I redid the first chapter a little bit and reposted it, so here it is! I hope you like it better then the old one!
Lily Evans looked apprehensively at the puffing scarlet engine waiting to take her to her new school. She half listened to her mother chattering next to her as she watched the milling students.
"Don't worry dear," her mother's voice broke through clearly, "I'm sure it's just like the institute back in the States. You'll be fine."
Lily smiled halfheartedly and gave her mother a hug.
"I know I will, Mom. I'm just disppointed that Dad couldn't come see me off."
"You know he feels really bad about that, but Petunia's recital is important too. She-" she broke off as an older looking girl with a broad face approached them.
"Excuse me, are you the Evans'? she asked loudly.
Lily's mother nodded, "Yes, I'm Mrs. Evans and this is my daughter, Lily."
"I'm Amelia Susan Bones, Hogwarts Head Girl," she said as she shook hands with them, "I'm here to help Lily settle in."
The train let out a long whistle. Amelia glanced back.
"That's the last call. We should get on."
"Oh alright then, "Lily's mom patted her on the back, "You'd better get going then! Have a great time! We'll see you at Christmas!" she hurried away before Lily could say anything.
"Shall we go?" Amelia was waiting.
"Yeah, ok," Lily followed Amelia onto the train and into a compartment labeled 'Reserved'. Amelia settled herself comfortably into a seat and motioned for Lily to do the same.
"So," she began, "You'll be coming in as a fifth year. You came here from the US, right?"
"Yeah, my family-"
"You have a sister, right? Is she going to come here too?"
Lily grimaced at the thought, "No, she's definitely not magical."
Amelia grinned, "Oh, she's that type? I'm sorry. Make's me grateful that my family's all pureblood."
"Are there a lot of purebloods here? At my old school it was almost all mixed blood."
"There are quite a few, although the numbers are dwindling. Unfortunately, that issue can be very touchy at Hogwarts and is the reason for a lot of interhouse hostility. A lot of purebloods look down on those of mixed descent. Actually, that reminds me: have you heard about the houses?"
Lily nodded, "But I don't know what house I'm in yet."
"No, you'll be sorted tonight. When we get to the station, don't take the boats with the first years; take the carriages with the rest of the school. When you get to the Castle, wait in the Front Hall."
"How-" Lily began.
"Professor McGonagall will come get you. She's rather severe looking, wears glassesand a tight bun. Try to make a good impression, it'll do wonders for you later on. She'll take you to get sorted. I'd love to have you in Hufflepuff, but you'll probably be in Ravenclaw. You look kind of brainy," she punctuated this last remark with a breathless laugh.
Lily smiled stiffly.
"Anyways, don't worry about it too much," she glanced at her watch, "I've got to head over to the Prefect's meeting. I doubt Augustus bothered to show up. Any questions?"
"Well," Lily hesitated for a second, "I don't think-"
"Great! Well, you need to find another compartment," Amelia said as she started to leave, "They'll need this one later. See you around!"
Lily stared after her, brain whirling, then jumped as Amelia stuck her head back in and almost shouted, "Don't forget to avoid the Slytherins!" and then disappeared again.
Lily got up and peered out the door, making sure that Amelia had actually left this time.
The corridor was empty. She sighed and stepped out of the compartment.
"Slytherins," she muttered, "That's another house, right? How am I supposed to recognize them? And why should I avoid them anyways?"
She quickly discovered that the compartments were full, or the remaining seats were being reserved for someone.
By the time she was nearing the end of the train, she was beginning to suspect that people just didn't want her to sit with them. The last compartment she had entered had broken into shrill laughter as soon as she shut the door.
She yanked open the door to the last compartment violently and winced as it smashed into the side, startling the three occupents.
"Um, mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full," Lily said into the sudden silence.
The sharp-eyed girl in the corner looked at her carefully, "You're new, aren't you?"
"Yeah, my family just moved here from the US."
"Alright then, you can sit with us. I'm Bellatrix Black. This is Severus Snape," she gestured to a thin boy with long black hair, "and this is the Head Boy, Augustus Rookwood," she finished with a tall boy with cold eyes. The two nodded in turn at Lily.
"I'm Lily Evans, nice to meet you," Lily sat down in the seat next to Severus and smiled slightly at him. He looked coldly at her and slightly raised his eyebrows. Lily stopped smiling quickly and looked away.
"So, I met the Head Girl earlier. She seemed nice," Lily said tentatively.
"Amelia Susan Bones is one of the slowest people on the face of this planet, but unfortunately, she was the best option of our year. Apparently she's sturdy," Augustus said annoyedly. Severus snorted softly.
