~*Always That Hero*~
*Chapter One*
Pumpkin Pasties and Lovely Black Eyes
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Ah, so we return to the mystical world of Harry Potter... ^_____^ This, as you all may have noticed, is *actually* an MWPP ficcie! I'll bet you had that figured out, though.... Clever, clever girls and boys. And hermaphrodites, if you're out there. I've never been blessed with meeting one, but... that's beside the point. This is my rewrite of my last MWPP fic. ::sigh:: Yes, I'm writing the whole thing over again. I don't think I'll delete it, because a certain BEENIE won't let me. (Sigh – she's my gorgeous and talented beta reader) Well, cheers to her. It is my personal hope that this one will be a deal better, and more politically correct. I keep rewriting all of my stuff. Hehe. Some words of advice – don't get too attached. Lol.
Credit to J.K. Rowling. I'm sure you probably hadn't realized this, but she wrote "Harry Potter". Whoo. Isn't that surprising? Well, you learn something new every day...
P.S. – Yes, I realize that our dear Remus is not in this chapter. I'm planning a special entrance for him. ::misty eyes:: It's not because I don't love him... you lot should know that by now. Trust me. This is hurting me as much as it's hurting you. Poor Remus.... ::cuddles a remus plushie to her chest:: It's a real shame they don't make Marauder plushies... I can think of a certain little girl who would just have to start her own colleciton if they did....
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"Oh, god, damn this whole thing!" Another wrong angle. Another bruise rising on her forehead. Another lot of people at the train station sending her disgusted, slightly concerned stares. She smiled sheepishly. "Er... um... this uh... trolley... is so hard to... maneuver... darn... it...." More stares. Her smile widened, gleaming green eyes shining with false innocence. Slowly, the pressing stares faded away to oblivion, and she was alone with her matters. She massaged her brow with her eyes clenched, surprised that blood hadn't been drawn. She'd only run into hard, solid metal about two times now.
"But how do I get there? There is no Platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross."
"Well, of course there is, dearie!"
"No... I'm positive... I've been there at least a thousand times... there's no Platform nine and three-quarters... nine and ten, yes, but nothing in between..."
Amused laughter. Piercing, degrading laughter. "Ah, only to the Muggle eye. You've got to pass through the barrier between the stations."
"Oh... well, then, thank you, ma'am! Thank you very much!"
'Yeah, thanks a lot, you old bat....' she muttered under her breath. She still had no idea of which side to take... well, of course she did now. She'd run into the other two. There was only one left to take. 'Curse my luck.' She pushed her cart in front of her, rearranging her bags and pulling the majority of them back on – they had been scattered across the stone on the previous crash. Then, bracing herself for the crush of fragile skin on cold steel, she ran. However, her calculations had indeed added up, and this time she didn't go sprawling. Her eyes now wide open, she watched, mesmerized, as another platform, nine and three-quarters, materialized before her. The shock of not crashing into the barrier, though, was quite a nasty one for the girl, so naturally, she tripped over herself and went tumbling to the ground anyway, her bags flying. She put a hand instinctively to her head.
Hmm. Well then. Now there was blood.
Meet Lily Evans.
There wasn't anything... unusually odd about her. Nor was there anything particularly unattractive. As far as physical appearances went, she certainly was easy on the eyes. Thick, glossy auburn hair (with the slightest wave, and tied in two neat plaits) rested gently across her shoulders, adorned with cream coloured ribbons. Though she had pale skin (the unfortunate cost of red hair) she had a very smooth complexion, lightly splashed with freckles, and large, deeply defined emerald eyes. They were perhaps the most fetching of her features.
She might have been what one would call "lanky." She was rather thin, with long arms and legs, and large hands and feet, which - though slender and lovely - where far too big for her. It was the deepest, darkest desire of her heart to have small feet, but wishes are only that. Wishes. It was also a private hope that she would, in time, grow out of the flat chest which had blessed her all of her life. That, however, was simply an attribute of her vanity.
Lily's strongest characteristics : vanity, hopeless romance, and violence. Hopelessness in the field of romance and puppy love is one of those things that all girls (and I'm sure you'll agree with me) have, at one time or another. Some go through 'that phase,' and others maintain their fascination with the opposite sex their whole life. Little miss Evans, though, was slightly torn, because she also had the strong tendency to be violent. That was the only... really unattractive thing about her.
She would pour over little things that charmed her for hours, days, months, and obsess over them. If anything got in between the way of that simple obsession, she would turn to her ever trusty fist, and sometimes the long, nicely manicured nails that she kept in that state just for such a purpose. There was often dried blood under these nails. The pink enamel hid that surprisingly well. As a result, the poor child would only have a very select handful of friends. She was quite well mannered, and terribly polite, unless something went less than perfect. And, once you'd been struck across the face by Lily, you didn't have such a strong urge to be around her. Thus, her friends were - for the most part - older, stronger, or equally as spiteful. They were the only lot that could keep her in check, the only lot that could adore her charm without having to worry about spilling blood.
There was a certain group of first years at Hogwarts that year that fit along those guidelines.
This is their story.
Lily held one finger to her bleeding lip, not really expecting it to stop, but putting it there out of instinct. With her free hand, she loaded her trunks back onto her cart, trying terribly hard not to cry or collapse; at the time, she couldn't decide which would be worse. There were a great deal of people on the platform, which was nice, as it distracted attention from her own misfortune. She did, however, long for someone to help her... lugging up twenty pound trunks with one hand is a feat not easily accomplished.
"Excuse me – do you need a hand, Miss?" A boy with dark ebon hair, angular brown eyes like a cat, and a very wicked smile stood above her with a hand outstretched. Lily glanced up, a bit dumbstruck.
"Why - I - well –" Her face flushed a little at the attention, but his grin only grew wider and more sinister.
"Hmm?" He bent a little lower, still offering his hand. Lily smiled, and was just about to take it, when a tall girl with wavy blonde hair and a heavy scowl raced over and tackled the boy to the ground in a single movement.
"God, Sirius, don't bother that poor girl, I've told you, there are actually people who don't like it...." The boy stood up, looking very disgruntled, gave her the finger, and stalked off. The blonde smiled, hands on her hips, looking very pleased with herself. She whirled around with a cheery grin towards Lily, and helped her heave the last of her bags back onto the cart. "I'm sorry, hon... he didn't hex you or anything, did he?"
Lily didn't quite know what to think. "Er... no... he was just trying to help me."
The girl scoffed, giggling softly. "That's what he said, hmm? Oh lord... Sirius Black, help a damsel in distress... oh! that'll be the day...." Lily was frowning now with a hint of dislike towards the girl. All the boy had done was offer to help her... and he was quite good looking, too... this girl, however, didn't seem to think that there was a chance that he would have given two cents on her account.
"I'm sorry if I don't come off as the type Sirius Black would be willing to help," she muttered coldly.
The girl's cinnamon eyes widened, and she shook her head, blonde waves bouncing at her shoulders. "Oh, no, honey, it's not you or anything.... Sirius is the devil. He doesn't help anyone. Hell, he does just the opposite. You're lucky to be in one piece, quite frankly." She laughed again. "I'd know."
"You know him?" Lily dusted off her skirt and heaved herself to her feet, now standing upright. The other nodded.
"Sure I do. Not really a good thing, but we've met... both live in a relatively old wizarding village... quite small, really, but you do get to know everyone in the district." She sighed as she added the last sentence, a very negative note in her voice. Lily laughed.
"Well, then, you've grown up in a wizarding environment, at least."
"Yeah, I – ooh...." Her eyes became very round. "You're muggle born, then?"
"Er... you mean... non wizarding?" The blonde nodded. "Then... yes." Lily had feared this bit of conversation since the moment that fateful letter had landed on her doorstop, revealing that the average, non-magic, unfortunate Lily Evans was, indeed, a witch. "That a bad thing?"
"Oh, no, no." She shook her head. "It's not a bad thing at all. At least it puts you out of the running for Slytherin...."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh... nothing."
Lily felt her curiosity building up inside of her, and she was very tempted to pursue the subject, but a blinding flash of blue light suddenly filled the station, and she forgot immediately. She turned quickly to the blonde girl. They both nodded, and raced off in the direction of the light.
Without much surprise, and rather as Lily had expected, there was the boy named Sirius Black, down on his knees laughing with tears of mirth in his eyes. It didn't take long to pinpoint what exactly he was laughing at. Standing above him, shouting strangled insults and swears, was a rather short, plump boy with pale, straw coloured hair. There was nothing extraordinary about him, except, of course, that protruding from the seat of his jeans was a very long - very bushy - tail.
Lily and her acquaintance burst into laughter, as did the majority of the station. Parents scowled and clucked their tongues, but children were grabbing their ribs and shaking in fits.
"Oh, I told you!" exclaimed the blonde, each word punctured by a shrill giggle. "Aren't you glad, now, that I saved you from the plague which is Sirius Black?"
Laughing so hard that breathing was becoming a struggle, Lily responded, "Oh, god, yes! Though I think a tail would be rather flattering on me...." They both shared a smile, and then the girl extended a hand.
"I'm Anne, by the way, hon. Anne Beaudair. I don't believe we've had a formal introduction."
"Oh, of course." She smiled and took Anne's hand. "Lily Evans. And it's a pleasure to meet you, dear."
Anne beamed, then stoop on tiptoe and pointed. "Oh! Do look! The train's here!" Lily whirled around. There it was...
It really was beautiful. The train was a marvelous, elegant passenger train, a bright scarlet, with thick clouds of white smoke pouring out from it. It was the romantic sort of train that you might expect to find in the movies. Lily clasped her hands together and squealed. "It's absolutely precious!" Anne chuckled, shaking her head.
