Hogwarts Rewritten

Chapter 2

There was to be 4 students per boat a professor at the side was explaining the correct way to enter one of the boats. As the professor was reaching the end of her speech, the 3 boys whirled past her and leaped into a boat almost capsizing it, laughter echoed throughout the dim lit cove. "Or you can just do that" the professor groaned clearly fed up of children's antics "however I do not recommend due to the creatures that reside in the lake". The rest of the students approached the boats in a more civilised manner until they were all seated and started on the short trip to the castle. The professor was droning on about the history of Hogwarts while Sirius and James admired the view and occasionally flicked each other with water laughing all the way. Remus entered a discussion with Dorcas Meadowes over their favourite books to which Dorcas proudly defended her books honour to Remus to which he subsided and agreed it was a great book.

"James..." Sirius whispered "do you think my brother will be ok at home?" Sirius's concern for his brother has been growing since he left him at the station. "it's just that my parents can be cruel at times and I don't know if he's ready to be all by himself you know?" James paused thoughtfully "well if your parents are anything like we witnessed on the train I'd say he probably isn't ok no..." Sirius looked at him with shock regret overwhelming him "...however if baby black is anything like you I'd say he's strong enough to over come them and brave enough to fight his own battles. You and him are both strong enough to choose your own destiny to be free to make your own decisions and live your own lives the way you want to." "Thanks James" James shrugged in response and flashed him a smile.

