house of black

chapter 7: a lion at your door, a wolf in your bed.

1st September, 1971. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The first years all huddled behind the giant double doors to the Hogwarts dining hall. Their nervous chatter carried down the stone hallways of the school which was bustling with students. Amongst these newcomers was Sirius Black, standing alongside his peers ready to become a part of Slytherin house. He stood with a friend which he had met on the train, but Sirius found him rather dull and couldn't remember his name. He wished to be friends with people who could make school life more exciting- like Andromeda's friends. Much like his cousin, house divides didn't matter much to Sirius, despite his mother's insistence that he befriend fellow Slytherins. He knew he really should be listening to the teacher up the front of the crowd, but he knew what would occur on sorting night. They walked down the middle of the room, waited for their names to be called, were sorted and ate their dinner. Nothing worrisome about it. After having three cousins undertake the Sorting Ceremony successfully, what could go wrong?

When the doors swung open Sirius had no hesitations in leaving behind the boy from the train and making his way to the head of the group. He could see two of his cousins sitting in the crowd. Andromeda close to the head of the table. She was in her final year of Hogwarts now. She smiled encouragingly at him and made a motion of patting the empty bench beside her, to show him he had a place there with her. He nodded appreciatively. Narcissa sat more towards the center of the table with Lucius' arm snaked around hers, clearly ready to hold court after the sorting was through. Their blonde hair made them easy to find,  noses upturned as they observed the new students walking forth. Malfoy whispered something to his cousin, who caught Sirius' eyes for the first time, before she smirked in an unpleasant sort of way and nodded at him.

Sirius looked away and up at the teachers who sat at the long table before him. There was the woman who led them in with her pointy hat. She looked mildly irritated at the time it took the stragglers to catch up to the rest of the group, but smiled rather kindly at a nervous looking girl behind him. Then there was the older, plump man who peered over his glasses at the group, watching their faces somewhat, but more anxious to hear their last names. Sirius cared not, he was sure he would meet them in turn.

Then the names began. He thought, as a pureblood, he was sure to go first. If not that, his surname beginning with B would be advantageous. But as more and more of his peers were sorted before him, he began to grow mildly irritated. His mother had told him a hundred times that his scowling was unbecoming (despite scowling often herself) but he could not help it. He heard the other students settling in around him. Two girls were excited that they were both sorted into Hufflepuff. An older brother teased his younger sister about sock confusion at home, as she was also sorted into Ravenclaw. Introductions were occurring behind him with two first years introducing themselves at the Gryffindor table.

"Hi, I'm James." said the boy. The girl had a kind smile.

"I'm Lily." she answered him.

The boy beside Sirius was watching them closely. Sirius thought his robes were fitted incorrectly and that he was in dire need for a shower, he scrunched up his nose and almost told him exactly what he thought before his name was called.

"Sirius Black." The woman announced. The plump man leaned forward. Yes, well, at least someone understood the importance of his name.

He strode up to the stool confidently, glancing over at the Slytherin table at Andromeda. She bit her lip a little as they all waited.

"Hmm.." the hat mumbled. "Another Black."

"Just sort me already, you know where we go." he said, voice laced with arrogance.