Sorting Ceremony
“Emotions, you make me upset”
Peter walked into the great hall beside James after riding on the boats with James. Peter had thought he would be sick while boating towards the Hogwarts castle. The movement of the boats made him queasy but the view of the massive castle was one to remember. Sirius and Remus walked behind the pair, Remus looking around with amazement in his eyes.The great stone walls greeted them. The ceiling was charmed to look like the night sky filled with stars and large gray clouds. Four long banquet tables at in the hall, students packed at each table all with wide smiling faces as Peter and the other first years entered the expansive room.
A witch his mother had told him about, Professor McGonagall finished walking them into the hall and went beside a wooden stool, picking up a old worn brown hat into her left hand as she turned to face the first years. Professor McGonagall begin speaking but Peter couldn’t concentrate as he looked around the hall with a nervous expression.
Peter didn’t believe he would be sorted into Ravenclaw. He wasn’t exactly the most smart. Ravenclaws were known for their smarts and wits, which he believed he had neither. He didn’t think he would be sorted into Gryffindor, the house of the brave and strong. He found himself to be neither. He tried to be brave like James, who Peter believed whole heartedly would be sorted into Gryfinddor, but he couldn’t find his lion side.
He absolutely dreaded the idea of maybe being sorted into Slytherin, the house of cunning and ambition. He was told that almost all dark wizards had come from the Slytherin house. He didn’t want to associate with dark wizards. He found himself thinking Hufflepuff, the house of kindness and loyalty, would be the house he was sorted into. A few of his family members had been Hufflepuffs so maybe he would continue the Hufflepuff legacy.
A boy called Simon Arnold got called up first, his face set in an excited expression. The hat was placed upon his head, covering some of his face. Peter watched in anxious silence as the hat sat on the boy’s head. After what seemed like too long the hat called out.
“Hufflepuff!”
Cheers and applause echoed around the room. The boy stood and walked over to a table with yellow and black banners hung.
Sirius Black was the first one in the group of four to be summoned to the stool. He looked like he would be sick. Peter wondered what he was so worried about. He was a Black. Certainly, he would be in Slytherin with the remainder of his family. There were some cheers from the Slytherin table, voices coming from two older girls with pitch-black hair. The hat sat silently on the dark-haired boy’s head for a few moments, contemplating.
“Gryffindor!” It finally called out.
Sirius looked like he would be sick, Peter thought. Peter’s gaze went over to the Slytherin table where the two girls looked repulsed by the hat’s decision. Peter watched Sirius stand hesitantly and slowly walk over to the Gryffindor table. He was surprised someone in the Black family had broken tradition and was sorted into a house other than Slytherin. Peter watched Sirius slowly take a seat and look longingly at the Slytherin table and the two dark-haired girls.
The sorting ceremony continued. A girl with bright red hair was called with the name of Lily Evans. She strolled up to the stool and sat with a confident expression as the hat was placed on her head. It only took a few moments before the hat sorted her into Slytherin. Peter thought her smug expression of confidence was annoying at best. Remus was sorted into Gryffindor as well, after a few moments of anxiety-filled silence for Peter.
By the time they got to the P’s, Peter felt like he would be sick with anxiety. He could feel himself shaking as he was summoned to the stool. Peter slowly walked up to the stool, feeling his hands shake. He took a deep breath and took a seat. Professor McGonagall set the hat on his head. After a few seconds, a voice entered his head.
“ Hm. A Pettigrew.” The voice of the hat spoke in his head.” How interesting. A cunning brain. A good sense of self-preservation. Possible Slytherin.”
Peter felt his heart drop at the hat’s words. The possibility of him being sorted into Slytherin was unbelievable. He wouldn’t be a dark wizard. Would he? After what felt like an eternity, making even the professors glance between themselves nervously, the hat began speaking again.
“ But then again,” It began. “ a hidden bravery. And loyalty to your friends. You could do well in Gryffindor. But where to put you? Slytherin or Gryffindor. Oh, I know. Gryffindor!”
Peter stood as soon as the hat was off his head and hurried to the Gryffindor table as applause and cheers rang through the hall. He felt nervous, hoping that James was put in Gryffindor as well. He couldn’t bear to be apart from James for long. He sat down next to Remus at the table, who clapped him on the shoulder happily.
James strolled up to the stool with a smug expression. Moments after the hat touched his head he was sorted into Gryffindor. Peter cheered happily, knowing now he would not be separated from James. They were Gryffindors together. They would go to classes together and eat together. Study together and hang out in the common room together. He would just have to fight Sirius and Remus for James if he had to.
“” How great is that!” James yelled. “ We all made it!”
Sirius, holding his head on the table, groaned.
“Speak for yourself,” He said. “ My father’s gonna kill me.”
“ I can’t believe it,” Peter repeated over and over, his eyes the size of dinner plates. He couldn’t believe he was a Gryffindor with James. He kept shooting glances over his shoulders, thinking this was all a sick prank and he would have to be sorted again. This time into Slytherin,
McGonagall soon came over, looking at Remus, and whispered to Remus. Peter wondered what they were discussing. He noticed Remus nod at their Professor before she nodded herself and turned to leave. Peter looked between them curiously before looking over at James with a nervous but curious expression.
“ What was that about?” James asked Remus. “ McGonagall wants to see you already?”
Sirius looked up, glancing between James and Remus. Remus shrugged as the food appeared, making Peter’s eyes go wide with surprise. Remus immediately began loading his plate with chicken, carrots, and potatoes. Peter looked between Sirius and James with an asking expression. James shrugged lightly before beginning to load his own plate with food. Peter sighed and grabbed some chicken and potatoes. He took a bite of the chicken leg and his eyes closed and a smile formed in satisfaction.
