✓ | EPISKEY → remus lupin [ discontinued ]

Chapter Five

Alanna jumped happily from the stool and rushed towards her house table. The Ravenclaw table was draped in bronze and blue, giving it a somewhat almighty appearance. The entire Ravenclaw table clapped and cheered for their new arrival.

As she passed Remus, Alanna gave him a small smile and a wink. Remus blinked, slightly taken aback, before he gave Alanna the thumbs up.

Moving down to the very end of the table, Alanna sat down beside a lovely girl with bright blonde hair and forest green eyes. Alanna stuck out her hand towards the girl.

"Alanna Harpshire, pleased to meet you," she introduced. The blonde girl eyed Alanna's hand for a moment, looking suspicious. Alanna thought of retracting her hand, and went to do so, but the blonde girl grabbed her hand before she could make a move and shook it.

"Tiffany Campbell," she introduced. "Glad we're in the same house. Good to know I've made one friend in my own house."

Alanna frowned. "You have made other friends, right?" she asked as the clapping arose again for Hufflepuff had gained another member. Alanna and Tiffany clapped along absentmindedly.

Tiffany nodded. "Yes, I have. But one has been Sorted into Hufflepuff and two are in Slytherin."

Alanna frowned. "I think Slytherin's been deemed as a bad house around here. Why's that?"

Tiffany frowned. "Let's just say there was a bad wizard once who went into Slytherin."

Alanna shrugged before the two Ravenclaws gave each other grins.

"What about you?" Tiffany asked. "Made any friends yet? Other than me, of course."

Alanna nodded. "Yeah, four."

Tiffany's eyes widened. "Four? You've made four friends on the train ride?"

Alanna nodded with a sheepish smile. "Is that a bad thing?" she asked quietly. Tiffany shook her head frantically.

"No! No, of course not, it's just surprising," she murmured.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat shouted suddenly. Both girls looked up.

Alanna's face fell when she realised that it was Remus who had been Sorted into Gryffindor. Glancing over at the Gryffindor table, Alanna could see that Sirius was quite happy. She frowned. Was she going to have any of the boys in her house?

Noticing Alanna's frown, Tiffany spoke. "Friend of yours?"

Alanna nodded sadly. "Yeah. That's Remus. Both he and Sirius have been Sorted into Gryffindor now."

"Wait, Sirius as in Sirius Black? The rebel of the Black family?" Tiffany asked. She pumped her fist in the air suddenly. "I knew he'd get into Gryffindor!"

Alanna frowned. "What? He has other family here?"

Tiffany nodded. "Oh yeah. They pretty much run the school. Well, his older cousin does."

"How do you know this stuff?" Alanna asked suddenly.

"My older sister went here before me, and my little brother's coming here next year. And then my other little sister will be three years after that."

Alanna nodded. "You have quite an extensive family."

Tiffany shrugged. "I guess. I've always been told that, but I don't mind a big family. I'm used to it. Have you got any siblings?"

Alanna nodded. "Two older sisters and a younger one."

Tiffany nodded. "Just the three?"

Alanna shrugged. "Have you got more?"

Tiffany nodded. "Oh yeah. I'm the fourth child out of nine so far. Mum says she wants more."

Alanna's eyes widened in shock. "More?" she repeated. Tiffany nodded and smiled proudly. "How could she possibly want more when she's got nine already?!"

Tiffany shrugged. "Mum says she's always wanted a massive family. Ever since she was a little girl. Says she wants to spoil them rotten."

"Oh." Alanna shrugged before she glanced back up to the podium. She waited with baited breath as another of her friends' names was called.

"Peter Pettigrew," McGonagall called. Alanna began chewing on her thumb nail. Tiffany, being the perceptive person she was, noticed.

"Another friend?" she asked Alanna. Alanna nodded and continued watching.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat announced after a few minutes of deliberation. Alanna clapped sadly for her friend. That was three out of four in Gryffindor now.

Glancing over at the Gryffindor table, Alanna saw that Remus was watching her. He gave her a sympathetic look and Alanna returned the look with a shrug. She made it out that she didn't mind when in reality, she really did. She hated the fact that she didn't have somebody she already knew in her house. She hoped and prayed that James got into Ravenclaw.

It wasn't long before it was James' turn.

"James Potter!" McGonagall called. James swaggered up to the front and sat down on the three-legged stool. McGonagall placed the Hat on his head and it covered his shock mass of black hair and his brown eyes. Not any more than a minute later, James' house was announced.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

James jumped up from the stool and ran over to Sirius, Remus and Peter. The four boys had a small celebration that they were in the same house. Remus was the first to pull away.

Glancing at the Ravenclaw table, Remus instantly picked up on the fact that Alanna was fairly lonely. But she clearly didn't show it much as she began conversing with the blonde girl beside her. Remus frowned before he was pulled into a headlock by Sirius.

"Be happy, mate!" Sirius chuckled. Remus struggled against his friend's strong grip, but managed to pull away from Sirius finally. "We're all in the same house!"

"Not all of us," Remus muttered. He rested his chin on top of his folded arms and watched Alanna. Sirius followed his gaze and nodded with a knowing smirk. He leaned over and whispered in James' ear.

"I think our buddy over here has a crush on his buddy over there." Sirius pointed over at Alanna conversing with the blonde girl. James stifled his laughter as he watched Remus's face turn into a frown.

"Are you alright, Remus?" Peter asked quietly. Remus shrugged and continued to watch Alanna.

Alanna glanced over at the Gryffindor table again. She was surprised to see that all of the boys were watching her and not laughing with each other. She noticed Remus looked unhappy. She frowned. Had she done something wrong?

Ignoring the Gryffindor boys once and for all, Alanna continued to talk with Tiffany.

If they wanted to play the blame game, then they'd better watch their backs.