Blood Relations

Unlike in Euphemia Potter's stories, James found himself and the rest of the students stunted into silence by a tall, black-haired witch in emerald green robes. She had been standing behind the door waiting for Hagrid to open the door so she could greet them all in a proper manner. The messy-haired boy recalled his mother again in that moment while staring up at the stern faced witch; He remembered her sitting at his bedside just before he went to sleep, telling him all about how a bespectacled old man, a certain Professor Albus Dumbledore, had greeted her at entrance hall on her first day of school. Euphemia hadn't been greeted by a no-nonsense-looking witch like this, for sure. To a little trouble-seeker like James Potter, this witch looked like she'd be a huge stake in his pursuit of adventure and fun for the rest of the year. Definitely the kind of person you didn't want to cross... but that idea only made him all the more curious. How far could he push his mischief at this school? He just had to know now.

James sighed, remembering his mother's story once more. He knew that this was one of Dumbledore's first years as Headmaster so the likelihood of such a great man greeting them at the front door was most unlikely. In spite of knowing that, however, he still felt a little disappointed inside.

The witch looked around them a bit, expression almost unreadable. She scanned the group of first years until her eyes finally settled on James. The messy-haired boy had been standing just a little ahead of the dumbfounded crowd. He looked mighty suspicious from her point of view...

Not really knowing what else to do or say, the messy-haired boy extended his left hand to introduce the group behind him. "The first years, Professor!" he exclaimed, not at all sounding as pleasant as he had hoped to sound. The tall witch eyed him carefully for a few moments then altogether ignored him. She moved past him and toward the other first years.

Sirius grabbed James by the collar and pulled him back into the crowd the moment the witch stepped toward them. "Was that really necessary, mate?" he whispered, harshly into James' left ear. He immediately shut his mouth when the witch's suspicious eye fell upon him as well. The handsome chap cleared his throat, adjusting his posture in the way a proper Black heir would. He definitely didn't want to get on her bad side this early on.

The tall witch pulled the door wide and looked around at them with a stern face. "Was Hagrid not―?" she stopped the moment she spotted the large man unconscious on the ground. "Oh dear," she gasped. James noticed that there was just a bit more frustration than worry in her voice when she said, "I'll have to collect Madame Pompfrey later. Just... leave him there. Come now, all of you, follow me."

Just as the witch had ordered them, they hesitantly left Hagrid where he lay. A few of the more concerned students looked back at the large man before walking away. Obediently, the crowd of first years huddled through the doors and into the enormous entrance hall of stoned walls and flaming torches. James idled a bit behind to stare back at Hagrid's oversized, plump face behind all the bushels of hair. It was partially their fault he was in this condition... He felt a wee bit guilty, but there was no use fretting about that now. He turn back to the rest of the group and realized that Sirius and Peter and gone ahead without him, probably not realizing that they had left him behind. He trotted over to catch up with the stragglers.

As far as James could see, the one person in the crowd that seemed to have put up a fuss about leaving Hagrid was Evans. That did not surprise him at all. He passed her (she was one of the stragglers lagging behind the crowd) as he managed to catch up. He lingered there a bit, unfortunately, overhearing her fussing:

"We can't just leave him," she complained to the boy also straggling next to her. "What kind of school does this?"

It was at that point James noticed that the boy she was speaking to was the same one who had come into their compartment on the train with the complaint that they were being too loud. It was a good thing he asked the boy's name at that time so he could place at least one more name to face among these first years. Snape, was it? His lanky dark hair stood out in direct contrast to Evans' thick red. He seemed to be trying to encourage her to walk with the rest of the group and calm down.

"We're going!" he said, unable to sound anything less than excited about being at the school. "This is it! We're at Hogwarts!"

Snape seemed to be trying to convince the red head to forget Hagrid and look around her. He started pushing her along from behind, but she kept pulling away from him only to complain even more. "I don't want to talk to you," she said in a constricted voice. "There was the thing with Tuney and now this..."

"W-Wait, I didn't―"

James moved away from them. He dove into the crowd in front of him, and excused his way past the other first years, letting Snape's and Evans' voices fade away as he moved closer to the front of the group. He didn't really want to know what Snape was going to say to try and calm her down, but it seemed like it would take a while anyway. It was their problem after all. No particular need to eavesdrop. He didn't really care. It was evident to anyone who over heard them talking that the two were already close friends anyway. She appeared to be a huge hassle to deal with and he did not, in any way, envy Snape for the trouble she was giving him now. He quite understood Snape's desire to enjoy the first moments of being at school...

