As soon as they arrived, Lily noticed something different about Anthony. When they walked through the alley and into Diagon Alley, he became more arrogant, and for lack of a better word, devilish. She really noticed the change when he interacted with people. He sneered at nice looking people and smirked at others. This was not the Anthony she knew.
Things only got worse as she met his friends.
"Lily, these are my closest friends, Lucius and Severus," Anthony said, indicating two handsome boys. One had dark hair and pale skin while the other had blonde hair and tanner skin. "Guys, this is my girlfriend," he said slipping a possessive arm around her waist.
Lily had to repress a look of disgust.
"Nice catch," Lucius said eyeing her over. "Better watch out. Potter and his boys might try to steal her."
"I have my assurances," Anthony said firmly, but Lily could feel his grip tighten around her. "Let's go get some of this stuff. Lily has never been to Diagon Alley before."
"What?" Severus asked, astounded. "Is she a - " he didn't finish his sentence as Anthony gave him a piercing glare that clearly said 'cut it'.
Severus looked at Lucius and they both shrugged.
Lucius decided to attempt a conversation without hitting the taboo subjects, "What house are you hoping to get in?"
"Uh, I really don't know. Erik explained the houses to me, but they are all very good," Lily replied. "What about you?"
"I'm in Slytherin," Lucius replied smugly.
"How did you know that was the house you wanted to be in?" Lily asked, gazing curiously at him, but had to look down again when Anthony's grip tightened.
Okay, so I can't even look at other guys, that's nice, Lily thought sarcastically.
"It's a family thing," Lucius said.
"Is that the house you want to be in?" Lily asked.
"Definitely," interrupted Anthony, Lily could tell he was jealous of the attention she was giving Lucius. "All the other houses are pathetic."
"Yeah, Hufflepuff is a bunch of lazy, naive children," Severus said.
"And Ravenclaw is a bunch of brainiacs with no lives," added Anthony.
"And Gryffindor," Lucius paused to share a disgusted look with his friends, "has absolutely no redeeming qualities."
"That's one way of looking at it," said a jovial voice from behind them. "I prefer to say brave and honest, but whatever."