The moment you've all been waiting for lmao
"Greene, Seamus!"
Lily felt like her heart was in her throat.
Another name was called.
She totally couldn't do this.
Another name.
It was too hot in the room.
"Jones, Baylee!"
A small squeak left Baylee's lips, and she made her way to the front of the hall. She sat on the stool, and the hat was dropped onto her head. A few seconds passed, and the hat cried, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
A table full of yellow and black cheered loudly, their faces alight with happiness. The entire group seemed to emit comfort and kindness, and Baylee made her way over to them. She flashed Lily a bright smile, and Lily tried to return the gesture (although it probably looked like a grimace).
After five minutes that felt like hours, they finally got to P.
"Potter, Lily!"
Whispers broke out through the hall, and Lily walked forward. Her body felt hot and cold at the same time, and her throat was dry. The hat was placed on her head, and the world went black.
"Ah, I see…" crooned a voice, and Lily fought the urge to jump, "another Potter, quite different from her brothers. Kind, loyal, compassionate…you would do anything for a friend, wouldn't you?"
"Yes. I would." Lily thought, gulping slightly.
"A very big sense of what is right and what is wrong, too…I'd say…HUFFLEPUFF!"
Lily breathed a sigh of relief, and she could hear Baylee cheering loudly. She turned to the Slytherin table to see Albus smiling at her. At the Gryffindor table, she could hear James yelling, "THAT'S MY SISTER!" and clapping loudly. A little red in the face, Lily quickly walked to the Hufflepuff table. Baylee moved to the side to give the redhead some room, and Lily sat down, grinning wildly.
"Thank Merlin, someone I know!" Lily exclaimed, hugging Baylee and laughing.
"I know!" Baylee replied, hugging her back.
As the minutes went by, Lily's heart finally calmed down. Hufflepuff. It sounded nice.
"Rosier, Artemis!"
The Great Hall broke into whispers again, but for a whole different reason. The Rosiers, a well known pureblood family, obsessed with blood purity. Artemis seemed nothing like that, and Lily's eyebrows furrowed.
"Why is everyone whispering?" Baylee asked, and Lily shook her head.
Artemis sat there for what seemed like hours. The room had gone completely silent, everyone looking around nervously. She was bound to be Slytherin like her family, right?
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The room sat in a stunned silence for a moment, before Lily started to cheer. Soon, her table was brought out of its trance, clapping loudly for their newest addition. Artemis made her way over to Lily and Baylee, her face bright red.
"That was terrifying." She said, breathless. Lily gestured to the seat across from them, and Artemis took a seat.
"I know. Hey, at least you know some people in the house though!" Baylee replied happily, and the three girls turned to the front of the hall.
"I just hope Faye makes it here too." Lily heard Artemis mutter.
"Shacklebolt, Faye!"
The hat barely touched her head before it yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Artemis leapt to her feet and cheered loudly, making Lily and Baylee smile. Faye made her way to the table, her smile wide. As soon as she was close enough, Artemis pulled her into a tight hug.
"I knew you'd be here!" Artemis laughed, and Faye sat down next to her.
The sorting seemed to go much quickly for Lily now that she was sorted, and soon the feast started. Baylee's jaw dropped at the sight of the food appearing, and the three girls laughed. Lily noticed that Artemis was getting a lot of looks from the other tables, and she was thankful that the Hufflepuffs seemed to accept her without question.
"A Rosier in Hufflepuff? That's insane…" Lily heard from the table behind her, and quickly began a conversation.
When the feast was over, Lily heard a shout behind her. The four girls turned to see James walking over, smiling widely.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Silly Lily." He said, and Lily rolled her eyes.
"Shut it James." Lily retorted, and James seemed to grin wider.
"I mean, you aren't in the best house, but Hufflepuffs are alright I guess." He teased, and with a sigh, Lily punched him in the arm. Hard.
"Ow! Really?" James whined, rubbing his arm and glaring at his sister.
"Yes, really. Now get going Mr. Prefect, before lovely Samantha kills you for not helping her get the first years to the common room." James paled, looking over at his table to see his fellow prefect, Samantha Clearwater, glaring at him venomously. With what sounded suspiciously like a whimper, James was gone.
Lily turned to the girls to see them snickering.
"Wonderfully done, Lily." Artemis snorted, high fiving her.
"Hufflepuff first years, follow me!"
The four girls turned towards the voice, and saw everyone walking towards the doors of the Great Hall.
"C'mon, don't want to get lost!" Baylee said, and then walked right into someone.
"Oi!" The boy cried, glaring at Baylee, "watch it!"
Lily remembered him from the sorting; Seamus, sorted into Gryffindor. He had shoulder length brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He would've been attractive, if it weren't for the ugly scowl on his face.
"Hey, it isn't a big deal. She didn't mean to." Faye piped up, crossing her arms. Seamus leered at her, and stalked away.
"Jeez, what a jerk." Lily mumbled, and then turned to Baylee, "you okay?"
Baylee nodded, biting her lip.
"Well," Artemis started suddenly, "best get to the common room!"
The common room was wonderful.
The first years looked around in awe, and Artemis was practically bouncing.
"Best part is, we're close to the kitchens." Alexis, the prefect who led them to the common room, said with a wink. Faye's eyes sparkled.
After settling in, Lily turned to her friends suddenly.
"Ooh, want to see a trick my dad taught me?" She asked, and the girls nodded. Lily took out her wand, and with a flick, yellow and black streamers and confetti leapt from the tip. Faye smiled, Baylee's eyes widened, and Artemis broke into a cheer.
"To celebrate getting into Hufflepuff!" Lily laughed, and she heard someone clear their throat behind her.
A girl with frizzy brown hair and eyes as green as Lily's was glaring at her, and Lily held her breath.
"Could you maybe stop showing off?" She asked, and Lily's eyebrows furrowed.
"Uh…no offense, but who are you?" The redhead retorted, and the girl's tanned skin flushed slightly.
"Eden. I know you're a Potter, and they're known to show off, but please tone it down."
"Well sorry, your majesty. I didn't realize this was your kingdom." Lily scowled, and Eden huffed and stalked away.
"That was rude." Faye said, her expression puzzled.
"What's her problem?" Baylee asked, and Artemis rolled her eyes.
"Who cares. Doesn't matter." Artemis said, and Lily nodded in agreement.
When Lily's head hit the pillow that night she was out like a light, all thoughts of Eden and her rude words forgotten.
Tumblr: heroic-hufflepuff
