James Potter
September 1st, 1971
Amidst the bustling crowd around him, James itched at his new robes.
He tugged on the collar, the scratchy fabric suddenly feeling much more constricting than it had done so when he'd tried the robes on only two hours prior. It had felt smoother and looser then—in fact, the overall ensemble James had excitedly donned early in the morning had felt very comfortable in a surreal sort of way: new black robes, clean trousers, and polished dress shoes from his dad. He'd even tried to apply some hair gel to tame his hair, though he'd given up halfway through when his wild hair had seemed to just envelope the substance, as though each individual strand was casting that disappearing spell his mum always used on clothing lint onto the slippery substance.
Now, two hours later, not only was his hair still sticking up in the back like in the morning, but the smooth fabric of his robes had somehow transformed into an itchy, scratchy mess. Any excitement he'd previously harbored for today had slipped away to be replaced by a foreign, fluttering feeling in his chest. He didn't know what to categorize it as—if he didn't know any better, he'd almost say he was nervous.
"Stop that, honey." A hand gently pried James's fidgeting fingers away from his collar, ending the one-sided tournament of tug-of-war momentarily and breaking him out of his reverie.
Euphemia Potter smoothed her hand over James's hair fondly, wisps of her graying hair brushing against the just-there wrinkles on her face. "You'll pull the threads loose." She had to look down slightly to speak to her son, though this would not be the case in a few years.
For James, the sound of his mother's voice was a welcome distraction from the incessant itch of his robes. He grinned boyishly. "I thought they were a bit too tight anyway."
Next to James's mum, Fleamont Potter shook his head goodnaturedly, removing one arm from around his wife to pat James on the shoulder. "Look at you, already growing out of your robes." Although this was said with a humored chuckle, James thought he detected a hint of melancholy in his dad's voice.
They were standing at the platform at King's Cross Station. Overhead, a large sign with the number 9 ¾ hung. All around them, the bustling of the environment was pervasive—people hurried about, lugging large suitcases behind them and pushing overfilled carts through the crowd. Owls screeched as they were pushed by in big cages by adolescents in billowing black robes. Families mirroring James's littered the platform, with emotional parents giving tearful goodbyes to blubbering children and disgruntled teenagers.
Most grand of all was the scarlet train pulled in at the station, gleaming red all over its large body and puffing steam overhead, the foggy smoke whirling upwards and dispersing before the domed glass roof of the station. Its doors were open, revealing rows of compartments and red-suited crew members within. Painted in gold against its crimson side were the words: 'HOGWARTS EXPRESS' in glistening, pristine letters.
From the moment he'd stepped onto the platform, James had recognized the Hogwarts Express from his parents' stories; since he was a child, he'd always loved listening to his parents' anecdotes about their time together at Hogwarts as students. The three of them would gather by the fireplace in the Potter Manor library, and his mum and dad would just reminisce into the wee hours of the night, until James's bedtime was long passed, his parents were lost in past memories, and he himself was imagining the many years into the future in which he could experience such events as a Hogwarts student himself.
The many years had passed now, and the day James had been looking forward to for so long had finally come. From where he stood on the platform, he stared up at the crimson locomotive—this was his transportation to a new stage in life.
He was going to Hogwarts.
His luggage was already loaded into the train (they'd gone shopping at Diagon Alley a few days ago, where James had bought his new robes, emptied his parents' pockets for his school supplies, and marveled over the new Comet 2000 at Quality Quidditch Supplies until his breath had fogged up the glass the broom was displayed behind and his dad had to pull him away), and all he really had to do now was get on the train. Students were already ending their tearful goodbyes and beginning to board, trickling in lines into the train as their parents watched on from the platform.
"Don't forget to owl us, and make sure to let us know if you need us to send you anything from home," James's mum reminded him, still trying to smooth his hair down with a quick hand. It was an endless affair.
"Okay, mum."
"And make sure to sleep early every night, alright?"
"Yes, mum."
"And don't forget to—"
"Honey." James's dad put a reassuring hand on James's mum's arm. "If James needs something, he'll get in touch. I'm sure he won't forget anything."
"Oh, yes, I'm sure." Euphemia Potter gazed at James with teary eyes. "Oh, James, you're growing up so fast." She pulled him in for a warm hug just as a whistle sounded from overhead, signaling the last chance for boarding. All across the platform, students were giving last hugs and rushing aboard the train.
The nearest crew member of the train ushered James towards the Hogwarts Express, and he had no choice but to extract himself from his mum's arms. A final whistle pierced the air, and the platform rumbled as the train began to move.
"I'll owl you guys and tell you all about my first day," James promised, quickly pulling his parents in for one last hug before running back and stepping into the nearest open door of the train just as it started to gain traction. A crew member of the train quickly shut the door tight, and James rushed to stick his head out the nearest window.
"Be good, alright?" The wind carried his mum's voice, which was already fading.
"I will!" James's voice was lost in the whoosh of the train wheels, and he could only watch as his parents slowly became two specks in the distance, eventually disappearing completely as the train picked up pace and turned the corner. With every passing second, King's Cross grew further and further behind, until a long lane of suburban houses in the distance was the only thing now flashing past the window instead.
James turned around, pausing and inhaling as it suddenly hit him that he was officially on his own now. The rumble of the train wheels below his feet suddenly seemed deafening, resounding around his head like a gong that had been smashed. A strange mixture of excitement and nervousness that was welling up in his chest as he observed his surroundings—all around him, students were moving through the train corridor, some having already changed into uniform robes like him. A boisterous group of what looked to be fifth-years rushed by, red-and-gold flashing from their ties. James felt a flare of excitement as they passed.
He pushed his round-rimmed glasses up and straightened, looking left and right down the corridor to hunt for a compartment. An empty one would be nice, though James didn't mind if there were already people inside—he was good with talking.
Luckily, it didn't take long to find a compartment. He passed at least five crowded compartments before he stopped in front of one that didn't seem to have anyone inside. He carefully slid the compartment door open a sliver to check.
Inside, a sandy-haired boy jerked his head up from where it had been resting on the windowpane.
James paused, not sure how to proceed with the cautious expression that had slid onto the boy's face. He opted for a small, friendly smile. "Mind if I sit here?"
"I don't mind," the boy murmured, and James gladly stepped into the compartment, closing the door behind him. The chatter of the hallway outside diminished greatly. He took a seat across from the sandy-haired boy, who was now looking out the window and seemingly avoiding eye contact with him.
There was a moment of silence before James opened his mouth.
"So, what's your na—"
The compartment door slammed open suddenly, cutting James off, and a black-haired boy entered. Without a word, he sat down next to the sandy-haired boy, who was now looking quite overwhelmed at having gone from being in complete solitude to being surrounded by strangers.
James observed the newcomer. He had quite fair skin and a strangely-aristocratic air to him despite the carelessness of his messy black hair. He also didn't look like someone who liked talking to strangers, if that wasn't already obvious by the way he was ignoring James and his sandy-haired companion in favor of staring at the fabric of the seat across from him.
