The Marauders Year 1

6

Chapter 6.

The boats sailed over the silent water leaving a straight wake and an awe of longing behind them. In the foremost of these boats sat three boys, there faces illuminated by the light of the half moon. James was leaning so far out of the boat that the top of his fluffy black hair nearly brushed the water. Sirius was sitting at the front of the boat gripping the sides and peering into the darkness for a sign of the huge castle. Remus sat curled in the back of the boat hugging his knees and taking everything in. None of them were talking and the silence that fell upon the boats was deafening. Then suddenly Sirius let out a gasp and the boats rounded a corner and into sight slid a fantasy sight.
The castle had one hundred glowing window and turrets spiralling up into the sky. It sat on a cliff overlooking the lake. Heads turned and then the whispering started as the first years stared up at the monumental sight that met them. Sirius was whispering disjointed sentences but Remus sat silent simply thanking every lord he knew that he was sitting there and not still at home unable to attend. He looked at the back of James' and Sirius' heads clustered in the bows. He was happy watching them but then Sirius turned and reached out a hand.
"Look Remus! Look!"
James smiled and grabbed a handful of Remus' robes dragging him up to the front of the boat between his two friends and they drifted towards Hogwarts.
The tiny boats bumped against a shingle beach and ground to a halt.
James and Sirius leapt out of the boat and then turned back to help Remus out. James dashed quickly over to an adjacent boat and held out his hand for a red head to get out of the boat. She slapped it away.
"I am perfectly capable of getting out a boat by myself thank you!" she snapped.
James opened his mouth and then shut it, turning to hurry back towards Sirius and Remus.
"Come on then. Move along 'ere. Keep up ya." Hagrid shepherded the first years with James and Sirius at the front and Remus hurrying behind up towards the gates of the school.
"'Ault," he said and the first years clustered around the huge oak front doors eyeing them with a mixture of excitement and terror.
Hagrid raised a huge fist and knocked three times. The very air seemed to vibrate near them as he lowered the first. James let out a breath.
"Who do you think is meeting us?" he whispered. "Dumbledore?"
"No," said a clipped Scottish accent and James swung around to see a stern looking woman with a tightly knotted bun of brown hair standing behind him in the front door. He gulped.
"Follow me," she said and swept around, her long robes swishing behind her as she walked.
Sirius looked down at his own too long robes and tried to hitch them up so he wouldn't trip.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said the woman. "My name is Professor McGonagall, I hope to get to know you all during your stay. In a few moments you will all be sorted into separated into different houses. There are four houses: Gryffindor," James raised and imaginary sword in the air and a few people giggled nervously. "Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin," James mimed being sick into Sirius' hood and the entire hall began to giggle.
"I hope," Professor McGonagall raising her voice very slightly so tat her accent became more profound.
"That you will be a credit to which ever House you are in."
With that she swung round and swept towards another pair of huge or iron doors and pushed them open. Most of the surrounding students gasped. A huge hall met them lined with four house tables and hundreds of people sat chattering. The ceiling was rich, velvety blue and stars dotted it as the first years filed up the gap between the two middle tables.
James and Sirius jostled for position at the front and Remus scuttled behind.
"Woah.." whispered Lily, "it's just like you told be Sev."
"It's quite cool," admitted Severus and he walked beside Lily. "Remember, you'd better be in Slytherin."
"I will Sev, I promise."
"Line up," announced McGonagall and the first years clustered below the teachers  podium. On a stool in front of a golden statue of an owl sat a battered torn hat with a ripped brim. The entire hall seemed to waiting for something, and then the rip just above the rim opened and the hat began to sing.

"I sorted many people,
On every students head I've sat,
Don't be scared of my decision,
For I'm a clever hat.

In my time at Hogwarts,
I've been through many thoughts,
So do not fear my verdict,
For I've never once been wrong.

But this year things are different,
Something is astir,
Someone is a rising,
And people changing fur.

So now more than ever,
If we are to win the fight that must be won,
As the sorting hat I implore you,
Hogwarts must stand as one."

The hall erupted into applause and the hat sat again, lifeless on the stool.
"When I call your name you will come and sit on the stool and put on the hat." announced Professor McGonagall.
"Bennet, Alice,"
A terrified little girl with blonde pigtails scuttled up to the stool and sat down. The hat slid right down over her eyes.
"Hufflepuff!" shouted the hat.
"Black, Sirius,"
James closed his eyes and crossed his fingers as his friend walked to the stool and sat down. A long pause followed, the Sirius let out a shout,
"For Merlin's sake NOT SLYTHERIN!"
Everyone laughed apart from the Slytherins.
"Gryffindor!" shouted the hat, and James let out a yell of happiness. Sirius gave a huge grin and swaggered off towards the Gryffindor table where he was slapped on the back and congratulated. Andromeda Black stood up at the Hufflepuff table and yelled herself almost hoarse.
"Good on you Sirius! Always knew you weren't a lost cause!"
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The sorting went on as each student was called up and the hat placed upon their head.
"Evans, Lily,"
Severus screwed up his eyes as she walked to the stool, she seemed to radiate and aura of joy about her and as the hat was placed upon her curls he felt a slight twinge, she didn't belong in Slytherin.
Lily's last view of the hall was Severus' tight shut eyes and his clenched fists. She had to be in Slytherin, even if was just to protect Sev.
"Hello Ms. Evans," she jumped. A tiny voice in her ear had buzzed into life. "My goodness you have talent," said the voice, "and a slight thirst to prove yourself although not as strong as your ambition."
"Please," Lily interrupted, how strange it was to interrupt a voice in her head by thinking. "Please, can I be in Slytherin, it's just my best friend Sev is going to be there and I have to be with him." The hat laughed, "you, in Slytherin, you're barking, Ms. I wouldn't put someone like you in Slytherin if your life depended on it, you'd be murdered in your bed, you'd be an outcast, especially as you're a muggleborn."
"I don't mind," said Lily instantly. "If it means I can be with Sev I can be brave."
"Yes, you're right you can," said the hat.
"So I'm going to Slytherin then?" asked Lily in relief.
"Oh no," said the hat, a tad amused. "With bravery like yours better be..."

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