Chapter 4: The train, Hogwarts and the sorting hat
After Diagon Alley Elena apparated with Tonks and Ted to her apartment together with her dad and quickly gathered her stuff. She took everything she would need like her prank stuff, mobilephone and two pairs of headphones. It wasn't allowed in Hogwarts to have all those things but what was life without a risk. She wanted to have fun. When she'd packed her clothes and other necessary things she walked into the living room were Ted and her dad were in deep conversation and Tonks and her mum were talking about Tonks being a metamorphmagus. They all stopped talking though when they saw she was ready with her trunk in her hand. Elena's mum went towards her and hugged her tight.
"I will miss you sweetheart. Be a good girl and study hard, little witch!" she said and laughed. Elena laughed and said she would miss her very much too. When she hugged her dad she felt her eyes watering a bit and went to the bathroom to look in the mirror. It always helped her. She felt the tears going away without falling and she smiled a mischievous smile. Now she was ready. She walked out from the bathroom and everybody were in the hall, Tonks, Ted, her mum, her brother and her dad. Tonks was eating cookies Elena's mum had made and she seemed to like them a lot. Well, she couldn't blame her, her mum was an expert at cooking and she didn't know anyone to be as good as her yet.
"Are you ready kid?" Ted asked and winked mischievously. Elena winked back and took her shoes and summer jacket. She hugged her mom, brother and dad again tight before she took Tonks' hand.
"Hey! I'm more than ready!" Elena answered and then with a last look on her family they apparated away from her apartment.
And then she was standing on a big porch in England. She couldn't help but to notice something weird when she looked through a big window. It was like the plates were washing themselves. How could she have lived without magic for so long? Lily was so lucky.
"Elena!" Lily shouted and came running out through the frontdoor of the big grey-blue house. The house was away from the other houses in the area and surely they had a spell or something if they could use magic like that. Elena liked that very much.
"Lily! The plates are washing themselves!" Elena said and ran to her tall friend and hugged her. Why did everybody have to be taller than her?
"It's just a spell. Now c'mon I have to show you around!" Lily said and dragged Elena into the house. Elena's eyes widened as she saw all the magic going on in the house. Apart from the dishes washing themselves there was a feather duster flying around the livingroom and the people in the pictures on the walls were moving. No wonder Lily had never volunteered her home for when they would meet up.
"Lily, it's magic." Elena said and closed her mouth.
"Of course it's magic Elena, Merlin!"
Elena jumped by the name and a grin formed on her face when she heard it.
"Merlin? I knew it! I knew he was real, I knew it!"
"That's good, because if you didn't know who he was Dora would have fainted." Lily joked and started showing Elena around the house. Tonks followed after them, leaving Elena's trunk by the stairs.
When they finally got inside Lily's room they sat on the floor and Lily took out her wand to admire it. That's when Elena remembered about her own wand and as soon as Tonks had put Elena's trunk down and joined them on the floor Elena opened her trunk to take out the box that contained her wand. She had a wand… She could hardly believe it.
"I remember how excited I was when I first got my wand." Tonks said and smiled.
Elena opened the box and gingerly took the wand in her hands. She loved her wand because it described her perfectly and she already felt like it was a part of her. Ollivander had said to her 'the wand chooses the wizard' and he was right. She had been at Ollivanders for an hour that day before she had found the right one. It was the same for Lily. Ollivander had called them both tricky customers but had seemed happy about it.
Elena closed her trunk, still with her wand in her hands, and sat next to Lily. Lily's wand was 13 inches long, made of larch wood and the core was of dragon heartstring. It was also very swishy. Elena's core was dragon heartstring also, made of ebony wood, very, very supple and 12 ¾ inches long.
"I can't wait to use a spell in Hogwarts!" Lily said excited. Elena nodded and smiled. Her thoughts were now on the twins. They weren't going to Hogwarts anyway...right?
"What are sort of mischief are you thinking about Elena?" Tonks asked and changed her hair color too bright blue. As a prankster herself she could tell when someone was up to something.
"Nothing" Elena said not wanting to talk about them right now "Just thinking about Hogwarts. Can you tell us about the houses again?" she asked and looked at Tonks with wide and excited eyes. She looked like a little kid on christmas. Lily laughed at Elena's expression and put an arm around her shoulders.
