Disclaimer : This story is based on characters and situations created and
owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to
Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros.,
Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is
intended.
She made a move to turn it off, but before she could the transfiguration teacher and the headmaster had settled down, and there were stating intently at a stool on which was placed a battered wizard hat.
And then the hat had a tear.
And then it had profoundess outlining eyes.
And then it was singing.
----------------------
In this school you just entered.
Sleep many important things.
Some of which you never heard.
Some of which generations sings.
Through four ways you will learn.
Each has its good, each has its bad.
But each of them, respect has earned.
To underestimate them, you should be mad.
Of power and wit, Slytherin so great.
Prides independance and words among all.
Submission and laziness, are enemys you will hate.
If you enter this house of Pride.
Of wit and courage, Griffindor so brave.
Prefers challenges and adventure, to lectures and rules.
Smart, witty and brave, some forget to behave.
But good people to the heart, they reward Courage.
Of courage and knowledge, Ravenclaw so thoughtful.
Reading, Learning, Words and Theorys rule this house.
Of thoughtful courage and brave thoughts they are full.
The most important thing to them is Freedom.
Of knowledge and good heart, Hufflepuff so grand.
Nature, Learning and Spirit, they are good and bright.
Calm, Intelligence and goodness is at hand.
In this house of thoughts, dreams and Spirit.
Lily's ears were still ringing from the hat's song, transported far, far away by the words and the majesty of the things depicted. For a few seconds, the hall was silent, before everyone broke into aplause. Lily took that time to turn off her walkman, and as the clapping died down she became slightly uncomfortable as she saw just how many people were looking at them, the new kids, and her espicially, the tallest one, oldest one, and her red hair didnt help her to fade in.
She turned around a bit, and saw that Karine was just behind her. Karine looked slightly spaced out, looking at the roof in silent revery, before Kathy, who was sitting two persons away, poked her. Karine jumped a little, and suddently seemed much more nervous than Lily and Kathy. Her blue eyes were openned wide, and she was fiercly bitting her lower lip while fidgeting on her seat and twisting her hands.
Lily leaned a bit forward and saw Amos Diggory picking up something from the floor, taking the opportunity to sneak a peak at a blond girl's legs.
Just as he came back up, his shoe laces seemed to tie together by themselves, seemingly controlled by a pale white beam. Lily followed the beam to the table closest to the left wall, and saw it coming from the sleeve of an intimidating girl, who was waving at the blond girl Amos had been checking out.
The older girl had a stunning resemblance to the younger one, both had striking blond hair, the kind girls all dream of having one day or another. Her face was pearly white, and she and the red-headed girl sitting beside her were smilling a bit from at the thought of what was going to happen when Amos tried getting up.
Lily thought about warning him, because even though he probably deserved it, it wouldve been just too embarassing to make a fool of himself on his first day.
However, the clapping had completely faded in the short lapse of time of the encounter, and the headmaster had gotten up and was looking over the hall as a king would over his grounds.
Lily heard Karine wispering beside her « Dippet, headmaster of Hogwarts for ten years, Dumbledore, Charms teacher of Hogwarts for seven years, Duckworth, Transfiguration teacher of Hogwarts for ten years, Blair, Potion teacher of Hogwarts.... » the mumbling was covered by the headmaster Dippet's voice, as he started talking.
« Welcome and welcome back to all our fellow students. May this year be as productive in learning, experiences and opportunities as the last and the next. I'm happy to announce that Mr. Duckworth, who had been the victim of a most unfortunate accident over the summer, is now in perfect health and is back this year to teach Transfiguration. »
You could see a handful of older girl sitting at the second table on the left visibly relax.
« At the request of our ministry... »
Dippet sniffed slightly, while a boy sitting beside her on the bench boasted with pride.
« Three of our teachers will be assisted by erm assistants to form the latter in the ministry approved teaching methods used at Hogwarts. They will be teaching you in a few years, so treat them with respect, or at least with as much respect as you would use for a teacher. »
About half the hall laughed, everybody sitting at the middle right table and many of the older students in the far left and far right table laughed, while everyone else from the far right table smiled indulgently.
