Fate- Part 5- A Death Threat
"Lily?... Wake up!"
Lily Johnston felt someone slap her lightly on the cheeks.
"Stop it James." She said groggily as she slowly opened her eyes and looked slowly around. There was a crowd of people around her, and James was knelling right next to her. Sitting up, she saw what she had crashed into. Lying on the ground was a girl about Lily's age, her long raven black hair spread out beneath her. As if she sensed Lily's gaze she groaned in pain and tried to sit up. "My... leg..." she gasped before falling back to the ground.
"Earth to Lily." James waved his hand in front of Lily's eyes.
Lily shook her head. " What?"
"Are you OK Lil? You seemed kind of out of sorts for a minute there."
"Yeah. I'm fine. I hope she isn't hurt too badly." Lily gestured to the girl lying motionless on the ground. A man, who Lily guessed was her father, was bent over her, trying to revive her.
"You OK Lily?" asked a new voice from behind Lily making her jump.
"Yeah, I'm fine Matt."
Matt looked at the raven haired girl, and her father, his eyes widening. " Do you know who you ran into Lil?"
Lily shook her head.
"Come on." Matt hurriedly grabbed Lily by the arm and pulled her up.
"Ouch!" Lily complained feeling like Matt had jerked her arm out of its socket.
" Quiet!" He ordered sternly. He took Lily by the arm and James by the scruff of the neck and pulled them away from the crowd that had gathered. He didn't let go of either until they were in on the train.
"What was that for?" James demanded as soon as Matt released them.
"It was for your own good. Do you realize who Lily ran into?"
Lily and James both shook their heads puzzled.
"That was Lydia Riddle."
James gasped, but the name meant nothing to Lily. "Who's that?"
"Someone you don't want to upset. Everyone knows her family is deeply involved in the Dark Arts. I don't know her personally, but if the rumors I've heard are true, she's worse than all the rest of her siblings combined. She's got her father wrapped around her little finger, and knows more Dark Magic than most Dark Wizards twice her age."
Lily shivered involuntarily.
"I know you weren't trying to, but you've already gotten on her bad side. I'd watch out if I were you. You too, James. None of Lily's friends are safe."
"You're just trying to scare us." Said James defiantly.
The train whistle blew twice signaling that it was about to leave.
Matt shook his head. "I'm gonna go and find some of my friends. See ya at school." And then he left.
As Matt left the train compartment, someone else walked in from the other side.
"Hi. Do you mind if I sit here?" Asked the tall boy "All the other compartments are filled."
"Sure." Replied James.
"I'm Sirius Black." The boy told them."Who are you?"
"I'm Lily Johnston, and this is James Potter."
"Oh." There was an awkward silence for a minute.
"Did you hear about what happened to the Riddle girl? Someone crashed into her coming through the barrier. She says she broke her leg. Her Dad got her a private compartment and everything so no one can disturb her."
Lily paled.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.
Lily didn't seem to hear him. She suddenly burst into tears. " I...sob...didn't...sob...mean to... sob...hurt her!" Then she flung herself at James, who awkwardly wrapped his arms around her.
"Shhh. It's ok Lil. I'm sure she'll be just fine."
Lily continued to sob, her tears soaking James shirt.
"I'm sorry. " Sirius looked apologetically at Lily. " I didn't know you were the one who ran into her. Honestly." Lily started to cry louder. " You know what everyone's saying, don't you? They're saying that she's faking it. Just to get attention. " He patted Lily tentatively on the shoulder. " Please don't cry. I'm sure she's fine."
"Ahem." Everyone turned startled to look at the new person in the compartment.
"Do you mind if I sit in here?" He asked. He was skinny and pale, with large dark circles under his eyes
"Of course you can sit her." Sirius told the stranger. "I'm Sirius Black, and this here's Lily Johnston and James Potter."
"I'm Remus Lupin." The boy extended his hand to Sirius. Sirius shook it, trying hard not to laugh.
Lily had stopped crying by this time. Instead she was just hiccupping every few seconds. James let go of her, and they both sat down.
"So are you guys all first years?" Asked Remus.
Lily, James and Sirius all nodded.
"Wonder what house I'll be in." Said Sirius.
