The sorting
The ride to hogwarts was long and extremely tiring for Remus, he was too shy to hold a conversation with any of the three boys but also eager to find out all about hogwarts and the wizarding world. He didn't have to ask though, James was excited enough that he told everyone about hogwarts even Sirius and Peter who already knew everything but they listened anyway even Peter acted surprised with some of the things his bestfriend was telling them.
Excitement ran through Remus' blood stream at an extremely fast pace Remus thought he was going to pass away at any given moment.
As the train slowed to a stop Remus' heart did too, there was no castle, no flying candles, no big feast. All Remus saw was a bunch of small rowing boats by a lake and a rather large man with a short thick beard and big brunette fuzzy hair, the man really was abnormally large Remus thought to himself, he heard a snicker from beside him, he turned his head to be met with a small smile and giggle from the taller shaggy haired boy Remus now knew to be called James potter.
James potter is a hyper, kind and youthful boy, he likes quidditch, chess, his friend Peter and toast, James is always happy, it was clear to Remus that nothing could put James' mood on a low, except maybe if someone disrespected his family, James speaks of his family a lot but that's because James loves his family he has a twinkle in his eyes when he talks about them especially his mother. James really loves his mother.
"Don't worry, I don't think anyone else heard you"
His blue eyes met Remus' green ones bright and kind as they were Remus couldn't help but feel awkward talking to the boy, was it a feeling of being a misfit? Or the fact that James was quite a bit taller than Remus? He didn't know but hoped it would go away quickly, Remus wanted friends at Hogwarts and to do that Remus would have to push his anxiety all the way down and talk to people,
"Did I say that out loud?"
His voice came out squeakier than intended, it was shaky, fearful, Remus felt embarrassed to be so scared of a boy he had only just met and more so was only ever nice to him.
The taller boy went to reply when a loud boomed voice rose over every child in the area gathering everyones attention to the same huge man Remus had spoke about moments before,
"Hey er' everyone, me names Hagrid, n' ey will be takin' yer over tuh the castle ey"
Despite being so huge, Remus thought Hagrid was sweet, kind possibly even a little shy, Remus wouldn't think that someone as tall as Hagrid would be shy to talk to some little children but there's a first for everything.
Hagrid ushered everyone over to the tiny boats and started placing 5 to a boat,
Scientifically yes these boats could fit 5 maybe 6 kids of Remus' weight and height in them but still Remus knowing this started to worry his was going to break at any moment,
James, Sirius and Peter got put in the same boat fortunately for Remus' sake,
"Anyone know who the other kid is?"
Remus was known for speaking his thoughts, sometimes he knew it came off rude to others but he just didn't care, if he thought it, he said it.
"My names Alex, and YOU are?"
His voice spilt with venom, Remus already didn't like this boy, the other boy rolled his eyes and waited for an answer,
"Remus"
He spat back with just as much venom in his voice, the other boy rolled his eyes again and scoffed ignoring him for the rest of the ride.
The ride was peaceful and quiet the rest of the way, Remus focused on his surroundings rather than the conversation the other three had about anything and everything. Fortunately the conversations stopped when they all stared in awe at the big castle, just as magical as Remus ever thought maybe even more than what his mind could come up with,
There were a lot of whispers "amazing" here and "wow" there Remus didn't say it aloud but he thought the same things, he couldn't wait to see what awaited them inside the castle he felt like a little kid opening a present on his birthday.
"Cissy always said it was admiring, I just thought she was being dramatic as always"
Sirius black was a lot like James, hyper and kind except his energy radiates from anger rather than happiness, the anger he felt when asked about his family, the anger everyone felt. However his kindness was genuine, it had to be if Remus felt instant want to become friends, Remus told himself that surely anyone that could get him to trust them that easily was worth trusting for eternity.
With a few more exchanged words of how amazing Hogwarts looked in real life compared to pictures they all headed inside the castle,
It was empty, no one roamed the halls, the carpet looked like any old normal carpet the hall had a few paintings which Remus swore he saw one of them move but didn't question it,
'Questioning things only leads to overthinking lupin'
Remus usually zoned out in classes and church a few odd times, most of the time, all of the time, Remus was known for it even got him self the nickname 'zonin lupin' for a whole year back at st.cornerstone which remus thought was stupid and not even a good nickname, which was why when the small boy knocked into someone and almost fell down in the hallway he wasn't surprised, he sorted out his brand new school robes which remus thought to look stupid on him, and said a quick sorry to the person he bumped into,
Though when he found Alex staring at him rolling his eyes again his apologetic face left him,
"If you keep rolling your eyes they're gonna get stuck"
Remus' tone reeked with sarcasm and even earned a few chuckles and smiles from the kids around him, Alex forced himself not to roll his eyes and turned away, hands balled in a tight fist.
Remus often got great satisfaction from standing up to people, it made him feel more confident, like he learned something over the 6 years at the childrens home, made him think something was worth living for in this stupid world.
"So Remus, rem, Remy!!"
Remus gave the long haired boy a quirked eyebrow,
"Never call me Remy again"
The smile on the other boys face dropped slightly but still kept it on,
"You never told us about your life"
This caught the other boys attention stirring in questions from James and a nod from Peter,
"Yeah what was Remus no last name's life like before Hogwarts?"
Remus hesitated thinking about what to say, could he tell them the truth? Would they laugh at him? Find him odd? Not want to be friends with him anymore? The three boys looking at him made him even more nervous to answer but he knew he had to say something.
"Lupin"
The other boys shared a confused look, the smaller boy took a breath,
"My last name? It's Lupin"
James and Sirius shared a sympathetic look with each other whilst Peter clearly clueless just smiled glad to know something about the mystery person from the train that spoke once that was only to be rude to a random boy they didn't even know.
"Dead parents? Typical"
Alex rolled his eyes away from the Lupin boy thinking he couldn't see,
Remus' anger took over him, his hands in fists and eyes of venom,
The smaller boy took two strides and stood right in front of the taller red haired boy,
He had enough of his snarky comments and rolling eyes,
"ROLL YOUR EYES ONE MORE TIME AND SEE WHERE IT GETS YOU YEAH?!"
Many people shared scared looks, the boys an amused one and Alex one that looked like he was about to cry, everything went silent for a moment until a shout was made,
"Remus, Lupin?"
The boys thoughts clouded his mind again, this is it, not even a day at the school and he had done it, he was going to get kicked out right before he had even fully been accepted in, at least that's what he thought but when he turned around warmed with a polite smile from a women holding a hat his nerves calmed, palms unclamped, breathing slowed,
Everything was okay, this is it the moment he had been waiting for since the train,
He wasn't getting told off, he was getting sorted into a house, the moment everyone was waiting for.
He slowly walked up to the stool and sat upon it, he could feel everyone's eyes on him, maybe that was because everyone's eyes were on him and not in a bad 'your in trouble ' way but a good way, Remus couldn't describe the feeling, for once he didn't feel anxious at all yet more excited and calm,
Looking around at the tables he noticed a few people from the train and Sirius... when did Sirius get sorted? Remus couldn't remember his name ever being called out everything went foggy between the mention of his family name and shouting at Alex, He missed his first friend being sorted, friend? Were they even friends? Remus knew he wanted to be but no one even mentioned about any of them becoming friends, maybe he got the signals wrong,
Alas the look in Sirius' eyes said different, he was happy, looking up at remus with hope in his eyes, he wanted Remus in the same house, he wanted Remus in,
"GRYFFINDOR"