FIRST YEAR - The Sorting
Upon reaching Hogwarts, first years were lead over the lake.
Remus almost lost his balance getting into a boat but was saved by a smiling girl with fiery red hair, who grabbed his sweater before he could take a dip.
James had been tempted to go for a swim willingly, between his love of swimming and the warm weather of that particular September 1st, but that idea was interrupted when the girl aimed her smile in his direction. Little dimples appeared on her face as her freckles glowed in the sunlight.
“Alright?” James nodded in her direction trying to play off the buzz in my head.
As Remus pattered down his wrinkled sweater and hid his face in the scarf around his neck, James took the time to introduce myself, “James Potter, and my friend you just saved is Remus Lupin.”
“Lily Evans,” the red-haired girl extended her hand, but before James could reciprocate the gesture a boy with hair as black as Sirius’ but much less stylish and instead greasy, appeared beside the girl like a shadow looming in the dark.
“This boat has room for us,” the boy explained to Lily seemingly oblivious to James and his friends.
“Oh Severus, you’re so kind.”
With that the two of them boarded one boat while James and Remus joined Peter and Sirius on a separate one.
From there the first years made it to the castle, with walls towering over them, so large James’ heart accelerated at the prospect of spending his time exploring the many secrets the castle had to offer. Peter seemed just as exited, while Remus walked towards the structure with his eyes almost popping out of their sockets, a stark comparison to Sirius who seemed pleased enough but rather less impressed by the grand architecture than the other first years.
A women in a similar robe to the one the students were wearing but accompanied with a bright red and gold tie, introduced herself as Professor McGonagall in a calm but firm tone. She led the students through the entrance of the castle, then proceeded to organise them into a line. Her voice was stern, but her eyes held a sort of kindness.
Entering the Great hall was one of the many moments James had been dreaming about even before he got his letter, but his imagination never could have prepared him for the scene that appeared when he walked through the doors.
Four tables lined parallel to each other, candles floating above them. As eyes moved upwards, where a ceiling should have been was what looked like the sky outside, James heard some of the first years mumbling about a glamour charm.
Students in identical black cloaks wore coloured ties based on their houses. From memory James noticed the table at the far end belonged to Slytherin, the house of ambitions and cunning, the house that James had been told, produced majority of the prisoners that would later end up in the forsaken prison Azkaban. To put it simply when James’ eyes roamed over the faces at the table decorated with green and silver, all he could wonder was which of them would grow up into something evil. Even at age 11, James was aware of the growing threat dark wizards had.
Next was the Hufflepuff table, the house of loyalty and fairness, the faces of the students in yellow radiated friendliness. Of all the houses, the Hufflepuffs seemed the most excited for the sorting, as if anyone of the first years could turn out being their new best friends.
The Ravenclaw table had students wearing blue ties, but James found it hard classifying the group as any attribute, some of them had books hidden under the table, others rested their heads in their arms either of boredom or exhaustion, some seemed excited for the new coming Ravenclaws, while others seemed to want to be anywhere else. From what James had read and been told, Ravenclaw was the house of wisdom and intelligence, wit and originality. Which made some sense when they all acted so independently.
The closest table to where the first years stood admiring the great hall, was the Gryffindor table. Each student at that table wore a tie of red and gold that matched the one on Professor McGonagall, which let James to assume she was head of that house. The Gryffindor’s were the house of bravery and strength, courage and nerve. James found watching the students at that table as they eyed the first years expectedly, thrilling. He was all but certain he would get sorted and end up sitting at that table. It was only a matter of time.
When James had briefly explained each house on the train, each of his new friends feared they’d be sorted wrong. Sirius seemed to be conflicted between wanting to break away from his family’s tradition, to being worried what ending up in a different house would mean. Peter was worried he would end up somewhere he wouldn’t make any friends and spend the next 7 years alone, meanwhile Remus seemed self-conscious about not fitting any of the descriptions.
McGonagall stood in front of the hall, beside an old stool with an even older hat sitting atop. After the hat sang a quick song that made most of the students laugh, the first name was called.
“Simon Arnold.” McGonagall called as a small boy approached the stool. When McGonagall lifted the and gently placed it on his head, the hall fell silent.
Only a few seconds past before the hate screamed, “Hufflepuff,” which led to that table exploding in applause, accompanied by polite claps from both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
Sirius Black was up not long after. The Slytherin table who had been mostly quiet except for one girl who was sorted into their house, started to mutter and exchange knowing glances with the boy as he headed towards the stool. A few older Slytherin’s even whistled.
As for everybody else, the voices stopped as they waited for the hat.
The hat screeched, “Gryffindor.”
Unlike the other students, the decision was met with a stunned silence. Even as McGonagall lifted the hat off his head, she gave Sirius a cautious smile as if waiting for the hat to change its mind. Sirius had a similar look of confusion, like when you’re waiting for the punchline of an unfunny joke.
As some of the Gryffindors began to awkwardly clap, Sirius took his seat and the sorting continued.
It wasn’t long before Lily Evans was making her way to the stool, where her previously carefree smile was replaced with one of nerves and uncertainty. It only lasted until she was sorted in Gryffindor and met with a round of applause.
Remus Lupin was the next of their group to get sorted and though it took longer than most other students, he was sorted into Gryffindor and made his way over to a still horrified Sirius.
Peter need not have worried because before long he found himself sitting across from Sirius and Remus at the Gryffindor table.
When McGonagall called James’ name, for a moment he doubted himself, if the hat managed to place someone from the black family somewhere that wasn’t Slytherin it could’ve put him anywhere.
As McGonagall lowered the hat, the fabric had barely scratched his head before James was sorted into Gryffindor.