A/N: Hey guys, so sorry for not updating forever. It starts getting better
now. My finger got jammed back and I had to have it in a splint and I
could not type properly. Chapter Three is longer. I'm still working on
it, but I like it so far. It should be coming along soon. Please, please
review!! Flames are accepted. Flames will be used to threaten twin
sisters who take to loooooooong to review. Or to burn incriminating
evidence. Or to set the annoying school on fire. Or just the vice-
principals and a few despised teachers. Oh, and sorry, there are a lot of
changing of POV, but, trust me, it isn't that hard to find out whom, and I
am very sorry about that. Most of it is third person or whatever you call
it.
DISCLAIMER: SEE FORMER CHAPTERS BECAUSE I AM TOO LAZY TO TYPE IT HERE!
Chapter 2: The Hogwarts Express
Lily woke up and checked her watch. It read 5 A.M. Ugh, five endless hours before they left, six until the train left. She stared at the ceiling for another thirty minutes before deciding that going back to sleep would be impossible. She walked over to her trunk, checked her things, took another look at her wand and wondered downstairs.
She turned on the television and turned the volume down low as quiet as she could without it being inaudible.
"What are you doing up?" Go back to bed, and turn that off!" Petunia grumbled angrily.
"Can't," Lily whispered loudly with glee . "Lillian!" Petunia whined.
"Sh! You'll wake up mum and dad," Lily warned quietly.
"What's all this racket?" Lily's mum had come out as if on cue.
"I can't wait 'till 11:00!" Lily said anxiously.
"I know, we're so proud of you! We have a witch in the family!" her mother told her with a smile. Even though Lily knew that the first "we" meant "her".
"Guess dad changed his mind, must have been the alcohol," Petunia thought. "I want her to be quiet so that I can get some decent sleep!"
"Petunia, dear, why don't you go back to your room, so that Lily and a I can have a talk about Hogwarts!" Lily beamed and Petunia groaned and walked up the stairs anyroad.
"So what's it like?" Lily asked eagerly, moving from the armchair she was sitting to the couch with her mum.
"Well.I haven't been there in a long while-of course, I was only there during the holidays, but it is a huge castle, right next to a lake."
"Ooh, ace!" Lily exclaimed. Her mum put a finger over her lips meaning "Quiet!", and Lily nodded.
"Definitely," her mum agreed in a whisper, "and there are four Houses- Gryffindor, probably the best, for the brave, daddy and most of my family were in that House, had I gone, I probably would have as well. Then there is Slytherin for the ambitious, and one of my best friends was a Slytherin though they produce the most dark witches and wizards alive, Ravenclaw-for the smart, and Hufflepuff for the kind.
"I want to be in Gryffindor!" Lily decided, barely able to control her voice, "how do you find out what House you are in?"
Diane debated over whether or not to spoil the surprise of the Sorting Hat to her daughter, or-like most wizarding parents did-keep it a secret. "You'll see," she finally answered.
"Aw, Lily groaned. Maybe she wasn't supposed to know. What if it was some sort of test? What if she failed? What if they told her she wasn't kind enough for Hufflepuff? Not smart enough for Ravenclaw? Didn't have enough ambition for Slytherin? But, what worried her the most, what if she wasn't brave enough for Gryffindor in addition?! She suddenly got a feeling of dread in her stomach.
Her mum seemed to read her thoughts, "It's okay. I know that you'll get in the best House for you-in a thousand years there has been only one complain about House placement. Scorpio Malfoy. The only Malfoy not put in Slytherin. The-Sorter, in a way, found out how most Malfoys turned out, since the Sorter was quite intelligent. It thought that in addition to his great ambition he was quite intelligent as well. He wasn't the main complainant though, his father was, but he was pulled anyroad and sent to Durmstrang. Other Malfoy's just sort of cast him out of the family in their view and all the others were Hogwarts Slytherin.
"What if I'm put in Slytherin and become the second complaint?" Lily couldn't help thinking, but she managed a quick, "Oh."
"So, what do you want for breakfast-let's have a feast for before you leave!"
"Anything," Lily asked, running through breakfast foods in her head.
"And everything," her mum smiled sweetly.
"Erm," Lily thought, "How about fried bacon, pancakes, and banger."
"Okay, do you want to help me cook-last chance until the holidays. We're going to grab some take out food for lunch on the way to King's Cross."
"Sure-and a slice of grapefruit for Petunia's diet." Lily wished her sister would eat more-maybe she'd have some of the feast. She doubted it. Lily thought her sister was too skinny. Lily never saw her eat anything but fruit or vegetables. Petunia looked like a flagpole with a head, and a long neck. She had dark hair-like their father, it was really straight and thin, but she always got it permed. Lily on the other hand was thin, but not to thin and had thick, wavy, red hair.
"Yes," her mum nodded. They cooked a grand breakfast by 7:00. It looked more like a feast. Well, technically it was a feast. Her dad was the first to be out of bed and be out and dressed.
"What's this for?" her father grumbled.
"It's Lily's going away feast!" her mum exclaimed. Her dad just grunted. "Want a rasher of bacon, daddy?" Lily offered nervously.
"I have to leave-I'll just grab some take out food on the way to work," her said, not even taking one bite of their feast. Lily was disappointed, but she sat down with two pancakes, three rashers of bacon, and one banger.
Petunia stumbled out of bed tiredly. She looked at the feast and her mum and Lily eating. "Where's my grapefruit?" she asked.
"I'll get it," Lily offered. She disappointedly got up and cut a grapefruit in half and served it to her sister. By 8:00 the only Lily and her mum had eaten any of the feast.
Lily decided to scan through some of her schoolbooks before she left. Then maybe she'd know a little bit. She wondered of they all knew more than she did. What if everyone else had grown up in all this and she was the only one who doesn't know anything?
"Still worried about Hogwarts," her mum asked, ripping Lily from her thoughts.
