Tales > Marauders First Year

A boy with coal black hair and hazel eyes dashed for the train that was ready to leave. He said good-bye to his parents and jumped on. The train blew its whistle and the boy was safe. He pushed up his glasses and looked for a seat.

His best friend, whom he has know most of his 11 years of life, was supposed to be here. The boy crossed his fingers and looked for his friend.

"Hey James! Over here!" someone said. The black haired boy looked in the direction of the voice and grinned.

James hurried into the compartment, "Hey Sirius,"

Sirius' hair was almost shoulder length and was as dark as James' hair. Sirius' eyes were a misty blue/gray and proved useful when hypnotizing the girls. James looked at the other person sitting by the window. All James and Sirius could see of him was his light brown hair and patched up robes. The rest of his head was in a book.

James nodded over at the boy. Sirius replied, "Everywhere else was full so this guy was nice enough to let me in here."

James picked up the boys book and looked at it, "A muggle Bestiary?"

"Yes it is." The boy said somewhat shyly.

"My name's James Potter," James said handing him back his book.

"And I'm his best friend, Sirius Black."

"My name's Remus. Remus Lupin." He said placing his book away.

The three first year boys carried on conversations about random things; whatever would keep the discussion going was said.

"I take it both of you are purebloods then?" Remus assumed. He looked at them expectantly, "That's why you both know each other."

"Yea, but I don't follow all their pureblood crap talk." Sirius spat.

"My family doesn't believe in that either," James said, "What about you Remus?"

"I'm half and half..." he trailed off as his amber eyes met another pair outside of their compartment.

"Look what the trash dumped in," Sirius commented.

James laughed and saw a boy, about their age, looking at them. He had greasy black hair that hung straight from his face. Speaking of face, it's what the two raven-haired boys noticed first, "Nice nose," Sirius laughed. It was definitely too big for his face.

The greasy boy glared at them and walked away.

"Snivellus Snape," Sirius said, "Disgusting guy. Needs to take a shower once in a while..."

"Yea." James laughed.

"We're almost at school," Remus said. He had pulled out his book again and was reading, "Then we'll take boats up to the school and get sorted."

"Do you know everything about that school?" James asked.

"You need to read more," Remus said with a small smile.

"I read plenty!" James said. He knew it wasn't that great of a counter, and thankfully Remus didn't tell him that because of a high pitched yell.

The three boys looked out and saw some older kids from Slytherin, picking on a first year. Sirius and James stepped out of the compartment and up to them.

"Excuse me, but that isn't very nice." James said tapping one on the shoulder. The person turned around, "So? What you gonna do about it kid?"

"This," James grinned. He kicked him in the shin and hit him in the stomach. More and more people started looking out of their compartments and the fight. Remus took the boy the older guys were picking on took him into the compartment.

Sirius did the reverse of James' move on the other guy; punch then kick.

James and Sirius looked from the guys on the ground to each other and gave a thumb up.

"We'll get you!" the two yelled at the boys getting up and leaving.

"Alright, show's over people," James said walking into the compartment.

"What do you mean shows over?" said a redheaded girl. She stepped out of her booth and stood in front of them, "That was the stupidest stunt I've ever seen in my life! What were you thinking when you were beating them up? Two wrongs DON'T make a right you know." She yelled at them, with her hands on her hips.

"Oh put a sock in it cherry head." Sirius rolled his eyes and walked back into the compartment to check on the victim. James said as her was walking after, "Really,"

"My name is Lily Evans! Not cherry head!" she yelled at them.

"Hey are you ok?" Remus asked the boy.

"F-fine..." he said shyly.

"My name's Remus. And that's James and Sirius."

"I-I'm Peter..." Peter said smiling somewhat. Peter was a small, chubby blond boy with blue eyes.

"That's good that's you're ok." James said.

"Are we there yet..." Sirius whined.

"Ten minutes away." Remus said smiling at his immaturity.

Everyone got off of the train and the first years were led to the boats. From the boats they went to the castle and to the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Why'd we have to take those boats?" Peter thought aloud.

"So that they can keep track of us I suppose." James shrugged.

"Yes, that's right James," Remus said in a know-it-all voice, "And so everybody else can get into the Great Hall and be ready for the assembly."

A professor stood before them all and hushed them. She was wearing Emerald colored robes and her hair was pulled up into a black bun.

"((A/N: Borrowed from book 1 with a few rearranged words)) Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall. The start-of-the term banquet will be held shortly, but before you can feast and take your seats, you must be sorted. This sorting is very important because the house you are placed into is like your family for the next seven years.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While at Hogwarts, you will earn points for your house in classes and Quidditch, and lose points when you misbehave. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup.

"The ceremony will take place in few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can," she said glancing at Sirius and James whom were playing tic-tac-to on a piece of parchment that Remus gave them so they'd shut up.

I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." And she left.

"Hey, how do they do that? Put people into houses, I mean." Sirius asked.

"The Sorting Hat." Remus started, "They put it on your head and it looks into everything you've done, all your traits, your friends, everything. Ravenclaw is for the people that like to learn and are smart-"

"Guess we won't be seeing you Rem," Sirius said patting him on the back.

Remus pushed him lightly and went on, "Slytherin is pretty much purebloods and bullies."

"There isn't any way I'm going to get stuck in that house. Not with the rest of the family," Sirius said pretending to choke himself.

Remus chuckled, "There's Hufflepuff which is for the just and loyal, and true."

