(Clears throat) Welcome esteemed readers to yet another chapter of Lilacs in Gardens. It took weeks filled with tears, blood, and sweat to write this chapter and we both nearly died to-(Snorts and starts laughing)
Just kidding, but I'm certain I almost died during the hell which was Black Friday at Best Buy! Holy fuck are customers scary!
(Coughs to cover laugh) Meanwhile, I enjoyed a relaxing two-day vacation of no work and kiddo free. (Sighs happily.)
(Rolls eyes) Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the new chapter and just as a heads up, I'm planning on posting a Supernatural fanfic I've been working on. Not sure on what I'm going to be calling it, but it'll be posted on both and Archive of Our Own under the name Kitsunko.
As to what it's about, well that's for me to know and you guys to find out if you decide to read it!
(Looks smug) Well, I know what it is about.
(Snickers) Changed it last minute and trust me, you lot will like this a lot better than what I had planned originally. It's something that isn't common in fan fiction.
Enjoy! (Picks Crow up and flings her over her shoulder before walking off. )
(Screams in surprise) PUT ME DOWN!
"My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."-Practical Magic
Summer flew by like the wind allowing the changing leaves of early-fall to take its place. Lilac could feel the magic clinging to her skin as she walked the Hogwarts Express trying to find Lily and Severus. Echoes of children's laughter collaborating behind her she dipped through windows and windows until she finally came across the compartment room she was looking for. "Lily?" she beamed out happily slamming the door open causing everyone else inside to jump. "Severus?" She inquired in concern, noticing the distaste on both their faces. "Is everything alright?" She questioned as she plopped herself down in the empty space between the two of them.
"He said Slytherin was for slimy and evil people!" Lily snapped, her face full of annoyance instead of her normal cheerfulness as she pointed a finger at the boy with unruly hair. "Then they both insulted Severus!"
Lilac snapped her head towards the boy with messy black hair wearing circular glasses too big for his face and an olive complexion that glowed with the overhead light. Lilac noticed his wide hazel eyes hidden by the glass frames that gazed sternly at Severus. "It's true! He huffed arrogantly.
The other boy who was sitting next to the brash one sank down in his seat, "My entire family has been in Slytherin for centuries." he ended with a frown while his cheeks heated up in shame.
"Merlin! Here I thought you were an alright bloke!" The rude boy teased slightly. The other boy simply smirked while giving a careless shrug.
"It's rude to judge other houses based simply on rumors." Lilac interrupted them softly with annoyance as her head tried vainly to recognize the boys in front of her but only gaining grainy pictures instead.
"There's always truth that shadows the rumors!" The boy snapped, sinking further into the seat he shared with the eyeglass wearing boy as he scowled fiercely at Lilac.
She thought even at eleven the child was handsome enough to one day grow up and destroy nations with his beauty. The boy had such smooth ivory skin that ancient nobles would have been greedy enough to rip his flesh from his body to use as their own. He had baby fat for the moment but she knew once puberty hit (and God wasn't that going to a nightmare to deal with again.) It would melt away to reveal sharp cheekbones, a slender nose upturn with a slight perk and a chiseled chin. Ebony-blue hair hung loosely around his neck in thick curls while stormy-blue eyes stared at her intently with weariness. "How childish," She uttered blandly with a blank look that unnerved everyone in the compartment.
"Childish!" He hissed bolting up in his seat with righteous fiery. "Who the hell are you calling childish!" He seethed out eyes being to shine with rage and indignation.
"You." She quipped back quickly without batting an eye.
The boy's face slowly became redder as the boy next to him leaned away from his temper. "WHO HELL ARE YOU! SOMEONE LIKE SNIVELLUS?"
"I'm Lilac Evans," She drawled, unamused with his attempt at an insult. Lilac stood up and slowly leaned into the boys face with a vicious smile on hers before leaning back and hurtling a tiny fist into his face. "AND DON'T YOU CALL SEVERUS THAT NAME EVER AGAIN!" She turned, shooting a stern look at her sister and friend before lifting up her things and marched to the door with a purpose in her stride. "Come on guys, I promised my new friend Bella that I'd sit with her." With that, the vivacious ruby-haired girl marched out of the compartment and headed down the hall. Lily and Severus shot each other wary looks before fleeing after her, much to the confusion of the two boys who remained in the compartment, watching with wide eyes.
"I think I'm in love." Uttered the stormy-blue eyed boy as he clutched his redden left cheek.
