Chapter 2 - The empty chair
The sun was almost set when the Hogwarts express pulled into Hogsmede. Lily had noticed that Severus had been a little off with her on the journey up. I mean sure, he wasn't happy about his ridiculously large nose, but that wasn't Lily's fault. Whenever she tried to start a conversation, he'd reply with a shrug or a one word answer. "For goodness sake Severus, what's the matter with you?" She asked exasperated and they got off the train and started making their way over to the carriages. "Nothing." Severus mumbled, keeping his eyes down and his hand over his nose. "Yes there is." Lily argued, wanting to know what's eating him up. Severus' eyebrows knitted together. "Drop it." He whispered in a low voice. "No, I'm your best friend and you've hardly said a word to me. Tell me what the matter is!" She huffed. Severus snapped. His eyes lifted and he gave Lily a hard look. "I just don't need you fighting my battles for me, alright?! You make me look even stupider. I don't need some girl to defend me. Just... just leave me alone!"
Lily felt like she had been punched in the gut. Where had that come from? She watched as he marched off towards Mulciber and Avery, two Slytherins he knew she despised. Severus didn't look back at his best friend. Reaching up, Lily wiped the tear from her cheek and tried to ignore the hurt in her chest. How could Severus' be so mad at her? She was only sticking up for him. "I don't need some girl to defend me." The words played over and over in her head, stinging, as she trudged over to a carriage.
The carriage she entered was occupied by Lily's close friend and fellow Gryffindor, Alice, and her boyfriend Frank. "Lily, how are you? How was your summer? Guess what, my parents bought me a pygmy puff over the summer and I taught her how to hum to the Green eyed Witched." Alice chattered on happily the whole ride up to the castle and Lily soon cheered up, casting Severus from her mind.
Like normal, Lily and the rest of the students filed into the great hall for the sorting ceremony. She tried hard to concentrate as the sorting hat began to sing, but across the long table, Sirius and James were being very distracting. They had their hands cupped over their mouths and were whispering to each other. They were loud enough so she could hear, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Oi." She hissed under her breath. "What are you two whispering about?" Both James and Sirius looked up. "Oh just about how dazzling you look tonight Evans." James beamed. He was obviously over her insult on the train. Lily rolled her eyes, her cheeks reddening. Alice giggled beside her. Sirius made a gagging sound but James was un-phased. He leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands and stared into Lily's eyes. Her breath caught and for a split second she felt lost as she gazed back at James. Snap out of it! She shook her head quickly and folded her arms over her chest. "No you weren't." She replied as the sorting hat shouted 'Ravenclaw!' "Tell me."
James faked a heavy sigh and finally broke his gaze, staring up the ceiling of the night sky. "Fine. We were just saying how there's an empty chair up where the teacher's are sat." He was putting on a dramatic voice. Lily glanced to where the teacher's sat and noticed one was empty. Turning back to James, she shrugged. "So?" She asked, not understanding why this was cause for concern. "Gryffindor!" The sorting hat yelled.
"So where is Professor Quirrel?" James whispered, his eyes shifting back down to Lily's. Professor Quirrel had started teaching Muggle Studies at Hogwarts in Lily's second year. He was a nervous man who found it very difficult to keep order in his classes. He was very much picked on by other students, especially James and his band of miscreants. Lily raised an eyebrow, still not sure why this was something to be whispering about. "I don't know. He's probably ill or something." She suggested. "Hmmm." James replied. He looked back at Sirius, clearly not satisfied with that explanation. Lily just rolled her eyes. No doubt they were thinking up some wild story in their heads about how poor Professor Quirrel had been eaten by a minotaur or was plotting to blow up the school.
Lily's attention returned to the sorting hat just as it announced the house of the last student. There was a loud applause as the pink-faced boy hurried over to the Slytherin table and then Professor Dumbledore rose from his seat. He delivered a short, and quite frankly bizarre speech which was then followed by a spectacular feast.
Every now and again Lily's eyes met with Severus' across the hall and he'd give her an apologetic look. Lily however decided that apologies could wait until tomorrow.
Once everyone had stuffed themselves to the max, students began making their way to their dormitories for bed. Lily was sure she wouldn't make it up the Gryffindor tower after five scoops of butterscotch ice cream and a helping of fire cake. "I'm so full." She groaned to Alice, who was clutching at her own stomach.
"Need a hand their Evans?" A voice came from behind her. Lily's teeth gritted as she felt a long arm wrap around her waist. "Not from you." She snapped, instantly pushing James off her. James was in high spirits, although it was rare that he wasn't. He began to walk backwards in front of Alice and Lily. Lily couldn't help but imagine him tripping up and landing flat on his butt. A smile crossed her lips at the thought. "I meant what I said before Evans, you look dazzling tonight. But that smile really completes the look." He winked. Lily blushed hard. Normally she would've flipped out and called him a toerag, but instead she just rolled her eyes. She'd had a fantastic meal, she was back with her friends, and excited to start her fifth year at Hogwarts. She was very content.