"You go on ahead and board, Lily. Just – save me a seat, alright? I've got to go and get my luggage...." Lily smiled and agreed with a nod, watching as Anne disappeared into the crowd. She pushed her trolley over to the side of the train, where larger trunks were being loaded up, and gave a cheery wave to the man who took her bags. She slipped in a bright 'thank you,' then darted up the ramp and into the train, flitting down the aisle, trying to find herself an empty compartment. The third to the right was unoccupied, so she sat herself down next to the window and smoothed out her skirt with a feeling of contentment. Not one minute after she'd claimed the compartment, however, the door slid open, and a tall boy with dark hair and handsome grey eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses stood in the doorway.
"Hmm... occupied, too... but there's only one girl in here... we'll fit... you don't mind, Sirius, do you?" he called over his shoulder. Lily glanced up, a bit red in the face, waving politely.
"Eh... hello." The boy turned around quickly and smiled, nodding.
"Hello. Don't mind if we share this compartment, do you? Are you saving it for anyone?"
Lily tapped the seat next to her. "Well, this seat's reserved for a friend, but the row across from us is open... you're welcome to come in...." The boy grinned, pouring in and plopping down across from her. Sirius followed and sat himself next the his friend. Lily's eyes went wide.
"Ooh... you're... that boy!" Sirius glanced at her for a moment with raised eyebrows, but his face gradually faded into a smile.
"Oh, yes, you're that girl!" he responded cheerily. Lily laughed. The other boy cocked his brows.
"You two have met, then, eh?" Sirius nodded.
"Tried to help her up." He gave Lily a roughish wink which made her go brilliantly pink. "Got tackled by darling Annie before we'd had a proper little introduction, though."
"Anne?" piped up Lily. "Yes, she's the one I'm saving this seat for!" Both of the boys went a little green.
"Oh dear, you're one of her friends?" asked the boy with glasses, his nose wrinkled. "I was hoping you'd be saving it for some nice, normal, pretty little girl, or something –"
"I'm not a nice, pretty little girl?" teased Lily, prodding the boy in the chest. He flushed a tad.
"Well, what I meant was –"
The door slid open again. "Ah, Lily! I see you've saved me a – what the bloody –?" Anne looked horrified as her eyes shifted to Sirius and his raven-haired friend. "What are these two doing here?"
"We're sitting," snapped Sirius lightly. "What does it look like we're doing?"
She groaned, filling the vacant seat next to Lily. "Ooh, but do you have to sit here?" Her glance slid to the boy beside of Sirius. "Hmm, see you've brought James along... oh, what a lovely little ride this is going to be...."
"Oh but isn't it?" chuckled James, smiling cheekily at her.
Lily pursed her lips, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "Really, Anne, I don't mind...."
"That's only because you don't know them," warned Anne with a knowing cluck of the tongue, waving her finger in her face. Lily shook her head, pushing Anne's hand out of her eyes.
"They can't be all that bad, though, can they?"
Anne gave Lily a look that made her feel very stupid. "Really, hon, Sirius just gave somebody a tail for Chrissakes...."
"Oh, that's right!" interrupted James with an urgent look towards Sirius. "Did you ever fix poor Peter's tail?" Sirius squirmed in his seat and grinned guiltily. The whole compartment heaved their shoulders. "Poor kid," muttered James with a shake of his head. "Probably still walking around with –"
For the third time, the compartment door opened, but this time, very slightly. A boy stood in the doorway, looking very sweaty, and beckoning towards Sirius. "Sirius... I need... help...." Lily squinted her eyes, for she didn't recognize the face, but putting two and two together –
She stood up and raced over to the door, grabbing the boy by his hands. "You're the one with the tail, aren't you?"
He looked alarmed, trying to wriggle out of her grasp. "Well, yes, but I –"
"Let us see!" demanded Lily, letting the door slide back a little farther and shoving him in.
"I'd really rather –" he started, but the redheaded girl never gave him a chance to finish. With a well placed kick, she had him on the floor, his tail waving proudly in the air. Everyone let out another whoop of laughter except poor Peter, and of course, Lily, who was clutching the tail between her hands and fighting back tears.
"It's so adorable –!"
James rolled his eyes, standing up. "For the love of god, Lily, let the poor boy go...." Lily glared and pulled a face, still grabbing tightly onto the bushy brown tail. James pursed his lips, then spoke again. "I really, really hate doing this to girls...." He stepped over to her, and in a very quick, very sharp movement, he kicked her in the shins. Relatively quickly, she released Peter, whose face was covered in painful tears.
"That hurt, you moron!" she cried, hobbling back to her seat, fingers laced around her leg. James grinned and bowed.
"You're welcome, miss." James and Sirius chuckled, though Anne looked as though she might be sick.
She sent an apologetic glance at Lily, saying softly, "Lily, I'm so sorry... but I don't think I can manage this... you wanna go find another compartment? I've got to get out of here."
Lily shook her head, still glaring at James. "No, no... I've still got things to sort out before I leave... I'll see you at Hogwarts, Anne...." She gave her a wave, and Anne returned it, but crept out of the compartment all the same. Peter raced over to Anne's seat and collapsed, his face very splotchy. Lily tried very hard not to laugh.
"If you're going to fix him, fix him now, then," said Lily, her eyes on Sirius.
"Now you're willing to have it fixed?" growled Peter, his eyes slowly going back from red to white. Lily smiled sheepishly.
"Yes... sorry, it's just that...."
"You're an idiot?" finished Peter with a laugh. Lily glared for a moment, but gradually began laughing herself, feeling very sorry for Peter as Sirius sent another wave of blue light through the compartment. The tail was gone, though there was a rather unattractive hole now through his jeans. The others chose not to mention this to Peter. They had to have some fun with him.
As Peter slid onto his seat upright, and they all sat facing each other, each a bit red and a bit flustered, Lily seized the moment as an opportune introduction. "I'm Lily Evans, by the way...." She put her head down. "It's just that, if any of you feel like hexing me right about now, you might as well know my name...."
James laughed, shaking her hand. "No... you were good for a kick, but that was about it... no hexes... not today, anyway. We'll see what tomorrow has in store." Sirius and him exchanged glances for a split second, but James returned his glance back to her. "I'm James Potter."
Sirius groaned, as the ball was passed to him. "Oh, do I really have to do this? Is there anyone on this train who doesn't know my name?" Realizing that there probably wasn't anyone who didn't have an awareness of Sirius Black, the others coughed, but coaxed him to introduce himself formally besides. Crossing his arms and pulling a face, he muttered blandly, "Sirius Black, at your service." Lily grinned, gently tapping his arm.
"See? Wasn't that bad, was it?"
Sirius was tempted to snap back something nasty, but couldn't quite bring himself to it. She was a girl, after all, and he couldn't resist giving her a smile, which once again sent a pink blush to her cheeks. That was some consolation, anyway.
Eyes turned next to Peter. He cleared his throat, eyes blue and no longer bloodshot, and said in a now calm voice, "Peter Pettigrew." Then he gave them all a very toothy grin which made him look about five years younger, rather adorable, and caused Lily to instantly fall in love with him.
"Well, that's quaint," sighed Lily. "I'm guessing, of course, that you three have met before this darling little gathering on the train?"
Peter nodded. "Mm hmm. Went to the same boarding school."
"Boarding school!?" shrieked Lily. "So young?"
James chuckled. "Mums' wanted a basic intelligence education, before we shipped off for one in wizardry. Tons o' wizarding families do it."
Lily pressed a slim finger to her lips. "I never really thought about it...."
"Well, of course you didn't," piped Sirius. "You're not half so clever as us."
"Is that so?" laughed Lily, about to get up and - perhaps - hit him upside the head, but the whole compartment silenced and stilled with a pretty voice from the doorway.
"Sweets, anyone?"
The whole lot of them glanced up at the young lady, a trolley full of candies, chocolates and pasties propping open the glass panel door. Each one pulled out a handful of coins from their pockets and piled up against the trolley, grabbing paper cartons and brightly coloured wrappers filled with a cherry-flavoured something. The woman looked quite overwhelmed.
-
The train rolled to a stop, and the laughter in the small compartment came to an abrupt stop as well. They all sent urgent glances to each other as a sharp voice filtered - magically magnified - through the train. "The train has arrived at Hogwarts... please mind to exit the train through the doors located to the far left or right, your luggage will be taken up to the castle separately. First years will care to follow the gamekeeper to the lake where they will be taken to the castle separately as well ." There was a large commotion as each compartment burst open and students piled out into the aisles, pushing and shoving to get out to the castle's grounds. The four in this particular compartment, however, had one more thing to wrap up. Each shoved the remainder of their sweets into their mouths, crumpling up balls of cellophane and tin foil wrappers and stuffing them into their pockets. James, however, had spent a considerable amount more than the rest, and was struggling with the prospect of finishing nearly twenty sweets within one minute.
Lily stood up, wiping her mouth on her robe sleeve and staring at James. "I think you have too many to finish...." James looked up with his eyebrows raised.
"Dun 'oo fink I know dat?" he retorted, with much difficulty, as he had just attempted to stuff two chocolate frogs and an entire carton on Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans into his mouth at once. Lily rolled her eyes.
"Maybe if you weren't such a pig –"
James sent her a dark glance, and tried to say something, but a couple of the jelly beans rolled out of his open mouth, and he lost interest. Lily laughed, shaking her head, picking up a few of his cartons. James slapped her hand away, but jerking her hand away to nurse the injury, she barked savagely, "I'm only trying to help! At least let me carry some of your sweets for you. I feel sorry for you, so pitiful looking, with candies rolling out of you mouth...." Then, with a smile, and just for the general hell of it, she added tartly, "Pig." James pursed his lips, but let her stuff some of his goods into her pockets. Sirius smiled at them from the open doorway.
"Peter's already left... he'll wait for us, but you two had better hurry up. Are you planning on coming any time this week?" James held up a finger, stuffing a wad of chewing gum into his bulging cheeks, and stood up, following Lily out of the compartment and out of the train. Their delay had thinned out the crowd in the aisle.