James turned back to the sandy-haired boy and stuck out his hand politely. "I'm James Potter."
The boy looked unsurely down at James's outstretched hand, though not in a rude, condescending manner, but rather in a nervous one. James noticed he had his Hogwarts Express ticket still clenched tightly in one hand. A second passed before he took James's hand and shook it with slight hesitancy. "I'm Remus Lupin."
"Are you also a first-year?" James asked.
"Yeah."
Suddenly, the compartment door slid open a second time, and a head of flaming red stepped into the space, which was slowly beginning to fill up. This time, it was a small girl with red hair and green eyes who'd entered. It looked like she'd been crying, judging by the smears of tears underneath her red-rimmed eyes.
"Excuse me," she murmured, indicating to the small space between James and the window. James scooted over slightly, and she whispered a small "thank you" before sitting down and silently pressing her cheek to the window, sniffling.
James glanced between her, Remus, who had gone back to staring out the window, and the silent black-haired boy next to him. Was he just going to be surrounded by silence today?
When the compartment door opened again not even a minute later, James wasn't even surprised. This time, a sallow-looking boy with unfortunately-greasy hair and a hooked nose entered, barely even glancing at James or the other male occupants of the compartment. His eyes landed on the redheaded girl next to James, and he shot forward, forcibly wedging his way between her and James.
"I've been looking everywhere for you!" he exclaimed.
The redheaded girl sniffed. "Sorry, Sev. I didn't mean to make you worry."
"Why are you crying? You can tell me what's wrong!"
Some more sniffles. "It's just . . . Tuney said some things to me before I boarded."
James quickly busied himself with the fabric of his robes, feeling awkward with overhearing what obviously sounded like an intimate conversation. Across from him, Remus was still looking out the window, though a similarly-uncomfortable expression had slid onto his face. The black-haired boy next to him was still stony-faced.
James was in the middle buttoning and unbuttoning the collar of the button-up shirt under his robes when he heard the greasy boy tell the redheaded girl, "You'd better be in Slytherin."
"Slytherin?" James blurted, unable to help himself. All the heads of the occupants in the compartment swiveled towards him, and he inwardly cursed his inability to keep to himself.
Well, he couldn't do anything about that now. "Who wants to be in Slytherin?" he continued jokingly, trying to lighten the mood and fill the sudden silence of the compartment. "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He made eye contact with the black-haired boy lounging across from him.
"My whole family has been in Slytherin," the boy said coldly.
Alright then. . . . "Blimey," said James, trying to remedy his words, "and I thought you seemed all right!"
To his surprise, the boy's face broke into a small grin. "Maybe I'll break the tradition." He was suddenly much less cold now. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"
James theatrically lifted an invisible sword and puffed out his chest proudly. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad."
He heard a small, disparaging noise from the greasy boy next to him, and he was immediately on guard. "Got a problem with that?"
"No," the boy said, though the sneer on his face told James otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy—"
A flash of dislike raced across James, and he opened his mouth to retort, but he was beat by the black-haired boy sitting opposite him.
"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" He grinned smugly, reveling in the plum color that was accelerating across the apples of the greasy boy's cheeks. James couldn't help but laugh.
The redheaded girl stood up from beside the window, an angry red spreading over her face to match her hair. She was no longer sniffling. "Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." She glanced between James and the black-haired boy in dislike before taking the greasy boy's hand and marching out the door.
"Oooooo..." James imitated, watching them go.
"See ya, Snivellus!" the black-haired boy yelled after them, sliding the compartment door shut with a loud BANG!
James blinked. "Snivellus?"
The boy shrugged. "Severus. Snivellus. Same thing." He grinned. "Git."
James grinned back. "Thanks for that before. I'm James. What's your name?"
"Sirius. Sirius Black." The boy stood up and bowed dramatically. "A pleasure."
Black—James knew that surname. The Black family was a part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, a nonsensical list of the most 'pure' English families that James's parents had condemned as rubbish multiple times throughout the years. They'd shown it to James before—the Blacks were one of the first few families listed, he remembered.
Sirius turned to Remus, who'd been pressed up against the side of the compartment, watching the entire exchange with wide eyes. "Are you also hoping for Slytherin?"
Remus quickly shook his head. "Gryffindor."
Sirius gave a small whoop, a completely different person from who he'd been five minutes prior. James didn't know what to think of this sudden change.
There was a sudden knock on the compartment door. It then slid open, revealing a hunched, kind-eyed old woman standing in the corridor. In front of her was a cart that was loaded from bottom up with just about every sort of sweet James could name, from Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans to Drooble's Best Blowing Gum to Chocolate Frogs to Fizzing Whizzbee's to Pumpkin Pasties to Cauldron Cakes to Licorice Wands. Students passing by in the corridor eyed the cart with desire.
The old woman smiled at James, Sirius, and Remus, her cart rattling in front of her. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
James, who had an unabashed sweet tooth that his mum was always chiding him for, immediately leapt up eagerly, digging into his trouser pockets for the bag of money his parents had given him earlier. "I'll have a bit of everything, please."
"Woah!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up as James received at least three armfuls of food from the old woman. Once the compartment door was closed, he dumped everything onto the seat, gesturing at Sirius and Remus and pointing to the large mountain of treats.
"Help yourself."
"Sweet!" said Sirius, diving forward to grab a pack of Fizzing Whizzbees. "I love these things!" He opened the package and popped one in his mouth—not even one bite in, he immediately levitated slightly off the seat, floating in midair as he chewed on the candy.
Remus shook his head, looking at the pile of treats. "I'm not very fond of sweets. . . ." He paused. "Though, is there any chocolate?"
As Remus nibbled on a Chocolate Frog in the corner, and James and Sirius each dug into packages of Fizzing Whizzbees, the conversation turned to Quidditch. Once James discovered that Sirius was just as big of a fan of Puddlemere United as he was, poor Remus was subjected to at least an hour of back-and-forth exclamations regarding their latest game against the Tutshill Tornados as James and Sirius both levitated off their seats, growing incrementally louder as they traded remarks about the game.
At one point, Sirius and James even reenacted the Puddlemere Seeker's move that earned him an accidental foul in order to fill Remus in on the latest occurrence in the Quidditch world.
"—and then he did a loop in midair," James was explaining, doing a weird sort of half-whirl in the air to demonstrate, "which was definitely for show but caused him to collide with the Tornados Seeker and push him off his broom—"
"—and he was fouled for that!" interjected Sirius passionately, holding his Cauldron Cake with both hands like a bowl of soup. "Fouled! Can you believe that?"
Remus looked at them blankly. "But he did bump into the Seeker."
"By accident!" Sirius cried. "Anyone with two eyes could see that!"
"And then Puddlemere lost because the Tornados won the penalty!" James lamented theatrically, throwing his hands in the air. "All because of that foul!"
"So. . . . why is that such a big deal?"
Sirius and James both groaned.
