Disclaimer: Not me.

AUGUST 21 BETWEEN 5 & 6 YEAR

Lily Evans walked into Diagon Alley for the first time since before her fourth year. No, that's not right. Scarlet 'Scar' Evans walked into Diagon Alley for the first time in her life.

Her hair was darker, her complexion smoother, her walk had changed, her figure was curvy… er. She even had special contacts made (b/c she didn't NEED contacts) so her eyes were blue-green instead of green. And the accent helped. Overall this was NOT Lily Evans.

Scarlet pulled her trunk onto the train, looking helplessly around. She couldn't go to her friends; they wouldn't accept her until she was re-sorted into Slytherin. After some debate with herself, Scarlet entered the compartment she remembered as the Marauders'

She looked up to see the boys all very wide-eyed. She was sure she heard James whisper 'Lily'. But why would he? He had just had a crush on 'Lily' and that was over a year ago.

"'Ello. I am Scarlet Avens, but my friendz call me Zcar. And 'oo may I azk are you?" (A/N: I'm SORRY! I'm not French, so I can't do the whole accent thing! I'll try as hard as I can, though, I PROMISE!)

"Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and I am James Potter." Each boy bowed as James announced his name. "I take it you're a transfer student from Beauxbatons?"

"Yez. I am to be ztarting my zixth year. And you?"

"Us too," said Sirius. "I hope you're a Gryffie."

Scarlet couldn't help it; it was a natural reaction. She sneered at him. "No. I 'ave been told by zome zat I am a Zlyzzerin to ze bone. It iz, avter all, xe mozt noble 'ouze, iz it not?" she could see that the boys were all very uncomfortable. Good.

"I have to ask," said James. "are you related to a Lily Evans?"

"Lily Aevans? No, I do not zink zo. Why?"

"Just wondering." To Lily, his eyes seemed to have lost some of their glimmer, and his hair seemed slightly duller than when she last saw him. Her fingers itched maddeningly to touch it.

"So… Scar, huh? Where did such a pretty girl get a name like that?" asked Sirius.

Scarlet's face darkened. "I vould razzer not zay."

"Oh," said Sirius. "Everyone has secrets, I suppose." Lily looked at Remus.

"Yez. Zo I zuppoze."

Scarlet was waiting to be sorted with the first years, just as she had done so long ago. When the kids entered the Great Hall, she hung behind, waiting.

She was cued, and walked in, head high. The Hall looked exactly as she remembered it, only with a few different faces.

"This year, we have and exchange student from Beauxbatons. Scarlet Avens," Dumbledore was saying. Scarlet found herself with the attention of every guy in the Hall on her. This was going to be too easy. She sat on the stool, smirking.

Ah, Lily Evans. Nice to see you again. Well, the name change alone suggests that you value your own hide too much to be a Gryffindor. But I must say you have gained many Gryffindor characteristics since we last met. And it seems you're falling for the Prince, too. I guess I COULD make an exception just this once…

If you put me in Gryffindor, I'll use you for dusting.

Well, I put you in Slytherin once before, and I don't like the way it turned out.

I did well for myself in Slytherin! My friends are there! My LIFE is there!

So get a new one!

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat before Scarlet could argue.

Scarlet's scream of "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" drowned out the Gryffindor applause, and she ran out of the Hall with the hat.

They later found her in some old, insanely dusty room, in fact using the Sorting Hat as a dusting mitt, occasionally lighting it on fire, then putting it out when the screams became to loud. All the while, she laughed hysterically. They pried the Hat from her hands and showed her to her new home. Saint Mungo's. Only joking, what I meant to say was the Gryffindor Tower. But to a true Slytherin, I'm sure they're the exact same thing…