These characters belong to J.K. Rowling and are not mine, no matter how much I wish they were.
Be aware that I changed the story around quite a bit and instead of having two chapters I've put the originals into 1. I think I like it, although I am prone to changing my mind quite a bit so we'll see. This is chapter 2, which I just finished, in a hurry I'm sad to say. I'm leaving in a few hours but since I wanted it to be finished before I did, I kind of rushed it. Sorry.
Also note that there are sections of this story which are taken from Deathly Hallows and are too be considered SPOILERS. I wanted to try and stay to the original story as much as possible. I do not claim credit for these sections, as I'm sure fans will be able to distinguish them right away.
Oh, and please do not hesitate to leave feedback or concerns. I haven't written in quite a long time so I'm a bit rusty and find that tips help greatly.
Enjoy.
Chapter 2 – Hogwarts
Summer couldn't have ended more quickly for some of the students attending Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The fact evident by the many groans and cries coming from the platform 9 ¾, as students ran about, trying to find friends and giving loved ones hugs and kisses before they said their goodbyes for the year and boarded the train.
"Dean dear, behave yourself this year!" a short plum of a woman was saying to her son. "I'm not above sending howlers you know!"
The boy she was talking to looked around 15 and was just as short and plump as the woman was. At the threat of a howler he dropped his chin to his chest and nodded mechanically. "Yes mum" he said.
With the promise of good behavior the woman gave him a kiss on the cheek and sent him off to board the train trailing him with tears of goodbye. No sooner had she turned her back when the boy dug around in his pant pockets and pulled out a couple of small muggle fireworks, a sneer of pleasure on his face. He stuck them back in his pocket and ran off, his head as high as he could manage, obviously looking for someone.
Just down from where they had been standing on the platform, a family of four stood admiring the scene before them. The two girls stood a little apart from their parents and seemed to be arguing.
"… I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen –"she caught her sister's hand and held it tight, even though the girl called Tuney tried to pull it away. "Maybe once I'm there – no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"
"I don't – want – to – go!" said Petunia, and she dragged her hand back out of her sister's grasp. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a – a –"
Her pale eyes roved over the platform, over the cats mewling in their owners' arms, over the owls fluttering and hooting to each other in their cages, over the students, some already in their long black robes, loading trunks into the scarlet steam engine or else greeting friends who they haven't seen the entire summer.
"- you think I want to be a – a freak?"
Lily's eyes filled with tears as Petunia succeeded in tugging her hand away. "I'm not a freak," said Lily. "That's a horrible thing to say!"
"That's where you're going," said Petunia with a relish. "A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy… weirdos, that's what you two are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."
Lily glanced toward her parents, who were looking around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, drinking in the scene. Then she looked back at her sister, and her voice was low and fierce.
"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."
Petunia turned scarlet. "Beg? I didn't beg!"
"I saw his reply. It was very kind."
"You shouldn't have read…" whispered Petunia, "that was my private – how could you -?"
Lily gave herself away by half glancing to her left where a thin greasy haired boy stood. Petunia gasped.
"That boy found it! You and that Snape boy have been sneaking in my room!"
"No – no sneaking…" Now Lily was on the defensive. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe a muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all! He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of…"
"Apparently wizards poke their noses everywhere!" said Petunia, now as pale as she had been flushed. "Freak!" she spat at her sister, and she flounced off to where her parent's stood.
Lily stood there a moment, tears welling up in her eyes. She glanced over at Snape who was looking back at her, obviously aware of the argument that had just taken place. She quickly averted her eyes towards the floor, not wanting to look at him, and walked over to her parents.
"Ready Lily?" her father asked her, a big smile on his face.
Lily looked at her sister who now had her arms crossed and nose in the air. She didn't want to leave like this but she didn't want to be late for the train either. Why couldn't Petunia just understand it wasn't Lily's fault that she was a witch and Petunia wasn't.
"Yes daddy."
"We'll miss you dear!" said her mother. "You make sure you write to us won't you. We want to hear everything about Hogwarts and how you're doing." She gave Lily a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"All your bags and trunk are on the train already. Be careful and remember to study hard and have fun." Her father said, giving her a big hug.
Lily stepped away from her family and walked towards the train, glancing back at them she waved. Her parents waved back eagerly, excitement and pride shown on their faces.
"Be good dear!" her mother called. "Remember to write!"
Lily half smiled and looked at her sister, who was still standing with her arms folded but now her back was to Lily. "I'll write to you every week Tuney!" she called out as she stepped on the train.
Lily watched her family disappear as the train moved along platform 9 ¾ and started it's journey to Hogwarts. When she could no longer see them she stared out the window at the passing country side.
"You'll have to find a compartment dear, can't stand in the aisle the whole ride" said a woman pushing a trolley of sweets. "You won't want to anyway, the rides a long one. We won't get to Hogwarts until its dark." She left Lily staring at the long hall of compartments and continued down the aisle calling out for anyone who wanted anything off her cart.
Lily sighed, grabbed her carry on bag and went off to look for a seat. Walking along the aisles and peering into the compartments one by one made her feel very lonely. She didn't have any friends at this school, and the only person she did know, she was quite angry with at the moment. Walking past the each section she heard cries of delight and laughing of everyone as they sat with their friends and talked. Walking past a particular compartment with a few rowdy boys inside, she noticed that a seat by the window was open. Thinking it was either now or never she opened the door and let herself inside and sat down without saying a word.