"Why do you ask?" Lily said, trying to keep a straight face.
"Because you've been on 'Wingardium Leviosa' for ten minutes," her mum answered flatly. "What is it?"
"Does everyone know magic when they first go to Hogwarts?"
"Well, it depends on the person. Of heir parents were wizards, then they probably know a few household spells, if their parents were muggle (or non- magic people) and they studied their books-they probably know the words and such. But, a lot of them know just as much as you do, or less.
"Oh," Lily said.
"Come on, her mum announced, looking at the clock, let's go so we can trop off 'Tunia at Vernon's and grab some take out.
"Okay, 'Tunia! Time to go!" Lily called, running up the stairs to put her books away and drag her trunk down, along with Mira, of course.
Lily dragged her trunk down with little difficulty and her mum helped her drag her things out to the car. Lily opened Mira's cage and stroked her feathers.
She shut the cage and put the owl in the middle of the back seat and climbed in, her mum had secured her trunk in the trunk of the car.
Petunia came out in a different, prettier dress. She climbed in on the other side. "Ugh," Petunia exclaimed, "get that ruddy thing away from me!"
"Fine," Lily sighed and switched places with the owl.
Petunia and Lily didn't talk at all until they reached Vernon's.
"Miss you," Lily called, only three-quarters lying.
"Miss you, also," Petunia replied, only seven-eighths lying. Petunia hugged her little sister and whispered, "ruddy little git," not lying at all. Lily hugged her sister back and Petunia walked up to the door and not too long after she knocked, Vernon had opened the door and Petunia waved before walking in.
"Let's stop by McDonald's and then onto King's Cross!" her mum announced.
Lily and her mum talked a little bit about magic and Hogwarts before they reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare. Lily stayed in the car and finished her chips while her mum got a trolley and loaded her trunk and owl.
"C'mon, we have to get you to platform 9 ¾."
"Okay," Lily agreed. Platform Six, Platform Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten? "Er, mum, there is no Platform 9 ¾."
"Follow me," her mum said, she took Lily's trolley and started to run into the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten! Lily did the same as her mum, as she got closer logic told her to stop-that she was going to crash, but she kept going and she hit the wall-no, she went through the wall! Before her was a beautiful scarlet train that had the name 'Hogwarts Express'.
"Here," Lily snapped out of her trance. "Take your trunk and Mira onto the train and find your compartment. Bye! Love you!" They hugged and Lily took her stuff and found an empty compartment easily. About five minutes later a familiar face peered in.
"Lily?"
"Emily?" Lily asked.
"Erm, hi, do you mind if I sit here?"
"Not at all," Lily answered happily.
"Thanks!" Emily answered, looking relieved.
"So, erm, do you know any magic yet," Lily asked.
"Er, no," Emily answered.
"My mum is a witch, but my dad is a muggle. My mum doesn't use magic too often-only if my dad asks, isn't there, or doesn't care. She hasn't really taught me anything though. Do you know how we find out what House we are in, or anything about them? My mum just told me the names and the she was in Hufflepuff."
"Er, I know about them-but not anything about the sorting."
"Do tell."
"Well, my grandfather," Lily decided not to tell her that he was the Headmaster, "was in Gryffindor, and that's which one I want to be in-it's for the brave. Then there's Ravenclaw, which is for those really smart people. Hufflepuff is for the kind. Then there is Slytherin, it's supposed to be for the ambitious, but it's had the most dark wizards and witches than any other House. " "Yes, Slytherin sucks and Gryffindor is the best," two identical redheaded girls stood outside their compartment.
The redhead who had not agreed said, "Do you mind if we sit here? No other available compartments."
"Not at all," Emily answered.
"I'm Dana, she's Hannah," the first introduced.
"Lily."
"Emily."
"Our entire family has been in Gryffindor," Hannah explained.
"We're the youngest of eight," Dana added.
"The closest sister of ours is a 3rd year."
"The oldest brother, he's now married and has children."
A few minutes later a blonde boy who looked about fourteen opened the door. "This is the wrong compartment, idiot!" he told a larger boy who looked about thirteen.
"Er, well, I, er, thought you, uh, might want to criticise the newest weasels," the boy thought quickly.
"Good, Goyle."
"Ah, twin weasels? What have they gotten into? Do your parents still beg on the side of the street, weasels?"
"Lucius Malfoy, prat-hole extraordinairre," Dana explained.
"Of course, that's putting it nicely," Hannah added.
"Never have, never will," Dana answered Malfoy.
Hannah and Dana suddenly got identical malicious grins and asked together, "Your parents still begging You-Know-Who to be allowed grovel at his feet?"
"Aw, little weasels afraid of a name,"
"What, Vodemort?" they asked simultaneously.
"But, you've got to be afraid of the ministry raiding-which, as a matter of fact, or brother happens to work for."
The blonde looked almost afraid, and quickly changed the subject, "And look, the weasels are hanging out with a half-blood and a stupid little mudblood, what disgraceful company."
"Stop harassing them!" James called, "You're the disgraceful company here." James withdrew is wand threateningly. "Go back to your own compartment and I won't curse you."
"Ha," Malfoy laughed, "A little firstie, curse me?"
"I'm telling the truth, go now if you don't want to be scratching your arse throughout the feast."
Malfoy and his cronies pushed through James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, into the open compartment they had apparently come from-right next to them.
Sirius turned quickly and whispered, "Itchinetos." Sirius smiled and followed James and Remus into the compartment. "They, I didn't say that I wouldn't curse him." Sirius said matter-of-factly.
"That's mean," Lily jokingly scolded, "Brilliant, but mean."
"So, what did you do to him?" Dana asked eagerly.
"Same as James warned," Sirius answered.
"We just got finished testing it on one of his friends in the next compartment. Severus Snape, a soon-to-be-sorted-into Slytherin."
"Ace!" Dana and Hannah exclaimed together.
