Imperative (A Marauder's Era Fanfiction)

Chapter Two - The Sorting

The carriage rattled from side to side as the scenery flew quickly past the window. The green English countryside was scattered with fences and crops, laid out like a patchwork quilt in front of the train. Madeleine rested her head on her hand as stared longingly out the window. She never was one for travel and the excitement twisting her stomach at the prospect of what awaited her at the Hogwarts platform only caused her slightly more worry. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to imagine what the castle would look like, what would the classrooms feel like and most importantly what her house dormitory would be like. She felt someone stir slightly next to her and reopened her eyes slowly, turning to face a half conscious Remus. "How long was I asleep?" He muttered, holding his hand over his mouth while he yawned. "Barely half an hour." Madeleine stated with a shrug before turning back to the window. The scenery was beginning to change now, the green paddocks had become replaced with tussock hills and stormy clouds.

"Are you worried?" Remus asked curiously, although his voice was tinged with anxiety. "About what?" She readjusted the arm rest of the seat and turned around to face her brother, back pressed against the cold window. "Everything." He hung his head slightly, "The classes, grades, houses... friends." He left a prolonged gap between each item of his list as if each one brought a huge burden to his chest. "What if I don't make any?" She immediately knew what he was referring to. Remus hadn't had any friends in his childhood at all. The closest he had become to anything was the chains on the basement floor during his transformations. "Remus, i'm sure you will. And even if you don't, you'll still have me." She smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You will always have me." Remus seemed to relax slightly at this, placing a hand on top of hers. "Thanks Mads."

"Besides," she teased, "who knows what house you are going to be in. You might yet be a Slytherin." Remus laughed, relaxing back into his seat. "I was thinking more Ravenclaw." She raised her eyebrows, "Not a Gryffindor?" He let out a fake laugh at her remark, "I don't think i'd actually be 'Gryffindor' enough to get in." Madeleine gave up on the interrogation, lifting up her legs to rest her feet on the couch opposite. "We should probably get changed soon." She murmured as her eyes scanned the ripped muggle jeans she was wearing.

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"Welcome to Hogwarts." The stern woman announced while pushing open the old wooden doors. Madeleine's eyes opened wide as the great hall entered her view. Candles hung from the roof without support, casting a magical glow over the long oak tables. Students dressed in black robes lined each of the four tables, clapping loudly at he entrance of the first years. "Wow." She heard Remus gasp under his breath but she couldn't respond. A stool sat at the front of the hall in front of a long table of teachers but what caught her attention was the old hat placed on top of it. The material was tattered around the edges and an extra patch had been sewn on to cover a hole.

A lump rose in Madeleine's throat at the thought of what would happen next, a whirlwind of ideas crossed through her mind. The sorting. The excitement she felt in her chest quickly disappeared as her breathing quickened. Finally the stern Professor came to a halt, looking down her nose and at the line of students formed at her feet. "When I read out your name you will come forward and place on the hat." She took out a long reel of parchment from under her long emerald cloak before adjusting her glasses.

"Black, Sirius." A young boy jumped up to the stool, his face the embodiment of confidence and cheek. Madeleine watched as the old hat was placed slowly onto his head, surprised to see a flicker of dread pass over his eyes. There was a gap filled with silence in which the gaze of everyone in the hall was focussed on the boy. "Gryffindor." The hat bellowed across the hall, prompting the tumultuous applause of the students sat at the long table to the left. He hopped down quickly, striding across the hall and taking a seat at the end of the wooden bench.

She watched as the number of students around her began to diminish as they filed off to their tables. Madeleine bounced up and down on the spot, her hands tucked into the black robes as she fiddled nervously with the cuffs.

"Longbottom, Frank." Another worried looking boy clambered up to the stool, knuckled clutched painfully around the edge of the wood. "Gryffindor!" Madeleine chewed on her thumb nail, her doubts suddenly resurfacing. What was she going to do if she was put in a separate house to her brother?

"Lupin, Madeleine." She froze at the mention of her name, her legs stuck to the floor like they were tied down with glue. Looking up at the Professor she noticed that the woman's gaze was fixed on her. Shaking her head slightly Madeleine pushed gently past the remaining students, a determined look now set on her face. She sat down gently on the seat before turning to face the crowded hall. She breathed deeply. As the old hat was lowered down slowly onto her head she closed her eyes, focus drifting away from the harsh gaze of the school. Well. She jumped at the internal voice, eyes flying open. I see many things, yes. Many emotions... and a lot of fear. Though you have many traits there may be a clear one here. Yes, It's where you are meant to be. The hat seemed to be trying to reassure itself of it's decision before it opened its mouth again, bellowing out into the great hall, "Slytherin."

Madeleine's heart stopped as the table full of Slytherin students stood up, clapping wildly. No this couldn't be true. She wasn't evil was she? How? A loud buzzing noise in her ears drowned out the cheers from her new house as she stepped numbly off the stool. Putting one foot in front of the other she walked carefully over to the table, emitting a fake smile at the reception she was given. Once the table quietened again she turned to face the front, breath held in anticipation of the next person.

"Lupin, Remus." Her leg started to bounce up and down involuntarily under the table as she watched her brother replace where she had been sitting only moments before. He looked quickly around the room, wide eyes scanning every face. Every face but hers. "Remus!" She longed to call out, to run into his arms and let him know that the promise she made on the train was still there. "Gryffindor!" A smile split across his face as he rose from the seat, his eyes wild with glee. Madeleine offered a small smile to him but he never met her eyes.

She turned to face the table in front of her, a small tear threatening to escape down her cheek. Why? She repeated the sorting over and over again in her mind, zoning out as the remaining students began to make their way up. "Potter, James." Seemed to get the most applause from the Gryffindor table as the unkempt looking boy waltzed over with confidence. The ruckus at the Gryffindor table began to die down as one of the final students took to the stool.

"Snape, Severus." Was his name. Madeleine's mouth opened in shock when she glanced at the boy. His pale complexion and crooked nose were a reflection of the boy she had met in Diagon alley only months before. His hair still hung slickly around his face as if he had used too much hair gel. The boy, Severus, looked over at the Slytherin table in what would almost be annoyance, waiting impatiently for the hat to make its decision. Sure enough within seconds it had made it's mind up, yelling "Slytherin." Madeleine's heart felt crushed, not only did she not have her brother in her house but she had the impatient Diagon alley boy instead.

A thousand silver platters of roast vegetables and sausages appeared in front of her but she couldn't eat that much. Her heart was still pained. It was unbearable to watch Remus at his table, laughing and joking with his new friends while she sat sadly, ignoring any chance for conversation. Why? She repeated again as she let the tear roll down her cheek.

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A/N: Hey thank you for at least getting this far through. It would be great to get some feedback though as this is relatively new