Dippet seemed very liked amond the students, and even Lily could feel herself smile a little. He was the type of man who received respect and empathy without asking or hesitation.
He smiled a little, before continuing. « Assisting Mr Blair in Potions, Mr. Snape. » About twenty older looking students from the far left table clapped and cheered, and Lily glanced their way before looking back to Mr. Dippet.
Her eyes caught on a boy about her age looking sulky, or at least slightly jealous before clapping with the rest of the hall. The boy had shoulder long jet black hair, just the kind Petunia had always wanted, shiny and full looking. The boys face looked like it had outgrowned the rest of his body, he looked ill at ease with himself, and seemed to be apart from the people around him.
Lily was forced yet again to look away when Dippet started to talk again.
« Assisting Mr. Duckworth in Transfiguration, Mrs McGonnagal. » Lily saw with surprise the witch that had helped her into the wisarding world standing up and smiling a little. All the older students clapped whole- heartedly, while the rest clapped politely, though Lily saw the group of girls who had been glad to hear of Mr. Duckworths recovery glaring at Mrs. McGonnagal. Lily clapped loudly along with the older students, and smiled proudly because she knew Mrs. McGonnagal deserved the job.
She would have to ask her how come she wasnt working at the White Pain In The Arse anymore though.
« And last but not least, assisting Mr.Dumbledore , Mr Flitwick. » Mr Filtwick seemed relatively unknown, because even though everyone clapped politely, none of the kids seemed to be particularely happy to see him. Lily heard a low catcall coming from her left, and when she looked she saw Kathy who shrugged and wispered
« Poor guy, lets make him feel welcomed! »
Lily grinned and clapped louder and made a long whistle. Karine sooned joined in, as did many from the middle right table. While grinning and clapping along, Lily noticed a few heads just appearing beside the middle right table, and when she looked closer she saw it was Remus, James, Peter and Sirius who were cheering Flitwick with the rest of them.
The latter looked surprised at such a welcome, but happily so, and Lily forgot about the weird appearence of the guys, dismissing it as normal here.
Dippet grinned and made a gesture with his hand, slowly calming down the croud.
« I hope you will all be happy here, and good luck for the year! Now, for the usual rules and recommendations. The forest surrounding the castle is forbidden to the students under sixth year. For the seventh years, you may go at will until you come across a fence. Should you cross that fence, you are as much at fault as the others. »
« Magic is allowed in the common rooms, the great hall and anywhere in the grounds. Due to last years most unfortunate accident in which three classes were ruined for a week, no magic is allowed in the hallways. » Dippet glanced at the four boys who were grinning stupidly, seemingly proud of themselves.
« Timestable will be distributed in the common room tonight and tomorow morning, classes start tomorow at eight. We will now proceed in the sorting, professor Duckworth if you please. »
Lily sighed in releif, nothing was mentionned about her. She was still nervous though, what was going to happen. She followed Mr. Duckworth with her eyes, and saw him stopping off to her right, just beside the hat who had sang. Lily had almost forgotten about it, but now it seemed to be all she could focus on. She felt Karine tense beside her, and when she looked she saw Karine was looking almost ridiculously scared. Why was she so nervous? Lily glanced at Amos, and saw he was looking expectedly at Karine.
« If you would all please look this way? » Lily focused her attention back on Professor Duckworth. « As I read out your name, you will come and sit on this stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and when it says which house you belong to you will get up and go sit at the right table. »
Lily looked at the tables, but could see no spare chairs. Getting more and more nervous, she settled for looking at the hat.
Duckworth starting reading the names off a scroll. « Appleberry, Marcy » A redheaded girl got up and went to sit on the stool, and the Professor put the hat on her head. After a few seconds, the hat yelled out ravenclaw, and the far right table broke into applause. The girl got up, a bit put off but sooned cheered up and went to sit at the table. Lily searched as she might, didnt find out how the chairs came, but they did because Marcy was sitting on one now.
