First year. Lily Potter glanced around at all the new faces as she sat, waiting for the Sorting Hat to make its decision. It was muttering words that she couldn't mostly hear, but she caught snatches.
"Another Potter... Whole family Gryffindor... Hmm... Let's see..."
Lily held her breath, crossing her fingers as she thought about what her father had said;
"Just ask for Gryffindor, and the hat will give it to you."
She had been crying, waving from the window when she called out. As Harry Potter came closer, she lowered her voice to a whisper.
"I don't want to be in Slytherin."
Her thoughts were interrupted as the hat whispered a name that made her blood curdle. "...Slytherin quality..."
Slytherin. She couldn't believe it.
"No." even she could hear how loud that sounded in the hall. If all eyes weren't glued to her scarlet face before, they were. She closed it all out, shutting her eyes and breathing heavily.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted at last. She sighed with relief and ran to the table that was applauding the most. Dominique and Victorie from the Ravenclaw table were glancing, disappointedly, at her, upset they had lost a student. Lily waved at her. Dominique tossed her silvery hair and continued to chat with her new friends in a whisper. Victorie waved back, smiling.
"Weasley, Rose!" Professor Longbottom called after a long line of Weasleys. Rose was looking a little green as she tripped up the steps
"Come on Rose." Lily crossed her fingers once more, but she didn't need it. When the hat touched her curly head, the hat shouted the name that Lily had been hoping for.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Rose's colour returned as the hat was lifted off her head. She stumbled to her seat and gave Lily a fleeting hug.
"Yes! We're here together!" she squealed at the clapping died down.