Chapter 1: The Show Must Go On
By: Belle Malloy and Hazel Shawshail
Obligatory Authors' Notes: Umbra Est Canen is a highly Latin-centric fanfiction. The authors, as kind as we are, are providing a translation guide so that the fic doesn't get to incredibly confusing. Remember, nothing in the fic is set. The couples will change, the characters will change, Peter didn't start off as being evil, and nothing is as it seems!
The authors are stating right now that we do not own these characters. They are all property of JK Rowlings. If you do not recognize them, however, they are ours. Here you go…
Translation guide:
Umbra Est Canen: Shades of Grey
Flamma Fumo Est Proxima: Flame follows smoke
Castitas: Purely white
Diabolus: Purely black, reference to Lucifer
Thank you's go out to: Lissanne, for being a wonderful beta! Joycie, for being a great friend and an inspiration. To all of our reviewers so far... thank you! And to anyone else who made this story fun, thank you! :)
All but nothing in this world is truly black or white. Truly good or truly evil. There are day and night, but at dawn and dusk the gap between the two is bridged and the darkness and the light melt together. In the changing of the seasons, the equality of spring and autumn bind together the heat and chill of summer and winter. Things that seem so black and white are in actuality just shades. It is once in an eternity that something is pure dark or pure light. And these few things are the most frightening of all.
The diabolus and the castitas are of an ancient magic. There is no account of where they came from. They are akin to the heavens and the earth. They have always been here, and in all likelihood, they always will. They are of a brand of magic that is so unto itself in the shaded world of grey that they can hardly be classed as magic, of the sort we know, at all. It is not even certain why the diabolus and castitas are what they are. The roots of the sorcery behind the purest evil and the purest good are immensely twisted and buried deeply in the earth of Time.
For the first time in centuries, a child of purest good was born, and for the first time in a millennia, a child of purest evil walked the earth at the same time. And for the first time in all eternity their blood was joined.
And pure white and pure black would become shades of grey.
~
1840 AD
Rosalie Athena Dumbledore nervously gripped her husband's hand ... perhaps a little too tightly. "Oh, Aurelius!" she sighed, trying to control the tone of her voice as she spoke. "Do you think that it could really be true? Do you think that he could really be a--"
Aurelius Dumbledore held a single finger over his wife's lips. "Shh, darling, we'll find out soon enough."
Rosalie squirmed nervously. She and her husband were in the room adjoining the one occupied her first son, born just the night before. He wasn't just an ordinary baby boy, even by wizarding standards. He just might be a--
"Aurelius and Rosalie?" a tall man wearing a cloak of deep blue motioned them to come towards him.
"Oh, Orlando, I thought you would never come in here!" Rosalie threw her arms around her long time friend, giving him a peck on the cheek as she pulled back. "What news do you bring about our son?"
Orlando smiled as her saw the anxious look on the youthful faces of the first time parents. "It's true," he told them. "He's a castitas child ... the first time in four centuries!"
Immediately, Aurelius and Rosalie's faces broke out into equally large grins. "Can we see him?" Rosalie questioned, tugging at Orlando's sleeve.
"Of course." Orlando opened the door and led the Dumbledores into a large circular room. The wizards all backed away from the bed, allowing Rosalie and Aurelius to see their baby boy.
Rosalie picked her little boy up, rocking him in her arms. He gazed back at her with wide blue eyes seemingly recognizing his mother even though he had only seen her once. She ran her hand across his smooth skin, but stopped when she got to the small, triangular shaped mark that adorned his stomach. "Oh, my little angel," she whispered softly. "You will be great."
She turned to face Aurelius. "What should we name him, Aurelius?"
Aurelius smiled. "You know that I've never been gifted with naming anything," he joked, referring to their household owl, whom he had dubbed "Owlee".
Rosalie looked back down at the content baby in her arms, and then knew exactly what he should be named. "We shall call him a name that means white and pure. We shall call him Albus."
The room that had grown silent erupted in cheers. All around the Dumbledores, people were shaking hands, hugging, and cheering.
"This little boy will be great." Rosalie repeated to herself again. "This little boy will be perfect. This little boy, my little boy, is a Castitas!"
~
1945 AD
The two men stood silhouetted against the sickly greenish glow of the fire. The flames crackled, but were not at all cheerful. The heat and light the fire gave off left one feeling even colder.
The figure on the right was tall and lean. His black robes fell around him, the hood pulled back to reveal his pale face and whispy, jet black hair. He scrutinized the chamber and his companion rather sarcastically. But anyone with two eyes could see that this boy's (for he was no more than twenty, and perhaps less) face masked the fear and angst he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. His bright raven eyes darted quickly, but his fear was visible behind their guise of frigid blackness.
