Chapter Four: Sorted!

The doors to the castle swung inwards, and the group of nervous first years were met by a tall, and stern looking witch. She led them through the entrance hall, and there was a collective gasp as the students took in the grand staircase, the four crystal hourglasses with jewels stored in the top, and the high, vaulted ceilings. Portraits lined the walls - and the inhabitants of the frames peered down at them, some scuttling along to the next picture to get a better look - or to discuss the new arrivals with a friend.

The stern witch opened a door, and took them all into a chamber just off the hallway. Once they were crowded in she addressed them all. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, and explained the house system - and the way they would all soon be sorted into their new Hogwarts family. Then she excused herself and went to check on the progress of the rest of the school.

Remus glanced around at the other children. The idiot with the glasses from his boat was practically glowing with confidence - and the werewolf assumed he must know in to which house he was headed. His friend - the impossibly handsome little boy - seemed far less certain of himself. Looking further around, he spotted Severus and Lily in the back. Lily looked excited - but she was muggleborn, and Remus figured she would have no idea where she belonged - she was just happy to be here. Like scruffy hair and glasses, though, Severus was looking confident - but in a much quieter way. The young werewolf wondered where these boys thought they were going - and if they would be happy with the outcome.

For himself - he hadn't the first clue.

The door opened, once more, and Professor McGonagall reentered the chamber. 'The school is ready for you all now,' she told them, 'please follow me.'

The door she took them through, this time, led them straight into the Great Hall of the school itself. Again, there was a collective gasp, as the first years looked around and took in the four house tables, the long staff table, the floating candlesticks and the ceiling - enchanted to look like the night sky outside. Remus felt the baleful eye of the gibbous moon follow him down the aisle.

The students reached the front of the hall, and all lined up facing the rest of the school. All the older pupils stared back at them. Remus felt his mouth go dry. Then, Professor McGonagall silently placed a four legged stool down in front of the line of newcomers. On top of that, she placed a very patched and frayed and dirty hat. Now all eyes in the hall seemed to fall on the hat. Remus eyed it as well - not sure what was going on - until suddenly a seam around the brim of the hat opened itself up, like a mouth - and the hat began to sing!

Oh once upon a time gone by

I lived upon the head

Of one whose deeds shall never die

But long since now is dead.

This wizard and his best friends three

Believed a simple rule

That magic should be taught for free

And so began this school.

They passed along their learning

Regardless of the cost

So desperate was their yearning

Magic arts be never lost.

In their own time, each did choose

The ones they liked the best

And each amongst them could refuse

Them that didn't pass their test.

My owner, he was Gryffindor

Lover of the bold and wild

He would listen for the lion's roar

In the heart of every child.

His friend was Helga Hufflepuff

Sweet and kind and humble

For her it was always enough

Your loyalty not crumble

And then came clever Ravenclaw

Famed for her wit and learning

For her you could be never poor

If your love of books was burning.

And finally came old Slytherin

The shrewd, the sly and proud

He looked amongst your kith and kin

Just the purest were allowed.

And whilst they lived here at the school

This system it worked well

They sat you here upon this stool

And your character would tell.

But what when they were dead and gone?

How could they pupils sort?

To make sure all their students shone?

My master had a thought:

He whipped me off his noble brow

And gave me speech and mind

And so I do their job for now

And sort you all in kind.

So put me on and let me see

What lives within your soul

One quick glance is all I need

To help you find your goal!

As the hat finished its song, the whole hall burst into applause. And then Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long scroll of parchment, and read off the first name: 'Avery, Gaius.' An undernourished, weasel faced boy stepped forward and sat down on the stool. He put the hat on - and a moment later the seam mouth opened wide and screamed ' Slytherin!' The table second to the right exploded into thunderous applause and catcalls. And, looking rather pleased with himself, Avery slunk away from the first years and went to join them.

'Bagshot, Bettina,' was called up next - and she became a Ravenclaw, this time it was the table second from the left that broke out in cheers.