« Black, Regulus » A boy with black hair, pretty plain looking got up and did as Marcy had. When the hat declared he belonged in slytherin, the boy looked surprised but pleased, and he went to sit at the far left table. When Lily brought her gaze back to the hat, she noticed the four boys and espicially Sirius, looking put out and rather down. Remus had his hand on Sirius' shoulder, and was apparently trying to cheer him up. Peter and James were sitting across the table from them, and James said something that made Sirius laugh a bit. Peter said something just as Duckworth named Diggory Amos to be sorted, and Sirius looked about to brush him off, but seemed to think better of it and actually listenned. When Peter was done, Sirius smiled, for real this time and thanked Peter.
Feeling she'd spyed on something she shouldnt of seend, Lily turned away just in time to see Amos go to the Hufflepuff table which was the middle left one.
« Diggory, Karine » Remembering what Amos had said to Karine in the boats, Lily turned to Karine and tried to smile a reassuring smile, but Karine looked so terrified it made Lily just as scared. Not knowing what she was scared of, but feeling it just around her, Lily crossed her arms and subcontiously tried to make herself as small as possible.
The walk to the hat seemed to take hours, and when Karine finaly sat down, Lily felt she would never see her again. The hat was placed on her head, and in the candlelight Karine's face was ghoslty white. Karine closed her eyes tight, her hands clenched the sides of the stool she was sitting on, her teeth found her lip again and she bowed her head, waiting.
After what seemed an eternity for Lily, and surely for Karine to, the hat yelled its verdict.
« SLYTHERIN! »
Not knowing whether to be happy or to die, Lily looked at her friends face. Releif and sadness flooded her eyes, but she seemed happy. As she walked in front of Lily to go to the Slytherin table (far left) she grabbed Lilys hand and squeezed it. Lily smiled at her, and she watched her walk to sit to the table.
« Evans, Lily » Lily got up, and went to sit on the stool. She started dangling her legs, feeling slightly lightheaded. When the head was placed on her head, she heard it murmuring « Poor girl, poor poor girl » but as soon as it touched her head it stopped talking.
Not knowing what to say, she thought to herself « What the heck do I do know..mmm... » and was delighted to hear a replie in her head. « Well well well.. what do we do with you hmm..? You dont want to go into hufflepuff..that much is obvious. Wonder what they have against that house tonight..mm..but the other three..i really dont know which would suit you best. Ravenclaw..well you would be at ease there, but you want to defy authority...you want to be different to stand out..no not Ravenclaw. Griffindor..mmmyes..that would work. So would Slytherin..but Im afraid you would be held back if you went there. No Griffindor it shall be. »
But Karine is in Slytherin..it cant be that bad?
« Karine heh? Hmmm well yes..but its not made for you. Im sorry, but you must go into Griffindor. »
Fine..at least she would be with the boys. Though Peter...but they were all fine really.
« Glad to hear so m'darling. GRIFFINDOR! Oh and..you're friends with Miss Black here? Stay close..she will need your help and friendship..stay close. »
Lily got up, feeling more and more lightheaded, and headed to the table that was clapping (middle right). She faintly heard Kathy asking if she was fine, but she was concentrating on not falling.
She saw Remus waving at her, she briefly wondered where the other three were, but she dismissed that thought and when she was in front of Remus she saw a chair beside his and sat down.
She shook her head a little hoping to shake out the white haze, and things roughly snapped back into focus. She smiled at Remus and turned back to the stage where Fudge, Jonathan was being sorted into Griffindor.
The rest of the sorting went by as quite a boring part of her life, the only times she looked up from her leaning on Remus was when Grace, Fleur was sorted into Ravenclaw, because she saw her waving at her blond relative sitting in Slytherin. The older girl seemed glad the younger had been sorted where she was.
When Macnair, Blayne was sorted into Slytherin, she for some reason was very alert, and she forced herself to watch and listen when they named Patil, Kathy. Wishing for Griffindor, Lily crossed her fingers and was glad to hear Griffindor called out. She clapped as loud as the rest, and cheered tiredly and waved at Kathy to make her sit with her.
