TWO-AFTER ALL THIS TIME.
Lily Evans was standing in between the barriers to platforms nine and ten and studying the bricks intently. Little frogs were hopping about in her stomach, but her mind was focused sharply.
Just last week she'd been to Diagon Alley, a wizarding street full of shops for everything a witch would need and then some. A kind young man at the Leaky Cauldron had told her how to get onto platform nine and three- quarters. They'd sounded strange, though she'd believed him. But now that she was facing the wall, she was second-guessing his instructions. Maybe he'd been joking with her.
"Hogwarts?" Lily started as a young boy with dark hair and a mischievous look about him came up behind her, toting a trolley behind him. A big, fluffy owl was hooting madly from a cage that was balancing atop a trunk, and a lot of people- er, Muggles - were staring.
"Yeah," Lily said somewhat gratefully, though she couldn't help but stare at the owl and silently will it to be quiet. "How do we get on the platform?"
"My brother said you run at it," the boy replied, looking the wall across from them up and down. "But I think he was pulling my leg."
"No, that's what someone told me, too," Lily said, looking back at the wall. "What do you say we try it?"
"Worth a shot," the boy said, eyes glinting as he rubbed his hands together. Lily grinned a little.
"On three, then," Lily said. "One, two, three!"
She and he dark haired boy rushed at the barrier. Lily shut her eyes tightly, expecting to hit at any moment.
But she was still running. Opening her eyes, Lily stifled a small gasp. A large, bright red steam engine stood before her, steam billowing into the air like a cloud. Children and teens were running about, hugging old friends and scowling as their mothers kissed them goodbye. A few tiny toddlers looked on in awe as their older brothers and sisters went off to school.
"Nifty," the boy said in a really humorous way, and Lily laughed as he came up beside her. His owl had stopped hooting and was now looking about sharply, as though expecting to be ambushed. Lily laughed again as she saw this, and the boy turned to see what she was looking at.
"Oh, that's Eoiffe," he said, making a face. "My sister named her and she won't answer to anything else. She's nuts."
"Your owl or your sister?" Lily couldn't help but ask mischievously, and the boy laughed at her joke.
"Both," the boy said, looking at Lily. "My name's Sirius, by the way. Sirius Black. What's yours?"
But Sirius never found out, because at that exact moment a loud whistle issued from the engine and the students of Hogwarts went hurrying to the train.
"See you!" Lily managed to yell to Sirius as she was jostled away. An older boy in black robes and a scarlet-and-gold tie lifted Lily's trunk into the train, asking, "First year?"
"Yes," Lily responded. "What year are you in?"
"Fifth. I'm in Gryffindor, it's the best house. Hope to see you in it."
"Maybe, bye!" Lily said as she followed a crowd of younger students into the train. Lily walked to the end of the car before finding an empty compartment. She sat down thankfully, glad to be off her feet. From the window she watched the remaining students rush to the train, yelling goodbye to their families.
"Mind if I sit here?" Lily was so busy watching the goings-on that she didn't notice a small blond girl open the door to her compartment.
"Not at all," Lily said, waving her hand about. "I'm all by my lonesome and need some company anyhow. What's your name?"
"Elisabeth," the girl answered, grinned. "And yours?"
"Lily," Lily answered. "Are you a first year?"
"Yes, are you?"
"Yeah, and I'm so nervous! I had no idea about this witch stuff until I got my Hogwarts letter."
"Really?" Elizabeth seemed amazed, as though surprised to meet a Muggle-born. It was fascinating. "My whole family's wizards, I was counting on getting it. Unless I was a squib!" Elisabeth laughed slightly, but Lily looked confused.
"What's a squib?" Lily asked earnestly. Elizabeth grinned, "Well, it's not funny, really. But my dad's in the ministry and it'd be odd indeed if I was one. A squib is a Muggle born to wizards."
"Oh," Lily said, then, "What's a ministry?" Elisabeth laughed, and Lily couldn't help but join in. Elisabeth was easy to talk to and very kind.
The two of them sat in the compartment and traded information about each others lives, what house they wanted to be in, what their families were like, and more. About five minutes after the train started moving a pair of twins came up to the compartment door and knocked. Lily waved them in.
"Hi!" Lily and Elisabeth greeted them, and the twins smiled back.
