First Days, Second Impressions
I woke up trying to get my bearings of the gold and scarlet room. The clock said it was only 6:15. I got dressed in my school robes and went down to the common room. The common room was empty. Looks like the students here aren't morning people.
I left the common room and started down a staircase. But soon afterwards I was lost. Normally I have an uncanny sense of direction, but this place had so many corridors and twists and turns, I'd be lucky if I could find the lavatory!
I saw a pale figure floating through a doorway. I opened the door and walked into an empty classroom.
"Excuse me?"
The ghost, who had a round belly and a merry face turned around.
"Yes dear? Can I help you?"
"Umm I was wondering how to get to the Great Hall?"
He gave me directions, which I had to repeat to myself to remember, and I soon found myself right where I wanted to be.
It seems I had taken up quite a bit of time as there were already many students already laughing with their friends and eating or, in most cases, falling asleep with their heads precariously resting in their hands.
I saw Jenna already sitting at the Gryffindor table talking to the boy with the scars on his face. I walked over and sat down next to her.
"Oh hey Lily, I must've just missed you this morning."
I replied by saying "Yeah you must've" but when I had left she was still fast asleep.
"What about Molly? She wasn't up yet?"
"Oh you mean Sleeping Beauty? No she wasn't. I've still yet to meet her. What about you?" she said.
Just as I was about to reply Professor McGonagall rushed over to me.
"Oh Miss. Evans there you are. Yes, well here is your class schedule. I'll be seeing you soon then." And then she hurried away, off to give another student theirs.
I looked at my schedule and saw that I had Double Transfiguration first with Ravenclaw, Lunch and then Charms with Hufflepuff.
"Oh, Lily, I forgot. You know Remus don't you? He was just telling me about Quidditch. It sounds like a lot of fun!"
"Oh cool. Are you going to try out for the team Remus?"
Just as he was about to answer James Potter walked over and interrupted. "What are you, stupid? First Years can't try out for Quidditch. Everyone knows that. Well at least everyone but you apparently. Of course once I become Quidditch Captain that dumb rule won't matter anymore. "
"Sorry but I didn't know your name was Remus."
"Hi, I'm Jenna and this is Lily!" Why did she have to be so friendly? I mean yes I am very friendly but this Potter kid didn't seem like the sort that I'd want to be friends with. I mean already he had made fun of my friend and insulted my intelligence, and it hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet!
"Sirius and Peter not up yet James?" So Remus and James were friends already.
"Nope. And my mum thought I slept too late!"
As Remus and James started talking about Quidditch, Jenna and I dug into our breakfast and talked about class.
"Umm Lily? Why didn't you bring your books?"
"Oh I thought I'd go and get them before class started."
"Well you might want to hurry. Class starts in…ten minutes." Remus said. I hadn't realized that they were listening to us, but I didn't have time to think about that now.
"Oh gosh, I guess I didn't realize how long it had taken me to get to here. Do you think you can come with me to get my stuff Jenna?"
"Yeah, sure."
We took the steps quickly and got there in what I thought would be as fast as I would for a while until I h gotten the "lay-of-the-land". We got to the portrait of the Fat Lady and it seemed Jenna and I couldn't remember the password. It also didn't help that the Fat Lady was asleep and snoring rather loudly.
"Seem like someone had a bit too much to celebrate last night." Jenna whispered to me.
Well apparently the Fat Lady had heard us and woke up with a start.
"Oh you mustn't scare me like that! But seeing as it is Halloween and you did give me the trick, I guess I'll give you your treat?"
"It isn't-"Jenna began, but I clamped my hand over her mouth before she could get anymore out.
"Well I guess for our treat we'd like you to remind us of the password."
"Oh yes, well I've just decided to change it to lament. Yes it is quite a strange choice for a password but it just felt right, you know?"
We climbed into the common room while she was still rambling on.
"Seeing as how easily she gives out the password, Hogwarts might be better off with a plain old lock!"
Jenny and I laughed until we entered our room. What we saw we had not expected. Are beds were pristinely made and our clothes packed in our trunks. Our other roommates' side however was not so well kempt. Clothes were thrown everywhere along with shoes.
"What happened in here?" I asked.
"What happened here is that I have absolutely nothing to wear this weekend!"
When I looked to find where the voice came from I finally saw a girl with curly blonde hair throwing more and more clothes over her shoulder.
"Umm, you know it's only the first day right? And you're going to be late if you don't get going." I said to her.
"No one asked you…Mary!" She said back and then she left with her books in hand.
What was wrong with her? And why would she call me Mary?
"Gosh, someone must be tired."
At least Jenna agreed with me. I got my stuff and we hurried out. By the time we had finally figured out whether to turn left or right in order to find Transfiguration, we were already five minutes late.
When we rounded a corner, we ran straight into Professor Dumbledore.
"Oh, sorry sir, we were just-"
"Heading to class? Yes well punctuality is key with Professor McGonagall." He said and then he walked away without a second glance back, humming an odd tune.
Just as Jenna was about to open the door it was opened by someone on the other side. Jenna and I both fell in the doorway as we were rushing inside. I landed on the floor with a thud. Well that was going to leave a bruise.