Eventually, the messy-haired boy finally caught sight of Sirius and Peter at the front. They were now walking with the far right of the group. By the time he caught up with his two friends (after excusing himself past a good majority of other first years), the witch was already leading the pack up the magnificent marble staircase of the entrance hall that led to the upper floors of the school. Most of the students were silent as they walked, but many others were bubbling on about everything around them. Peter happened to be one of those people. He was in all awe, glancing about like an excited little mouse. From the high ceiling to almost every painting on the wall, he would squeak about it in sheer delight. Sirius found this to be annoying after a while so when James finally caught up with them, thankfully switched to walk on the other side of James. Even thought he was annoyed, he didn't exactly want to hurt Peter's feelings by walking away so bluntly. Using James as a barrier seemed like a nicer option.

The lot of them followed the witch down the flagged stone floor. It didn't take long before they could hear a low droning of hundreds of voices from somewhere up ahead. Everyone must already be inside the Great Hall! James could barely quell his excitement, but just as they were about to seemingly enter through a doorway on the right, the witch instead showed them into a a small, empty chamber off the hall to the left. James' eyes stayed trained onto the doorway on the opposite side. He could hear the rumbling of voices that echoed from behind those doors. That must be the Great Hall! Even as they crowded into the smaller room and even as the witch introduced herself as Professor Minerva McGonagall, the new Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, James' eyes remained glued to the double doors on the opposite side of the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because..."

James zoned out and stopped listening. He already knew everything Professor McGonagall was going to say anyway. The only thing on his mind at that moment was getting into the Great Hall. The floating candles, the long tables... Seeing the house flags dangling from the ceiling. He wanted to see it for himself! Pictures, stories, and gossip had riled him up so much over the years that he was worried that his imagination now out weighed the reality of it. He closed his eyes took a deep breath, trying his best to dampen his fantasies. He breathed in a nice slow breath and then released it through his nose. He opened his eyes, feeling a bit calmer as he looked back at the doors―? The messy-haired boy blinked. When he opened his eyes, his field of view of the Great Hall was obscured by the two people loitering about just outside of the small chamber. He frowned. He could no longer see the double doors. His imagination was about to run wild again until he recognized one of the loiterers.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one who recognized loitering blonde girl.

"It's her!" Sirius whispered, nudging James in the side. There's absolutely no way he could forget anyone who had stolen from him. He was a Black, after all, and Blacks remember. "That... that bean thief!"

"Bean thief!" Peter repeated, just a little bit louder. It was just a bit louder, but it was loud enough for the two loiterers to notice them from outside the chamber. She looked back at the trio, confused.

James had winced at the sound of Peter's squeal. Peter had been one thing, but Sirius? He hadn't expected Sirius to be one to who fast to grudges. Bean thief? He thought with a laugh. What a name. It was too funny. Seriously, Sirius? To hide the his desire to burst out laughing, James pretended to look over his shoulder at a very interesting crack in the wall he hadn't noticed until just now. Sirius, on the other hand, had grabbed Peter from behind and covered the blonde's squeaking mouth. Not too surprisingly enough, Peter was oblivious to the odd stares he was receiving from the other first years. He tried looking back at the handsome chap and muffled an even louder, "What?" but came out as a questionable "Muf?" instead. Sirius hushed him immediately. James' shoulders were trembling from trying to hold it in.

They all knew Professor McGonagall heard them; James tried his best to wipe the wide grin off his face before looking down at his feet. He had a strong suspicion that the witch had shot them an annoyed glare whilst continuing on with her speech. Like a true professional, she carried on, only hardening and further emphasizing just a few of her phrases, especially: 'any rule-breaking,' ' 'will lose house points', and 'I hope each of you will be a credit to their house'. The messy-haired boy suspected that those three phrases were intended just for the three of them.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place shortly in front of the rest of the school." She went on, "I suggest you straighten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return for you when we're ready." She turned away from them and toward the hall once more, but stopped at the entrance to turn around and added, "Please wait quietly."

She was staring directly at Peter when she said this and this made his obliviousness sink into embarrassment. His face turned bright red and he tried to hide his face. Several of the students near him giggled. After seeing that her point had finally been made, she left the chamber walking straight toward the bean thief girl and her companion waiting patiently for her out in the hall.