Peter waved good-naturedly at them, on tiptoe, bathed in pale moonlight, the only light in the pitch blackness of night, aside from the occasional lantern-baring staff member. Sirius jumped off of the train, clapping his shoulder. "Good boy." Lily and James followed, James still choking down one of the chocolates.
The four made their way quietly to the lake behind a massive, very shaggy man carrying a great torch, obediently lining up behind the mass of other first years, listening patiently. Well, to a degree. Two of them were, anyways. Sirius was fidgeting, amusing himself for the present by blessing the black haired boy in front of him with a tail identical to the one Peter had worn hours before. Lily paled. James wasn't being especially patient, either. Then again, one finds it often hard to do anythin g when each breath tastes strangely like chocolate... and, occasionally, vomit. Oh, the marvel of Every Flavour Beans.
"Four ter a boat," roared the deep voice towering above their heads. "Move i' along, we dun have all day...." There was a frenzy as everyone turned with a rush of excitement towards the shore of the glassy black lake.
"I can't see," whined Lily, crossing her arms, trying to get a better view. She punched Sirius lightly on the arm. "What's this all about?" Sirius shrugged.
"Dunno."
Lily groaned. "I meant for you to look, genius."
Sirius gave her a charming smile, somehow managing to look dreadfully conniving. "Mmm... no."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with a mound of whipped cream on top?"
"I detest whipped cream," annunciated Sirius, striking a very dignified pose. Lily put her head in her hands. Peter cried out.
"Ooh, look there!" The four cast their gaze out onto the lake – apparently the boats were resting along the bank of the lake, and were all filled with students. Across the lake was another shore, much more well kempt than the one they stood on, and beyond that –
"Hogwarts!" sighed Lily, taking in every bit of romance in the atmosphere with utmost delectation. Sirius pushed them all back, grabbing a vacant boat, Peter and James following in sequential order. Lily trod daintily over to the boat, smiling at them all. James groaned. Lily laughed.
"Don't you dare pull that bull shit on me, Potter," she warned with a lovely grin. "I've got a pocketful of your sweets, and who knows... I might get hungry on the trip to the castle...." She cast her eyes about with an innocent gaze, trying to fight down the laugh in her throat. James pouted, his cheeks still full. Lily giggled, crawling into the boat behind him.
"'Un three, then! An' watch fer the giant squid! He wun do yeh no harm, but the creature ain't docile, neither," boomed the voice ahead, the man who carried it now sitting in a boat to himself, ahead of the rest. "Un... two... three...!"
The boats set off magically without assistance from the children inside. This was probably a good thing, as most first years didn't have any experience with boating, and there most likely would have been a horde of boats spinning about in circles for hours until they were finally swallowed by the sea monster residing in the lake out of pity. And, though I'm sure there are those few sadistic minds who would take great pleasure in reeling around the entire night on a lake with the threat of a giant squid, our heroes were not that sort.
Lily beamed at her reflection in the smooth surface of the water, rippling as her fingers slid across it. She allowed herself another smile, the moonlight reflecting off of the lake dancing across her face. "Isn't this lovely?" she commented aloud to no one in particular. James turned around at her words, swallowing.
"Gorgeous. Pass me a Pumpkin Pasty, would you?" Lily chuckled, reaching into her pocket for a pastry and handing it up to James.
"You're pitiful. This whole place has romance written all over it, and all you can think of is your stomach."
"No," he corrected her. "All I can think of are those lovely pasties in your pockets." Lily let out another laugh.
"Dear, dear, you almost sound like you're hitting on me...!"
James smiled. "Oh, alright, now who's being boyish?"
"What are you telling me for? You should be less."
"Boyish?"
"Yes."
"And how do you propose I do this, Lily, darling?"
"Well, I suppose you could be more girlish."
"Girlish, eh?"
"Of course. You could start by appreciating the beauty of simple things –"
"Like silence?" James sniggered. Lily slapped him.
"I'm serious."
"No, he's Sirius," tsked James, pointing. "You're Lily."
"Oh, for the love of god.... I forget what we were even talking about...."
"Teaching me to be girlish?"
"Oh yes. Appreciation... lesson one."
"Ooh, multi-course, sounds like fun...."
Lily ignored him. "Well, you could start appreciating other people's feelings... especially girls'. That includes me, by the way."
"Ah, so that's what you are, is it now?"
"Hmm, I believe so."
"Well then, that's excellent!"
"How so?"
"We can learn to be girlish together!"
"Sounds like fun."
"Oh, it will be! We'll get up early to go shoe shopping tomorrow. I could use a pair of heels...."
Lily couldn't help but snort. "Really? You're into cross dressing, are you?"
James nodded gravely, keeping his face solemn, which was quite a feat. "You don't believe it?"
"Not quite."
"Don't think I have the class?"
"Don't think you have the breasts," she sniggered. James gasped, putting his hand to his mouth, a mock look of indignation on his face.
"Well! I think our conversation is over, if that's the attitude you're going to sport." He crossed his arms, taking a great bite out of his Pumpkin Pasty, and scooted back into his prior position.
"Watch it!" warned Peter as the boat shifted. "Don't do that, we might tip, I dunno how sturdy this thing is...."
"You're such a worry wart!" laughed Sirius. "He's not that –" But what he was wasn't found out, because the boat jerked violently again. "What the –?"
"It's the squid!" cried a girl from a boat ahead of them. And so it was. A long tentacle extended out of the water, but it vanished quickly, creating a large wake on the surface of the water. Sirius' eyes went very wide and sparkled evilly.
"Quick, someone, gimme a rock, or something...."
"We're in the middle of a lake, Sirius," drawled James. "Where do you expect us to come up with a rock?" Sirius bit his lip.
"Good point... hmm... sorry, James," he apologized as he bent around Peter and snatched up his pasty. James cried out in surprise.
"Hey, give that back, I was –" but he stopped arguing. Sirius had tossed the sweet out into the water, and the giant tentacle had reappeared to snatch it up. Sirius got to his knees, bending over the side of the boat, tilting it to one side.
"Wicked," he muttered, dark brown eyes gleaming with boyish intrigue. "It's so – oh, no! No! It's leaving! Something else! Something good, something hard, something – ah!" His eyes now glittering so wickedly that they were hardly human any more, he grabbed James' wand and launched it out without thinking.
James was dumbstruck. "My - my - my wand...." Sirius' grin wore off as he realized what he had done.
"Er... oops?" he offered.
James glared poisonously, then, with only a moment's hesitation, he dove into the icy depths of the water after the rapidly sinking strip of wood.
"JAMES!" screamed Lily, clasping onto the side of the boat, her fingernails digging into the wood. "JAMES!" Sirius flashed her a nasty smile.
"Going to go after him and save your him, are you?"
Lily blanched. The thought had actually been circulating through her mind. It was pushed out now, naturally. "Of - of course not."
Sirius sighed. "Well, don't blame me if he drowns," he spoke calmly, sliding sideways, propping his feet over one side and crossing his arms behind his head on the other. Lily glared at him. She was worried about James, though... that was just in her nature. His head had disappeared under the lake quite a while ago... she was beginning to wonder if....
"I've got it!" roared James, treading on the surface, wand in one hand, glasses in the other. "Sirius, you bloody bastard, I've got it!" He swam over to the boat, beaming, though strangely lopsided, as he was only using his right arm to swim (in his left was collected his wand and glasses). He grabbed onto the boat side and heaved himself up halfway, dripping water all over the three dry ones.
"James!" beamed Lily, smiling very broadly. "Ooh, I thought for sure that you'd –" but she was silenced with a wink from Sirius. She fidgeted, trying to wipe her smile away. "You're back."
James laughed, sliding his glasses back on, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a handful of soggy breads, creams and chocolates, so badly mixed that nothing was distinguishable. "There goes about ten sickles." Lily began to laugh uncontrollably. James gave her a lopsided grin.
"Think it's funny, do you? Well, you know, I've still got the other half to account for...." He gave her an evil look to match Sirius'. Lily went pale, shutting up.
"Oh, no, James, you wouldn't, you couldn't , you just couldn't..." she pleaded, but it wasn't convincing enough for him. His body weight still supported on one side of the boat, he pushed with his feet against the base, pulling down with his upper body.
"Oops." A nasty smile from James. Lily was screaming. Peter was crying. Sirius was laughing.
There was a great splash, and the boat capsized on the lot of them, knocking Lily on the head.
"Dammit!" she managed through her tears and choked sobs. Sirius and James were in hysterics. Lily was fuming. "Oh, curse you James Potter!" He smiled cheekily, squirting out a stream of water in her face.
Needless to say, she wasn't amused.
"Lord, James," began Peter in a very high pitched voice. "How are we supposed to get this thing upright, eh?"
"We can't," muttered Lily darkly. "It's moving by magic, there's no way we could get a hold of it long enough to flip it. We'll just –"
"– ride it?" squeaked Peter. "No way. There's got to be another way. There's got to be a way to flip this thing over...."
-
Peter scowled, wiping his damp hair off of his heavily bruised forehead. "I cannot believe that this freaking thing couldn't be flipped over."
James crossed his legs, smiling despite a shiner below his left eye. "Well, we tried, that's what counts."
Lily gave a dry, racking laugh. "We tried! Oh, lord, hear that? We tried! What else does it matter than that we've tried ?"
"My point exactly!" grinned James, putting an arm around her, then deciding to go the whole nine yards and making fawn eyes at her.
"You're not terribly comfortable or attractive, sopping wet."
James attempted Sirius' handsome wink and smile, failing quite miserably. "You know you like it. Don't lie to yourself."
Peter laughed. "I don't think she's lying to anyone." James poked his tongue out.
The only one who was remotely quiet, was, miraculously, Sirius. Lily glanced at his grief stricken face, feeling concerned, and wriggled free of James' reach, putting her arm across Sirius' shoulders. "What's wrong, Sirius? You're the only one of us who's not sporting a black eye, you know." She grimaced slightly. She'd been hit in the head by that accursed boat four times. Beauty may be pain, but pain sure as hell ain't beauty.
