LilyEvans looked up at the castle and smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't tell weather they were tears of happiness, or weather she was sad, because stepping into the castle would mean it was officially her last year at Hogwarts, and that was something that she couldn't bare.

Students rushed in around her, entering the castle chattering excitedly to their friends, but Lily was still slightly reluctant to cross the threshold. She just couldn't do it.

Deciding that she would stand to the side and wait for her friends, she moved out of the mainstream flow of young witches and wizards and looked out into the crowd. If the train ride to Hogwarts was and indication, this year was going to be a large stroke different to the last one.

To Lily's great displeasure, it seemed that she and her friends were now spending quiet a lot of time with the marauders, a group of four boys who were also in Griffindore, in Lily's year, and who she normally couldn't stand. She had thought that her friends had found them unbearable as well, however, over the summer Dani had become quite bestowed with Sirius Black, a popular and very good looking boy, with a daring edge and a loud mouth. His dark hair swept his deep eyes, and he had a smile that melted the hearts of the majority of the girls at Hogwarts, and made them weak at the knees.

Lily told herself that she should be grateful that Dani had only now become obsessed with the smouldering daredevil, when she had suspected it for a long while. Dani was one of the prettiest girls in the grade, and it was only a matter of time before she fell for either James or Sirius.

Thank god it wasn't James-Lily thought to herself, as she pulled her cloak tighter around her and stood on her tiptoes, peering into the darkness in search of two familiar faces.

James Potter was, in Lily's opinion, an arrogant smart-ass. He prided himself on being the hight of cool, a master Quidditch player, and troublemaker extraordinaire. He and Sirius were inseparable, and the ringleaders of their little gang, which they seemed to have formed their first night at Hogwarts. He did anything to boost his popularity in the school, even when it came at the expense of another persons dignity, and Lily couldn't stand that. Another thing she couldn't stand was that the exceptionally good looking boy had taken a strong liking to her since their fourth year at Hogwarts, and took it upon himself to ask her out at least once a day. He liked to keep his dark hair looking frightfully windswept, which made him look as though he had just gotten off a broom, and very striking at the same time. If something went wrong at the school, it would be a safe bet to believe that Sirius and James were behind it.

And now Ella seemed to have taken up staring at Remus Lupin. This was perfectly ok with Lily. Compared to the rest of the Marauders Remus seemed almost human. Lily had to admit that there was something luring about him. His grey eyes and sandy brown hair made him look mysterious, though he was known to assist the James and Sirius whenever they got another stupid plan in their heads, he was caught in the act much less than them, and focused a lot more on school work. He was a voice of reason in their sought after little group, and the one to whom Lily found she could talk with most easily.

The last of the marauders was definitely not admired by any of Lily's friends, for which she pitied him. The boy seemed a little out of place in the handsome group of troublemakers, and he seemed nice enough when Lily made the effort to talk to him. However, he did seem a little preoccupied, for Peter Pettigrew focused more on food than girls.

"Lily!" came a faint voice from amongst the crowd. Lily sighed with relief. She was beginning to worry her friends had gone past without her, and she had missed them in the crowd.

"Lily!" Lily Evan's heart sank. It wasn't Ella or Dani who was running up the hill towards her. It wasn't Remus or Peter. Even Sirius wouldn't have been so bad. James Potter was slowing down, and walking coolly over to where she stood at the door to Hogwarts, cringing at the situation she was in.

"Potter." She said coldly. He sighed, and looked slightly hurt, yet Lily barely had time to register this temporary sign of weakness before James gave her a wicked grin, and offered her his arm.

"May I escort you to dinner fair lady?" he asked. Lily sneered back.

"Dream on Potter. Never in a million years." She said cruelly.

"A million years is a long time Evans. You sure you wanna make that kind of statement?" he said, not lowering the arm he was offering her.

"Positive. I haven't forgotten what you're like Potter."

"Charming, witty, sexy? Let me refresh your memory."

"Idiotic, attention seeking, ignorant! And my memory does not need to be refreshed!"

"I think it does Evans. I don't think you remember me at all. If that is how you remember me then I don't think you know me."

"I consider myself lucky then." She said, and stalked off into the entrance hall and took a seat the Griffindore table. Amazed that she had just walked through the door with no ceremonial sentiment, Lily gazed down the table, only to find that her friends had already found a seat when she was arguing with James, and she looked like an idiot, sitting by herself.

Lily moved herself to sit between Ella and Dani. Lupin and Sirius sat opposite, and Peter was next to him. James, to Lily's horror, sat himself down in between the two, so that he was sitting directly opposite her.

