Marauders to the End: Year One, Chapter Three
TITLE: Food, Glorious Food
FANDOM: Harry Potter
CHARACTERS: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, Lily Evans, Andromeda Black, Albus Dumbledore, random OCs.
RATING: PG-13
WARNINGS: None
SUMMARY: The boys arrive at Hogwarts and are sorted.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY: As you might note, I was on a major Beatles kick when I wrote this chapter. Also introduced in this chapter are Professor Fenris, who is based on a real teacher I had once, and Ivy Amore, who was supposed to eventually become a love-interest for Sirius. Like with Rosie, I realized that was a really stupid idea, and moved Ivy to background comic relief. Other than that, I can't remember anything about this chapter. Oh, wait, my sister helped with the Sorting Song.
As they neared Hogwarts, all of the boys began to feel very uncertain about starting school. Not only was it unfamiliar, but the building alone was very imposing. If the building is imposing, Peter thought, what will the teachers be like? If I’m not good enough, what will I do? Get by with a little help from my friends? Well… I can try with a little help from my friends.
James had no such fears. Teachers didn’t scare him. Nothing scared him really. Lessons? Ha. That would be the easy part. Quidditch? No problem. He’d been playing since he could walk. Making friends? Been there, done that. The boys around him would be sufficient. Pranking everyone to a point where he could be called the Hogwarts Trickster? That might be a problem, but he had Sirius to help him now. One of the things they had discovered on the train was that neither one of them could resist a good prank. In fact, Sirius seemed to know more about making mischief than James did.
Sirius did know a lot about mischief, and he was also very talented. If he wasn’t, he probably wouldn’t have lasted eleven years in his mother’s house. He was looking forward to going to school where he’d be away from his household, if not his entire family. The castle looked big, but at least it would be better than what was behind him. Almost anything would be.
Remus was worried again. Not about school, he’d do fine at that, but that his new found friends would find out what he was. It was a difficult thing to keep hidden, especially from people he trusted. But he couldn’t let them know anything about his past. Anything that might give him away. That meant he could only answer their questions in vague terms… he probably shouldn’t even talk about his parents. He should just pretend that his life was perfectly wonderful and that he lived in a beautiful house with perfect parents and explain away his disappearances every month with some excuse… family illnesses… anything.
They reached a stopping point and Hagrid lead them up to the castle. When they got there, Hagrid knocked three times on the great oak doors.
A tall, dark-haired, rather severe looking woman opened it. James shuddered. She looked like his mother on a bad day. Sirius shivered along with his friend. This woman looked like his mother on a good day.
“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,” Hagrid said.
“Thank you, Hagrid. I’ll take them from here.”
Professor McGonagall led the first years to a small room. They crowded inside. When they were all in, Professor McGonagall turned to face them.
“Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said. Somehow, Peter didn’t feel that welcome. He could tell right off the bat that this was a teacher he was going to have a lot of trouble with.
“In a few moments,” Professor McGonagall continued. “You will take your seats in the Great Hall, but first you will be Sorted into your Houses. The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here, your House will be like your family. You will eat at you House table, sleep in your House dormitory, and attend classes with the rest of your House. Also, each House can earn and lose points. You earn points for your House by triumphs and lose points for your House by breaking rules. The house with the most points at the end of the year will earn the House Cup, a great honor. The Sorting Ceremony will commence shortly. Thank you.”
She turned and left. The first years stood stock still and said nothing. They waited, wondering. None of them knew how the Sorting was done, and if they would have to perform a spell of some kind.
James wasn’t worried about anything. It couldn’t be too hard since none of them knew anything yet, and no one knew as much as he did.
Sirius figured anything would be easy compared to his household. After all, he knew enough to be able to last there. Surely a Sorting Ceremony would be no problem. On the other hand… his entire family was in Slytherin except Anny. He didn’t want to be in Slytherin. He didn’t!
Remus didn’t think they would have to do any sort of test of abilities. How could they decide what House they’d be in because of a test? The thought was ridiculous. They probably just looked you over, asked a few questions, and put you in a House based on your answers.
