Disclaimer- I don't own anything you guys recognize. You know, I really wish I had some Polyjuice potion, and a bit of J.K. Rowling's hair. That would be lovely.
3 Marauders and 1 Marauderette
Chapter One: The Hogwarts Express
Eleven year-old Lily Evans was not one to get scared. If you were looking for someone to scare, you would go to her older sister, Petunia. Although, Petunia might scare you first, with her strikingly horse-like appearance. But today, September 1, 1971, was an exception. Lily was going to go to Hogwarts today! She reminded herself of her mother's words.
It's okay to be worried, flower. It'll help you do your best. Now, go be magical.
Lily smiled. She watched the smoke and steam clear around her. 9 ¾. Odd. But, odd was what Lily liked best. Odd was interesting. As she boarded the train, she watched all the other families saying goodbye to their children. Would there be any other muggle-borns? She hoped so.
All the compartments were full! Lily walked the full length of the train, until she found an empty one. She flopped down on the seat, and set her trunk down. When she moved, she felt the clank of the two Galleons she put in her pocket before entering the station. She loved their gold color, and they seemed to be right out of a book!
Lily was so engrossed in her thoughts; she didn't notice the door open. Three boys stood on the threshold. The one with glasses spoke first.
"Hello…can we sit here?" He asked. Lily looked over, startled.
"Yeah! Of course. Here, let me move my trunk…sorry 'bout that." She replied, a bit flustered. She didn't really have any experience with boys, and these boys were, well… cute! She quickly learned that their names were James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. James was raven-haired, hazel eyed, and very tall. He wore glasses. Remus was average height, blue eyed, and he had honey coloured hair. Sirius had shaggy black hair, and navy eyes. He was the tallest. She giggled at Sirius's name.
"What?" He asked, looking offended.
Lily blushed. "Sorry. It's just a bit funny that your name's Sirius, y'know? How do you spell it?"
"S-I-R-I-U-S." He told her.
"Oh. My name is Lily, Lily Evans, by the way." She said.
"Lily's a pretty name." James replied.
"Thanks! So, which house are you all hoping to be in?" Lily asked. She had studied all her books, including Hogwarts: A History, and found the Houses to be extremely interesting. "I think I'd like to be in Gryffindor. Dumbledore was in Gryffindor."
Remus snickered.
"What?" Lily asked.
"Dumbledore and Gryffindor rhyme." She rolled her eyes at his immaturity.
"So, what houses?" She asked again.
"Gryffindor!" All three of them said simultaneously. God, these blokes are like, triplets!
"I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be all that bad, though, would it?" Lily asked.
"I guess not." Remus replied. James and Sirius made faces that plainly said, 'eurgh'.
"Hey, we better change into our robes. Look! The countryside is changing!" James said. It was. The rolling hills became small mountains with dark evergreen trees, and little fields. The sky was no longer a light blue, but a darkening haze of blues and purple.
"Don't look!" Lily shrieked, as she changed into her robes. That was one disadvantage of staying in a compartment with boys. Once they had all changed, they resumed conversation.
"So, are you guys muggle-born, or is your family magical?" Lily asked. She wondered if these boys would be like her.
"I'm pure-blooded." Sirius said. But instead of looking pleased, he seemed disgusted with that fact. Lily wondered why. She would have loved to grow up in the wizarding world.
"Pure-blooded." James said, off-handedly. He didn't seem to care.
"Half-blooded." Remus replied. Lily's heart sank. She hadn't met anyone like her yet.
"I'm muggle-born." She said. Lily waited for their reaction. She was surprised.
"That's awesome!" Sirius yelled. "Do you know how to use a felly-tone?"
"I heard that your pictures don't even move, is that right?" Lily was pelted with questions. She grinned.
"Sirius, my poor, out-of the loop Sirius," She began. James and Remus laughed. "It's known as a telephone. Yup, I know how to use it. And no, the pictures don't move. Wizarding photos are fascinating." She told them. They were positively amazed. Lily laughed.
"You guys don't think it's gross that I'm muggle-born?" She asked.
"Nah!" James told Lily. "I bet you'll do amazing in Muggle-Studies." He told her enviously. She smiled.
"Don't worry, I won't be able to kick your arses just yet, we don't take that until third year, I think." Lily said.