"It's not that," muttered Sirius, his chin resting on his knees, his feet dangling in the water carelessly.
"What is it, then?" she prompted warmly, tightening her grip on Sirius. He gave her a wary glance, his lips curling in a very slight smile, patting her hand, his eyes shrouded.
"We let that damned squid get away."
-
"Anne!" cried Lily, catching a glimpse of her hovering near the doorway of Hogwarts' Great Hall. Anne looked up quickly, smiling.
"Oh, Lily – good heavens – you're soaking! And your eye... what on earth happened to you?"
Lily grinned sheepishly, her hands behind her back, shifting her weight. "You heard that one boat capsizing, didn't you?" Anne nodded. "That was us." Anne laughed out loud.
"Oh, you poor, poor thing. Another piece of work by Sirius?"
"No," she corrected her. "James, actually."
Anne's brows raised, but she smiled all the same. "Well, you know, they're practically inseparable as it is, James is nearly as bad as Sirius, anyway. Can't believe he did that to you, though...." She shook her head. "Having to look like that on your first day... that's pitiful." Lily glared. Anne coughed. "Well, I mean, you look lovely anyway, it's just that –"
Lily stopped her, a fit of giggles overcome her. "Shut up, Anne."
"Can do. Ooh, look, the man of the hour!" She got up on the balls of her feet, waving madly. "James! Hey, Potter! Get your ass over here!" James picked his head up at the mention of his name, sighting Anne and trying to slink out of view. Anne pouted her lower lip. "Pussy." She turned to Lily. "Shall we see them off?" she said politely with a wicked grin.
Lily nodded elegantly. "Yes, I believe so." They darted off to find James, Sirius and Peter trying to escape into the Great Hall. Anne grabbed James and Sirius by the neck of their robes, hissing down their backs.
"Tut tut. We can't go in yet. We're ickle firsties, 'member?" James and Sirius whirled around, looking very peevish.
"What do you want?" asked Sirius hopelessly with a great heave of his shoulders. Anne grinned.
"Isn't it enough that I want to be in your company?" She widened her eyes innocently. James snorted.
"Really, Anne...."
She let go of their sopping robes and clasped her hands together, looking intently at James. "What on earth did you do to capsize your poor little boat?" James laughed haughtily.
"What did I do? I think the proper question would be : what did Sirius do?" James ran a hand through his dripping hair, with a charming grin towards Sirius. Anne turned to look at him as well, chuckling.
"I knew you had some part to play in this, Black." Sirius scoffed.
"I didn't mean to do anything –"
"But what did you do?" persisted Anne, looking dreadfully curious. Peter chortled.
"He chucked James' wand out into the water to attract the squid. Dunno if he thought it was gonna eat it, or what... I don't pretend to comprehend Sirius' actions." Sirius beamed. Anne's eyes went wide.
"His wand? Oh, poor Jamsie, do you – ?"
"I've got it," finished James, smiling, pulling it out of his pocket, though it was nicely coated in something wet, soggy, and orange. It was dripping all over the floor. Anne drew back quickly.
"Dear lord!" she screamed. "What - what is that?!"
James picked a little of it off, put it in his mouth, and smirked. "Pumpkin Pasty." He held some of it out, still seeping through his fingers. "Want some?"
Anne looked a little green.
-
"The Sorting will begin momentarily... first years, please follow me into the Great Hall," voiced a young witch strictly. She was rather pretty, with her dark hair swept into a neat bun... she couldn't have been more than thirty... she had stern eyes, though. They were cold. Lily didn't like her eyes. The group of first years trailed behind her into the Great Hall, which was equally as beautiful as the grounds of the castle. It had an ancient architectural design, which made it look very elegant, and it glowed with golden light, flooded by hundreds upon hundreds of tapered candles floating above their heads in midair.
Lily elbowed James in the back.
"Ouch."
"Sorry."
"What do you want now?"
"What's the Sorting?"
"That witch just told us... we're getting divided up into one of the four houses... she just explained this to us... don't you ever listen?" (This comment was actually quite comical, coming from James Potter.)
"Of course I was listening," snapped Lily irritably. "I mean, what is the Sorting?"
James gave her a quizzical stare.
"The process, idiot."
"Whatever."
"Well?"
James shrugged. "Beats me." Lily rolled her eyes.
"Thanks."
"You're oh-so-welcome."
-
The school erupted into applause. The hat gave them what might have been a smile (if hats could smile, anyway). Lily let out a shrill whistle, grinning broadly. "Ooh, that was lovely!"
"The hat?" asked Sirius, smirking. Lily flicked him.
"You know what I meant."
The hall silenced as the young witch rose her hand in the air, her other pressing a finger to her lips. She snapped her fingers, and a flowing list of parchment appeared in her hand. She adjusted her glasses and ticked names off of the list.
"Avery, Christov!" A tall, well built boy strode up to the stool, and was instructed to try on the hat. He sat, the hat sliding over his ears.
"SLYTHERIN!" it roared out. There was a raucous applause from the Slytherin Table, set underneath a flag of brilliant green, illustrating a silver serpent. The boy's yellow, feline eyes flashed triumphantly, and he trotted off to the table.
"Beaudair, Anne!" Lily and the three boys turned to Anne. She was a little pale, but didn't seem all too nervous. She just smiled and clapped Sirius on the shoulder.
"Whatever house I get myself in, don't you follow me, Black."
Sirius gave her a toothy grin. "Don't worry, I will." Anne shook her head with a slight smile, then walked up to the stool, fitting the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Anne ripped off the hat, eyes bright, racing over to the table set beneath a scarlet banner bearing a golden lion, which was mad with applause. She winked at Lily from her seat.
"Black, Sirius!" Sirius gave them all a grave nod, forced his lips into a thin line, and made quite a dramatic scene of the whole thing. He approached the hat, and lifted it up, but he didn't immediately put it on. First, he busied himself with knocking the dirt off of the hat. After the minute it took him to do this, he set himself to adjusting the stool's height. He never did seem to get it just right. After two minutes, the witch with the list got impatient and stalked out to him, knocked him on the head and shoved the hat on him herself, forcing him onto the stool. A few students laughed. The witch was bright red.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius tore off the hat, giving them all a great bow, then tramped off to the Gryffindor Table. Anne wasn't clapping. Sirius chose the seat next to her and put his arm around her. He gave Lily a wink as well. Anne had her head in her hands. Lily laughed.
"Is he always like that?" she asked. Peter nodded, laughing himself.
"Aye. I'd know... spent five years in school with him...." He shook his head. "He gave one of the professors a heart attack once." James chuckled.
"Yes... I remember that... ooh, that was fun. Thought he was going to get expelled, he did. Really, surprising that he didn't... but he's got two more years here. Honestly, if he doesn't get himself expelled, he might hang himself."
Lily let out another giggle, and was about to add a comment when her name was called.
"Evans, Lily!"
She skipped up, trying not to make as much show as Sirius, but politely tugging on the hat and sitting herself on the stool with her fingers laced in her lap. Sirius had raised the stool a considerable bit, so it was now quite uncomfortable.
Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor .... she thought, pleading subconsciously. Then, remembering that she almost never got what she wanted, but rather the opposite, she tried a different tactic. Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin....
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily laughed to herself, trying to stifle the sound, setting the hat back down on it's stool and dancing over to the Gryffindor table, seating herself across from Anne. She looked very bad-tempered, as though she had just swallowed something very sour. Either that, or as though she had Sirius' arm around her. Lily figured it was probably the second.
"He followed me," mumbled Anne to Lily, sulkily. "Don't you just know that he followed me?"
Sirius laughed. "Don't be so touchy. It's going to be great, it is. You'll get to spend every day with me, attend every class with me...." Anne went an ugly puce. Lily was beside herself.
"You've got me, haven't you?" Anne smiled weakly.
"Sure. But if Sirius is here, you know that James and Peter are gonna show up next... and then... life is over...." Lily rolled her eyes, lips parted in smile. However, after about ten more students were Sorted, James and Peter did show up... Peter shortly behind James.
"We're here!" cried James, linking arms with Peter, plopping down beside of Lily, flecks of water flying up from his drenched robes. He cast a look at Anne, sneering. "Don't look too thrilled."
"Oh," apologized Anne. "Sorry. I didn't mean to... I meant to look completely and utterly disgusted."
James sniggered. "You must be great fun to have around at a housewarming party. Hmm... I think I'll invite you to mine...."
"Are you kidding?" retched Anne. "I've got to spend the next seven years with all three of you! God forbid I live that long...!"
Lily patted her comfortingly from across the table, dripping water on the white linen, beaming, her black eye shining. "Think of it as a camp."
"A concentration camp?" All four chuckled, but soon, they weren't alone, as the whole room burst into hysterics.
"What's this all about?" roared the dark-haired witch, her cheeks blotched. 'Snape, Severus' had just been called to the stage, and curling up from beneath his robes, was a very familiar, bushy brown tail. The staff was in a rage, and the greasy-haired boy named Severus was fuming as well. Apparently, he had not noticed the tail until the hall had so kindly pointed it out to him. His sallow cheeks were flushed with colour, and a few staff members rushed up to aid him.
Lily stared at Sirius. "I thought you got rid of it before we set into the boats?"
Sirius shook his head, beaming with false innocence. Anne was impatient again. "You did this? Don't you ever let up ?!"
Sirius laughed, shook his head again, and bent over to kiss her on the cheek. "Let's see.... erm.... nope."
Anne was struggling very hard to fight back tears.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Read and review, my pretties! If I had your addresses, I'd pay you for it!
((and, for those whose addresses I actually DO have.... know that I'm not paying you. but i can threaten you quite nicely))
Ciao, Sayoonara, and G'bye in another language that I dunno!
