504Disclaimer: See first chapter
A/N: I genuinely can't wait to write the last of the four chapters in this little Sorting series. James feels like an easy one. Peter's a whole different story.
September 1st 1971. The Great Hall. 19:36.
"Potter, James."
James bit his lip. Was there a certain quota of students per house? Would he be allowed to be a Gryffindor now that the wet and weedy boy who had stumbled toward the stool had just been Sorted there? If he was shafted just because the no-hoper had wanted to avoid Hufflepuff, what's-his-name Pettigrew's life would not be worth living.
James took a deep breath and made toward the Hat as though it brought impending doom. He took his seat and caught sight of Sirius grinning at him from the far end of the room. The sight made him feel sick with nerves. The Hat was surprisingly heavy on his head and sank over his eyes. He was glad of this. He couldn't have sat on the stool smiling politely at an entire room full of faces staring up at him.
"Well, well, another Potter."
James breathed a sigh of relief. It knew him. It knew where it had sent each member of his family and it knew where it would send him. His smile grew into a grin.
"Please. Gryffindor. Please."
James' mind began to wander. Just what would he tell his parents if he really was shoved in Hufflepuff? His mother had been a Slytherin, but he didn't want to be. He and his father joked about her all the time. She was the great source of family shame. They told her that she had besmirched the name of Potter. It was funny, and neither of them meant it, but it wouldn't be funny if it was him.
"Your mother was not a Gryffindor then?"
"Merlin! Does it matter?"
"And why do you so desperately desire Gryffindor above all others?"
James winced. "My dad was there."
He knew this was a ludicrous explanation. After all, Sirius had said all of his family had been Slytherins and he was a Gryffindor. The shy boy on the train had said he wanted to be a Ravenclaw because his father had been, and he too had been made a Gryffindor.
"Another case of family honour."
James wondered if that was what this was really about. He couldn't - just couldn't - be a Slytherin. If he was Sorted into Hufflepuff, he would never live it down. Ravenclaw wasn't so bad, but…well, it was Ravenclaw. He wasn't quite arrogant enough to think he could pass his exams without trying before he had so much as attended even one class. He wouldn't fit in there.
"No," he whispered in response. "I just can't see myself anywhere else."
The Hat was silent for some time. Mere seconds passed, but each felt like a minute to James. He shifted in his seat, antsy and not yet convinced he wasn't going to be a Slytherin.
"You are clever. Yours is not the first mind I consider would do well in Ravenclaw. You are resourceful and can even at times, manage to be quite innovative. You would make a fine Slytherin-"
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no."
"You are determined, persistent, a good and noble person who sticks to their values. You would do well in Hufflepuff."
"Christ, that's worse."
"Ultimately, Mr. Potter, you are defined by unending loyalty and great courage."
"Does this mean what I think it means?"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Oh, thank God for that." He almost flung the Hat off his head and danced down the hall to the Gryffindor table. Instead, he placed it neatly on the stool and almost swaggered to the seat beside Sirius.
"Knew you'd be here," said Sirius.
"That was the most awful experience of my life. I thought it was going to put me in Hufflepuff. It was torture!"
Sirius made a noise expressing deep disdain as Snape, Severus was Sorted into Slytherin. He nodded toward Lupin on his left. "Don't talk about torture. This one's been sitting here with a face like a slapped arse."
"Probably because I'm sitting next to you."
Both Lupin and Sirius seemed shocked at this outburst and the former cleared his throat, turning to face the opposite direction.
"What's just crawled up his arse?"
James frowned. "I want to say you, but that would be really weird."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Weird? I'd be physically sick." He elbowed James in the ribs. "Besides, he's all emotional. I think he might be…you know…queer. So stop giving him ideas."
If the other boy heard this, he did not respond.
Across the table, Peter Pettigrew twittered something that Sirius did not manage to hear, but still took offence to. James sighed. His first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy would be the same length as any other year, but he had the impression that it would feel ten times longer.
He nudged Sirius and mumbled, "Let's just keep out of their way."
"Sounds like a plan."
James beamed. He'd made the house he wanted, his father was going to be proud, the Hat had assured him he was clever and noble and innovative, and he had made a friend.
"Don't go round telling people I'm emotional and queer," he said quietly to Sirius, "but I think this might just be the best day of my life."