"Hey," one of them said. "I'm Julia."
"And I'm Margaret," the other cut in.
"Can we sit with you?" Julia asked.
"Sure," Lily answered. "This is Elisabeth, and I'm Lily."
"Are you first years?" Margaret (who everyone called Maggie, as she soon explained to the others) asked hopefully. Lily laughed.
"Yup, are you?" Elisabeth responded cheerfully. The twins nodded and went off on a talking spree, cutting each other off so quickly that it was hard to keep track of who said what.
"We're not usually like this," Maggie informed the compartment. "But we're so nervous!"
"Yes, our sisters told us horror stories all last night about Hogwarts," Julia said quickly.
"But its not bad, really," Elisabeth said. "At least, that's what my brother Nick told me."
"I'm so excited!" Lily exclaimed, and the others nodded in agreement. Soon they were off, chattering about this and that. Maggie and Julia wanted to be in Gryffindor, like Lily. But Elisabeth wanted to be in Ravenclaw.
"I think I'd fit better there," Elisabeth said. "None of this bravery stuff for me."
They talked and laughed the day away, and it seemed like in no time at all they were pulling in to the station at Hogsmede.
"Hey, look across the corridor," Maggie muttered as the girls filed out. "There are some really hot guys in there!"
Lily peered in, but all she saw was a pudgy, beady eyes boy laughing as three others with their backs turned wrestled with each other.
"That one?" Elisabeth asked, turning her nose up a bit. "He looks like a rat!" The others giggled, and the four new friends hurried off the train towards a big, bearded man who was yelling, "Firs' years this way!"
"That's Hagrid," Julia whispered. "Our sister told me about him!"
"He looks nice," Elisabeth noted as the followed the half-giant towards a foamy, writhing lake. Lily loved water, and when she saw little boats with lanterns attached floating by the shore she smiled happily. Lily had a feeling she was going to love Hogwarts.
"Two ter a boat, don' push now," Hagrid said, his raspy voice. Elisabeth and Lily clutched each others arms and hurried to a boat together. They'd met each other first, so Lily felt more comfortable with Elisabeth. Julia and Maggie, who were used to doing things together, jumped into the boat next to their new friends.
"All righ', ter the castle!" Hagrid roared, and the boats headed off into the blackness.
Just a few boats away from Lily and her friends James and Sirius were causing trouble. They'd met at Diagon alley a few weeks before and had instantly become friends.
"Nervous?" Sirius asked.
"No way," James said. "I've been looking forward to this for years."
"Me too. And the girls, oh man!" Sirius said, and the two of them laughed. "I met a hot one on the way in, but I didn't catch her name."
"Too bad," James said sadly. "You could have introduced us."
"Like hell! It's every man for himself," Sirius responded.
"Then maybe I won't mention that compartment full of them that was sitting across from us," James said slyly, then turned away from Sirius.
"Wait, what? And you didn't tell me?"
"Hey, every man for himself!" James exclaimed, and the two of them laughed at their own immaturity.
The castle was a sight to see, even for the full-blooded children who'd known about Hogwarts their whole life. It's great towers and windows loomed ahead of the tiny boats, lanterns glowing in the windows and sending huge squares of dancing yellow light onto the lashing waves.
Inside the castle was an even more spectacular site to see. The pictures and paintings, each grander than the last, moved as though they were giant T.V. screens. A row of suits of armor clanked away as they marched off down the hall. And in the air above the doorway a little green man with pointed ears was pulling girls' hair as they walked by.
"Peeves!" a sharp voice rang out. The speechless first years turned to face a strict looking woman whose hair was pulled up into a tight bun. The green man blew a raspberry and raced off down a corridor, cackling, "I'll be back to get you, ickle firsties!" The woman shook her head and turned to the students, looking over them supiriorly.
"I am professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. Welcome to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
"In a few moments I will lead you into the great hall. You will be sorted into one of four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. You will be in that house all seven years at Hogwarts. Now come, we can't keep the feast waiting."
"Yes, food! I'm starved," the little chubby boy, Peter, whispered to Sirius, James, and their other friend Remus.
"You would be," Sirius said under his breath, and James sniggered.