"Of course. There is Gryffindor-"
"That's where the daring and brave goes" Lily interrupted while looking at Elena and then back to Tonks who sent her a glare.
"Yes…" she said slowly before continuing. "And then there's Hufflepuff- "
"They are the most hardworking and loyal ones." said Lily and Tonks glared at her again.
"There is also Ravenclaw-"
"That's where the smart kids goes-"
"Would you stop interrupting me!" Tonks yelled and her hair turned red. Elena fought to hold in her laughter.
"Sorry but it's fun" Lily said and smiled innocently. Tonks mumbled something under her breath.
"And the last one is Slytherin" Tonks glared at Lily, daring her to interrupt again, before she continued. "They are cunning, sly and likes power"
"Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out how mom ended up there" said Lily while looking like she was thinking hard.
"Maybe you will too" Tonks teased.
"No I won't!" Lily yelled defensively. "And if I do I'll ask dad to let me go to another school" Elena looked from Tonks to Lily, who appeared to have a silent conversation, and yawned. It had been a long day and tomorrow was the day they would head off to Hogwarts. She really had to plan her pranks. Lily looked away from her sister when she heard Elena yawn. She was tired too but sat up straight when Elena smirked.
"That look you have Elena, you didn't just set up a prank in here. Did you?" Lily carefully scanned the room. Elena laughed and held her stomach when she did. People had to watch out.
"I was actually thinking about the pranks I've already done." She said and looked at her friend. Lily raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything as she put her wand on the bed.
"Speaking of pranks" she began and Elena already knew where the conversation was going. "What happened in Diagon Alley? Like seriously they wanted to kill you more than I have ever wanted to do." Elena met Lily's eye again while Tonks looked at both of them with wonder.
"They wanted to prank me with paint bombs and I stopped them."
"Let me guess, you took the paint bombs and threw them on the boys?" Tonks asked while smirking. "I like you Elena, good thinking" she finished. Lily rolled her eyes
"Seriously? She could've gotten into serious trouble!"
"Well I was already in trouble, wasn't I? After all they started it. It wasn't my fault this time!"
"Please don't say they are pranksters too" Lily said and sighed. "Dora, do know them?" Lily asked her sister. Tonks got up on her feet and walked to the door.
"Well, it was two of the Weasleys" she laughed. "Now go to bed both of you. It will be a big day tomorrow" she said and walked out.
"You're starting to sound like mom!" Lily called after her which Tonks replied with a loud 'Shut up' followed by Andromeda shouting up the stairs that if they didn't stop fighting and went to bed they'd be grounded. Elena got up on her feet, took two books from her trunk and walked to the bed across from Lily's and laid down.
"Are you going to stay up for long?" Lily asked and pulled her blanket over her head.
"Just a little." Elena said. "Goodnight Lily!"
"Goodnight, teabag."
"Hey!"
"Girls go to bed!" Andromeda called from downstairs and Elena and Lily laughed as quietly as they could.
"C'mon quickly, we have to hurry!" Andromeda called loudly as everyone ran after her. They were at Kings Cross and the train was due to leave in twenty minutes. They had gotten out of the house later than expected because of Elena who had gone back to sleep after Lily had woken her up and walked out of the room to eat breakfast that morning. Lily should have known better than to leave Elena when she had just woken up. 'How long had she been reading last night?' Lily wondered and glanced at her friend who was running next to her. Elena met her eye and grinned while Lily raised an eyebrow and shook her head in annoyance.
As they got to the entrance to the platform they stopped. Lily saw exactly which family was there and she looked at Elena with wide eyes. 'Please, Merlin, don't make them cause a scene right now' she thought.
"Alright, Fred you next!" A woman with red hair and kind smile said and looked at the twins. Elena's blood boiled with heat and she looked like she was ready to kill.
"Elena, don't even think about it!" Lily hissed quietly into her ear.
"He's not Fred I am" One of the twins shouted.
"Seriously woman, you call yourself our mother." The other said in a bored tone. Elena who could tell the two apart rolled her eyes. 'Stupid twins' she thought.
When the one who had grabbed her the day before, George, ran through the wall he was quickly followed by his brother who called out to his mom. "Just kidding I am Fred" 'Very funny…'
When the other two Weasleys got through the wall, Andromeda gestured for Tonks and Lily to go first. It was very confusing, the muggles couldn't see anything.