Peter was genuinely worried. He didn’t know anything about magic except what might have been mentioned at home. (His mother was a witch, his father was a Muggle.) He didn’t know what he’d have to do, or if he’d be able to do it.
At last, Professor McGonagall returned and led them into the Great Hall. The rest of the school was already there. The students were seated at the four long House tables. At the top of the hall, the teachers sat at their own table.
The first years had fallen into line. Remus was in front of his friends, and behind the curly-haired Rosie Campbell he’d met on the train. He tried not to breathe in. Remus was past the stage where he thought girls were disgusting… in fact, he’d never gone through that stage. He was just afraid that her hair would suffocate him if he inhaled it.
They were led to the front of the hall. Professor McGonagall placed a stool in front of them. (We never determined how many legs it had that year. Perhaps twelve.) On top of the stool she placed a rather dirty and ragged hat.
Everyone stared at it. Peter was thinking, A hat? That’s the secret test? A HAT?!
A rip opened on the brim, and the hat began to sing:
I bet you’re wondering what I am,
And why you’re here before me,
Well if you’ll stay and listen,
I’ll explain to you my story.
Quite long ago, four righteous friends,
Felt a need to teach,
So they founded Hogwarts School,
And to young wizards reached.
Fair Ravenclaw, went all of those,
Wise beyond their years,
To Gryffindor, those brave of heart
Who had no earthly fears.
To Slytherin, those pure of blood,
Who had vindictive talent,
And to sweet Hufflepuff there went,
Hard workers, true and valiant.
And so the founders worked together,
And created me, a hat,
To stay within the school for years,
To make sure of that.
So now, just put me on, my friend,
Entrust yourself to me,
And I’ll whisper in your ear,
The place you ought to be.
The school burst into applause. Most of the older students looked very happy that the song that year was short.
The hat bowed to each of the four tables then stood motionless. Professor McGonagall unrolled a long scroll of parchment and said, “When I call your name, come forward, put on the hat, sit on the stool, and you will be sorted. Amore, Ivy!”
A very small, dark haired girl stumbled out of line and walked confidently up to the stool. Peter sniggered.
“GRYFFINDOR!” the hat shouted after a moment. Ivy took off the hat and hurried to the table that had just burst into applause.
“Black, Sirius!”
Sirius swallowed and walked forward. He could feel the eyes of every one of his relatives on him. Most of them wanted him in Slytherin. He wanted nothing to do with them. Then the hat slid down over his eyes.
“Hmm…” said a voice in his ear. “Let’s see… another Black. But this one… a different standard of morals. Talented, very talented. Brave, stubborn, mischievous… but alone. So alone. Unloved, unwanted by all his family. So what should I do with you?”
“Don’t put me in Slytherin,” Sirius thought. “Please don’t put me in Slytherin. I hate them. All of them. Put me with Anny… in Gryffindor.”
“If you so wish… GRYFFINDOR!”
Sirius was relieved. He took off the hat and sat down by his cousin, silently thanking the hat for being so generous.
“Bullock, Jane!”
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
“Campbell, Rose!”
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Remus was very glad to have her hair out of his face.
As the sorting went on, the line grew shorter. Although there hadn’t seemed to be too many students when they started, (despite what J.K. Rowling says, there were only about forty students per year) the sorting took a very long time. Sometimes the hat shouted out the house immediately, but more often than not, it took quite a while to sort someone.
“Evans, Lily!”
A girl with long red hair stumbled out of line. In the moment when she turned, James caught a glimpse of bright, green eyes.
The room was swimming in front of him. He barely heard the hat shout out “GRYFFINDOR!” and he could barely keep his eyes off Lily Evans as she sat down.
Remus was starting to feel nervous as Professor McGonagall moved through the H’s. He wasn’t sure if his medical condition would influence the sorting hat, but he was scared that if it did, he’d be headed straight for Slytherin, which was the last place he wanted to be.
“Haller!” “Jennings!” “Jordan!” “Koffman!”
“Lupin, Remus!”
Remus swallowed as Sirius had done and moved to the stool. He caught a brief glimpse of the hall looking at him until the hat obscured his vision
“Now, let me see… talented, intelligent, gentle… very lonely… rather unhappy… slightly reckless, but still unafraid, even after being dealt so many blows… Now… I think… GRYFFINDOR!”