His companion, shorter and clad in billowing black robes with the hood concealing his face, took his wrist and pulled him up to the fire. The ghastly green inferno burned within a silver cauldron. The smoke twisted and curled into odd shapes that left pictures in one's mind of things that really weren't there. Above the fire, balanced on a kind of shining silver rack, was an emerald studded goblet, made of a metal that shined so much it almost hurt to look upon it.
"This is it, Tom," breathed the husky voice of the shorter figure. Though this same phrase has been uttered supportively many times, these words left Tom even more anxious and fearful. There was a distinct triumphant note to the words, and Grindlewald's ice blue eyes glittered dangerously as he spoke.
Tom did not answer. He strode boldly to the fire, and reached to take the goblet. As one finger of his large pale hand touched the chalice, a burning pain shot through his arm, and throughout his entire body. He collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain, his black hair falling in his eyes and sticking to his sweat drenched face. Lying on the cold stone floor, he screamed silently as tears ran down his cheeks. Grindlewald just glanced down at him as if he were a stain of something unpleasant on the polished stones.
"I should have known," the older wizard said coldly. "You're just weak. You can't handle it. The blood of Slytherin himself runs in your veins and you're still a weakling!" He spit out the last sentence as if it were foul tasting. Tom's head jerked around and he faced Grindlewald, the ghostly green flames shining on his sweaty face.
With great effort, Tom pulled himself to his feet. He glared down into the eyes of his master, lord and teacher. Their glares locked for a few moments, pale blue eyes reflected in glittering black. Tom tore his eyes away from the captivating power of the dark lord and turned once again to the fire, sweat still running down his pale skin.
Tom had been expecting this day for what seemed like eternity, though before this moment, it had never seemed truly real. It had been a horrid phantasmagoria that never really would come. But come it did.
This was the day on which Tom Marvolo Riddle would do what the dark lord Grindlewald could not. Within the burning goblet was the most dangerous potion ever known to wizard kind. This bubbling concoction was a mixture of only two elements. The first that rouses the ancient magic of purest evil from its hibernation, the most vital part… the blood of the most recent of the diabolus race. Crimson and thick, shimmering with an evil black magic. The second essence, to call the ancient magic into the body of Tom Riddle. Poison. The venom of basilisk.
A concoction of pure evil and death. But if he, Tom Riddle, could survive it, and most did not, his way would be clear. He would enter into the race of the diabolus, the dynasty of pure evil and power. He would get the power he had been dreaming of and be Lord Voldemort at last. Once he drank the potion, Tom Marvolo Riddle would be no more.
Tom reached out his hand once more and clamped it down firmly on the goblet. The wave of pain washed through him once again, but he did not fall. His muscles clenched, his face set in stony rigidity, and he raised the goblet to his face.
Fighting against the agony of simply holding the cup, he stared at the frothing liquid of the potion. The potion became a deep raven black, and appeared to nearly boil, but was something else altogether. It seemed to be alive.
Tom brought the chalice to his lips. Clearing his mind of any thoughts and refusing to feel the pain, he drank.
It stopped. All of a sudden the pain that had tortured him so ceased to be. The potion had convulsed through his veins, both icy cold and burning hot at the same instant. It was the essence of pure magic and pure evil inside him. He did not see Grindlewald's triumphant expression and did not hear his cold laughter. Voldemort, who was the silly little child Tom Riddle no longer, could feel the black magic at his fingertips.
Voldemort turned to his one-time master. Grindlewald stopped laughing and his expression fell. He could see the maniac glint in Voldemort's eyes, and the power that this man held at his disposal. Voldemort placed one of his large pale hands on Grindlewald's forehead. The older man shuddered and fell. His chest still rose and fell, though shallowly, and his face had a nasty green tinge.
Voldemort looked towards the fire and goblet that had caused him so much pain. He thought of all the anguishing memories in his past that had drove him down this path. And he smiled. None of that mattered now, for he had everything. He had the magic. He had the power. He would have his revenge. His face had once hidden his emotions within. Now he had nothing to hide. There was no importance in evil, good or in between. The rule stood that the powerful would always triumph. And he was the power.
And so Lord Voldemort was born, bringing a diabolus into the world as a castitas lived. Little did either of them know that their paths would cross in such a way…
~
1971 AD
Lily Evans pushed a long red tendril of hair away from her face. She clutched her hand around the handle of her trunk and, giving it a firm yank, tugged it out of the puttering car and onto the sidewalk.
"Lily..." Her mother sighed, climbing out of the passenger side door. "We'll miss you so much while you're gone."
Lily smiled at the woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to her. "Mum, you know I'll miss you and Dad as well." She replied, make sure to emphasize the "you and Dad" part. She smirked inwardly as her older sister Petunia wrinkled her nose in disdain at her.
"That's a very unbecoming look, 'Tunia." Lily said, making sure to enunciate the words as if she was talking to a kindergartner. "Didn't Mum and Dad teach you that it's rude to wrinkle your nose at people?"
