Lily was breathless. Hogwarts was a hundred times more fantastic than she could've ever imagined.
As soon as she walked the door with Severus and all the other first year students she had her mouth wide-open is astonishment. It was so… well, magical. She glances as a stairway shifted positions and couldn't believe it. And when several students started pointing at the paintings, she was shocked. The paintings where moving. Hundreds of witches, wizards and magical creatures where moving around, changing frames with there fellow paintings. She wouldn't have stopped watching if Professor McGonagall hadn't interrupted her thoughts:
"Welcome to Hogwarts. You will soon enter the Great Hall and join the other students. But before you can take seat, you will be sorted in your houses. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your own family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, and will spend time in your house common room.
The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. As the school year goes by, your triumphs will earn points to your house, while anyone who breaks a rule will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. I hope each and everyone of you will do their best to help your house in the competition.
We will now enter the Great Hall."
Professor McGonagall lead the first years through the Great Hall's wooden doors.
Lily gasped at the sight of the ceiling, an exact replica of how the sky looked outside, tons of stars where shining over their head, as well as a very bright half-moon.
Professor McGonagall stood besides a four-legged stool, that had a pointed, black wizard's hat on top of it.
Suddenly, a rip opened in the hat, like a mouth, and the hat began to sing:
"So I could look like a regular hat
But believe me, I ain't regular at all
I'm the hat that great witches and wizards
Come for advice to see
Which house they will belong in
Like you, right now and right here.
You might belong in Gryffindor
The house of daring and brave
Or if you have a ready mind and love learning
You may dwell to the house of Ravenclaw
Yet if you are just and loyal
To Hufflepuff you surely belong
And finally the house of Slytherin
Those with ambition, always end there.
So try me on, at the top of your head
And I will look inside
To find out in which Hogwarts house
Your heart truly belongs. Asap!"
The Sorting Hat finished it song and professors and students applauded. Professor McGonagall stepped forward, unrolling a large scroll.
"When I call your name, you take a step forward, sit on the stool and put the hat on to be sorted" – she read the first name on the scroll – "Adler, Christine"
Christine Adler, a rather tall, blonde girl, put on the hat and sit on the stool for about a minute before the Hat shouted "RAVENCLAW!"
The girl got the Hat off and walked to the Ravenclaw table, which received her with a big applause.
Professor McGonagall immediately called Christine's twin-brother Henry, that was sorted into Hufflepuff. Christine applauded along with the Hufflepuff table, although you could tell they were both pretty sad not to be sorted in the same house.
Lily watched other kids get sorted, Severus standing right next to her. They hadn't talked since they got to Hogwarts, because they hadn't had the time. Severus was very focused on the Sorting as well.
After Henry Adler came Tony Archer, the first addition to the Gryffindor house, that also applauded him. After a few other students, Angelica Cooper was the first one to be sorted into Slytherin, which also received her new member in applause.
Emerson, Lee was also sorted in Slytherin and then Professor McGonagall called "Evans, Lily"
Lily walked to the stool, and got the Hat on. For her surprise, the Hat barely touched her head and shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" to the Great Hall. Lily, a little dizzy, walked to the Gryffindor, and sat with her class mates as she watched the rest of the Sorting.
After many other students, finally the time that Lily was waiting. Professor McGonagall called "Snape, Severus".
Severus put on the Sorting Hat. There was a big pause. Lily wished she could know what was going on, but the Sorting Hat took long time before deciding which house to send Severus, almost 5 minutes passed before the Hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!".
Lily applauded. She knew Gryffindor and Slytherin students rarely got along, but she didn't care. Sev was her friend, and they would never stop caring for each other. She looked for Severus eyes, and smiled at him. He smiled back. He didn't care either. They would be friends forever.