"So, we haven't met yet," Hannah pointed out, "By the way, I'm Hannah, she's Dana," Hannah gestured to her sister.
"Lily, and I believe we have met," Lily added formally.
"Emily."
"Hello, ma cherie, I am Sirius, the man of your dreams."
"In yours," James retorted, "I'm James, the real man of your dreams."
"Remus, the most sane and least egotistical of us, and James, Sirius, I believe you are referring to their nightmares."
"How did you know?" Emily asked with a shy grin.
"Peter," Peter said small, unable to come up with a remark as good as Sirius, James, or Remus.
A few minutes later the witch with the cart came by.
"May I but you a Pumpkin Pasty?" Sirius asked in a fake French accent.
"And I, Every Flavour Beans?" James offered, copying the accent.
"How about a chocolate frog?" Remus said, getting out money.
"Another chocolate frog?" Peter asked after counting his money.
"Sure," Hannah answered.
"Why not?" Dana added.
"Erm, if you want to," Lily answered hesitantly.
"Hm-I guess," Emily answered, as equally hesitant as Lily.
The boys bought the girls what they had offered and had a little money left over for themselves.
"Every Flavour Beans?" Lily asked, looking for a guide on the box.
"Yeah, every flavour. There's your normal stuff, like strawberry, chocolate, lemon-lime and such, and then there's also stuff like vomit, dirt, grass, and such," James explained.
"Uh-huh," Emily said, looking down at the box.
"What's this?" Lily asked, holding out a solid red one.
"Either Cherry or Cinnamon," James answered, taking it from her. He bit have of it, "Definitely Cherry."
"Hey," Lily exclaimed. Angrily she took it back and ate it, and to her joy it was Cherry flavoured.
"Anyone for a game of Exploding Snap?" Peter asked.
"Sure, we can teach these young ladies how it's played," Sirius said before the girls could ask.
"Yeah," James and Remus agreed.
"Sure," Dana agreed.
Accompanied by Hannah's, "Why not?"
"I guess so," Emily and Lily chorused.
"What's this?" Emily held out a green bean to Remus.
"Erm, you don't want that-Boogey flavoured," Remus concluded, throwing it at James, who ate it and made a face.
"Disgusting, James!" Lily exclaimed, making a face similar to James's.
"And oh so charming," James added with a smile.
"In my nightmares," Lily answered, chuckling.
"Aren't they cute!" Sirius exclaimed, "they're flirting!"
"Ugh," Lily answered.
"But you are. And you'll marry right out of Hogwarts and have ten kids!"
"With him? Ew!" "With her? Ew!" they exclaimed simultaneoulsy.
"Well, I feel complimented Lily said.
"So you're allowed to insult me, but I'm not allowed to insult you?"
"Exactly," Lily tried to keep a straight face, but she broke into a grin.
"Tell him, Lily," Dana cheered.
"Yeah, go Lily!" Hannah agreed.
"Sorry, James."
"Sorry, Lily."
The rest of the train ride was spent playing exploding snap, James and Remus throwing Lily and Emily's "bad" Every Flavour Beans at each other. And of couse discussing jokes to play on Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe (so James, Sirius, and Remus had said his name was).
Soon enough, the train came to a halt.
"Firs' years o'er 'ere," called a very large man. He looked like a giant to Lily, and Emily, and they were slightly afraid, though James, Sirius, Remus, Dana, and Hannah could tell that he was only half-giant and knew that he was friendly, and were rather unafraid. Peter had met the guys in Diagon Alley, and was more petrified than the girls put together and tripled. "C'm along, now." Hagrid led them to the edge of a lake. In the lake there were several boats. "Four t' a boat, now, 'urry up!"
"See ya," Lily said to James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
"See ya," they answered back. Shortly they got their first glimpse of Hogwarts. They all shared one thought-it was huge and magnificent.
To James, Sirius, Remus, Dana, and Hannah it was a place full of people to play practical jokes on. To Emily it was a place of freedom. To Lily, it was the perfect escape. For Peter it was a place where he could make loyal friends. He hoped.
Soon they were walking up the stone steps, getting ever closer to the beautiful castle. But before they got up to the door, a witch stopped them. The witch had dark hair that was pulled tightly into a bun.
"I am Professor McGonagall. Now in a moment, you will enter the Great Hall and you will be sorted into your Houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Wait here."
Professor McGonagall walked back into the Great Hall and though the eight friends were towards the front, they couldn't even get a glimpse into the inside of the school.
Moments later McGonagall came back out. "They're ready for you," she announced. The huge oak doors behind her swung open automatically. They walked in and stood between the two middle tables. They were right in front of the high table and between themselves and the table was a stool. And on that stool was a ragged old wizard's hat. To everyone's surprise, the hat began to sing.
Oh, you may think I am an old and brown,
Possibly broken down,
But I have a task to do,
To find the perfect House for you,
Ten Centuries back,
I was created with a task,
To Sort students when the founders were gone,
So why don't you just put me on,
And find where you belong,
Gryffindor may suit you,
If your heart is bold and true,
Or Ravenclaw may be your fancy,
If intelligence is what I see,
Slytherin you'll be in,
If you're full of ambition,
If you're a Hufflepuff I find,
You're sure to be sweet and kind.
Come forth young wizards and witches alike,
Don't be afraid, I won't bite,
Place me upon your head,
And as I have said,
I will find your place,
So get that look of doubt off your face!
"Abbot, Thomas," McGonagall read from a piece of parchment. It didn't take long for the hat to decide "HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Archwood, Anthony," was in Ravenclaw.
"Black, Sirius," McGonagall called. Sirius approached it cautiously. She barely had set the hat on his head when it decided, "GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius cleverly placed a fireworks grenade on the back rim of the hat, smiling he took his seat at the Gryffindor table.
Lily began to get nervous again and her fears of not getting sorted came back. She was afraid they'd send her home on the train and she'd never see her new friends again. Petunia would laugh so hard.