To Lily's contentment, Petunia turned away. After giving her parents both a final hug, promising to write everyday (which she knew she wouldn't do), getting some money (which she knew she wouldn't need), and glancing into the car window (which substituted as a nice mirror), she was off. She, Lily Evans, was almost on her way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She also had no clue as to where she was going.
After what seemed like an eternity, she spotted two boys that appeared to be around her age with trunks that looked identical to hers. She lugged her trunk over near them, hoping they knew where they were supposed to go. She refused to ask for directions.
~
James Potter and Sirius Black were completely and utterly the most excited they had ever been, which said a lot for the two biggest troublemakers the community of Pontypridd had ever known. They were not only going to Hogwarts for the first time, but they were also on their own. No parents, no grounding, and coed living quarters. For James and Sirius, long time best friends, life was good.
Well, life would be good if James could lift his own trunk.
"I told you not to pack so much, James." Sirius punched James's arm mockingly, and James pretended it hurt.
"You're killing me, Sirius," James attempted to lift his large trunk once again, "You-are-bloody-killing-me..." James dropped the trunk, beads of sweat running down his forehead.
"Need some help, boys?" Sirius and James spun around to see a short but pretty girl with flaming red hair raising an eyebrow in amusement at James's inability to lift his trunk.
"You know you might be asked to leave, you make the other girls here look bad." Sirius remarked, winking at the red head.
"Come any closer and I'll bite." the girl shot back, clicking her teeth together for effect.
"Promise?" Sirius laughed, and the girl just rolled her eyes.
"Now as I was saying," she continued, turning her wide green eyes towards James, "Need some help?"
"Well, er, yes..." James's ears began to turn pink. "But I'm doubting that you can carry lift this trunk..."
The girl looked at him, a daring sparkle lighting up her face. "Wanna bet?" She bent down towards his over stuffed trunk and lifted it almost effortlessly.
"Hey, Mr.Suave and Mr.Weakling?" she called over her shoulder. "Someone pick up my trunk, it's much lighter. You guys are also going to have to direct me because I don't know where I'm supposed to go with this thing..."
Sirius and James exchanged looks.
"That girl is unreal!" James remarked as he watched her carry his trunk towards the platform.
"That girl is cute too..." Sirius smirked at James, and James nodded approvingly.
"Hey, boys?" the girl shouted over her shoulder at them.
"Yes?" They called back.
"I heard that."
James and Sirius jogged to catch up with the girl and steered her in the direction of the Hogwarts platform.
"Um, boys, this is not the place to push me up against a wall." She remarked, trying to figure out why they were leading her straight for what appeared to be a surface that wasn't going to provide any cushion when they hit it.
"Darling, I like the way you think." Sirius remarked, throwing an arm around her shoulder (which she quickly threw off), "But we're just getting to the platform. Watch me..."
Sirius held his trunk close to his body, looked both ways, and stepped straight into the wall. He soon saw her (along with James's large trunk) come through the wall, and finally, James walked through with the girl's trunk. James looked almost comical with the petite light pink trunk at his side.
The girl dropped James's trunk and grabbed her own out of his hands. "It was nice meeting you boys. I'll probably see you around."
"Only if we're lucky." Sirius grinned at her, and she smiled back, stepping closer to him.
"You know what?" she patted his face. "I like you."
With that, she turned around and headed towards the train.
"And I like her." Sirius said to James.
"Hey boys?" the girl turned around one more time, throwing her red hair over her shoulders.
"Yes?" they replied once more.
"I heard that too."
With that, she was gone. Sirius smirked happily, and James gawked as he watched her go.
"James, close your mouth before you catch a fly." Sirius elbowed him, and then glanced at his trunk. "And you might want to get started pulling that trunk, because it appears to take you a while."
James glared at the laughing Sirius, leaned down towards the handle of his trunk, and began to tug at his trunk once again.
~
Remus Lupin observed the scene around him tentatively. Everyone appeared to be happy, smiling, and talking to someone. He was all alone, and he imagined that it might always end up that way.
He grabbed his ratty bag and dragged it into an empty compartment. He took a seat by the window, and observed the mothers fussing over their children, the siblings together seeing their brothers and sisters off, and the all around merriment of the world around him. He sighed and fidgeted in his seat, wondering if this was all a huge mistake.
He suddenly heard a noise and looked up to see a short chubby boy dejectedly enter the compartment.
"Hullo..." Remus said cautiously to him.
"Hullo!" the boy looked up quickly and, after getting over the initial shock of realizing he was not alone, he gave Remus a quick smile.
"I'm Remus Lupin..." Remus said, not sure if this boy cared about his name or not, "I don't really know anyone here."