'Bibbins, Theo' joined her, and then 'Bidwell, Constance' became the first new Hufflepuff to be sorted. The next person called was the good looking idiot from Remus's boat. 'Black, Sirius,' the professor called out - and the young boy went and perched nervously on the stool.

'No prizes for guessing where this one is going,' Remus heard a voice behind him say. He turned his head slightly, and saw one of the teachers - an enormously fat, bald man with a glistening walrus moustache lean in and talk to the headmaster. 'What do you say, Dumbledore - eh? 10 Galleons says another Black for my collection. This is Andromeda's last year - I need a replacement.'

'I never bet on the placement of students, Horace,' Dumbledore replied. His smile was genial, but Remus got the impression that it was hiding annoyance. 'A young person's destiny is their own affair. Young Black is not his family. He will go where he is suited.'

' Tojours pur,' the bald professor answered him, 'the Black family motto - we all know where the boy is suited.'

But down on the stool, things were not progressing as quickly as they had done for the other students. The hat seemed to be taking it's time with the sorting of this particular boy. Looking back out into the hall, Remus noticed the way the Slytherin table were all leaning forward expectantly. There was absolute quiet in the hall for several long moments and then - finally - ' Gryffindor' roared the hat.

Whereas all other sortings had been met by rapturous applause - this one was met with thunderous silence. Even the teachers along the staff table were all staring at each other in alarm. The Slytherin table looked like they'd just had cold water thrown over them - and the Gryffindors looked equally shocked. Sirius looked embarrassed - and like he was only a moment away from crying, as all eyes remained locked on him.

And then, from the line of first years, the idiot with scruffy hair and glasses began to clap. Dumbledore followed his lead, and then it was like the Gryffindors had come back to their senses - remembered what was going on - and they too began to applaud and holler. Flushed bright crimson, Sirius relinquished the hat and went to go and join them on the far left of the hall.

'Well, I quite wish I'd taken you up on that bet, now, Horace,' Remus heard Dumbledore chortle. 'I could always do with the extra money.'

The big, fat teacher was looking most put out. ''Pon my word,' he huffed, 'this is most irregular - I've had them all. What will Walburga say?'

'I would like to think that she will be proud her son is finding his own place in the world,' the headmaster replied. But Horace did not look convinced.

After Sirius had taken his seat, and the hall had settled down, McGonagall read out the next name. One by one the first years were sorted - and the line began to dwindle. Evans, Lily was sent to Gryffindor - and Remus watched the girl from the train give her friend a swift, regretful smile before she left the line and went to her new house table. Peering along the children left, the young werewolf caught sight of Severus's expression, as the girl left him behind. He looked crushed - and once again, Remus wondered which house Severus was so sure he would be joining.

With a jolt in his tummy, he realised that the stern faced witch was now calling out the Ls. 'Lancaster, Charlie,' became a Hufflepuff. 'Lawson, Megan,' was a Ravenclaw, as was 'Lewis, Sandra', and then 'Linehan, Petra' was called to the stool. Remus held his breath - thinking that there could not be many more children before it was his turn. In fact - he might be next - and then what would happen? With another jolt to his tummy, it suddenly occurred to him that the hat might know about him. It must be sentient after all - it looked inside the children and then decided where to put them based on what it found there. It would surely see the wolf - and then what might it do?

Sure enough - as Petra went to join the Gryffindors - Remus heard his own name called out. 'Lupin, Remus.' He shuffled forward, feeling every eye in the hall on him. In his peripheral vision, he was sure he saw Dumbledore suddenly lean forward - as if taking a keen interest. Jamming the hat on his head, he was relieved when the soft folds of fabric fell over his eyes, blanking out the hall and leaving him with a feeling of being completely alone.

' My my my - this is interesting,' a voice buzzed in his ear. Remus jumped, and fought to keep himself on the stool. He heard the other students, hidden from view, chuckle. ' Now don't worry, my boy,' the hat said to him, ' they can't hear me… This is all inside your head… though I can see why you're worried. So it's you … is it? Yes, I heard that you were coming - inside Dumbledore's office, I heard them planning for your arrival. Well, let's see now … besides the secret, what else is there rattling around inside that brain of yours? What is the character of your soul?'

