PUNKS & POETS (book one, year 1-4)

007; The Sorting Hat

"Oh yeah" Remus mumbled, turning to look at Peter as he heard his name being called out "sorry, I'm Remus Lupin". "Peter Pettigrew" the small boy repeated, a faint smile upon his lips. James thought Peter looked short for his age, and not well fed at all. Upon his head laid a mess of streaky golden blonde hair and his ears were a little pointy. James soon turned his attention back towards the view of the castle, pushing his glasses further up on his nose.

The trip across the lake was not too long, and they soon reached the boat house, and the large bearded man helped them out of their boats before they started walking up towards the school. James walked first, closely followed by Sirius who insisted on walking right next to Remus. Peter trailed behind them, nervously biting down on his fingernails. The castle was just as grand on the inside, large paintings and stairs that moved around. Although there were probably a millions steps or more to climb in order to get there. The half giant led them up to a closed door where they were greeted by a woman who looked to be in her late thirties. She wore her golden hair pinned up neatly and a long emerald green robe. On her head rested a pointed hat and on the top of her nose were a pair of thin half moon shaped spectacles.

"Welcome to Hogwarts everyone, I am deputy headmistress Minerva McGonagall"

"She's the one who wrote the letters" Sirius leaned over and whispered to James, making him nod. "A wonderful feast awaits you, I'm sure you are all very hungry after your long journey here" Minerva said, peering out upon the new students "but firstly before you can take your seats you will need to be sorted into your houses... Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin, now come with me"

The tall doors to the Great Hall opened, revealing the biggest room any of the four boys had ever seen before. It had four long wooden tables filled with students dressed in different colours and a professor's table at the front. The tall ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky and it was lined with thousands of white burning candles. "Wow" James hummed, looking around. He almost couldn't believe his eyes, and neither could the other boys. He was accustomed to magic, but this was on a whole new level for him. He didn't have floating candles back home, nor did his bedroom ceiling look anything like what he was witnessing right now.

Minerva stopped the first year students, grabbing a piece of parchment from the professor's table before she turned back to them. "When I call your name you may come up here and sit down, the sorting hat will be placed upon your head and it will determine your house"

By the middle aged witch stood a brown wooden stool. An old pointed hat, with a sour shaped fold for a mouth and two sharp folds for eyes,laid upon it. Minerva gently lifted the hat up before she unrolled the long parchment scroll. A girl with short blonde braids were the first one to get her name called out by professor McGonagall. James watched as she dragged her feet up to the stool, sat down and got the hat placed on her head. It was too big and slipped down past her eyes. She was sorted into Hufflepuff, making the first sorting of the evening go to the house with the yellow and black colours. They cheered as the girl skipped over to their long table. A few more names were called, earning Hufflepuff another two students, one to Ravenclaw and one to Slytherin.

"Sirius Black"

Sirius could feel his heart beat hard throughout his whole body, making him want to throw up. He took his hands out of his pockets as he strolled up to the front, trying desperately to play it cool. He told himself that it didn't matter as Minerva placed the old hat upon his head, he already knew the answer. He knew that the hat was going to yell out Slytherin as soon as it touched the top of his noble ass head. It was his destiny, he could almost taste it on his tongue.

"Gryffindor!"

Sirius's eyes went wide and he sat up a little straighter, suddenly feeling chock flood through his veins. The Gryffindor table cheered loudly as he was the first to be sorted into the house this evening. Sirius himself couldn't believe it, he questioned if it was even real. The sorting hat had barely even been on his head for more than a few seconds before it made it's choice. Could it be right? He had to close his eyes for a second, squeezing them shut until he saw stars. But when he opened them again, everything was the same. The cheering still rung in his ears and everyone was staring at him by now. Somehow his feet made him stand up after Minerva had lifted the hat off of his head, and he had to pinch himself as he walked over to the Gryffindor table. It was real.