Kathy arrived, and sat down in front of Lily, with her back half to the stage. She playfully told Lily to wake up, and annoyingly snapped her fingers in front of her face. Lily swatted at her hand, and told her she was too happy for such an ungodly hour of the day.
« Its only ten! » replied Kathy, grinning like a maniac. « Are you sure you're okay? Back there you looked pretty wobly. Maybe you sh » Kathy was cut off sharply by receiving a bucket of water on the head. Before she had time to yell, cry, complain or other things, Remus cast a drying spell on her. « You should watch your back, with those three you never know what will happen. »
« What three?! » Asked Kathy, still in shock at being covered in cold water then dried magicly.
« Us three of course! » Exclaimed Peter, before sitting on her other side while James and Sirius who had been trying to get Lily out of her revery by changing her hair from red to blue to green to red and again to blue before quitting and changing it back to red sat on her other side.
« Where were you guys..? » Asked Lily, draggin herself to a reasonably sitting position.
« We thought it necessary to magicly tie all the first years shoelaces together. » Proudly announced James and Sirius, Peter laughing a bit.
Remus raised an eyebrow. « Beats me how you get those ideas.. »
« Actually we got it from one of the first years themselves. He had his shoe laces tied together, and we thought it would be funny to have them all fall over. We had to untie his though, because it wouldnt do to have one fall before the others. » explained Sirius and Peter. Without even smiling.
« Of course. » dryly commented Kathy, while checking her shoes.
« You didnt tie mine did you? »
« NO! No no no no no.. noo noooo nooo. » Said James.
« Nooooo nooo nooo. Nah.. nope.. no. NOPE! No. » Said Sirius.
« Yep. » Said Peter.
Upon hearing this, all three guys burst out laughing, and Lily couldnt help but laugh to, it was just SO. FUNNY!
Lily managed to find some control, and stopped laughing before it got pathetic like James and Sirius who couldnt stay up on theyre chairs and were splattered on the table.
Lily took one look at them, then at Kathy and Remus who seemed unaffected, then she thought back to her light-headingness, and came to one and only conclusion.
« Remus. Did they slip me some faculty-affecting substance? » and was answered by Remus taking a glass and muttering something while waving his wand around the glass. The glass slowly filled with steaming coffee, and Remus handed it to her. Lily downed it, and even though she still felt light-headed, she wasn't as impossibly tired anymore.
She went to thank Remus and hit the other boys, but Duckworth had gone back to the staff talbe and the hat wasnt there anymore. Dippet stood up, and with a wave of his hands, invited all to eat.
Lily looked back at the table, and saw every plate that was once empty was filled with everything you could eat.
Remus, Kathy, James, Sirius, Peter and Lily were from that moment on, too busy to talk or socialise.
At around midnight, when the conversations were slowing down, and the food was almost all gone, Lily stopped talking with Remus and quietly asked Kathy to come with her. They got up, pretending to be going to get some more bread, and crossed to the slytherin table at the other side of the room.
They walked along the wall, until they came behind Karine who was talking with the older blond girl and her friend.
They both sat down on the floor and poked Karine to get her attention.
« Hey! I couldnt see you, but you both got sorted together thats so nice! I wish i was in Griffindor..or at least with you guys, but this isint too bad. So long as im not in Hufflepuff! Oh, by the way, this is Narcissa Grace, and Melissa Parkinson. »
« Hey.. » both smiled tiredly at the girls.
Narcissa Grace looked nicer from this percpective, she looked like she was nice to be around.
Melissa Parkinson wasnt exacly what you'd call stunning, but she had an air of mischeif about her that made you want to talk to her.
They started talking about the roof, and soon the five of them were in deep conversation over everything and anything. Sadly, it was past one in the morning and there was school the next morning, Dippet pointed out who to follow for each house, and wished them all goodnight.
« Theres this place around the lake, it looks like a mini cliff, its quite easy to spot but kind of hard to get to. You guys wanna meet there tomorow? Say..after classes, at around four? » proposed Narcissa, and everybody agreed.
They said goodbye, and Kathy and Lily got up and jogged to follow the Griffindors. As they exited, you could hear and see students falling back onto theyre chairs.
