Painted Scars // WOLFSTAR

Year One: James Potter

"Potter," he said, trying the name out for himself. Of course, he's heard of the Potter's. Nasty blood-traitors, them. His mother would kill him if she knew who he found as company. But what she doesn't know won't hurt her. "Well it's nice to meet you, James Potter."

"And you, Sirius Black," James replied with a smile that Sirius matched. James had an energy about him, like he had so much goodness inside him that he had to share, and Sirius liked the shift away from his family. "So, what house are you hoping for?" That made him laugh.

"Slytherin." He doesn't need to think about it. It's not a want, it's a necessity.

"Who would hope for Slytherin?" James asked, a bit incredulous.

"My whole family has been in Slytherin," he replied. "Wouldn't want to disappoint the relatives, would we?" The messy haired boy did not seem content with this answer.

"Well, let's just forget about that for a minute. If you could be in any house you wanted, which would you hope for?" Sirius almost wants to tell him that there's no point in pretending. However, he looks a bit like a puppy, so Sirius appeases him.

"Mmm, maybe Gryffindor. If I'm switching over to the dark side I might as well go all the way." This makes James laugh, and Sirius decides it's his new favorite sound.

"Well maybe we can switch to the dark side together. I'd rather like to be in Gryffindor as well." Big shocker there, the loud kid decked out in crimson wants to be in Gryffindor. Sirius doesn't doubt that he'll get in. "You got any siblings?"

"Yeah, my little brother Regulus." James nodded and asked how he liked him. "He's alright. My parents are kind of uptight," understatement of the year, "but I love my brother a lot. He's pretty quiet, though."

"Not into the quiet type?"

"I don't mind them. But I prefer those looking for a bit of mischief," he replied with a glint in his eye that James seemed to share. "What about you, got any family?"

"Nah, just my parents. Only child," he said, pointing his thumbs at himself, and Sirius laughed out loud at that because yeah, no kidding. "You gonna try out for the quidditch team?" Sirius shakes his head.

"Not that into quidditch. Also I'm pretty sure you have to be a Second Year before you can try out." James' eyes go big again.

"Not that into quidditch? How could you not be into quidditch!" Sirius laughed. "I'm going to be the first to get on the quidditch team as a First Year, I swear it. I'm good enough to get on the team."

"I'm sure that's true, James." He rolled his eyes, but honestly? Part of him believed it. James seemed the type that people would bend to his will on a whim.

"And don't change the topic, how could you not like quidditch!" Sirius doesn't doubt that had he been exposed to the sport throughout his childhood he would definitely enjoy it. But there wasn't much room for games in his house, what with his harboring mother who deemed most things as wastes of time. He told James as much, who seemed put out at the information.

"Bloody awful, that. Everyone should get to see a game at least once." He was huffy and it made Sirius smile.

"Tell me about it. Go on, who's your favorite team?" And oh, Sirius should not have asked that, because then James begins an incredibly long conversation about why the Montrose Magpies are the best team in the league, and why the Chudley Cannons will never hold a candle to their excellence. He honestly never thought that anyone could ever be as passionate about something as James is about quidditch, to the point where Sirius was beginning to get interested as well.

By the time that the sky was dark and the train had slowed to a stop, Sirius had never felt more awake. The two boys left their luggage on the train, standing and exiting into the cool night air.

"Bit mad making us ride across a lake in September, isn't it?" His new friend asked when they were instructed to sit in little boats to reach the castle.

"I heard it's only First Years who have to do it as well." That made James huff a laugh as they set off toward land in a small boat with a mousy looking girl.

And then, as though no time had passed at all, they were inside of the Great Hall, a long room with four rows of tables and a magnificent skylight above them. An older witch with long brown hair stood on the platform they were led to at the front of the room. She held a stale old hat in front of her, and Sirius recognized it at once. The sorting hat. Sirius felt a little saddened that he wouldn't be in the same house as his new-found friend. There was no point in delaying the inevitable, though, and when the witch named McGonagall called the name 'Black, Sirius!' he sat on the stool and watched his world go dark as the hat was placed over his head.

"Another Black," a deep voice rang in his head that he could only assume was the sorting hat. "Hoping for Slytherin, are we?"

Not so much hoping, Sirius replied, thinking of James. Expecting, more like.

"Expecting? Why's that?"

My whole family's been in Slytherin. Wouldn't want to disappoint them, he said, reciting back what he told his friend on the train.

"Not your whole family," the hat replied, making Sirius pause. Not his whole family? Then... who? "Besides, it would be a pity to place you in Slytherin. When you're so clearly...

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat rang out, and Sirius blinked at the bright lights and loud applause when it was removed. He stood shakily and took his seat at the Gryffindor table, making sure his eyes didn't drift over to his family members in Slytherin. When he was firmly seated, he promptly began to freak out. Merlin his mother was going to kill him, and not in a joking way this time. She wasn't really the understanding type, and he didn't think that trying to convince her he desperately wanted Slytherin would work. His father probably wouldn't be too thrilled either, but he never seemed to care about anything else Sirius did, so hopefully he could get away with just one family member hexxing his bollocks off.

Sirius tried to watch the rest of the sorting ceremony, but found it a little hard when he was having trouble breathing. He caught a few names before a boy named Remus Lupin was called, and oh, Sirius was intrigued by him. He seemed wobbly on his feet, clad in bright striped socks and a tie that was poorly done. The boy was sorted into Sirius' house.

When James was called, he was able to slightly calm down at the word "GRYFFINDOR!" leaving the hat's mouth almost immediately.

"You did it!" James said when he sat down. "You got into Gryffindor!"

"Hooray," Sirius deadpanned, and James rolled his eyes with a smile.

"Oh, don't do that, you dramatic git. I'm sure your family won't care that you got into a different house than them. Actually, they might be happy about it!" Oh to be James Potter, so blissfully ignorant, so loved by his parents.

"Yeah, maybe."