James watched as the bean thief-blonde girl came up to the Professor with a smile on her round face. She instantly started explaining something as soon as she got past their greetings from the look of it. From where he stood, James couldn't even make out what was being mouthed, though, it seemed like she was introducing the Professor to the young boy that had been standing just a bit behind her. The blonde girl took a step to the side so that McGonagall could get a proper look at him. With the bean thief out of the way, her companion stepped forward, head down. She apparently had to urge him to greet Professor McGonagall appropriately. The boy, James finally took notice, was rather thin and his body language showed him to be extremely tense and nervous.

"Who do you suppose that is?" James inquired to Sirius with a light nudge in the shoulder.

Sirius frowned. "A prefect."

"What?" James blinked. "I was talking about the boy―"

"Can you believe that? That, that, that bean thief is actually a prefect?"

"What?"

After hearing this, Peter immediate put down his hands, took a long sniff (he had apparently be sobbing silently to himself) and then looked to where the handsome chap was pointing.

"She is! She has the prefect badge!" he squeaked, softly this time, to the relief of his friends.

The messy-haired boy hadn't even noticed that little detail neatly pinned to the her robes. He squinted his dark eyes, while adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Taking a few steps forward, he finally noticed the badge, shining in the reflected flames in all of its 5th year glory. In that moment, the blonde girl turned around to talk to her young companion. She had her back to them now. Wait. Blonde girl? James froze. He pictured that moment on the platform when someone had rammed into his shoulder without even an acknowledged apology.

"She's the girl who bumped into me!" he exclaimed. "She's the one who went into the Forbidden Forest!"

Unfortunately, Sirius was so busy obsessing over his lost beans with Peter that neither one of them had heard his revelation. Even more unfortunate, the very moment James was about to repeat himself, Professor McGonagall had finally returned and stood before the crowded first years once more. It took him a moment to notice that the blonde girl's companion had followed the Professor and was now standing behind her. He was then briefly and quietly told to stand in with the rest of the first years. James watched the thin boy for a moment out of sheer curiosity. He had been with the blonde girl who bumped into him on the platform after all. It spurred his wonder. What kind of person was he? Rude, maybe? Just like that blonde prefect girl... The young boy obeyed McGonagall at once. Despite his eagerness, though, he looked even more awkward and tense than he had moments earlier in the hallway. His light brown hair shown in the fire light, yet covered some parts of his face. He was looking directly at his feet, biting his lower lip. Uneasy wasn't the word. He seemed almost about ready to panic.

James looked away from the boy, losing some interest, and turned back to the hallway to see that the blonde girl had disappeared. Probably gone off to either join the others in the Great Hall or off to do other "prefect-like" duties... The messy-haired boy sighed. It was just his luck; karma for laughing at Pettigrew earlier.

Professor McGonagall waited for the crowd to settle down before she began to speak again.

"The Sorting Ceremony will start shortly," she told them. "In the meantime, I have to inform Madam Pomfrey about our poor groundskeeper... Everyone form a line please. When I return, we will head into the Great Hall."

With that said, she left them once more and headed to the left and down the hall again. Almost immediately after she left, the chamber erupted into a bustling market of chatter while also trying to find themselves a place in line.

The thin boy from earlier, since he was already standing closest to the front, awkwardly stood where he was and let everyone else form a line behind him. Most of the other first years, fumbled to stand at the back of the line. Most of them, but not Evans it seemed. Snape tagged along with her to the front. She stood directly behind the thin boy and Snape behind her. James, who had been a bit too slow on the uptake, and way too busy wondering where the blonde girl had gone had missed his opportunity to be the first student in line―the first student in his year to walk into the Great Hall. He was sure the first person got the best view of the place... With a frown, he got in line behind Snape. He wanted to be the first one in line, but now he was made to be the fourth of all things! Self-consciously, he made a slight mental note of dislike toward the three in front of him, but took it back immediately.

Sirius took his place behind James as usual. The two of them high-fived. Unfortunately for Peter, someone got ahead of him and he had to stand behind a tall, stocky girl he did not know. Peter looked like he was about to cry. James turned back to look at the blonde boy and tried a helpful smile. "Pettigrew, we're still here, mate!"

Peter sniffled, but remained silent where he was.

Unable to really help, James turned to face forward again. Trying to mind his own business, he wasn't intending to but became a bit surprised to overhear Snape and Evans arguing about something in front of him. Without really looking at them, the messy-haired boy could tell that Evens had been crying to Snape. Possibly on the same topic she had been complaining about earlier. He didn't know. He didn't really want to know. He tried to block out most of the conversation, but couldn't help it. They were in line after all.