Review?
She made a move to turn it off, but before she could the transfiguration teacher and the headmaster had settled down, and there were stating intently at a stool on which was placed a battered wizard hat.
And then the hat had a tear.
And then it had profoundess outlining eyes.
And then it was singing.
----------------------
In this school you just entered.
Sleep many important things.
Some of which you never heard.
Some of which generations sings.
Through four ways you will learn.
Each has its good, each has its bad.
But each of them, respect has earned.
To underestimate them, you should be mad.
Of power and wit, Slytherin so great.
Prides independance and words among all.
Submission and laziness, are enemys you will hate.
If you enter this house of Pride.
Of wit and courage, Griffindor so brave.
Prefers challenges and adventure, to lectures and rules.
Smart, witty and brave, some forget to behave.
But good people to the heart, they reward Courage.
Of courage and knowledge, Ravenclaw so thoughtful.
Reading, Learning, Words and Theorys rule this house.
Of thoughtful courage and brave thoughts they are full.
The most important thing to them is Freedom.
Of knowledge and good heart, Hufflepuff so grand.
Nature, Learning and Spirit, they are good and bright.
Calm, Intelligence and goodness is at hand.
In this house of thoughts, dreams and Spirit.
Lily's ears were still ringing from the hat's song, transported far, far away by the words and the majesty of the things depicted. For a few seconds, the hall was silent, before everyone broke into aplause. Lily took that time to turn off her walkman, and as the clapping died down she became slightly uncomfortable as she saw just how many people were looking at them, the new kids, and her espicially, the tallest one, oldest one, and her red hair didnt help her to fade in.
She turned around a bit, and saw that Karine was just behind her. Karine looked slightly spaced out, looking at the roof in silent revery, before Kathy, who was sitting two persons away, poked her. Karine jumped a little, and suddently seemed much more nervous than Lily and Kathy. Her blue eyes were openned wide, and she was fiercly bitting her lower lip while fidgeting on her seat and twisting her hands.
Lily leaned a bit forward and saw Amos Diggory picking up something from the floor, taking the opportunity to sneak a peak at a blond girl's legs.
Just as he came back up, his shoe laces seemed to tie together by themselves, seemingly controlled by a pale white beam. Lily followed the beam to the table closest to the left wall, and saw it coming from the sleeve of an intimidating girl, who was waving at the blond girl Amos had been checking out.
The older girl had a stunning resemblance to the younger one, both had striking blond hair, the kind girls all dream of having one day or another. Her face was pearly white, and she and the red-headed girl sitting beside her were smilling a bit from at the thought of what was going to happen when Amos tried getting up.
Lily thought about warning him, because even though he probably deserved it, it wouldve been just too embarassing to make a fool of himself on his first day.
However, the clapping had completely faded in the short lapse of time of the encounter, and the headmaster had gotten up and was looking over the hall as a king would over his grounds.
Lily heard Karine wispering beside her « Dippet, headmaster of Hogwarts for ten years, Dumbledore, Charms teacher of Hogwarts for seven years, Duckworth, Transfiguration teacher of Hogwarts for ten years, Blair, Potion teacher of Hogwarts.... » the mumbling was covered by the headmaster Dippet's voice, as he started talking.
« Welcome and welcome back to all our fellow students. May this year be as productive in learning, experiences and opportunities as the last and the next. I'm happy to announce that Mr. Duckworth, who had been the victim of a most unfortunate accident over the summer, is now in perfect health and is back this year to teach Transfiguration. »
You could see a handful of older girl sitting at the second table on the left visibly relax.
« At the request of our ministry... »
Dippet sniffed slightly, while a boy sitting beside her on the bench boasted with pride.
« Three of our teachers will be assisted by erm assistants to form the latter in the ministry approved teaching methods used at Hogwarts. They will be teaching you in a few years, so treat them with respect, or at least with as much respect as you would use for a teacher. »
About half the hall laughed, everybody sitting at the middle right table and many of the older students in the far left and far right table laughed, while everyone else from the far right table smiled indulgently.
