Rated M for some language and Adult themes and situations later on!
A/N: This story is finally done with hiatus! It has undergone some big changes thanks to my fabulous beta SoUsay234, and I would not have been able to do this with her/his help!
Disclaimer: I clearly don't own anything Harry Potter or anything pertaining to that logo, all rights reserved for Warner Bros, JK Rowling, and EA games, and all those nice people who bring it to the shelves of my bookstore.
Enjoy!
Jacquelyn Mclayn stepped off the Hogwarts Express to a surprising and unwanted squishing sound, result of a mud filled boot that doubled as a welcoming gift.
"Ugh!" she exclaimed just as a certain Sirius Black hopped down from behind her, smirking at her misfortune.
"And that's why we gentlemen go by the lovely phrase: 'ladies first'" He grinned, tipping an invisible hat, as he walked past her.
Jacquelyn could only growl at him until she stepped to the side and pulled out her wand. She muttered "Scourgify," and siphoned all the mud away from her knee-highs, wondering if she could use the same spell on Sirius and suck the stupidity straight out of him. She shifted her weight to both feet again and was dusting herself off when she was joined by her best friend, Lily.
Lily Evans was a pretty, little thing, her honest looking face - framed by enviously straight, red hair that reached a little past her shoulders - had a contagious smile plastered on it. Jacquelyn couldn't help but have her spirits uplifted when she was with her. Her thin frame had definitely filled out over the past summer, either that or she was wearing the Miss June Magical Push-up Bra they'd both ordered from Witch Weekly, Jacquelyn thought slyly.
She wasn't half bad herself, she thought. A stubborn ten pounds at her hips hadn't allowed her to be as thin as Lily, but thanks to "Captain Potter" and his grueling Quidditch practices that were known to go up to four nights a week, she was rather toned. She had wavy brown hair that hadn't quite reached the middle of her back, and a dimpled smile. Though of all her features, the one that really stood out was her eyes: light brown with flecks of yellow that lit up when she spoke.
The girls climbed into the nearest carriage, and were soon accompanied by James Potter who suavely stumbled in after he definitely noticed Lily's "filling out". Sirius Black bounded in right behind him, closely followed by Remus Lupin, who looked thinner than usual - especially compared to his friends. Poor, little Peter Pettigrew had to slump off to another carriage when he saw that theirs was full. The carriages soon began to pull away with them with no evident creature pushing or pulling them as they went.
"Jackie! Look at all the little first years in the boats!" Lily pointed toward the lake, where several boats were bringing nervous, young first years to the sorting.
"They're so tiny! Do you reckon we were that small six years ago?" Sirius asked the lot.
"I don't know about you, but I don't think I could ever have been that short." James stated, as if saying it as such made it a fact.
Lupin burst out laughing, "I think one of 'em just fell in! Oy, Padfoot, remember when that happened to that troll, Nott?"
"Well, he deserved it after what he called my sister."
Jacquelyn eyed Sirius incredulously, "Padfoot, you don't have a sister."
"He didn't know that!"
"You are impossible," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
Jacquelyn remembered how long it had been since they had first bantered like this. She remembered her first year. She was rather shy, a trait that took her quite a while to overcome, and was nearly on the verge of tears with homesickness. She had no idea what to expect of the sorting, her older brother – Jonathan, a third year at the time - had filled her mind with horror stories of the sorting and her parents weren't much help either, seeing how her mother was a Muggle and her father was swamped at St. Mungo's - if she was lucky, she saw him four nights a week.
She remembered how – something that still rang true - she only came up to her testosterone-filled friends' shoulders. She remembered stumbling into the compartment and sitting next to the same company as the carriage she was in now. James had had the same untamable, dark brown hair and a mouth much too big for him, and Sirius seemed to have never outgrown that devilish grin, she would never complain, though: that's how she loved to hate them.
She had barely been able to squeak a "hello" to them all. Sirius was talking something about how he wanted to break the family tradition and be in Gryffindor rather than Slytherin, but without even a vague idea of what the Hogwarts houses even were, she wasn't sure what the big deal was. The fact that Lily seemed to have had the same idea about Hogwarts as her made her feel better only by so much, as she explained to her how she hadn't even known about magic until a few months before.