Bella, she saw with a smirk gracing her lips, had decided to hide deep within the Hufflepuff Compartment area for some unknown reason. "Wotcher, Bella!" she greeted lazily as she deposited all her stuff to the floor and took a seat right on the older witch's lap.
"Lilac!" Lily uttered appalled as she took in the small scowls from the two other girl's in the room. "Get off her!" she hissed in embarrassment for both her and Severus who claimed seats close to the door and far from the others.
Bella gave out an amused chuckle as she ruffled Lilac's hair before pushing her off her lap, "Wotcher Rosie!" she greeted with a smirk hair bouncing wildly behind her. "Glad to see you didn't miss the train, Evans. So who are these brats?"
Lilac gave a manic grin knowing both Lily and Severus were pouting at being called a brat, "This is my lovely twin, Lily Evans." she introduced while Lily gave a shy wave with heated cheeks. It was much easier to tell the two twins apart now compared to when they were younger as Lavender was always delighted to dress her precious twin daughters in matching clothes much to their annoyance. Lily was now three inches taller than her and had started to lose her baby fat much to Lilac's displeasure since she had yet to lose hers. Lily's hair was straight as an arrow and silk to the touch while Lilac had curls after untamed curls of ruby-blonde hair. Lily decided to keep her hair (which had turned from a bright auburn into a darker chocolate-auburn) cut neatly to just the bottom of her elbows. The big difference between the two was while Lily had kept Castor's green eyes, Lilac's had evolved into a strange mix of both their parents leaving behind sea-blue eyes bright in their intensity when caught staring into them. Lily was wearing baggy trousers cut at the knee with a bright yellow and pink striped shirt that happened to match her pink running shoes. Lilac was dressed the opposite in a long-sleeved indigo-blue top that paired nicely with her ankle length ebony skirt which perfectly hid her brown slippers.
"Nice to meet you." Bella greeted with a tilt of her head as she silently assessed the girl attached to Lilac. Being a Black meant Bella was trained at an early age to tell the difference between other individuals and their potential or lack of it. While she knew Lily possessed wonderful potential and would be a great witch much like her sister she could taste the goodness that clung to her magic. It was of treacle tarts, good mornings, and the hugs she would give her sisters when their parents would get into one of their legendary fights.
If Lily was the sun and fierce comfort of home than Lilac was the defender who offered protection to those she loved at any cost. She was the calming storm before calamity struck, the crispy mint flavor tinge with bittersweetness, and the lull of the full moon on a peaceful night. "Are you pleased to be attending Hogwarts?" She inquired though already knowing the answer to the question as it was written on the young girl's face, a shoo-in for Gryffindor if her assessment was right.
"I am!" Lily chirped with excitement, quickly forgetting her embarrassment at her sister's earlier actions. "We've known forever we were witches thanks to Severus but to finally be here, it's not like a dream anymore."
"Severus Snape is my other friend," Lilac explained seeing Bella's concerned and slightly worried expression. She might have masked her face well but Lilac could see past it after growing up in the family from her previous life and it also helped she was a few years older than Bella mentally not that she or anyone else knew. "We grew up together and he told us about the magical world when he caught us doing magic."
"Hello." Severus politely responded with a dip of his head towards the senior student, as it would look bad if he managed to get off on the wrong foot. "Pleasure to meet you." he ended softly.
Lilac gave a beaming smile at her friend who changed so drastically due to her presence in his life. While he was still rather tall and lanky he still had more meat on his bones compared to their childhood years before Tobias left permanently. Severus still might have been a tad sore at her and Petunia for dragging him to Gardenia's but she knew in the future he would appreciate the fact his hair was no longer dead and greasy to the touch one of the few embarrassments he had to handle as a child in school. The fact Gardenia had fixed his yellow crooked teeth into an even white smile was a plus, because now Severus seemed to smile more like a kid his age should. "I hope you don't mind if I take that offer of yours."
"It would not have been an offer if I didn't give it." Bella bemused with a quirk of her lips. "Where are my manners, these two little witches are my sisters. Andromeda is starting her third year and Narcissa is a beginning first year like you three." She ended, pride thick in her voice.
"Hello," A girl who could easily pass as Bellatrix's twin with only a quick glance, greeted kindly. Curls of deep-chestnut brown hair brushed against her shoulders as brown eyes filled with warmth crinkled upwards in a grin of mischief. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Likewise!" Lilac, who is normally one of calmness, chirped buzzing in her seat, unable to sit still. She blames the excitement of finally seeing a childhood dream and canon characters. "How about you?" She turned towards the small and dainty-looking girl with blonde hair and pretty icy-blue eyes. "Are you excited about going to Hogwarts?"