Sirius nudged him from behind. Apparently the handsome chap had noticed the argument from behind as well. He mouthed the words, 'what the bloody hell?' and then rolled his eyes at the messy-haired boy. James chuckled at Sirius' exaggerated reaction. Professor McGonagall wasn't back yet so James and Sirius started getting back into their typical conversations and speculations about the new year. They even quietly started making a few quips here and there about how they could get on Professor McGonagall's good side (or how they might end up getting on anyone's bad side). They were laughing, as were much of the rest of the students standing around in line, and it seemed like Evans had finally started to wipe her tears away in front of them. By chance, just as he checked to see if McGonagall had come back, James noticed a small smile appear on her face. Snape had managed to succeed in cheering her up it seemed.

Without really meaning to, James' ears tuned back into their conversation and heard what Snape said next:

"You'd better be in Slytherin," he told Evans, sounding just a tiny bit relieved and encouraged for some reason.

James frowned. As far as he knew, the messy-haired boy knew absolutely no one within his family or immediate group of friends who wanted to be put in Slytherin. His parents had both been in Gryffindor, and that was the coolest house ever. Even their colors were awesome! It was like Snape was trying to make fun of Evans on purpose.

"Slytherin?" James interjected with bit of a smirk on his face. This caused the two in front of him to look back at him with a jolt. "Who wants to be in Slytherin?" At hearing this, Snape looked offended; James ignored him. Instead, he turned back to Sirius and asked with a bit of a haughty tone in his voice: "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Sirius crossed his arms, eyes appearing weary, almost tired. The handsome chap didn't smile, which almost threw James off. It wasn't like Sirius to being so... well, serious. No immediate quip? No laughter or back up sarcasm?

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," the handsome chap replied, a resigning smile forming on his lips.

Well, that answered that question. "Blimey," gaped James, transforming his expression into an overly exaggerated look of disbelief and disapproval. Eyes wide and mouth open, he cried out: "and I thought you seemed all right!"

Sirius grinned. The two boys knew each other too well.

"Hey, maybe I'll break the tradition." He said with a smirk, "Well, where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

The messy-haired boy paused a moment. Not because he didn't already know the answer, but because he was shocked at the revelation that none of them had ever never asked this question before. So many questions to ask, yet so little time it seemed! The answer was so obvious to him that he couldn't help but act it out a bit. He was kind of glad that, despite wanting to see the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall had gone off again.

In answer to Sirius' question, he pretended to lift and invisible sword.

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Just like my dad."

There was a little twinkle in his eyes when he said this, Sirius couldn't help but laugh. The two of them could definitely picture Fleamont Potter holding up a fake sword like James just had. At Fleamont's age, it definitely would be a sight behold. James was definitely going to ask his father to enact it over Christmas. He just had to see that! James chuckled at the thought.

Snape, adamant about his opinion, made a disparaging noise at hearing James' answer. Evans shifted uncomfortably, looking between Snape and the other two boys.

James heard Snape's groan and immediately stopped laughing. No one insults my father, he thought with frown. He turned on Snape: "Got a problem with that?"

"No," said Snape, sneering. Obviously still offended by what James had said earlier, his 'no' held little to no truth in it, "...If you'd rather be brawny than brainy―"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius interjected in James' defense.

James was so startled by Sirius' comeback that he burst out into a fit of laughter. Sirius took this as sign of approval from the messy-haired boy and grinned back at Snape. Evans clenched her fists and pulled Snape by the arm away from them, she glared squarely from James to Sirius in absolute dislike. "Come on, Severus, let's ignore them."

"Oooooo..." the two boys, in their fit of laughter imitated Evans' irritated voice. She turned around defiantly, pulling Snape along with her. James stepped on Snape's oversized cloak for good measure and he almost tripped. Both Evans and Snape were thrown off balance and bumped into the thin boy standing at the front of the line in the process. The thin boy only took a step forward, not wanting to get involved.

"Nice going, Snivellus! Try to be more careful, yeah?"

They continued to laugh. Even Peter, who was too far away to really know what was going on, was now laughing along with them. With Evans and Snape out of ear shot again, James automatically tuned out and forgot about them. He went straight into complimenting Sirius on how quick his comebacks were getting. They eventually jumped to a different topic, and started laughing again.

