."

James smiled.

"Although he forgot to mention which house so I'll just do my job."

A horror expression passed through James's face.

The hat laughed "why does everyone wet their pants whenever they come to me? Just because I put a Black in Gryffindor doesn't mean I'm mad! On the contrary!"

"Don't worry I'm only playing with you. I know where you belong as much as you do. But I want to warn you. Don't pay attention to what people say. Think with your heart when you make decisions. And don't let anger control you. A dark age is coming. You know that. The knights of Walpurgis have been united for the first time since Grindelwald was defeated. A new dark lord is rising. Take care of what you do with your life. Time is short. Also you need to have patience. Take care of your future room mates. They'll need you in the end. And when things are tough (and I assure you they'll be) just remember 'Carpe Diem'. The decisions you make will affect the future you be careful. Some people can be forgiven for their mistakes while others are bad to the bone. It's up to you to make a difference. That's all I have to say. I trust you to always remember my words. That being you can go to GRYFFINDOR!" James got up and feeling the happiest he had ever been, went to the Gryffindor table not without wearing the hat's last words when he left. 'carpe diem'

"What happened?" Remus asked when James sat next to him.

James just laughed "what do you mean?"

"You have been sitting there longer than I and Peter have combined."

James didn't realize so much time had passed. For him it felt like seconds. He turned to look at Remus. "He just wanted to chat" James said smiling.

'Wow!' James thought. 'He really cares. The hat was right. I need to make many friends. Maybe even Sirius has a chance. The hat said he put him in Gryffindor for a reason. Maybe he isn't like I thought he is'

He glanced at the other side of the table where Sirius was and saw him stealing 2 galleons from a girl's pocket while she was chatting with Lily. James mentally slapped himself for thinking Sirius deserved a chance.

The sorting ended with Andrew Zabini. All students looked at Dumbledore waiting for his speech before the feast. Dumbledore got up and smiled at all the students.

"We start another year at Hogwarts. I don't usually do speeches before the feast because I don't want your stomach to suffer because of the ramblings of an old man. But alas I have work at the ministry. First of all, I would like to welcome the new students and wish for the older students to treat them like family. Second, besides the forbidden forest which is…forbidden, the whomping willow should also be avoided by students. I would like to add that this is for your own good as many of you, I don't doubt, will learn soon enough. I would like to welcome to the staff of Hogwarts the new caretaker, Mr. Argus Filch and Mr. Antonin Dolohov as the new defense against the dark arts professor. And now a warning: dark times are approaching. A new dark lord is rising. More powerful than Grindelwald and smarter than Merlin. In the following years many of you will not survive and some of you will go towards him to become his ally. I will certainly not point any finger at anybody. Just know this: my support is limited, I cannot offer you any guarantees but any of you who would like support shall have a place besides me. The ones that join the dark lord however will have a much darker fate. The choice is yours! Just know that we will need as much help as possible" James shrank in his seat feeling Dumbledore gazing at him "With this told, now I say farewell. Have a delicious feast and a very good night's rest!"

Dumbledore left the table and went through the same doors James had entered not long ago waiting to be sorted.

James looked down and smiled. With the leave of Dumbledore the plates were magically filed with food. Very, very, very delicious food. James spent the feast talking to Remus about the future Quidditch game and trying different kinds of food. In the middle of the feast, ghosts started coming from the walls. One was heading towards the Gryffindor table. James saw him and waved.

"Hello Nick!" James said grinning not noticing the stares he was receiving from the other first years.

"Hello James. Nice to see you got placed where you belong."

Just then a voice interrupted their conversation "Oi! Ghost-guy! Are you the one without the head?" James turned around annoyed and saw Sirius grinning.

Nick growled. He then picked out his head and nearly took it of. Nearly because there ware still 2 inches of skin gluing the head to the body. Many laughed at this but Lily nearly fainted when she saw this. She was pretty shaken when she saw him but his taking his head off was too much. Nick saw this and frowned. Then looked at Sirius.

"I don't see why you just don't go to your house and come here to upset us."

"That's the point Nick. He was sorted in Gryffindor." James explained.

Nick looked shocked and left muttering something about crazy hats and lack of respect.

When Lily finally relaxed the feast ended. They started climbing stairs towards the seventh floor and reached a portrait. A fat lady was there smiling at them. A boy who seemed to have authority said something to her and she opened the portrait. They went inside and were surprised to see a large living room with chairs and a fireplace. They went up and entered their room. A "first year" sign was over them and inside they found four beds and large suitcases that seemed to belong to the owners. James looked at his dorm mates and regretted that when he saw Sirius and Pettigrew with him. Also Remus was with them to James's joy.

Sirius began to laugh and pointed to James's bet "Ha! Your luggage didn't make it. You're stuck with what you have on you!"

James smirked and searched in his pocked. He took out some tiny things Sirius couldn't make out and took out his want. He muttered some words and the objects began growing until they reached their final size. Three trunks appeared much to Sirius's dislike.

"I shrunk them before I got on the train. Their much easier to carry you know!"

Sirius groaned and got on the bed muttering something about show-offs. James took his hint and got on the bed himself.

He felt so tired. At least he would be staying in school. For how much time James didn't knew. All he knew was that sooner or later his new "friends" would notice something and when they do bad things would happen. He didn't want to keep this secret anymore but what would Remus think if he knew? What will Sirius say? Will he tell his family or will the hat be right and Sirius is indeed not like the rest of them? Besides him Remus was having a similar conversation to himself.

James sighed and closed his eyes. He felt too tired to think properly. He delayed it for the next day. Or next week. Or next year…

James finally fell asleep. Moments from the day starting to replay in his mind. Two words sounded like an echo in his dream.

CARPE DIEM!