Dear Sirius...

Part 12

Ten Years Earlier

I walk through the doors of Hogwarts, Remus by my side. I can tell he is worried about the sorting ceremony. It’s not too far off, if I had his condition, I would also worry. I stare in wonder at the old castle architecture.

A woman stands at the front of the group. She stares down at us.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she says. “Before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now, while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily."

She walks through large doors. The other students start talking between each other. I look over to Remus, trying to make sure he is alright. He was nervous the entire train ride here. Tried to busy himself with a book, but the other two boys in our compartment kept distracting him.

Sirius Black and James Potter were very interesting to say the least. James was talking about Quidditch in an extravagant way. I never saw someone with so much passion over a sport. Kept saying that he was going to be the youngest Seeker in a century.

Sirius would help aid in this whole situation. Kept feeding into his ego if I’m being honest. Though when the conversation moved over to what Hogwarts house we want to get into, his whole demeanor shifted. He told us that if he didn’t get in Slytherin then there wasn’t a point in returning home. After that I tried to bring the mood up, and took a while before it worked.

After a while the woman comes back out and ushers us inside. Four long tables line the Great Hall, with another long table at the very front. In front of the table sat a chair and a hat. Once we made it up there the hat started to sing.

It was an interesting song. Told us about the different houses. If anything I truly don’t think I would do very well in Ravenclaw. If anything, Remus would excel in that house. Though to be selfish, I really hope he and I get placed in the same house. For both our sakes.

The woman calls Remus’s name after a couple more students got placed. Sirius Black got sorted into Gryffindor a couple students before. Remus walks up to the chair and sits down. I watch as the hat lowers onto his head.

A couple seconds later the hat yells “Gryffindor,” and the Gryffindor table yells and claps.

“Lupin, Layla,” the woman called.

I make my way up toward the hat, sitting down on the chair waiting for the hat to be lowered. The moment it touched my head a voice appeared in my head.

“Very loyal,” it said. “Bravery flows through your veins too.”

I look around the Great Hall, wondering if anyone can hear what the hat is saying. I never heard it talk when others were up here, besides when it would shout out a house.

“I know where to put you,” it says. “Gryffindor!”

The hat was lifted off my head. Remus claps loudly, so does Sirius. I walk over and sit in the open space next to Sirius. He claps me on the back. I give him a smile before turning to look at the rest of the ceremony.

James was sorted in Gryffindor too, he was one of the last people sorted. Hufflepuff got quite a few people, same with Sytherin and Ravenclaw. Gryffindor only got seven new people. Four boys and three girls.

After dinner the head boy brought us up toward our dormitories. Says the password to get past the Fat Lady was “Fortuna Major.” All we had to do to get into the common room was to tell the password to the Fat Lady and the portrait will swing open.

Sirius and James start giggling about something, the red haired girl next to me rolls her eyes. I believe her name is Lily Evans but I could be mistaken.

We walk through the portrait. Me and the two other girls go up one flight of stairs while the boys go up another. I would’ve loved to stay in the common room a little longer, but I am really tired.

    We walk into a room labeled First Years. Three beds, our trunks all laying about the beds. I walk over to mine and grab out my pajamas to at least try to get ready.

    “Do you think you’ll enjoy it here?” I ask the others. The blonde haired girl nods her head, soon followed by the red head.

    “I’m Layla Lupin,” I say, hoping they will also introduce themselves.

    “Marlene McKinnon,” the blonde hair girl said.

    “Lily Evans,” the red hair girl said.

    I look between them, a smile forming on my lips. “I think we will be great friends,” I said. “Don’t you think?”
   
We all look between each other before bursting into laughs. Once we fully get past that awkward part, then our banter will flow smoothly. That’s my goal for the week, try to feel comfortable with each other.