"Cabernet, Souverni," was sorted into Slytherin.
"Dialas, Anna," was sorted into Ravenclaw.
Lily went on worrying until she felt James hit her. "Ow, what was the for?" she whispered. James pointed up and McGonagall who had called her name for a second time.
"Hm, interesting. Kind, smart, brave, and oh, let's not look at your past! Well, how about Gryffindor, sound good to you?"
Lily had to restrain from leaping with joy, she sighed a breath of relief and thought, "Yes!"
Emily was called next. She was thinking over and over, "Gryffindor, Gryffindor, please Gryffindor."
"Hmmm," pondered the hat. "Gryffindor, eh?"
"Please?" Emily thought weakly.
"You would do well in Hufflepuff, but GRYFFINDOR it is!" Emily was relieved and sat next to Emily.
There were four more Hufflepuffs sorted, five more Ravenclaws, and three more Slytherin. And then they got to Remus.
"Lupin, Remus," he sat on the stool and put the hat on his head. "Oh, look at what you've been through, so strong! I know just the house for you," unfortunately at that moment the grenade had decided to go off right then. "GRYFFINDOR!" it coughed out. Everyone erupted in laughter.
"Who did that?" McGonagall called sharply. The whole Hall was silent now, looking around. "Confess now!" Still no one answered. She shook her head and called "Marstill, Jake," who was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Malfoy, Sleyth," McGonagall called.
"I thought Malfoy was older!" Emily whispered to Remus.
"Little brother," Remus explained, while glancing at the Slytherin table, happy t see that Sirius's spell was taking effect. He snickered and the other three glanced that way before seeing a blonde boy-almost a younger version of Lucius sit on the stool. He didn't even put the hat completely on before it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"
One more Hufflepuff, two more Ravenclaws and one Slytherin was sorted before McGonagall called, "Pettigrew, Peter."
A shaking Peter walked up to the stool and slowly put the hat on his head.
"It's okay, I don't bite," the hat assured the scared boy. "Okay, hmmmm, it seemed behind you cowardice and willingness to follow there is a thirst for power and recognition. How about Slytherin?"
Peter suppressed the urge to shout, "No!" and run back to the Express. The hat got the message.
"No, then, which House would you like, erm." the hat trailed off in thought.
"Gryffindor?" Peter thought suggestively.
"Oh.all right then GRYFFINDOR!"
"Potter, James," McGonagall called. James approached the stool confidently. "Hmm, Gryffindor sounds good, GRYFFINDOR!"
"Ranier, Raquel," was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Snape, Severus," the hat called.
Severus coolly walked up and put the hat on his head. "Ah, you would do well in Gryffindor!" the hat told him.
"I most certainly would not!" Severus argued, thinking of the words of his step-father.
"You sure you want to be a Slytherin?" asked the hat.
"Erm, positive," Severus said, sealing his fate as the hat yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"
"I'm hungry!" Sirius whined.
"You're always hungry," Remus retorted.
"It is a record though," James said glancing at his watch, "over five minutes without complaining for about food."
"Oy, shut it James!" They're complaining lasted through the sorting of a Hufflepuff, three more Slytherins and one more Ravenclaw.
"Verda, Vivian," was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Weasley, Dana," McGonagall called.
Dana approached the stool and she put the hat on her head, "Weasley-again," the hat sighed, "that phrase is really getting old. GRYFFINDOR!"
Hannah was already standing at the stool by the time McGonagall had called her name, being last and all. She placed the hat on her head.
"I was waiting for the twins," the hat told her, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Headmaster stood up and for the first time Lily looked at him-her grandfather. Well, at least she that that was her grandfather.
He smiled kindly at her and she knew that he was her grandfather. He proceeded to the regular announcements. When mentioning the part about the Forbidden Forest, Lily could have sworn he glanced in their direction. Actually it was probably for James and Sirius mainly. "He almost rolled his eyes when listing the objects added to the 'forbidden' list. She assumed that Sirius and James each probably had the entire list (which was posted in Filch's office) in their trunks.
No one was more happy than Sirius when Dumbledore made the food magically appear on the table. Was it just her, or did Sirius eat half of the things on the table before he stopped to 'let things digest'.
"Hullo!" a translucent head popped up from the chicken legs-well, the few that Sirius had left.
"Hello, Sir Nicholas," Hannah and Dana chorused.
"Ah, more Weasleys! How are you two?"
"Good," they answered simultaneously.
"How was," Hannah started, "your summer," Dana finished.
"Dismal," Sir Nicholas replied, "I ghost-owled a group called the headless horse hunt, but they would not let me join because my head was not properly severed."
"Aw," Dana started, "that stinks," Hannah finished.
"Yes, anyroad, to all of you, I am the Gryffindor ghost. You may ask me anything about Hogwarts and where to go."
"Thanks," Lily was the first to say, followed by Emily and eventually the rest of them, ending in James and Sirius.
"Hey, Sir Nicholas, what did you mean by 'not properly severed'?" Lily asked.
"This," Sir Nicholas said, promptly knocking his head to the side, it was holding on by only a few centimetres of skin.
"Ew!" the girls exclaimed at the same time the boys were exclaiming, "Brilliant!"
Half an hour later Dumbledore announced the end of the feast and a Prefect was leading them to a portrait of a fat lady where they stopped.
"Password?" the lady asked.
"Dragon heart," the prefect replied. The portrait swung open, revealing a beautiful room, decked in red and gold. They followed the Prefect into the room, which had several couches, chairs, and tables to do homework on. "This is the Common Room," the Prefect told them. The girls' dormitory is up the staircase and to the right and the boys' is on the left.
They ambled up the stairs, quite tried and ready to go to sleep. They said a quick "Goodnight," to their dorm-mates and slept in the large four-poster beds.