"That's great!" The chubby boy smiled at him, "I don't know anyone either. I'm Peter Pettigrew. Nice to meet you."
"Do you want to sit here?" Remus gestured towards the seat next to him.
"Sure." Peter said, squeezing himself into the seat next to Remus.
Remus smiled at his newfound companion. He had never had a friend before.
~
Even those who, like Sirius and James, had lived among wizard kind since birth were in for a surprise. As the shapes of the dark mountains grew more distinguishable against the darkening sky, the eyes of every eleven-year-old on the scarlet steam engine grew wide as they saw what lie ahead.
A magnificent castle rose against the backdrop of the early evening stars. From the hundreds of windows dotting its stone walls glowed squares of flickering candlelight, like warm glittering jewels. The train began to slow gradually, giving them a long time to gaze at the sight.
~~~
"Well she said that he never---Oh my god!" Sirius Black interrupted himself in mid-sentence and James Potter whirled around from the book he had been reading instead of listening to his friend. They both looked out the windows at the majestic edifice rising against the evening sky.
"Wow..." James breathed. "It's...it's..."
"It's perfect," Sirius declared. "Think of all the wonderful trouble we can get into there."
"I thought the idea was not to get in trouble," James replied.
"James," Sirius said rather patronizingly. "Getting caught is half the fun, and you know it."
~~~
Lily stared out the window of her compartment. She was not easily shocked, but this sight did it. She had never seen anything like this before...
~~~
The train went around a bend and the castle was blocked from view. Slowing to a stop, the train's doors flew open. The older students jumped right out, leaving their luggage.
James and Sirius stared around a bit in confusion, James trying (unsuccessfully) to lift his trunk. They were both realizing that they had absolutely no clue where to go, when a huge booming voice called:
"Firs' years over here! And leave yer luggage on the train!"
The huge voice belonged to a man equally as large. His head was easily several feet above anyone else's. He had bushy black hair and a beard, and warm black eyes.
"Firs' years over here!" he called. James and Sirius finally got over the shock and started in the direction he indicated. They came to the shore of the lake, where a fleet of small boats waited.
"Four ter a boat!"
James and Sirius climbed into a boat, and were just wondering whom else to ask, when someone tapped Sirius on the shoulder.
Two boys stood there. One was rather short and chubby, and the other had whispy light brown hair and a rather pale complexion.
"Hi," the taller one said, a little shy. "My name's Remus Lupin and this is Peter Pettigrew." He was going to say more but Sirius interrupted.
"Sirius Black. And this is Jimmy-- Oh, all right, James Potter. Hop in."
The two other boys climbed aboard and they were just about to leave, when Lily came running up, her long hair flying behind her.
"Hey," she breathed. "Can I go with you?"
"Sorry, we're full," James said, trying to sound apologetic.
"Oh, well..." she said, rather crestfallen. "Too bad!" she said, squishing in next to Sirius.
After an overly wet but nonetheless enjoyable boat ride, their overloaded craft pulled up on the far shore. The first years raced up the stone steps to the huge oak doors. The students were funneled through the entrance hall, and into a little side room where a tall, stern-looking woman with black hair stood. James, Sirius, Lily, Remus and Peter could hear the voices of the other students already seated in the Great Hall.
"In a few minutes, you will be sorted," said the stern-looking woman in an equally stern-sounding voice. "You will have a few moments to smarten yourselves up before the ceremony." And with that she exited.
"What do you think it is, James?" Remus asked in a frightened voice.
"I don't know. My brother said you had to do a bunch of really hard spells," James said.
"That's ridiculous!" Sirius scoffed. "Everybody knows that you have to fight a troll. How stupid are you two?" Remus and James looked at their friend uncertainly.
The students talked in hushed tones, wondering what could be coming. No one did anything like "smartening up". Finally, a hand beckoned them through the doorway.
They came through another pair of huge oak doors and into the Great Hall. It was easily the most impressive sight that any of them had seen. From the sea of students in black robes, to the gleaming golden dishes on the table, to the celestial ceiling, it was like nothing they had seen before. There were four long tables with older students seated at them, and at the head of the room was another table on a dais, bathed in a sort of silvery light.
The stern looking woman led them around to stand at the side of the hall. They all fidgeted nervously.
"Sirius, you git! We wouldn't fight a troll in the middle of the great hall!" James hissed angrily to his friend.
"Hey, you never know, we might," Sirius replied.
"Guys," Lily said, nudging Sirius in the arm. "Guys!" They jumped. "We just put on the hat."
"How do you know?" they said simultaneously.
"McGonagall just said so," she said matter-of-factly.
"McGonagall?" they questioned stupidly.
"The lady with the black hair," Lily explained, rolling her eyes. The rest of the hall grew quiet and stared at the hat. Lily, James, Sirius and all the other first years did too. Lily stared because she had never seen a hat get so much attention before, James stared because he had no idea what was going on, and Sirius stared because everybody else was doing it.
