"When I call your name, come put the Sorting Hat on and then walk to the appropriate House," Professor McGonagall said to all the new first years. Lily was starting to like the witch: as strict as she may be, she commanded respect from her students and had things her way.
"Abberson, Joshua!" A very pale boy shakily walked up the stool and put the Sorting Hat on his head. After a second or two, the Hat screeched to the Hall, "SLYTHERIN!" Lily shuddered. Having read Hogwarts, A History, she knew that Slytherin turned out more evil and cruel wizards and witches than any other house. Personally, she wanted to get into Gryffindor, which seemed by far the best house.
"Avery, Kirk!" Another pale boy walked up to the hat, and Lily couldn't help but whisper to Remus (who was standing in front of her), "Why are they so nervous? It's only a hat." Remus shrugged in reply. "SLYTHERIN!" The Hat screamed again. The Slytherin table once again erupted in cheers.
McGonagall looked down at her parchment. "Black, Sirius!" Sirius walked confidently up to the Hat, waving at McGonagall before slipping it onto his head. After a moment or two, it announced him as a Gryffindor. Sirius took off the hat, grinning, and walked over to the Gryffindor table, shaking hands with several older students.
About five or six more students went and got Sorted, and by the time McGonagall called, "Evans, Lily!" each House had at least two new first years. Lily walked up the Hat a little nervously, sat down, and slid the Hat on her head. A tiny voice said in her ear, "Hello. Let's see...you've got courage, yes...also a smart mind, maybe a little too smart for Ravenclaw...you're cunning, but not enough for Slytherin...Hufflepuff just won't do...yes, dear, you're a GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was shouted to the Great Hall, and Lily took off the Hat, feeling relieved. She sat down next to Sirius and crossed her fingers that hew new friends would also be in Gryffindor.
The line was slowly getting shorter and shorter, and each time there was a new Gryffindor, Lily and Sirius would cheer until they became hoarse. Finally, after much waiting, McGonagall called, "Lupin, Remus!" Remus started towards the Hat, even paler than usual. Lily saw him glance up at the staff table and Dumbledore gave him a small wink. It looked as if they'd met each other before...Lily made a mental note to ask him about that later on. About thirty seconds later, the Hat interrupted Lily's wondering by shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" This time Lily and Sirius cheered louder than ever, and Remus collapsed into a chair beside them.
"Nerving, Sally!" A girl in front of James glided over to the Hat and then joined the Ravenclaw table. Peter was looking very nervous, and Lily knew why: it was almost his turn.
Sure enough, the next name to be called was, "Pettigrew, Peter!" Peter, trembling from head to toe, walked up the stool and placed it on his head. Lily, Remus, and Sirius held their breath--"S--GRYFFINDOR!" Lily wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly. The Hat obviously started to say Slytherin, but then changed its mind. Lily shook her head. No matter. Peter was in Gryffindor now! She clapped and cheered.
"Potter, James!" James, not looking an inch worrisome, placed the Hat over his head. Almost as soon as it touched his head it said, "GRYFFINDOR!" Yes!, Lily thought.
Sirius yelled, "Go James!" loudly and slapped him on the back as he sat down.
They all were Gryffindors through and through.
***
One week later, Lily was in a considerably good mood.
Her classes had been challenging, especially Transfiguration. She hadn't gotten that match to change into a needle, and she doubt she would anytime soon. All she had done was got hers silver and pointy. James and Sirius, on the other hand, managed to make theirs become a perfect needle. McGonagall gave them a rare smile.
Charms was a different story. James and Sirius did manage to get their feathers to float, but just barely in the air. Lily made hers fly straight into the ceiling, to her delight and James's disappointment.
History of Magic was deadly boring, taught by an old ghost who people say got up to teach one morning and simply left his body behind, turing into a full-fledged ghost Professor. Lily wondered it he even knew he wasn't among the living, breathing people anymore. Anyway, she prided herself on achieving what Sirius and James couldn't manage to do--she stayed awake in class.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was Lily's second favorite class, next to Charms. Professor Kiggle, a nice man who obviously knew what he was doing, taught them all about the dangers of certain creatures, particularly vampires. He also told the the class that not all these creatures were dark and evil--just misunderstood. Remus seemed to like when he said that and was very cheerful the rest of the day.
Astronomy was at midnight every Wednesday, high in the Astronomy Tower. Professor Sinistra made them write down the changes in the stars' patterns, any ways that the planets acted "strangely", and so forth. Peter was a great Astronomer, he caught onto the lesson very quickly.
Herbology was done in the Greenhouses, and every lesson they would come out of it dirty and sweaty. One boy in their year, Frank Longbottom, was exceptionally good at it, and when Peter had trouble, he gladly offered his assistance. Lily remember thinking to ask him to help her with her Herbology homework that she really didn't understand.
Every class had suddenly become a contest, because of the bet. Lily bet that she would have the highest grades after she graduated from seventh year, and James bet the same, only saying that he would have the highest average. The wager was ten Galleons, only it wasn't really the gold that mattered to Lily. She wanted desperately to beat James...they had become friendly rivals, always competing. They had even written down the bet and signed it to prove, when they were seventeen, that they had both agreed on it.
Meanwhile, after Sirius had gotten his second detention in three days, he confessed his own goal: "I want to beat the record for most detentions in Hogwarts history."
But now Lily was in the present, sitting down next to Remus at dinner that night. Remus was looking very sickly, he occasionally shivered or grimaced in pain, and Lily noticed that he was deathly pale. "Remus, are you all right?" she asked in concern.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Remus muttered. At that exact moment, Professor Kiggle walked up to them and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Remus...your mother is ill. She requested to see you. You can leave tonight, if you wish."
Remus stared up at Kiggle for a moment in confusion, then comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh," he said slowly. "I'll come now." He shakily stood up, and with Kiggle's support, made his way out of the Great Hall.
As soon as they left, Sirius and James came bounding in...and James had purple hair.
Lily started laughing and couldn't stop. "What--happened--to--you?" she gasped.
"Sirius thought it would be funny to dye my hair a different color after I pulled a little prank of him myself. It's so funny," James said dryly, while Lily looked closely at Sirius to try and see a prank done to him--and then noticed his eyes, which kept flashing different colors. She laughed once more. "We were practicing for the Slytherins but got a little carried away." He leaned over Lily's clean plate and saw his reflection, then laughed.
"Where's Remus?" James asked, looking around.
"Kiggle just came up and said his mother was sick, and he left," Lily said. "I hope she's okay," she added.
James frowned in thought and Sirius looked a little abashed. "Poor guy doesn't need any more heartache. He's always sick already," Sirius said. Lily nodded in agreement.
"I feel so sorry for Lupin," came a voice from behind them. They all whirled around to see Snape sneering.
"Shut up, Snape," Lily snapped. Sirius and James stood at her side, wearing a cold look and ready do defend her, if neccessary.
Snape's lip curled. "I think it's nice that you have to get Black and Potter to back you up because they're the only ones that will hang out with you."
"Now, Snape," Lily said, shaking in rage, "Unless you'd like me to show you what a Muggle-born can do to a certain arm?" James and Sirius howled with laughter and Lily suppressed a small smile. Snape glared before turning on his heel and leaving, to their relief.
James watched him go, his face a mask of intense dislike. He commented, "Sometimes I wonder exactly how far that stick is shoved up his--"
"James!" Lily scolded, not wanting him to get (another) detention for foul language. James grinned at her, and she felt her heart flutter. Wait--flutter? Wasn't that what you get when you like someone? No, she told herself, I don't like James--you can't fall in love at eleven! I just like his smile.
Right?