When Lily and Tonks were on the other side Elena did the same and ran towards the wall together with Andromeda and Ted. At first she thought she was going to die but then she was on the platform 9 ¾ with Lily and Tonks who had waited for her.
"That was pretty awesome wasn't it?" Lily asked.
"Not awesome it was wicked!" Elena screamed causing people near them to turn around and look at them. Tonks hide her face and started laughing while Lily turned a bit red and looked at Elena with danger in her eyes.
"Elena, I don't know you..."
"Okey girls" Andromeda said to ease the tension. "You have to get inside the train, we can take your stuff, and Elena you don't have to take your owl with you from here we will give it to the man over there." Andromeda gestured to a man a bit further down on the platform and hugged Lily tight. Lily hugged back and closed her eyes.
"I love you so much mum" she whispered in her mother's ear.
"I love you too, sweetie. Study hard and don't forget to write to me."
"I will." Lily said and stepped back from the embrace.
"And don't forget if you don't end up in Hufflepuff we will disown you" Ted said with a serious face but it quickly became a large grin. Lily laughed and hugged Ted and Tonks before she walked up beside Elena who had turned around to give them privacy. She had already said goodbye to her parents but she wished she could see them again.
"Ready?" Lily asked and took Elena's hand. Elena looked up at her friend.
"I was born ready!" she grinned. The girls ran together to get inside the train and once they stepped inside they saw it was bigger than it looked on the outside. They searched for an empty compartment and stepped inside when they find one. Lily took a seat by the window and took out her wand.
"I think we can use magic now" she said. Elena nodded and took the seat across from Lily.
"I want to try something, but not here." Elena said and looked around the compartment. Lily frowned and pointed her wand at Elena.
"If you want revenge on the twins you will not have it now or I will hex you" she said with confidence in her voice.
"Well we will be in here for a few hours, why don't we go out and meet people" Lily looked at her skeptically. "I will not have my revenge now Lily calm down!" Elena said and burst out laughing. She fell to the floor and felt tears in her eyes. People always thought she was up to something even when she was just breathing.
"It's not funny Elena! You always get into trouble and I'm not always there to save your arse!" Lily said. "And the twins are two years older than us, they can seriously hex you!" She got up to her feet. "But you're right. We are going to be on the train for a while we might as well get to know some of the other students" Elena got up on her feet too once she had stopped laughing but still had her mischievous smirk on her face. "Will you stop smirking!" Lily yelled and hit her on the back of her head which caused Elena to laugh again.
"I will not do anything if I see them, I promise. Should we split and find people?" she asked. Lily put her wand in her pocket and nodded.
"Let's go. We should meet up here later"
Amelia had been searching for an empty compartment but didn't find one. She had found one that only contained two bags but she thought it might be awkward if the owners of the bags came back and found her sitting there. Instead she walked inside one with a blond handsome boy in it who looked at her confused. Amelia sat down across from him and stared out from the window. Awkward. Why was she here? Why was Elena not here? She was the Lady of awkwardness in this world. The thought made her smile and she looked down at her hands. She had painted her nails red and had put mascara on her lashes. She didn't care she was eleven and that some thought that was too young to use mascara. She was more confident now and it was the first time she used that anyway. The boy cleared his throat but she didn't look at him. His throat was probably just hurting.
"Eh, hi?" The boy said and she knew he was looking at her. Awkward.
"Hi." She said and looked at him with bored eyes. He had hazel green eyes and dirty blond hair.
"You are a first year right? I'm a second year. Nice to meet you, what's your name?" he asked.
"Amelia, call me Am" she said.
"Cormac McLaggen." He said and held out his hand. Amelia shook it and smiled.
"So Lia, what house do you think you will be in?" Lia? Did he just call her Lia? She shrugged. She hadn't thought about the houses that much. Dumbledore had told her about them earlier. "You seem very quiet." He sighed and stared out from the window. What? What is she supposed to do? Dance in front of him?
"Why are you calling me Lia? And what am I supposed to do, my friends aren't here and you expect me to talk?" He looked at her and smirked. Girls liked him very much and blushed every time he talked to them even some of the older girls found him charming. Even a year ago when he was a first year.
"You are a muggleborn right? I hate the Am thing so I'm calling you Lia. Problem with that?" He asked and smirked. She wanted to hit him right then and there.