And then, to all the first years' great surprise, a rip near the brim of the hat opened wide and the hat began to sing.
Hogwarts School of magic arts
Each who passes through our doors
The founders, who so long ago,
So they came to the decision
The cleverest will find their home
If you are one, who's true and just
For the bravest, Gryffindor
If you always manage to achieve your ends
is where wizards have always come
Young magicians have been learning here
Almost since time begun.
Is different through and through
And so it was decided
That the houses must be different too.
Could not decide the rule
For what qualities they should prize
In the students of this school.
That each needed a house of their own
And so to have a way to pick
Little old me was sewn.
In fair Ravenclaw right here.
Where those of wit and wisdom
Will always be revered.
And works hard to achieve
In the house of Hufflepuff
You will be well-received
Is your proper home
This is the house the courageous ones
Will always call their own.
And your ambition is sublime,
Then you'll be in Slytherin...
No one heard the hat's next line, for at that moment, Sirius called out (quite loudly): "With all the rest of the slime!"
Professor McGonagall glared, but all the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and even some of the teachers seated at the high table erupted into peals of laughter. It took a few moments for the noise to quiet down and the hat to continue its song.
"I might be in there, you stupid git!" James yelled at Sirius.
"Then you'll have to shut up and like it!" The hat shouted back and continued its song.
"SSSSSHHHH!" said the entire hall loudly to James.
Anyway, in Slytherin
So put me on, and I will tell you
You'll find those of aspiration.
Just where you belong.
In the millennium I've been around
I've never yet been wrong.
As Professor McGonagall began to call names (starting with Anderson, Jean, going to Ravenclaw), James grew increasingly worried. Sirius and James had been discussing what house they wanted to be in for a long time, and they both agreed that Gryffindor sounded by far the best. But his father and his brother Jason had come to Hogwarts before him, and had been in Slytherin. His sister was still a student there, in her sixth year, and she belonged to Slytherin house as well.
James had never been like the rest of his family, he thought as "Baumen, Rachel" was sorted to Hufflepuff. They were all very ambitious, possessive and...well...Slytherin-ish. James had heard that families were often in the same house, and he was afraid that would happen to him. His only hope was that he had always been the odd one out in his family. He grew even more nervous as Sirius became a Gryffindor. He so wanted to be in the same house as his friend....
~~~
Sirius was extremely calm and collected. Just trying on a hat would be easy. No problem. And he was positive that he would get into Gryffindor. Being one of the first people called, he didn't even have to wait and worry. He strode confidently up to the stool where the hat sat and placed in on his head. He tried to jam it on at a jaunty angle, but it was too large and slipped down over his eyes. It would just have to do.
"Hmm, have a prankster here, do we?" asked a little voice in his ear. Sirius smiled. "Definitely not a Hufflepuff. Is procrastination your middle name? Ravenclaw...hmm...no, not nearly enough common sense. Slytherin...certainly not. You're a brave one, you're off to GRYFFINDOR!"
As Sirius strutted coolly to the cheering table, he could distinctly hear Lily whistling.
~~~
James grew increasingly nervous as McGonagall called "Bone, William", "Cottin, Emilia", "Davidson, Noah", and "Evans, Lily".
~~~
Lily leaned against the wall, picking at her nails. Normally, she was a girl who hardly knew the meaning of the word "nervous", but she had to admit that this moment was a little nerve racking. As Noah Davidson, a rather short boy with black hair, walked over to the Hufflepuff table, she felt a definite fluttering of butterflies in her stomach.
But nonetheless, she didn't look it as she sat down on the stool, and place the overlarge hat over her flaming hair. As her vision was blacked out, she heard the little voice talking in her ear.
"Oh, I love it when we get ones like you! So easy! You're so brave...and...oh my. That's surprising...and in that case there's no question about it. You're certainly a GRYFFINDOR."
Lily breathed a sigh of relief and went to join Sirius at the Gryffindor table.
She could distinctly hear him whistling.
~~~
McGonagall continued to call the names. "Foiles, Laura", "Fulton, Max", "Goodfellow, Robyn", "Hallmark, Jarrod", "Hansen, Kelly", "Kilpatrick, Brad", and "Lehman, Rose". He finally snapped out of his worried thoughts as Remus Lupin became a Gryffindor. That only made James more determined to be a Gryffindor. He decided to forget his family's legacy, and was determined to be in the house that was right for him.
~~~
Remus slunk quite shyly up to the hat. He had to admit that trying on a hat was a lot better than doing complicated spells or fighting a troll, but he really would have preferred to try it on without anybody watching. But, as he didn't seem to have much choice in the matter, he placed the torn and beaten hat on his head.