"I'll probably be in Gryffindor." Replied James. " Both my parents were, and so is my brother."
"I don't care what house I'm in, as long as they don't put me in Slytherin" Remus told the others.
"Same here." Sirius shuddered at the thought of being in Slytherin.
"What's so bad about Sytherin?" Asked Lily timidly.
All three boys looked at her like she had just sprouted horns.
"You a Muggle born?" Remus asked. "No offence, but I can't see how either of your parents are magic if you don't know what's so bad about Slytherin."
James had told Lily what 'Muggle' meant, so she nodded to Remus, indicating that she was.
"So you're all purebloods, then?"
"Not quite." Remus told her." I'm a half blood. My mom's a witch, but Dad's a Muggle."
" I'm a pureblood." Sirius replied.
"So then will you please tell me what's so terrible about Slytherin?"
" Well...Sytherin is known for turning out dark wizards. Tom Riddle was in it, and so are all his kids. I bet the one you ran into will be too."
Remus looked at Lily. " You're the one who ran into Lydia Riddle?" Lily nodded. " Man, you're in trouble. All the older Riddle's are threatening to kill you on sight."
Lily swallowed and tears started to well up in her eyes again. James put a protective arm around her.
"Don't worry Lil. They can't do anything to you."
" I wouldn't count on it." Sirius warned. James glared at him, causing him to mumble "sorry Lily." and turn around, pretending to be engrossed in the scenery.
They were all somewhat silent the rest of the trip. Lily, like Sirius pretended to be watching the passing scenery. But inside her head was spinning. 'What if they do want me dead?' was a reoccurring thought.
They were all surprised when a small, mousy boy came into the compartment.
" We're going to get to Hogwarts in about ten minutes, so you might want to change into your robes."
With that the boy left.
When the train came to a stop, Lily climbed out of the train with everyone else. She looked around for a sight of the castle, but didn't see it anywhere.
"You can't see the castle from here Lil." James said coming up behind her.
"How would you know?"
"Matt told me."
Suddenly they heard a voice from the right. "Fir' years over here!"
Lily looked and saw the tallest man she had ever seen in her life, standing on the shore of a lake. Behind him was a fleet of small rowboats. Lily and James walked toward the lake, Remus and Sirius following them.
"Four to a boat." He said, smiling at them.
Lily, James, Remus, and Sirius got into a boat. After a minute, they heard the giant bellow "Any more firs' years?" and then he got into a boat himself.
The trip across the lake was uneventful. After about ten minutes, Lily got her first sight of Hogwarts castle. Her first impression was of it being huge. It's gray stone expanse seemed to fill her entire line of sight.
"Big, isn't it?" James asked from behind her.
Lily nodded.
When they got to shore, they were greeted by a teacher who introduced himself as Professor Dumbledore. He led them into the castle through a back door, and led them down a long hallway. At the end was a small room. "Stay here." Dumbledore told them. "I'll be right back."
All the first years stayed huddled together, talking quietly.
"I wonder how they put us in houses." Said Remus in a hushed voice.
" Matt said it was some kind of test." James told him.
"What kind of test?" Sirius asked.
But James responce was cut off by the return of Dumbledore.
"Come with me." He told them.
He ushered them into a huge room. The rest of the school was already assembled there. They were sitting at four long tables. The first years were told to line up and face the students. One of the teachers brought out a small three-legged stool. Dumbledore took a faded patched old wizard's hat off the teacher's table, and set it on the stool.
Everyone was quiet for a moment, then the hat began to sing a song about the four houses.
Everyone clapped when it was finished. After the clapping subsided, Dumbledore took out a roll of parchment and unrolled it. "When I call your name," He said," Please come up and put on the hat. It will then sort you into your house." He peered through his glasses at the parchment.
"Black, Sirius" Sirius gulped then walked over to the stool. He picked up the hat and set it on his head. After a second the brim of the hat opened and it yelled "GRYFFINDOR!
The table on the right burst into wild applause as Sirius walked over to join them.
Lily didn't pay much attention to where people went. She was trying to stop shaking. The suddenly
"Johnston, Lily"
Lily gulped and fell to the floor.