McGonagall opened the doors behind her and everyone oohed- and ahh- ed. The room was brightly lit by thousands of candles floating under a ceiling enchanted to look like the stars outside. A comet streaked across the sky as the first years trickled in, heads snapping about. They took in the sights of the tables and the black-robed students sitting at them. A man with a long white beard sat in the middle of a table at the head of the room. His clear blue eyes twinkled merrily, and James could almost swear he'd seen someone else's eyes that active once, but he couldn't remember where.
McGonagall had stopped in front of this old man and a bit to the side, hands clasped as she waited for the room to quiet.
"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall stated, "you will step up to the stool, place the sorting hat on your head, and wait to be sorted into your houses. But first."
Suddenly, the sorting hat moved. Several first years jumped, but the rest of the great hall leaned forward eagerly, awaiting the song of the year.
Welcome, Hogwarts students
A new year we begin
To learn a lot of magick And catch up with old friends.
As students here will tell you This school has seen a lot Witches and Wizard's who've done well And others who have not.
It all began those years ago When four Wizards had a thought To produce some better wizards They would have to be taught.
So together they created this School, fine and true And each built their own houses And taught them all they knew.
Perhaps you'll be in Gryffindor Where stand the brave and bright The Gryffinfors fight long and hard To do what they feel is right.
Or maybe you're a Hufflepuff They're a hardworking lot They can solve difficult things That other witches can not.
Rather, You might be Ravenclaw Where cleverness beats all They may be lazy at certain times But can outsmart almost all.
Slytherin is not as bad As other witches say Here lies those with ambition strong, who fight to get their way.
As years go by and I grow warn I continue to sing for you For great and mighty Hogwarts Brave and strong and true.
The sorting hat fell silent, and the room erupted into applause. Then McGonagall began the sorting.
"Albiot, Marissa!" James stared around the hall boredly as names were being called. Sirius was whispering with Remus next to him, a devilish grin on his face. In front of them McGonagall was calling out names.
"Oy, Sirius," James said a moment later, nudging his friend. "There's those girls who were across the corridor from us!"
Sirius whipped around and saw a pair of twins talking to two girls whose backs were turned. But he recognized one of the girls' hair.
"James, that's the one I saw before!" Sirius hissed. "The one with the red hair."
"So go talk to h-"
"BLACK, Sirius," McGonagall said impatiently, looking around. She'd called this boy's name twice already, and she still had 139 other names to read.
"Sorry, Professor, I was busy marveling at your beauty. Didn't hear my name," Sirius called out. A few people in the hall chuckled, and the old man behind McGonagall smiled slightly. Professor McGonagall didn't find it funny, though, and she frowned at Sirius as he placed the hat on his head.
"Oh your going to be trouble, I can see that," the sorting had whispered into Sirius's head. "But your heart's in the right place, so Slytherin won't do. And you're a good, hard worker, I see. So, better be GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius grinned at his friends and slipped over to the table on the far right where the students were clapping loudest.
"He won't be grinning so much when he sees us over there, too," Remus said to James. The laughed and James agreed. He and Remus looked about and made comments to each other about the room, which girls were good looking, and whom they thought was on the Quidditch team. They were so involved in their conversation that neither heard when McGonagall shouted, "Evans, Lily!"
Lily stepped up and sat down at the stool. She was nervous; already Elisabeth, Maggie, and Julia had been put in Gryffindor, along with that Sirius fellow she'd met earlier. She just had to get into that house.
"Oh, you're an easy one," the hat said to Lily. "Lot's of spunk, not afraid to do things yourself. You're definitely in GRYFFINDOR!" Lily smiled happily as she took the hat off and raced to join her cheering friends.
"So are you that upset your in Gryffindor, now that we're all together?" Julia asked Elisabeth as they waited for the sorting to end.
"No," Elisabeth said, grinning. "I'm really glad, actually. I dunno what I was thinking, wanting to be in Ravenclaw."
"Oh well, you're here now!" Maggie said cheerfully.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled out, and the girls turned to see who was joining them.
"Hey, he's one of those hot blokes in the compartment across from us," Maggie whispered.
They watched as Remus walked over to join Sirius.
"Oy, I know one of them," Lily said to her friends. "His name's Sirius. Shall we go talk to them?"
"You better believe it." The four girls scooted down the table a bit and Lily said, "Hey Sirius."