~A R C H A N G E L
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
*Chapter One*
Pumpkin Pasties and Lovely Black Eyes
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Ah, so we return to the mystical world of Harry Potter... ^_____^ This, as you all may have noticed, is *actually* an MWPP ficcie! I'll bet you had that figured out, though.... Clever, clever girls and boys. And hermaphrodites, if you're out there. I've never been blessed with meeting one, but... that's beside the point. This is my rewrite of my last MWPP fic. ::sigh:: Yes, I'm writing the whole thing over again. I don't think I'll delete it, because a certain BEENIE won't let me. (Sigh – she's my gorgeous and talented beta reader) Well, cheers to her. It is my personal hope that this one will be a deal better, and more politically correct. I keep rewriting all of my stuff. Hehe. Some words of advice – don't get too attached. Lol.
Credit to J.K. Rowling. I'm sure you probably hadn't realized this, but she wrote "Harry Potter". Whoo. Isn't that surprising? Well, you learn something new every day...
P.S. – Yes, I realize that our dear Remus is not in this chapter. I'm planning a special entrance for him. ::misty eyes:: It's not because I don't love him... you lot should know that by now. Trust me. This is hurting me as much as it's hurting you. Poor Remus.... ::cuddles a remus plushie to her chest:: It's a real shame they don't make Marauder plushies... I can think of a certain little girl who would just have to start her own colleciton if they did....
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
"Oh, god, damn this whole thing!" Another wrong angle. Another bruise rising on her forehead. Another lot of people at the train station sending her disgusted, slightly concerned stares. She smiled sheepishly. "Er... um... this uh... trolley... is so hard to... maneuver... darn... it...." More stares. Her smile widened, gleaming green eyes shining with false innocence. Slowly, the pressing stares faded away to oblivion, and she was alone with her matters. She massaged her brow with her eyes clenched, surprised that blood hadn't been drawn. She'd only run into hard, solid metal about two times now.
"But how do I get there? There is no Platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross."
"Well, of course there is, dearie!"
"No... I'm positive... I've been there at least a thousand times... there's no Platform nine and three-quarters... nine and ten, yes, but nothing in between..."
Amused laughter. Piercing, degrading laughter. "Ah, only to the Muggle eye. You've got to pass through the barrier between the stations."
"Oh... well, then, thank you, ma'am! Thank you very much!"
'Yeah, thanks a lot, you old bat....' she muttered under her breath. She still had no idea of which side to take... well, of course she did now. She'd run into the other two. There was only one left to take. 'Curse my luck.' She pushed her cart in front of her, rearranging her bags and pulling the majority of them back on – they had been scattered across the stone on the previous crash. Then, bracing herself for the crush of fragile skin on cold steel, she ran. However, her calculations had indeed added up, and this time she didn't go sprawling. Her eyes now wide open, she watched, mesmerized, as another platform, nine and three-quarters, materialized before her. The shock of not crashing into the barrier, though, was quite a nasty one for the girl, so naturally, she tripped over herself and went tumbling to the ground anyway, her bags flying. She put a hand instinctively to her head.
Hmm. Well then. Now there was blood.
Meet Lily Evans.
There wasn't anything... unusually odd about her. Nor was there anything particularly unattractive. As far as physical appearances went, she certainly was easy on the eyes. Thick, glossy auburn hair (with the slightest wave, and tied in two neat plaits) rested gently across her shoulders, adorned with cream coloured ribbons. Though she had pale skin (the unfortunate cost of red hair) she had a very smooth complexion, lightly splashed with freckles, and large, deeply defined emerald eyes. They were perhaps the most fetching of her features.
She might have been what one would call "lanky." She was rather thin, with long arms and legs, and large hands and feet, which - though slender and lovely - where far too big for her. It was the deepest, darkest desire of her heart to have small feet, but wishes are only that. Wishes. It was also a private hope that she would, in time, grow out of the flat chest which had blessed her all of her life. That, however, was simply an attribute of her vanity.
Lily's strongest characteristics : vanity, hopeless romance, and violence. Hopelessness in the field of romance and puppy love is one of those things that all girls (and I'm sure you'll agree with me) have, at one time or another. Some go through 'that phase,' and others maintain their fascination with the opposite sex their whole life. Little miss Evans, though, was slightly torn, because she also had the strong tendency to be violent. That was the only... really unattractive thing about her.
She would pour over little things that charmed her for hours, days, months, and obsess over them. If anything got in between the way of that simple obsession, she would turn to her ever trusty fist, and sometimes the long, nicely manicured nails that she kept in that state just for such a purpose. There was often dried blood under these nails. The pink enamel hid that surprisingly well. As a result, the poor child would only have a very select handful of friends. She was quite well mannered, and terribly polite, unless something went less than perfect. And, once you'd been struck across the face by Lily, you didn't have such a strong urge to be around her. Thus, her friends were - for the most part - older, stronger, or equally as spiteful. They were the only lot that could keep her in check, the only lot that could adore her charm without having to worry about spilling blood.
There was a certain group of first years at Hogwarts that year that fit along those guidelines.
This is their story.
Lily held one finger to her bleeding lip, not really expecting it to stop, but putting it there out of instinct. With her free hand, she loaded her trunks back onto her cart, trying terribly hard not to cry or collapse; at the time, she couldn't decide which would be worse. There were a great deal of people on the platform, which was nice, as it distracted attention from her own misfortune. She did, however, long for someone to help her... lugging up twenty pound trunks with one hand is a feat not easily accomplished.
"Excuse me – do you need a hand, Miss?" A boy with dark ebon hair, angular brown eyes like a cat, and a very wicked smile stood above her with a hand outstretched. Lily glanced up, a bit dumbstruck.
"Why - I - well –" Her face flushed a little at the attention, but his grin only grew wider and more sinister.
"Hmm?" He bent a little lower, still offering his hand. Lily smiled, and was just about to take it, when a tall girl with wavy blonde hair and a heavy scowl raced over and tackled the boy to the ground in a single movement.
"God, Sirius, don't bother that poor girl, I've told you, there are actually people who don't like it...." The boy stood up, looking very disgruntled, gave her the finger, and stalked off. The blonde smiled, hands on her hips, looking very pleased with herself. She whirled around with a cheery grin towards Lily, and helped her heave the last of her bags back onto the cart. "I'm sorry, hon... he didn't hex you or anything, did he?"
Lily didn't quite know what to think. "Er... no... he was just trying to help me."
The girl scoffed, giggling softly. "That's what he said, hmm? Oh lord... Sirius Black, help a damsel in distress... oh! that'll be the day...." Lily was frowning now with a hint of dislike towards the girl. All the boy had done was offer to help her... and he was quite good looking, too... this girl, however, didn't seem to think that there was a chance that he would have given two cents on her account.
"I'm sorry if I don't come off as the type Sirius Black would be willing to help," she muttered coldly.
The girl's cinnamon eyes widened, and she shook her head, blonde waves bouncing at her shoulders. "Oh, no, honey, it's not you or anything.... Sirius is the devil. He doesn't help anyone. Hell, he does just the opposite. You're lucky to be in one piece, quite frankly." She laughed again. "I'd know."
"You know him?" Lily dusted off her skirt and heaved herself to her feet, now standing upright. The other nodded.
"Sure I do. Not really a good thing, but we've met... both live in a relatively old wizarding village... quite small, really, but you do get to know everyone in the district." She sighed as she added the last sentence, a very negative note in her voice. Lily laughed.
"Well, then, you've grown up in a wizarding environment, at least."
"Yeah, I – ooh...." Her eyes became very round. "You're muggle born, then?"
"Er... you mean... non wizarding?" The blonde nodded. "Then... yes." Lily had feared this bit of conversation since the moment that fateful letter had landed on her doorstop, revealing that the average, non-magic, unfortunate Lily Evans was, indeed, a witch. "That a bad thing?"
"Oh, no, no." She shook her head. "It's not a bad thing at all. At least it puts you out of the running for Slytherin...."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh... nothing."
Lily felt her curiosity building up inside of her, and she was very tempted to pursue the subject, but a blinding flash of blue light suddenly filled the station, and she forgot immediately. She turned quickly to the blonde girl. They both nodded, and raced off in the direction of the light.
Without much surprise, and rather as Lily had expected, there was the boy named Sirius Black, down on his knees laughing with tears of mirth in his eyes. It didn't take long to pinpoint what exactly he was laughing at. Standing above him, shouting strangled insults and swears, was a rather short, plump boy with pale, straw coloured hair. There was nothing extraordinary about him, except, of course, that protruding from the seat of his jeans was a very long - very bushy - tail.
Lily and her acquaintance burst into laughter, as did the majority of the station. Parents scowled and clucked their tongues, but children were grabbing their ribs and shaking in fits.
"Oh, I told you!" exclaimed the blonde, each word punctured by a shrill giggle. "Aren't you glad, now, that I saved you from the plague which is Sirius Black?"
Laughing so hard that breathing was becoming a struggle, Lily responded, "Oh, god, yes! Though I think a tail would be rather flattering on me...." They both shared a smile, and then the girl extended a hand.
"I'm Anne, by the way, hon. Anne Beaudair. I don't believe we've had a formal introduction."
"Oh, of course." She smiled and took Anne's hand. "Lily Evans. And it's a pleasure to meet you, dear."
Anne beamed, then stoop on tiptoe and pointed. "Oh! Do look! The train's here!" Lily whirled around. There it was...
It really was beautiful. The train was a marvelous, elegant passenger train, a bright scarlet, with thick clouds of white smoke pouring out from it. It was the romantic sort of train that you might expect to find in the movies. Lily clasped her hands together and squealed. "It's absolutely precious!" Anne chuckled, shaking her head.