Sirius jumped up. "CANDY TROLLEY IS HERE!" He yelled. He jumped up and in a flash, was out in the corridor. His outburst startled everyone else, and it was a few seconds before anyone could react. Meaning follow Sirius out the door to buy sweets. Lily grabbed her coin purse, excited for the first time she was going to use wizarding money on her own. When she got to the trolley, she saw Sirius making his way back to the compartment, his arms full with sweets. When it was her turn to get candy, she hesitated for a bit, then decided to buy a few of everything. Even those cockroach clusters. Might as well give them a try. She clambered back to the compartment, sweets in hand. She opened the door, and saw her seat taken up by candy. She swiped it aside, and made room for her own candy.
"What did you get, Lils?" Sirius asked.
"A bit of everything. What's with the nickname?" She replied. He shrugged.
"I like giving people nicknames, and since we're friends now…" He told her. Lily smiled. She had friends, already. Funny friends at that.
They slowly ate their way through the sweets. Lily relished the fact that she could eat as much as she liked. She enjoyed all the candy, except for the cockroach clusters. James liked them, though, so they weren't wasted. The Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans were probably Lily's favorite, because of the mystery. She had gotten baby wipes, caramel apple, rose, broken computer, soap, carrot, and treacle tart. James moaned when she mentioned treacle tart. It was his "most favoritest" food in the entire world, apparently.
They chattered until they felt a great lurch, and the train stopped. Remus peered out the window, and he excitedly said, "We're here!" Everyone eagerly squeezed out onto the station platform. Lily felt as though she were in a dream. The dark town of Hogsmeade was beautiful and ethereal. It was entirely different than the big city of London she was used to. She saw a giant figure walking towards the crowd.
"Firs' Years! Firs' Years over here!" A hearty voice bellowed. Lily recognized Hagrid, the person who had taken her to Diagon Alley. She grinned.
"C'mon, guys! I want you to meet someone." She told the boys. "HAGRID!" She yelled. He turned around and smiled at the little redhead making her way through the crowd, three boys in tow.
"Evenin' Lily! An' who er these young lads over here?" He asked. Lily smiled.
"This is James, this is Sirius, and this is Remus." She introduced the boys. "They're my friends." She added. "Guys, this is Hagrid. He took me to Diagon Alley."
James, Sirius and Remus looked up in awe at Hagrid. He was extremely large.
"Cool! Nice to meet you." James said. "Where are the first years supposed to go?" He asked. Hagrid chuckled.
"Yer in luck! Yeh lot are supposed to come with me. Firs' Years!" He bellowed again.
Hagrid led them to the edge of a large lake, with ink black water. But the lake wasn't the most interesting sight. A magnificent castle rose from the ground, with spires and towers everywhere. There were hundreds of gargoyles lining the roof. And Lily couldn't begin to count the number of glittering windows on the many towers. She thought it was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. A shout jerked her back to reality.
It was Hagrid. "Four ter a boat, four ter a boat!" He shouted. Lily scrambled into the boat nearest to her. She had only just noticed them. They seemed to line the entire shore of the lake.
James, Sirius and Remus were in the boat with her. She whispered excitedly to them as the boats made their way to the other end of the water.
"Oh, I hope we're all in the same house!" She said.
"Yeah. I really hope I'm not in Slytherin." Sirius said. "I would leave."
"C'mon, it can't be that bad to be in Slytherin." Remus reasoned.
"Yeah it would," Sirius told him. "I would be like my family, and I never, ever want to be like my family." He said, in a tone of disgust.
"Why?" Lily asked. "Is your family that bad?"
"Yeah, they are. I'll explain later." Sirius told his worried friends. They put that out of their minds when their boats docked on the other shore. Lily shivered and pulled her robes closer to her. She hadn't realized how cold it had been, until now.
Hagrid led the nervous children through a tunnel into a warmly lit corridor, where a rather stern looking woman with emerald green robes, and an extremely tight bun met them. She eyed the students with sharp, grey eyes.
"Ah, Professor McGonagall. The firs' years." He told her. She nodded.
"Thank you Hagrid. I believe there is some trouble with the thestrals. I'm sure Argus would be pleased to have assistance." She replied. She then turned to the anxious students in the hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. Please follow me." Lily noticed that she was very to the point, and extremely forward.
The students followed her into the entrance hall. It was enormous! Dozens of paintings hung on the walls. The people in them moved around, conversing with each other. One cried out. The panting was of a group of monks around a table, playing cards. Lily thought that was ironic. They shouted out to the other paintings.
"Look, the new students are here!" The paintings focused their attention on the group of children in the hall. "Welcome! Welcome!" One painting of a giraffe said.
A pretty lady greeted them warmly with a, "Good luck!"
