All the first years squeezed together at the top of the Great Hall, their excitement and fear filled the air. The rest of the students gazed at them, some looking for a younger relative or neighbour, others, wishing the ceremony was over so they could eat. Among the first years, a bright-red hair stood out. It belonged to a freckled little girl who was shaking. To her left, a tall skinny boy, with baggy clothes and grease hair was trying to calm her down. To her right, a kid with messy hair and glasses was laughing loudly with three other boys.
"Silence, please." a strict tall witch with a tight bun and a pointed hat said. The Hall instantly became quiet. "For those of you who don't know, my name is Professor McGonagall. First years, when I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."
She started naming kids, starting with a blond scared boy named "Abbot". The dynamic was simple: Professor McGonagall called out a name, the student sat on the stool, and a talking hat sorted him or her in one of the four houses: Huffelpuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin or Ravenclaw. The students of the corresponding house cheered and the first year went to sit to the table. During the first 3 or 4 students everything seemed to be the same, until a curly haired boy, by the name of "Black, Sirius" sat on the stool.
"GRYFFINDOR" the Sorting Hat said.
Suddenly, the Great Hall fell silent. A few gasps were heard.
"A Black? In Gryffindor?"
"The hat must be wrong!"
"This can't be true…"
Sirius headed to the Gryffindor table, his smile never fading away, and before sitting down, he blew a kiss to the Slytherin table, which 'cause a guffaw to fill the Hall.
The Ceremony continued and kids were being sorted.
"Evans, Lily" the Professor said.
The shaking red-haired girl walked slowing towards the stool. She sat down and waited. She could hear the hat naming her qualities and the houses she could be in. Lily couldn't help but be amazed of having in her head a talking hat who knew so many things about her, things that she didn't even knew. Finally, the hat shouted its verdict: "GRYFFINDOR"
Lily was confused, hadn't Sev told her that she would be in Slytherin with him? Tottering, she headed to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Sirius.
The sorting kept going, the tables were getting full with all the new students. There were only three students left: the boy with messy hair and glasses, Severus and a slim freckled boy.
"Potter, James" McGonagall said. The first boy walked confidently toward the stool. As soon as the hat touched his head, it shouted "GRYFFINDOR".
In that moment, Lily couldn't help but grin; there was definitely something she liked about that Potter boy. While he headed to the Gryffindor table, he noticed the smile in the redhead girl, but tried to ignore it and sat next to her.
"James Potter" he introduced himself
"Lily Evans" she shook his hand.
He was going to say something else, but got interrupted by the Professor's voice announcing the name of another student.
"Snape, Severus"
While the scruffy boy moved towards the hat, Lily was hoping with all her heart that her friend would be sort into Slytherin. She knew that it was a bit selfish of her, as Severus didn't want to be in Gryffindor under any circumstances, but she couldn't bear the thought of losing her best friend.
While Lily was lost in her own thoughts, McGonagall had put the hat into Snape's head. "SLYTHERIN" it shouted.
When she heard that name, Lily felt as if her whole world fell apart. She shared a glance with Sev, whose face was a mixture of emotions, as he walked towards the Slytherin table.
While "Zabini, Aaron", the freckled boy, was been sorted, James couldn't help but look at Lily, she seemed devastated.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
The girl looked at him in surprise.
"You know the boy who had just been sorted into Slytherin?"
"The one with the greasy hair and weird nose" he asked, trying to make her laugh but realising he had messed it up the moment she sent him the dirtiest look.
"Well, for your information, he is my only and best friend!" she snapped.
He kept quiet while the Sorting Hat sent Zabini to Slytherin. After the boy sat down with the rest of his house mates, an old man with a long white beard stood up.
"Welcome back to another year in Hogwarts. For those of you who may not know it, my name is Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. But don't worry; I'm not going to keep you waiting more time. Let's eat!"
As soon as the headmaster finished saying those words, the five tables instantly filled with delicious food. Lily and James didn't talk with eachother at all during the dinner, each of them making conversation with other students. After the desserts were eaten, Professor Dumbledore stood up again.
"Now that we have all eaten, it's time for the serious conversation. As you might know, a man who calls himself, The Dark Lord and his entourage, are killing innocent muggles and muggleborn witches and wizard, just because they're not "pure bloods". I hope that all of you will know how to distinguish what is right and what is wrong when the time comes. Now, I know it's late and I bet you are all exhausted, so off you go! Prefects, please guide the first years to their rooms."
Before they stood up, James leaned towards Lily and said: "You know, I could be your friend too, if you like"