Just You Wait | James Sirius Potter (On Hiatus)

Chapter 3: My Shot

The train whistle jolts me awake, causing my arm to flail out and knock a chocolate frog from James' hand.

"Oi!" James shrieks and jumps back, "Don't scare me like that!"

I place a smug grin on my face and say, "Consider it payback for scaring me back on the platform."

"I thought that was what the slap was for!"

"You ran me over with a trolley, and you think a mere slap is fair?"

"I wouldn't call it a mere slap. I might have a hand shaped bruise on my face." He carefully prods the place I slapped him with his fingers and winces exaggeratedly.

"Don't be such a drama queen, James." I smirk and lean back in my seat, kicking up my legs to rest on his thighs on the seat across from mine.

"Ok, you two," Alice cuts in, "As fascinating as it is watching you flirt yourselves to death, the train's stopped. It's time to go to the sorting ceremony."

James and I began protesting in unison, but Alice just waves us off. Grabbing onto my arm, she begins pulling me along, , muttering about how we need to hurry up, otherwise we'd be late for sorting. Of course, she didn't seem to care that we'd left James behind in the dust. I quickly glance behind me and his slightly dejected look turns to a dramatic pout when he catches my eye. I roll my eyes and narrowly miss bumping into someone while I wasn't watching where I was going. Alice pulls me out of the way, turning to apologize to the poor boy I'd almost bowled over.

He holds out his hand towards me for a handshake, assuring me that he wasn't upset at me for nearly running him over, and introduces himself as Evan Wood. Even as he is talking to me, he keeps sneaking glances at Alice from the corner of his eye.

Alice didn't seem to notice, so we quickly run towards the docks, until we're sitting in a boat, floating towards the castle.

Alice and I are the first ones off the boat, and follow the rest of the students towards the Great Hall. Hagrid ushers us to stand in the front of the room, in front of the teacher's platform. Headmistress McGonagall stands, offering all the students a warm welcome back, and introducing herself and the rest of the teachers to the group of first years. Before I know it, it is time for the sorting. I go through the alphabet in my head, disappointed to find out just how far back into the alphabet Lupin is.

A long list of names later, Headmistress McGonagall reads,

"Longbottom, Alice"

Alice walks carefully to the stool, back ramrod straight, her hands shaking slightly. What on Earth did she have to be worried about? Her parents were two of the most kind and accepting people I'd ever met.

Still, she remains tense as the sorting hat takes the longest time out of any of the sortings to decide where she should go. After what seems like a one-sided discussion, the sorting hat calls out,

"RAVENCLAW."

Her shoulders visibly relax as she strides towards the cheering Ravenclaw table. She turns, searching for my face in the sea of anxious first years. Once she finds me, she gives me a thumbs up and turns away to immediately begin making conversation with the Ravenclaws around her, including seventh year head girl, Victoire Weasley, or as I know her, my older brother's girlfriend and my adoptive older sister.

Steadily the line of first years gets shorter and shorter.

"Lupin, Maia"

I stand up and walk towards the steps leading to the sorting hat stool, and promptly trip over the first step. A wave of quiet laughs pass through the hall. Out of all the traits I had to inherit from my mum..........

Headmistress McGonagall quickly silences all of the students with one unimpressed look that had quite possibly killed death eaters in the Battle of Hogwarts.

After getting to my feet with no injuries except for my dignity, which unfortunately couldn't be saved, I sit on the stool, and the sorting hat is lowered onto my head.

"Sooooooooo, another Lupin." the sorting hat's voice echoes in my head, "Smart like your father, witty too, and far too mischevious for your own good. You know, your father could have gone to Ravenclaw if he'd wanted. You are brave, and loyal, and possibly cunning enough for Slytherin."

I grinned. Oh I'd pay money to see James' face if I was sorted into Slytherin.

"Well, little Lupin," the sorting hat continues, "you seem to be right in the middle of Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Maybe I'll let you have some thought on the matter before I sort you."

I think for a little while, but before I could make a decision, the sorting hat speaks.

"Now now, I don't think I'll place you in Slytherin, little Lupin. I'd say you belong in......... RAVENCLAW."

I jump off of the stool and stumble on the hem of my robes as I run down to the Ravenclaw table, where I am immediately hugged simultaneously by Alice and Victoire. I don't even pay much attention to the other sortings until the sorting hat calls

"Potter, James"

The entire hall seems to hold its breath as the first Potter child of this generation is sorted. The face that James is making indicated that there was some kind of internal argument with the sorting hat, which is confirmed by the sorting hat yelling,

"NOT HUFFLEPUFF EH? I suppose you want to follow in your father's glorious footsteps. Well then........ GRYFFINDOR."

James was bright red with embarrassment as the entire Hufflepuff table was shooting him with glares sharp enough to kill. I almost wish I'd begged the sorting hat for Hufflepuff just to spite him. After all, my own mum was a Hufflepuff during her time at Hogwarts. I meet James' eyes and send him a look that reminds him of that. He blanches and dramatically pretends to beg for mercy until I'm laughing hard enough that Victoire asks if I need to go to the infirmary.