CHAPTER TWO
The rest of the train ride passed very uneventfully for Lily, and when it began to slow as it reached their destination, she, Mandy, and Remus came out of their compartment, and were the first to exit. They followed the voice of a large man who was calling first years to him, and the nervous group of eleven-year-olds marched to the vast lake that lay in front of the Hogwarts castle.
Once the castle itself came into view many of the students gasped, Lily included. It was the greatest sight she'd ever imagined; turrets were sticking out every which way, lights were shining from thousands of windows, and the grounds around it were very expansive. To think that for the next year, she'd be living here!
The first-years clambered into tiny rowboats. Lily, Mandy, Remus, and a boy with sleek, ebony hair rode in the same boat. Lily wanted to ask the dark-haired boy his name, but since every other person was silent, she remained so too.
The troop entered what looked like an underground harbor, and stepped out of their boats. They climbed up a flight of stone steps without uttering a sound, for many mouths still hung slightly open. The huge man briefly told the group to stay in a small room he had led the to, and then he left.
Lily was fascinated, although she had not the slightest clue of what was going to happen. Mandy looked a bit scared.
"Do you have any idea what's going on?" she whispered to Lily, who shook her head, and looked to Remus.
"I think…" He paused, as if listening. The door swung open, and a short witch in her late thirties entered the room. She had straight, chin-lengh, gray-brown hair and kind eyes and a smile. Lily immediately knew she would like this woman.
The lady, Professor Hunt, proceeded to explain about the Sorting ceremony and Hogwarts' four houses. After she'd left, loud conversations broke out, and she had to return twice to tell a tall, tanned boy with shoulder-length black hair to be quiet.
Lily was aware of the twinges of apprehension in her stomach, and Mandy looked as scared as she felt. Remus watched them with an amused smile, and told them that all you had to do was try on a hat.
Mandy sighed audibly, and looked very relieved. Lily noticed that her expressions were very easy to read, and told her so. Mandy playfully nudged her in the ribs, and pointed to the door, which had just opened. Professor Hunt was motioning them to come inside.
Lily shot her two friends a sidelong glance, and together the entered the Great Hall.
Lily's breath caught in her throat as she took in its splendor. Hundreds of floating candles lit the room with a soft, yellow glow. The place settings were all made of glittering metals, and they lay on four long tables where the students were seated. As she glanced at the ceiling, her eyes widened. There wasn't a ceiling! She pointed this out to Mandy and Remus, and they too looked awe-struck.
The first years were to form a line in front of the school, and wait for their names to be called. Lily was glad that her last name started with an E, and that E's were at the beginning of the alphabet. She wanted to get this over with. Professor Hunt was calling out the students' names.
"Abatine, Jacob!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Ashton, Elanor!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Black, Sirius!"
The tanned boy that Professor Hunt had to tell off for talking walked forward assertively. When he got to the stool though, he put on a look of panic. Frantically, he began searching for something, under the stool, around it, and even asked a nearby student if she'd seen it. She blinked at him.
Then he stared at the stool, seemingly seeing it for the first time. A triumphed grin crossed his face, and he smugly picked up the Sorting Hat, turned to the crowd, winked, and pointed at the hat.
"Found it!"
Lot of people laughed, and some were shaking their heads. One of the other first years clapped. Sirius bowed before trying it on.
The hat took only about five seconds before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The table on the left clapped very hard.
After "Calesti, Eric" and "Dobson, Horace," "Evans, Lily!" was called. Lily swallowed and tried to look confident as she walked up to the tattered old hat, and put it on.
"Oh! Well, here's a nice one! Very intelligent, Ravenclaw, perhaps? But there's a lot of courage and stamina, can't ignore that. Most definitely a GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily walked slowly, amid a loads of cheers, to the table on the far left, and ended up sitting next to Sirius Black.
He grinned at her and said, "You know what that hat told me?" He put on a high pitched voice and squeaked, "Oh yes! This one will go far! Brave, confident, unafraid to stand out, and loyal as a dog! GRYFFINDOR!" His voice returned to normal. "Well, I know I'm not afraid to stand out, but, I mean… It's not everyday that some beat-up excuse for a hat compares me with a dog! Woof woof!"
Lily stared, amazed, at him for a second, and then cracked up as "Hani, Fifell" was sorted into Slytherin. As "Hopkins, Amanda!" was called, though, she watched Mandy, who looked very tense, intently.