"I haven't got time for this shit." she said and and looked out from the window. Cormarc raised his eyebrows. Did a first year just curse at him?
"Little girls aren't allowed to swear Lil'lia." He said.
"Stop teasing me then. What house are you in?"
"Gryffindor. I think you will be in Hufflepuff, you're nice." he said and smirked.
Amelia rolled her eyes but smirked too.
"Oh are you serious? You're in Gryffindor? I miss friends." She said and looked down on her hands again. She didn't see when Cormarc stood up and went towards her. He sat down next to her and she looked up at him.
"I'm your friend. You know it's fun teasing you. My friends will be here any moment by the way. They went to buy some snacks. Do you want to meet them? They're really nice and funny they would like you."
Amelia nodded and after a few minutes his friends had come inside their compartment. Cormarc introduced her to the others and they talked about funny moments. Soon it wasn't as awkward as it had been at first. Suddenly they heard people outside yelling and running. She didn't bother to stand up to look who it was like the others but she heard two voices.
"Who was that?" She asked.
"It's so funny, there is someone who made the Weasley twins angry. They never get angry. Everyone in Hogwarts knows who they are. Don't mess with them because you will get a prank in return.." Cormac said and burst out laughing. This reminded her so much of Elena. When they both were in the muggle school and when they threw water on their teachers door or when they tricked them. Elena was the prankster...
Elena was walking around and smiled at everyone who was looking at her. She looked in different compartments and said hello all the time. She thought it was fun, meeting other people. She had met a boy named Seamus and his friends Neville and Dean. She was about to open another compartment but heard voices that sounded familiar. She didn't stop to hear who it was however. She opened the door and saw two boy she really didn't want to see.
"YOU!" One of the twins shouted as they got to their feet.
"NOW YOU HAVE NO ONE-"
"TO HELP YOU!"
Elena gulped, her eyes widened and she turned around to run when George was only a few inches from her. She shrieked and ran while she bumped into people.
"Lily! LIL-" Someone grabbed her arm and dragged her. George carried her and Fred laughed.
"Didn't think you'd have a chance against us, did you first year?"
"Fred let's-"
Elena bit George's hand and he let go of her screaming. When she fell to the floor she got up fast and ran again. This time in utter fear and they were after her again. She would be dead the next time they caught her.
"Lily!" She bumped into a girl with frizzy hair and continued screaming while she was running 'till she reached the end of the train. Nobody was there and she was trapped.
"The little first year is scared-"
"Yeah, George I think we should teach her not to prank us to begin with." Fred finished and took out his wand. Elena did the same and they started laughing. They didn't know she knew spells from the book of spells.
"Locomotor." Fred muttered and Elena shrieked as she was hoisted into the air. She didn't know about that spell.
"You leave my friend alone!" An angry voice yelled and the next second George's wand flew through the air and was caught by Lily. Fred lifted the spell off of Elena and she fell down. Elena was beyond angry, how dared he? He would pay for that later.
"You were lucky this time but-"
"You won't be so lucky-"
"Next time." They finished together and left. George grabbing his wand from Lily as they passed her. Two boys ran up to Elena and helped her up. It was a redheaded boy and a boy with black hair.
"Sorry about my brothers, they aren't used to getting pranked back" said the redheaded boy as he and the black haired boy helped her up. "I'm Ron Weasley by the way!" he said and smiled. She smiled back and turned to the other boy with round glasses who looked at her worriedly.
"Are you okay?" Elena nodded. "I'm Harry Potter"
When Lily and Elena left each other, Lily walked down the train 'till she came to a compartment where two boys sat and talked. She stepped inside and saw sweets laying everywhere. She guest they had bought them from the trolley. Probably using all the money they had to do it. The boys looked at her and she smiled.
"Can I sit here?" she asked and both of them nodded and smiled back.
"My name is Lily Tonks. What's your names?" She asked.
"My name is Ron Weasley" the redheaded boy said and continued "and this is-"
"Harry, Harry Potter." the other boy finished. Lily's eyes widened and Ron laughed. She had just met Harry Potter, the boy who lived.
"Are you really Harry Potter? Do you have the scar?" She asked her eyes wide as ever.
"Yeah" he said and removed his hair so she could see the scar from his forehead.