A/N: Phew. Still sorry for taking too long to update. I know, the sorting hat song wasn't all that good. Please review. Oh, and if you have any jokes you want to see you can e-mail them to me, IM them to me, or say so in a review. I have Chapter 3 written in my notebook, and will hopefully type it soon. Thanks so much, and please review!
Catsy-Thankyou so much, I feel loved!
DISCLAIMER: SEE FORMER CHAPTERS BECAUSE I AM TOO LAZY TO TYPE IT HERE!
Chapter 2: The Hogwarts Express
Lily woke up and checked her watch. It read 5 A.M. Ugh, five endless hours before they left, six until the train left. She stared at the ceiling for another thirty minutes before deciding that going back to sleep would be impossible. She walked over to her trunk, checked her things, took another look at her wand and wondered downstairs.
She turned on the television and turned the volume down low as quiet as she could without it being inaudible.
"What are you doing up?" Go back to bed, and turn that off!" Petunia grumbled angrily.
"Can't," Lily whispered loudly with glee . "Lillian!" Petunia whined.
"Sh! You'll wake up mum and dad," Lily warned quietly.
"What's all this racket?" Lily's mum had come out as if on cue.
"I can't wait 'till 11:00!" Lily said anxiously.
"I know, we're so proud of you! We have a witch in the family!" her mother told her with a smile. Even though Lily knew that the first "we" meant "her".
"Guess dad changed his mind, must have been the alcohol," Petunia thought. "I want her to be quiet so that I can get some decent sleep!"
"Petunia, dear, why don't you go back to your room, so that Lily and a I can have a talk about Hogwarts!" Lily beamed and Petunia groaned and walked up the stairs anyroad.
"So what's it like?" Lily asked eagerly, moving from the armchair she was sitting to the couch with her mum.
"Well.I haven't been there in a long while-of course, I was only there during the holidays, but it is a huge castle, right next to a lake."
"Ooh, ace!" Lily exclaimed. Her mum put a finger over her lips meaning "Quiet!", and Lily nodded.
"Definitely," her mum agreed in a whisper, "and there are four Houses- Gryffindor, probably the best, for the brave, daddy and most of my family were in that House, had I gone, I probably would have as well. Then there is Slytherin for the ambitious, and one of my best friends was a Slytherin though they produce the most dark witches and wizards alive, Ravenclaw-for the smart, and Hufflepuff for the kind.
"I want to be in Gryffindor!" Lily decided, barely able to control her voice, "how do you find out what House you are in?"
Diane debated over whether or not to spoil the surprise of the Sorting Hat to her daughter, or-like most wizarding parents did-keep it a secret. "You'll see," she finally answered.
"Aw, Lily groaned. Maybe she wasn't supposed to know. What if it was some sort of test? What if she failed? What if they told her she wasn't kind enough for Hufflepuff? Not smart enough for Ravenclaw? Didn't have enough ambition for Slytherin? But, what worried her the most, what if she wasn't brave enough for Gryffindor in addition?! She suddenly got a feeling of dread in her stomach.
Her mum seemed to read her thoughts, "It's okay. I know that you'll get in the best House for you-in a thousand years there has been only one complain about House placement. Scorpio Malfoy. The only Malfoy not put in Slytherin. The-Sorter, in a way, found out how most Malfoys turned out, since the Sorter was quite intelligent. It thought that in addition to his great ambition he was quite intelligent as well. He wasn't the main complainant though, his father was, but he was pulled anyroad and sent to Durmstrang. Other Malfoy's just sort of cast him out of the family in their view and all the others were Hogwarts Slytherin.
"What if I'm put in Slytherin and become the second complaint?" Lily couldn't help thinking, but she managed a quick, "Oh."
"So, what do you want for breakfast-let's have a feast for before you leave!"
"Anything," Lily asked, running through breakfast foods in her head.
"And everything," her mum smiled sweetly.
"Erm," Lily thought, "How about fried bacon, pancakes, and banger."
"Okay, do you want to help me cook-last chance until the holidays. We're going to grab some take out food for lunch on the way to King's Cross."
"Sure-and a slice of grapefruit for Petunia's diet." Lily wished her sister would eat more-maybe she'd have some of the feast. She doubted it. Lily thought her sister was too skinny. Lily never saw her eat anything but fruit or vegetables. Petunia looked like a flagpole with a head, and a long neck. She had dark hair-like their father, it was really straight and thin, but she always got it permed. Lily on the other hand was thin, but not to thin and had thick, wavy, red hair.
"Yes," her mum nodded. They cooked a grand breakfast by 7:00. It looked more like a feast. Well, technically it was a feast. Her dad was the first to be out of bed and be out and dressed.
"What's this for?" her father grumbled.
"It's Lily's going away feast!" her mum exclaimed. Her dad just grunted. "Want a rasher of bacon, daddy?" Lily offered nervously.
"I have to leave-I'll just grab some take out food on the way to work," her said, not even taking one bite of their feast. Lily was disappointed, but she sat down with two pancakes, three rashers of bacon, and one banger.
Petunia stumbled out of bed tiredly. She looked at the feast and her mum and Lily eating. "Where's my grapefruit?" she asked.
"I'll get it," Lily offered. She disappointedly got up and cut a grapefruit in half and served it to her sister. By 8:00 the only Lily and her mum had eaten any of the feast.
Lily decided to scan through some of her schoolbooks before she left. Then maybe she'd know a little bit. She wondered of they all knew more than she did. What if everyone else had grown up in all this and she was the only one who doesn't know anything?
"Still worried about Hogwarts," her mum asked, ripping Lily from her thoughts.
"Why do you ask?" Lily said, trying to keep a straight face.
"Because you've been on 'Wingardium Leviosa' for ten minutes," her mum answered flatly. "What is it?"
"Does everyone know magic when they first go to Hogwarts?"