Remus could not think of an answer to that, so he stayed completely still - trying to keep his mind blank and calm. ' There's control, there, a lot of control,' t he hat mused, ' I suppose there would have to be. And you are afraid, boy - terribly afraid… and yet here you are. I could shout out your innermost secret, the darkest truth, to this hall full of people and then what would you do?'

'Please don't do that,' Remus thought back to the hat. 'Please don't tell them - I just want to go to school, to have friends…'

' Yes - and for you, even that modest ambition is a great risk. But a risk you are taking. And so polite in the face of exposure. If they knew what you are, they would cast you out, you know that?'

'Yes.'

' You could have stayed safe at home - your parents love you, they protect you - and yet here you are. Are you frightened to be here?'

'Yes,' Remus admitted.

' Truthful too. Well - no one here is taking the chance that you are - no one here has lived through the suffering you have. So much pain - so young - and yet here you sit; polite and truthful and just wanting to go to school.'

'I just want to be normal,' Remus thought.

' But you're not normal,' the hat countered, ' and I don't mean the wolf. To have been through everything you have - to still be standing. There is iron in you, boy. But there is weakness, too - oh yes - that fear can be your downfall. You need all the help you can get to master it, to keep fighting - even when it seems there is nothing left to fight for. There is only one place you can get the fire in your belly that you're going to need - better make it GRYFFINDOR,' the hat yelled out, so the rest of the hall could hear. The table on the far left burst out clapping, cheering and pounding the tables - and, much relieved, Remus went to join his new family.

He slid onto the bench, next to Lily - and watched the end of the sorting - enjoying it much more now that he was done. The idiot with the glasses turned out to be 'Potter, James,' and he was sorted into Gryffindor almost as soon as the hat touched his head. Remus clapped politely, along with his fellow first years, but his heart sank a little at the prospect of sharing a dormitory for seven years with the two boys who had proved unbearable during a ten minute boat ride. There was at least another boy in with them, though. 'Pettigrew, Peter,' had been sorted shortly before James. Maybe he would prove more tolerable, Remus hoped.

Right towards the end, 'Snape, Severus,' was called up. Beside him, Lily gasped and then seemed to hold her breath. But, just as it had with Potter, the hat had barely touched his head before it declared him a ' Slytherin'. Lily let out a little sigh - and Remus turned to smile at her, commiserating. 'I'm sure you'll still see him loads,' he told her, 'in lessons and at break time.'

'Yeah - I suppose so.' But she still looked sad.

Snape, on the other hand, was looking supremely triumphant. He strode over to the table second on the right, and slid onto the bench looking very pleased with himself. A tall, white haired boy, wearing a prefect's badge, patted him on the shoulder in congratulations.

'Thomas, Mandy,' became another Gryffindor. 'Wilson, Christopher,' was the final Ravenclaw and then last of all 'Zabini, Leticia,' was sorted into Slytherin.

As the little girl took her seat, the hall fell quiet again - and then Dumbledore got to his feet. 'Welcome, welcome,' he said, spreading his arms out to encompass the whole hall. 'To our newest students - welcome to your new home - may your time here be joyous, if not educational.'

The students tittered.

'And to all the old faces that look back at me, I bid you welcome back, welcome home . On this first evening together - and before we are all befuddled by our most excellent feast - I feel I should say a few words to mark the occasion. Wiser minds than mine have said dafter things than I - so I will simply remind you of the wisdom of our own school motto and bid that you endeavour to keep it, no matter how great the temptation may be: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus. Thank you.' He sat back down, everyone clapped one last time - and then, as if from nowhere the feast appeared on the tables.

There was all sorts of the most delicious looking food; roast beef and joints of pork, lamb chops, cooked hams and Shepherd's Pie, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, chips, Yorkshire puddings, parsnips, carrots and oceans of gravy. For Remus - who had never gone hungry, but for whom food had been something carefully budgeted for and never allowed to go to waste - it was like living in a waking dream. He scooped some of everything onto his plate, drowned it in the gravy, and then closed his eyes to take his first bite.