Midway throughout the train ride, once Sirius and James had exhausted themselves (and Remus) with Quidditch talk, the three of them realized that if they cracked open their compartment door a sliver, the conversations that people were having in the hallway were extremely audible. With the train ride being nine hours in total and the bathrooms of the train being only a few compartments down from theirs, it didn't take long for a line to start building right down in front of their compartment door, and more than a few interesting conversations could be heard from inside.
"The Healer I saw told me it was nothing to worry about," complained a boy in Ravenclaw robes to his friend, unaware that three first-years were currently eavesdropping, "but how am I not supposed to worry about the fact that I've had diarrhea for the past two months? Everytime I walk out of the family bathroom, my mum says it's like I dropped a Dungbomb in there!"
James watched Sirius nearly stuff a fist inside his mouth in mirth as the boy's friend suggested uncertainly, "Maybe bring an actual Dungbomb in with you whenever you go to the bathroom? So you can disguise your tracks."
Even Remus had to suppress a snicker at that, while James himself couldn't help but let a snigger escape. They quickly slammed the compartment door shut before the Ravenclaw could turn around and catch them in the act of eavesdropping.
Other than the unfortunate bowel movements of a Ravenclaw, James, Sirius, and Remus were now also privy to the going-ons of at least five different couples (two of which included the girlfriends suspecting their boyfriends of cheating), eight friendships (one of which was in dangerous waters considering one friend—also a part of one of the aforementioned couples—suspected her friend to be the one her boyfriend was cheating on her with), two Hogwarts professors (apparently, it was rumored that two professors had a secret love child who would be a first-year at Hogwarts this year, though neither James, Sirius, or Remus found that very believable), and—strangely—three Hogwarts ghosts (they had an on-going quarrel of two hundred years regarding who was the scarier ghost).
They spent the rest of the train ride talking, snacking on trolley treats, and generally having fun. They watched the countryside pass and the night get darker. Comfort and familiarity slowly set over their compartment; the nine hour length of the train ride did wonders to reduce the awkwardness and unfamiliarity of the occupants inside the compartment, and James could confidently say that he'd made two new friends—at least, Sirius had done a complete one-eighty from the persona he'd embodied at the beginning, turning out to be an incessant chatterbox, and Remus, while shy at first, settled into the atmosphere of the compartment, chiming in every once in a while but seemingly comfortable to just sit and observe James and Sirius's conversations. James learned that Sirius had an affinity for cussing and Muggle motorbikes ("My uncle Alphard collects them!") and that Remus had read over one hundred books and knew how to count backwards from a hundred in Chinese.
Sirius and James, having revived the Quidditch talk, were in the middle of an avid debate on the Seeker of the Syrian National Quidditch team versus the Seeker of the Madagascar National Quidditch team and which player was better (Remus had retired from the conversation a while ago and was snuggled in the corner of the compartment reading Hogwarts: A History quietly, mouthing the words to himself as his eyeballs swiveled across the pages) when the halt of the trains wheels underneath jarred all of three of them out of their occupations.
James blinked, drawing out of his discussion with Sirius and turning his head to stare out the window as the train pulled to a complete stop, the loud whistle of the conductor that sounded through the compartment a second later officially signaling the end of their journey. By now, night had clearly fallen—outside the window, the night hung like a dark blanket across the sky. Smoke from the train whirled in the darkness, fogging up the glass and partially obscuring the environment outside from his vision.
He'd nearly forgotten his destination, too engrossed in conversation throughout the train ride. Now, however, as he sat there, staring out to what seemed to be a vast field of misty nothingness, James was reminded of where exactly he'd just arrived.
Hogwarts—he was at Hogwarts. This wasn't Potter Manor anymore, where he was doted on and had all the freedom that a kid had before officially entering school. Any minute now, he'd be filing out of the train and joining the rest of the first-years on the trek to their home for the next seven years—seven years that would be filled with homework, classes, friends, and Merlin knows what else. The weight of that thought made James involuntarily take a deep breath.
"—ruin Syria's international reputation." Sirius's voice cut through James's thoughts, bringing him back to the present. "Darwish's Wronski Feints are nothing compared to Rakotovao's. Did you see Rakotovao's one against Tunisia's Seeker last year?" He shook his head. "Brilliant, that was!"
James scoffed, turning away from the train window and leaving his thoughts behind. "As if. Rakotovao wishes he had half of Darwish's skills. And that Wronski Feint last year only worked because someone in the crowd hit the Tunisian Seeker in the eye with leprechaun gold! There's just no solid proof of it because it vanished!"
"Psh! Just wait until the Quidditch World Cup in three years—you'll see."
James only shook his head. Being the one who was sitting closest to the compartment door, he got up and pried it halfway open, sticking his head out to survey the hallway. Compartment doors nearby were similarly sliding open, and the sound of excited chatter pervaded the corridor as students exited their compartments, all piling into a horde in the corridor. An older girl rushed past, furiously casting makeup charms over her face, and a lively mob of boys—all donning Gryffindor ties—squeezed by, jostling each other goodnaturedly. Past all the robes and ruckus, James thought he saw a fat toad sitting atop an older student's head.
"What's the hold-up?" came Sirius's voice from right behind James. He peered over James's shoulder, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Let's go, let's go!" he said, shooting out confidently to cut into and follow the stream of students exiting the train, ushering James and Remus forward.
The corridor was now cramped, with students ranging from timid first years whispering to each other to boisterous seventh-years pushing each other around as they waited to exit. James saw more than a few students cast what looked to be cooling charms on themselves to escape the sweltering body heat that was slowly building up within the hallway.
James let Remus out after Sirius and then took up the tail of their trio, squeezing in between Remus and an older female student. He felt like he was in a mob, waiting to exit from comfort and familiarity, step through a portal, and be transported into a brand-new, different dimension. It was a strange feeling.
"I feel like I'm in an incubator," said James. He only knew what that was after that one time when he swiped a Muggle publication (a "magazine," they called it) about farming from his dad's desk and read about the Muggle method of hatching chickens in heated contraptions called incubators.
Sirius gave him a strange look. "What's that?"
"Nevermind."
"When are we getting off?" asked Remus, who was unfortunately squished up right between Sirius, James, and the wall of the corridor. His voice was slightly muffled. "The line's barely moving."
Sirius shrugged, which was a feat considering the density of individuals within the corridor. "Dunno." He made a face when the person in front of him almost whipped him with their robe sleeve. "Oi!"
Luckily, the line picked up pace, and they were able to escape the sauna that was the train corridor. James couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he finally stepped off the train and felt the first gust of cool air hit his face. It wasn't that he hated small, enclosed spaces, but he much rather preferred to be out in the open, unrestrained and free from boundaries. That was why he liked playing Quidditch so much—he could fly anywhere and wherever he pleased.
He looked around, squinting through the smoke that was billowing out from beneath the train and whirling around to pervade the air. The strong smell of pine hit his nostrils; the train had pulled into a station that seemed to be surrounded by an endless forest of thick, tall trees, their branches reaching heavenward and obscuring anything but the inky sky from view. Overhead, a stone arch bearing a sign that read 'HOGSMEADE STATION' curved right above the locomotive at the front of the train, stretching from one side of the train track to the other. Next to the track, a lengthy stone station building flanked by thick bushes on either side stretched across the long, narrow platform accommodating the students getting off the train. Short, rustic lamps littered the platform, providing sources of light to combat the surrounding darkness. Aside from the chatter of the students emerging from the train and crowding around James on the platform, occasional crickets and the hoots of owls could be heard from beyond the darkness surrounding them.