Dippet seemed very liked amond the students, and even Lily could feel herself smile a little. He was the type of man who received respect and empathy without asking or hesitation.
He smiled a little, before continuing. « Assisting Mr Blair in Potions, Mr. Snape. » About twenty older looking students from the far left table clapped and cheered, and Lily glanced their way before looking back to Mr. Dippet.
Her eyes caught on a boy about her age looking sulky, or at least slightly jealous before clapping with the rest of the hall. The boy had shoulder long jet black hair, just the kind Petunia had always wanted, shiny and full looking. The boys face looked like it had outgrowned the rest of his body, he looked ill at ease with himself, and seemed to be apart from the people around him.
Lily was forced yet again to look away when Dippet started to talk again.
« Assisting Mr. Duckworth in Transfiguration, Mrs McGonnagal. » Lily saw with surprise the witch that had helped her into the wisarding world standing up and smiling a little. All the older students clapped whole- heartedly, while the rest clapped politely, though Lily saw the group of girls who had been glad to hear of Mr. Duckworths recovery glaring at Mrs. McGonnagal. Lily clapped loudly along with the older students, and smiled proudly because she knew Mrs. McGonnagal deserved the job.
She would have to ask her how come she wasnt working at the White Pain In The Arse anymore though.
« And last but not least, assisting Mr.Dumbledore , Mr Flitwick. » Mr Filtwick seemed relatively unknown, because even though everyone clapped politely, none of the kids seemed to be particularely happy to see him. Lily heard a low catcall coming from her left, and when she looked she saw Kathy who shrugged and wispered
« Poor guy, lets make him feel welcomed! »
Lily grinned and clapped louder and made a long whistle. Karine sooned joined in, as did many from the middle right table. While grinning and clapping along, Lily noticed a few heads just appearing beside the middle right table, and when she looked closer she saw it was Remus, James, Peter and Sirius who were cheering Flitwick with the rest of them.
The latter looked surprised at such a welcome, but happily so, and Lily forgot about the weird appearence of the guys, dismissing it as normal here.
Dippet grinned and made a gesture with his hand, slowly calming down the croud.
« I hope you will all be happy here, and good luck for the year! Now, for the usual rules and recommendations. The forest surrounding the castle is forbidden to the students under sixth year. For the seventh years, you may go at will until you come across a fence. Should you cross that fence, you are as much at fault as the others. »
« Magic is allowed in the common rooms, the great hall and anywhere in the grounds. Due to last years most unfortunate accident in which three classes were ruined for a week, no magic is allowed in the hallways. » Dippet glanced at the four boys who were grinning stupidly, seemingly proud of themselves.
« Timestable will be distributed in the common room tonight and tomorow morning, classes start tomorow at eight. We will now proceed in the sorting, professor Duckworth if you please. »
Lily sighed in releif, nothing was mentionned about her. She was still nervous though, what was going to happen. She followed Mr. Duckworth with her eyes, and saw him stopping off to her right, just beside the hat who had sang. Lily had almost forgotten about it, but now it seemed to be all she could focus on. She felt Karine tense beside her, and when she looked she saw Karine was looking almost ridiculously scared. Why was she so nervous? Lily glanced at Amos, and saw he was looking expectedly at Karine.
« If you would all please look this way? » Lily focused her attention back on Professor Duckworth. « As I read out your name, you will come and sit on this stool. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and when it says which house you belong to you will get up and go sit at the right table. »
Lily looked at the tables, but could see no spare chairs. Getting more and more nervous, she settled for looking at the hat.
Duckworth starting reading the names off a scroll. « Appleberry, Marcy » A redheaded girl got up and went to sit on the stool, and the Professor put the hat on her head. After a few seconds, the hat yelled out ravenclaw, and the far right table broke into applause. The girl got up, a bit put off but sooned cheered up and went to sit at the table. Lily searched as she might, didnt find out how the chairs came, but they did because Marcy was sitting on one now.