"Hey," Sirius said. "Congrats on the house, nice choice." Lily smiled.
"You too. I never did tell you my name before. I'm Lily, and this is Maggie, Julia, and Elisabeth."
"Hello," the girls chorused. Sirius grinned at them, Maggie in particular, and said, "Hey."
Meanwhile the line of first years was growing shorter and shorter. James waited patiently for his name to be called, though by the time Peter went off to join Gryffindor James had had enough waiting.
"Potter, James!"
Lily's spun to face the front of the room, breath lost. Had she heard that right?
A boy with messy black hair that stood up at every angle approached the hat and placed it on his head. Lily would know that porcupine hair anywhere, though it had been five years since she'd seen it.
"What's wrong, Lily?" Elisabeth asked. Lily reluctantly tore her eyes away and faced Elisabeth, saying, "I know that boy! He was my best friend a long time ago, we used to play at each others houses all the time."
"Who is he?" Elisabeth asked. Lily was so busy trying to answer Elisabeth's questions that she missed what the hat yelled when James was sorted. As she turned to look at the stool, she saw he was gone.
Staring sadly at the stool, Lily thought about what had just happened. Her best friend, her very best one from so long ago had been right there, and now she didn't know where he'd gone off to.
Sirius tapped Lily on the shoulder, and she turned slowly around.
"Lily, I want you to meet somebody," Sirius said, pointing at a black haired boy who'd walked around the Hufflepuff table, where he'd been hidden from Lily's view.
"This is-"
"JAMES!" Lily scrambled out of her chair ran to greet James, who looked bewildered. But when he saw the sparkling green eyes-
"Lily? Lily EVANS?" James's heart skipped about five beats and he hugged Lily just as tightly as she hugged him.
"How are you? I haven't seen you in so long, I didn't know you were magical!"
"I didn't know YOU were, and wait a second, let's sit down, people are looking," James said happily and loudly. It was true, a few people at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables were craning their necks to see who'd yelled.
"Well, I guess you already know each other," Sirius said.
"Yeah, we used to be best friends, like a long time ago," Lily said, sitting down next to James.
"But Lily moved and we never saw each other again." James grinned at his long lost friend and said, "Do you remember that last joke we played on Petunia?"
"With the worms!" Lily exclaimed, laughing. "Yes, I remember! She's always pulled the covers back and looked before she's climbed into bed since then!"
The two of them laughed happily as the others looked on, slightly confused.
"Oh, isn't it touching!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing his arms around Remus. Remus, playing along said, "Oh! It's been SO long!"
"Shut it, you too," James said. Nothing could spoil this for him, he'd been hoping for this day for nearly five years. He'd almost given up, too.
The sorting ended, and the old man in the middle of the table stood and said, "I don't wish to keep you from food, as you must be hungry. So, TUCK IN!"
The golden platters and pitchers that sat in the middle of the tables were instantly filled with food enough to feed all of England. There were piles of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, steak, broccoli, and a thousand other things.
All throughout dinner James and Lily caught up with each other, ignoring Sirius who kept sighing at the sight of them.
When dinner was over James and Lily walked up to the common room together, following a bossy prefect who kept snapping, "This way, keep up!"
"I missed you soo much, James!" Lily exclaimed, eyes sparkling at her old friend.
"I missed you, too, Lil," James said. "It was so long! But now it seems like just yesterday that we saw each other."
"I know," Lily said. "I cried for weeks after we moved, and I can't look at a worm without thinking of you."
James grinned. He was so content and happy to be reunited with his friend that nothing could have spoiled his mood. He'd missed Lily so much, and every time he'd played a prank in the first year after she left he'd get misty eyed. And now that he'd almost given up hope, she was back.
And he was definitely not letting her get away again.
******
a/n: wow 8 pages, longlong. Anywho, sorry their reunited-ness was sorta short, Im soooo tired but I wanted to put this chapter up with the story. So check back soon, it may be stretch out some more. (this means no flames on the lack of detaiL!) next chapter skips ahead to their seventh year, when Lily and James start to fall in love with each other. Theres a ball, theres some hogsmede mischief, theres some quidditch games. you just gotta read! Check soon, until then, REVIEW! Ciao! Luv, Cassi~
Lily Evans was standing in between the barriers to platforms nine and ten and studying the bricks intently. Little frogs were hopping about in her stomach, but her mind was focused sharply.
