The Pranking Wars
Author's Note: Hey everybody! This is new fic that I decided to start. I have so far not had much attention with Harry Potter and the Curse of the Gypsy, but this story can help explain some of the things in that story if you have read it. This is year one through their deaths for Lily and James. It has an interesting way of looking at Lily, and I hope you like it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not nor have I ever owned Harry Potter or any character from these books. I own the plot of this story, and Cassy Reed. That is it. Okay, got that? Now you can't sue me.
Chapter Two
"What was up with those two, Remus?" Lily asked with obvious disgust. "I mean, they seemed like complete jerks."
"They are." Remus said uncomfortably. "I used to live near them for most of my life. They thought it was highly amusing to do whatever they could to get under my skin. I really wish I didn't have to see them our first day here."
"I just hope I'm not in the same house as them." She said huffily, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, they'll probably end up in that house Slytherin, right? I hear that's where all the bad wizards come from."
Remus shook his head slowly. "No...I don't know about that. They aren't really mean or anything. I don't even know why they make fun of me for being smart. To tell the truth, they make the same exact marks as me. And I don't flaunt it or anything."
Lily shrugged. "Well...just don't let them do anything to you, all right? I don't think you should get in trouble just because of them. And if they do anything to you...well, we're learning magic just as much as they are. We can do something back to them, can't we?"
"Yeah." He grinned happily. "I guess we can, can't we? It isn't like they're smarter than we are. I guess we'll just have to prove to them we mean business."
She smiled back. "Who were they anyway? Sirius and James? Are they brothers?"
"Practically." He muttered. "Back where we come from, you never see one without the other. But they aren't related. James comes from a very rich and very old family. Some people say that somewhere along the long they were connected with the founders themselves. But Sirius..."
"Well?" Lily persisted when Remus paused.
"Well, the Black family is old, but poor. It's just Sirius and his brother Donovan, and their mother. I don't really know what happened to his dad. He was killed somehow. But Sirius' mum actually worked for the Potter family for awhile. I guess that's how they met. And then they decided to start pranking people. I just happened to become their main target."
"Hmm..." Lily frowned as she thought of the boy with the messy black hair. He had seemed nice enough. Until he got that fiendish glint in his eyes. "Maybe it will be okay if he finds somebody better to prank. Who knows...you could end up being friends."
Remus snorted. "Yeah. If you say so." Both of them looked up as a tall girl with bright red hair----much brighter than Lily's dark auburn---- walked into the room.
"You haven't seen two dorks around here, have you? One with messy black hair and one with longish black hair? I think I might owe them an apology." Remus and Lily looked at each other and snorted.
"Erm...I think you might mean James Potter and Sirius Black." Remus said, obviously amused by them being described as dorks. "They were just looking for you, I believe."
"Looking for me?" she said in a puzzled tone.
"Yeah. They thought I was you. Red hair and all." Lily rolled her eyes. "I believe they were trying to threaten you or something."
"Threaten me?" she said in an angry tone. "Why those...I was just coming to apologize! And I was being nice about it too! Especially after they almost run me over on a cart."
"Sounds like Sirius and James." Remus muttered. "You know, I'm not sure if they will ever grow up."
"You know them?" she said suspiciously. "Are you, like...friends or something?"
"Definitely not friends." He stated, narrowing his eyes. "They used to find it a useful hobby to torture me every moment they got."
The girl sat down beside them and shook her head. "I'm not sure if I want to meet these guys again, after all. I don't want to be around when they start learning real spells." She sighed. "I guess we'll just have to protect each other from them, won't we? My name is Cassandra Reed. Everybody calls me Cassy, though."
"I'm Remus Lupin. This is Lily Evans." Remus smiled at her. "Hello, Cassy."
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"I feel kind of bad about doing that to Loopy." James commented as he bit into a Pumpkin Pasty. "I mean, he really didn't do anything to us..."
"Hey, all's fair in love and pranks." Sirius said through a mouthful of chocolate frog. "And what about that girl he was with? What a temper."
"Yeah. I was afraid she was going to bite my head off." He shook his head. "Most likely you'll end up marrying her, Sirius. You always did go for danger."
"Sure." He snorted. "If I know you, you'll be the one who falls for that chick. You like the feisty ones, don't you?"
James frowned and threw the remaining bit of his pumpkin pasty at Sirius' head. He dodged it and stuck his tongue out. "You're the one who started it anyway. You shouldn't have gone looking for that other girl in the first place. Just leave her be. Fear her. Redheads are dangerous."
"You're just saying that because you like them so much." Sirius snorted. "You want them all for yourself, don't you?"
"Listen, you..."
"Boys?" A girl with long black hair stuck her head in the room and glanced down at them, smiling. "Hello, there. I just thought that I better tell you we'll be at the school in about thirty minutes. You better go ahead and get changed."
"Okay. Thanks." She grinned merrily before backing out and closing the door. James and Sirius watched for a moment before turning back to look at one another. "Who...was that?"