« Black, Regulus » A boy with black hair, pretty plain looking got up and did as Marcy had. When the hat declared he belonged in slytherin, the boy looked surprised but pleased, and he went to sit at the far left table. When Lily brought her gaze back to the hat, she noticed the four boys and espicially Sirius, looking put out and rather down. Remus had his hand on Sirius' shoulder, and was apparently trying to cheer him up. Peter and James were sitting across the table from them, and James said something that made Sirius laugh a bit. Peter said something just as Duckworth named Diggory Amos to be sorted, and Sirius looked about to brush him off, but seemed to think better of it and actually listenned. When Peter was done, Sirius smiled, for real this time and thanked Peter.
Feeling she'd spyed on something she shouldnt of seend, Lily turned away just in time to see Amos go to the Hufflepuff table which was the middle left one.
« Diggory, Karine » Remembering what Amos had said to Karine in the boats, Lily turned to Karine and tried to smile a reassuring smile, but Karine looked so terrified it made Lily just as scared. Not knowing what she was scared of, but feeling it just around her, Lily crossed her arms and subcontiously tried to make herself as small as possible.
The walk to the hat seemed to take hours, and when Karine finaly sat down, Lily felt she would never see her again. The hat was placed on her head, and in the candlelight Karine's face was ghoslty white. Karine closed her eyes tight, her hands clenched the sides of the stool she was sitting on, her teeth found her lip again and she bowed her head, waiting.
After what seemed an eternity for Lily, and surely for Karine to, the hat yelled its verdict.
« SLYTHERIN! »
Not knowing whether to be happy or to die, Lily looked at her friends face. Releif and sadness flooded her eyes, but she seemed happy. As she walked in front of Lily to go to the Slytherin table (far left) she grabbed Lilys hand and squeezed it. Lily smiled at her, and she watched her walk to sit to the table.
« Evans, Lily » Lily got up, and went to sit on the stool. She started dangling her legs, feeling slightly lightheaded. When the head was placed on her head, she heard it murmuring « Poor girl, poor poor girl » but as soon as it touched her head it stopped talking.
Not knowing what to say, she thought to herself « What the heck do I do know..mmm... » and was delighted to hear a replie in her head. « Well well well.. what do we do with you hmm..? You dont want to go into hufflepuff..that much is obvious. Wonder what they have against that house tonight..mm..but the other three..i really dont know which would suit you best. Ravenclaw..well you would be at ease there, but you want to defy authority...you want to be different to stand out..no not Ravenclaw. Griffindor..mmmyes..that would work. So would Slytherin..but Im afraid you would be held back if you went there. No Griffindor it shall be. »
But Karine is in Slytherin..it cant be that bad?
« Karine heh? Hmmm well yes..but its not made for you. Im sorry, but you must go into Griffindor. »
Fine..at least she would be with the boys. Though Peter...but they were all fine really.
« Glad to hear so m'darling. GRIFFINDOR! Oh and..you're friends with Miss Black here? Stay close..she will need your help and friendship..stay close. »
Lily got up, feeling more and more lightheaded, and headed to the table that was clapping (middle right). She faintly heard Kathy asking if she was fine, but she was concentrating on not falling.
She saw Remus waving at her, she briefly wondered where the other three were, but she dismissed that thought and when she was in front of Remus she saw a chair beside his and sat down.
She shook her head a little hoping to shake out the white haze, and things roughly snapped back into focus. She smiled at Remus and turned back to the stage where Fudge, Jonathan was being sorted into Griffindor.
The rest of the sorting went by as quite a boring part of her life, the only times she looked up from her leaning on Remus was when Grace, Fleur was sorted into Ravenclaw, because she saw her waving at her blond relative sitting in Slytherin. The older girl seemed glad the younger had been sorted where she was.
When Macnair, Blayne was sorted into Slytherin, she for some reason was very alert, and she forced herself to watch and listen when they named Patil, Kathy. Wishing for Griffindor, Lily crossed her fingers and was glad to hear Griffindor called out. She clapped as loud as the rest, and cheered tiredly and waved at Kathy to make her sit with her.