Just last week she'd been to Diagon Alley, a wizarding street full of shops for everything a witch would need and then some. A kind young man at the Leaky Cauldron had told her how to get onto platform nine and three- quarters. They'd sounded strange, though she'd believed him. But now that she was facing the wall, she was second-guessing his instructions. Maybe he'd been joking with her.
"Hogwarts?" Lily started as a young boy with dark hair and a mischievous look about him came up behind her, toting a trolley behind him. A big, fluffy owl was hooting madly from a cage that was balancing atop a trunk, and a lot of people- er, Muggles - were staring.
"Yeah," Lily said somewhat gratefully, though she couldn't help but stare at the owl and silently will it to be quiet. "How do we get on the platform?"
"My brother said you run at it," the boy replied, looking the wall across from them up and down. "But I think he was pulling my leg."
"No, that's what someone told me, too," Lily said, looking back at the wall. "What do you say we try it?"
"Worth a shot," the boy said, eyes glinting as he rubbed his hands together. Lily grinned a little.
"On three, then," Lily said. "One, two, three!"
She and he dark haired boy rushed at the barrier. Lily shut her eyes tightly, expecting to hit at any moment.
But she was still running. Opening her eyes, Lily stifled a small gasp. A large, bright red steam engine stood before her, steam billowing into the air like a cloud. Children and teens were running about, hugging old friends and scowling as their mothers kissed them goodbye. A few tiny toddlers looked on in awe as their older brothers and sisters went off to school.
"Nifty," the boy said in a really humorous way, and Lily laughed as he came up beside her. His owl had stopped hooting and was now looking about sharply, as though expecting to be ambushed. Lily laughed again as she saw this, and the boy turned to see what she was looking at.
"Oh, that's Eoiffe," he said, making a face. "My sister named her and she won't answer to anything else. She's nuts."
"Your owl or your sister?" Lily couldn't help but ask mischievously, and the boy laughed at her joke.
"Both," the boy said, looking at Lily. "My name's Sirius, by the way. Sirius Black. What's yours?"
But Sirius never found out, because at that exact moment a loud whistle issued from the engine and the students of Hogwarts went hurrying to the train.
"See you!" Lily managed to yell to Sirius as she was jostled away. An older boy in black robes and a scarlet-and-gold tie lifted Lily's trunk into the train, asking, "First year?"
"Yes," Lily responded. "What year are you in?"
"Fifth. I'm in Gryffindor, it's the best house. Hope to see you in it."
"Maybe, bye!" Lily said as she followed a crowd of younger students into the train. Lily walked to the end of the car before finding an empty compartment. She sat down thankfully, glad to be off her feet. From the window she watched the remaining students rush to the train, yelling goodbye to their families.
"Mind if I sit here?" Lily was so busy watching the goings-on that she didn't notice a small blond girl open the door to her compartment.
"Not at all," Lily said, waving her hand about. "I'm all by my lonesome and need some company anyhow. What's your name?"
"Elisabeth," the girl answered, grinned. "And yours?"
"Lily," Lily answered. "Are you a first year?"
"Yes, are you?"
"Yeah, and I'm so nervous! I had no idea about this witch stuff until I got my Hogwarts letter."
"Really?" Elizabeth seemed amazed, as though surprised to meet a Muggle-born. It was fascinating. "My whole family's wizards, I was counting on getting it. Unless I was a squib!" Elisabeth laughed slightly, but Lily looked confused.
"What's a squib?" Lily asked earnestly. Elizabeth grinned, "Well, it's not funny, really. But my dad's in the ministry and it'd be odd indeed if I was one. A squib is a Muggle born to wizards."
"Oh," Lily said, then, "What's a ministry?" Elisabeth laughed, and Lily couldn't help but join in. Elisabeth was easy to talk to and very kind.
The two of them sat in the compartment and traded information about each others lives, what house they wanted to be in, what their families were like, and more. About five minutes after the train started moving a pair of twins came up to the compartment door and knocked. Lily waved them in.
"Hi!" Lily and Elisabeth greeted them, and the twins smiled back.