A full minute later, Mandy was still under the hat. Lily was starting to feel a little sorry for her, when the hat suddenlly shouted, quite decisively, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily whooped and clapped loudly for her friend, who sat down on her other side.
Remus was called a while later, and the second he tried on the hat it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" He looked nonplussed as he sat down next to Mandy, who pretended to glare at him.
"That was quick! It took me forever! That stupid thing was rambling on and on and on…"
Remus smirked at her.
Lily began to grow bored as the group of first-years slowly diminished. As "Snape, Severus" was called, the boy who'd been sharing her boat walked forward. It took quite a bit of time for the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" Lily clapped politely, but Sirius booed.
It then occurred to her how ironic it was for Sirius Black to have first name pronounced as "serious." She giggled, and as Mandy looked at her questioningly, Lily insisted it was nothing.
Once the sorting had finally ended, a tall, thin man with a silver beard ("That's Professor Dumbledore!" whispered Remus) rose and addressed the student body.
"I kindly welcome you all to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Before our delicious meal begins, I would like to introduce the new Transfiguration teacher this year, Professor McGonagall!"
A young witch with wavy black hair waved at the school nervously as they applauded her. When the applause stopped, Lily gaped at the trays near her, which had suddenly filled with food. She took a glance at Mandy, who's mouth hung open in an expression of unreality.
Remus shook his head at them, and dropped a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto Mandy's plate, as her hands weren't moving. She suddenly came to life, and, while piling her plate full of food, said, "I can't believe this place."
Lily nodded fervently, but then noticed the thoughtful smirk emerging on Sirius's face. When she noticed that he was looking at Professor McGonagall, she asked suspiciously, "What?"
"How do you think Professor McGonagall would look with pink hair?"
Mandy snorted into her mashed potatoes. "Oh, that poor woman…"
A/N – There's chapter two. Still no plot. Don't worry, it's coming. Any ideas would be welcomed in the reviews also!
Thank you sooooo much for the reviewing: DrummerGirl (I'm trying to make my characters more surprised in this chapter!), Kat & Gilly, and Jinskid3. They mean soo much!
What? Are you laughing at me for my teensy tiny thanks section? Well, who's the only one who can make it bigger, HMM.........
-Robbie
The rest of the train ride passed very uneventfully for Lily, and when it began to slow as it reached their destination, she, Mandy, and Remus came out of their compartment, and were the first to exit. They followed the voice of a large man who was calling first years to him, and the nervous group of eleven-year-olds marched to the vast lake that lay in front of the Hogwarts castle.
Once the castle itself came into view many of the students gasped, Lily included. It was the greatest sight she'd ever imagined; turrets were sticking out every which way, lights were shining from thousands of windows, and the grounds around it were very expansive. To think that for the next year, she'd be living here!
The first-years clambered into tiny rowboats. Lily, Mandy, Remus, and a boy with sleek, ebony hair rode in the same boat. Lily wanted to ask the dark-haired boy his name, but since every other person was silent, she remained so too.
The troop entered what looked like an underground harbor, and stepped out of their boats. They climbed up a flight of stone steps without uttering a sound, for many mouths still hung slightly open. The huge man briefly told the group to stay in a small room he had led the to, and then he left.
Lily was fascinated, although she had not the slightest clue of what was going to happen. Mandy looked a bit scared.
"Do you have any idea what's going on?" she whispered to Lily, who shook her head, and looked to Remus.
"I think…" He paused, as if listening. The door swung open, and a short witch in her late thirties entered the room. She had straight, chin-lengh, gray-brown hair and kind eyes and a smile. Lily immediately knew she would like this woman.
The lady, Professor Hunt, proceeded to explain about the Sorting ceremony and Hogwarts' four houses. After she'd left, loud conversations broke out, and she had to return twice to tell a tall, tanned boy with shoulder-length black hair to be quiet.
Lily was aware of the twinges of apprehension in her stomach, and Mandy looked as scared as she felt. Remus watched them with an amused smile, and told them that all you had to do was try on a hat.
Mandy sighed audibly, and looked very relieved. Lily noticed that her expressions were very easy to read, and told her so. Mandy playfully nudged her in the ribs, and pointed to the door, which had just opened. Professor Hunt was motioning them to come inside.
Lily shot her two friends a sidelong glance, and together the entered the Great Hall.