"It's expected of me to be accepted, so no." Was her stiff reply as she turned and looked out the window while subconsciously rubbing at her neck where Lilac could see some faded bruising covered by the lacy collar, causing her eyes to narrow into slits.
The rest of the train ride was filled with stiff silence.
The beauty of seeing Hogwarts for the first time was something Lilac could never describe in words in any lifetime she would happen to live. The castle was built on a cascading hill of lush green that seemed to rope and intertwine around the castle itself. Its obsidian color gleamed with warmth and welcome underneath the moonlight and Lilac can feel as if she is front of one of Tolkien's castle creations. The boat rocks and she grips tightly to Severus' hand while her sister claws at her arm to hold steady herself.
"Beautiful," She whispers in awe breathless by the beauty and now she can understand why Harry Potter and Tom Riddle both had called this place their home.
"Come now, Nipper's." Grouched Silvanus Kettleburn with a limp as he made his way out of his own boat. "We have a schedule to keep and the weather only gets colder at night here in the Highlands." Following after Silvanus, whom Lilac mused had indeed barely any limbs at all, they came to large oak doors. Silvanus without a second thought as if he had done this for years(which in hindsight he had) knocked with three sharp taps on the door causing it to open. "Quickly inside before you catch your death." He brisked out as he allowed his wand to send them all brief heating-charms. "A professor will be here shortly for you," He announced with a tired sigh before limping through another if smaller black door off to the side.
"Severus, do you know how we will be sorted?" Lily whispered to their raven-haired friend with an anxious expression on her face.
Severus shook his head, "Mother never said." He denied as he tried to shake his own nervous expression from his face. "Perhaps it will be a simple riddle?" He guesses softly looking around the room with a glint of unease in his onyx-brown eyes.
"Well, at least they won't ask us to fight something like a troll." Teased Lilac impishly.
"Not funny, Rosie." Lily pouted out to her sister.
"Hello, students." A firm voice greeted into the atmosphere immediately causing the students to fall quiet. "Welcome to Hogwarts, I'm Professor McGonagall." She began softly, her stern yellow-green eyes, which reminded Lilac of a cat, surveyed each of the potential witches and wizards. "Soon we will walk through these doors and you will be sorted into a house. The Hogwarts houses are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Each house holds wonderful witches and wizards who go on to change the world. While here at Hogwarts your house will be your home, classmates your family. If you break the rules you'll lose points and if you do well you shall gain points. At the end of the year, the Hogwarts house with the most points wins the House Cup. Do we all understand each other?"
"Yes, Professor McGonagall." Chimed all, including Lilac with chirpiness as she bounced on her toes in excitement.
Minerva gave a small smile before she turned to the doors that slowly opened into the Great Hall, "If you will follow me, your sorting will now begin." Following in two lines Lilac eyes opened in wide-eyed awe as she took in the Great Hall. She noticed it truly was lit by thousands of candles making her wonder what magic kept them from melting wax as they floated in midair over the four long tables where the other students sat staring intently at her and the newcomers. At the top of the hall, she saw the long table where the teachers sat, but Lilac refused to look in fear of clashing eyes with Albus Dumbledore, allowing her secrets to unfold from her brain. The velvety black ceiling was dotted in stars and galaxies making it hard for her to believe there was a ceiling instead of it opening into heaven if one such thing existed.
She noticed right away on a wooden stool an old battered frayed hat.
"Long ago before you were born,
Four people came to teach and rule.
And upon this whimsical land,
Stands their magical school.
Slytherin is known for his silver tongue,
Who taught those of cleverness not to be unsung.
To have ambition without greed,
And self-preservation for family foremost indeed.
And with Slytherin came his best friend hand in hand,
Gryffindor with his chivalry and bravery so grande.
He taught with the nerve to overcome their obstacles,
And that with their courage anything was possible.
But without wit and wisdom, they could not preach,
This is why creativity and acceptance did Ravenclaw teach.
That without using their minds to learn to help others,
That they quietly wilt their sisters and brothers.
Though at the end of the day when things tend to get rough,
Hufflepuff with dedication and patience will say "Enough is enough."
That being fair and kind will help friendships mend,
And once loyalty gain, forever a friend.
The years passed and so forth the four friends grew old,
That Gryffindor tore me off his head and said. "Look behold."
With a magical brew did I become something new,
And that's when they gave me this job to do.