James rotated on the spot, tilting his neck upwards to try and spot anything other than a tree or a student within his line of vision. There was no glimpse of the grand castle he'd heard so many stories about and seen so many pictures of. Instead, other than the excited groups of castle goers crowding together on the platform, there were just endless trees and the vast expanse of sky above him.
The cool September air permeated his robes; around him, students alike were huddled together in groups on the platform for warmth. Overhead, the bright luminance of the nearly-full moon, which basked everything and everyone in the vicinity in silvery light, gave Remus's sandy hair the illusion of being white and bestowed upon the rim of James's glasses a slight glint. From where he stood, Sirius somehow looked as though he'd just gone for a bath in a pool of melted silver.
"Now what?" asked Remus, his teeth chattering.
James shivered, either from the cold or his own nerves, which were suddenly threatening to explode from within him. Maybe it was just the thought that he was basically standing on Hogwarts soil, seconds away from officially entering the next stage of his life, as dramatic as that sounded. "Aren't they going to send someone to get us or someth—"
"Firs' years! This way!" A booming voice broke through the smoke and chatter, interrupting James and garnering all the attention of the younger students on the platform. Standing by the edge of the station building was a large—no, James, corrected himself, blinking hard as he stared—a giant man, wearing an equally-giant brown overcoat, who rose far above the sea of heads on the platform so that anyone even slightly close to the train station had a clear sight of him. He held a swinging lantern in his huge palm, which looked miniature next to his figure; the flickering flame within the lantern illuminated the wild, tangled beard and the long, shaggy mane of hair obscuring half of the man's face.
"Who's that?" asked James. He didn't recognize this man from any of the numerous stories his parents had told him throughout the years about their time at Hogwarts, and he couldn't deny that he was half-relying on those stories for an eased introduction of familiarity into this new, foreign environment.
"Hagrid," answered Sirius matter-of-factly. "He's the gamekeeper here—" he bent forward and lowered his voice conspiratorially "—and is rumored to be a half-giant." He straightened. "It's just a rumor though, and I only know 'cause my dear old mum is always screeching about how disgraceful it is that they 'let half-breeds and monsters into the school!'" At that last part, he raised his voice to imitate what sounded like an old crone.
James didn't know what to do with that piece of information—all he knew was that the gamekeeper during his parents' time at Hogwarts was a man named Burg—and seeing as Remus was quiet, he too didn't say anything. James found himself thinking that Sirius's mother sounded quite dreadful, and a warm feeling of gratitude for his own mum bloomed in his chest.
"This way!" Hagrid called loudly again, using his gigantic hand that wasn't holding a lantern to make a beckoning motion. "Follow me, c'mon—firs' years! Over here!" The crowd shuffled along as Hagrid started moving away, the light of his lantern resembling a floating beacon as its discrepancy between the brightness of the train station widened more and more.
Not wanting to fall back to the very end of the crowd, James motioned Sirius and Remus forward. Together, they squeezed through the horde of students still present on the platform and trailed after the rest of the first-years shuffling nervously behind Hagrid. The chatter and light of Hogsmeade Station faded all too quickly as the detached group of first-years trailed behind Hagrid like baby birds, moving further and further away into the thicket of trees.
They took a turn, officially leaving the platform and older students behind as a blockade of trees completely separated them from any sight of the station. James was left to solely rely on Hagrid's lantern for light as he followed him and the rest of the group down a steep, narrow path devoid of brightness or direction. He could barely see Remus in front of him.
Nervousness thrummed in the air; it was like a thick blanket of silence had settled upon everyone. Even Sirius was quiet. The sound of someone stumbling on a log or twig could be heard every few seconds.
James was silent like the rest of his future classmates, feeling the nervousness that had penetrated him earlier return. Before, whenever he'd asked his parents how first-years got to the school from the train platform, they'd only smile at him with twinkles in their eyes and tell him to be patient. Now, he had no idea where Hagrid was even leading them, and it didn't help that the trees on either side of the path seemed to be closing in on him as the minutes ticked by, adding to the nervous buzz inside his head.
Now that James had moved further into the group of first-years and was a bit closer to Hagrid, he could see how the rumor of Hagrid being half-giant came to be. James had to tilt his neck to eye the back of Hagrid's head. He'd never seen someone so tall—Hagrid was easily the height of James, Sirius, and Remus combined, and he was at least three times as wide as the average man. It made James wonder what other types of unusual people he'd meet at Hogwarts.
"Jus' pas' this turn here'll get ye' all yer firs' view o' Hogwarts," Hagrid announced, his voice penetrating the silence and causing a small girl in front of James to squeak in surprise. "In a sec here."
They turned the corner (Sirius nearly ran into a tree), and the group of students—James included—emitted a collective gasp.
The sudden swerve in the path led to a small clearing, where each individual blade of grass that graced the soil glimmered. Bordering the clearing, lengthening to extend beyond into the horizon, a vast black lake rippled like satin, its waters lapping gently and glistening in the moonlight for what looked like miles. A light blanket of mist hung above the water, whose darkness made even the inky night sky seem bright, creating a muted contrast at the meeting point of the two in the horizon.
However, the lake was only an accessory to the outline of the tall, grand castle that emerged from beyond the waters in the distance and stood stark against the twinkling night sky. Perched upon a cliff barely shrouded with mist, the castle's magnitude was overwhelming, its immensity in both size and atmosphere profound despite the distance. Its numerous turrets and towers reached into the heavens and glowed from within; nearly each individual window that was visible to the eye was illuminated by the golden radiance of light inside. Against the mountains sprinkling its background and the lake bordering its entrance, the castle looked like a magnificent storybook setting come to life.
Sure, James had heard stories of Hogwarts's architecture from his parents and seen photographs, but the real thing in person was still enough for his jaw to drop, so much so that it took a moment for him to notice the collection of small wooden rowboats drifting by the shallow edge of the lake, each with a single lamp in the center.
"No more'n four to a boat!" called Hagrid from where he stood by the fleet of little boats. He beckoned the first-years forward, and the reverent hush that had fallen over the crowd broke as the students shuffled towards the shore, whispering in tones of both excitement and nervousness. Sirius was one of the first ones into a boat, looking eager, and James and Remus followed, the latter looking slightly sick as he sat down on the small wooden bench inside.
"Not a fan of water?" James asked. Remus only shook his head, lips pressed tight.
James took a seat next to Sirius, who grinned and pointed down at the barely-rippling water next to them. "I wonder who'll be the first to get swallowed by the Giant Squid."
If possible, Remus looked even more sick at that.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who sat in a boat by himself at the front of the fleet. At the various nods and murmurs of assent from the students, he nodded approvingly. "Right then—FORWARD!"