"Interesting," muttered the little voice in his ear. "You're very wise and clever...seems to be Ravenclaw for sure--wait! Oh my...dear me...I didn't realize...oh...such bravery. I suppose then you'll be a GRYFFINDOR!"
Remus gently placed the hat back on the stool, shaking just a little as he walked to the Gryffindor table. Exactly how much did that hat know?
~~~
James and Peter stood next to each other in line, both increasingly nervous as more and more students were called. James for one was paying considerably more attention to where each new person went, if only to keep his mind off his own troubles. "Malloy, Belle" went to Slytherin; "O'Connell, Ainet" went to Ravenclaw as did "Patters, Kali". Then it was Peter's turn.
~~~
Peter stumbled up to the hat, nearly tripping on his too-long school robes. He sat clumsily down on the stool, staring frightened at the sea of faces before him. But before he had enough time to register the scene properly, the hat slipped down over his eyes, and everything was black.
"Interesting..." mused the little voice in his ear. "You're one of the tough ones. Certainly not a Ravenclaw...a Hufflepuff? No...no...not Slytherin either, you'd be eaten alive there. I suppose you had better be a Gryffindor."
Peter breathed a sigh of relief as he slipped the hat off his head and walked to the Gryffindor table. He sat down quietly next to Remus, and watched the other students be sorted as the color came back to his face.
~~~
James fidgeted nervously as Peter sat there with the ragged hat down over his eyes. More than ever he was hoping against hope that he wouldn't end up where his destiny insisted he would be. His palms dripped with cold sweat as Peter joined the cheering Gryffindor table.
"Potter, James." called the stern voice, in the exact same tone that she had called out the rest.
James could hear Sirius and Lily cheering as he walked slowly to the hat. Pushing his dread to the far back of his mind, he sat down and placed the hat on his head. The last thing he saw before the brim slid down over his eyes, was the glare of his sister from the Slytherin table. It didn't lift his spirits any.
"Well hello there!" the voice said, far cheerier than James would have liked at the moment. "Awfully tense today aren't we?" James almost started to explain why, before he realized how stupid it would be to talk to a hat.
"You don't have to say a thing, dear. Remember? I can tell what you're thinking. You're worried about being in a house you don't want. Well, I can tell you now that nobody goes to a house that they're not suited for, destiny or no destiny. But what am I doing, rambling on like this. Let's see, you could be a good Ravenclaw...very wise. Though not much sense, so that's out. Not a Hufflepuff, certainly not. Gryffindor...a good match there...You would be good in Slytherin. You're ambitious and cunning, you have to admit. But, if your mind's really made up, I suppose you'll be a GRYFFINDOR!"
As James walked over to the Gryffindor table with all his friends cheering him, he was more relieved than any of them could have known. He didn't even see the look of horror on Alexandria's face.
James sat at the table with his friends, not paying much attention as "Rose-Ewan, Sara", "Shawshail, Hazel", "Soule, Jessica", "Tzoneva, Anya" and "Zucker, Leah," were sorted and Professor McGonagall stopped calling names and took away the stool and hat. James turned to his friends, wondering what would happen next.
James took a moment to glance over at his sister, Alexandria. Her piercing brown eyes glared back at him. With a sniff of her nose, she turned her head away and continued talking to a seventh year James had seen her with over the summer.
"Someone has her nylons in a wad..." Lily commented, leaning over James's shoulder and following his gaze towards his sister. "Who is she?"
"Just Miss Personality herself, Alexandria Potter!" Sirius remarked, grimacing.
"That's you're sister?" Lily asked James.
James nodded miserably.
"Sorry, James," Lily patted his shoulder sympathetically. "But if I were you, I would stay away from her for a while. That look was evil..."
James nodded and smiled at Lily.
"So, boys, what happens now?" Lily asked, glancing around the room.
"If I'm lucky..." Sirius started, but was soon interrupted by a man standing up at the high table.
The hall suddenly grew very quiet as he began to speak.
"Welcome back students to another year at Hogwarts!" The students greeted the man's welcome with cheers. "I am glad to have you all here. I hope that we can all have a very interesting and fun-filled year, without breaking too many rules." The man's eyes twinkled merrily.
James leaned over to Sirius. "That must be Dumbledore."
Sirius nodded, and whispered, "I wonder how many times we'll get to see the inside of his office."
"Now let us feast!" the man yelled, and suddenly, food completely filled the golden plates that sparkled in front of them.
Lily's eyes grew wide. Grabbing a fork, she started to quickly dig into the meal that had been laid in front of her.
"Never seen a girl eat like that and look so good..." Sirius commented to James.
"...And she's definitely looking good." James finished, picking up his own fork.
After a few minutes, something dawned on Sirius. "You know, Lily Evans, we're going to be sharing living quarters for seven years..."
"Which means you have no excuse for neglecting me." Lily finished, winking at him.