"You go on ahead and board, Lily. Just – save me a seat, alright? I've got to go and get my luggage...." Lily smiled and agreed with a nod, watching as Anne disappeared into the crowd. She pushed her trolley over to the side of the train, where larger trunks were being loaded up, and gave a cheery wave to the man who took her bags. She slipped in a bright 'thank you,' then darted up the ramp and into the train, flitting down the aisle, trying to find herself an empty compartment. The third to the right was unoccupied, so she sat herself down next to the window and smoothed out her skirt with a feeling of contentment. Not one minute after she'd claimed the compartment, however, the door slid open, and a tall boy with dark hair and handsome grey eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses stood in the doorway.
"Hmm... occupied, too... but there's only one girl in here... we'll fit... you don't mind, Sirius, do you?" he called over his shoulder. Lily glanced up, a bit red in the face, waving politely.
"Eh... hello." The boy turned around quickly and smiled, nodding.
"Hello. Don't mind if we share this compartment, do you? Are you saving it for anyone?"
Lily tapped the seat next to her. "Well, this seat's reserved for a friend, but the row across from us is open... you're welcome to come in...." The boy grinned, pouring in and plopping down across from her. Sirius followed and sat himself next the his friend. Lily's eyes went wide.
"Ooh... you're... that boy!" Sirius glanced at her for a moment with raised eyebrows, but his face gradually faded into a smile.
"Oh, yes, you're that girl!" he responded cheerily. Lily laughed. The other boy cocked his brows.
"You two have met, then, eh?" Sirius nodded.
"Tried to help her up." He gave Lily a roughish wink which made her go brilliantly pink. "Got tackled by darling Annie before we'd had a proper little introduction, though."
"Anne?" piped up Lily. "Yes, she's the one I'm saving this seat for!" Both of the boys went a little green.
"Oh dear, you're one of her friends?" asked the boy with glasses, his nose wrinkled. "I was hoping you'd be saving it for some nice, normal, pretty little girl, or something –"
"I'm not a nice, pretty little girl?" teased Lily, prodding the boy in the chest. He flushed a tad.
"Well, what I meant was –"
The door slid open again. "Ah, Lily! I see you've saved me a – what the bloody –?" Anne looked horrified as her eyes shifted to Sirius and his raven-haired friend. "What are these two doing here?"
"We're sitting," snapped Sirius lightly. "What does it look like we're doing?"
She groaned, filling the vacant seat next to Lily. "Ooh, but do you have to sit here?" Her glance slid to the boy beside of Sirius. "Hmm, see you've brought James along... oh, what a lovely little ride this is going to be...."
"Oh but isn't it?" chuckled James, smiling cheekily at her.
Lily pursed her lips, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "Really, Anne, I don't mind...."
"That's only because you don't know them," warned Anne with a knowing cluck of the tongue, waving her finger in her face. Lily shook her head, pushing Anne's hand out of her eyes.
"They can't be all that bad, though, can they?"
Anne gave Lily a look that made her feel very stupid. "Really, hon, Sirius just gave somebody a tail for Chrissakes...."
"Oh, that's right!" interrupted James with an urgent look towards Sirius. "Did you ever fix poor Peter's tail?" Sirius squirmed in his seat and grinned guiltily. The whole compartment heaved their shoulders. "Poor kid," muttered James with a shake of his head. "Probably still walking around with –"
For the third time, the compartment door opened, but this time, very slightly. A boy stood in the doorway, looking very sweaty, and beckoning towards Sirius. "Sirius... I need... help...." Lily squinted her eyes, for she didn't recognize the face, but putting two and two together –
She stood up and raced over to the door, grabbing the boy by his hands. "You're the one with the tail, aren't you?"
He looked alarmed, trying to wriggle out of her grasp. "Well, yes, but I –"
"Let us see!" demanded Lily, letting the door slide back a little farther and shoving him in.
"I'd really rather –" he started, but the redheaded girl never gave him a chance to finish. With a well placed kick, she had him on the floor, his tail waving proudly in the air. Everyone let out another whoop of laughter except poor Peter, and of course, Lily, who was clutching the tail between her hands and fighting back tears.
"It's so adorable –!"
James rolled his eyes, standing up. "For the love of god, Lily, let the poor boy go...." Lily glared and pulled a face, still grabbing tightly onto the bushy brown tail. James pursed his lips, then spoke again. "I really, really hate doing this to girls...." He stepped over to her, and in a very quick, very sharp movement, he kicked her in the shins. Relatively quickly, she released Peter, whose face was covered in painful tears.
"That hurt, you moron!" she cried, hobbling back to her seat, fingers laced around her leg. James grinned and bowed.
"You're welcome, miss." James and Sirius chuckled, though Anne looked as though she might be sick.
She sent an apologetic glance at Lily, saying softly, "Lily, I'm so sorry... but I don't think I can manage this... you wanna go find another compartment? I've got to get out of here."
Lily shook her head, still glaring at James. "No, no... I've still got things to sort out before I leave... I'll see you at Hogwarts, Anne...." She gave her a wave, and Anne returned it, but crept out of the compartment all the same. Peter raced over to Anne's seat and collapsed, his face very splotchy. Lily tried very hard not to laugh.
"If you're going to fix him, fix him now, then," said Lily, her eyes on Sirius.
"Now you're willing to have it fixed?" growled Peter, his eyes slowly going back from red to white. Lily smiled sheepishly.
"Yes... sorry, it's just that...."
"You're an idiot?" finished Peter with a laugh. Lily glared for a moment, but gradually began laughing herself, feeling very sorry for Peter as Sirius sent another wave of blue light through the compartment. The tail was gone, though there was a rather unattractive hole now through his jeans. The others chose not to mention this to Peter. They had to have some fun with him.
As Peter slid onto his seat upright, and they all sat facing each other, each a bit red and a bit flustered, Lily seized the moment as an opportune introduction. "I'm Lily Evans, by the way...." She put her head down. "It's just that, if any of you feel like hexing me right about now, you might as well know my name...."
James laughed, shaking her hand. "No... you were good for a kick, but that was about it... no hexes... not today, anyway. We'll see what tomorrow has in store." Sirius and him exchanged glances for a split second, but James returned his glance back to her. "I'm James Potter."
Sirius groaned, as the ball was passed to him. "Oh, do I really have to do this? Is there anyone on this train who doesn't know my name?" Realizing that there probably wasn't anyone who didn't have an awareness of Sirius Black, the others coughed, but coaxed him to introduce himself formally besides. Crossing his arms and pulling a face, he muttered blandly, "Sirius Black, at your service." Lily grinned, gently tapping his arm.
"See? Wasn't that bad, was it?"
Sirius was tempted to snap back something nasty, but couldn't quite bring himself to it. She was a girl, after all, and he couldn't resist giving her a smile, which once again sent a pink blush to her cheeks. That was some consolation, anyway.
Eyes turned next to Peter. He cleared his throat, eyes blue and no longer bloodshot, and said in a now calm voice, "Peter Pettigrew." Then he gave them all a very toothy grin which made him look about five years younger, rather adorable, and caused Lily to instantly fall in love with him.
"Well, that's quaint," sighed Lily. "I'm guessing, of course, that you three have met before this darling little gathering on the train?"
Peter nodded. "Mm hmm. Went to the same boarding school."
"Boarding school!?" shrieked Lily. "So young?"
James chuckled. "Mums' wanted a basic intelligence education, before we shipped off for one in wizardry. Tons o' wizarding families do it."
Lily pressed a slim finger to her lips. "I never really thought about it...."
"Well, of course you didn't," piped Sirius. "You're not half so clever as us."
"Is that so?" laughed Lily, about to get up and - perhaps - hit him upside the head, but the whole compartment silenced and stilled with a pretty voice from the doorway.
"Sweets, anyone?"
The whole lot of them glanced up at the young lady, a trolley full of candies, chocolates and pasties propping open the glass panel door. Each one pulled out a handful of coins from their pockets and piled up against the trolley, grabbing paper cartons and brightly coloured wrappers filled with a cherry-flavoured something. The woman looked quite overwhelmed.
-
The train rolled to a stop, and the laughter in the small compartment came to an abrupt stop as well. They all sent urgent glances to each other as a sharp voice filtered - magically magnified - through the train. "The train has arrived at Hogwarts... please mind to exit the train through the doors located to the far left or right, your luggage will be taken up to the castle separately. First years will care to follow the gamekeeper to the lake where they will be taken to the castle separately as well ." There was a large commotion as each compartment burst open and students piled out into the aisles, pushing and shoving to get out to the castle's grounds. The four in this particular compartment, however, had one more thing to wrap up. Each shoved the remainder of their sweets into their mouths, crumpling up balls of cellophane and tin foil wrappers and stuffing them into their pockets. James, however, had spent a considerable amount more than the rest, and was struggling with the prospect of finishing nearly twenty sweets within one minute.
Lily stood up, wiping her mouth on her robe sleeve and staring at James. "I think you have too many to finish...." James looked up with his eyebrows raised.
"Dun 'oo fink I know dat?" he retorted, with much difficulty, as he had just attempted to stuff two chocolate frogs and an entire carton on Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans into his mouth at once. Lily rolled her eyes.
"Maybe if you weren't such a pig –"
James sent her a dark glance, and tried to say something, but a couple of the jelly beans rolled out of his open mouth, and he lost interest. Lily laughed, shaking her head, picking up a few of his cartons. James slapped her hand away, but jerking her hand away to nurse the injury, she barked savagely, "I'm only trying to help! At least let me carry some of your sweets for you. I feel sorry for you, so pitiful looking, with candies rolling out of you mouth...." Then, with a smile, and just for the general hell of it, she added tartly, "Pig." James pursed his lips, but let her stuff some of his goods into her pockets. Sirius smiled at them from the open doorway.
"Peter's already left... he'll wait for us, but you two had better hurry up. Are you planning on coming any time this week?" James held up a finger, stuffing a wad of chewing gum into his bulging cheeks, and stood up, following Lily out of the compartment and out of the train. Their delay had thinned out the crowd in the aisle.