Surely, from Snape's perspective, it still seemed like they were laughing at him... Not that either of the boys cared, of course.

Professor McGongall arrived shortly after that, and the group of rowdy first years immediately quieted down. The initial nervousness in the air swept over them again with a wave of nausea as the cherry on top. James may have been the only person in line who was more excited than nervous. Sirius had to hold down his shoulder to keep him from jumping up and down.

"Good, you've formed a line," Professor McGonagall commented, "Now, follow me."

The thin boy at the front of the line followed their Professor out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through the pair of double doors James had been eyeing since their group had walked passed it earlier.

There was a bounce in James' step that hadn't been there before. He looked about him, not in wonder, but with great satisfaction. It was just as his imagination had pictured it―No, it was even better than his imagination! This was reality. Reality was blood brilliant. He wanted to squeal, but knew that that was Peter's thing. He, instead, beamed at all of the students seated at the four long tables that filled the Great Hall. To see the most talked about High Table for himself, he craned his neck past Snape, Evans, and the other boy to see ahead. He spotted Albus Dumbledore sitting in the Headmaster's golden chair immediately. He knew that face from the Chocolate Frog cards he collected. He then looked up at the silvery beings that floated around the Hall. A few of the first years gasped at seeing the friendly apparitions, the ghosts, in the air, but James only smirked. He knew all this. He'd read all about this a long time ago. He had been prepared for a long time. Nothing could surprise him―

James had been so impressed with himself that he hadn't noticed they had finally reached the front of the Hall, he quite literally bumped his head into Snape's.

"S-Sorry," he apologized, instinctively.

Snape only clicked his tongue and gave him an annoyed look. He flipped his head back toward the front as fast a he could, taking a step closer to Evans and farther away from James.

What's his problem? James thought bitterly. He was just about to say something back at Snape when he noticed Professor McGonagall place the four-legged stool his mother told him about at the front of the line of first years. Excitement returned to him in that instant. All qualms he had toward Snape dissipated. He watched as she finally placed the tabby, old, pointed wizard's hat on top of the stool. Here it comes, the thought with a grin.

The air in the large hall was silent for a while. James stared intently at the shabby wizard's hat for almost a minute before it twitched into life. The evident rip near the brim of the hat opened like a mouth, and it finally began to sing...

"Created I was, long ago,

As new as one could be.

Not patched, not frayed, not battered up,

The Four Founders enchanted me.

Each one bearing different skills

and different points of view

To show the well rounded-ness we see today

Of Hogwarts' School brand new!

They left behind their mind and soul

To four houses you've come to know

So here I am to tell where:

The house you ought to go!

If Gryffindor's the place you seek,

Your heart be daring and brave

For nothing can stop the chivalrous,

The heart of one who saves;

To be be apart of Hufflepuff

There's many who might find,

Their loyalty and patience is

Where their strength begins to bind;

For those who will seek Ravenclaw,

Placing their mind to the test,

Your attitude is tough and in want of more,

A hunger for knowledge, quenched;

Or maybe you crave for Slytherin,

With a means to achieve an end

With great wit and style no one denies

No friendships here will rend.

You know the places,

You know it's time.

Just trust in me and you'll be fine.

For here I am, once again,

The Sorting Hat

At your service!"

The Great Hall erupted into a whole bunch of whoops, howls, and applause by the end of its song. It took a bow to each of the four tables, and then bowed even longer toward the High Table at the end of the hall in front for all to see. After that, the hat immediately became still again.

"What kind of bloody song was that?" Sirius commented, obviously unimpressed. "The last bit didn't even rhyme anymore!"

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, unrolling a long roll of parchment she had picked up during the song.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she explained. She adjusted the spectacles that had fallen to the tip of her nose.

James furrowed his brows. "Mum never told me how hideous the Sorting Hat looked," he remarked. "I don't want that thing on my head."

"Oh yeah?" Sirius quipped. "It's not like it will make your hair look any worse."

James lightly pushed the handsome chap in the chest. "You got me. Now shove off!"

"You were asking for it," Sirius grinned, regaining his balance easily.

Professor McGonagall started to call out names. She started with a girl named "Abbott" who was promptly sorted into Hufflepuff, her table roared with joy, inviting her to sit with them. Then Professor McGonagall called "Abercrombie" who was sorted into Gryffindor, "Avery" sorted into Slytherin, and then "Belby" who was finally put into Ravenclaw. All of these first years were greeted with a roar of applause. The fact that every house now had at least one new student only proved to James that any house was up for grabs.