"Woah." Lily said in awe. "It true, I mean you really do have the scar." Harry smiled weakly and shifted a little. "Oh I'm sorry!" Lily said quickly as she realised she'd made him uncomfortable. "I didn't mean to ask you, sorry"
"It's okay" Harry replied with a smile.
"Hey Lily" Ron said. "Do you want to see the spell to turn Scabbers yellow?" he motioned towards the rat on his lap and Lily nodded. "I was about to perform the spell before you came. My brothers told me about it." As soon as he said 'brothers' she understood that the spell wasn't going to work. Where was Elena? She hoped she didn't got into trouble. Ron cleared his throat and was about to begin when a girl with frizzy, brown hair stepped inside. Her teeth was a bit big too.
"Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one." she asked and looked from Lily to Harry and lastly to Ron. "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then." she said with confidence in her voice. Lily grinned when Ron tried to make his rat yellow. That wasn't a spell at all.
"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few spells myself and they all worked for me. For example" she said and sat next to Lily. "Oculus reparo" she said and Harry's glasses became good as new.
"I know that spell!" Lily said. The girl smiled at her and looked over at Harry.
"Holy cricket, you're Harry Potter! I'm Hermione Granger… and you are?" She asked Ron with a bored look.
"Uhm Ron Weasley." Ron mumbled through a mouth full of candy.
"Pleasure" Hermione said with a hint of disgust.
"I'm Lily nice to meet you Hermione!" Lily said and held out a hand.
"Nice to meet you too!" She said and smiled. Hermione stood up and made her way out from the compartment. She told them about putting on their robes because they would be arriving soon and was about to walk away when she turned around. "Oh and you have dirt on your nose by the way" she told Ron. "Did you know? Just there." She said and pointed at her nose. Then she was gone. Lily burst out laughing when she saw Ron's expression.
After a while of talking about Hogwarts and the different classes there were, Ron and Lily did most of the talking as they explained it all to Harry, they heard a girl screaming and two boys yelling. Lily shivered, because she could recognise that scream anywhere. Ron looked confused and Harry looked from Lily to Ron.
"What have they done now?" Ron groaned.
"What have she done now?" Lily groaned at the same time and face palmed. She heard her name being called. That meant 'serious trouble' and she stood up together with the boys.
"They always prank people-" Ron began but Lily interrupted him.
"Well she's worse." They headed outside the compartment and ran in the direction of the screaming. Soon they saw Fred, George and Elena who was hovering in the air. That must be terrifying, Lily thought.
"You leave my friend alone!" Lily said with anger in her voice. They were two years older and they used a spell on a first year, that was low. The twins ignored her so she brought out her own wand. "Expelliarmus" One of the twins' wands flew out of his hand and Lily caught it.
"You were lucky this time but-"
"You won't be that lucky-"
"Next time." They finished together and left.
Ron and Harry ran to Elena's side and helped her up. She was looking like she could kill. It wasn't very often you saw someone with so much hatred in their eyes. To Lily it was quite frightening. The boys introduced themselves and Lily made her way over to them.
"Elena are you ok?" she asked.
"I'm okay. You must know one thing, they will not get away from my revenge and no one will stop me. Understood!?" She said and looked at the boys. Everyone nodded and they walked back towards their respective compartments to get their robes.
"Ron I hate your brothers" Elena muttered as she opened the door to her and Lily's compartment. Lily started laughing and so did Harry. They girls waved goodbye to the boys and headed for the toilets to change into their robes.
Amelia said goodbye to Cormac and gathered with the other first years. Everyone were talking with excitement and she was the only one there trying to disappear. She was standing there, staring with wide eyes at a giant man 'till she saw a blond girl next to two boys with red and black hair. Amelia was about to go over there when a familiar voice stopped her and she almost shrieked.
"If. You. Are. Amelia Dhalin, friend of Elena Ambrosia the greek, I will jump on you and never let you go." Elena said and when Amelia turned around they both screamed loudly causing everyone to look at them. Elena jumped on Amelia and hugged her while Amelia was carrying her and they were laughing. Lily joined them and Amelia almost began to cry. Her friends were here. "I have to tell you everything! I have news, Am! You've got to listen to this-" Elena said while they were following the giant man named Hagrid.
"I think everyone will listen even if they don't want to if you're going to talk." Lily said innocently and Amelia knew exactly what she meant.
"Elena don't talk to loud"
"Yeah, yeah whatever" Elena said and the three friends walked together to a big lake while talking about everything that had happened since their last day of school.
