The Sorting Hat
September 1st, 1971
The Great Hall seemed to hold its breath as the Sorting began. Names were called, one by one, and each student took their place on the stool. The Sorting Hat’s rippling voice filled the room, deliberating loudly or quietly before shouting the name of a house. Cheers erupted from each table in turn, the students welcoming their new members with enthusiasm.
Remus tried to focus, but his nerves made everything feel distant, like he was watching through a fog. He glanced at the others. James stood confidently, rocking on his heels. Sirius appeared nonchalant, his hands shoved into his robe pockets, but Remus caught the subtle twitch of his jaw. Peter, on the other hand, was pale and muttering something under his breath.
“Black, Sirius,” McGonagall called out.
A hush fell over the hall as Sirius strode forward. Whispers rippled through the room like a current.
“Another Black?”
“Bet he’s a Slytherin, just like the rest of his family.”
“He doesn’t look like a Slytherin…”
Sirius ignored the murmurs, his head held high as he sank onto the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head, and for a long moment, the room was utterly still.
Inside, the Hat’s voice spoke directly into Sirius’s mind.
“Well, well, another Black. Your family is most… particular about where their offspring end up. Ambitious, cunning—yes, you’d do well in Slytherin.”
“No,” Sirius thought sharply, his hands clenching the sides of the stool. “Anywhere but Slytherin.”
The Hat chuckled. “Stubborn, are we? You’ve got the bloodline for it. But I see something else… Boldness, a reckless streak… Ah, you crave freedom, don’t you? A place to be yourself, to defy expectations?”
“Yes,” Sirius thought, almost pleading.
“Very well,” the Hat said, and then shouted aloud, “GRYFFINDOR!”
The room froze. For a moment, there was only stunned silence.
Then, the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers, their applause almost drowning out the gasps and murmurs from the Slytherins. Sirius stood, a triumphant smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. He handed the hat back to McGonagall with a dramatic bow and strode to the Gryffindor table without looking back.
“Potter, James,” McGonagall called a moment later.
James shot the others a wink before confidently striding to the stool. He sat down, and the Sorting Hat barely touched his head before it shouted, “GRYFFINDOR!”
James leapt off the stool with a grin and made his way to the Gryffindor table, slapping Sirius on the back as he passed.
Remus blinked. “That was fast.”
“Hat barely had to think about that one,” Sirius said, lounging in his seat. “Potter practically bleeds red and gold.”
“Pettigrew, Peter,” McGonagall announced.
Peter hesitated, looking almost as if he wanted to bolt, but James gave him an encouraging thumbs-up from the Gryffindor table. Taking a deep breath, Peter shuffled to the stool and sat down.
The Sorting Hat took its time with Peter, and the room grew quiet as everyone waited.
The Hat finally shouted, “GRYFFINDOR!”
Peter looked shocked but quickly scrambled off the stool and hurried to join James and Sirius, his face pink with relief.
“Didn’t see that coming,” Sirius said with a smirk as Peter slid into the seat beside him.
“You’re one to talk,” James retorted, grinning.
The Sorting continued, and Remus’s nerves tightened with every passing moment. Finally, McGonagall called out, “Lupin, Remus.”
The hall seemed to close in around him as he stepped forward. He felt the weight of hundreds of eyes on him, and his legs felt like lead.
He sat on the stool, and the Sorting Hat was lowered onto his head.
“Ah, an interesting mind,” the Hat said, its voice soft in his ear. “Clever, cautious… You’ve seen more than most your age, haven’t you?”
Remus swallowed hard. “I… I don’t know where I belong,” he thought, his heart pounding.
“Hmm,” the Hat mused. “Ravenclaw might suit you—your intellect is sharp. But no… I see something more. A quiet strength, a deep loyalty. You’re brave, even if you don’t see it yet. Yes, I think there’s only one place for you.”
Remus braced himself as the Hat shouted, “GRYFFINDOR!”
Applause erupted, but Remus barely registered it. He removed the hat and stumbled toward the Gryffindor table, his face burning. James, Sirius, and Peter were waiting for him, all grinning.
“Welcome to the team,” James said, clapping him on the back.
“You’ll love it,” Sirius added. “We’re the best, obviously.”
Remus managed a small smile, though his chest was still tight with nerves.
The Sorting continued until the last student had been placed, and then the feast began. Platters of food appeared on the tables, and the hall filled with chatter and laughter. For the first time, Remus felt the faintest glimmer of hope. Maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad after all.