Remus was relieved. He took off the hat and joined Sirius. He was a very glad he did not have to sit and talk with the hat like so many of his classmates seemed to be doing.
More and more people were being called…
“Pettigrew, Peter!”
Peter went forward and put on the hat. “Ah…” the hat whispered to him. “A very difficult mix. Talented, though not in magic… quiet… dependant… yet very shrewd… though a little bold… you are very difficult…”
“You’re a hat,” Peter thought. “You think I’m difficult to Sort?”
“Yes, I do. Now… you need friends… and your friends… well, yes, I suppose… GRYFFINDOR!”
Peter went over and joined Sirius and Remus as Professor McGonagall called, “Potter, James!”
The hat didn’t even bother to whisper in James’s ear before it cried out “GRYFFINDOR!”
James smiled, took the hat off, and sat down across from Sirius.
“Well, that was completely unsurprising,” James said.
“Speak for yourself,” Sirius retorted.
There were very few people left to be sorted now. “Rasmussen, Michael!”
“RAVENCLAW!”
“Snape, Severus!”
The greasy-haired boy from the bookshop came forward. Sirius’s jaw tightened.
“SLYTHERIN!”
Remus wasn’t surprised from the look Sirius was giving Severus Snape.
Finally, the Sorting was over.
The man sitting in the center of the staff table stood up. He had long silver hair with a matching beard, a crooked nose, and twinkling blue eyes. The students immediately knew that this man had to be the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
He smiled at them, and the entire hall suddenly seemed warmer to all the first years.
“Welcome to Hogwarts!” Dumbledore said, as though nothing gave him greater pleasure than to see all of them sitting there. “There will be some announcements later, but now is not the time. Tuck in!”
The plates on the table suddenly filled with food. Sirius was amazed. For a boy who had eaten nothing but processed sugar for the last week, this was heaven. He couldn’t believe that there was so much food here, or that he was allowed to eat as much of it as he liked.
Remus was also amazed. Even in the better days of his youth he’d never seen so much food. Now, all alone in the world, he was usually lucky to get anything at all.
James was used to getting most of what he wanted, but this was too much even for him. It was more than he ever imagined, and he could imagine quite a lot.
Peter didn’t notice the magnitude, only the food. After all, he usually didn’t get to eat this much, and he usually ate as much as possible.
All four boys fell to with a will, piling plates high with favorite foods, unfamiliar foods, and everything in between. As they ate, Lily Evans, Rosie Campbell, and Ivy Amore, who appeared to be best friends, were discussing music between them.
“I’ve just gotten John Lennon’s first solo single!” Lily was saying.
“Lucky! I barely got a hold of Let It Be.” Rosie whined. “How is it?”
“It’s great!”
“Who’s John Lennon?” Remus asked despite himself.
The girls looked at him as if he were a total idiot. “I suppose you’ve missed out on Muggle culture, haven’t you?” Rosie asked.
“Yeah…”
“He’s the greatest rock artist of all time!” Lily squealed.
“Right…”
The other boys were too busy eating to pay attention to cultural discussions, even if the discussion was on rock music and it was 1971.
They were all starting to get pleasantly full when the table cleared and then refilled itself with puddings, cakes, pies, and many more types of dessert. Somehow, this was better than the dinner, and everyone fell on them with even more enthusiasm, except Sirius, who fell on them with indecent willingness.
About the time that everyone’s ears had started buzzing with the expected effect of a sugar high, the food on their plates disappeared, leaving them sparkling clean as though they hadn’t been used at all. As Dumbledore stood up to begin the start-of-term notices, the room became silent.
“Well, here we are in another school year!” he began. “And, as usual, I have a few notices to give you.
“First, please note that the forest on the edge of the grounds is off limits to all students. The village of Hogsmeade is off limits to students under the third year.
“Quidditch tryouts will be held in the second week of term. Anyone wishing to play should give their names to their head of house.
“We are pleased to welcome yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Fenris.” There was a scattering of applause for the big young man with brown hair and beard who looked rather like the entire student body would be in pain by the time they were done with the first class.