Jacquelyn remembered the anticipation of the Sorting, the horrors her brother had strewn in her head and images of her own creation as she wondered what horrid things would happen when the old hat slipped unto her head. She'd clapped politely when a house received another student, dreading the inevitable. She heard "Black, Sirius" and seen the boy she was sitting with get sorted into Gryffindor before the hat could barely touch his head. She watched as Lily sat down on the rickety stool and heard the sorting hat bark "GRYFFINDOR!" a few seconds after it had flattened her red hair.
It'd seemed only a few moments later that her named was called with the rest of the M's.
Professor Mcgonagall had called "Mclayn, Jacquelin" into the hall and she'd stumbled toward the hat and sat down on the chair as many had done before her and felt the hat plop down over her head, past her bangs and even her eyes. A voice in her head had startled her.
She'd wondered if she'd gone crazy until she realized it was the hat talking into her ear "Hmm, I see a great mind, very talented indeed…Ravenclaw perhaps? Ah, but there is great courage as well, something like that can never be ignored…. Hmm, yes, I see now". The tattered hat had then yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" into the Great Hall. She'd been cheered on by her new house as she sat next to a beaming Lily, Sirius'd only cocked an eyebrow and given her his soon to be renowned grin and they had been all soon joined by James, who'd joined Gryffindor only five minutes later.
Lily and Jacquelyn had become close friends almost immediately; both had gone through their first crushes together, as well as first break-ups, through thick and thin. They'd found their talents and discovered their weaknesses together over the span of the years. While Lily was sweet and considerate, Jackie had a forked tongue and a questionable conscience; they'd learned to keep each other in check.
Jacqueline didn't notice the carriage had stopped moving until Lily shook her back to the present. They hopped off the carriage and into the Great Hall, where there was a great amount of noise and anticipation as everyone went to the house tables they were all familiar with. The ceiling above them imitated the grey, storm-impending sky outside and candles floated several feet above them.
Lily scooted down the bench with her, the self-proclaimed Marauders across from them. As they waited for Professor Dumbledore to rise from his seat in the middle of the staff table, they chattered excitedly, almost as if they were first years again.
"How were your NEWTS, Jackie?" James asked
"I got mostly O's save for an E in charms, I swear Flitwick has it out for me…" she said glumly. Lily raised her eyebrow at her.
"Yeah. Somehow I doubt that. I reminded all of you to practice that Engorgement theory about five-"
"Or six-" said James rolling his eyes.
"Or seven-" replied Sirius, banging his head at the reminder of the excruciatingly annoying end of the year finals.
"Or twenty three times, we get it, Lily, you were right! Don't nag me," finished Jacquelyn.
"Well then! You can all ignore me now, but don't come-!"
Lily's rant was cut off as the Great Hall fell silent when Albus Dumbledore rose from his chair and announced the sorting was about to begin. Professor McGonagall led the first years into the Great Hall and began to call out the names of the soon-to-be first years. She placed a frayed, patched, musty looking hat that had definitely seen better days, on a stool that was placed several feet in front of the staff table. The famous Sorting Hat broke into song:
I'm not the best looking cap
that is something you can plainly see,
but let me cast a tale of
what your founders did to me,
You see they had a problem
a dispute if you will,
on the sorts of students
their school would soon fill,
It wasn't such a large deal back then
while they were there to decide,
Each founder had their fancy
in what a child's mind should hide
Old Gryffindor preferred those
with large amounts of daring,
he believed courage and chivalry
was the desired pairing,
Yet gentle Hufflepuff believed in truthfulness over all,
she wanted students loyal
standing proud and tall,
Yet wizened Ravenclaw thought wit
was what they needed,
A ready mind and clever tongue
is what truly succeeded,
But clever Slytherin needed ambition in his stock
he didn't think of anyone who didn't have the pluck,
That's where I come in you see
I'll read you like a book,
Slip me on
(don't worry I don't bite)
and in your heads I'll look!
The students applauded the Sorting Hat's song as it fell limp again, and waited shortly for Professor Mcgonagall to begin calling out the names of soon-to-be first years.