They all fell silent as the lamps on the boats all flickered to life in unison, flames dancing, and the boats propelled forward together at Hagrid's command, launching smoothly across the still and reflective water. It felt like they were sliding across a dark, sparkling piece of silk.
James peered over the edge of the boat and looked down. The smooth reflection of an apprehensive boy in glasses stared back up at him, and he had to quickly lean back before the frames slid right off his nose and became a toy for the aforementioned Giant Squid to play with.
As they traveled across the lake, James kept his eyes on the castle in front of them, which was incrementally growing larger to encompass more and more of his vision. Even after living all his life in the glorious Potter Manor, the Hogwarts Castle took his breath away—not just because of its imposing architecture, but also the implications of gliding towards it in a tiny boat across a glistening lake on the first of September, 1971. It was slowly sinking in for James that this was going to be his home for the next seven years—this striking, foreign castle was where he was going to spend the next seven years of his life, where he'd be spending the entirety of his adolescence. Hogwarts was slowly and eventually going to replace Potter Manor as home, and he was sailing right towards that future.
As the boats approached the castle, which was now completely towering over the group of first-years, they all craned their necks upwards, staring in awe at its magnificence. One by one, as the boats continued gliding forward, students disappeared behind an archway by the cliff of the castle; when it was their turn, James, Sirius, and Remus had to simultaneously bend their heads to avoid a thick curtain of ivy hanging overhead.
They were now in some sort of tunnel, where it was so dark that James could barely see Remus in front of him. James had never been a fan of the dark—it unnerved him slightly how vulnerable he felt without the ability to see or navigate anywhere. He could hear the whispers of the students sitting in the boats behind and in front of him, which was easing, though he nearly jumped out of his seat when Sirius gave a loud "AH!" out of nowhere.
"What the heck was that for?"
"I just wanted to see if my voice would echo in here."
A dot of brightness appeared in the distance, rapidly expanding until the boats left the dark tunnel to gather together in what seemed to be some sort of brightly-lit alcove. James blinked hard, light filtering into his eyesight again. He looked around—the castle had completely disappeared from view, and it took him a second to realize that the boats had taken them to some sort of underground port within the walls of the castle itself.
The boats slowed to a stop next to a shore of rocks and pebbles, and everyone climbed out, huddling into a large mass of first-years once more. Excitement was buzzing in the air—there were hushed whispers around James, and even he couldn't stop the thrum of excitement and nervousness that was causing his heart to beat a tiny bit faster. Nevertheless, he couldn't help the small feeling of melancholy that shot through him—the boat ride had ended before he'd known it, and unless he became the next Hogwarts gamekeeper, he would never experience it again. He knew that it was a memory that would be with him for a long time.
They all followed Hagrid up a winding flight of stone steps against the side of the castle wall, which led them to an enormous pair of oak doors flanked by two tall fire pits on either side, the flames flickering brightly in the night and casting shadows onto the stone wall behind them. The giant double doors loomed over James, tall and grandiose, and he stared up at them in anticipation along with the rest of the huddled first-years.
Hagrid raised his large fist and gave three loud, resounding knocks on the doors, the sounds reverberating around James's head. There was a moment of silence in which everyone seemed to be waiting with bated breaths before the doors swung open, revealing a tall, imposing witch standing as the sole figure in the hall behind. Below a large pointy black hat was a stern face upon where square spectacles sat. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and she wore emerald green robes. James involuntarily shivered.
"Professor McGonagall, here are the firs' years," announced Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
At Professor McGonagall's words, Hagrid turned around to face the cluster of first-years behind him with a warm smile. "Well, tha's goodbye for me! Good luck, yeh lot!"
And, with those parting words, he disappeared back down the stone stairway they came from, leaving them all with the severe-looking Professor McGonagall, shivering in the cold September air. James found that he missed Hagrid's presence already.
"Now," said Professor McGonagall, drawing all the first-years' attention back to her. "Come in and follow me."
A few students bravely followed her words, stepping past the double doors, and everyone else followed, apprehensively shuffling into the castle. Once inside, James held Sirius and Remus back for a moment so that most of the crowd could pass and relieve them of the suddenly-stifling nature of getting swept up in the center of the mass.
"Woah," said Remus, and then James really noticed his environment.
They were standing in an enormous entrance hall. Directly facing them, currently emptied of students or faculty but splendid all the same, was a sweeping marble staircase, just as long as it was wide. Overhead, a large chandelier gleamed, the tiny droplets of diamond decorating its arms dripping down to give the illusion of stilled raindrops. Reaching upwards to meet a ceiling too high to make out were tall, expansive stone walls that bordered every side of the hall—they would have been plain if not for the vast sea of portraits adorning the stone, dotting the expanse of wall and lengthening upwards until the highest ones were merely ants in James's vision. They shined against their backdrops, their golden frames glimmered and their inhabitants waving to the students below. They contributed to the entire hall gleaming a gold luminescence, the omnipresent glow of warmth courtesy of the flaming torches and blazing fire pits decorating the stone walls alongside the portraits as well.
James stared at his surroundings in awe. Currently, the entrance hall was empty, but he could imagine it on a bright afternoon—filled with lively chatter and upbeat students to pervade its relaxed atmosphere. They'd be milling around, laughing with friends as they headed for the library, or to class, or to their dorms, or outside to enjoy the nice weather. They'd be worrying about their weekend plans, or discussing the latest exam with their friends, or groaning over their House's latest Quidditch game loss.
One day, James would be worrying about his weekend plans, or discussing the latest exam with his friends, or groaning over his House's latest Quidditch game loss.
"Hurry up now!"
McGonagall's voice broke James out of his reverie, and he let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding in. The picture in his head was already fading away, but he couldn't shake the last remnants of it as Sirius took his and Remus's arms and hauled them forward so that they could catch up with everyone else.
The tap of Professor McGonagall's shoes echoed in the otherwise empty hall as she led them all past another large pair of doors to the side, this one flanked by suits of armor to the side and crowned by an archaic archway overhead. Light and the sound of hundreds of voices spilled out from the crack between the doors and the floor underneath.
James, Sirius, and Remus filed into a smaller chamber off to the side along with the rest of the first-years, where a golden chandelier shone brightly from the ceiling above, and everyone came to a stop. At the front of the crowd, Professor McGonagall turned around.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she announced. "As some of you may know, the Sorting Ceremony is the important ceremony that takes place right before the start-of-term-banquet and decides which House each of you will join for the entirety of your school time here. The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Your House will be your family here at Hogwarts. You will attend classes with your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend time . . ."
James tuned out, electing instead to surreptitiously peer around him as his fellow first years. With the bright chandelier overhead and everyone still, this was his first time taking in the people who would be with him for the next seven years.
It was somewhat reassuring to see that most of the people around him sported looks of nervousness. A few heads in front of him, he spotted the greasy boy from earlier on the train, and the small, redheaded girl stood next to him, listening raptly to Professor McGonagall. Nearby, a girl in pigtails was frantically jotting down Professor McGonagall's words onto parchment with a small quill. Sirius was eyeing her in disbelief.