Lily was walking besides a red headed girl named Susan whom she had started talking to when Elena and Amelia started talking about pranks. Everybody were walking up the stairs to the Great hall where a stern looking woman was waiting for them. Amelia and Elena hadn't stopped talking about the letters, about them being witches and Elena had talked about the twins more while Amelia mentioned Cormac. They also talked about the houses and they joked about everything they'd been through. Lily shook her head as she listened to them. The three girls were stuck with each other and anyone there could see that. Amelia and Elena were getting disgusted glares from four boys and one girl but they didn't noticed it unlike Lily. Lily gave them a death glare back, especially the blonde boy in the group, and they turned around.
"And Amelia , we should check out places where we can hide so-"
"We can trick a teacher! And we should take pict-"
"You have your phone with you too don't you-" Amelia and Elena were babbling. Susan was looking at them with wonder and Lily rolled her eyes.
"They have always been like that" she whispered in Susan's ear which caused her to giggle. When they reached the top of the stairs they stopped and the stern looking woman with a hat and glasses was standing there waiting for everyone to be silent. Amelia and Elena were the last ones to be quiet and only stopped talking when Lily poked both of them on their arms. One thought crossed Amelia and Elena's minds, do not mess with this teacher.
"Welcome to Hogwarts! Now in a few moments you will pass through this doors and join your classmates, but before you take a seat you must be sorted into your houses" she said and paused before she continued. "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now while you're here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will loose points." Lily gave Elena a warning glare and Elena gave an innocent look in response before they both continued to listen. "At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded-"
"Trevor" a boy shouted and rushed towards a toad that was sitting by McGonagall's feet. Lily and Elena recognised him and smiled. The toad was pretty cute.
"I would never touch a frog" Amelia whispered in Elena's ear making her giggle.
"Or a snake for that matter" Elena agreed.
"Sorry" Neville said shyly and went back to the other first years. Professor McGonagall shook her head disapprovingly before she started talking again.
"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily" she finished and walked away. Elena and Amelia started babbling again almost driving Lily to madness when they said something about a phone.
"Elena Ambrosia and Amelia Dhalin, have you two brought everything you're not allowed to have in Hogwarts?" Amelia met Lily eyes innocently and just looked away whistling, causing Lily to get a bit more upset. "I can't believe you two" she hissed. Hermione looked over at the three of them and was immediately on Lily's side.
"No way, you are going to hand in your phone to a teacher, aren't you?" she asked, or rather told, Elena and Amelia with a bossy voice. Elena took one step towards her and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"One day…one day." She said and took one step back again. Hermione shook her head and was about to say something when others in the back started screaming. Elena turned around and laughed loudly. It was ghosts arguing. "WICKED!" she laughed causing others to giggle and relax. Elena turned around again to see Amelia looking at her with a look of 'I told you so' and Elena rolled her eyes. "Okey you were right about ghosts existing, happy?"
"Yes, very much so" Amelia said with her head held high.
"Don't boast you aren't that smart anyway." Elena said and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you're a..." she began but again they were interrupted, this time by a bossy voice and it wasn't like a know-it-all like Hermione's. Lily, Elena and Amelia turned around to look.
"It's true then, what they were saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts. This is Crabbe and Goyle.." the blond boy who had been sending Amelia and Elena disgusted looks walked over to Harry where he stopped in front of him. Lily glared at him, knowing what this could end with while Elena and Amelia tried their best to hide their laughter. They were a bit red in their faces but for now they managed not to laugh. "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" he said which caused Ron to snort with laughter which was enough for Elena and Amelia to start laughing uncontrollably.
"His hair, he's a-a glow stick" Amelia began.
"His name's Draco? Not much of a Dragon is he?" Elena laughed. A girl with short, black hair was watching them and looked furious. Lily looked away from them and pretended like she didn't know them at all and Draco ignored them after just giving them a disgusted look and turned to Ron again.
"You think my name's funny do you? No need to ask yours, red hair and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley." he sneered and smirked with a superior look on his whole face. "Soon enough you will realize that some wizarding families are better than others Potter. You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort" he said and glared at Ron again "I can help you there" he finished and held out his hand. No one was laughing anymore and Elena felt herself heating up. How dare he insult her friend? As for Amelia, it was the opposite and was more calm than ever.