Sirius took a deep breath and tapped James on the shoulder. The messy-haired boy looked back at him in question, but before he could ask anything Professor McGonagall's voice echoed loud and clear for all to hear:

"Black, Sirius!"

There was a hushed murmur, one that James hadn't heard for the other first years so far. Sirius moved out of line and stood a little in front of James. It was then that they began to hear the whispers of those at the tables nearest to them. They were whispering such things like, "Another Black?" or "How many are there?" and "He's definitely going to Slytherin that one..." These voices kinda rubbed the messy-haired boy the wrong way.

"Don't listen to them," James whispered. "Go show them who you really are."

The handsome chap didn't turn around. Whatever air of aristocracy he held since they arrived at Hogwarts had diminished completely. He appeared almost scared, at least to James anyway. He could tell that this was really something the handsome chap had been dreading this whole time. Without even a word or look of worry, he carried it all inside. James felt guilty. How did he not notice?

He heard Sirius gulp before walking out of his place in line and toward the Sorting Hat and stool. The whispers stopped the moment he put the Sorting Hat on top of his head... They waited in silence. A silence that felt like a really long time. James gasped, he just noticed that he had been holding his breath the whole time. He glanced around the Hall, wondering if perhaps the magical item had somehow broke itself? He frowned. What in the world was taking so long...? Impatiently, he looked back at his friend sitting on the stool, he noticed that Sirius appeared to be making a rather adamant face behind the hat that was seemingly too big for him.

The Sorting Hat seemed to mumble a few things before finally shouting: "...GRYFFIDOR!"

"What?!" cried a high-pitched voice. James turned to the horrifyingly familiar face of Bellatrix sitting at the Slytherin table. He spotted Rodolphus beside her, and another guy beside him looked who looked to be his sibling. "Impossible!"

The Great Hall was dead silent after that. Sirius kept seated. No one was clapping. Echoing questions floated around the Hall, even a few of the professors at the High Table looked surprised. The silence was deafening.

James had to do something. He hated seeing the handsome chap sitting there like that. Then, just as James, himself, was about to start applauding all on his own, the Gryffindor table finally rose up in an even louder roar than any of the other tables before them. Sirius took the Sorting Hat off his head, beaming. He looked so free. So happy. James could barely comprehend the real reason why. The handsome chap winked at James and then headed straight for the Gryffindor table to sit down. He didn't seem to care about his cousin's outburst. Even though he could feel the heavy stares coming from the Slytherin table way on the other side of the Great Hall, he didn't even bother a glance. Nothing could be done to change it anyway. Bellatrix wouldn't be able to enslave him as her lackey at school now. He had a legitimate reason. Yeah, sure, there were still a few people wondering why he hadn't been sorted into Slytherin like the rest of his kin... but the surprise was still rather welcome. He broke tradition after all! It seemed like blood had nothing to do with the house, and that was a relief to Sirius more than anyone else.

"You've made history!" exclaimed one of the Gryffindors seated somewhat near Sirius. The handsome chap could hardly contain his grin.

The next couple of the Sortings went by rather quick. There was "Catchlove, Greta," a Ravenclaw, and even a "Cresswell, Dirk" who joined Sirius at the Gryffindor table. They more or less were sorted instantly upon placing the hat on their heads...

Of the people James already knew by name, "Evans, Lily" was next to be called up. She bit her lip and nervously, on shaky legs, climbed her way up to sit upon the stool. "GRYFFINDOR!" There was hardly any hesitation on the Sorting Hat's part, and she clambered down and toward the cheering Gryffindor table a little hesitantly. James heard Snape's tiny groan and he watched Evans' emerald eyes glance momentarily back at Snape with a sad smile before tearing off toward the table of her new appeared to have scooted over to give her room at the table, but even though she sat down beside him, she firmly crossed her arms and turned her back to him. She must have still been upset with the way they had teased her friend earlier... Oops.

After that, there were a string of other students that were sorted into each of the other houses. That included the young thin boy that had been with the bean thief outside.

The poor boy jolted a little when the name, "Lupin, Remus" was called. He quickly made his way to the Sorting Hat and put it on. He sat there for quite some time and it was almost as long a time as Sirius. He wringing his hands the whole time, looking so evidently nervous that he James felt a little worried. James actually thought he saw Dumbledore show just a little bit of concern himself. Eventually, however, the house "GRYFFINDOR" was called, and though, still a little shaken by the long wait, Lupin made his way down to the cheering Gryffindors. He took a seat next to Evans as it was closer to the end of the table.

