Welcome to Hogwarts
All parents are hugging and waving their kids goodbye, well, almost all of them. Sirius’, for example, aren’t.
‘It’s okay.’ He thinks , but he wonders what it feels like, great, he guesses, that’s what people say. But being comforted and waved goodbye at age 11? Nobody wants that, it’s embarrassing, childish and means you’re weak, so of course he doesn't want it.
So when mother tells him to go inside the train, he doesn't even look back at her.
He sees a mom with a lovely smile. waving goodbye to a brunette child that might be her son, he feels a pang of… jealousy? No, he’s not weak, he doesn't need that.
He follows the brunette to a carriage. There's a small boy sitting there, they greet each other happily, there’s another boy in front of them, he’s wearing old looking clothes, he looks at Sirius and smiles.
“Well hello.” The brunette he followed says. “My name is James, James Potter, this is my friend and neighbor Peter Pettigrew.”
So they got names, do they expect him to say who he is? Is he allowed to talk to them?
“Nice to meet you guys, I'm Remus Lupin.” The guy who smiled at him says, he’s got a sweet tone in his voice, calming.
“I’m Sirius, Black.” He says and silence fills the carriage for a second.
“Nice to meet you all guys first year aye?” James says and they all nood, so he carries on. “What house do you guys think you'll be sorted in? I will be in Gryffindor there’s no way I can get any other.”
“Yeah same.” Peter agrees.
“Slytherin.” Sirius says rapidly. “No one in my family has ever been in any other house, I won't be any different.”
“Well mate you sound so sure but i do see you in Gryffindor.” James comments.
“What the hell are you talking about.” He yells, leading to an awkward silence that James breaks.
“Chill out mate, it was a comment, no need to get all worked up.” Sirius’ cheeks flushed red when James said this. “Anyways, Remus? What about you?” Remus looks nervous.
“Well, I mean, I don`t know, I guess Ravenclawl, like my dad.” Remus shrugs.
“Houses are decided based on preferences and best compatibility, not only past generations.” James comments.
“What are you saying? Even if my family has always been Slytherin, could I be sorted into a different house?” He asks.
“Yeah basically.” James answers, Sirius becomes ten shades paler.
“So do I have a chance in Gryffindor?” Remus asks.
“Yeah mate you do, wouldn’t it be sick to be put together? Y'all seem very nice.”
“It would be cool, yeah.”
A panicked look on Sirius face and heavy breathing indicates something wrong, something the others definitely notice, they look at each other confused, just when Remus is about to say something, Sirius rushes out of the carriage, and goes into the bathroom.
Sirius is shaking ‘why am i shaking?’ he thinks, he doesn’t understand, ‘why can’t i get my breath under fucking control?’, ‘if i can’t control myself, i am useless and weak.’
Sirius stayed in the bathroom, he started crying at some point, and he didn’t stop, not until the train stopped at least. A guard knocks on the door, telling the dark haired boy to get out. So he does, following everyone on their way out.
The other boys also make their way out, they can’t see Sirius, they don’t know what happened, but they just meet him, so it is not a big deal for them, the excitement is too much to think of anything else.
Everyone gets on the boats and they’re led to the castle doors, and then inside the castle by the prefects, where Professor McGonagall is waiting to greet them all.
“Welcome to Hogwarts.” McGonagall says. “It’s a pleasure to see so many new faces, now, look around, for the next seven years, the people you see here are gonna be part of your lives, and your personal growth, I'm sure we’ll learn a lot from each other.
For now, i’ll ask you to follow me to the Great Hall to start with the sorting ceremony.”