As Evelyn stepped onto the train she felt a rush of sadness, despite herself. How could she feel happy, she thought to herself, if she didn't have her family? Her brother should be here. Sitting with her, waving at their mother out the window together, joking and making new friends.

She trudged miserably down the train, looking for an empty compartment. Each compartment she passed seemed to be full of people, laughing and joking. Her mind spun with images of what could have been. She opened an empty compartment and climbed inside, fighting back tears. She would not cry in front of anyone. This was not how she would be known. She wouldn't be bullied for being the 'girl who cries all the time.' She took a deep breath to steady herself. A book, she decided, would be perfect to keep her mind from betraying her.

She dug in her trunk for a moment, before pulling out a potions book and opening it randomly. She read silently, her eyes scanning the pages and seeing the words but never quite absorbing them. The compartment door slid open and she glanced up. Her dull blue eyes met vibrant green eyes, and she was immediately met with a barrage of words:

"Do you mind if we sit here? We... everywhere else is full," the girl said quickly, "I'm Lily, and this is Severus, and I -"

Her words faded as Evelyn examined the two. Lily was a beautiful girl, with auburn hair that was currently flying everywhere as she talked quickly. Her face was flushed and her hand, holding the compartment door open, was white with barely concealed rage. Evelyn cocked her head to the side and looked past her, towards the boy hovering awkwardly behind her. The boy — Severus, she remembered — was a very strange sort. For a moment, their eyes met, and he quickly looked away. His hair hung in his face, and his clothes didn't quite fit him right. She felt a deep pang of pity strike her as she looked at him, though she wasn't quite sure why.

"— And can you believe that boy said that to us?" Lily's tirade had finally finished.

Evelyn shook her head. "That's unbelievable. Please, come in."

She had absolutely no idea what she had just said was unbelievable, but Lily seemed spurred on by her agreement and launched into another sentence.

"He had no right to talk to Sev like that," Lily grouched, looking over at the boy in question, "but you shouldn't have said what you did, either."

Severus' dark eyes widened for a moment, and he looked over at her, as if he was going to argue, then he looked away. Evelyn caught his eyes once more and could swear she saw a hint of sadness in them.

"What house do you want to be in, Evelyn?" Lily's voice broke their eye contact and Evelyn turned to look at her.

"I... don't know. I'm not sure. Somewhere I can feel —" She began, then cut herself off mid-sentence, "Somewhere I can fit in."

"That sounds a lot like Hufflepuff," Lily thought aloud, "Maybe that's where you'd feel most comfortable."

Somehow, Evelyn doubted that. She thought back to her books about Hogwarts and all the houses. Hufflepuff was known for patience, friendship, and loyalty. She didn't think that fit her personality very well. She thought for a moment about the other three houses.

Gryffindor, where the brave and daring dwell, didn't fit her either. Ravenclaw, perhaps, but she wasn't sure.

"No," she began, only to met with a confused look from the two, so she continued, "I don't think I'd fit in well there... Maybe Ravenclaw, or —"

Her mind filled with images of her brother, coming home dressed in black and green robes, talking excitedly about Hogwarts and all his classes.

"Slytherin," her voice was rough and shaky, but she continued, "I think I would like to be in Slytherin."

Her eyes met Severus', and he gave her a small smile, before immediately covering his face with his hair again. She returned the smile, then looked over at Lily. "And you?"

The rest of the trip was filled with talk of Hogwarts, and all the excitement that came with it. Evelyn smiled, despite herself, as for the first time of the entire trip, Severus launched into a long talk about what he was excited about. Occasionally, he would glance over at Lily, and then continue on. That poor boy has it bad, Evelyn thought to herself, and Lily doesn't even realize.