“And now, let us sing the school song!” Dumbledore said cheerily. The other teachers looked less-than-enthusiastic about this, but they didn’t seem to have much of a choice. Dumbledore flicked his wand, and words curled out of them.
“Everyone pick their favorite tune!” Dumbledore called. “An off we go!”
And the entire school sang/shouted/chanted/ bellowed:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Rather we be old and bald or
Young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now their bare
And full of air,
Dead flies, and bits of fluff.
So teach us things worth knowing.
Bring back what we forgot.
Just do your best,
We’ll go the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot!
Everyone finished at different times. Once everyone was done singing/shouting/chanting/bellowing, Dumbledore smiled down at them.
“Excellent, excellent. Now, off to bed with you!”
There was a loud scraping of benches as everyone stood up.
“First years!” a prefect called down the table. “First years, follow me!”
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, along with six others (still standing with the theory that there are forty students per year) followed the prefect along the hallways. As they went, paintings waved at them, the staircases around them moved, and they were led through tapestries and what appeared to be solid walls. No one was surprise at these things. They were all too full and sleepy to be surprised at anything.
Finally, they reached a portrait of a rather chubby woman in a pink dress.
“Password?” the Fat Lady asked.
“Safeguard,” the prefect said.
The Fat Lady nodded and swung forward to reveal an opening into a comfortable room with plenty of tables and squashy armchairs. A fire blazed merrily in the grate.
“Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room,” the prefect said. “Boys, your dormitory is upstairs on the left. Girls, yours is upstairs on the right. All your things have been taken up for you.”
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter went up to a circular dormitory with another boy named Tom Jordan, who wasn’t exactly quiet, but didn’t make much of an effort to be friendly. The five boys changed and got into bed, not talking much.
Remus lay there, thinking. It was a very nice place, Hogwarts. A bit intimidating, yes, but still very nice. As his confidence rose, he heard Peter humming quietly in the next bed.
Food, glorious food.
Hot sausage and mustard.
While we’re in the mood,
Cold jelly and custard…
Remus smiled and went to sleep.
FANDOM: Harry Potter
CHARACTERS: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid, Lily Evans, Andromeda Black, Albus Dumbledore, random OCs.
RATING: PG-13
WARNINGS: None
SUMMARY: The boys arrive at Hogwarts and are sorted.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY: As you might note, I was on a major Beatles kick when I wrote this chapter. Also introduced in this chapter are Professor Fenris, who is based on a real teacher I had once, and Ivy Amore, who was supposed to eventually become a love-interest for Sirius. Like with Rosie, I realized that was a really stupid idea, and moved Ivy to background comic relief. Other than that, I can't remember anything about this chapter. Oh, wait, my sister helped with the Sorting Song.
As they neared Hogwarts, all of the boys began to feel very uncertain about starting school. Not only was it unfamiliar, but the building alone was very imposing. If the building is imposing, Peter thought, what will the teachers be like? If I’m not good enough, what will I do? Get by with a little help from my friends? Well… I can try with a little help from my friends.
James had no such fears. Teachers didn’t scare him. Nothing scared him really. Lessons? Ha. That would be the easy part. Quidditch? No problem. He’d been playing since he could walk. Making friends? Been there, done that. The boys around him would be sufficient. Pranking everyone to a point where he could be called the Hogwarts Trickster? That might be a problem, but he had Sirius to help him now. One of the things they had discovered on the train was that neither one of them could resist a good prank. In fact, Sirius seemed to know more about making mischief than James did.
Sirius did know a lot about mischief, and he was also very talented. If he wasn’t, he probably wouldn’t have lasted eleven years in his mother’s house. He was looking forward to going to school where he’d be away from his household, if not his entire family. The castle looked big, but at least it would be better than what was behind him. Almost anything would be.
Remus was worried again. Not about school, he’d do fine at that, but that his new found friends would find out what he was. It was a difficult thing to keep hidden, especially from people he trusted. But he couldn’t let them know anything about his past. Anything that might give him away. That meant he could only answer their questions in vague terms… he probably shouldn’t even talk about his parents. He should just pretend that his life was perfectly wonderful and that he lived in a beautiful house with perfect parents and explain away his disappearances every month with some excuse… family illnesses… anything.