Peter waved good-naturedly at them, on tiptoe, bathed in pale moonlight, the only light in the pitch blackness of night, aside from the occasional lantern-baring staff member. Sirius jumped off of the train, clapping his shoulder. "Good boy." Lily and James followed, James still choking down one of the chocolates.
The four made their way quietly to the lake behind a massive, very shaggy man carrying a great torch, obediently lining up behind the mass of other first years, listening patiently. Well, to a degree. Two of them were, anyways. Sirius was fidgeting, amusing himself for the present by blessing the black haired boy in front of him with a tail identical to the one Peter had worn hours before. Lily paled. James wasn't being especially patient, either. Then again, one finds it often hard to do anythin g when each breath tastes strangely like chocolate... and, occasionally, vomit. Oh, the marvel of Every Flavour Beans.
"Four ter a boat," roared the deep voice towering above their heads. "Move i' along, we dun have all day...." There was a frenzy as everyone turned with a rush of excitement towards the shore of the glassy black lake.
"I can't see," whined Lily, crossing her arms, trying to get a better view. She punched Sirius lightly on the arm. "What's this all about?" Sirius shrugged.
"Dunno."
Lily groaned. "I meant for you to look, genius."
Sirius gave her a charming smile, somehow managing to look dreadfully conniving. "Mmm... no."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with a mound of whipped cream on top?"
"I detest whipped cream," annunciated Sirius, striking a very dignified pose. Lily put her head in her hands. Peter cried out.
"Ooh, look there!" The four cast their gaze out onto the lake – apparently the boats were resting along the bank of the lake, and were all filled with students. Across the lake was another shore, much more well kempt than the one they stood on, and beyond that –
"Hogwarts!" sighed Lily, taking in every bit of romance in the atmosphere with utmost delectation. Sirius pushed them all back, grabbing a vacant boat, Peter and James following in sequential order. Lily trod daintily over to the boat, smiling at them all. James groaned. Lily laughed.
"Don't you dare pull that bull shit on me, Potter," she warned with a lovely grin. "I've got a pocketful of your sweets, and who knows... I might get hungry on the trip to the castle...." She cast her eyes about with an innocent gaze, trying to fight down the laugh in her throat. James pouted, his cheeks still full. Lily giggled, crawling into the boat behind him.
"'Un three, then! An' watch fer the giant squid! He wun do yeh no harm, but the creature ain't docile, neither," boomed the voice ahead, the man who carried it now sitting in a boat to himself, ahead of the rest. "Un... two... three...!"
The boats set off magically without assistance from the children inside. This was probably a good thing, as most first years didn't have any experience with boating, and there most likely would have been a horde of boats spinning about in circles for hours until they were finally swallowed by the sea monster residing in the lake out of pity. And, though I'm sure there are those few sadistic minds who would take great pleasure in reeling around the entire night on a lake with the threat of a giant squid, our heroes were not that sort.
Lily beamed at her reflection in the smooth surface of the water, rippling as her fingers slid across it. She allowed herself another smile, the moonlight reflecting off of the lake dancing across her face. "Isn't this lovely?" she commented aloud to no one in particular. James turned around at her words, swallowing.
"Gorgeous. Pass me a Pumpkin Pasty, would you?" Lily chuckled, reaching into her pocket for a pastry and handing it up to James.
"You're pitiful. This whole place has romance written all over it, and all you can think of is your stomach."
"No," he corrected her. "All I can think of are those lovely pasties in your pockets." Lily let out another laugh.
"Dear, dear, you almost sound like you're hitting on me...!"
James smiled. "Oh, alright, now who's being boyish?"
"What are you telling me for? You should be less."
"Boyish?"
"Yes."
"And how do you propose I do this, Lily, darling?"
"Well, I suppose you could be more girlish."
"Girlish, eh?"
"Of course. You could start by appreciating the beauty of simple things –"
"Like silence?" James sniggered. Lily slapped him.
"I'm serious."
"No, he's Sirius," tsked James, pointing. "You're Lily."
"Oh, for the love of god.... I forget what we were even talking about...."
"Teaching me to be girlish?"
"Oh yes. Appreciation... lesson one."
"Ooh, multi-course, sounds like fun...."
Lily ignored him. "Well, you could start appreciating other people's feelings... especially girls'. That includes me, by the way."
"Ah, so that's what you are, is it now?"
"Hmm, I believe so."
"Well then, that's excellent!"
"How so?"
"We can learn to be girlish together!"
"Sounds like fun."
"Oh, it will be! We'll get up early to go shoe shopping tomorrow. I could use a pair of heels...."
Lily couldn't help but snort. "Really? You're into cross dressing, are you?"
James nodded gravely, keeping his face solemn, which was quite a feat. "You don't believe it?"
"Not quite."
"Don't think I have the class?"
"Don't think you have the breasts," she sniggered. James gasped, putting his hand to his mouth, a mock look of indignation on his face.
"Well! I think our conversation is over, if that's the attitude you're going to sport." He crossed his arms, taking a great bite out of his Pumpkin Pasty, and scooted back into his prior position.
"Watch it!" warned Peter as the boat shifted. "Don't do that, we might tip, I dunno how sturdy this thing is...."
"You're such a worry wart!" laughed Sirius. "He's not that –" But what he was wasn't found out, because the boat jerked violently again. "What the –?"
"It's the squid!" cried a girl from a boat ahead of them. And so it was. A long tentacle extended out of the water, but it vanished quickly, creating a large wake on the surface of the water. Sirius' eyes went very wide and sparkled evilly.
"Quick, someone, gimme a rock, or something...."
"We're in the middle of a lake, Sirius," drawled James. "Where do you expect us to come up with a rock?" Sirius bit his lip.
"Good point... hmm... sorry, James," he apologized as he bent around Peter and snatched up his pasty. James cried out in surprise.
"Hey, give that back, I was –" but he stopped arguing. Sirius had tossed the sweet out into the water, and the giant tentacle had reappeared to snatch it up. Sirius got to his knees, bending over the side of the boat, tilting it to one side.
"Wicked," he muttered, dark brown eyes gleaming with boyish intrigue. "It's so – oh, no! No! It's leaving! Something else! Something good, something hard, something – ah!" His eyes now glittering so wickedly that they were hardly human any more, he grabbed James' wand and launched it out without thinking.
James was dumbstruck. "My - my - my wand...." Sirius' grin wore off as he realized what he had done.
"Er... oops?" he offered.
James glared poisonously, then, with only a moment's hesitation, he dove into the icy depths of the water after the rapidly sinking strip of wood.
"JAMES!" screamed Lily, clasping onto the side of the boat, her fingernails digging into the wood. "JAMES!" Sirius flashed her a nasty smile.
"Going to go after him and save your him, are you?"
Lily blanched. The thought had actually been circulating through her mind. It was pushed out now, naturally. "Of - of course not."
Sirius sighed. "Well, don't blame me if he drowns," he spoke calmly, sliding sideways, propping his feet over one side and crossing his arms behind his head on the other. Lily glared at him. She was worried about James, though... that was just in her nature. His head had disappeared under the lake quite a while ago... she was beginning to wonder if....
"I've got it!" roared James, treading on the surface, wand in one hand, glasses in the other. "Sirius, you bloody bastard, I've got it!" He swam over to the boat, beaming, though strangely lopsided, as he was only using his right arm to swim (in his left was collected his wand and glasses). He grabbed onto the boat side and heaved himself up halfway, dripping water all over the three dry ones.
"James!" beamed Lily, smiling very broadly. "Ooh, I thought for sure that you'd –" but she was silenced with a wink from Sirius. She fidgeted, trying to wipe her smile away. "You're back."
James laughed, sliding his glasses back on, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a handful of soggy breads, creams and chocolates, so badly mixed that nothing was distinguishable. "There goes about ten sickles." Lily began to laugh uncontrollably. James gave her a lopsided grin.
"Think it's funny, do you? Well, you know, I've still got the other half to account for...." He gave her an evil look to match Sirius'. Lily went pale, shutting up.
"Oh, no, James, you wouldn't, you couldn't , you just couldn't..." she pleaded, but it wasn't convincing enough for him. His body weight still supported on one side of the boat, he pushed with his feet against the base, pulling down with his upper body.
"Oops." A nasty smile from James. Lily was screaming. Peter was crying. Sirius was laughing.
There was a great splash, and the boat capsized on the lot of them, knocking Lily on the head.
"Dammit!" she managed through her tears and choked sobs. Sirius and James were in hysterics. Lily was fuming. "Oh, curse you James Potter!" He smiled cheekily, squirting out a stream of water in her face.
Needless to say, she wasn't amused.
"Lord, James," began Peter in a very high pitched voice. "How are we supposed to get this thing upright, eh?"
"We can't," muttered Lily darkly. "It's moving by magic, there's no way we could get a hold of it long enough to flip it. We'll just –"
"– ride it?" squeaked Peter. "No way. There's got to be another way. There's got to be a way to flip this thing over...."
-
Peter scowled, wiping his damp hair off of his heavily bruised forehead. "I cannot believe that this freaking thing couldn't be flipped over."
James crossed his legs, smiling despite a shiner below his left eye. "Well, we tried, that's what counts."
Lily gave a dry, racking laugh. "We tried! Oh, lord, hear that? We tried! What else does it matter than that we've tried ?"
"My point exactly!" grinned James, putting an arm around her, then deciding to go the whole nine yards and making fawn eyes at her.
"You're not terribly comfortable or attractive, sopping wet."
James attempted Sirius' handsome wink and smile, failing quite miserably. "You know you like it. Don't lie to yourself."
Peter laughed. "I don't think she's lying to anyone." James poked his tongue out.
The only one who was remotely quiet, was, miraculously, Sirius. Lily glanced at his grief stricken face, feeling concerned, and wriggled free of James' reach, putting her arm across Sirius' shoulders. "What's wrong, Sirius? You're the only one of us who's not sporting a black eye, you know." She grimaced slightly. She'd been hit in the head by that accursed boat four times. Beauty may be pain, but pain sure as hell ain't beauty.