"The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school," said Professor McGonagall, reaching the end of her briefing. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait here quietly."
She then left the chamber. Immediately after her departure, hushed chatter broke out amongst the first years. James heard a boy behind him say worriedly to his friend, "What if I don't get Sorted into any House?"
Remus leaned over and whispered to James and Sirius, "They'll probably call us up by alphabetical order, right?"
James nodded, and Sirius sighed loudly. "So then I'm first. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter."
"At least you can get it over with quickly," offered James.
"Yeah, but that's boring. You know what they always say—save the best for last."
"Come now," came the voice of Professor McGonagall, who had returned. "Move along. The Sorting Ceremony is about to start in the Great Hall. Form a line and follow me."
James shuffled forward, following the crowd and finding that there suddenly seemed to be a pit in his stomach. To his right, Remus looked slightly green, and to his left, Sirius seemed to have lost his playfulness, looking to be serious for the first time since the train ride.
They filed into a line, with Remus behind James and Sirius in front of him, and the first-years silently followed Professor McGonagall out of the chamber, across the hall, and through the now-open double doors they'd passed earlier—the entrance into the Great Hall.
Immediately, the first thing James noticed was the lack of ceiling in the hall.
At least, there looked to be none—instead of a solid roof above the hall, there was a magnificent black expanse of sky, which continued further and further upwards until it seemed to fade into the heavens. It glittered with stars, which were dotted all over the inky canvas, and James had the inexplicable urge to just reach up, as if he'd be swirled upwards and transported into a different world.
Remus, despite his sickly complexion, managed to whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."
Aside from the magical ceiling, the Great Hall itself was equally impressive. Four long tables extended from one end of the hall to the other, each laid with glimmering golden plates and goblets. There was a flagged pathway down the center of the hall that led to a raised platform at the other end of the hall upon which was a long, singular table. Royal blue drapes hung behind the table to create a backdrop, and large framed portraits adorned the walls, littering all throughout the hall. Thousands and thousands of candles floated in midair above, flickering slightly and illuminating the entire space with a golden glow.
The biggest components of the hall, however, were its occupants. To the very left of the hall, a sea of green filtered into James's vision—this was the Slytherin table. Next to it, drowning in yellow ties and blue House crests were the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables respectively, and to the very right of the hall, bursting with red and teeming with energy, was the Gryffindor table. James gazed at it, imagining himself sitting there, watching a group of timid first-years enter the hall.
Sitting at the long table upon the central platform was clearly faculty, though one particular individual caught James's eye. He recognized the highly-esteemed and respected Albus Dumbledore immediately—not only did James own seven of his Chocolate Frog cards, but his parents talked about the man extensively. He knew Dumbledore from photos his parents had shown him before—they were acquaintances after all. He was sitting at the very center of the table, his long, white beard tied with a ribbon and his navy blue robes twinkling. His half moon spectacles were perched upon a crooked nose, and there was a small but genial smile on his face as he looked down at the first-years.
Professor McGonagall placed a small, four-legged stool in front of the crowd of first-years, placing then upon the stool a hat. It was a pointed wizard's hat, and looked to be a rather old one at that—it was frayed, patchy, and overall unimpressive.
James caught a few confused looks on the faces of his fellow first-years, but he himself recognized the Sorting Hat. In fact, McGonagall's earlier briefing on the Sorting had been unnecessary for James, who knew about the procedure from the numerous stories his parents had told him. His dad had even been a Hatstall when he'd been Sorted—he'd stumped the Sorting Hat for a good six minutes. James resisted the urge to dwell on that bit—what if he was going to be a Hatstall?
There were a few gasps from first-years when, all of a sudden, the Hat wiggled on the spot. There was a moment of silence before a rip near the brim opened, and the now-sentient Hat burst into song:
"My look may not be pleasant,
And my fabric not as bright
But I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
And I'm sure to Sort you right.
You may try to hide yourself
But there's nothing I can't see,
So put me on your head right now
And I'll tell you where you'll be!
Perhaps you'll go to Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
That courageous House is sure to be
A daring place to start;
Or you'll go to Hufflepuff,
Where loyalty is shown,
Justice and work are easy to find,
And they're patient to the bone;
Or maybe Ravenclaw's your place,
If you have a clever mind
Where wit and wisdom are highly valued,
You won't get left behind;
You might belong in Slytherin,
Where ambition leads the lot,
Their cunning nature knows no end,
'Til what they want they got.
So take a breath, and put me on!
Your future is minutes away!
I'll give you a home where you belong—
Everything changes today!
Applause rang throughout the hall with the Hat's completion of its song, though most of the first-years seemed too overwhelmed to have much of a reaction. Next to James, Sirius was silent, and Remus looked even more nervous than before. The redheaded girl from the train was unconsciously chewing on her nails.
James himself felt a bit queasy. Brave? Courageous? Suddenly, he didn't feel like any of those things. He mentally prepared to write home to his parents:
Hey Mum and Dad,
I'm a Hufflepuff now.
He shook himself slightly, shivering at the thought. Not that anything was wrong with Hufflepuff—he glanced at the lively sea of yellow to his left—but his destination had to be Gryffindor. That was where his parents went! That was the House he grew up with, listened to stories about. He felt an inexplicable attachment to Gryffindor, and as he swept his eyes across the four House tables once more, the red-and-gold one was the only one that seemed right.
Next to the Sorting Hat, Professor McGonagall was unrolling a thick scroll of parchment, tilting her head to peer down at it through her spectacles.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. Her voice reverberated throughout the now-silent Great Hall. "Andrews, Clary!"
The girl in pigtails who'd earlier been frantically taking notes on Professor McGonagall's briefing in the chamber scurried forward. The Hat had barely touched the top of her head before it bellowed—
"RAVENCLAW!"
The Ravenclaw table gave a loud cheer as Clary Andrews hurried over and took a seat, immediately getting enveloped by a sea of blue and silver.
"Avery, Nicholas!"
"SLYTHERIN"
The green-clad table to the left clapped this time, and James watched as a green-and-silver tie magically materialized onto Nicholas Avery's robes as he joined his new House.
"Black, Sirius!"
Sirius had a strangely-empty expression on his face. He didn't look at either James or Remus as he strode forward, not an ounce of hesitation on his face as he sat on the stool and crammed the Sorting Hat onto his head.
There was a moment of silence. Then—
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius beamed, ripping the Hat off his head as the table of red-and-gold in the Hall exploded with cheers to welcome the first Gryffindor of the night.
"A Black?" James heard someone whisper near him as Sirius bounced towards the Gryffindor table in high spirits. "Not in Slytherin?"
"Bones, Amelia!" became a Hufflepuff, while "Catchlove, Greta!" nearly became a Hatstall, stumping the Sorting Hat for a good four minutes before it proclaimed "RAVENCLAW!" and sent Greta Catchlove scurrying away, a look of pure relief on her face.
"Evans, Lily!"