Bellatrix laughed, "You know Dumbledore just wanted someone to offset you. Anyways, she's got a boyfriend now who should take up some of her time. Maybe keep her off our backs for a little."
Augustus ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm just frustrated. Me getting this position hasn't seemed to help us at all."
Bellatrix laughed again, "Relax! The year's barely started. Which reminds me, Lestrange said he was interested in coming to the next meeting."
Severus hissed and leaned forward impatiently, making Lily jump.
The only reason he wants to come is because he's completely infatuated with you. I doubt the Dark Lord--"
Bellatrix made an angry noise and glanced at Lily, "Maybe we should talk about this later."
Severus shrugged nonchalantly and turned to Lily, "So what house are you going to be in?"
"I'm not sure yet. Amelia said maybe Hufflepuff."
Bellatrix snorted, "I hope not! The Hufflepuffs are all idiots. You might get put into Ravenclaw, you seem rather bright. They're ok, much better then the Gryffindors. Stuck-up pigs, the lot of them."
"Speaking of Gryffindors, I think Peter Pettigrew has a crush on you, Bellatrix," Augustus said with a yawn."
"The little rat-faced one always tagging after Potter? I hope not!" Bellatrix looked dismayed at the prospect.
"No, no... this could be very good. It would be useful to have someone in so tight with Gryffindor's inner group. I think you'll have to work with this Bellatrix. Get a hold of someone close to Potter," Augustus said thoughtfully.
Talking about me again, are you?" came an arrogant drawl from the doorway.
Lily turned and saw a tall boy with untidy black hair smirking at her.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "Yeah Potter, we can't stop thinking about you, you stuck-up prick."
A very good-looking boy with longish dark hair standing behind Potter laughed, "Why James, I do believe we've found three new members for your fan club! Possibly even four! I don't believe I've met you before," he said, turning to Lily, "The name's Sirius Black," he bowed deeply and waited expectantly.
"Lily Evans," Lily said warily.
Sirius raised his eyebrows, "What, already antagonistic? You've been misguided. I would be happy to set you upon the right path, if you would just give me the chance."
Lily snorted softly.
"Where are Lupin and Pettigrew?" Severus cut in suddenly, "You four are usually joined at the hip."
James shook his head disgustedly, "Now Snape, we all know about your little obsession with Peter, but do you have to be so blunt about it?"
"Enough," Augustus stood up, "You two get out and find someone else to bother or I'll give you both detentions."
"For what? We're simply trying to become acquainted with the new students," Sirius whined.
Augustus pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at Sirius, "Out. Now."
"Chill, chill. We're leaving. Nice meeting you by the way!" Sirius blew a kiss at Lily as he shut the compartment door.
Bellatrix shook her head in disgust, "That was the infamous James Potter and his right hand man, Sirius Black. They are without doubt the two most arrogant students in the school. Just one more reason to avoid Gryffindor," she glanced out the window as the train started to slow down, "We're almost there, better get your stuff together."
Lily followed the other three off the train and to a line of horseless carriages.
"Do those carriages run on magic?" Lily asked Bellatrix curiously.
"Contrary to popular opinion, no. They're pulled by thestrals."
"Um... what?"
"They're skeletal creatures that can only be seen by someone who has seen death. Which is, generally, mostly the Slytherin population. Most of the rest of the school doesn't know about them. Yet another so called 'school secret' that is secret to everyone but the Slytherins," Bellatrix said as she stepped into a carriage.
Lily followed, "Are there a lot of those then? School secrets?"
"You have no idea."
"So, wait, you guys are Slytherins?"
Bellatrix laughed, "Took you a little while. So no one warned you about us?"
"Amelia did, about Slytherins in general."
"She would," Bellatrix leaned forward suddenly, "Listen Lily. There's something you have to understand about Slytherins. Everyone else is afraid of us. You know why? We know things that we're not supposed to know. We do things that they wouldn't even dare think about. We see things that only exist in their darkest nightmares. And we're still here, in the same classes, eating the same meals, and not looking much different from the rest of them. They don't understand it and it frightens them. So they shun us and make up nasty rumors. Guess it makes them feel better, for a little at least. But deep down they know that we're still in control. To be a Slytherin is to have power, Lily, never forget that," she stopped talked as the carriage came to a stop, and got out with Severus and Rodolphus, leaving Lily to follow with her thoughts.
Augustus leaned over to Bellatrix as they walked across the lawn, "You left out some of the finer points in that little speech of yours."
Bellatrix glanced sharply at him, "I wasn't trying to scare her. That was something she needs to know."
Severus grimaced slightly on her other side, "We don't usually lay that out so plainly to non-Slytherins."
"We don't usually get a chance."