"Dunno." James whistled. "Never seen her around the house before. Dad only brings around business. Lucky me----I get stuck with Lucius Malfoy." He rolled his eyes. "But she was right. We better get changed. Where'd we put our stuff?"
"Erm...three compartments down, I think. Come on." He stood up and quietly opened the compartment that the older girl had peeked in from. She appeared to be in her last year. She smiled at them as they walked past, blushing. They didn't say anything to her.
The second compartment held an umpleasant surprise. "Oh look...it's ickle Jamesie." Lucius Malfoy sneered, looking at him. "What are you coming in here, for? Trying to fit in on your first day?"
James groaned to himself. "Hey, we're just passing through. Got a problem with that?" Lucius squinted and stood up, looking down at James and Sirius.
"We don't like snotty nosed first years coming in here if they aren't invited." He smirked, his ice blue eyes glimmering wickedly. "So why don't you be a good little boy and go away?"
"We're just going to get our stuff." James stated, trying to pass by Lucius. He reached out and grabbed James by the shoulder.
"Come on, we're just trying to have a nice conversation. Aren't we, guys?" he said. The giant boys beside him smirked and cracked their knuckles.
"Oh, you're so strong. Beating up first years. What, all the fourth years too strong for you?" Sirius scowled, crossing his arms.
Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Oh, come on, I was just trying to make you feel welcome. But if you'd like, I have somebody your own age to indtroduce you to. Severus?"
A pale boy with long, greasy black hair and a rather long, crooked nose rose from the seat in the back of the compartment and walked over to Lucius. He uncomfortably crossed his arms, trying to scowl at them in a menacing way. It wasn't effective.
"Him?" Sirius snorted, trying and failing to keep from laughing. "You think he can do something to us?"
Severus scowled darkly. "I know more curses than you'll ever learn in your entire life. Don't think I won't use one."
James grinned eagerly. "Oh come now, Lucius, you can do better than that. What is he, like a little trained dog or something?"
"A weasel." Sirius chuckled. James broke out in loud laughter.
"No...no, how about a flobberworm..."
"ENOUGH!" Severus shouted, glaring at them. "Don't think that I was just saying that...would you like to go for the sorting with boils all over your head?"
"Just try it, Sevvie." James mocked. "Come on." Severus pulled a wand out his robes and pointed it at James. He muttered an incantation and just as it began to emit bright green and silver sparks...
"SEVERUS!" The girl from the next compartment ran in and jerked the wand out of his hands. "Why do you have to start trouble your first day here? You don't want to make enemies, do you? Can't you at least make it to the sorting before you get yourself expelled?" She stood in front of him, her arms crossed, eyes fuming.
"Izzy, I...I...I was just showing them a spell I read about the other day. I wasn't going to hurt them."
"You think I've been going to Hogwarts for six years, going on seven and don't know a curse when I see one? Really. Keep doing that and you'll end up worse than a squib." Severus scowled at her.
"Come on, Izzy, do you have to do this now? I mean, can't it wait till later?" She frowned at him before shoving the wand back into his hands.
"We'll talk after the sorting." She muttered. "You two," she said to Sirius and James, "I'm sorry for any trouble my little brother may have caused." She flicked her head back. "He forgets sometimes that he isn't a trained chimp." She walked from the compartment, leaving the door behind her open. Lucius Malfoy and his cronies looked after her in admiration. James had the sudden feeling he knew why they were being so nice to Severus Snape.
"Let's get out of here." James said quietly. He and Sirius slipped quickly out. Severus still looked a bit shocked.
They closed the door quietly when they reached the compartment. Suddenly, three pairs of eyes glared in their direction.
"We've left the snake pit to enter the lion's den." Sirius moaned. Staring back at them were Cassy Reed, Remus Lupin, and Lily Evans.
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Lily looked at Sirius and James with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Though they hadn't been the people she most wanted to see in the world----far from it----the look of utter dread in their faces was almost enough to make her enjoy their entrance. Almost.
"What are you doing here?" Remus asked warily.
"Our stuff...this is where we left it. Do you mind?" James shot back. Remus shrugged, motioning towards the trunks.
"Be my guest."
They pulled their things out of the compartment and Remus, Cassy, and Lily all looked at one another. "What should we do?" hissed Lily when it was apparent that the two were intent on staying, even after they had slipped into their robes.
"I dunno." Whispered Cassy back, shooting them an ice cold glance. "Should we...you know, ask them to go?"
"They may be jerks, but I don't want to be rude or anything." Lily mumbled.
Cassy sighed and spoke aloud to the boys, who were engaged in a game of exploding snap. "Hey, you two. I'm not going to say that I was wrong, or anything, but I really shouldn't have been as impolite as I was earlier."
Lily stifled a laugh as the boys looked over, twin expressions of surprise on their faces. "Really?" James finally muttered. "I mean...you're not going to play nice and then, like, put acid pops in our food at dinner, are you?"