"Well, it depends on the person. Of heir parents were wizards, then they probably know a few household spells, if their parents were muggle (or non- magic people) and they studied their books-they probably know the words and such. But, a lot of them know just as much as you do, or less.
"Oh," Lily said.
"Come on, her mum announced, looking at the clock, let's go so we can trop off 'Tunia at Vernon's and grab some take out.
"Okay, 'Tunia! Time to go!" Lily called, running up the stairs to put her books away and drag her trunk down, along with Mira, of course.
Lily dragged her trunk down with little difficulty and her mum helped her drag her things out to the car. Lily opened Mira's cage and stroked her feathers.
She shut the cage and put the owl in the middle of the back seat and climbed in, her mum had secured her trunk in the trunk of the car.
Petunia came out in a different, prettier dress. She climbed in on the other side. "Ugh," Petunia exclaimed, "get that ruddy thing away from me!"
"Fine," Lily sighed and switched places with the owl.
Petunia and Lily didn't talk at all until they reached Vernon's.
"Miss you," Lily called, only three-quarters lying.
"Miss you, also," Petunia replied, only seven-eighths lying. Petunia hugged her little sister and whispered, "ruddy little git," not lying at all. Lily hugged her sister back and Petunia walked up to the door and not too long after she knocked, Vernon had opened the door and Petunia waved before walking in.
"Let's stop by McDonald's and then onto King's Cross!" her mum announced.
Lily and her mum talked a little bit about magic and Hogwarts before they reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare. Lily stayed in the car and finished her chips while her mum got a trolley and loaded her trunk and owl.
"C'mon, we have to get you to platform 9 ¾."
"Okay," Lily agreed. Platform Six, Platform Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten? "Er, mum, there is no Platform 9 ¾."
"Follow me," her mum said, she took Lily's trolley and started to run into the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten! Lily did the same as her mum, as she got closer logic told her to stop-that she was going to crash, but she kept going and she hit the wall-no, she went through the wall! Before her was a beautiful scarlet train that had the name 'Hogwarts Express'.
"Here," Lily snapped out of her trance. "Take your trunk and Mira onto the train and find your compartment. Bye! Love you!" They hugged and Lily took her stuff and found an empty compartment easily. About five minutes later a familiar face peered in.
"Lily?"
"Emily?" Lily asked.
"Erm, hi, do you mind if I sit here?"
"Not at all," Lily answered happily.
"Thanks!" Emily answered, looking relieved.
"So, erm, do you know any magic yet," Lily asked.
"Er, no," Emily answered.
"My mum is a witch, but my dad is a muggle. My mum doesn't use magic too often-only if my dad asks, isn't there, or doesn't care. She hasn't really taught me anything though. Do you know how we find out what House we are in, or anything about them? My mum just told me the names and the she was in Hufflepuff."
"Er, I know about them-but not anything about the sorting."
"Do tell."
"Well, my grandfather," Lily decided not to tell her that he was the Headmaster, "was in Gryffindor, and that's which one I want to be in-it's for the brave. Then there's Ravenclaw, which is for those really smart people. Hufflepuff is for the kind. Then there is Slytherin, it's supposed to be for the ambitious, but it's had the most dark wizards and witches than any other House. " "Yes, Slytherin sucks and Gryffindor is the best," two identical redheaded girls stood outside their compartment.
The redhead who had not agreed said, "Do you mind if we sit here? No other available compartments."
"Not at all," Emily answered.
"I'm Dana, she's Hannah," the first introduced.
"Lily."
"Emily."
"Our entire family has been in Gryffindor," Hannah explained.
"We're the youngest of eight," Dana added.
"The closest sister of ours is a 3rd year."
"The oldest brother, he's now married and has children."
A few minutes later a blonde boy who looked about fourteen opened the door. "This is the wrong compartment, idiot!" he told a larger boy who looked about thirteen.
"Er, well, I, er, thought you, uh, might want to criticise the newest weasels," the boy thought quickly.
"Good, Goyle."
"Ah, twin weasels? What have they gotten into? Do your parents still beg on the side of the street, weasels?"
"Lucius Malfoy, prat-hole extraordinairre," Dana explained.
"Of course, that's putting it nicely," Hannah added.
"Never have, never will," Dana answered Malfoy.
Hannah and Dana suddenly got identical malicious grins and asked together, "Your parents still begging You-Know-Who to be allowed grovel at his feet?"
"Aw, little weasels afraid of a name,"
"What, Vodemort?" they asked simultaneously.
"But, you've got to be afraid of the ministry raiding-which, as a matter of fact, or brother happens to work for."
The blonde looked almost afraid, and quickly changed the subject, "And look, the weasels are hanging out with a half-blood and a stupid little mudblood, what disgraceful company."
"Stop harassing them!" James called, "You're the disgraceful company here." James withdrew is wand threateningly. "Go back to your own compartment and I won't curse you."
"Ha," Malfoy laughed, "A little firstie, curse me?"
"I'm telling the truth, go now if you don't want to be scratching your arse throughout the feast."
Malfoy and his cronies pushed through James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, into the open compartment they had apparently come from-right next to them.
Sirius turned quickly and whispered, "Itchinetos." Sirius smiled and followed James and Remus into the compartment. "They, I didn't say that I wouldn't curse him." Sirius said matter-of-factly.
"That's mean," Lily jokingly scolded, "Brilliant, but mean."
"So, what did you do to him?" Dana asked eagerly.
"Same as James warned," Sirius answered.
"We just got finished testing it on one of his friends in the next compartment. Severus Snape, a soon-to-be-sorted-into Slytherin."
"Ace!" Dana and Hannah exclaimed together.
"So, we haven't met yet," Hannah pointed out, "By the way, I'm Hannah, she's Dana," Hannah gestured to her sister.
"Lily, and I believe we have met," Lily added formally.
"Emily."
"Hello, ma cherie, I am Sirius, the man of your dreams."
"In yours," James retorted, "I'm James, the real man of your dreams."