Lily's breath caught in her throat as she took in its splendor. Hundreds of floating candles lit the room with a soft, yellow glow. The place settings were all made of glittering metals, and they lay on four long tables where the students were seated. As she glanced at the ceiling, her eyes widened. There wasn't a ceiling! She pointed this out to Mandy and Remus, and they too looked awe-struck.
The first years were to form a line in front of the school, and wait for their names to be called. Lily was glad that her last name started with an E, and that E's were at the beginning of the alphabet. She wanted to get this over with. Professor Hunt was calling out the students' names.
"Abatine, Jacob!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Ashton, Elanor!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Black, Sirius!"
The tanned boy that Professor Hunt had to tell off for talking walked forward assertively. When he got to the stool though, he put on a look of panic. Frantically, he began searching for something, under the stool, around it, and even asked a nearby student if she'd seen it. She blinked at him.
Then he stared at the stool, seemingly seeing it for the first time. A triumphed grin crossed his face, and he smugly picked up the Sorting Hat, turned to the crowd, winked, and pointed at the hat.
"Found it!"
Lot of people laughed, and some were shaking their heads. One of the other first years clapped. Sirius bowed before trying it on.
The hat took only about five seconds before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The table on the left clapped very hard.
After "Calesti, Eric" and "Dobson, Horace," "Evans, Lily!" was called. Lily swallowed and tried to look confident as she walked up to the tattered old hat, and put it on.
"Oh! Well, here's a nice one! Very intelligent, Ravenclaw, perhaps? But there's a lot of courage and stamina, can't ignore that. Most definitely a GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily walked slowly, amid a loads of cheers, to the table on the far left, and ended up sitting next to Sirius Black.
He grinned at her and said, "You know what that hat told me?" He put on a high pitched voice and squeaked, "Oh yes! This one will go far! Brave, confident, unafraid to stand out, and loyal as a dog! GRYFFINDOR!" His voice returned to normal. "Well, I know I'm not afraid to stand out, but, I mean… It's not everyday that some beat-up excuse for a hat compares me with a dog! Woof woof!"
Lily stared, amazed, at him for a second, and then cracked up as "Hani, Fifell" was sorted into Slytherin. As "Hopkins, Amanda!" was called, though, she watched Mandy, who looked very tense, intently.
A full minute later, Mandy was still under the hat. Lily was starting to feel a little sorry for her, when the hat suddenlly shouted, quite decisively, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Lily whooped and clapped loudly for her friend, who sat down on her other side.
Remus was called a while later, and the second he tried on the hat it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" He looked nonplussed as he sat down next to Mandy, who pretended to glare at him.
"That was quick! It took me forever! That stupid thing was rambling on and on and on…"
Remus smirked at her.
Lily began to grow bored as the group of first-years slowly diminished. As "Snape, Severus" was called, the boy who'd been sharing her boat walked forward. It took quite a bit of time for the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" Lily clapped politely, but Sirius booed.
It then occurred to her how ironic it was for Sirius Black to have first name pronounced as "serious." She giggled, and as Mandy looked at her questioningly, Lily insisted it was nothing.
Once the sorting had finally ended, a tall, thin man with a silver beard ("That's Professor Dumbledore!" whispered Remus) rose and addressed the student body.
"I kindly welcome you all to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Before our delicious meal begins, I would like to introduce the new Transfiguration teacher this year, Professor McGonagall!"
A young witch with wavy black hair waved at the school nervously as they applauded her. When the applause stopped, Lily gaped at the trays near her, which had suddenly filled with food. She took a glance at Mandy, who's mouth hung open in an expression of unreality.
Remus shook his head at them, and dropped a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto Mandy's plate, as her hands weren't moving. She suddenly came to life, and, while piling her plate full of food, said, "I can't believe this place."
Lily nodded fervently, but then noticed the thoughtful smirk emerging on Sirius's face. When she noticed that he was looking at Professor McGonagall, she asked suspiciously, "What?"
"How do you think Professor McGonagall would look with pink hair?"
Mandy snorted into her mashed potatoes. "Oh, that poor woman…"
A/N – There's chapter two. Still no plot. Don't worry, it's coming. Any ideas would be welcomed in the reviews also!
Thank you sooooo much for the reviewing: DrummerGirl (I'm trying to make my characters more surprised in this chapter!), Kat & Gilly, and Jinskid3. They mean soo much!
What? Are you laughing at me for my teensy tiny thanks section? Well, who's the only one who can make it bigger, HMM.........
-Robbie
