Harry Potter - The Hogwarts Chase

Chapter Two - Sirius

It wasn't long before my name was called to be sorted.

"Black, Sirius!" called Professor McGonagall.

I chanced a glance to my right at my new friend, Chase, who was standing beside me. She smiled at me and next to her James nodded reassuringly. That was enough for me.

I worked my wat through the crowd of first-years and tried to ignore the hundreds of eyes that seemed to watch my every move. They all knew of the Black family. Of course they did. The Blacks were well known. For their choices of discriminating blood traitors and muggle-borns. And their stupid family motto – Always Pure. It makes me sick to my stomach. And yet everyone expected me to be just like them. But I won't be. I can't be.

With trembling legs I sat down on the stool and felt the Hat be dropped upon my head. The brim drooped over my eyes, shielding everyone's faces from view. The Sorting Hat then spoke in my ear.

"Another Black, eh? I should put you in Slytherin like the rest of your family but I sense that that is not the right....Ah, well you have a brave heart and yet a thirst to prove yourself....Slytherin...or elsewhere?"

The Hat fell silent while inside my head I chanted – Not Slytherin, not Slytherin, not Slytherin

The Hat spoke again. "Not Slytherin, eh? Very well then, better be... Gryffindor!"

The Hall erupted into cheers as McGonagall lifted the Hat off my head. I saw the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students clapping. The Slytherins, however, looked stony faced.

I saw Chase, beaming and cheering with everyone else, and James was clapping and whooping. I grinned happily. I had done it! I wasn't in Slytherin! I wasn't like the rest of my family!

I stood up and walked to the Gryffindor table and the cheers subsided. The roll call continued and a few people went to Hufflepuff, some Ravenclaws, a couple of Slytherins but so far I was the only Gryffindor.

Then the red headed girl was called up.

"Evans, Lily!"

I watched as she walked up with shaking legs but no sooner had the Hat touched her hair it cried "Gryffindor!"

The Hall erupted into cheers and I noticed that the black-haired boy who she was with on the train, didn't seem delighted and I saw his shoulders slump. Oh well, I thought to myself. Lily came and sat opposite me and I grinned at her, but she seemed to recognise me from the train and so she turned away. Oops.

The names continued and the next person to be sorted into Gryffindor was a sandy-brown-haired boy with green eyes called Remus Lupin. As he approached the table I couldn't help but notice that he had several faint scars on his face and a few that ran down to below his shirt collar. He took a seat a few people down from me and I grinned at him, a gesture that he mirrored before we both returned our attention back to the Sorting.

The next two people to be sorted into Gryffindor were both girls – one had blonde, wavy hair and blue eyes called Marlene McKinnon and the other was a black-haired girl with brown eyes called Mary MacDonald.

Then came a boy named Peter Pettigrew. He was a mousy boy with light brown hair and brown eyes and I struggled to understand why the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor.

Then Professor McGonagall called "Potter, James!" and my head snapped back to attention.

James walked towards the stool with an air of confidence and I saw Lily roll her eyes. James sat upon the stool and I couldn't help buy shake my head in amusement. Professor McGonagall lowered the Hat and it had not even touched his hair before it cried, "Gryffindor!"