Lily could hear a large number of voices close, and realized that it was probably dinnertime already. She heard someone's stomach grumble, and turned toward the sound. James smiled sheepishly. Lily giggled.
"You're hungry, with all those sweets you had?" She asked.
"That was a long time ago!" He protested.
"It was like an hour ago, James."
"Exactly!"
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
"Please wait here. I shall come to escort you for your sorting in a bit." She opened the immense wooden doors to the Great Hall. They were carved with an intricate crest, with a badger, and snake, and raven, and a lion. The four houses.
When the doors opened, Lily got a quick glimpse inside. She could see hundreds of black wizards hats, and hundreds of floating candles, flickering and casting a golden glow.
It seemed like forever, as time does when you are nervous, until Professor McGonagall returned. She beckoned to the students to follow her, into the Great Hall. And when Lily entered, she was in awe. It was magnificent! She finally let go of her thought that this might all be a dream. She looked, ahead, and she saw a very raggedy hat sitting on a stool. Oh! She had read about this. She would try it on, and it would determine her house. Gryffindor, please! Lily thought. She was quite startled when the Hat began to sing.
Welcome, Welcome
Students, A new year has come!
A year for learning, and magic,
Hopefully, a year for fun!
But at the start of every year,
How every must begin,
I have to decide which:
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin!
So will it be Gryffindor,
If you have courage to spare,
They have nerve, and chivalry,
And never refuse a dare!
It might be Hufflepuff,
If you are fair and kind,
Just, true, and loyal,
Greater friends you won't find.
Could it be Ravenclaw,
Where dwell those of logic and wit,
If you are sharp of mind,
Surely you will fit.
Could it be Slytherin,
Where the ambitious call home,
Cunning, slippery, and motivated,
You might find this is where you were meant to roam.
So, which house will it be?
Brave and Bold,
True and Loyal,
A Mind of Gold,
Or Cunning and Ambitious?
Put me on,
And you will see,
In which house,
You were meant to be!
The Great Hall burst into applause. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
"When I call your name, please step up, and try on the hat." She said. "Allan, Rose."
A small brunette stepped up. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted.
"Black, Sirius." Sirius stepped up, and gingerly put the hat on his head. After a long period of time, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius broke into a grin, and ran to the Gryffindor table. It was a long time before anyone Lily recognized was called up. She knew the small boy, "Derren, John." She had known him in elementary. Weird that he was here.
"Evans, Lily!" Lily jumped. She ran to the stool, and put on the hat. She heard a voice in her ear. Hmm… you are very bright, but also very courageous. You are very loyal to your friends, but also ambitious. Where it put you…I must say…
"GRYFFINDOR!" Lily grinned. She ran over to the table, and sat with Sirius. They high-fived. Remus was the next to be called.
"GRYFFINDOR!" He smiled, and sat down across from Lily.
"Yay! We are all in the same house! I hope James is here. I have a feeling he will be." Lily said, excitedly. It was several Slytherins, a few Ravenclaws, and a bunch of Hufflepuffs later, when James was called. He looked rather green when he stepped up. But he needn't have worried, because as soon as it touched his head, it shouted,
"GRYFFINDOR!" James jogged over to his friends. They high-fived. After the sorting was finished, Dumbledore got up. "Welcome to a new year! May I remind you that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden? Maybe not. But before we dig into the feast," Lily looked around. The table had suddenly become laden with food! "Let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Lily noticed the staff had lost their smiles from a moment before.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"
And the school bellowed:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
"That was beautiful." Dumbledore said, when everyone had finished singing. "I won't keep you from eating anymore. Feast!"
Everyone dug into the food. Lily saw Sirius put about ten drumsticks on his plate. Lily was starving as well, so she heaped on a large amount of food.
After the feast, Lily felt very warm and sleepy. Apparently James, Sirius, and Remus did too, because they stumbled several times on the way to the Gryffindor Common Room. Their prefect stopped at a portrait of a very fat lady, in a pink gown. She pursed her lips.
"Password?"
"Golden Baubles." The prefect told her. She swung open, revealing a large room, with a blazing fireplace, and several cushy armchairs and sofas. The walls were draped with scarlet and gold fabric hangings. The prefect led the girls up to their dorm. Lily said goodbye to the boys, and told them she'd see them in the morning. She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. How she loved Hogwarts already!
Sorry for the cheesy ending. So, what do you guys think? No Pete. I really despise him. I'll update this story soon. I promise! And I'm almost done with a new chapter for Sixth's the Charm. It'll be up soon. Hope you guys like the story! Please review.