All the whispers died down like a blanket of silence had been placed over them as they saw the breath-taking school come into view. The students left the boats and were led into the school by a hassled Minerva McGonagall stressed out of her mind due to the new school year, she led them to a grand hall with four large tables that stretched the length of the hall. The room was covered in the 4 houses colours red and gold for the brave Gryffindors, Yellow and black for the empathetical Hufflepuffs, Blue and black for the intelligent Ravenclaws and green and grey for the ambitious Slytherins. The new students huddled together at the back of the hall as Dumbledore started his great speech you could here some of the older kids sighing at the repetition. Sirius wasn't paying attention to the opening speech he was mid panic attack he wanted to be sorted into Gryffindor potentially with his new friends but his family demanded he be a Slytherin and he was scared of his family's wrath. Sirius was so freaked he started to hyperventilate. James immediately noticed and also started to panic and froze up as he had no idea how to help his new friend. Remus gently pushed James aside and knelt down next to Sirius who was now rocking back and forth mumbling. "Can I touch you?" Remus asked in the calmest tone the boys had ever heard. "mhm" Sirius mumbled still hyperventilating. Remus gently pulled Sirius's hands from his head, some hairs in his hand from his frantic tugging, "Sirius I need you to concentrate on my voice ok" Sirius nodded in return. "Ok I need you to name 5 things you can see" "ummm...floating..g ca..cand..le.......hous..e el...lf......Ta...ble...es.....St..u..den..ts....y..yo..u" stutters Sirius. "ok that's so good can you do 4 things you can touch" Remus whispers near Sirius's ear "trou..sers...y...our....h..and....s... ...yo...ur...bre...eath.....o..n.....my....ne..ck...my...ja...cke..t" Sirius mumbles in a quiet tone. "Perfect, 3 things you can hear" Remus whispers holding him close now "the spe...ech the shu..ffli..ng of feet James's pani...cke..d mutter...ing" Sirius admires Remus quiet laugh at his joke. "2 things you can smell" "your cologne and chicken??" Sirius whispers rather confused to where the chicken may be. "And lastly 1 thing you can taste" Remus says letting his head rest on Sirius's shoulder "blood from biting my tongue" Sirius says calmer than he's ever been. "Everything's ok I got you now" Remus cradled the smaller boy and whispered soothingly in his ear. "What caused your panic attack Sirius if you don't mind me asking that is" Remus asked returning to his normal tone. "I don't know if I should tell you..." mumbled Sirius. "It's ok you can tell me anything as James said we are all gonna get sorted together and be best friends". "That's the problem Sirius whined" he sighed then let all of the trauma Sirius and regulus had both gone through fall from his mouth. By this time a few names had been called and the students were sitting with their new houses. "If I get sorted into Slytherin they will stop hurting me and Reggie and ill turn out just like them but if I go with you guys ill be happy but there's no telling what will happen to Reggie I can't do that to my baby brother" Sirius flopped into Remus's chest with a frustrated groan muffled by his sweater. "Well for starters you are nothing like your family and never will be, its not the genes that make you who you are its your actions and choices. Trust me Sirius I can tell your going to be great and as for Reggie he will be fine on his own for a bit you will see him in no time don't one insignificant thing about you like your parents define you". True admiration laced Remus's voice as he comforted the smaller boy. There was a long pause where both boys suddenly realised their position. "Uhhhhhh imma get up now sorry for literally lying on you and making you miss the ceremony" Sirius said nervously. "It's ok Sirius what are friends for". "JAMES POTTER" he was called up to the front and he practically ran and fell into the chair the hat didn't take long deciding before the hat shouted out "GRYFFINDOR". James's new friends screamed in excitement they had listened to him go on and on about how this was his dream. James ran over to the Gryffindor table which glittered in red and gold light, he pinched himself for fear this was a dream like many others he had had. He was met with the glorious truth that his dream had finally come true he was a Gryffindor now and forevermore. James plonked himself down next to a small boy and flashed him his charming smile "Hi", the boy looked around in confusion then pointed at himself and said "me...?" "of course, you silly I'm James what your name?" "Um I'm Peter, Peter Pettigrew" "well it's a pleasure to meet you Peter". The booming voice of the hat echoed the halls again "REMUS LUPIN" he slowly walked up to the front and when he sat down the hat spoke softer to him "the wisdom of a Ravenclaw the undying loyalty of a Hufflepuff and the ambition to desperately succeed and prove others wrong about you mhhh curious where to place you". In a panicked tone remus whispered "not Slytherin I know I'm a monster but please no" "IT WILL HAVE TO BE GRYFFINDOOR" the hat boomed. The students cheered and James was almost screaming, when Remus joined him he introduced Peter. After the introductions the list of names was coming to an end "Sirius Orion Black" he walked to the front of the hall nervous as could be he vaguely heard the hat talking to him but his eyes were fixed on the Slytherin table. He saw his cousins and a few other familiar Slytherins staring at him and remembered the warning from his mother "a pureblood belongs in Slytherin the true superior house". He knew the fate that awaited him if he chose wrong, he glanced over to the Gryffindor table and his friends were smiling and waving at them he took a deep breath and locked eyes with Remus golden-amber eyes met dark grey ones as if storm clouds had rolled in with flashes of golden lightning. "Gryffindor" Sirius swallowed the lump in his throat and moved to join his friends "I won't be like them. Ever" he mumbled. As he sat down James clapped him on the back and introduced him to Peter, he said a quick hi before taking his place next to Remus. He felt a strange calming sensation whenever he was around him Remus dipped his head to Sirius's shoulder and whispered "well done I knew you could do it, you make your own destiny. yeah?" before Sirius managed to respond James whisper shouted "oi love birds I hope we all get put in the same dorm" Sirius's eyes gleamed with mischief "if we don't, we can just scare the other roommates until they beg to switch". "hair remover in the shampoo?" James questioned "Hair remover in the shampoo" confirmed Sirius. The ceremony ended with a loud applause for the last student a small girl sorted into Hufflepuff a beaming smile on her face. The house captains approached each table as Dumbledore shared a final few words "follow your captains they will provide a tour and show you your dorms, and again welcome to Hogwarts!". All the students started to shuffle off into different directions.

After the tour was complete the first years approached the Gryffindor common room and they were all explicitly told the password and how they should not share it with the other houses. They went inside and by the time they boys got into the dorm a few names had already been called out. James had all his fingers crossed and was silently chanting for his friends to be together, Sirius held out little hope. Sirius black.........Remus Lupin...., at least he would have Remus with him Sirius thought,...Peter Pettigrew...James hoped he would be the next name he begged and prayed that his friends wouldn't all be together while he got left behind..... and James Potter. James raced to the door he knew to be the entrance to the boys new room "I'm calling the biggest bed" he shouted running at full speed "Heyyy no fair" the boys all protested as they ran after him laughing when they were inside the dorm they each flopped on their respective beds. "I'm so glad we are together although the shampoo hair remover prank would have been fun" James sighed relief that his friends were now with him.