-Lily II-

"Do you think I'll get into Gryffindor?" My brothers turn around.

"Of course you will, dummy. You're a Potter," scoffs James. He returns to watching Fred stuff liquorice wands into his nose, but Al searches my eyes. I look away, but take his hand extended on the empty seat between us.

A quarter moon is out and the silhouettes of trees look like dementors in their swirling black cloaks by the time we pull into Hogsmeade station. James reaches up to get my trunk for me from the rack I can't touch even on my toes. "You're going to take the boats- all the first years do. Head for Hagrid- the huge ancient guy." Huge ancient guy?

It turns out James couldn't have given a more accurate description. "First years, o'er here!" calls a man as tall as the old lampposts and so wide it takes four hyper first years standing in front of him to conceal his enormous stomach. He wears an old leather jacket that must have been tailor-made to fit, and a shaggy beard turning gray. "First years!"

I lug my trunk across the cobbled boulevard to deposit it in a pile of other luggage and pets. Hagrid catches my eye as I join the group. He smiles down at me, taking note of my ginger hair and freckled face. "Another Weasley! Welcome!" he laughs.

"Actually, I'm Lily. Lily Potter." Hagrid's eyes grow wide and the group of students hush as several stare at me.

"Oho! Potter's girl. I knew yer Dad- I watched him die. Well, 'cept not really. Well…" he shakes his mane of tangled hair threaded with white. "Anyway, we'll be takin' the boats 'cross the lake. Scenic way, yeah?" We follow him down to a wooden dock that creaks and sinks as Hagrid steps onto it. About twenty rowboats with peeling red paint wait for us, not attached in any way to the dock. "Hop on. Three per boat." I scan the group for my cousins. Dominique has already joined two other girls who giggle nervously with each other, but Hugo grins back at me nervously. "Careful, now."

Hugo and I walk along the dock to the next empty boat. I climb in carefully as he furrows his brow and pats the side of the boat. "Where are the oars?" A girl with shiny black hair joined in one long braid down her back and tan skin steps in and sits on the bench across from us.

"Hi, I'm Asha."

"Lily Potter. And this is Hugo, my cousin."

Hugo waves. "You're Muggle-born?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Almost everyone else seems to know who we are."

Asha's mouth forms an O. "Wait. You're- your parents are the Golden Trio?"

We nod. This term had arisen sometime in the years after the war, partly based off the premise that Dad, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione were the ideal Gryffindors, whose colors were red and gold.

"That's really cool! Although I suppose you've had enough people gaping at you. So, are you both excited for Hogwarts?"

"Lily's been ready since the letter came. Her oldest brother's letter." I elbow him.

"Alright, everyone's in, yeah? No missing toads?" Hagrid says, looking around at all of us. He climbs into a boat which goes notably lower into the water from the pressure. He takes out a long, weathered pink object that might have once been an umbrella and taps the side of his boat. All of them start to glide away from the dock. "Away we go!"

The boats move swiftly through the murky water. Hugo peers over the side of our boat. "I think I just saw something!"

Soon we are close enough to see a wall through the fog blanketing the lake. I look up and gasp. Asha spins around in her seat.

Hogwarts. Nothing my brothers have told me could give me an idea of this, this gigantic castle towering above us in the dark. To the left I can see students descending a row of carriages without horses and walking up a staircase and through the gates. However, we are heading towards a gloomy opening in the stone wall. When we enter, we are completely engulfed in darkness but for the lanterns attached the boats. We come to a stop at a dock where others are already getting off. "Come along," growls Hagrid. We clamber up a steep staircase for what seems like forever until we reach a dim hallway lighted by candles. There, a lady with pale skin and strands of gray in her tight black bun stands in beside a pair of wide doors with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Hello, new students, and welcome! I am Professor Vector, Deputy Headmistress and Arithmancy professor. I hope you had a nice train ride and enjoyed the traditional view from the boats. Now, through these doors the rest of the students are eagerly waiting to watch you get sorted. Here are a few notes before that happens. First, sorting is a very old custom at our school, which we would like you to respect. However, there is absolutely no need for you to be worried, and you will not be asked to do or be anything than what you already can. Lastly, and please keep this in mind tonight and onwards, children, your house doesn't need to define you. The Sorting Hat chooses what it thinks best for each of you, but being sorted should give you more options and inspiration, not limit them, because being with people like you can motivate you to be the best you can be. And with that, I think you are ready." Vector snaps her fingers and the double doors swing open. "Enter in an orderly fashion, please," she says, beckoning the apprehensive kids at the front of the cluster in. When we reach the doors, I gasp again. There is the dining hall, with a long table for each of the four houses, just like Al said, and at the front of the room, a table placed horizontally where the professors sit. In the very middle, on a throne-like chair, a woman with wrinkles on her forehead that suggest she scrunched it too much and a moss-green hat examines us with interest. The Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.

