Lily waited nervously in line as name after name was called. What if she wasn't in the same House as Sev? Or worse, what if the hat didn't call out a House name for her at all?
"Nervous?" asked a voice behind her. Lily spun to see the black-haired boy Sev had argued with on the train. She narrowed her eyes.
"More than you are, obviously," she said disdainfully, looking him dismissively up and down. It was true; one of the black-haired boy's hands were in his pockets, and the other was around a blonde girl. The black-haired boy slipped his arm out from around the girl, who frowned, and held it out to Lily.
"Potter, James Potter," he grinned. Lily didn't shake his hand.
"You're the boy who teased Sev on the train, aren't you?" she frowned, unimpressed. The boy withdrew his hand, the grin sliding off his face.
" 'Sev'? Don't tell me you're friends with that slimeball." Lily took a step towards him, her eyes shooting daggers.
"Don't you dare call him a slimeball," she hissed. "You're the one who's the slimeball, Potter."
"Evans, Lily!"
Lily turned around, startled, then regained her composure and slowly walked to the stool. The butterflies that had been inside her stomach just seconds ago rapidly transformed into stampeding wildebeest. She lowered herself onto the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the hat onto her head. Lily flinched when the Sorting Hat's voice sounded in her ear.
"Hmmm, clever, brilliant mind, perhaps Ravenclaw? No, wait, here's something else…fiery determination, perseverance…well, it's obvious, isn't it? GRYFFINDOR!" Lily stood, carefully putting the hat back on the stool, and ran to the table on the far left. As she went, she glanced back at Sev with a bittersweet smile. He had been watching her go with the most heartbreaking expression, but when she glanced back at him, Sev looked away.
The other boy who had teased Sev on the train, Black, moved up the bench as Lily sat down, to make room. Lily could tell he was trying to make things better between them, but she sat stubbornly with her back to him and folded her arms. The rest of the Sorting went fairly well- until Sev got into Slytherin and that slimeball Potter got into her House. Unfair! At least there were some girls to keep her company. Lily chatted with Alice and Marlene all the way through dinner, but when they got to dessert, she felt someone (more like something) staring at her.
And of course, it was Potter.
"What do you want now, Potter?" Lily snapped. Potter grinned stupidly at her.
"Just admiring…never mind. Pass me the treacle tart, will you?" Lily pushed the plate towards him, but Potter grabbed her hand before she could pull away. "Go out with me, Evans?" he said, his hazel eyes boring into hers. Alice, Marlene, and Black all oooohhed at the same time. The blonde Potter had his arm around earlier burst into tears over at the Hufflepuff table. Lily pulled her hand away.
"I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last person on Earth!" she glared at him. Potter's smile faltered.
"Ah well, Evans. I can wait."