Formation of the Marauders

Wormtail's Perspective Second Chapter Havoc in the Hallway

I watched nervously as a severe looking woman in square spectacles placed a tattered hat on a wooden stool and the hat sang:

"A thousand years ago,

Hogwarts was wrought,

And many different types of students,

To the magic school were brought.

Slytherin preferred the ones,

Who had great ambition.

Ravenclaw accepted those,

With wit worth recognition.

Hufflepuff valued most,

Hard workers and fidelity,

And Gryffindor taught those,

Of courage and chivalry.

Gryffindor took me off his head,

And gave me a mind,

So that when the founders were gone,

I could help pupils find their kind!"

The four long tables exalted. I guessed that these were the tables of the four houses the peculiar hat had just described. I really do not want to put that thing on my head.

"Avery, Thomas!" called the woman. A sour looking boy came forward and after a moment the hat announced, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Bagman, Ludovic!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Black, Sirius!" she summoned. A good-looking child came out of the crowd and reluctantly put of the hat. His reluctance seemed to be caused by the fact that the Slytherins were raising their hands as if getting ready to applaud him.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat declared almost instantly. There was a stunned silence throughout the hall (I was unsure of the reason why.) as Sirius walked with pride to his house table.

In the throng of first years a bespectacled boy and a sickly boy began to clap. I wish I had friends to congratulate me, even when no one else would, I thought. (Unfortunately, I had a tendency to wallow in my self-pity.) I was amazed when the headmaster himself, Albus Dumbledore, began to applaud. Soon the entire hall, minus the Slytherins, was cheering.

Once everyone had quieted, "Diggory, Amos!" was called to the stool.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Evans, Lily!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Jorkins, Bertha!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Lation, Stella!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Lupin, Remus!" At the sound of this name I could not help but observe that all of the staff members exchanged glances.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I peered over at Dumbledore; he did not appear surprised, he looked proud.

"Lovegood, Nicholas!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"McGonagall, Sapphire!" the woman called fondly. A very attractive blond with eyes as blue as her first name emerged from the group of children and sat gracefully on the stool.

After a long pause the hat decided, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Pettigrew, Peter!" Quivering with anxiety, I put the hat atop my head and it slipped down passed my eyes.

"Tricky one," murmured a voice in my ear that caused my heart to beat quicker with nervousness. "You lack ambition, bravery, cleverness, and are most certainly not loyal. Hmm...I suppose you are chivalrous enough. GRYFFINDOR!"

Still shaking with anxiety, I gaited to the scarlet and gold table to watch the rest of the ceremony thinking, I'm glad that's over.

"Potter, James!"

The bespectacled boy barely had the hat touch his head ere it proclaimed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Rickwood, Alan!"

"SLYTHRIN!"

"Trelawney, Sybil!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Vector, Shannon!" was the last to be sorted.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Then Dumbledore stood up and announced, "Welcome, all. Before we commence out superb banquet Mr. Filch has requested that I remind you magic is not permitted in the corridors. The forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. A whomping willow has been planted on the grounds, and I advize everyone that values their limbs to avoid it. Well, I have bored you long enough; let the feast begin!"

Unexpectedly, the tables became covered in food. I was ravenous; therefore I loaded up my plate and listened to the other first years converse.

"Why would Dumbledore put such a dangerous plant on the grounds?" Stella wondered.

"This is Dumbledore we're talking about. He must have a purpose," reasoned Sapphire.

"It could knock out the Slytherins," suggested James. "That is a good reason." Sirius laughed a bark-like laugh.

Sapphire turned to Remus, who was staring at his plate, looking ashamed about something. "Is anything wrong?" she inquired kindly.

Remus looked at her and the moment their gaze met I saw them both faintly blush. "No, I'm fine," replied Remus.

Once the banquet ended I attempted to keep up with the Prefects that were leading the way to Gryffindor Tower, yet I fell behind, as I so often did, and soon became lost.

I was in a dimly lit corridor when I heard a girl call out in a baby voice, 'Aww, did the ickle-firstie get lost?"

"W-who's there?" I stuttered, spinning wildly around.

A Slytherin third year with hair black as night emerged from the shadows. I might have found her pretty if she were not wearing a sinister smile and had her wand pointed at me.

Suddenly, James, Remus, and Sirius stepped into view.

"What are you doing, sweet cousin?" demanded Sirius harshly.

Her lip curled with loathing. "Well, Blood Traitor, I was intimidating this first year."

Pleasantly, Remus stated, "Sorry, but we are going to have to insist that you stop."

Then a hooked-nosed student that I recognized from the sorting as Severus Snape (That's one thing I'm good at: remembering names.) walked over. "You Gryffindor gits are no match for us Slytherins," he said. I shivered at the coldness in his tone.

"Is that so?" challenged James.

Snape glared at James and in both of the boys' eyes I saw an unquenchable hatred being formed. I shuddered again.

The girl abruptly turned on her heel and stalked off, muttering, "A bunch of first years are not worth my time." Snape must have realized that he was badly out numbered because he followed her.

"Don't turn the other cheek; it's just as ugly!" Sirius called after him.

"You guys were incredibly brave," I gushed. Why did I say that? Now they'll think I'm a loser, I berated myself.

Surprisingly, James seemed rather pleased with the admiration.

"Shall we take you to Gryffindor Tower?" suggested Remus courteously.

I nodded gratefully.