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Chapter three: Just Not a Slytherin
Michelle made a face but otherwise said nothing to the boy; next to her Lily was gaping at something in the distance. Her mouth opened wide, eyes as round as dinner plates,
"Michelle, is that the school? Is that Hogwarts?" she murmured, tugging absentmindedly at her friend's sleeve.
Michelle's stomach gave a flop as she saw her first glimpse of the place she would spend the majority of her next seven years of her life. Even through the downpour it was the most magnificent thing that she had ever laid eyes on, light shown through each of the thousands of windows that dotted the castle walls. Remus and Sirius were staring at the castle in almost the same way, pure excitement was shining on Sirius's face, and though Remus indeed looked happy, there was something else there.
The boys in the boat ahead of them had stopped yelling at each other on who's fault it had been that Sirius had fallen out, and were entranced by the sight of Hogwarts.
"Heads down!" Hagrid called out over the roar of the pounding water. The tiny fleet ducked under a curtain of vines that hid the entrance of a cave underneath the entrance of the school. The soon to be first years clambered out of their boats and huddled near a large door in the side of the rock.
Hagrid walked over and opened the door, ushering the children into a good-sized room where a witch stood by another closed door. She wore emerald green robes, spectacles and her black hair was tied in a very strict bun.
Luckily, or perhaps on purpose, the air in the room was quite warm.
"Got th' firs' years here, Professor McGonagall." He said, motioning to the students proudly.
"Thank you Hagrid, you may return to the Great Hall. I shall speak to the students and be in in a moment," the professor stated rather matter-of-factly. He left through the doors and left the students feeling extremely nervous.
Remus began to fidget, looking more and more nervous by the second. Lily was shaking, holding hands with Michelle who was rather pale herself. Sirius had rejoined the other two boys and appeared to be being reassured by the messy haired kid. The blonde boy looked like he was going to throw up, his wet hair dripping water into his open mouth.
"Excuse me," the professor said, "In a few short moments you will be sorted into your houses. There are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Your house will be like your family, your achievements will earn you points and if there is any rule breaking you will lose points. I will go announce your arrival, stay here," and with that, she swept out the door.
Lily began to panic, "But I don't know any magic, how am I supposed to be sorted? I don't remember which house was better than any other? Remus," Lily pushed aside her own worries at the look on Remus's face. The only thing there was horror. His eyes seemed oddly blank and his face had gone ashen. "Are you okay?" Remus turned to her,
"But what if I don't get sorted? What if I don't get in a house, will they throw me out?" He looked like he wanted to cry and run away at the same time. Lily looked confused and in turn, looked to Michelle.
"There isn't any reason that you wouldn't get into a house, I guess, unless you're a squib. But if you got your letter and you're here, there shouldn't be a problem." Michelle faced her two distraught friends with concern. "Really, neither of you should have any problems-"
"Or really they will because they're just so thick. You three are disgraceful, blubbering like that," A tall boy with long, greasy, black hair remarked from behind. "Yes, to your question, Evans, the one house that is better than all the others is Slytherin. Slytherin is the only suitable house for a respectable wizard. Not that you should bother trying to get into it, I doubt you could do it," He walked back to a group of people they could only guess were his friends.
"That git,"
Remus, Michelle and Lily started and turned around to be face to face with Sirius with a very dark look on his face. It didn't suit him.
"The only house that isn't okay to be in is Slytherin," he spat "There wasn't a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in that house. Believe me, my entire family is in Slytherin, and they're about as bad as they get," his voice lost its edge and became soft. "I hate them, I hate being a Black, I get into Slytherin and I'll kill myself." He looked up from his toes. "Gryffindor is really the best; anyone would want to be a Gryffindor."
The messy haired boy with glasses called him back, "Come on Sirius! Poor Peter's gunna wet himself if you don't,"
"I'll be right there James, one second. Good luck guys, don't worry, you couldn't be Slytherins, there's no way girls so cute would be Slytherins," he added with a wink and an apologetic smile towards Remus before heading back to James and Peter saying, "I can't have any friends but you now, can I? You're so impatient, and who would know if Pete wet himself, we're soaked to the bones as it is,"
"No, you can't, I would notice, and stop flirting with all the girls. They'll know that I'm your friend and they won't want to go out with me," James whined playfully. Sirius hit him on the shoulder.
"What is it with all the guys here?" Michelle goggled after Sirius as if he had more heads than was normal for an eleven-year-old wizard. "They sure don't act like this where I live," she turned to Lily, who was muttering something and kept shooting looks at the mean boy.
"Hey Lily?"
"Yeah?" she sent another questioning look towards him and looked into Michelle's face.
"Do you know that guy? He knew your name,"
Lily sighed, her eyebrows knit. "I'm not sure, I may have…"
Michelle dropped it, but barely heard Lily say in an undertone, "at least I thought I did,"