This was written for round two of the Fanfiction's Next Top Writer competition. My era was Next-Gen, and for the sake of this piece, James is a seventh year, Dominique sixth, Louis fourth, Albus and Rose third, and Lily and Hugo first. All the other cousins are either out of school (Roxanne and Fred) or not in it yet (Lucy). I used the prompt "us against the world." I hope you enjoy it!
Certain people have a lot more weighing on their shoulders than others. Some people take that worry and laugh it off, like James. Others realize what it means for their future and bury their head in their books, like Rose. Lily wasn't sure what she did. After all, she wasn't the youngest, but she wasn't really in the middle. She wasn't beautiful like Victoire or Dominique, a jokester like Freddie or James, or intelligent like Rose. She was just Lily, and being Lily often meant that people expected a lot more of her than she could actually do. It was precisely this reason that she was so terrified of her sorting.
As she looked around the room before her, Lily looked for familiar faces. Her family had become a patchwork rainbow that littered the various tables of the Great Hall. There were James, Al, and Louis grinning at her from Gryffindor, right where they belonged. Rose and Dominique sat in Ravenclaw, animatedly talking about book open between them. That left little Molly in Hufflepuff, already a second year but shorter and quieter than even Lily.
"Jacob O'Hare."
Lily gulped as she realized she was next. Her heart leapt as the hat called, "RAVENCLAW," and Jacob raced off the stood.
"Lily Potter."
Although she'd known it was coming, the whispers that fanned the room as she sat down annoyed her. Really, it was silly for people to still get worked up. Both her brothers and most of her family were already here; she was just the youngest.
"Hmmm…" the hat wondered to her. "You have a keen mind, though not as sharp as all-" Lily nearly gasped aloud. She'd never heard of the hat insulting someone. "-although your caring and compassion set you apart from most. I do see a hint of determination to prove yourself. Yes… You've been the littlest all your life. Even without being the youngest, you feel forgotten and want a chance to shine. I bet you'll find that in SLYTHERIN."
She gulped, hearing the silence that engulfed the hall. A Potter in Slytherin? It couldn't have happened. As the hat slipped off her head, Lily looked up at Professor McGonagall in fear. How could she go sit over there?
The professor nodded her head firmly and gave Lily a little push. She stood up and walked slowly over to the table. Several people scooted away from her, leaving a large opening for Lily to sit in. As the people around her averted their eyes, Lily's lip began to quiver. This had to be a mistake; Lily didn't belong over here. These people all wanted to become something, while Lily just wanted to survive.
At once, everyone turned their heads to look behind her. Lily craned her neck and saw Rose walking her way. "Hello, Lily," she said as she sat down like they were at the Burrow and not at a table where neither of them belonged. "Hey, Scorpius. Come sit by me." Lily gulped, wondering why her cousin wasn't in Gryffindor with such nerve.
A blonde boy Lily had seen before stood up and walked the five feet needed to sit on Lily's other side. He leaned forward just a bit so he could talk to Rose and a girl across from her. As they sat on either side of her, Rose and Scorpius sent a clear message: don't mess with this little girl. She's well-protected.
Lily watched in a daze as the rest of her classmates were sorted into their respective houses. Neither she nor Rose was shocked when Hugo was placed in Hufflepuff with Molly. Another shy-looking girl sat down across from Lily and said, "I'm Claire Vitiello. Are you really Harry Potter's daughter?"
She nodded, already tired of her celebrity status. "I am, but I wasn't around during the war any more than you were. I don't need to be asked about it."
The girl scowled. "It was just a question. Anyway, I hardly know anything about the war."
"How can you know nothing about the war?" Lily asked as her eyebrows rose in surprise. This girl must have some wizarding background if she'd been placed in Slytherin, so the war should have been an unavoidable topic.
"My mum hid in the muggle world during it," she explained. "She married a muggle, my father, and chose to stay with him when the war ended. My magic side is one she didn't embrace until I was nine."
Lily nodded in understanding. Some of her parent's friends had done such a thing, although most had come back. She looked over at Rose, who was staring down at her plate. Aunt Hermione had finally tracked down her parents the year before, so Rose had only known her grandparents since she was twelve. Under the table, Lily squeezed her cousin's hand. Rose glanced over at her, a small smile on her face.
"Happened a lot, didn't it?" Rose replied.
Claire nodded as silence fell over the hall. Lily looked up at the high table to see that Professor McGonagall was now standing.
"Hello children," she said, "although many of you aren't really children anymore. I'd just like to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits for all students. Also, a full list of banned items is available on the bulletin board in your common rooms. That list included almost all items by Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, even if the items are mailed to you by a relative." She glared at Louis and Al, both of whom dissolved into fit of snickers. "First years, please see your prefects or head of house if you have any questions or concerns regarding the first few weeks. I'd like to ask everyone to have a wonderful term. Now, if you'll join me, please pick a tune." She waved her wand and a ribbon shot out, forming itself into words. Realizing that it was the school song, Lily opened her mouth and chose the same tune as Rose.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
When it finished, Professor McGonagall stepped away from the table, and student began to leave. "First years, come over here," a tall boy commanded, "unless you'd rather not known the location or password for the common room."
"Go on," Rose said as she stood up.
"Thank you," Lily whispered, following suit.
She smiled. "Don't worry about it. We're cousins, and we have to stick together. It's us against the world sometimes. Now, get going. One thing cousins can't help you with is the password, and Scorpius only owes me so many favors."
"I heard that," he said, putting an arm around Lily. "And don't fret too much. I've got no problems taking her under my wing since I've no doubt you'll be my saving grace at exam times for the third year in a row."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Watch out for this one," she warned her cousin. "He's a generous flirt with no study skills." She laughed at the look on Lily's face. "I'm kidding. He's as harmless as James."
Lily gulped and glanced up at the boy on her shoulder. "That doesn't help much," she said. "You didn't see James around Dominique's boyfriend last summer."
I haven't yet decided if this is going to be a one-shot or if I'm going to continue it. What do you think?