The small, redheaded girl didn't waste any time in marching up to the stool and sitting down, placing the Sorting Hat onto her fiery red hair. However, James thought he caught a ripple of nervousness amongst her projected image of confidence as the entire hall died down and became silent, collectively waiting for the Sorting Hat's decision for her.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily Evans grinned widely, placing the Hat back onto the stool before making her way over to the Gryffindor table. James saw Sirius scoot over to make room for her on the bench, but Lily Evans only gave him a look of disdain before moving to the other side of the table and plopping down far away from him.
When Remus's name was called, he seemed to have frozen on the spot, and James had to give him a good shove forward. He watched as his friend nervously placed the Hat onto his head and took a seat. Remus was visibly holding his breath, so his relief was palpable when the hat cried out "GRYFFINDOR!" for him. He waved to James with a small smile as he took a seat across from Sirius at the Gryffindor table.
The names flew by, mixing in James's head as "Ang, Li!" headed over to the Ravenclaw table, while both "MacDonald, Mary!" and "McKinnon, Marlene!" joined the Gryffindors. "Mulciber, Victor!" was proclaimed a Slytherin, and "Pettigrew, Peter!" became a Gryffindor.
James was in the middle of inspecting the architecture of the Great Hall, having officially tuned Professor McGonagall out after she'd announced what had to be at least the fiftieth name in a row that wasn't his, when he heard—
"Potter, James!"
Suddenly, James's legs felt like lead; it felt like he was operating out-of-body as he automatically moved. As he walked forward, projecting what he hoped was an air of confidence as he made his way to the Hat, each step felt as though he was walking towards his impending doom. His feet felt like they were sticking against the ground, and he was suddenly extremely aware of the thousands of eyes on him, boring into his plain black robes as he took a seat on the stool. He gripped the brim of the Sorting Hat, and after a moment's pause, held his breath and lowered it onto his head.
Hello, James Potter.
James startled at the unfamiliar voice that immediately infiltrated his head.
I remember your parents, said the Sorting Hat, its voice resounding around James's mind.
You do? James thought involuntarily.
Oh, yes. Fleamont and Euphemia. Fleamont was much more difficult to Sort to Euphemia—a Hatstall, you know. Both brilliant minds—Gryffindor was the right choice for them both.
James's heartbeat seemed to increase. Please Sort me into Gryffindor too.
Gryffindor, eh? You want to follow in your parents' footsteps?
Yes, James thought.
Hmm, quite a mind you have, the Hat observed. Clever, yes, and quite witty. Very determined. Loyal and brave. I see intelligence and courage in you. . . . Yes, it better be GRYFFINDOR!
The Hat exclaimed the last word out loud for the entirety of the Great Hall to hear. James heard Sirius distantly whoop from the Gryffindor table, but all he could focus on was the huge wave of relief that washed over him, and he felt himself automatically break into a smile as he placed the Hat back onto its stool and started towards the wave of red and gold on the other end of the hall. He felt like skipping—he was a Gryffindor!
"Good on you to join us, mate," said Sirius in a jolly tone, clapping James on the back as he took a seat next to him. Across the table, Remus shot him a smile, sporting a similar look of relief, which hadn't faded from earlier.
"Snape, Severus!"
James's head shot up at the familiar name, as did Sirius's and Remus's. It was the greasy boy from the train.
"That's Snivellus," muttered Sirius, eying Severus Snape like a hawk as he made his way to the Sorting Hat. They all watched as he placed it gingerly on his head.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Diagonal from James across the table, Lily Evans watched her friend head towards the green-clad table sadly, but James personally felt very glad that Severus Snape would not be joining Gryffindor House.
"Thank Merlin for that," said Sirius loudly, mimicking swiping a hand over his brow in relief. Lily Evans glared at him.
"The Hat was debating between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor for me," said Remus, leaning across the table. He looked stressed just thinking about it. "I didn't think I would make it."
"It only mentioned Gryffindor for me," said James, strangely reveling in the fact that the Hat hadn't mentioned any other options for him. "It talked about my parents!"
"It was going to put me in Hufflepuff!" exclaimed a girl further down the table. Marlene McKinnon, James remembered. "I begged for Gryffindor!"
From where she was obviously eavesdropping, Lily Evans frowned. "It talked to you all? It didn't say a single thing to me."
"Welcome!"
Albus Dumbledore's voice reverberated around the Great Hall, quieting the erupting chatter and drawing everyone's attention to where he had gotten up at the staff table. He beamed as he swept his gaze around the hall. James looked around—he hadn't even realized that the Sorting had ended.
"It brings me more joy than I can express to welcome all of you to Hogwarts!" Dumbledore announced, spreading his arms wide. Small silver stars on his robe sleeves twinkled as the fabric shifted and moved. "I look forward to a wonderful year filled with memories with you all! Please be advised that Mr. Filch, our caretaker, asks for all of you to refrain from encouraging Peeves, our school poltergeist, to break into the kitchens for food that he can use for his mischief and chaos."
As if on cue, a blur of color swooped into the hall, giggling in a sing-song voice as it pelted a bunch of nearby Slytherins with what suspiciously looked like tea cakes. As James looked closer, the blur was, in fact, a jester-like poltergeist in outlandish clothing with a mischievous glint present in his eyes that even James could spot from the other side of the hall.
The poltergeist—Peeves—cackled loudly, bombarded the front half of the Hufflepuff table with a shower of carrots, and then dove directly through the wall, disappearing once more.
"What in the world?" James heard Lily Evans murmur to herself.
"Now, I will not keep you from our wonderful banquet any longer!" said Dumbledore brightly, as if nothing had just happened. "Dig in!"
There were cries of delight up and down the four House tables when the empty plates that had been in front of them suddenly transformed, now piled high with foods of all different varieties. Piles of deliciousness greeted James's vision—beef stroganoff, banoffee pie, roast beef, treacle tart, sausages, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, and more foods he didn't even know the names of. Suddenly realizing how hungry he was, he didn't waste any time loading his plate with a bit of everything until its contents were piled precariously into a heap the size of a small mountain.
To James's left, Sirius somehow had an even larger stack of food sitting in front of him, the height of the pile drawing questioning looks from nearby students.
"Mate, what are you going to do with all of that?" asked James, eyeing the alarmingly large amount of peppermint humbugs on Sirius's plate with caution.
Sirius smirked before sweeping a good amount of the humbugs into his robes. "You never know when you'll need to freshen up your breath for a lady." He winked at a nearby Gryffindor girl who looked to be in her second or third year, and James was flabbergasted to see a blush appear on her cheeks.
"A lady?" repeated Remus, looking slightly horrified from across the table.
"That's right, Lupin. Girls will be lining up for me to take them to Hogsmeade."
"But Hogsmeade visits don't happen until third year."
Sirius shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll just find a way to sneak over then."