"Hey," one of them said. "I'm Julia."
"And I'm Margaret," the other cut in.
"Can we sit with you?" Julia asked.
"Sure," Lily answered. "This is Elisabeth, and I'm Lily."
"Are you first years?" Margaret (who everyone called Maggie, as she soon explained to the others) asked hopefully. Lily laughed.
"Yup, are you?" Elisabeth responded cheerfully. The twins nodded and went off on a talking spree, cutting each other off so quickly that it was hard to keep track of who said what.
"We're not usually like this," Maggie informed the compartment. "But we're so nervous!"
"Yes, our sisters told us horror stories all last night about Hogwarts," Julia said quickly.
"But its not bad, really," Elisabeth said. "At least, that's what my brother Nick told me."
"I'm so excited!" Lily exclaimed, and the others nodded in agreement. Soon they were off, chattering about this and that. Maggie and Julia wanted to be in Gryffindor, like Lily. But Elisabeth wanted to be in Ravenclaw.
"I think I'd fit better there," Elisabeth said. "None of this bravery stuff for me."
They talked and laughed the day away, and it seemed like in no time at all they were pulling in to the station at Hogsmede.
"Hey, look across the corridor," Maggie muttered as the girls filed out. "There are some really hot guys in there!"
Lily peered in, but all she saw was a pudgy, beady eyes boy laughing as three others with their backs turned wrestled with each other.
"That one?" Elisabeth asked, turning her nose up a bit. "He looks like a rat!" The others giggled, and the four new friends hurried off the train towards a big, bearded man who was yelling, "Firs' years this way!"
"That's Hagrid," Julia whispered. "Our sister told me about him!"
"He looks nice," Elisabeth noted as the followed the half-giant towards a foamy, writhing lake. Lily loved water, and when she saw little boats with lanterns attached floating by the shore she smiled happily. Lily had a feeling she was going to love Hogwarts.
"Two ter a boat, don' push now," Hagrid said, his raspy voice. Elisabeth and Lily clutched each others arms and hurried to a boat together. They'd met each other first, so Lily felt more comfortable with Elisabeth. Julia and Maggie, who were used to doing things together, jumped into the boat next to their new friends.
"All righ', ter the castle!" Hagrid roared, and the boats headed off into the blackness.
Just a few boats away from Lily and her friends James and Sirius were causing trouble. They'd met at Diagon alley a few weeks before and had instantly become friends.
"Nervous?" Sirius asked.
"No way," James said. "I've been looking forward to this for years."
"Me too. And the girls, oh man!" Sirius said, and the two of them laughed. "I met a hot one on the way in, but I didn't catch her name."
"Too bad," James said sadly. "You could have introduced us."
"Like hell! It's every man for himself," Sirius responded.
"Then maybe I won't mention that compartment full of them that was sitting across from us," James said slyly, then turned away from Sirius.
"Wait, what? And you didn't tell me?"
"Hey, every man for himself!" James exclaimed, and the two of them laughed at their own immaturity.
The castle was a sight to see, even for the full-blooded children who'd known about Hogwarts their whole life. It's great towers and windows loomed ahead of the tiny boats, lanterns glowing in the windows and sending huge squares of dancing yellow light onto the lashing waves.
Inside the castle was an even more spectacular site to see. The pictures and paintings, each grander than the last, moved as though they were giant T.V. screens. A row of suits of armor clanked away as they marched off down the hall. And in the air above the doorway a little green man with pointed ears was pulling girls' hair as they walked by.
"Peeves!" a sharp voice rang out. The speechless first years turned to face a strict looking woman whose hair was pulled up into a tight bun. The green man blew a raspberry and raced off down a corridor, cackling, "I'll be back to get you, ickle firsties!" The woman shook her head and turned to the students, looking over them supiriorly.
"I am professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. Welcome to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
"In a few moments I will lead you into the great hall. You will be sorted into one of four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. You will be in that house all seven years at Hogwarts. Now come, we can't keep the feast waiting."
"Yes, food! I'm starved," the little chubby boy, Peter, whispered to Sirius, James, and their other friend Remus.
"You would be," Sirius said under his breath, and James sniggered.