Vector positions a three-legged stool before the staff table, and above it, with careful fingers, the Sorting Hat, a faded black wizard's hat that for now lies motionless. She then looks up at us and nods, and the group shuffles past encouraging smiles and fist-bumping siblings to the front. We wait. Confused whispers from a few first years echo. Then a fold in the hat opens like a mouth. But instead of singing in its famous gravelly voice, it starts… beatboxing.

Yo! Hey y'all, I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I'm tryin' something new,

So I hope you like this rap!

In yo history of magic lessons you'll learn about my owner

Who used to sort with his mates but chose me in turn to show ya

Where you're s'posed to be

So you can thrive here the best

I know that I'm a hat

But of my kind I'm the smartest

Now, since a warty hog led us to found this school,

Students go into houses, all equally cool

So before I sort you

I'll tell you a bit

About these sections of Hogwarts

Where you'll find your fit

Gryffindors, they like to steal the show,

With courage and bravery, and they say hello

To Hufflepuff, much like them, but only for good causes

They're selfless and kind- oh I'm out of breath- my other songs have pauses (gulp)

If you're ambitious and clever, yet don't always work well in a team

I might just sort you into Slytherin, the silver and the green.

Then those in Ravenclaw, studious and wise

They're eager to learn and see the world for their own eyes.

I think that's all, so I'll wrap this up

Win points for your team to get the house cup

Try your hardest at school, no matter who you are

And be wary of dark magic, though this year it might just stay afar

That's all folks, so enjoy the sorting

Watch your step as you climb up- I hope I wasn't too boring.

Peace out! Wurd!

The hall goes silent, then applause and whistles thunder around. The fold in the hat twists into a proud smile. I have a feeling it had never received this much praise. Professor Vector waits until the noise died down, then clears her throat and unrolls a long scroll. "When I call your name, sit on the stool and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head. Once you have been sorted, join the rest of your house at the appropriate table. The first to be sorted is Ashby, Meredith."

The crowd parts for a spindly girl with mousy hair walks to the stool and sits down. She watches the hat as it descends, then flinches. She squeezes her eyes shut until the hat cries, "Gryffindor!" Meredith jumps up from the stool so fast the hat falls off. Vector picks it up, chuckling to herself, while Meredith heads over to a table accented with reds and golds.

Vector continues calling out names. Hugo squeezes my hand.

"Dubashi, Asha." Asha moves as if on hot coals until she reaches the stool. She looks down shyly as the hat is placed on her head.

"Gryffindor!" Asha looks up in surprise.

After about a dozen names, it comes. "Potter, Lily." Murmurs rise from the students behind them. A few teachers who had started to doze off in their chairs stir, and McGonagall sits up even straighter. It seems like time slows down as I walk to the stool. I know that sounds cheesy, but that can really happen. Vector gives me a fond half-smile as the hat slips over my eyes.

A Potter! These are almost as easy as Weasleys. But- you're different from your brothers. Brave, yes, but only because of self discipline. Quite witty, too… I think it'd better be… "Slytherin!"

No no no no, I plead. I'm not like them. I'm a Potter! But Professor Vector is already taking off the hat and calling for Pullman, Ronald.

As I take my seat on the edge of the Slytherin table, a few students slide away. They're watching me as I glare at the Sorting Hat.