She snorted. "That would be fun, but no, I really don't feel like watching you spit food out all over the table." She made a face as she pictured the image. "Besides, we might not even be in the same house as you two."
"Yeah." Mumbled Sirius. "If we're lucky, you'll all be in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw or something."
"What?" said Cassy in slight irritation. "How do you know that you won't be put in one of those houses? Or Slytherin, for that matter?"
Everybody in the compartment made faces. "I don't think any of us will be Slytherin." James finally said. "I don't think that any of us are quite that slimy. You know, like that weird kid in the next compartment. Sevvie."
"Sevvie?" Remus frowned. "You don't happen to mean Severus Snape by any chance, do you?" James snorted and Sirius frowned.
"You know that greaseball?"
"Unfortunately." Remus winced. "I moved in next to him and his sister at the orphanage after I moved away from you. From one awful neighbor to another." He grimaced again. "His sister is nice enough, but he is a nightmare. Always threatening me with one curse or another. Once he tried to slip a truth potion into my food. Veritaserum."
"Sounds like him." James grumbled. "He's a Slytherin, for sure."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Wow, you two actually agree on something? I think I might die from shock."
"If you met this kid you'd think these two were angels." Remus said quietly. "He's kind of creepy."
Cassy tapped her hand against her chin thoughtfully. "I met him once. He was kind of funny." She froze when they others all stared at her. "In a weird, kind of slimy way."
They all laughed as they felt the train pull to a stop. "Evry un' out now!" A deep voice shouted from outside. "Firs' years to the boats. Leave yer' trunks on the train." They all climbed out and stood face to face with a very large man with a wild tangle of black hair. His beady black eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Firs' years over here! Four ter a boat, now! C'mon!" Remus, Lily, and Cassy quickly climbed into a boat and looked at James and Sirius triumphantly, who would have had to split up for one to climb on with them. Obviously they weren't going to do that. Instead, they got on a boat with a young, plump boy and a pretty girl with dark hair.
They were leaned in, whispering with one another when they felt the rocking of the boat as another person climbed in. Remus leaned back in obvious distaste. It was Severus Snape.
"Ugh." He grunted. "Don't you have anywhere else to go"
"There isn't any more space." Severus mumbled. "All the other boats are filled."
"Ready now? Heave off!" The large man called as all the boats suddenly began to float across the large lake. Lily looked down uncomfortably before looking up at the boy.
"Erm...hello. My name is Lily." She smiled warily. Severus glared silently at her. "Ahem...all right then." She turned away to shoot Remus a pleading glance.
"So..." Cassy continued, "Do you remember me? I think we met before. When my mum taught at your school for a little while..."
"I remember you." He said, after a long moment. "You were that annoying redhead that always had to get all the answers right. A know-it- all." Cassy tossed her head, offended.
"I am NOT a know-it-all." She snorted. "Can I help it if I occasionally get an answer right?"
"Occasionally?" he muttered. "You knew the Elementary History of Magic textbook from front to back."
"Well." Cassy turned away and looked pointedly at Remus. "So. What house do you think you're going to be in?"
Remus smiled brightly. "Gryffindor. What else? Do you think I'm going to be in Slytherin or something?" Severus scowled.
"No." Cassy said dryly. "You're not that much of a..." Cassy never finished her sentence. The boat bumped hard on the dock. Lily fell over onto Remus' shoulder, while Cassy slipped into Severus' lap. "UAGH!" she shouted as she hoisted herself up, rubbing her hands vigorously on her robes. "That did NOT just happen."
Lily snorted. Remus jumped out and lifted Lily by the hand. She stumbled out and Remus turned back to help Cassy out. He smiled wickedly as Severus began staggering out and kicked the boat lightly with his foot. It began floating back to the opposite shore. "Oops." He murmured as he took both of the girls by the arms and escorted them into the great hall.
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"Did you see that Snape kid?" one girl said softly, stifling a laugh.
"He turned his boat over...soaking wet." Another replied.
James looked over to a shadowy portion of the great hall, where a boy was covered in the large man's giant moleskin cloak. His face had gone even paler and he looked at everybody with eyes full of contempt. The whispers were everywhere. Sirius was smiling gleefully, as if his birthday had come early.
"I can't believe it." he said happily. "He was thrashing around like a fish."
James snorted. "Yeah. I reckon that's the first time his hair has touched water in years." He and Sirius glanced quietly over at Severus, who was very disgruntled.
"Everybody, may I have your attention?" McGonagall, a woman with square spectacles and hair in a tight black bun, addressed the group of first years. Everybody quickly went quiet. "The Sorting will begin in a few moments. If you will please follow me..single file, please..." They followed quietly. All were feeling slightly anxious. James nervously patted down his hair.
"Look...there's Donovan." Sirius murmured. Sure enough, his brother was looking up at them, his Head Boy badge gleaming in the light.
"Now, the Sorting Hat." James and Sirius stared at the old battered hat that was brought out from behind a door opposite them. She set it down on a chair and it began to sing from the rip in it's brim.