"Remus, the most sane and least egotistical of us, and James, Sirius, I believe you are referring to their nightmares."
"How did you know?" Emily asked with a shy grin.
"Peter," Peter said small, unable to come up with a remark as good as Sirius, James, or Remus.
A few minutes later the witch with the cart came by.
"May I but you a Pumpkin Pasty?" Sirius asked in a fake French accent.
"And I, Every Flavour Beans?" James offered, copying the accent.
"How about a chocolate frog?" Remus said, getting out money.
"Another chocolate frog?" Peter asked after counting his money.
"Sure," Hannah answered.
"Why not?" Dana added.
"Erm, if you want to," Lily answered hesitantly.
"Hm-I guess," Emily answered, as equally hesitant as Lily.
The boys bought the girls what they had offered and had a little money left over for themselves.
"Every Flavour Beans?" Lily asked, looking for a guide on the box.
"Yeah, every flavour. There's your normal stuff, like strawberry, chocolate, lemon-lime and such, and then there's also stuff like vomit, dirt, grass, and such," James explained.
"Uh-huh," Emily said, looking down at the box.
"What's this?" Lily asked, holding out a solid red one.
"Either Cherry or Cinnamon," James answered, taking it from her. He bit have of it, "Definitely Cherry."
"Hey," Lily exclaimed. Angrily she took it back and ate it, and to her joy it was Cherry flavoured.
"Anyone for a game of Exploding Snap?" Peter asked.
"Sure, we can teach these young ladies how it's played," Sirius said before the girls could ask.
"Yeah," James and Remus agreed.
"Sure," Dana agreed.
Accompanied by Hannah's, "Why not?"
"I guess so," Emily and Lily chorused.
"What's this?" Emily held out a green bean to Remus.
"Erm, you don't want that-Boogey flavoured," Remus concluded, throwing it at James, who ate it and made a face.
"Disgusting, James!" Lily exclaimed, making a face similar to James's.
"And oh so charming," James added with a smile.
"In my nightmares," Lily answered, chuckling.
"Aren't they cute!" Sirius exclaimed, "they're flirting!"
"Ugh," Lily answered.
"But you are. And you'll marry right out of Hogwarts and have ten kids!"
"With him? Ew!" "With her? Ew!" they exclaimed simultaneoulsy.
"Well, I feel complimented Lily said.
"So you're allowed to insult me, but I'm not allowed to insult you?"
"Exactly," Lily tried to keep a straight face, but she broke into a grin.
"Tell him, Lily," Dana cheered.
"Yeah, go Lily!" Hannah agreed.
"Sorry, James."
"Sorry, Lily."
The rest of the train ride was spent playing exploding snap, James and Remus throwing Lily and Emily's "bad" Every Flavour Beans at each other. And of couse discussing jokes to play on Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe (so James, Sirius, and Remus had said his name was).
Soon enough, the train came to a halt.
"Firs' years o'er 'ere," called a very large man. He looked like a giant to Lily, and Emily, and they were slightly afraid, though James, Sirius, Remus, Dana, and Hannah could tell that he was only half-giant and knew that he was friendly, and were rather unafraid. Peter had met the guys in Diagon Alley, and was more petrified than the girls put together and tripled. "C'm along, now." Hagrid led them to the edge of a lake. In the lake there were several boats. "Four t' a boat, now, 'urry up!"
"See ya," Lily said to James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
"See ya," they answered back. Shortly they got their first glimpse of Hogwarts. They all shared one thought-it was huge and magnificent.
To James, Sirius, Remus, Dana, and Hannah it was a place full of people to play practical jokes on. To Emily it was a place of freedom. To Lily, it was the perfect escape. For Peter it was a place where he could make loyal friends. He hoped.
Soon they were walking up the stone steps, getting ever closer to the beautiful castle. But before they got up to the door, a witch stopped them. The witch had dark hair that was pulled tightly into a bun.
"I am Professor McGonagall. Now in a moment, you will enter the Great Hall and you will be sorted into your Houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Wait here."
Professor McGonagall walked back into the Great Hall and though the eight friends were towards the front, they couldn't even get a glimpse into the inside of the school.
Moments later McGonagall came back out. "They're ready for you," she announced. The huge oak doors behind her swung open automatically. They walked in and stood between the two middle tables. They were right in front of the high table and between themselves and the table was a stool. And on that stool was a ragged old wizard's hat. To everyone's surprise, the hat began to sing.
Oh, you may think I am an old and brown,
Possibly broken down,
But I have a task to do,
To find the perfect House for you,
Ten Centuries back,
I was created with a task,
To Sort students when the founders were gone,
So why don't you just put me on,
And find where you belong,
Gryffindor may suit you,
If your heart is bold and true,
Or Ravenclaw may be your fancy,
If intelligence is what I see,
Slytherin you'll be in,
If you're full of ambition,
If you're a Hufflepuff I find,
You're sure to be sweet and kind.
Come forth young wizards and witches alike,
Don't be afraid, I won't bite,
Place me upon your head,
And as I have said,
I will find your place,
So get that look of doubt off your face!
"Abbot, Thomas," McGonagall read from a piece of parchment. It didn't take long for the hat to decide "HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Archwood, Anthony," was in Ravenclaw.
"Black, Sirius," McGonagall called. Sirius approached it cautiously. She barely had set the hat on his head when it decided, "GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius cleverly placed a fireworks grenade on the back rim of the hat, smiling he took his seat at the Gryffindor table.
Lily began to get nervous again and her fears of not getting sorted came back. She was afraid they'd send her home on the train and she'd never see her new friends again. Petunia would laugh so hard.
"Cabernet, Souverni," was sorted into Slytherin.
"Dialas, Anna," was sorted into Ravenclaw.
Lily went on worrying until she felt James hit her. "Ow, what was the for?" she whispered. James pointed up and McGonagall who had called her name for a second time.