McGonagall opened the doors behind her and everyone oohed- and ahh- ed. The room was brightly lit by thousands of candles floating under a ceiling enchanted to look like the stars outside. A comet streaked across the sky as the first years trickled in, heads snapping about. They took in the sights of the tables and the black-robed students sitting at them. A man with a long white beard sat in the middle of a table at the head of the room. His clear blue eyes twinkled merrily, and James could almost swear he'd seen someone else's eyes that active once, but he couldn't remember where.
McGonagall had stopped in front of this old man and a bit to the side, hands clasped as she waited for the room to quiet.
"When I call your name," Professor McGonagall stated, "you will step up to the stool, place the sorting hat on your head, and wait to be sorted into your houses. But first."
Suddenly, the sorting hat moved. Several first years jumped, but the rest of the great hall leaned forward eagerly, awaiting the song of the year.
Welcome, Hogwarts students
A new year we begin
To learn a lot of magick And catch up with old friends.
As students here will tell you This school has seen a lot Witches and Wizard's who've done well And others who have not.
It all began those years ago When four Wizards had a thought To produce some better wizards They would have to be taught.
So together they created this School, fine and true And each built their own houses And taught them all they knew.
Perhaps you'll be in Gryffindor Where stand the brave and bright The Gryffinfors fight long and hard To do what they feel is right.
Or maybe you're a Hufflepuff They're a hardworking lot They can solve difficult things That other witches can not.
Rather, You might be Ravenclaw Where cleverness beats all They may be lazy at certain times But can outsmart almost all.
Slytherin is not as bad As other witches say Here lies those with ambition strong, who fight to get their way.
As years go by and I grow warn I continue to sing for you For great and mighty Hogwarts Brave and strong and true.
The sorting hat fell silent, and the room erupted into applause. Then McGonagall began the sorting.
"Albiot, Marissa!" James stared around the hall boredly as names were being called. Sirius was whispering with Remus next to him, a devilish grin on his face. In front of them McGonagall was calling out names.
"Oy, Sirius," James said a moment later, nudging his friend. "There's those girls who were across the corridor from us!"
Sirius whipped around and saw a pair of twins talking to two girls whose backs were turned. But he recognized one of the girls' hair.
"James, that's the one I saw before!" Sirius hissed. "The one with the red hair."
"So go talk to h-"
"BLACK, Sirius," McGonagall said impatiently, looking around. She'd called this boy's name twice already, and she still had 139 other names to read.
"Sorry, Professor, I was busy marveling at your beauty. Didn't hear my name," Sirius called out. A few people in the hall chuckled, and the old man behind McGonagall smiled slightly. Professor McGonagall didn't find it funny, though, and she frowned at Sirius as he placed the hat on his head.
"Oh your going to be trouble, I can see that," the sorting had whispered into Sirius's head. "But your heart's in the right place, so Slytherin won't do. And you're a good, hard worker, I see. So, better be GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius grinned at his friends and slipped over to the table on the far right where the students were clapping loudest.
"He won't be grinning so much when he sees us over there, too," Remus said to James. The laughed and James agreed. He and Remus looked about and made comments to each other about the room, which girls were good looking, and whom they thought was on the Quidditch team. They were so involved in their conversation that neither heard when McGonagall shouted, "Evans, Lily!"
Lily stepped up and sat down at the stool. She was nervous; already Elisabeth, Maggie, and Julia had been put in Gryffindor, along with that Sirius fellow she'd met earlier. She just had to get into that house.
"Oh, you're an easy one," the hat said to Lily. "Lot's of spunk, not afraid to do things yourself. You're definitely in GRYFFINDOR!" Lily smiled happily as she took the hat off and raced to join her cheering friends.
"So are you that upset your in Gryffindor, now that we're all together?" Julia asked Elisabeth as they waited for the sorting to end.
"No," Elisabeth said, grinning. "I'm really glad, actually. I dunno what I was thinking, wanting to be in Ravenclaw."
"Oh well, you're here now!" Maggie said cheerfully.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled out, and the girls turned to see who was joining them.
"Hey, he's one of those hot blokes in the compartment across from us," Maggie whispered.
They watched as Remus walked over to join Sirius.
"Oy, I know one of them," Lily said to her friends. "His name's Sirius. Shall we go talk to them?"
"You better believe it." The four girls scooted down the table a bit and Lily said, "Hey Sirius."