Centuries ago four founders, Of wit, and skill, and bravery. Founded here at Hogwarts, A school for Witch and Wizardry, But when they found they needed, Someone to choose the student's place, No founder of them could agree, On a test to run them like a race. 'Tis wit to test them, said the fair, And wise Rowena Ravenclaw. Nay, strength and work, Said Hufflepuff, nodding to them, one and all, Cunning, then, said Slytherin, Ambition is the thing to test, No, courage, said one Gryffindor, Should test them above all the rest. So then, when all was done and said, Gryffindor, he made a plan, He took me from atop his head, And said I'd be the one to choose. So I'll look into all your minds, Amid the space and other stuff, And tell you where you ought to be, So you can go and learn some fluff!
James stared at the hat as it finished its song. "Well." He muttered. "That was distinctly odd."
"You're telling me." Sirius murmured back.
She stood up and raised a hand to quiet them. "Now." She said, nodding. "When I call your name, I would like you to come up here and place the hat on your head. When it has called your name, return to your table." A low murmur filled the hall. The students looked up at her. All looked ruffled.
"BLACK, SIRIUS!" He glanced over at his friend.
"Watch this." He muttered. "Donovan bewitched my robes before we left." He walked over to the chair and sat. She placed the hat on his head and he sat there for a long moment before it finally cried out...
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat was taken from his head and a loud cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table. Sirius bowed, and as he did a sharp golden glow tore through his robes. They suddenly turned gold and scarlet.
"Enough, Mr. Black." McGonagall muttered. He smirked and turned to go to his table. As he did SLYTHERINS STINK flashed across his back. Three quarters of the hall erupted into loud laughter. The teacher frowned from where she was standing. James got the impression she was making a mental note to talk to him after the sorting.
A few others went before it cried out, "EVANS, LILY!" The young girl from the train stepped forward nervously. It took a moment before it made her a Gryffindor. She also got applause as she went to her table.
Others went. The chubby boy from the boat became a Hufflepuff, and a girl with light blonde hair a Ravenclaw
"LUPIN, REMUS!" Remus stepped out onto the floor, sitting quietly on the stool. But his awkward worry seemed unfounded. No sooner had it touched his head than...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"POTTER, JAMES!" he stepped forward, feeling slightly awkward. Sirius, his robes still gold and scarlet, grinned at him from the table. He scowled as he sat and felt the hat lowered over his head.
"Hmm..." he heard a voice inside his head. "Well, this is an interesting place. What a mind you have boy...not so fond of hard work, eh? Not a hufflepuff I guess. Intelligent, very much so, and ambitious too. But I see that great things will come to pass...you're name will one day be well-known, and not only yours I see...what things will come to pass...but, for now I see, you better be GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was said loudly to the hall. James stumbled forward greatfully. He went to the table and sat beside Sirius. Remus and Lily were sitting awkwardly across from them. Donovan grinned.
"How are all of you doing?" he said quietly. "Welcome to Gryffindor. This is really the best house. I know I'm not supposed to be as biased, now that I'm head boy, but..." He grinned a grin identical to that of Sirius, "Well, let's just say that isn't the case."
Lily smiled politely. "Thank you for the welcome." She said. "You're certainly more well-mannered than some people." She said, glaring at James and Sirius.
"Oh, you mean my puppy?" he said, pointing at Sirius. "Nah, he isn't rude. Just an annoyance. Sometimes I think mum bought him off a gypsy or something."
"Hah." Sirius muttered. "You only say that because you know how much smarter I am than you."
"Sure, kid." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."
"REED, CASSANDRA!" James looked up as the other redhead stepped across the stage. She smiled uncomfortably as it was set upon her head. "RAVENCLAW!" It yelled finally. Cassy smiled happily, though she looked a little crestfallen that she wouldn't be in the same house as her new friend. She waved as she made her way to the Ravenclaw table.
"SNAPE, SEVERUS!" Sirius elbowed James as the greasy haired boy made his way across the stage. He no longer wore the coat, though he still looked decidedly damp. Murmurs of laughter were going across the hall as his story was shared.
"SLYTHERIN!" It shouted. James rolled his eyes. "Didn't see that one coming."
McGonagoll smiled at them. "Well, that is all for this year. And now for a word from our headmaster, Albus..." She paused when she realized that Dumbledore was not in his customary spot at the table. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen. McGonagall frowned. "Has anybody seen him?" she muttered to the teachers at the table behind her. They all shook their heads.
"Where do you think he is?" James said quietly.
"Dunno." Sirius muttered. "I'm almost afraid to ask."