They reached a stopping point and Hagrid lead them up to the castle. When they got there, Hagrid knocked three times on the great oak doors.
A tall, dark-haired, rather severe looking woman opened it. James shuddered. She looked like his mother on a bad day. Sirius shivered along with his friend. This woman looked like his mother on a good day.
“The firs’ years, Professor McGonagall,” Hagrid said.
“Thank you, Hagrid. I’ll take them from here.”
Professor McGonagall led the first years to a small room. They crowded inside. When they were all in, Professor McGonagall turned to face them.
“Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said. Somehow, Peter didn’t feel that welcome. He could tell right off the bat that this was a teacher he was going to have a lot of trouble with.
“In a few moments,” Professor McGonagall continued. “You will take your seats in the Great Hall, but first you will be Sorted into your Houses. The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here, your House will be like your family. You will eat at you House table, sleep in your House dormitory, and attend classes with the rest of your House. Also, each House can earn and lose points. You earn points for your House by triumphs and lose points for your House by breaking rules. The house with the most points at the end of the year will earn the House Cup, a great honor. The Sorting Ceremony will commence shortly. Thank you.”
She turned and left. The first years stood stock still and said nothing. They waited, wondering. None of them knew how the Sorting was done, and if they would have to perform a spell of some kind.
James wasn’t worried about anything. It couldn’t be too hard since none of them knew anything yet, and no one knew as much as he did.
Sirius figured anything would be easy compared to his household. After all, he knew enough to be able to last there. Surely a Sorting Ceremony would be no problem. On the other hand… his entire family was in Slytherin except Anny. He didn’t want to be in Slytherin. He didn’t!
Remus didn’t think they would have to do any sort of test of abilities. How could they decide what House they’d be in because of a test? The thought was ridiculous. They probably just looked you over, asked a few questions, and put you in a House based on your answers.
Peter was genuinely worried. He didn’t know anything about magic except what might have been mentioned at home. (His mother was a witch, his father was a Muggle.) He didn’t know what he’d have to do, or if he’d be able to do it.
At last, Professor McGonagall returned and led them into the Great Hall. The rest of the school was already there. The students were seated at the four long House tables. At the top of the hall, the teachers sat at their own table.
The first years had fallen into line. Remus was in front of his friends, and behind the curly-haired Rosie Campbell he’d met on the train. He tried not to breathe in. Remus was past the stage where he thought girls were disgusting… in fact, he’d never gone through that stage. He was just afraid that her hair would suffocate him if he inhaled it.
They were led to the front of the hall. Professor McGonagall placed a stool in front of them. (We never determined how many legs it had that year. Perhaps twelve.) On top of the stool she placed a rather dirty and ragged hat.
Everyone stared at it. Peter was thinking, A hat? That’s the secret test? A HAT?!
A rip opened on the brim, and the hat began to sing:
I bet you’re wondering what I am,
And why you’re here before me,
Well if you’ll stay and listen,
I’ll explain to you my story.
Quite long ago, four righteous friends,
Felt a need to teach,
So they founded Hogwarts School,
And to young wizards reached.
Fair Ravenclaw, went all of those,
Wise beyond their years,
To Gryffindor, those brave of heart
Who had no earthly fears.
To Slytherin, those pure of blood,
Who had vindictive talent,
And to sweet Hufflepuff there went,
Hard workers, true and valiant.
And so the founders worked together,
And created me, a hat,
To stay within the school for years,
To make sure of that.
So now, just put me on, my friend,
Entrust yourself to me,
And I’ll whisper in your ear,
The place you ought to be.
The school burst into applause. Most of the older students looked very happy that the song that year was short.
The hat bowed to each of the four tables then stood motionless. Professor McGonagall unrolled a long scroll of parchment and said, “When I call your name, come forward, put on the hat, sit on the stool, and you will be sorted. Amore, Ivy!”
A very small, dark haired girl stumbled out of line and walked confidently up to the stool. Peter sniggered.