"Well you're right about that Draco" Lily said and stepped up next to Harry and Ron. "Which is why he should stay far away from you" Draco looked at Lily and cleared his throat.
"Lily." He said curtly.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort by myself, thanks." Harry said at last and Draco glared at him and Lily before walking back to his little gang.
"Harry, you made my day" Elena said as she and Amelia walked over to them. "Lily…how do you know that lamp?"
"He's my cousin." She said shortly. "We are so alike me and him, don't you think?" she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. Amelia was stunned and Elena was confused but ignored it after a war with her thoughts. When Draco took a step towards them and was about to say something Professor McGonagall had returned and stopped him.
"They are ready for you now." she said and began leading all the first years to the large double doors. They walked through them and were stunned when they saw the ceiling. Elena knew it was bewitched as she had read about it the day before.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside" Hermione began and Elena left Amelia and walked over to Hermione's side. "I've read about it in-"
"Hogwarts: a history." They said in unison. Hermione smiled at her and they continued walking together 'till they stopped a few feet from a stool with an old hat resting on top of it. Amelia pushed people out of the way to get to Elena.
"Where did you go?" she hissed quietly. She was nervous about what house she would get sorted into. Elena gave her a 'oh sorry' look and smirked.
"Now before we begin professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words" Professor Mcgonagall said and stepped back. Amelia watched as Dumbledore got up on his feet. He met her eye and smiled before he began talking.
"I have a few start of term rules I would like for you to notice. The forbidden forest is forbidden for all students, also our caretaker mr. Filch has asked me to remind you, that the third floor corridor on the left side is forbidden to for everyone who do not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." he said and sat down. Lily turned around slowly and saw Elena with crossed arms and a smirk on her face. Lily facepalmed and closed her eyes while she did. She shook her head with one thought in her mind. 'Don't even think about it, don't even think about it…'
"When I call you name, you will step forward, I shall place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." Professor McGonagall interrupted her thoughts. McGonagall took the list with the names and called the first name. " Hannah Abbot?" A girl with blond pigtails walked up to the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on top of her head. There was a moment of silence before the hat shouted out
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Hannah took off the hat and ran over to the Hufflepuff table.
"Elena Ambrosia?" She asked loudly so everyone could hear. Amelia laid a encouraging hand on Elena's shoulder.
"Good luck" she whispered. Elena nodded at her friends and stepped forward where she sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on her head and Elena suddenly heard its voice in her head.
'Ah plenty of courage I see, very daring and so brave, yes I know exactly what to do with you!'
'Then just put me!' She thought.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted and Elena fell from the stool to the floor at the sudden shout from the hat. Many at the Gryffindor table cheered and laughed while in Slytherin everyone laughed because of her. She didn't care though, she wasn't embarrassed like others would be in her place. Besides, Lily was plenty embarrassed for the both of them. Before she went to the Gryffindor table she gave Amelia and Lily a 'see-you soon' look and they nodded.
"Hermione Granger?"
"Gryffindor!" Hermione and Elena hugged each other when they both got into Gryffindor.
"Susan Bones?"
"Hufflepuff!" The sorting kept going and Elena sat next to Percy Weasley and Hermione. The only bad thing was, she was in danger for a lifetime. Fred and George gave her warning looks like 'later' looks. Elena gulped and watched at the rest of the ceremony.
"Amelia Dhalin?"
Amelia, walked slowly to the stool and sat down. She was so nervous, what if she didn't get in Gryffindor or whatever house Lily would end up in?
'Ah, miss Dhalin. I see a great mind in you and not to mention the power which runs through your family'
'Family? What is he talking about?' She thought in her mind.
'I know the house which suits you. Better be… "RAVENCLAW!" Amelia was so shocked she was in Ravenclaw and she shout at the same time as Elena did from the Gryffindor table.
"HA!" They both shouted in unison. Everyone were looking at them with confused faces. They were both used to it. Amelia walked to the cheering table and sat down next to a girl with black hair who introduced herself as Cho Chang, a second year.
"Lily Tonks?" Lily stepped forward and sat on the stool. She was more nervous than she had ever been in her life.