After that, there were a few other names called like, "Gudeon, Davy," "Jones," "MacDonald, Mary," "Mulciber," and... it eventually got to "Pettigrew, Peter."

Honestly speaking, James was a bit worried that Peter might have run off upon hearing his name, but he did just as the other did and sat there with the Sorting Hat covering half of his face. There was a brief pause before the Sorting Hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

James and Sirius, together, probably clapped the loudest. Peter looked around gleefully, before scuttling to the Gryffindor table, tripping on his own feet, getting up, and in a panic of embarrassment bad himself room between Evans and Sirius at the table. James looked around at the scarce number of students left. He was pretty sure that his name was next on the list―

"Potter, James!"

James straightened himself up a little before waltzing over to the the stool just as he saw the others do. He took his time in glancing up at the High Table full of his future Professors and smiled at each of them. Just as he was about to turn to smile up at Professor McGonagall he was met with a a sharp glare and a curt, "Sight seeing, are we, Mr. Potter?"

The Great Hall erupted in laughs and giggles. He could have sworn he saw Snape roll his eyes from down on the floor, but he ignored it. James grinned innocently up at her, and then without replying, placed the Sorting Hat on his he―"GRYFFINDOR!"

James blinked. What? The hat hadn't even touched his head yet! Feeling a little bit disappointed, he took it off and placed it back on the stool. The Gryffindor house roared in applause again, and James couldn't help but take a bow. This act, however, was trying Professor McGonagall's patience and she essentially had to push him out of the spotlight and toward his House table before being able to continue. For some reason, the witch looked more distraught than usual. The students were all laughing at him. James was loving it. He pat Sirius and Pettigrew on the back before finding his seat on the other side of the table, opposite them. He shook hands with a couple of the seniors of his house, beaming brightly. Just like my father, he thought proudly. He couldn't wait to send Cinder to his parents with the news!

Head up in the clouds, James almost missed seeing Snape's Sorting into "SLYTHERIN!" This didn't surprise either James or Sirius, however, James was careful not to say anything around Evans. She still had her back to them, and she had just been separated from the only friend she seemed to have so far. He kept his comments to himself when he glanced over and Peter and Sirius. He'd save those comments for later...

With the Sorting Ceremony finally out of the way, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood up from his chair to address the congregation. He cleared his throat.

"Welcome!" he said looking out at the young bright faces, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin the banquet, I would like to say a few words. Here they are: Ripply, Dipply, Doe, Doe, DOO!"

Silence. Apparently, he had tried to make the students jump with his loud "DOO!" but it didn't seem to have worked. Evans glanced around at the Gryffindor table, wondering what in the world was happening, but no one else seemed to return her confused stares.

"Right. Thank you!" Dumbledore said and sat down, looking a little bit disappointed. Everyone clapped and cheered. Dumbledore, though, didn't really notice the cheers. He was, perhaps, already thinking of better words to say at next year's banquet...

"I knew he was bonkers," said Sirius, turning to face the table completely.

"Bonkers!" Peter repeated.

"I never doubted you," James agreed, also turning toward the table.

The messy-haired boy and the handsome chap sat facing each other, grinning widely. They looked down the long table at the other students of other years, and just as they were facing the table, so where they. There were a few of the students that they saw down the line looking so famished that their eyes just seemed to be drilling holes into the table. Their eyes looked wild, mouths salivating. Strangely enough, if any of the new students were paying attention, they'd notice that the veteran banquet goers were readying their hands and bodies to pounce onto the table. Pounce onto something that... just wasn't there yet. Peter appeared pretty oblivious to what was about to happen next; well, at least, he wasn't the only one this time. Actually, most of the other new students were still facing toward the High Table, expecting something more from the Headmaster.

"Here it comes!"

The hall went silent. All of the new students were even more confused. What was coming? Peter was looking around the Great Hall now, even the other new students seated closest to the trio like―Evans, Cresswell, Lupin, and MacDonald―were all looking between each other asking hushed questions.

James grinned at lot of them, not willing to spoil their surprise. "Don't look so worried," he told Peter, but he was also addressing anyone else who was keen to listening. They all looked incredulously at him. "Get your mouths ready."