James and Sirius glanced at Peter. The poked the scared little boy a few times, "Seems like Hufflepuff material..." They muttered. Remus hit them both in the head, "Can I finish without being interrupted? Just once?"

"Sure, go ahead." Sirius yawned.

"And then there's Gryffindor. For the brave and daring...idiocy in my opinion..." he added. Sirius over headed that and looked at his best friend, "James, that's your house!"

"Hey, you calling me stupid?" James gave a slight glare.

"Nope, I'm calling you an idiot."

"Form a line and follow me," a sharp voice said. Prof. McGonagall was back. The first years did was they were told and followed her into the hall. Peter looked up at the "night sky".

Remus explained to him that it was bewitched to look like the outside weather.

McGonagall placed a four-legged stool out and sat a dirty, and quite old, pointed wizard hat on top.

"They're gonna put that on our heads?" James asked raising a brow, "You're kidding..."

"No," Remus said amusedly.

The rip near the brim of the hat opened up and the hat began to recite a poem.

Oh, you might not like my looks
Or the way that I talk
Or what I'm about to do
So you better read your books

I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
I'm here to put you in your house
So let us decide where to put you
And once I tell you the houses,
We'll do just that

Maybe you'll be in Gryffindor
Because of your brave heart
That's what set you apart

"Idiocy," Remus reminded the boys with a smile.

Or maybe good ol' Hufflepuff
Because you are so loyal
And unafraid of toil

Maybe you'll be in Ravenclaw
Because of your great mind
You will always find your kind

Or perhaps I'll stick you in Slytherin
Where you'll meet your real friends
And use your trickery to achieve your ends

Whatever house you go to
You have to get past me.
So put me on so I can tell you

Where you ought to be

The four tables burst into claps and whistles, as did some of the first years. Prof. McGonagall took out a piece of parchment and read from it, "Abbot, Sean."

Sean walked up slowly and sat on the stool. McGonagall put the hat on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat yelled. The Hufflepuff students stood and clapped as he hurried down to the table.

"Black, Sirius."

"Go figure that one out...I'm second..." Sirius said plastering a grin of confidence to his face. He walked up and sat on the stool slouching. There were a few laughs from the students as Sirius ran a hand through his hair and McGonagall put the hat on. The Sorting hat took a while on deciding but he was finally placed.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius gave his friends a thumb up and went down to the table. James, Remus, and Peter gave him a thumb up also as McGonagall continued through the list. Lily was muttering things about Sirius. Things like, "Trying to be cool," "Stupid git," and "How did he get put there?"

"Evans, Lily." McGonagall read. Lily walked up proudly and sat on the stool neatly.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The look on Lily's face was in shock. James was cracking up.

"How ironic," Remus smiled trying not to laugh.

Lily sulked to the table and sat as far away from Sirius as possible.

McGonagall read of more names then it was Remus' turn.

"Lupin, Remus."

"Difficult..." The Sorting Hat, "A great mind...and yet so much courage..."

I'd like to be in Gryffindor... Remus thought, that way I'm with my one of my friends.

"Alright then, GRYFFINDOR!" Remus walked down and sat by Sirius.

A few more names...

Peter began to fidget until James said, "Don't sweat it, we'll all be in the same house." Peter stopped for a while, that was until his name was called up.

Peter slowly walked up and sat on the stool. The hat was placed on his head and it was decided rather quickly, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Potter, James."

James walked up to the stool and sat a little but more neatly than Sirius did, but still retained the same bad boy look.

"Please not Gryffindor...please please please..." Lily muttered.

"Come on James..." Sirius said loudly so the whole hall could here. There was some laughter and McGonagall put the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" most of the table clapped. Lily buried her head in her arms and groaned.

The boys shared the same dorm and stayed up all night. Except Remus, he went to sleep despite all the racket they made to keep him awake. Sirius jumped on his bed, but Remus still slept.

The next morning Remus woke up and saw his friends barely awake, "I told you not to stay up. Sirius, you're drooling..."

"Huuuuuuuuuuuh...? Oh...." Sirius yawned and wiped his mouth. James was eating Bertie Botts, and Peter was fumbling with a chocolate frog.

"Lucky for you we don't have any classes today."

James, Sirius, and Peter sighed in relief.

"Now, are you up for breakfast? Or are you going to pass out along the way?" Remus asked them.

"The only way to find out is if we go!" Sirius grinned sleepily. James nodded, "We'll try,"

"Idiots..." Remus chuckled.

The four of them headed to breakfast and sat at the table. Peter ate at least one of everything if not, more. Remus ate a normal amount, but Sirius and James had trouble keeping the food in their mouths...and stomachs...

Sirius was the first to hurl followed shortly after was James. Remus dragged them up to the Hospital Wing. They were put into beds and rested the whole day and the rest of the night. The next day Remus and Peter came in and got them.

"James, Sirius, we have class in two hours..."

James woke up at the sound of class and sat up. Sirius didn't move an inch.

"Hey Sirius, get up before I make you." James laughed. He leaned over and pushed him in the shoulder, "Get up, bud."

"Screw...you...," was all Sirius could get out.

James but on his uniform cloths and robe. He tied up his tie very loosely and dragged Sirius out of bed, "No one said you had to pay attention, just go to the class." James smirked, "Or we can drag you, unwillingly, down the stairs and to class...in your underwear."

Sirius jumped up and got ready. He grabbed his tie and hit James with it before letting it hang around his neck, untied.

This was only the beginning of their friendship, and their reign of the school.