'Lily Tonks…you have courage, a good mind…Ravenclaw would be a good house for you…but you are loyal and just…don't forget nothing is hidden from me…different from your mother…yet similar to her in many ways' Lily gripped the edges of the stool harder. 'better be…'
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Lily jumped off the stool and made her way toward the Hufflepuff table. Everyone cheered but she didn't noticed at first because she was in shock. She was in Hufflepuff just like Dora, just like her dad! She sat down next to Susan and shook the hand of an older boy.
"Welcome to Hufflepuff, I'm Cedric!"
"Nice to meet you Cedric" She was so shocked that she didn't notice Elena who looked a bit sad. She winked at her and Elena winked back. Then she remembered, Elena was in the same house as the twins and now she didn't have anyone to save her. She was in Hufflepuff and Amelia was in Ravenclaw. She mouthed comforting words to Elena and her friend blinked before she turned around and began talking with a boy next to her with red hair who most likely was another Weasley. Lily shook her head and laughed.
When everyone was sorted Dumbledore got up to his feet again.
"Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you! Let the feast begin!" He said loudly so everyone could hear and suddenly there was more food on the table than Amelia, Lily and Elena had ever seen.
Amelia began eating with Cho Chang and talked about the classes they would have tomorrow. She couldn't help to give Elena glances when she could see her through the mass of students but when she saw her she always met her best friends eye. They both thought about the same thing. They were apart from each other for the first time since they were six years old. Suddenly she felt someone sit next to her and everyone in the Ravenclaw table watched with shocked expressions on their faces.
"I knew you were witty Lia" Cormac said as he took a seat beside her and began eating. Students whispered about the Gryffindor boy sitting with the Ravenclaws but Cormac and Amelia ignored them. She was happy he was there with her.
"Thank you Cormac" She said quietly so only he could hear. He met her eyes and smiled.
"Your Welcome Lia"
Elena watched the Gryffindor boy sitting next to Amelia, talking. She presumed it was Cormac and she smiled. Her friend didn't have any trouble. As for Elena herself, she had about a hundred of problems. The twins shouted all the time
"We got Potter, we got Potter" When Harry got sorted into Gryffindor. She was happy about that too. The bad thing was, when they didn't shout about Harry they whispered with each other and stared at her and laughed which made her feel uncomfortable.
"Just ignore them" Hermione said and smiled.
"They will pay for what they almost did to me Hermione!" Elena said and took a bite from her food.
"You're right. What they did wa-" They got interrupted by a scream from Ron who jumped when a ghost came out of nowhere. It was her turn when an annoying voice said
"hello little lady" and she screamed. The twins burst out laughing because they had probably seen that coming but Percy got mad and sneered at the ghost.
"The bloody baron is over there Peeves and I will call him if you don't leave the first years alone." Peeves poked his tongue out and left them. "Watch out for Peeves, will you? He doesn't listen to anyone, not even us prefects" he said. Elena nodded and she had given up trying to hold in her words.
"You two lunatics are seriously fucked up!" She shouted at the twins and everyone around her on the table looked at her. Percy glared at the twins.
"Oh I think Ambrosia is mad at us Fred-"
"Yeah I think so too George."
"Let's handle it later then" George said and smiled at her.
"No way I'll tell Professor Mcgonagall if you do anything to her." Hermione defended her but Elena took her hand. She wasn't hungry anymore.
"I'll just go to the common room Hermione, I'll see you there."
"Are you alright Elena?" Hermione said with worry in her voice.
"I'm ok just dizzy" 'not that feeling again' she thought. She didn't want to experience what happened that night during summer break. "Percy can you show me the way to the common room? I'm really tired" Percy nodded. She said goodbye to Hermione, Harry and Ron and threw two goblets with pumpkin juice on the twins before she hurried after Percy to get to the Gryffindor common room.
Lily coughed as she ate pudding. Did her friend really just throw two goblets of pumpkin juice in the twins' faces? Now she was in trouble.
"Careful there" Cedric said and laughed while he rubbed her back.
Lily smiled and covered her mouth with her hand. She had a great time here and she had to write to her family tomorrow. She watched as Elena walked away from the hall and sighed.
She wanted to get to the common room too, most of all because she wanted to see what it looked like. Her dad had told her about it as had her sister but she wanted to see it for herself. And she really wanted to meet Neville again and talk to him. After Elena left she made eye contact with him and they smiled at each other 'till someone came in the way. Well, she could always speak to him tomorrow. Lily raised her head and stared out of the big windows in the hall. In one week it would be full moon.