“GRYFFINDOR!” the hat shouted after a moment. Ivy took off the hat and hurried to the table that had just burst into applause.
“Black, Sirius!”
Sirius swallowed and walked forward. He could feel the eyes of every one of his relatives on him. Most of them wanted him in Slytherin. He wanted nothing to do with them. Then the hat slid down over his eyes.
“Hmm…” said a voice in his ear. “Let’s see… another Black. But this one… a different standard of morals. Talented, very talented. Brave, stubborn, mischievous… but alone. So alone. Unloved, unwanted by all his family. So what should I do with you?”
“Don’t put me in Slytherin,” Sirius thought. “Please don’t put me in Slytherin. I hate them. All of them. Put me with Anny… in Gryffindor.”
“If you so wish… GRYFFINDOR!”
Sirius was relieved. He took off the hat and sat down by his cousin, silently thanking the hat for being so generous.
“Bullock, Jane!”
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
“Campbell, Rose!”
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Remus was very glad to have her hair out of his face.
As the sorting went on, the line grew shorter. Although there hadn’t seemed to be too many students when they started, (despite what J.K. Rowling says, there were only about forty students per year) the sorting took a very long time. Sometimes the hat shouted out the house immediately, but more often than not, it took quite a while to sort someone.
“Evans, Lily!”
A girl with long red hair stumbled out of line. In the moment when she turned, James caught a glimpse of bright, green eyes.
The room was swimming in front of him. He barely heard the hat shout out “GRYFFINDOR!” and he could barely keep his eyes off Lily Evans as she sat down.
Remus was starting to feel nervous as Professor McGonagall moved through the H’s. He wasn’t sure if his medical condition would influence the sorting hat, but he was scared that if it did, he’d be headed straight for Slytherin, which was the last place he wanted to be.
“Haller!” “Jennings!” “Jordan!” “Koffman!”
“Lupin, Remus!”
Remus swallowed as Sirius had done and moved to the stool. He caught a brief glimpse of the hall looking at him until the hat obscured his vision
“Now, let me see… talented, intelligent, gentle… very lonely… rather unhappy… slightly reckless, but still unafraid, even after being dealt so many blows… Now… I think… GRYFFINDOR!”
Remus was relieved. He took off the hat and joined Sirius. He was a very glad he did not have to sit and talk with the hat like so many of his classmates seemed to be doing.
More and more people were being called…
“Pettigrew, Peter!”
Peter went forward and put on the hat. “Ah…” the hat whispered to him. “A very difficult mix. Talented, though not in magic… quiet… dependant… yet very shrewd… though a little bold… you are very difficult…”
“You’re a hat,” Peter thought. “You think I’m difficult to Sort?”
“Yes, I do. Now… you need friends… and your friends… well, yes, I suppose… GRYFFINDOR!”
Peter went over and joined Sirius and Remus as Professor McGonagall called, “Potter, James!”
The hat didn’t even bother to whisper in James’s ear before it cried out “GRYFFINDOR!”
James smiled, took the hat off, and sat down across from Sirius.
“Well, that was completely unsurprising,” James said.
“Speak for yourself,” Sirius retorted.
There were very few people left to be sorted now. “Rasmussen, Michael!”
“RAVENCLAW!”
“Snape, Severus!”
The greasy-haired boy from the bookshop came forward. Sirius’s jaw tightened.
“SLYTHERIN!”
Remus wasn’t surprised from the look Sirius was giving Severus Snape.
Finally, the Sorting was over.
The man sitting in the center of the staff table stood up. He had long silver hair with a matching beard, a crooked nose, and twinkling blue eyes. The students immediately knew that this man had to be the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
He smiled at them, and the entire hall suddenly seemed warmer to all the first years.
“Welcome to Hogwarts!” Dumbledore said, as though nothing gave him greater pleasure than to see all of them sitting there. “There will be some announcements later, but now is not the time. Tuck in!”
The plates on the table suddenly filled with food. Sirius was amazed. For a boy who had eaten nothing but processed sugar for the last week, this was heaven. He couldn’t believe that there was so much food here, or that he was allowed to eat as much of it as he liked.