"You're late Miss. Hobbs, Miss. Evans. Take your seats. I was just telling the class about how I strongly disapprove of tardiness."
There were only three empty seats scattered around the room. One next to Remus, who was- of course- sitting next to James and Sirius; one next to a Ravenclaw girl, and one all by itself in the front of the classroom. Jenna just shrugged at me and sat next to Remus, leaving me to decide where I wanted to sit. Hmm, the front seat looked fine but having already been yelled at by McGonagall I didn't want to make things worse. The Ravenclaw looked friendly enough so I sat next to her.
Throughout class I figured out that was a big mistake. She told me her name was Gardenia and when I asked her "Oh like the flower?" she just gave me a strange look. She ignored me most of class except when she took out a few pieces of 'Drooble's Best Blowing Gum' and offered me a piece. I said no so instead of putting some away she unwrapped them all and shoved them all in her mouth! She had to have at least ten pieces in her mouth! And this wasn't any ordinary muggle piece of gum! When she blew bubbles they were huge! There was spit flying everywhere and it was just horrible!
I couldn't move until everyone had finished copying all of Professor McGonagall's notes on the theory of Transfiguration and all of the wand movements and whatnot. Then she finally let us partner up so that we could discuss the notes with each other. Jenna and I partnered up and sat in the back of the room. And who should be our neighbors but Sirius and James.
While I was re-counting my horrific tale of meeting the Spit Monster, I noticed Jenna wasn't even paying any attention.
"Jenna, are you listening?"
"What? Oh yeah. The Spit Monster and gum and do you think James is cute? I mean I don't fancy him or anything it's just that he is very funny."
I knew Jenna would be the boy-crazy kind of girl.
"I mean he's not that terrible looking. But his personality makes him extremely ugly so, it doesn't really matter how cute he is in my opinion."
As if he knew we were talking about him, he turned around and faced me.
"So Lily how was your trip to Niagara Falls?"
"Yes, did you have a nice bath?" Sirius piped in.
"Haha, very funny. How long did it take you two to rehearse those lines?" I asked.
"No time at all. We are mere comic geniuses. And we, unlike you, can take a joke."
"I can take a joke!" I huffed.
"Whatever you say."
After classes were over, Jenna and I headed for the Gryffindor common room. When we were about to say the password I saw Jackson walking in past us looking quite glum.
"Hey, Jackson! Wait!"
He turned around and when he saw me his face lightened up a bit.
"Oh hi Lily, hi Jenna. How was your day?"
"Good good, what's wrong with you?"
"Oh it's nothing…"
"It's not nothing Jackson. Tell us what's wrong." Jenna said.
"Well, I just don't feel like I belong here you know?"
Actually I knew exactly what he meant. I'd felt so out of place at home the past couple of years…
"I'll tell you what Jackson. How about we hang out this weekend? You, me, Jenna and maybe Severus."
"Sounds great! Bye Lily" Then he started walking back the direction from which he came.
"Ooohhh, looks like Jackson has got a crush on Lily!" Jenna taunted me.
"What? He does not! We're just friends!" But even as I said it I could feel a slight blush creeping into my cheeks.
"Yes, that's exactly why he barely noticed I was even here! Oh and he went the wrong way!"
"He was just sidetracked is all. Come on, I'm getting hungry."
When we got to the Great Hall we sat down and started to eat when I saw Sev sitting at the Slytherin table. I got up and walked over to him. I could tell Jenna was giving me an odd look but I ignored her and sat down next to him.
"Hey Sev! How was your first day?"
"Oh hi Lily! It was murderous actually. I think we have a class together tomorrow."
"Oh yeah we do, History of Magic."
"Yeah well some prefects told me it's a downright bore so maybe we'll be able to just talk or some-"
Something had caught his attention and when I turned around I saw some third year Slytherins walking over.
"Umm, Lily you might want to get out of here."
"What, why?"
"Well, you see…other people in my house don't take to kindly to people like…like…"
"Like what?" What he was saying made absolutely no sense whatsoever. What did he mean people like me? Redheads?
"Hey Gryffindor mudblood! Scram! This is Slytherin territory!" One of the third years had come up to me and had a nasty look on his face.
"Excuse me?" I hadn't heard of anything being anyone's territory. I mean this is the Great Hall for goodness sake!
"You heard us you mud-"
"You might want to watch your mouth you smelly Slytherin." I turned to see who my savior was and saw it was James Potter. Well he was with Jenna, Sirius and Remus and that Peter boy, but still he had said it.
Before the Slytherin could think of a retort, Jenna and the others had dragged me back to the Gryffindor table.
"What were you doing Evans! Messing with a bunch of Slytherin third year isn't even a good idea to me!"
"Sorry Potter," I said using as much venom as I could when I said Potter." And I wasn't messing with them, I was simply saying hi to my friend."
"You're friends with that greasy haired Slytherin?"
"Excuse me but his name is Severus, and his company sure beats yours!" I started to walk away with Jenna trailing behind me when he yelled back to me.
"Some friend! He just stared at his feet the whole time and didn't even try to help you!"
I sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table but I had lost my appetite. Not because of the food, I mean it looked delicious; but because unfortunately James Potter was right. Severus hadn't said a word to those Slytherins.