"Lily! Where have you been? We lost you after the train!" greeted James, as he took his seat. Lily rolled her eyes. The others looked bewildered.

"Haha Potter, very funny." She said, their friends exchanging clueless glances.

"That's me Lily, all funny." he joked. Lily couldn't help but crack a small smile at his persistence, even through her distaste. She disguised it quickly, though she regretted it a moment later, for James was looking oddly triumphant.

The hall fell silent, for the sorting hat was sat on a stool in front of the school, and a bundle of nervous looking first years were lined up, looking as though they wished the stone floor would swallow them up.

"Ten centuries before today

This school was built by four;

Slytherin and Hufflepuff,

Griffindore and Ravenclaw.

The four good friends set in search of young

Which they could help and teach.

Magical education

Was well within their reach.

A castle set beside a lake;

With passages and halls.

A forest near to tempt their fate

While they learnt magic within it's walls.

But once the castle, tall and strong,

Was built to help the four

They came across a problem

That they hadn't seen before.

The friends had different values,

Virtues, thoughts, ideas.

So they founded the four houses

To divide each of the years.

Griffindore saw bravery, loyalty and courage.

Their burning heart and curiosity

Made them famous throughout the ages.

Hufflepuff, a kind young thing-

She saw the good in all.

She noticed traits no one else could see-

Things not valued before.

Ravenclaw admitted those with brains-

The smartest of the pack.

With cunning wit as her power

She always had the others back.

Slytherin took only purebloods

Who he considered fierce and noble.

She saw ambition, goals and dreams

That also resided in him.

And now I'm here to sort you-

Separate you into teams.

The houses still prevail today,

Divided at the seams.

Although you hear this every year

And I sing to you with pride

I split you up and splinter;

Never hesitate to divide.

But this year we've entered troubles me

I know that something's near

A time of worry and hardship

A time of hurt and fear.

A greater force is outside our walls

Just trying to get within

Only if we band together

Will we ever truly win.

So no matter where I sort you

Please do not take it to heart

Don't lock yourselves inside your dorms;

Continue to stay apart.

If we help and stick together then the better side has one

And with this strong and heavy note-

My sorting song is done.

The hat fell silent, and the occupants of the hall remained so. All through the sorting people gave nervous glances to their friends, and stared at the hat as though trying to penetrate into it's thought and discover the cause for it's sudden warnings. Lily couldn't remember the hat ever giving warnings before and, by the looks on her friends (and James) face's, they couldn't either.

The warning of the sorting hat was a hot topic of conversation all through the feast that night, and the talk was only stopped when Dumbledore stood from his place at the table, and silence fell once more.

Lily didn't know what it was about Dumbledore that made the whole wizarding population in awe of him. His long white hair and beard could be that of any old wizard, or even a muggle grandfather. He was a tall man, with a long, crooked nose, and sparkling blue eyes. Lily idolised him, and Ella, Danielle and the marauders felt the same way. Though they couldn't pinpoint what it was, there was something about this old, kind man that demanded respect and trust.

" I would like to welcome you all back, and welcome our newcomers. I hope that you all enjoy this year at Hogwarts, and I also hope that you did not let the warning you all received from the hat put you off that delicious feast. I have a number of announcements for you all tonight, and I apologise for depriving you all of your beds for a few minutes longer."

"First of all, I would like to introduce you all to Professor Fudge, your new defence against the dark arts teacher."

A short man, wearing a bowler hat and very proper robes stood in his place at the staff table, before being seated again, once the polite applause had ceased.

"Thankyou Professor." Said Dumbledore, " and I would also like to bring to your attention that the forbidden forest on the castle grounds is still out of bounds, hence the name, as is the Whomping Willow tree, due to it's desire to mortally injure anyone who approaches it."

For some reason the Marauders exchanges significant looks, and Remus looked at James gloomily. Then he returned his gaze to Ella, whom he had been paying much more attention than he had Dumbledore.

Lily allowed her eyes to wander to James, while Dumbledore continued to talk, and was mollified to find him already looking at her, smiling. When he caught her looking back he gave her a large grin, which she did not return.

Lily hardly heard the rest of Dumbledore's speech. She was uncomfortably aware of James eyes still on the side of her face, though she didn't dare look back at him again. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

I've writen heaps more everyone! I hope that you like it! It does get beta, though I know we've all heard that before...but I think it does! Please reveiw it! Luv Ella xXx