It was raining.
Summer had faded away and with it the pristine weather; the first day of September was gray, dismal, and on top of it, wet. This was especially unfortunate for the first years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, who travelled to the castle by boat rather than thestral-drawn carriage.
"Why were you worried?" Severus asked, afraid at the same time that she was going to say that she wasn't. They sat huddled together under Lily's rain slicker (which she had draped over him without a single word when it first started to sprinkle). She was normally energetic, but was close to tears as she had greeted him at the train station. And that was not right.
"I didn't see you at all last month." She gave a sad little sigh, flaming orange hair plastered against her pale cheek. Nothing could dampen her mood, but Severus looked pretty grumpy at being soaked- especially because his robes were brand new, and he had no covering like she did. It was these little kindnesses that endeared her so to him.
This was, he was certain, an admonishment, and he could not meet her gaze. "I know. I'm sorry. I was… busy." The other three children in the boat were engaged in other conversations and so did not notice him blush. He'd gotten used to her being, for lack of a better term, concerned, and he'd seen her get upset, but never had she gotten upset because she was concerned.
Not even his own mother did that.
"Getting ready, I'm sure." There was ice in her voice. She would not look at him, either.
"I'm sorry, Lily. Look, we're going to Hogwarts now, okay? Try not to worry about anything."
"I worry about you. What happens at the end of the year? He didn't want you to come. You're just going to go back there?" "Drop it, okay, and stop trying to get me to talk about it, because I won't."
There. If he needed to get firm he would. What was she trying to accomplish here, anyway? She didn't answer him, and neither spoke until Hogwarts came into view. Unconsciously she sucked in her breath, unable to do anything else. "It's amazing, isn't it?" Severus breathed also. Lily forgot with all his talk that he had never actually been here, and she squeezed his hand rather tightly. And that was how they entered the school. Together.
"It is," she said, her reaction delayed, she was so subdued. The Entrance Hall was rather brightly lit, swooping stone ceiling worsening the butterflies in the student's tummies.
"Welcome," said a grandmotherly voice, breaking them from their reverie. There stood a tall woman in crisp emerald robes, cat-like glasses and a pointed black hat. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall. In a moment you will pass through these doors and be Sorted. There are four Houses, any of which you may be Sorted into- Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, named for the four founders. During your time here your House will be like your family. Points will be awarded for exemplary behavior, and taken for poor behavior. I expect you will make us proud."
As she finished with this little speech the gigantic double doors behind her swung open, and in they went, two by two. It was as murky and stormy in here as outside- or so a quick glance upward made it seem. "Charmed to look like the sky," Severus muttered absentmindedly to Lily, who could do no more than nod for gaping. A few seconds later a musky old brown hat made it appearance and the Sorting Ceremony officially began. Those two hooligans they met on the Hogwarts Express- James Potter and Sirius Black- were instantly put into Gryffindor, along with a skinny-looking boy called Pettigrew and a very timid looking fellow by the name of Remus Lupin. She was so caught up in it, the whole thing, and then-
"Evans, Lily!"
She gave his hand a final squeeze and flashed a shy smile, and took heavy, heavy steps to the front of the crowd. The nervous feeling in her stomach only intensified as she hoisted herself on the the worn stool; she reminded herself to find Severus in the sea of faces so she didn't have to look at anybody else. The smile he had only seconds ago had vanished to be replaced by a look of anxious anticipation. Did it make any difference? Why-
But the Sorting Hat was coming down on her head, and-
"Gryffindor!" It certainly did not waste any time. Stressing, she gave her friend a sad smile before making her way over to the Gryffindor table, where Potter seemed to have made friends with Lupin. Black clapped her on the back and she stealthily ignored him. Then she waited. And waited. Until.
"Snape, Severus." Again there was no hesitation, but the decision was made in an instant. "Slytherin!" came the cry. Okay, he had expected that. She wondered if it would matter later, than they were in different Houses, just like she had wondered about being Muggle-born.
He had said it would not make any difference….
Soon, though, she was distracted by the grand feast which magically appeared in front of her. Mashed potatoes and gravy, jello, pudding in three separate flavors, a leafy salad which almost everyone ignored (except Lily, because she knew the value of such things). It seemed never ending; whenever she was done more kept coming! FInger sandwiches and something called pumpkin juice which she came close to spitting out of her napkin.
She was feeling so very sleepy at the end of it all that it did not take her long to fall asleep, thinking how very amazing magic was.