Kathy arrived, and sat down in front of Lily, with her back half to the stage. She playfully told Lily to wake up, and annoyingly snapped her fingers in front of her face. Lily swatted at her hand, and told her she was too happy for such an ungodly hour of the day.
« Its only ten! » replied Kathy, grinning like a maniac. « Are you sure you're okay? Back there you looked pretty wobly. Maybe you sh » Kathy was cut off sharply by receiving a bucket of water on the head. Before she had time to yell, cry, complain or other things, Remus cast a drying spell on her. « You should watch your back, with those three you never know what will happen. »
« What three?! » Asked Kathy, still in shock at being covered in cold water then dried magicly.
« Us three of course! » Exclaimed Peter, before sitting on her other side while James and Sirius who had been trying to get Lily out of her revery by changing her hair from red to blue to green to red and again to blue before quitting and changing it back to red sat on her other side.
« Where were you guys..? » Asked Lily, draggin herself to a reasonably sitting position.
« We thought it necessary to magicly tie all the first years shoelaces together. » Proudly announced James and Sirius, Peter laughing a bit.
Remus raised an eyebrow. « Beats me how you get those ideas.. »
« Actually we got it from one of the first years themselves. He had his shoe laces tied together, and we thought it would be funny to have them all fall over. We had to untie his though, because it wouldnt do to have one fall before the others. » explained Sirius and Peter. Without even smiling.
« Of course. » dryly commented Kathy, while checking her shoes.
« You didnt tie mine did you? »
« NO! No no no no no.. noo noooo nooo. » Said James.
« Nooooo nooo nooo. Nah.. nope.. no. NOPE! No. » Said Sirius.
« Yep. » Said Peter.
Upon hearing this, all three guys burst out laughing, and Lily couldnt help but laugh to, it was just SO. FUNNY!
Lily managed to find some control, and stopped laughing before it got pathetic like James and Sirius who couldnt stay up on theyre chairs and were splattered on the table.
Lily took one look at them, then at Kathy and Remus who seemed unaffected, then she thought back to her light-headingness, and came to one and only conclusion.
« Remus. Did they slip me some faculty-affecting substance? » and was answered by Remus taking a glass and muttering something while waving his wand around the glass. The glass slowly filled with steaming coffee, and Remus handed it to her. Lily downed it, and even though she still felt light-headed, she wasn't as impossibly tired anymore.
She went to thank Remus and hit the other boys, but Duckworth had gone back to the staff talbe and the hat wasnt there anymore. Dippet stood up, and with a wave of his hands, invited all to eat.
Lily looked back at the table, and saw every plate that was once empty was filled with everything you could eat.
Remus, Kathy, James, Sirius, Peter and Lily were from that moment on, too busy to talk or socialise.
At around midnight, when the conversations were slowing down, and the food was almost all gone, Lily stopped talking with Remus and quietly asked Kathy to come with her. They got up, pretending to be going to get some more bread, and crossed to the slytherin table at the other side of the room.
They walked along the wall, until they came behind Karine who was talking with the older blond girl and her friend.
They both sat down on the floor and poked Karine to get her attention.
« Hey! I couldnt see you, but you both got sorted together thats so nice! I wish i was in Griffindor..or at least with you guys, but this isint too bad. So long as im not in Hufflepuff! Oh, by the way, this is Narcissa Grace, and Melissa Parkinson. »
« Hey.. » both smiled tiredly at the girls.
Narcissa Grace looked nicer from this percpective, she looked like she was nice to be around.
Melissa Parkinson wasnt exacly what you'd call stunning, but she had an air of mischeif about her that made you want to talk to her.
They started talking about the roof, and soon the five of them were in deep conversation over everything and anything. Sadly, it was past one in the morning and there was school the next morning, Dippet pointed out who to follow for each house, and wished them all goodnight.
« Theres this place around the lake, it looks like a mini cliff, its quite easy to spot but kind of hard to get to. You guys wanna meet there tomorow? Say..after classes, at around four? » proposed Narcissa, and everybody agreed.
They said goodbye, and Kathy and Lily got up and jogged to follow the Griffindors. As they exited, you could hear and see students falling back onto theyre chairs.
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