Chapter Two: The Sorting

Savannah walked into the Great Hall flanked by Peter and Remus, Sirius and James in front. All eyes were wide as they took in the ceiling, currently a peaceful starry night, and the floating candles. Four long tables were filled with different houses of students. Savannah already knew where she wanted to be.

There were the green and silver of Slytherin, and she shook her head as she walked by. Next was the Hufflepuff table. She wouldn't mind being a Hufflepuff, but she didn't particularly feel she belonged there either. That left Gryffindor with its bright red and gleaming gold and Ravenclaw in blue and black. It wasn't the bold and brave that called to her, no, it was Ravenclaw.

She turned to tell Remus as much, but stopped when she saw him glancing wistfully at the Gryffindor table. "You want to be a lion, huh?" she asked him lightly, hoping to ease his apparent apprehension.

Remus nodded and smiled softly. "I'd love to be, though I doubt that's where I'll end up. It's a shame though, I really won't look too lovely in green and silver."

Savannah rolled her eyes. "Why do you think you'll be in Slytherin?" He looked down at his shoes, suddenly taking an interest in his black converse.

He mumbled something she couldn't quite catch. As she went to ask him what he'd said, Professor McGonagall's voice cut everyone off. Whispering so as not to disturb the others listening, she squeezed Remus' hand and said, "you'll be in Gryffindor for sure. Don't worry. And even if you aren't, I'll still be your friend."

"-Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called.

Sirius strode confidently up to the stage and sat on the stool. Once the hat was placed on his head, all was quiet. After no more than a minute, the hat suddenly shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" There was a collective gasp from the older students and it appeared even McGonagall was surprised. Savannah made a mental note to ask Sirius about that later.

The names were called in order, James getting in Gryffindor just as soon as the hat touched his head, and Remus getting Gryffindor too just as she'd told him he would.

"Pettigrew, Peter!" Savannah threw a reassuring smile his way and he returned it somewhat hesitantly. The hat took a full two minutes on Peter and when it finally called Gryffindor, Peter left the stage sickly pale with Savannah wondering just what the hat had said to him. Finally came her name, and she almost tripped going up the stairs. She cursed herself for her clumsiness and took her place on the three-legged stool.

"Hmmmm.. A very interesting mind. Intelligent yes, a thirst for knowledge. Kind, caring, courageous. Ah yes, bravery. Not very cunning, not back-stabbing." The hat spoke in her mind, and she shook her head at her surprise. She was at a magic school, the least thing to surprise her should be a talking hat. Continuing to analyze her, the hat said, "this is a rather difficult one. Loyal like a Hufflepuff, smarts of a Ravenclaw, bravery of a Gryffindor, you could be placed anywhere but Slytherin..ah but your friends are in Gryffindor, I see... it best be... ...GRYFFINDOR!" the hat finished aloud.

She was stunned and walked to the gold and red table in a half-daze, puzzling how she of all people were brave. After a minute, she shrugged it off. If the hat, which had been sorting students since the school was founded, thought she was a Gryffindor, then a Gryffindor she was!

Beaming at the older students high-fiving and congratulating her, she made her way to the table where her four friends all sat. She found it rather convenient they were in the same house, but she didn't understand why it would've been a problem if one of them had been in another house. Her opinion didn't waver later, though many an older student warned her to watch out for the Slytherins. She shook it off. No matter what, there was good and bad in each house.

Besides, her cousin was in Slytherin, and there was no way they could all be evil if he was there.

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"That was delicious,: James groaned while lounging in an armchair. The boys and Savannah had retreated to the Common Room after the Feast. Savannah shook her head; they hadn't been here for a full day and yet Sirius and James were acting as though they owned the place.

She supposed she shouldn't be judging as she had decided to befriend them and she hadn't known them for a full day. Then again, they already considered her a friend as well. "I can't even begin to imagine how you lot ate all that candy and then that much at the Feast."

Sirius shook his head, clutching his stomach. "Don't remind me."

Remus chuckled from the couch where he was eating a chocolate frog. "It's your fault for eating so much,' he said with a grin.

Savannah smiled at him then remembered what she was going to ask him before the sorting. "Remus? Why did you think you were going to be put in Slytherin?"

Just as Lupin was about to answer, a group of first-year Gryffindor girls walked in through the portrait-hole. In the center was a red-head that had previously introduced herself to Savannah, but for the life of her she couldn't remember her name. The group stopped by the couches, and Savannah was amused to see Sirius winking and smiling at several. Remus was smiling politely, and Peter was suddenly enthralled in a Cauldron Cake wrapper despite his full stomach moments ago. James, however, was unabashedly staring at the redhead and Savannah had to hide a laugh.

"Hello," Savannah spoke up. She was rewarded with smiles from the group.

"Hi!" The redhead answered cheerfully and continued, "I'm Lily Evans, this is Alice Prewett, Marlene McKinnon, and Mary MacDonald. Savannah, I remember you from earlier." Savannah beamed as the others introduced themselves.

"This is Remus Lupin," James pointed to Remus who gave a slight wave and a shy smile. 'This is Peter Pettigrew," he gestured to Peter while he had a mouthful, "and this is-"

He was cut off by Sirius standing up and kissing Marlene McKinnon's hand. "The name's Black, SIrius Black." He winked at her and Marlene rolled her eyes but smiled with a slight blush.

Mary chuckled and Alice giggled into her hand while Lily just rolled her eyes. James glared at Sirius and finished his introduction. "And I'm James Potter," he said confidently and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

Lily smiled at him. He smiled back and sort of stared at her for a good minute. "Erm, James?"

He jolted out of whatever trance he was in, but instead of being embarrassed like Savannah had expected him to be, he smirked at Lily and said, "sorry, but you're so pretty." Lily's face suddenly matched her hair-beet red.

"Errr. Thank you James?"

He smiled and seemed rather proud of himself. "Don't mention it,' he turned to the couch inhabitants. "Ready boys? I think it's time we go to bed so we're ready for school tomorrow."

Savannah was fairly certain no one missed the mischevious twinkle in James' eyes as everyone exchanged goodnights. Following the other girls uo to the dorm, she allowed herself a yawn. Clambering into bed no more than ten minutes after, she lay thinking of her Hogwarts experience so far.

Smiling at the thought of her new friends, she shut her eyes, falling asleep with the hope of a great first day dancing behind her closed eyelids. She didn't expect to wake up at three in the morning from a horrible nightmare, and she definitely didn't expect Remus to have the same one.

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A/N: Hello. please let me know your thoughts and any constructive criticism. Review! xx