"Hey," Sirius said. "Congrats on the house, nice choice." Lily smiled.
"You too. I never did tell you my name before. I'm Lily, and this is Maggie, Julia, and Elisabeth."
"Hello," the girls chorused. Sirius grinned at them, Maggie in particular, and said, "Hey."
Meanwhile the line of first years was growing shorter and shorter. James waited patiently for his name to be called, though by the time Peter went off to join Gryffindor James had had enough waiting.
"Potter, James!"
Lily's spun to face the front of the room, breath lost. Had she heard that right?
A boy with messy black hair that stood up at every angle approached the hat and placed it on his head. Lily would know that porcupine hair anywhere, though it had been five years since she'd seen it.
"What's wrong, Lily?" Elisabeth asked. Lily reluctantly tore her eyes away and faced Elisabeth, saying, "I know that boy! He was my best friend a long time ago, we used to play at each others houses all the time."
"Who is he?" Elisabeth asked. Lily was so busy trying to answer Elisabeth's questions that she missed what the hat yelled when James was sorted. As she turned to look at the stool, she saw he was gone.
Staring sadly at the stool, Lily thought about what had just happened. Her best friend, her very best one from so long ago had been right there, and now she didn't know where he'd gone off to.
Sirius tapped Lily on the shoulder, and she turned slowly around.
"Lily, I want you to meet somebody," Sirius said, pointing at a black haired boy who'd walked around the Hufflepuff table, where he'd been hidden from Lily's view.
"This is-"
"JAMES!" Lily scrambled out of her chair ran to greet James, who looked bewildered. But when he saw the sparkling green eyes-
"Lily? Lily EVANS?" James's heart skipped about five beats and he hugged Lily just as tightly as she hugged him.
"How are you? I haven't seen you in so long, I didn't know you were magical!"
"I didn't know YOU were, and wait a second, let's sit down, people are looking," James said happily and loudly. It was true, a few people at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables were craning their necks to see who'd yelled.
"Well, I guess you already know each other," Sirius said.
"Yeah, we used to be best friends, like a long time ago," Lily said, sitting down next to James.
"But Lily moved and we never saw each other again." James grinned at his long lost friend and said, "Do you remember that last joke we played on Petunia?"
"With the worms!" Lily exclaimed, laughing. "Yes, I remember! She's always pulled the covers back and looked before she's climbed into bed since then!"
The two of them laughed happily as the others looked on, slightly confused.
"Oh, isn't it touching!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing his arms around Remus. Remus, playing along said, "Oh! It's been SO long!"
"Shut it, you too," James said. Nothing could spoil this for him, he'd been hoping for this day for nearly five years. He'd almost given up, too.
The sorting ended, and the old man in the middle of the table stood and said, "I don't wish to keep you from food, as you must be hungry. So, TUCK IN!"
The golden platters and pitchers that sat in the middle of the tables were instantly filled with food enough to feed all of England. There were piles of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, steak, broccoli, and a thousand other things.
All throughout dinner James and Lily caught up with each other, ignoring Sirius who kept sighing at the sight of them.
When dinner was over James and Lily walked up to the common room together, following a bossy prefect who kept snapping, "This way, keep up!"
"I missed you soo much, James!" Lily exclaimed, eyes sparkling at her old friend.
"I missed you, too, Lil," James said. "It was so long! But now it seems like just yesterday that we saw each other."
"I know," Lily said. "I cried for weeks after we moved, and I can't look at a worm without thinking of you."
James grinned. He was so content and happy to be reunited with his friend that nothing could have spoiled his mood. He'd missed Lily so much, and every time he'd played a prank in the first year after she left he'd get misty eyed. And now that he'd almost given up hope, she was back.
And he was definitely not letting her get away again.
******
a/n: wow 8 pages, longlong. Anywho, sorry their reunited-ness was sorta short, Im soooo tired but I wanted to put this chapter up with the story. So check back soon, it may be stretch out some more. (this means no flames on the lack of detaiL!) next chapter skips ahead to their seventh year, when Lily and James start to fall in love with each other. Theres a ball, theres some hogsmede mischief, theres some quidditch games. you just gotta read! Check soon, until then, REVIEW! Ciao! Luv, Cassi~