"Hm, interesting. Kind, smart, brave, and oh, let's not look at your past! Well, how about Gryffindor, sound good to you?"
Lily had to restrain from leaping with joy, she sighed a breath of relief and thought, "Yes!"
Emily was called next. She was thinking over and over, "Gryffindor, Gryffindor, please Gryffindor."
"Hmmm," pondered the hat. "Gryffindor, eh?"
"Please?" Emily thought weakly.
"You would do well in Hufflepuff, but GRYFFINDOR it is!" Emily was relieved and sat next to Emily.
There were four more Hufflepuffs sorted, five more Ravenclaws, and three more Slytherin. And then they got to Remus.
"Lupin, Remus," he sat on the stool and put the hat on his head. "Oh, look at what you've been through, so strong! I know just the house for you," unfortunately at that moment the grenade had decided to go off right then. "GRYFFINDOR!" it coughed out. Everyone erupted in laughter.
"Who did that?" McGonagall called sharply. The whole Hall was silent now, looking around. "Confess now!" Still no one answered. She shook her head and called "Marstill, Jake," who was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Malfoy, Sleyth," McGonagall called.
"I thought Malfoy was older!" Emily whispered to Remus.
"Little brother," Remus explained, while glancing at the Slytherin table, happy t see that Sirius's spell was taking effect. He snickered and the other three glanced that way before seeing a blonde boy-almost a younger version of Lucius sit on the stool. He didn't even put the hat completely on before it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"
One more Hufflepuff, two more Ravenclaws and one Slytherin was sorted before McGonagall called, "Pettigrew, Peter."
A shaking Peter walked up to the stool and slowly put the hat on his head.
"It's okay, I don't bite," the hat assured the scared boy. "Okay, hmmmm, it seemed behind you cowardice and willingness to follow there is a thirst for power and recognition. How about Slytherin?"
Peter suppressed the urge to shout, "No!" and run back to the Express. The hat got the message.
"No, then, which House would you like, erm." the hat trailed off in thought.
"Gryffindor?" Peter thought suggestively.
"Oh.all right then GRYFFINDOR!"
"Potter, James," McGonagall called. James approached the stool confidently. "Hmm, Gryffindor sounds good, GRYFFINDOR!"
"Ranier, Raquel," was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Snape, Severus," the hat called.
Severus coolly walked up and put the hat on his head. "Ah, you would do well in Gryffindor!" the hat told him.
"I most certainly would not!" Severus argued, thinking of the words of his step-father.
"You sure you want to be a Slytherin?" asked the hat.
"Erm, positive," Severus said, sealing his fate as the hat yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"
"I'm hungry!" Sirius whined.
"You're always hungry," Remus retorted.
"It is a record though," James said glancing at his watch, "over five minutes without complaining for about food."
"Oy, shut it James!" They're complaining lasted through the sorting of a Hufflepuff, three more Slytherins and one more Ravenclaw.
"Verda, Vivian," was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Weasley, Dana," McGonagall called.
Dana approached the stool and she put the hat on her head, "Weasley-again," the hat sighed, "that phrase is really getting old. GRYFFINDOR!"
Hannah was already standing at the stool by the time McGonagall had called her name, being last and all. She placed the hat on her head.
"I was waiting for the twins," the hat told her, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Headmaster stood up and for the first time Lily looked at him-her grandfather. Well, at least she that that was her grandfather.
He smiled kindly at her and she knew that he was her grandfather. He proceeded to the regular announcements. When mentioning the part about the Forbidden Forest, Lily could have sworn he glanced in their direction. Actually it was probably for James and Sirius mainly. "He almost rolled his eyes when listing the objects added to the 'forbidden' list. She assumed that Sirius and James each probably had the entire list (which was posted in Filch's office) in their trunks.
No one was more happy than Sirius when Dumbledore made the food magically appear on the table. Was it just her, or did Sirius eat half of the things on the table before he stopped to 'let things digest'.
"Hullo!" a translucent head popped up from the chicken legs-well, the few that Sirius had left.
"Hello, Sir Nicholas," Hannah and Dana chorused.
"Ah, more Weasleys! How are you two?"
"Good," they answered simultaneously.
"How was," Hannah started, "your summer," Dana finished.
"Dismal," Sir Nicholas replied, "I ghost-owled a group called the headless horse hunt, but they would not let me join because my head was not properly severed."
"Aw," Dana started, "that stinks," Hannah finished.
"Yes, anyroad, to all of you, I am the Gryffindor ghost. You may ask me anything about Hogwarts and where to go."
"Thanks," Lily was the first to say, followed by Emily and eventually the rest of them, ending in James and Sirius.
"Hey, Sir Nicholas, what did you mean by 'not properly severed'?" Lily asked.
"This," Sir Nicholas said, promptly knocking his head to the side, it was holding on by only a few centimetres of skin.
"Ew!" the girls exclaimed at the same time the boys were exclaiming, "Brilliant!"
Half an hour later Dumbledore announced the end of the feast and a Prefect was leading them to a portrait of a fat lady where they stopped.
"Password?" the lady asked.
"Dragon heart," the prefect replied. The portrait swung open, revealing a beautiful room, decked in red and gold. They followed the Prefect into the room, which had several couches, chairs, and tables to do homework on. "This is the Common Room," the Prefect told them. The girls' dormitory is up the staircase and to the right and the boys' is on the left.
They ambled up the stairs, quite tried and ready to go to sleep. They said a quick "Goodnight," to their dorm-mates and slept in the large four-poster beds.
A/N: Phew. Still sorry for taking too long to update. I know, the sorting hat song wasn't all that good. Please review. Oh, and if you have any jokes you want to see you can e-mail them to me, IM them to me, or say so in a review. I have Chapter 3 written in my notebook, and will hopefully type it soon. Thanks so much, and please review!
Catsy-Thankyou so much, I feel loved!
