Clair de Lune

After progressing past the usual welcome speeches. The sorting had begins to sing it's song.

Remus is far too twitchy and nervous to fully appreciate the song (as is Peter, although Peter is a bit more distracted with his hunger and the promise of a feast).

The song concludes to scattered applause and Professor McGonagall pulls out her list of names and begins to read. So and so Abbot was sorted Hufflepuff, and then she calls off "Sirius Black".

James clapped excitedly and waved at Sirius. They were going to be in the same house! (Of course he hadn't been sorted yet, but that was beside the point.)

I knew Sirius was better than Slytherin!

Really, James couldn't be more pleased.

He looked up with interest when the Professor called for Lily Evans. It was that pretty red head.

Girls were so annoying... but... he really did love her hair.

"Lily Evans!" McGonagall calls.

Lily gets up from her place on the floor, moving carefully up to the stool. She sits on it, and McGonagall puts the Sorting Hat on her head.

Hmmm... Very bright, very bright indeed. You'd make an excellent Ravenclaw, my dear... and yet... such courage.

"I don't mind either way, really," Lily whispers to the Hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!!" the Hat shouts, and Lily hops off the stool to go and sit with her new dorm mates.

She sits a few seats over from Sirius, nods to him, and then waits for Alice, Severus, and Remus to get Sorted.

A few more names were called, two girls and a boy: a slytherin, a ravenclaw, and the boy Frank Longbottom was sorted Gryffindor.

"Remus Lupin," Professor McGonnagal called from her list.

Remus quietly moved past the remaining first years.

When the professor lifted the hat off the chair, he sat down. He glanced up as she dropped it on his head.

The hat was quiet for awhile.

You're very studious and Ravenclaw would suit you, but Ravenclaws are far too clever, they'd figure out what you are.

Remus flinched.

Hufflepuff would suit you very well, tempting... tempting... But I am seeing something more, something deeper.

Deeper? Remus thought nervously.

A just and noble heart, chivalrous to a fault. You are Gryffindor at your core.

Before Remus could ask anything else, the hat bellows, "Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor's applaud their new member and Remus shyly runs over to the table and sits down near Sirius. He smiles, a bit startled. Really, Gryffindor was the last place he expected to be.

Next it's Peter's turn. The hat is placed on his head and right away it starts analyzing him. Definitely not a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw. That leaves Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Not Slytherin! he hopes desperately. I want to be with James!

No, not Slytherin for you.... says the hat. You're too soft for Slytherin.

Soft! I'm not!

"Gryffindor!" the hat bellows.

Peter couldn't help feeling a bit cheated. What? Am I only Gryffindor because I don't fit anywhere else?

He didn't mind, though. He was happy to be in the house James was supposed to join. Besides, Black and the Swot weren't half bad either.

He sat down on the other side of Remus and smiled big.

A tiny breath caught in Sirius' throat. First? The distance between himself and the hat looked so far. He took his first step toward the hat and the chair and heard a murmur from across the room. It was then he noticed the four long tables. The murmur had come from the table with the green hangings. He received an approving nod from Lucius and felt something cold sink into his stomach.

Marshaling his courage, he walked the rest of the way. James was so lucky. He was going Gryffindor and would play great pranks on the hall and Sirius would be stuck in stuffy, uptight Slytherin.

McGonagall lifted the hat off the chair and Sirius sat, miserable. She placed the hat on his head and it immediately began to talk to him.

"Hmmm, yes, a keen and curious mind, not much ambition but plenty of bravery. Where to put you, though. Not a hard worker; Hufflepuff's right out. Hmm, hmm, you're bright enough for Ravenclaw but not studious enough."

Sirius sighed. Slytherin was a cert. How horrid.

"No, no, no, aren't you listening boy? You've not enough ambition. There's only one place for you!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius couldn't help the glance he swept over to the Slytherin table. Lucius' face was red with anger. Sirius looked away and practically skipped to the welcoming arms of his new home.

James was next. The hat barely has time to touch his head before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"

James beams, feeling very self satisfied.

...

Besides, any minute now, those dung bombs he'd planted ought to be going off.

James jumped into the seat next to Sirius. "This is brilliant! We're all together!"

---

After James was sorted it was Alice's turn and she was sorted Gryffindor as well.

Sirius can't believe his luck and waves excitedly back to James, sod Lucius.

Lily is a girl. Boring. So Sirius just ignores her.

It was well after curfew and there was still no sign of Remus.

Peter sat up on his bed and threw a pillow across the room at James. "James, wake up! Remus isn't back yet!"

Peter was worried about the swat. It wasn't like him to be out past curfew. He was such a stickler for rules.

He hadn't mentioned going anywhere, and what was more Peter was almost certain he'd caught him crying in the boy's lavatory after Charms.

Sirius nudges Remus with a little grin. He didn't expect to be here either.

James rolled over in bed as the pillow Peter threw collided with his rump. "What?" he said sleepily. "Remus's still missing?"

He sat up in bed and tore the blankets off.

"Sirius, wake up, tosser," James ran across the room to Sirius's bed, tore the curtains open and shook him.

"Peter, grab my cloak will you? It's under my bed."

"Fine. Sleep all night while Remus is missing. Peter and I'll have a look without you." James jabs Sirius on the side.

"Here James! Got your cloak!" Peter waves the light garment around excitedly.

"All together!" agrees Sirius gleefully.

There is a sound then, like a small explosion and a stench fills the hall. Sirius giggles and holds his nose.

"No," says Sirius, and pulls his hangings closed.