Thirteen Hufflepuffs, fifteen Ravenclaws, nine Slytherins, and twleve Gryffindors later and finally with a "Wentworth, Merry" heading to Slytherin, the sorting had concluded. Professor Dumbledore rose once more and the Great Hall fell silent for a second time as he addressed them all: "Welcome! Or in most cases welcome back! I hope y-Aah, you don't want to hear this now, I can hear your stomachs grumbling from here. Dig in!" The headmaster clapped his hands and turned to sit down as goblets appeared before them accompanied by heaping plates of chops, rice, salads, pies and anything else any one student in Hogwarts may have craved.
"Oh, man, the house elves have outdone themselves again!" said James in between mouthfuls of shepherd's pie.
"Mhmm I nhowf!" agreed Jacquelyn, her mouth stuffed beyond what was considered ladylike, all of them nodded in agreement. Even Lily had her got a little dirty to Jacquelyn's amusement.
Sirius might have replied as well if he wasn't too busy proving himself to half the Gryffindor boys, who were enthusiastically banging their fists and chanting primitively, orchestrated by Peter, by chugging an entire pitcher of pumpkin juice in a single breath.
The girls rolled their eyes at the boys and struck up conversation with Alice Aberton.
"What classes are you taking, Alice? Don't leave me alone with Slughorn like last year, you know he freaks me out," asked Jacquelyn shuddering at the reminder of the large, overly friendly man.
"Don't worry love, I talked to McGonagall. Aurors are stuck with most of the classes. I know what you mean, I'm starting to regret my profession before I even started," she said with a huff.
Lily looked hurt, as if they were talking about her instead "I don't see what you guys are talking about, Slughorn is fabulous! He's a bit over bearing but that's part of his charm! I tried to convince you two to come with me to the parties…"
"Oh, please, after the last Christmas party? Plus you're a favorite of his, that's why he treats you all nice and stuff." said Alice.
Lily reddened "That's not true, H-he treats everyone the same way. You're just annoyed with him because he only gave you an E on your O.W.L's," she said halfheartedly.
"Said the favourite."
"Hey, Evans," called James, "we're both in the same Arithmancy class, and you know how terrible I was at that, so… I was thinking maybe we could arrange a study date?" He flashed an award-winning smile.
Lily didn't even look at him when she turned to Jacquelyn.
"Hey Jackie, what did I say the last time he asked?"
She pretended to stroke her chin in deep thought. "If I remember correctly it was 'No'. Wait, I'm pretty sure you said that the time before that too!"
"You don't say? And what do you think I'll say this time?"
"Yes?"
James' eyes widened in disbelief. "Really?"
"No," confirmed Lily.
Sirius was quick to the rescue, "You see you're doing it all wrong, it's like this." He scanned the table, but his eyes fell on Jacquelyn, "Hey, Jackie?"
"Yeah?" She knew she would regret answering him even as the word left her lips.
"Maybe it's just me, but that uniform looks great on you. Can I talk you out of it?"
Jacquelyn couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Just how long did it take you to think of that one?"
"Why? Was it good?"
Alice interrupted them before either could reply, laughing at them, "Would you two stop being idiots for a mo'? McGonagall's already looking down here"
The headmaster silenced the Great Hall and gave them the usual reminders of how the forbidden forest was still, well, forbidden, then gave a very stern reminder that it was not tolerated to use magic in the hallways (Jacquelyn couldn't help but notice him staring at the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables in particular when he spoke of this). He lastly reminded the 6th and 7th years to talk to their heads of houses regarding their personal schedules, and then bid them adieu and good night.
Lily and the other Prefects led the first years to the Gryffindor common room on the seventh floor. They were so exhausted they nearly forgot to inform the first years to skip the trick step, resulting in four of them falling halfway through the staircase. They finally got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was snoring noisily in her portrait, and had to yell the password ("Fulprick!") to get her attention.
Jacquelyn yawned a "G'night" to the boys, who at this point were sleep walking, and then to Lily, who was still giving out a few pointers to the first years. She trudged upstairs with half a mind of sleeping in her uniform right then and there, certainly not nearly enough energy to brush her hair or other usual before-bed preparations and in the end was only able to get herself to get out of her school robes and into a pair of pajama pants. Jacquelyn gave up half way through the search for a shirt and fell asleep in her sports bra. She heard vague shuffling noises from the other girls and by the sounds of it, at least half of them had probably decided to do the same.
I went through a lot to bring this story up to the standards it is now, please review, I appreciate all forms of feedback and story alert for future chapters!