It was as if Sirius's words sparked a moment of remembrance in James, who suddenly flashed back to one random autumn night a few years ago. It had been a lazy evening, and James had been cozying up in front of the fireplace in Potter Manor library, listening to yet another Hogwarts anecdote that his parents were telling him from their schooldays. His mother had been speaking:
"I remember it was raining so hard that night—I couldn't believe your father wanted to sneak us out to Hogsmeade in such terrible weather! But it was quite nice to wander around the empty street by ourselves, though the next day we both developed such nasty colds that the matron in the Hospital Wing had to. . ."
James replayed his mum's words in his head again. Sneaking us out to Hogsmeade.
"Hey lads," he said out loud, drawing Sirius and Remus's attention. "I think I've got something." He motioned for them to lean in, and when they did, he continued: "I think I've got a way to sneak into Hogsmeade."
Remus raised an eyebrow in disbelief, while Sirius looked delighted. "Wow, Potter, I think I've really underestimated you. An escape plan on the first day of school? Scandalous!"
James grinned. "I remember my mum mentioning that she and my dad once snuck out when they were students here. She didn't say how, but I can always just write and ask."
Sirius was vibrating in his seat with glee, but Remus looked doubtful. "Sneak out of Hogwarts? But the castle is supposed to be sealed shut and foolproof."
While Sirius shushed him, James only shrugged brightly. "I guess. I'll write to my mum and ask anyway."
Further down the table, Lily Evans was chattering animatedly with a brunette girl whose name James forgot but who he distantly remembered was one of the last first-years to be Sorted into Gryffindor.
". . . excited for Potions!" Lily was saying excitedly. "I've always wanted to recreate those mad scientist scenes from TV!"
"Mad scientist scenes from tee-vee?" the brunette girl repeated, looking confused.
As dinner continued on, James progressively ate more and more, slowly electing to simply listen to the conversations around him as he felt the drowsiness hit. Dessert came and went, and when the plates on the table had all been cleared and vanished, he felt like he'd swallowed a large Quaffle. He barely registered when Dumbledore gave a parting speech and dismissed all students to bed, trying too hard not to fall asleep right there and then.
The Gryffindor first-years followed the Gryffindor Heads, a freckled girl named Alice and a round-faced boy named Frank, out of the Great Hall. James clearly wasn't the only one full and sleepy after the meal; all around him, yawns could be heard from the other students. Even Sirius was uncharacteristically quiet, leaning half his body weight onto a poor Remus as they dragged their feet up the marble staircase in the entrance hall.
It felt like they'd climbed up a dozen staircases by the time the group of Gryffindor first-years came to a halt in front of a wall. James had barely paid attention to their surroundings since leaving the Great Hall, though he did notice the occasional suit of armor and talking portrait as he'd passed by. Distantly, he hoped either Sirius or Remus remembered how to get to where they were now. He felt his eyelids threatening to droop as Alice turned around and addressed the crowd:
"Alright, everyone. This is the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. The password is ad infinitum." She repeated it kindly to a first-year next to her, and then said loudly, "Don't forget it! You can't enter the Common Room without the correct password."
Frank then stepped forward. "Now, once we're inside, you'll see that the staircase to the left leads to the girl's dormitories, while the staircase to the right leads to the boy's. There's four to a dormitory—your names are all posted in front of your respective dormitory. Your belongings have all been taken up to your dormitories, and you'll find your class schedules inside your trunks. Breakfast is at seven, lunch is at twelve, and dinner is at six. Don't be late!"
"Let us know if you have any questions!" added Alice. She turned back to face the wall, which, James realized as the students in front of him parted slightly, housed a rather large portrait of a rather large woman. Her hair was piled into a heap on the top of her head with grapevines, and she wore a pink silk dress. Maybe it was James's tired imagination, but her cheeks also seemed to be tinted abnormally red, as if she'd had one too many to drink.
"Password?" the woman in the portrait asked.
"Ad infinitum," answered Alice confidently, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a large portrait hole, causing a few first years to gasp. Alice and Frank climbed through, and everyone else quickly followed suit, scrambling through the hole.
They found themselves standing in a large, circular room that was unlike anything James had ever seen. Several shades of red were present throughout the room, found in the maroon hue of the ornate wallpaper, the scarlet fabric of many squashy armchairs throughout, and the crimson wool of the many rugs scattered across the floor. The high-domed ceiling curved into a half sphere at the very top, leading downwards to tall glass windows bordered by red velvet drapes. Through the glass, the night sky outside was visible, shining moonlight into the room to mix with the gold luminescence of the multiple lamps scattered around. A fireplace crackled from one wall, its mantle adorned with a portrait of a grand lion, and large, red sofas were set in front of it. Tapestries of who could only be famous Gryffindors were scattered around the room, decorating the walls. To the side in the back, an entrance in the wall revealed the bottoms of two brightly-lit staircases, which no doubt led to the dormitories.
Despite his tired state, James stared up in awe, taking in the warm atmosphere around him that was to be his home for the next seven years. He followed Sirius and Remus, who were already making their way to the staircases in the back, his head twisting left and right as he crossed the room, trying to take in the new environment. He passed a wooden table at which a few older students sat, playing Wizard's Chess, and a few more upperclassmen were seated by the fireplace, conversing and laughing with each other. As his feet carried him up the staircase leading up to the boy's dormitories, he found himself thinking that he quite liked the Gryffindor Common Room.
James, Sirius, and Remus happened to be in the same dormitory, a pleasant surprise for all three of them that, given their tired states, was only celebrated with a small "yay" from Sirius before James pushed the dormitory door open.
He immediately noticed that—as with the common room downstairs—the color red was plastered everywhere. Four four-poster beds, with trunks in front of them, were placed in a half circle around the back of the circular room, spaced next to each other evenly. They sported cotton sheets and were hung with scarlet curtains, the hue matching that of the oriental rug on the floor below. Next to each bed was a nightstand, a wardrobe built into the wall, and a paned window. Candles flickered from their holders on the walls. In the corner of the room, by the entrance, was another door, which presumably led to the bathroom.
A short, roundish boy with close-cropped blonde hair who'd been sitting on the bed furthest from the door got up quickly when James, Sirius, and Remus entered the room.
"Hi, I'm Peter Pettigrew," he said in a slightly-squeaky voice, looking nervous as he played with his hands behind his back.
James and Remus both introduced themselves, while Sirius said, "Peter, I hope you aren't one to snore loudly."
"N-no, I don't think I do."
Sirius gave a loud sigh of relief, flopping onto the bed in the center. "Well, good. In that case, I'm Sirius Black."
"Nice to meet you," said Peter timidly.
Normally, James would have struck up a conversation with Peter to get to know him more. However, after an entire day of new experiences, ending in his arrival at an entirely new environment that was to be where he would live for the next seven years, James's eyes were threatened to close from both mental and physical exhaustion. He laid down onto the nearest bed, robes still on and glasses still dangling from his nose, and before he knew it, he was blissfully drifting off to sleep, the sound of conversation in the background slowly fading away as James Potter slept away the rest of his first day at Hogwarts.
—
Author's note: Finally updating this fic after over a year! Please note the title change if you're a previous reader—I just thought that Counting Sheep was a better fit! I missed you all! :)