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Hey all of you guys! How do you like the fic so far? This is starting a little like a love/hate fic, so don't get huffy and think it's going to be cliché! That all changes soon, with a little help from good ol' Sevvie! Donovan is cool, isn't he? He's like an older Sirius, except a little more 'serious'. REALLY sorry about that pun. Please READ AND REVIEW and I will love you forever! Come on! Don't you see that glorious button down there? Look... II II II II II II II II II V
Author's Note: Hey everybody! This is new fic that I decided to start. I have so far not had much attention with Harry Potter and the Curse of the Gypsy, but this story can help explain some of the things in that story if you have read it. This is year one through their deaths for Lily and James. It has an interesting way of looking at Lily, and I hope you like it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not nor have I ever owned Harry Potter or any character from these books. I own the plot of this story, and Cassy Reed. That is it. Okay, got that? Now you can't sue me.
Chapter Two
"What was up with those two, Remus?" Lily asked with obvious disgust. "I mean, they seemed like complete jerks."
"They are." Remus said uncomfortably. "I used to live near them for most of my life. They thought it was highly amusing to do whatever they could to get under my skin. I really wish I didn't have to see them our first day here."
"I just hope I'm not in the same house as them." She said huffily, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, they'll probably end up in that house Slytherin, right? I hear that's where all the bad wizards come from."
Remus shook his head slowly. "No...I don't know about that. They aren't really mean or anything. I don't even know why they make fun of me for being smart. To tell the truth, they make the same exact marks as me. And I don't flaunt it or anything."
Lily shrugged. "Well...just don't let them do anything to you, all right? I don't think you should get in trouble just because of them. And if they do anything to you...well, we're learning magic just as much as they are. We can do something back to them, can't we?"
"Yeah." He grinned happily. "I guess we can, can't we? It isn't like they're smarter than we are. I guess we'll just have to prove to them we mean business."
She smiled back. "Who were they anyway? Sirius and James? Are they brothers?"
"Practically." He muttered. "Back where we come from, you never see one without the other. But they aren't related. James comes from a very rich and very old family. Some people say that somewhere along the long they were connected with the founders themselves. But Sirius..."
"Well?" Lily persisted when Remus paused.
"Well, the Black family is old, but poor. It's just Sirius and his brother Donovan, and their mother. I don't really know what happened to his dad. He was killed somehow. But Sirius' mum actually worked for the Potter family for awhile. I guess that's how they met. And then they decided to start pranking people. I just happened to become their main target."
"Hmm..." Lily frowned as she thought of the boy with the messy black hair. He had seemed nice enough. Until he got that fiendish glint in his eyes. "Maybe it will be okay if he finds somebody better to prank. Who knows...you could end up being friends."
Remus snorted. "Yeah. If you say so." Both of them looked up as a tall girl with bright red hair----much brighter than Lily's dark auburn---- walked into the room.
"You haven't seen two dorks around here, have you? One with messy black hair and one with longish black hair? I think I might owe them an apology." Remus and Lily looked at each other and snorted.
"Erm...I think you might mean James Potter and Sirius Black." Remus said, obviously amused by them being described as dorks. "They were just looking for you, I believe."
"Looking for me?" she said in a puzzled tone.
"Yeah. They thought I was you. Red hair and all." Lily rolled her eyes. "I believe they were trying to threaten you or something."
"Threaten me?" she said in an angry tone. "Why those...I was just coming to apologize! And I was being nice about it too! Especially after they almost run me over on a cart."
"Sounds like Sirius and James." Remus muttered. "You know, I'm not sure if they will ever grow up."
"You know them?" she said suspiciously. "Are you, like...friends or something?"
"Definitely not friends." He stated, narrowing his eyes. "They used to find it a useful hobby to torture me every moment they got."
The girl sat down beside them and shook her head. "I'm not sure if I want to meet these guys again, after all. I don't want to be around when they start learning real spells." She sighed. "I guess we'll just have to protect each other from them, won't we? My name is Cassandra Reed. Everybody calls me Cassy, though."
"I'm Remus Lupin. This is Lily Evans." Remus smiled at her. "Hello, Cassy."
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"I feel kind of bad about doing that to Loopy." James commented as he bit into a Pumpkin Pasty. "I mean, he really didn't do anything to us..."
"Hey, all's fair in love and pranks." Sirius said through a mouthful of chocolate frog. "And what about that girl he was with? What a temper."
"Yeah. I was afraid she was going to bite my head off." He shook his head. "Most likely you'll end up marrying her, Sirius. You always did go for danger."
"Sure." He snorted. "If I know you, you'll be the one who falls for that chick. You like the feisty ones, don't you?"
James frowned and threw the remaining bit of his pumpkin pasty at Sirius' head. He dodged it and stuck his tongue out. "You're the one who started it anyway. You shouldn't have gone looking for that other girl in the first place. Just leave her be. Fear her. Redheads are dangerous."
"You're just saying that because you like them so much." Sirius snorted. "You want them all for yourself, don't you?"
"Listen, you..."
"Boys?" A girl with long black hair stuck her head in the room and glanced down at them, smiling. "Hello, there. I just thought that I better tell you we'll be at the school in about thirty minutes. You better go ahead and get changed."
"Okay. Thanks." She grinned merrily before backing out and closing the door. James and Sirius watched for a moment before turning back to look at one another. "Who...was that?"