'I didn't think food would be like this at a boarding school,' Lily said next to him, tucking into roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. 'This is nothing like the school dinners we had back home!'

'Mmmphh mpph's - good.' Remus managed to answer back. She obviously didn't understand a word, but she laughed good naturedly.

'What I don't understand,' James said, swallowing a forkful of Shepherd's Pie, 'is the mint humbugs. What are they doing here?'

'They've only started putting those out on the tables since Dumbledore became head,' a prefect informed the new students. 'He's absolutely crazy about muggle sweets.'

'But - shouldn't they come out with the puddings?' Remus asked.

The prefect raised her eyebrows. ' Crazy ,' she reiterated.

As the plates cleared, the remains of the food and the dirty crockery vanished, and were replaced by a similarly delicious looking smorgasbord of desserts. 'Blimey,' James muttered, 'If I'd known, I'd have skipped the vegetables.'

Peter Pettigrew pulled two bowls of trifle towards himself, and began to eat his way through them, steadily. James and Lily both reached for the treacle tart at the same time. There was a slight tussle, and then Lily won - and dragged the tart over to her own plate.

'Did you just lose a fight, mate?' Sirius asked, laughing.

'I was being chivalrous,' James blushed. 'I'm a Gryffindor, now.'

'Yeah, right!'

'Treacle tart?' Lily had cut herself a slice and now offered it back to James.

He took it from her, still blushing. 'I was being chivalrous,' he repeated. She just smiled, serenely. He chowed down on his slice of tart, glowering, until he thought of a change of subject. 'So, Sirius - what was with your sorting? It was like somebody died when you got put in here.'

'Somebody will die,' Sirius groaned, 'and that somebody will be me when my mother finds out. In fact, I wouldn't have put it past my cousin, Narcissa, to have snuck out of the hall and sent her an owl straight away. I'll have a howler waiting for me at the breakfast table.'

'Surely it can't be that bad?' James asked. 'You can't be the first Gryffindor in an ancient, wizarding family.'

'I'm not only just the first Gryffindor,' Sirius told him, 'I'm the first non-Slytherin. Or at least - if there are any before me, they don't admit to them. We've got a family tree up in our drawing room - mum blasts people's names off if they do something to displease her. She's been threatening to blast mine since I was five … this ought to do it.' He looked gloomy.

'What about you?' James had turned to Remus, now.

Remus swallowed his mouthful of jam sponge quickly, 'Oh - er - my dad was a Gryffindor, so I suppose he'll be pleased. My mum isn't magic.'

'No,' the other boy clarified, 'I meant what happened during your sorting - it took ages... Were you a hat stall?'

'What's a hat stall?' Lily asked, looking up from her treacle tart. 'I mean, apart from a place that sells hats.'

'Muggle born?' James asked her - though he didn't say it unkindly. She nodded. 'A hat stall is when the sorting hat can't decide between two houses,' the boy said. 'They're quite rare - most people are one or the other.'

'So what happens when the hat can't decide?' she asked him, her eyes wide. It had known where to place her almost immediately.

But James shrugged, 'I dunno - ip dip dip? Or maybe it lets the student decide…' He turned back to Remus, 'so is that what happened to you, where else was it gonna put you?'

'Er… it didn't really suggest any options,' Remus admitted, thinking very carefully about what to say so as not to reveal anything. 'It just ...er … chatted to me … a bit.'

'What about?'

'Stuff.'

'What stuff?'

'Just .. personal stuff… things in my head. It's private.'

Sirius and James gave each other a surprised look. 'OK, then - sorry I asked,' James said to him, and the two boys turned away from him and started talking amongst themselves.

'The hat wasn't sure where to put me,' the final boy - Peter - suddenly piped up, after finishing his last mouthful of trifle. All first year eyes fell on him, then. 'But it decided Gryffindor would help me reach my best potential.'