Year after year,
Song after song,
Yellow and black,
Silver and bronze,
Followed by silver and green,
Don't worry students I solemnly swear I'm not mean.
So you see I was created by the brilliant founders four,
But don't worry I don't consider it such a chore.
So come and sit upon this wooden stool,
And I'll do my job as the best proper sorting tool!"
"Did that hat just sing?" Lily whispered in disbelief as the loud roaring of clapping vibrated around them.
"Yes, I believe so Lily." Severus deadpanned with such a dry-look on his eleven-year-old face it caused Lilac to giggle.
"Now when I call your name please come forth and take a seat so the hat may sort you," Minerva ordered sternly before unrolling a long piece of parchment. "Hamish Abbott."
Lilac noted a nervous dirty-blonde hair boy with grass-brown eyes toddled to the stool and she wonders if he's Neville's future father-in-law. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat bellowed it's voice a deep and masculine one with a hint of smoke. Hamish ran to the table that gave a mighty cry of happiness and Lilac noted it seemed like a welcoming table for all.
"Fergus Anglin." A willowy boy with chestnut hair and blue eyes walked forward and jumped happily onto the stool without reservations.
"GRYFFINDOR!" A thunderous roar sounded from the table in front of the Hufflepuff one as energetic energy seemed to be both boisterous and contagious.
"Meredith Anglin." Lilac could tell they had to have been twins as the willowy girl who sported a long ponytail of chestnut hair walked calmly to the chair only for her opal-yellow eyes to be covered by the hat's brim.
"RAVENCLAW!" Cheers could be heard from the Ravenclaw table which was already covered in a variety of books in all shapes and colors.
"Sora Aoki." Lilac's ears perked up when she heard the Japanese name, and when she peered around her sister's shoulder on the tips of her toes, she found an already handsome eleven-year-old in the making. The boy had sharp teal eyes hidden behind thin silver-squared eyeglass frames and elbow-length raven hair tied back into a braid with jade beads.
"SLYTHERIN!" A soft clapping, followed by a few cheers came from the Slytherin table.
"Ethel Avery." A shy if bashful girl with pigtails of chocolate curls and large blue doe-eyes needed an encouraging nod from Lilac would guess her older brother from the Slytherin table before she allowed herself to sit on the stool.
"BETTER BE HUFFLEPUFF!" Lilac noticed with interest how the boys eyes dimmed slightly with acceptance while she noticed him vainly trying to ignore the glares of his fellow students aimed at him.
"Narcissa Black." Narcissa calmly, in a doll-like fashion, took a dainty seat upon the wooden stool.
"SLYTHERIN!" Was the house bellowed out two minutes later and Lilac saw the relief uncoil from not only her shoulders but of her sisters as well.
"Sirius Black!" Lilac looked on in curiosity as a cocky Sirius, though with a look of nervousness, climbed atop the stool. The hat lowered upon his head and only a minute later, the young boy is the center of one of the most surprising sortings of the last few centuries to take place as the hat bellows out a house that no one, other than Lilac, expected.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It was silence beside the muffled whispers as Sirius, with a slight slouch, took a seat at the golden table, mindful of glares he was receiving from the Slytherin one.
"Finley Boot!" A sandy-hair boy nervously walked to the seat with a pale face as his beady-brown eyes darted around.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Roslyn Bones." A petite girl with copper hair and olive colored eyes darted to the wooden stool.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Marion Brocklehurst." A short stocky boy pushed through the crowd before slamming the hat eagerly on his head. Lilac began to slowly zone out as she decided to take a peek up at the teacher's table. She noticed a beautiful if stern African woman with a prominent sharp nose. Her hair was pulled in a tight bun and her olive colored robes were ironed to perfection. Lilac thought her hat was perhaps the prettiest thing she wore as it looked like a moving galaxy.
"Lily Evans!" hearing her sisters name brought her out of her musings and spying as she gave an encouraging nudge to her sister. Lily in all her happy glory skipped to the stool much like a fairy and allowed the hat to cover her head as her emerald eyes clashed with her Lilac's sea-green ones. 'You got this.' Lilac mouthed with a thumbs up.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Lily with a smile trotted over to the golden table and took a seat leaving enough room if her sister or Severus happened to join her.
"Lilac Evans." Lilac felt her stomach become heavy as if full of iron or rocks as she stumbled to the stool. Peering over the stool and towards the hall below, she only managed to catch Severus's small smile mere moments before the hat was lowered onto her head and the brim of the hat turned her vision to black.