"Dunno." James whistled. "Never seen her around the house before. Dad only brings around business. Lucky me----I get stuck with Lucius Malfoy." He rolled his eyes. "But she was right. We better get changed. Where'd we put our stuff?"
"Erm...three compartments down, I think. Come on." He stood up and quietly opened the compartment that the older girl had peeked in from. She appeared to be in her last year. She smiled at them as they walked past, blushing. They didn't say anything to her.
The second compartment held an umpleasant surprise. "Oh look...it's ickle Jamesie." Lucius Malfoy sneered, looking at him. "What are you coming in here, for? Trying to fit in on your first day?"
James groaned to himself. "Hey, we're just passing through. Got a problem with that?" Lucius squinted and stood up, looking down at James and Sirius.
"We don't like snotty nosed first years coming in here if they aren't invited." He smirked, his ice blue eyes glimmering wickedly. "So why don't you be a good little boy and go away?"
"We're just going to get our stuff." James stated, trying to pass by Lucius. He reached out and grabbed James by the shoulder.
"Come on, we're just trying to have a nice conversation. Aren't we, guys?" he said. The giant boys beside him smirked and cracked their knuckles.
"Oh, you're so strong. Beating up first years. What, all the fourth years too strong for you?" Sirius scowled, crossing his arms.
Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Oh, come on, I was just trying to make you feel welcome. But if you'd like, I have somebody your own age to indtroduce you to. Severus?"
A pale boy with long, greasy black hair and a rather long, crooked nose rose from the seat in the back of the compartment and walked over to Lucius. He uncomfortably crossed his arms, trying to scowl at them in a menacing way. It wasn't effective.
"Him?" Sirius snorted, trying and failing to keep from laughing. "You think he can do something to us?"
Severus scowled darkly. "I know more curses than you'll ever learn in your entire life. Don't think I won't use one."
James grinned eagerly. "Oh come now, Lucius, you can do better than that. What is he, like a little trained dog or something?"
"A weasel." Sirius chuckled. James broke out in loud laughter.
"No...no, how about a flobberworm..."
"ENOUGH!" Severus shouted, glaring at them. "Don't think that I was just saying that...would you like to go for the sorting with boils all over your head?"
"Just try it, Sevvie." James mocked. "Come on." Severus pulled a wand out his robes and pointed it at James. He muttered an incantation and just as it began to emit bright green and silver sparks...
"SEVERUS!" The girl from the next compartment ran in and jerked the wand out of his hands. "Why do you have to start trouble your first day here? You don't want to make enemies, do you? Can't you at least make it to the sorting before you get yourself expelled?" She stood in front of him, her arms crossed, eyes fuming.
"Izzy, I...I...I was just showing them a spell I read about the other day. I wasn't going to hurt them."
"You think I've been going to Hogwarts for six years, going on seven and don't know a curse when I see one? Really. Keep doing that and you'll end up worse than a squib." Severus scowled at her.
"Come on, Izzy, do you have to do this now? I mean, can't it wait till later?" She frowned at him before shoving the wand back into his hands.
"We'll talk after the sorting." She muttered. "You two," she said to Sirius and James, "I'm sorry for any trouble my little brother may have caused." She flicked her head back. "He forgets sometimes that he isn't a trained chimp." She walked from the compartment, leaving the door behind her open. Lucius Malfoy and his cronies looked after her in admiration. James had the sudden feeling he knew why they were being so nice to Severus Snape.
"Let's get out of here." James said quietly. He and Sirius slipped quickly out. Severus still looked a bit shocked.
They closed the door quietly when they reached the compartment. Suddenly, three pairs of eyes glared in their direction.
"We've left the snake pit to enter the lion's den." Sirius moaned. Staring back at them were Cassy Reed, Remus Lupin, and Lily Evans.
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Lily looked at Sirius and James with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Though they hadn't been the people she most wanted to see in the world----far from it----the look of utter dread in their faces was almost enough to make her enjoy their entrance. Almost.
"What are you doing here?" Remus asked warily.
"Our stuff...this is where we left it. Do you mind?" James shot back. Remus shrugged, motioning towards the trunks.
"Be my guest."
They pulled their things out of the compartment and Remus, Cassy, and Lily all looked at one another. "What should we do?" hissed Lily when it was apparent that the two were intent on staying, even after they had slipped into their robes.
"I dunno." Whispered Cassy back, shooting them an ice cold glance. "Should we...you know, ask them to go?"
"They may be jerks, but I don't want to be rude or anything." Lily mumbled.
Cassy sighed and spoke aloud to the boys, who were engaged in a game of exploding snap. "Hey, you two. I'm not going to say that I was wrong, or anything, but I really shouldn't have been as impolite as I was earlier."
Lily stifled a laugh as the boys looked over, twin expressions of surprise on their faces. "Really?" James finally muttered. "I mean...you're not going to play nice and then, like, put acid pops in our food at dinner, are you?"