In that moment, onto the empty table, appeared heaps and heaps of piping hot food out of blinking no where. Those who already knew this would happen were already digging in to the piles, like the animals they became in absolute hunger. Sirius started digging in as well, not minding the others beside him who were just staring dumbfounded at the sight before them. He, being the well-bred aristocrat that he was, began picking out food and placing it onto the plate (that had also appeared out of nowhere) with great swiftness and finesse. The messy-haired boy paused a moment to admire the others' dumbfounded looks. He found it comical that no one else had come across this little tidbit about the Great Hall banquets like he and Sirius had.

"Potatoes, Evans?" James inquired, picking up a bowl that had appeared situated in front of him. Sirius looked up from his plate, chewing like the prince he could be, and looked between the messy-haired boy and the red-head. James added, "A little way of apology for earlier?"

Lily Evans shook herself out disbelief at the amount of food and looked up at the boy who had spoken to her. She looked to have blanked out about who he was for a split second, but the moment the memory returned, she glared at him harshly. James tried to force a smile on his face, but it faltered under the gaze of those green eyes. Eyes like dragons, he thought with a gulp. "P-Potatoes?" He managed to repeat.

Her glare lessened just a little bit when she saw the potatoes. She said nothing to him, obviously still heavily bitter, only snatching the bowl of potatoes from him and serving herself in silence. When she was done, James was about to take them back from her, but she ignored him completely and tapped the boy, Lupin, on the shoulder who was sitting beside her. Lupin seemed quite taken aback by her kind gesture, accepting the bowl graciously, head bowed.

James felt annoyed. He slumped down in his seat to face Sirius who was now helping Peter carve out a massive chicken leg.

"You tried, mate," said the handsome chap leaning forward a little. He plopped the chicken leg onto Peter's plate and returned to his own to devour the peas and corn. "Nothing to do but eat. You better tuck in before it's gone!"

James was now more than half way through eating his cut of steak when he noticed a group of students a bit down the table conversing with the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower, Nearly Headless Nick. He smiled at the group of them, then went back to eating his steak. The ghost had been showing off his parlor trick of pulling his head almost completely off his body to everyone who wanted to know about the nick name. Peter saw the trick once, and turning away horrified, losing his appetite in the process. Sirius, on the other hand, was conversing with a few 2nd years about the other house ghosts and about a certain trouble-making poltergeist named Peeves. Hearing this, James looked up from his plate, chewing patiently and presently interested in the current topic. During this brief bit of looking up, James saw one of the double doors of the Great Hall open. Ears still open to the topic of Peeves and how he would often "prank students at random," James observed the blonde prefect girl―the bean thief―slip into the bustling Hall and close the door behind her.

His ears tuned out of the conversation, and he watched as the blonde girl made her way to the Gryffindor table. She greeted a few of her friends, making her way down to where the new students were. Before James could make the connection in his head, she had already made her way down to where they sat. She stood almost directly behind Sirius when she spoke, so he didn't notice her right away:

"Oh, isn't that great, Lupin! You're in Gryffindor," she exclaimed causing the thin boy to turn around and acknowledge her. She winked at him and smiled, "You didn't let my ramblings affect your choice of house, did you?"

Lupin shook his head, still keeping it low. His eyes would only glance up to look at her for brief moments.

The two second years who Sirius had been having an adamant conversation about the Bloody Baron (they had moved on), noticed the blonde girl.

"Oy, Alice!"

Alice turned round to the two and beamed. "Oy! I'm famished. Saved me a space, did you...? No? Aw. Hm... Oh! Beside you―" she pointed at James with a wink, "―would be perfect. Be a nice lad and scooch on over, would you?"

Mindlessly, James obeyed, scooting over so he was sitting in front of Peter more than Sirius now. She nodded in approval and then went around the table to sit in the spot he had made.

Upon finally seeing who was talking to them as she came round, Sirius's mouth felt open.

"I-It's you!" He cried, pointed a shaky finger at Alice. Alice only smiled at him, totally oblivious to the pent up frustration boiling inside of the handsome chap now, "You're the Gryffindor prefect?!"

:: TO BE CONTINUED ::

First Day of Trouble

Author's Notes: Thanks for your patience everyone. I had to re-edit a few chapters before I could put this up... but it's finally up! Oh dear... I won't make any promises, but I hope you enjoy this latest chapter! Remus is finally here! FINALLY. If it wasn't for Ethreal Euphoria, I probably wouldn't have posted this. It's be a long time... a REALLY long time. It was nice though..