Remus was also amazed. Even in the better days of his youth he’d never seen so much food. Now, all alone in the world, he was usually lucky to get anything at all.
James was used to getting most of what he wanted, but this was too much even for him. It was more than he ever imagined, and he could imagine quite a lot.
Peter didn’t notice the magnitude, only the food. After all, he usually didn’t get to eat this much, and he usually ate as much as possible.
All four boys fell to with a will, piling plates high with favorite foods, unfamiliar foods, and everything in between. As they ate, Lily Evans, Rosie Campbell, and Ivy Amore, who appeared to be best friends, were discussing music between them.
“I’ve just gotten John Lennon’s first solo single!” Lily was saying.
“Lucky! I barely got a hold of Let It Be.” Rosie whined. “How is it?”
“It’s great!”
“Who’s John Lennon?” Remus asked despite himself.
The girls looked at him as if he were a total idiot. “I suppose you’ve missed out on Muggle culture, haven’t you?” Rosie asked.
“Yeah…”
“He’s the greatest rock artist of all time!” Lily squealed.
“Right…”
The other boys were too busy eating to pay attention to cultural discussions, even if the discussion was on rock music and it was 1971.
They were all starting to get pleasantly full when the table cleared and then refilled itself with puddings, cakes, pies, and many more types of dessert. Somehow, this was better than the dinner, and everyone fell on them with even more enthusiasm, except Sirius, who fell on them with indecent willingness.
About the time that everyone’s ears had started buzzing with the expected effect of a sugar high, the food on their plates disappeared, leaving them sparkling clean as though they hadn’t been used at all. As Dumbledore stood up to begin the start-of-term notices, the room became silent.
“Well, here we are in another school year!” he began. “And, as usual, I have a few notices to give you.
“First, please note that the forest on the edge of the grounds is off limits to all students. The village of Hogsmeade is off limits to students under the third year.
“Quidditch tryouts will be held in the second week of term. Anyone wishing to play should give their names to their head of house.
“We are pleased to welcome yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Fenris.” There was a scattering of applause for the big young man with brown hair and beard who looked rather like the entire student body would be in pain by the time they were done with the first class.
“And now, let us sing the school song!” Dumbledore said cheerily. The other teachers looked less-than-enthusiastic about this, but they didn’t seem to have much of a choice. Dumbledore flicked his wand, and words curled out of them.
“Everyone pick their favorite tune!” Dumbledore called. “An off we go!”
And the entire school sang/shouted/chanted/ bellowed:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Rather we be old and bald or
Young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now their bare
And full of air,
Dead flies, and bits of fluff.
So teach us things worth knowing.
Bring back what we forgot.
Just do your best,
We’ll go the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot!
Everyone finished at different times. Once everyone was done singing/shouting/chanting/bellowing, Dumbledore smiled down at them.
“Excellent, excellent. Now, off to bed with you!”
There was a loud scraping of benches as everyone stood up.
“First years!” a prefect called down the table. “First years, follow me!”
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, along with six others (still standing with the theory that there are forty students per year) followed the prefect along the hallways. As they went, paintings waved at them, the staircases around them moved, and they were led through tapestries and what appeared to be solid walls. No one was surprise at these things. They were all too full and sleepy to be surprised at anything.
Finally, they reached a portrait of a rather chubby woman in a pink dress.
“Password?” the Fat Lady asked.
“Safeguard,” the prefect said.
The Fat Lady nodded and swung forward to reveal an opening into a comfortable room with plenty of tables and squashy armchairs. A fire blazed merrily in the grate.
“Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room,” the prefect said. “Boys, your dormitory is upstairs on the left. Girls, yours is upstairs on the right. All your things have been taken up for you.”
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter went up to a circular dormitory with another boy named Tom Jordan, who wasn’t exactly quiet, but didn’t make much of an effort to be friendly. The five boys changed and got into bed, not talking much.
Remus lay there, thinking. It was a very nice place, Hogwarts. A bit intimidating, yes, but still very nice. As his confidence rose, he heard Peter humming quietly in the next bed.
Food, glorious food.
Hot sausage and mustard.
While we’re in the mood,
Cold jelly and custard…
Remus smiled and went to sleep.