"Oh, trust me baby," Sirius drawled, "I would never neglect you..."
James turned to Remus, "How long do you think we're going to have to put up with this?"
Remus smiled at Sirius and Lily, and then remarked to James, "Oh, don't worry about it now. Our problem is when they hit puberty..."
James choked on his drink. "Remus, my new found friend," he sputtered, "I think we're going to have to tie them up!"
Remus suddenly grew white and turned away.
"Must have been something I said?" James muttered to himself under his breath.
~
After everyone had eaten their fill and the Hogwarts song had been sung, they were directed to follow their prefects to their respective common rooms. Lily had linked arms with James and Sirius, tugging them along anxiously behind the prefect.
"Ooo," she sighed, "Do you think we'll have big rooms? With big chairs? I hope we have a lot of closet space..."
"I just hope we have big beds." Sirius commented, and soon received an elbow from Lily in the stomach.
The prefect soon stopped at a large portrait of a very plump woman. "You will have passwords." The prefect explained. "The first password of the year is 'wizard wand'. Don't forget your password, or you'll be stuck out here."
Lily, Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter soon filed in to the common room.
Immediately, they were surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the common room. Lily cocked an eyebrow at her surroundings, taking everything in. Sirius walked right towards the fire and threw himself down on one of the overstuffed chairs. James followed the actions of Sirius and pulled up a chair next to him. Peter and Remus held back shyly, waiting to see what Lily would do.
"Come on boys!" she said, grabbing Peter and Remus's hands. Peter's cheeks flushed a scarlet red from the close contact with the pretty auburn-haired girl. "Let's go get a seat before someone takes them all!"
Sirius smirked at Lily as she approached. "Lily, baby, I've saved you a seat..." he patted his lap.
Lily winked at him and walked towards him, but as she arrived in front of him, she changed her course and plopped herself down in James's lap. James's ears turned a bright magenta, and Sirius looked loathingly towards his best friend.
"Sorry Sirius, but you can't get everything you want." she smirked.
James looked towards Remus with raised eyebrows and mouthed, "Still think this will get worse?"
Remus rolled his eyes and looked towards Lily and Sirius, whose expressions were no longer ones of harassment.
Remus glanced back towers Peter. Peter seemed to be staring off into space. "So, Peter, what do you think of this place?" Remus asked Peter, trying to make conversation.
Peter turned towards Remus, and his eyes sparkled happily. "I love it!" he said with much enthusiasm.
"Yeah, so do I," Remus replied, "It's like a whole new life that I can start over..."
Peter smiled. "That's funny, I was thinking the exact same thing."
Remus returned his grin, and then turned his head just in time to see Lily telling the boys that she was going to learn to fly really well and then kick all of their butts at Quidditch. Remus observed his new friends. There was Sirius, the loud one who got the girl. James seemed to be much like Sirius, only more... well... serious. Lily knew exactly how to handle guys, and she had a spit fire personality. Remus knew it was fate that she was a red head. Peter had been his first friend, and Peter, in a lot of ways, was a lot like himself from what he had observed. Peter seemed to be an introvert, unsure of things, just as Remus felt. For the first time, though, he felt a bond between people. He propped up his legs and watched the precarious but amusing antics of Lily, James, and Sirius.
The common room was filled with noisy students that night, very much excited to be back at Hogwarts, or amazed that they were there for the first time. James, Sirius and their newfound friends sat together by the fireside, telling stories about themselves (true or not, still very entertaining) and cracking bad jokes. Most of the latter was the work of Sirius and James.
"Ok, so a blonde, a redhead and a brunette go into a bar..." Sirius was saying, though nobody was really listening to him. Lily was enthralling James with stories of her wicked sister, and Remus and Peter were discussing what they thought the classes would be like the next day.
"...And so she says, 'I thought it was 17!'" Sirius continued, oblivious to the fact he was telling the joke to himself. Even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared much. An aspiring actor, Sirius loved to have an audience, whether they were real or just within his own mind.
The prefects herded them off to bed around eleven on the pretense that they had a busy day tomorrow. Most students went with minimal resistance, being so excited for what lay in store the next day.
~~~
James Potter was awakened far earlier than he would have liked by a pillow thrown in his face. Blinking, he could make out Sirius sitting up in his own bed, with another pillow aimed. James blinked a few more times, and grabbed his glasses from the beside table so he could at least see.
"You think you're gonna get away with that?" he challenged the grinning Sirius. Sirius just grinned even more. "Well you asked for it!" James said, trying to be intimidating and not succeeding. He hurled the pillow back across the room, but missed and hit Remus Lupin's sleeping form. Sirius dissolved into peals of laughter, Remus sat up quickly, quite confused and James grabbed another pillow.
He finally grabbed the one that he was still half laying on. Too late. By that time Sirius had given up on the idea of pillow throwing and had launched himself at James. A short and not too brutal wrestling match ensued, of which Sirius was most definitely the winner.