"It's not that," muttered Sirius, his chin resting on his knees, his feet dangling in the water carelessly.
"What is it, then?" she prompted warmly, tightening her grip on Sirius. He gave her a wary glance, his lips curling in a very slight smile, patting her hand, his eyes shrouded.
"We let that damned squid get away."
-
"Anne!" cried Lily, catching a glimpse of her hovering near the doorway of Hogwarts' Great Hall. Anne looked up quickly, smiling.
"Oh, Lily – good heavens – you're soaking! And your eye... what on earth happened to you?"
Lily grinned sheepishly, her hands behind her back, shifting her weight. "You heard that one boat capsizing, didn't you?" Anne nodded. "That was us." Anne laughed out loud.
"Oh, you poor, poor thing. Another piece of work by Sirius?"
"No," she corrected her. "James, actually."
Anne's brows raised, but she smiled all the same. "Well, you know, they're practically inseparable as it is, James is nearly as bad as Sirius, anyway. Can't believe he did that to you, though...." She shook her head. "Having to look like that on your first day... that's pitiful." Lily glared. Anne coughed. "Well, I mean, you look lovely anyway, it's just that –"
Lily stopped her, a fit of giggles overcome her. "Shut up, Anne."
"Can do. Ooh, look, the man of the hour!" She got up on the balls of her feet, waving madly. "James! Hey, Potter! Get your ass over here!" James picked his head up at the mention of his name, sighting Anne and trying to slink out of view. Anne pouted her lower lip. "Pussy." She turned to Lily. "Shall we see them off?" she said politely with a wicked grin.
Lily nodded elegantly. "Yes, I believe so." They darted off to find James, Sirius and Peter trying to escape into the Great Hall. Anne grabbed James and Sirius by the neck of their robes, hissing down their backs.
"Tut tut. We can't go in yet. We're ickle firsties, 'member?" James and Sirius whirled around, looking very peevish.
"What do you want?" asked Sirius hopelessly with a great heave of his shoulders. Anne grinned.
"Isn't it enough that I want to be in your company?" She widened her eyes innocently. James snorted.
"Really, Anne...."
She let go of their sopping robes and clasped her hands together, looking intently at James. "What on earth did you do to capsize your poor little boat?" James laughed haughtily.
"What did I do? I think the proper question would be : what did Sirius do?" James ran a hand through his dripping hair, with a charming grin towards Sirius. Anne turned to look at him as well, chuckling.
"I knew you had some part to play in this, Black." Sirius scoffed.
"I didn't mean to do anything –"
"But what did you do?" persisted Anne, looking dreadfully curious. Peter chortled.
"He chucked James' wand out into the water to attract the squid. Dunno if he thought it was gonna eat it, or what... I don't pretend to comprehend Sirius' actions." Sirius beamed. Anne's eyes went wide.
"His wand? Oh, poor Jamsie, do you – ?"
"I've got it," finished James, smiling, pulling it out of his pocket, though it was nicely coated in something wet, soggy, and orange. It was dripping all over the floor. Anne drew back quickly.
"Dear lord!" she screamed. "What - what is that?!"
James picked a little of it off, put it in his mouth, and smirked. "Pumpkin Pasty." He held some of it out, still seeping through his fingers. "Want some?"
Anne looked a little green.
-
"The Sorting will begin momentarily... first years, please follow me into the Great Hall," voiced a young witch strictly. She was rather pretty, with her dark hair swept into a neat bun... she couldn't have been more than thirty... she had stern eyes, though. They were cold. Lily didn't like her eyes. The group of first years trailed behind her into the Great Hall, which was equally as beautiful as the grounds of the castle. It had an ancient architectural design, which made it look very elegant, and it glowed with golden light, flooded by hundreds upon hundreds of tapered candles floating above their heads in midair.
Lily elbowed James in the back.
"Ouch."
"Sorry."
"What do you want now?"
"What's the Sorting?"
"That witch just told us... we're getting divided up into one of the four houses... she just explained this to us... don't you ever listen?" (This comment was actually quite comical, coming from James Potter.)
"Of course I was listening," snapped Lily irritably. "I mean, what is the Sorting?"
James gave her a quizzical stare.
"The process, idiot."
"Whatever."
"Well?"
James shrugged. "Beats me." Lily rolled her eyes.
"Thanks."
"You're oh-so-welcome."
-
The school erupted into applause. The hat gave them what might have been a smile (if hats could smile, anyway). Lily let out a shrill whistle, grinning broadly. "Ooh, that was lovely!"
"The hat?" asked Sirius, smirking. Lily flicked him.
"You know what I meant."
The hall silenced as the young witch rose her hand in the air, her other pressing a finger to her lips. She snapped her fingers, and a flowing list of parchment appeared in her hand. She adjusted her glasses and ticked names off of the list.
"Avery, Christov!" A tall, well built boy strode up to the stool, and was instructed to try on the hat. He sat, the hat sliding over his ears.
"SLYTHERIN!" it roared out. There was a raucous applause from the Slytherin Table, set underneath a flag of brilliant green, illustrating a silver serpent. The boy's yellow, feline eyes flashed triumphantly, and he trotted off to the table.
"Beaudair, Anne!" Lily and the three boys turned to Anne. She was a little pale, but didn't seem all too nervous. She just smiled and clapped Sirius on the shoulder.
"Whatever house I get myself in, don't you follow me, Black."
Sirius gave her a toothy grin. "Don't worry, I will." Anne shook her head with a slight smile, then walked up to the stool, fitting the hat on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Anne ripped off the hat, eyes bright, racing over to the table set beneath a scarlet banner bearing a golden lion, which was mad with applause. She winked at Lily from her seat.
"Black, Sirius!" Sirius gave them all a grave nod, forced his lips into a thin line, and made quite a dramatic scene of the whole thing. He approached the hat, and lifted it up, but he didn't immediately put it on. First, he busied himself with knocking the dirt off of the hat. After the minute it took him to do this, he set himself to adjusting the stool's height. He never did seem to get it just right. After two minutes, the witch with the list got impatient and stalked out to him, knocked him on the head and shoved the hat on him herself, forcing him onto the stool. A few students laughed. The witch was bright red.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius tore off the hat, giving them all a great bow, then tramped off to the Gryffindor Table. Anne wasn't clapping. Sirius chose the seat next to her and put his arm around her. He gave Lily a wink as well. Anne had her head in her hands. Lily laughed.
"Is he always like that?" she asked. Peter nodded, laughing himself.
"Aye. I'd know... spent five years in school with him...." He shook his head. "He gave one of the professors a heart attack once." James chuckled.
"Yes... I remember that... ooh, that was fun. Thought he was going to get expelled, he did. Really, surprising that he didn't... but he's got two more years here. Honestly, if he doesn't get himself expelled, he might hang himself."
Lily let out another giggle, and was about to add a comment when her name was called.
"Evans, Lily!"
She skipped up, trying not to make as much show as Sirius, but politely tugging on the hat and sitting herself on the stool with her fingers laced in her lap. Sirius had raised the stool a considerable bit, so it was now quite uncomfortable.
Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor .... she thought, pleading subconsciously. Then, remembering that she almost never got what she wanted, but rather the opposite, she tried a different tactic. Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin....
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily laughed to herself, trying to stifle the sound, setting the hat back down on it's stool and dancing over to the Gryffindor table, seating herself across from Anne. She looked very bad-tempered, as though she had just swallowed something very sour. Either that, or as though she had Sirius' arm around her. Lily figured it was probably the second.
"He followed me," mumbled Anne to Lily, sulkily. "Don't you just know that he followed me?"
Sirius laughed. "Don't be so touchy. It's going to be great, it is. You'll get to spend every day with me, attend every class with me...." Anne went an ugly puce. Lily was beside herself.
"You've got me, haven't you?" Anne smiled weakly.
"Sure. But if Sirius is here, you know that James and Peter are gonna show up next... and then... life is over...." Lily rolled her eyes, lips parted in smile. However, after about ten more students were Sorted, James and Peter did show up... Peter shortly behind James.
"We're here!" cried James, linking arms with Peter, plopping down beside of Lily, flecks of water flying up from his drenched robes. He cast a look at Anne, sneering. "Don't look too thrilled."
"Oh," apologized Anne. "Sorry. I didn't mean to... I meant to look completely and utterly disgusted."
James sniggered. "You must be great fun to have around at a housewarming party. Hmm... I think I'll invite you to mine...."
"Are you kidding?" retched Anne. "I've got to spend the next seven years with all three of you! God forbid I live that long...!"
Lily patted her comfortingly from across the table, dripping water on the white linen, beaming, her black eye shining. "Think of it as a camp."
"A concentration camp?" All four chuckled, but soon, they weren't alone, as the whole room burst into hysterics.
"What's this all about?" roared the dark-haired witch, her cheeks blotched. 'Snape, Severus' had just been called to the stage, and curling up from beneath his robes, was a very familiar, bushy brown tail. The staff was in a rage, and the greasy-haired boy named Severus was fuming as well. Apparently, he had not noticed the tail until the hall had so kindly pointed it out to him. His sallow cheeks were flushed with colour, and a few staff members rushed up to aid him.
Lily stared at Sirius. "I thought you got rid of it before we set into the boats?"
Sirius shook his head, beaming with false innocence. Anne was impatient again. "You did this? Don't you ever let up ?!"
Sirius laughed, shook his head again, and bent over to kiss her on the cheek. "Let's see.... erm.... nope."
Anne was struggling very hard to fight back tears.
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Read and review, my pretties! If I had your addresses, I'd pay you for it!
((and, for those whose addresses I actually DO have.... know that I'm not paying you. but i can threaten you quite nicely))
Ciao, Sayoonara, and G'bye in another language that I dunno!
~A R C H A N G E L
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