Clair de Lune

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.

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

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.

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

"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.

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

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.

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.

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".

Lily nods when Remus leaves, leaving her and Severus alone together.

"Sorry about this, Sev. Hope this doesn't ruin your day," she says, sympathetically. She plugs her nose as she talks, making her voice sound extremely nasal.

"S'all right. I'm still pretty excited about the Sorting and the feast."

"Ugh, it's too much," Lily gasps, escaping the compartment and getting some fresh air. Poor Severus.

Remus frowns. He hopes Lily doesn't want to know about what his father does for a living. Remus didn't like talking about it. His father used to have a really nice job, but he stopped working after Remus 'got hurt'. He stayed at home to take care of his son. Stupid amounts of money were wasted on cures that never worked. His parents loved him, but sometimes it was too much. Remus was happy to have a chance to take care of himself and not be a bother to his parents. Maybe his father would go back to his job at the ministry now that Remus was in school.

He looked up from his daydreaming when the other boy asked if he could help with the smell.

"Wait here," Remus says. "I'll find a prefect. I'm sure they can help you."

He hurries back to a lavatory and changes into his school robes, then drops his bag back by his seat on the train.

Then he goes to look for a prefect to help.

"Yup!" Lily admits proudly. "They were positively thrilled to learn I was a witch. They haven't really seen much magic because I'm not allowed to do it at home, but when I was younger it spilled out a lot."

"Oh, neat! My mum's a teacher too, but she teaches elementary school. Da's a lawyer."

Lily finds Remus really easy to talk to as well. Easier than James, anyway.

Severus looks a bit put out, but nods. "S'all right. Just bad luck on my part, I s'pose. You don't happen to know any spells to get rid of the smell, do you?" he asks, waving his hand in front of his nose.

"Oh you're muggle born then? That's pretty incredible." Remus smiles. "What do you parents think of it. My mum's fascinated by it all. Especially when dad does magic."

He finds that Lily is really easy to talk to and he relaxes. "Oriel College, at Oxford. It's where I live."

They reach the car and Remus shifts awkwardly. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Oh, which college? Both my parents are muggles," Lily asks, still interested.

They get to the smelliest compartment and Lily opens the doors, bracing herself for the smell.

"Ugh. Sorry, Severus, the smell is awful. This is Remus Lupin. He says he's the one responsible and he's come to apologize."

Severus looks miserable, but cheers considerably at the sight of Lily. "Oh. Well. All right."

Remus nods his head quietly. "My mum's a professor at a muggle college. She teaches mythology. My name is just a by-product of her obsession."

It would also explain how Remus knows such big words for an 11 year old.

Although the name's a bit ironic now... he frowns.

Lily smiles back and shakes Remus' hand. "Nice to meet you, Remus. Is your name from Roman mythology?"

The redhead just ignores Remus' insistence. She knows James was responsible.

"I told you," Remus follows Lily. "It was my idea." He tried his best to come across as convincing.

"It's nice to meet you, Evans. I'm sorry you had to meet me because of a dung bomb." His nose scrunches up boyishly.

Remus shyly glances back at the girl. She seems nice and she clearly looks out for her friends. He awkwardly offers a hand. "I'm Remus Lupin."

Lily gapes at Remus a little. "You're willing to take the fall for that berk?" she asks, then sighs. "I suppose I'd do the same for Severus and Alice. This way."

She leads him back towards where they'd been sitting, the smell getting worse as they go.

"I'm Lily Evans, by the way."

"Don't be upset with James. He's just irritable because it was my idea," Remus lies softly. "I'll apologize. Where's your friend?"

Lily shoots one last glare at James before following Remus down the aisle.

After they're a suitable distance away, Lily stops. "What is it?" she asks, trying not to sound annoyed. It doesn't really work, James has irked her.