After dinner, a Gryffindor prefect stood at the table and introduced himself as Frank Longbottom, He welcomed them before beginning to lead the first years to the Gryffindor common room in Gryffindor tower. Peter was confused by the moving staircases and speaking portraits. His family wasn’t rich enough to afford family portraits. He wasn’t used to seeing portraits walk on their own and speak welcomes to them as they climbed stairs.
James, Sirius, and Peter noticed Remus standing outside a door with a marked brass plaque above it. Remus was about to knock when James walked up.
“Want us to wait for you, mate?” He asked.
“ Why?” Remus asked as he turned to look at James, earning a shrug from him.
“So you don’t end up on your own.”
“No. I’m fine.” Remus shook his head and knocked.
“Enter.” A voice came from the other side, and Remus entered, shutting the door behind him.
Peter thought it was interesting that Remus was already seeing Professor McGonagall. It was only the first day. Was he in trouble? Was he a bad kid? Peter’s thoughts were racing. He noticed James looking between Sirius and himself.
“ Shall we wait for him, mates?” James asked the group.
Sirius shrugged as Peter shook his head.
“ Remus said he would be ok,” Peter said quietly.
Sirius began walking away towards the common room, leaving Peter standing with James.
“ Go with him, Pete. I’ll meet you there.” James spoke softly.
Peter nodded and hurried after Sirius. They walked side by side to the portrait of the fat lady sitting watching them from her chair.
“ Widdernshins,” Sirius spoke coldly, making the lady nod and the painting to swing open.
Peter entered the common room and looked around amazed. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace. There were soft-looking sofas and armchairs surrounding a large maroon rug sitting in front of the fireplace. Portraits lined the walls and the moon shined through the windows sitting behind a wide window seal.
The boys headed up the left stairs, winding upwards. The stairs were lined with doors with brass plaques, each holding the names of students. Sirius opened a door and entered shortly before Peter. Peter looked around with a smile at the tidy room. There were four large beds with red curtains that had golden trim and tassels. The fireplace had a blazing fire upstairs as well. Peter could see his trunk beside one of the beds. He started rifling through it, looking for his wand.
“ I can’t find my wand, Peter cried as James and Remus entered the room. “ Mum made me pack it so I wouldn’t lose it on the train but it’s not here”
“ Peter,” James spoke with a smile. “ Your mum asked me to look after it, remember?”
Peter let out a sigh of relief and walked over to James to collect his wand. He sat down on his bed and looked towards Sirius. Sirius was sitting on his bed and he seemed lost in thought. Peter thought he looked gloomy over there. He hadn’t even started unpacking like the rest of them.
“ Cheer up, mate,” James said, walking over to sit on the bed next to Sirius. “ You didn’t want to be in Slytherin anyways, did you?”
“ Five hundred years,” Sirius spoke tensely. “ Every Black at Hogwarts has been sorted into Slytherin for five hundred years.”
“ Well, it’s about time someone tried to be different, eh?” James slapped his shoulder with a joyful expression.
Peter glanced over again as Sirius finally began unpacking, pulling out many books. Any that didn’t fit on his shelf were placed beside his bed. Peter thought it was unnecessary to bring so many books when there was a whole library filled with them. Why bring books besides course books if you when you had a whole library to pick from?
“You know,” James began. “There is a library here.”
“I know but these are mostly muggle books,” Sirius replied with a smirk. “ My Uncle Alphard left them to me , and Mum would have set them all on fire if I left them at home.”
Peter thought bringing muggle books to a wizarding school was ridiculous. I mean, they were wizards, not common muggles. Why bring muggle-related items to a school where they didn’t have to hide from any muggles. He noticed Remus walking over to Sirius’ bed as he pulled out a record player and albums.
“Is that Abbey Road?” Remus asked him with a stunned expression.
“Yeah.” Sirius grinned up at Remus before handing him the album. “ You must be muggle born. Never met a wizard who knows the Beatles, except my cousin, Andromeda/ She bought them for me.”
“I love the Beatles.” Remus replied. “ One of the boys in my home has got at least ten singles, but he never lets me touch them.”
“ Boys?” Sirius questioned. “You mean your brother?’
“No,” Remus replied, shaking his head. “ I live in a children’s home.
“ Like an orphanage?” Peter asked with wide eyes. He was struck with disbelief that this new boy was from an orphanage.
“ No.” Remus spat out with anger.
Eventually, James and Sirius started a conversation about quidditch. It became a heated argument on who was the best professional team. Peter didn’t fully like Quidditch. It seemed scary being so high up on a broom and moving so quickly. Peter glanced over as Remus pulled his curtains closed without another word.
“You would think he’d try harder to make friends,” Peter whispered to James and Sirius. “ Especially if he’s muggle-born.”
“Are you sure the hat wasn’t supposed to put you in Slytherin” Sirius spoke somewhat harshly. Peter was quiet after that.
He finished unpacking before crawling into bed and shutting the curtains. He heard Sirius and James speaking in hushed voices to each other. He wondered what they were talking about now. What the new boy was saying to James. His friend. He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, but was filled with anxiety for their first day of classes tomorrow. He was nervous he wouldn’t be good enough. What if he was so bad they kicked him out of Hogwarts? He was also worried about Sirius. What if James became good friends with him? What if James forgets about him? He finally fell into a restless sleep, filled with dreams of failing classes and losing his best friend.
“Emotions” - Brenda Lee