She snorted. "That would be fun, but no, I really don't feel like watching you spit food out all over the table." She made a face as she pictured the image. "Besides, we might not even be in the same house as you two."
"Yeah." Mumbled Sirius. "If we're lucky, you'll all be in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw or something."
"What?" said Cassy in slight irritation. "How do you know that you won't be put in one of those houses? Or Slytherin, for that matter?"
Everybody in the compartment made faces. "I don't think any of us will be Slytherin." James finally said. "I don't think that any of us are quite that slimy. You know, like that weird kid in the next compartment. Sevvie."
"Sevvie?" Remus frowned. "You don't happen to mean Severus Snape by any chance, do you?" James snorted and Sirius frowned.
"You know that greaseball?"
"Unfortunately." Remus winced. "I moved in next to him and his sister at the orphanage after I moved away from you. From one awful neighbor to another." He grimaced again. "His sister is nice enough, but he is a nightmare. Always threatening me with one curse or another. Once he tried to slip a truth potion into my food. Veritaserum."
"Sounds like him." James grumbled. "He's a Slytherin, for sure."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Wow, you two actually agree on something? I think I might die from shock."
"If you met this kid you'd think these two were angels." Remus said quietly. "He's kind of creepy."
Cassy tapped her hand against her chin thoughtfully. "I met him once. He was kind of funny." She froze when they others all stared at her. "In a weird, kind of slimy way."
They all laughed as they felt the train pull to a stop. "Evry un' out now!" A deep voice shouted from outside. "Firs' years to the boats. Leave yer' trunks on the train." They all climbed out and stood face to face with a very large man with a wild tangle of black hair. His beady black eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Firs' years over here! Four ter a boat, now! C'mon!" Remus, Lily, and Cassy quickly climbed into a boat and looked at James and Sirius triumphantly, who would have had to split up for one to climb on with them. Obviously they weren't going to do that. Instead, they got on a boat with a young, plump boy and a pretty girl with dark hair.
They were leaned in, whispering with one another when they felt the rocking of the boat as another person climbed in. Remus leaned back in obvious distaste. It was Severus Snape.
"Ugh." He grunted. "Don't you have anywhere else to go"
"There isn't any more space." Severus mumbled. "All the other boats are filled."
"Ready now? Heave off!" The large man called as all the boats suddenly began to float across the large lake. Lily looked down uncomfortably before looking up at the boy.
"Erm...hello. My name is Lily." She smiled warily. Severus glared silently at her. "Ahem...all right then." She turned away to shoot Remus a pleading glance.
"So..." Cassy continued, "Do you remember me? I think we met before. When my mum taught at your school for a little while..."
"I remember you." He said, after a long moment. "You were that annoying redhead that always had to get all the answers right. A know-it- all." Cassy tossed her head, offended.
"I am NOT a know-it-all." She snorted. "Can I help it if I occasionally get an answer right?"
"Occasionally?" he muttered. "You knew the Elementary History of Magic textbook from front to back."
"Well." Cassy turned away and looked pointedly at Remus. "So. What house do you think you're going to be in?"
Remus smiled brightly. "Gryffindor. What else? Do you think I'm going to be in Slytherin or something?" Severus scowled.
"No." Cassy said dryly. "You're not that much of a..." Cassy never finished her sentence. The boat bumped hard on the dock. Lily fell over onto Remus' shoulder, while Cassy slipped into Severus' lap. "UAGH!" she shouted as she hoisted herself up, rubbing her hands vigorously on her robes. "That did NOT just happen."
Lily snorted. Remus jumped out and lifted Lily by the hand. She stumbled out and Remus turned back to help Cassy out. He smiled wickedly as Severus began staggering out and kicked the boat lightly with his foot. It began floating back to the opposite shore. "Oops." He murmured as he took both of the girls by the arms and escorted them into the great hall.
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"Did you see that Snape kid?" one girl said softly, stifling a laugh.
"He turned his boat over...soaking wet." Another replied.
James looked over to a shadowy portion of the great hall, where a boy was covered in the large man's giant moleskin cloak. His face had gone even paler and he looked at everybody with eyes full of contempt. The whispers were everywhere. Sirius was smiling gleefully, as if his birthday had come early.
"I can't believe it." he said happily. "He was thrashing around like a fish."
James snorted. "Yeah. I reckon that's the first time his hair has touched water in years." He and Sirius glanced quietly over at Severus, who was very disgruntled.
"Everybody, may I have your attention?" McGonagall, a woman with square spectacles and hair in a tight black bun, addressed the group of first years. Everybody quickly went quiet. "The Sorting will begin in a few moments. If you will please follow me..single file, please..." They followed quietly. All were feeling slightly anxious. James nervously patted down his hair.
"Look...there's Donovan." Sirius murmured. Sure enough, his brother was looking up at them, his Head Boy badge gleaming in the light.
"Now, the Sorting Hat." James and Sirius stared at the old battered hat that was brought out from behind a door opposite them. She set it down on a chair and it began to sing from the rip in it's brim.