'Yeah?' James was looking interested, again, 'what was the other house?' He laughed, 'not that it matters - as long as it wasn't stinking Slytherin!' Sirius joined in with the laughter and Peter flushed.

'Er - no … it was… was … Hufflepuff.' He went quiet and helped himself to another bowl of trifle. But Remus got the distinct impression that the smaller boy was lying - and that the hat had seriously considered placing him in Slytherin.

Once the last crumbs of tart had been eaten, and the last scrapings of trifle licked from the bowls, the dirty plates vanished once more. Dumbledore got to his feet again - and a hush fell over the whole hall. 'Excellent, excellent - as always it is delightful to see you all back - and now we are fed and watered - it is time to climb up the wooden hill to bedfordshire. However - before we seek our peaceful rest in the arms of Morpheus - a few quick announcements courtesy of Mr. Filch.

'Firstly, he would like to inform our new students that it is forbidden to enter the Forbidden Forest under any circumstances.' He broke off and chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling behind their spectacles. 'The clue is rather in the name, there! He would also like to remind all students that magic in the corridors is forbidden - and that due to the unfortunate incident with the priceless vase, poor Mrs. Worthing and the ever-bashing boomerang, last term - those items are no longer allowed in school. He has recently acquired a new kitten - Mrs. Norris - whom he will be training up to be his assistant, as once the trusty Mrs. Worthing was - and I trust she will not meet a similar sticky end.

'Finally, those of you who have been with us a while may notice that we have a new tree in the grounds. We are very fortunate to have donated to us - by our wizarding partner school in Brazil - a Whomping Willow. It is a most fascinating piece of arborea, and I am sure that Professors Frond and Sprout will be only too delighted to tell you all about it during your Herbology lessons. However, I must caution, for your own safety, that you stay away from it. A Whomping Willow in full swing is … truly something to behold - and I do not wish for there to be any unnecessary injuries. And I do believe that is all, so now - to sleep - perchance to dream. Goodnight.'

With a deafening scraping sound, the benches were pushed back and the student body, en masse, got to its feet. The brand new Gryffindors followed the prefect out of the hall, up the main staircase and then down several passageways until they arrived in a corridor that was dominated by a portrait of a fat lady, wearing a pink dress. 'Password?' she asked, looking down at them all.

'Listen carefully,' the prefect said to the new students, 'the password for the common room is " aconite" .' As she said the last word, the portrait of the fat lady swung forward, revealing a round hole in the wall. They all stumbled through - and found themselves inside a circular tower room. There was a fire burning cheerfully in the grate, and there were lots of comfortable looking, squashy armchairs dotted around the room.

'This is the common room,' the prefect told them, 'this is where we Gryffindors spend our free time. Your dormitories are at the top of the tower this year - girls up there,' she pointed to one staircase, 'boys up there,' she pointed to another. Then she disappeared off up the girls staircase, and Lily and the others followed her.

'Beat you to the top,' James said, and he shoved Sirius and began to run up the stairs, headed to the boys' dorms. Sirius chased after him, catching him and bringing him down. But, as he tried to climb over him and run past, James grabbed his ankle and tripped him as well. They both tumbled back down into the common room, giggling. Remus sighed. They were just as unbearable as they had been in the boat.

He walked past them, and gained the top of the staircase. There was a large oak door with a brass plaque that read "First Year Boys" on it. He pushed it open and went inside. Four large, four poster beds with scarlet drapes stood in the room. The trunks they had left on the train were already inside, one at the end of each bed. Remus found his own, pulled out his pajamas, and got onto the bed. He yanked the drapes closed to hide himself whilst he changed.

He heard the door open again, and James and Sirius walk in. 'Wow - Mr. Friendly really does like his privacy - doesn't he?' he heard James say. Remus sighed, again. He didn't like his privacy - he needed it - he couldn't let these boys see his scars.

Once all four were changed, Sirius switched the light out. 'Night, James,' he said.

'Night, Sirius,' James replied. 'Night, Peter,' they both chorused… and then went quiet.

After a little while, a small voice said: 'night, Remus.'

'Good night, Peter,' Remus said.