"Good morning to you too," Remus said sleepily from his bed. He had drawn the curtains and the early morning rays of sunlight were filtering into the room. Sirius and James picked themselves up.
"Good morning," Sirius said. James refused to be cheerful at such an early hour.
"I had the best dream," Sirius sighed wistfully as the other boys woke up. "There was Lily. Then there was more of Lily." James just gave him a disdainful look as Remus shook his head sadly behind Sirius' back. James laughed, and went to go put on his robes.
A bit later, after they were all awake, dressed, not killing each other, and James had fought the never-ending battle against his hair, the Gryffindor boys tumbled down the staircase into the common room. They had absolutely no idea how to find their way back to the Great Hall for breakfast, but by following everybody else, and getting directions from a painting of a grouchy-looking monk, they got there eventually.
The hall seemed even more crowded than last night, partly because everyone was so much louder. It took Sirius about 30 seconds to spot Lily's flaming hair, and he dragged Remus and James over to where she was sitting. Peter followed along.
"Good morning boys," Lily said smoothly, not letting on the fact that she had as little sleep as James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus had the night before. She brushed a tendril of her long red hair away from her face, and James noted to grab a napkin because Sirius looked like he was going to drool.
"Morning baby," Sirius sat down beside her, motioning to the others that this was where they were staying. He lazily threw an arm around her shoulder, which she brushed off with a grin.
"Too early for romance." Lily told him and yawned quite loudly.
"Never too early for romance…" Sirius grinned and winked at her.
Remus tuned out the conversation of the flirtatious duo and turned towards Peter. "So, what do you think we're going to do today?" he asked curiously.
Peter shrugged and looked anxiously at the plate in front of him. "I don't know, but I hope it involves a meal like the one last night!"
Remus patted his stomach. "I second that notion."
Remus noted that as if it was a tactic, Lily had shifted her attention towards James.
"So, James," Lily said, "Have you flown a broom before?"
James crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, trying to be suave. "Why, yes, I have. I'm very good at flying brooms. Quidditch is one of the things my father prides my family in… my sister, Alexandria…" James felt a tap on the shoulder and turned around to be greeted by his sister, Alexandria. "Alex!" he cried. "So nice of you to drop in."
Alexandria Potter threw her long black hair over her shoulder, gazing menacingly at her younger brother. She patronizingly made a tsking noise. "James Noir Potter," she started, "I thought you were above this." She gestured snootily towards the entire Gryffindor table. "I thought Daddy raised you to be truly… well… evil. Instead, you disgraced my entire family by becoming one of… them." She turned her face away as if she couldn't bear to look at the Gryffindors.
"Well, I…" James started, but was interrupted by Sirius and Lily simultaneously throwing the entire content of their glasses of pumpkin juice all over Alexandria's designer Hogwarts prefect robes.
Alexandria squealed loudly. Lily took this as a perfect moment to stand up and introduce herself.
"Hello," she said, "I'm Lily Evans. Just wanted to let you know Gryffindors kick Slytherin ass. I'm sorry if you and your slimy friends have been living in a dungeon for the past few years, but it's a well-known fact. Next time you have something to say, you can answer to all of us because James is one of us now… too bad you're just one of them."
The Great Hall was silent for a few moments, and then, one by one the Gryffindors stood up and applauded. Soon, the Hufflepuffs joined in, followed by the Ravenclaws. Lily looked pleased with herself, and Sirius looked more pleased with her than she did. Lily stood up in her chair and curtsied, causing everyone except for the Slytherins to cheer louder.
"Now, that, boys," she nodded knowingly to the cheering crowd, "Is how you make yourself known."
Sirius leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. She winked at him, and sat back down in her chair as if nothing had happened.
James leaned over and whispered to her, "Thanks, I owe you one."
Lily smiled. "Teach me how to fly."
James groaned. "Do I have to?"
Lily batted her eyelashes at him, "But I stood up to your big bad Slytherin sister… don't I deserve anything?"
James groaned loudly. This girl just didn't give up.
~
From his seat at the head table, he could see everyone and everything perfectly. He, however, was only interested in seeing one thing. The girl laughed merrily and smiled at her companions, obviously very happy and content with her new surroundings. He could even catch the merry twinkle in her large, green eyes and her auburn hair that looked so remarkably like his own. He also grimaced as he saw whom she was laughing with. The black hair… the brown eyes…
Albus Dumbledore closed his eyes for a moment, allowing his anger to settle in a bit. In all of his years of experience, he had learned that anger helped nothing but evil. He took another swig of pumpkin juice, tore his eyes away from the girl, and tried to continue a normal conversation with the rest of his teaching staff. A lurking feeling followed him, though. In the back of his head, he heard a warning…
~
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