Centuries ago four founders, Of wit, and skill, and bravery. Founded here at Hogwarts, A school for Witch and Wizardry, But when they found they needed, Someone to choose the student's place, No founder of them could agree, On a test to run them like a race. 'Tis wit to test them, said the fair, And wise Rowena Ravenclaw. Nay, strength and work, Said Hufflepuff, nodding to them, one and all, Cunning, then, said Slytherin, Ambition is the thing to test, No, courage, said one Gryffindor, Should test them above all the rest. So then, when all was done and said, Gryffindor, he made a plan, He took me from atop his head, And said I'd be the one to choose. So I'll look into all your minds, Amid the space and other stuff, And tell you where you ought to be, So you can go and learn some fluff!
James stared at the hat as it finished its song. "Well." He muttered. "That was distinctly odd."
"You're telling me." Sirius murmured back.
She stood up and raised a hand to quiet them. "Now." She said, nodding. "When I call your name, I would like you to come up here and place the hat on your head. When it has called your name, return to your table." A low murmur filled the hall. The students looked up at her. All looked ruffled.
"BLACK, SIRIUS!" He glanced over at his friend.
"Watch this." He muttered. "Donovan bewitched my robes before we left." He walked over to the chair and sat. She placed the hat on his head and he sat there for a long moment before it finally cried out...
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat was taken from his head and a loud cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table. Sirius bowed, and as he did a sharp golden glow tore through his robes. They suddenly turned gold and scarlet.
"Enough, Mr. Black." McGonagall muttered. He smirked and turned to go to his table. As he did SLYTHERINS STINK flashed across his back. Three quarters of the hall erupted into loud laughter. The teacher frowned from where she was standing. James got the impression she was making a mental note to talk to him after the sorting.
A few others went before it cried out, "EVANS, LILY!" The young girl from the train stepped forward nervously. It took a moment before it made her a Gryffindor. She also got applause as she went to her table.
Others went. The chubby boy from the boat became a Hufflepuff, and a girl with light blonde hair a Ravenclaw
"LUPIN, REMUS!" Remus stepped out onto the floor, sitting quietly on the stool. But his awkward worry seemed unfounded. No sooner had it touched his head than...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"POTTER, JAMES!" he stepped forward, feeling slightly awkward. Sirius, his robes still gold and scarlet, grinned at him from the table. He scowled as he sat and felt the hat lowered over his head.
"Hmm..." he heard a voice inside his head. "Well, this is an interesting place. What a mind you have boy...not so fond of hard work, eh? Not a hufflepuff I guess. Intelligent, very much so, and ambitious too. But I see that great things will come to pass...you're name will one day be well-known, and not only yours I see...what things will come to pass...but, for now I see, you better be GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was said loudly to the hall. James stumbled forward greatfully. He went to the table and sat beside Sirius. Remus and Lily were sitting awkwardly across from them. Donovan grinned.
"How are all of you doing?" he said quietly. "Welcome to Gryffindor. This is really the best house. I know I'm not supposed to be as biased, now that I'm head boy, but..." He grinned a grin identical to that of Sirius, "Well, let's just say that isn't the case."
Lily smiled politely. "Thank you for the welcome." She said. "You're certainly more well-mannered than some people." She said, glaring at James and Sirius.
"Oh, you mean my puppy?" he said, pointing at Sirius. "Nah, he isn't rude. Just an annoyance. Sometimes I think mum bought him off a gypsy or something."
"Hah." Sirius muttered. "You only say that because you know how much smarter I am than you."
"Sure, kid." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."
"REED, CASSANDRA!" James looked up as the other redhead stepped across the stage. She smiled uncomfortably as it was set upon her head. "RAVENCLAW!" It yelled finally. Cassy smiled happily, though she looked a little crestfallen that she wouldn't be in the same house as her new friend. She waved as she made her way to the Ravenclaw table.
"SNAPE, SEVERUS!" Sirius elbowed James as the greasy haired boy made his way across the stage. He no longer wore the coat, though he still looked decidedly damp. Murmurs of laughter were going across the hall as his story was shared.
"SLYTHERIN!" It shouted. James rolled his eyes. "Didn't see that one coming."
McGonagoll smiled at them. "Well, that is all for this year. And now for a word from our headmaster, Albus..." She paused when she realized that Dumbledore was not in his customary spot at the table. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen. McGonagall frowned. "Has anybody seen him?" she muttered to the teachers at the table behind her. They all shook their heads.
"Where do you think he is?" James said quietly.
"Dunno." Sirius muttered. "I'm almost afraid to ask."
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Hey all of you guys! How do you like the fic so far? This is starting a little like a love/hate fic, so don't get huffy and think it's going to be cliché! That all changes soon, with a little help from good ol' Sevvie! Donovan is cool, isn't he? He's like an older Sirius, except a little more 'serious'. REALLY sorry about that pun. Please READ AND REVIEW and I will love you forever! Come on! Don't you see that glorious button down there? Look... II II II II II II II II II V