The boys in the compartment looked to be about her age and were talking among themselves about something Lily had never heard of before, a game where you apparently played on the back of brooms. The idea struck her as quite funny and she begin to imagine how it would feel to ride a broom and wondered if it would be hard. What would Tuney think, she wondered, and as she did so her heart sank and tears begin to fall. Lily didn't want her sister to bring upset or angry with her for going to school. She also didn't want her to think that Lily was a freak. Leaving behind her family and home to face this entirely new obstacle alone was bad enough, but now having her sister hate her was harder than she could imagine.
It was while she was thinking about this, with her head pressed against the windowpane, that the door to the compartment opened again and Snape walked in. Lily glanced at him and looked back out the window.
"I don't want to talk to you," she said in a constricted voice.
"Why not?" A little crease appeared between Snape's eyes.
"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore." Lily could barely manage the words aloud, she felt sick to her stomach.
"So what?"
She threw him a look of deep dislike. "So she's my sister!"
"She's only a…" He caught himself quickly; Lily too busy trying to wipe her eyes without being noticed, did not hear him.
"But we're going!" he said, unable to suppress the exhilaration in his voice. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"
She nodded, mopping her eyes, but in spite of herself, she half smiled. Maybe he's right, she thought. She had tried to get Petunia to understand that it wasn't her fault that she was a witch and it was Petunia that was being mean to Lily. There were only so many times Lily could try to persuade her sister before she had to give up and let her sister come to her senses on her own.
"You'd better be in Slytherin," said Snape, encouraged that she had brightened a little.
"Slytherin?"
One of the boys sharing the compartment, who had shown no interest in Lily or Snape until that point, looked around at the word. He, like Snape had black hair but it was short and messy, almost as if it was that way on purpose. He wore round glasses and had an indefinable air of having been well cared for, maybe even adored.
"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" he asked the boy lounging on the seat opposite him and next to Lily.
The boy did not smile, but looked at the floor. His own black hair fell in his face, which was handsome with well defined features.
"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said a little sheepishly.
"Blimey," said the boy with the messy black hair, laughing a bit as he did so. "I thought you seemed alright!"
The boy across from him looked up and grinned. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"
The messy haired boy stood up and lifted an invisible sword. "Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad." He sat back down and ran his fingers through his hair, nodding at Lily and smiling.
Snape caught the look and his insides burned with jealously. Who was this kid? He thought and made a small, disparaging noise.
"Go a problem with that?" the boy asked, turning on Snape.
"No," said Snape, though his slight sneer said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy…"
"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected the boy sitting next to Lily.
Both boys roared with laughter. Lily sat up, rather flushed, and looked at both of them in dislike.
"Come on Severus, let's find another place to sit."
"Ooooooo…"
One of the boys imitated her lofty voice and the other tried to trip Snape as he passed.
"See ya, Snivellus!" a voice called out, as the compartment door slammed closed.
"What jerks!" Lily hissed as soon as the door had closed. She had entirely forgotten about the fight with her sister and was now instead thinking about the awful boys in the compartment. She quickly walked through the aisles, peeking in each door as she did so, looking for empty seats.
"Here," she said opening a compartment door and walking in. There was only one person sitting here, which seemed odd as the rest of the compartments had been full, some even overfilled with students.
He looked up as the two of them entered. He was thin, maybe even a bit sickly from what Lily could tell, and had mousy brown hair. A few scars had marked the side of his face but otherwise he was very good looking and seemed to have a nice nature about him. He smiled politely and then turned to look out the window.
Lily walked in and sat down at the closest seat to the door and Snape sat across from her, glaring out the compartment window into the empty hall.
"What jerks." Lily said again. "Did you know those boys?"
"One of them." He said, not taking his eyes from the window. "The one who said his whole family had been in Slytherin, his name's Sirius Black. His family knows my mum." He looked over at the boy sitting next to the window, trying to figure out who he was but he had never seen him before. "He is a jerk," he continued. "His cousin Bellatrix is alright, and I've met his brother a few times, seemed nice enough."
Snape stared out the compartment window and Lily sat in silence, thinking about what the boys had said about Slytherin. Neither one of them had showed any interest in being in that particular house, but Snape had always talked so highly of it, always knowing that he would be a part of it. She had never heard of the house the boy had mentioned, in fact she hadn't heard about any of the houses besides Slytherin. She wanted to ask Snape about it, but figured it could wait until later. She didn't know who the other boy was and she wasn't going to be the one to bring about another argument about houses as it seemed to be a touchy subject.
Just as she was about to introduce herself to the boy by the window the woman who had been pushing the trolley peeked through the glass and opened the door. "Anything off the trolley?" she asked in a delightful tone.
It had only been a few hours since their departure but Lily was already hungry. She was so nervous before leaving the house that she had only grabbed a bit of toast as she ran out the door.
"Yes please." She said, taking coins from her pocket.
"What'll be dear?"
"Um, well… what do you have?"
"Let's see…" said the woman, shifting through the contents of the cart. "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, and Pumpkin Pasties. I'm afraid we're all out of licorice wands dear."
Lily looked at the trolley woman with utter confusion, having no idea what any of the items were.
"The Cauldron Cakes are good" said the boy by the window. "Just stay away from Bott's Every Flavor Bean; I ate an earwax one just yesterday and haven't been able to get the taste out of my mouth."
Lily turned and smiled at the boy. "I'll have 3 Cauldron Cakes please."
The witch handed Lily the Cauldron Cakes and continued on to the next compartment.
Lily shoved the rest of her money back in her pocket and handed a cake to Snape, who took it suspiciously at first but immediately opened it and started eating. She looked over to the boy who had resumed watching out the window and held out the second cake.
"Want one?" she asked.
The boy smiled and took the cake from Lily, opening and eating it just as eagerly as Snap had.
"My name is Lily Evans. This is Severus Snape." She said, opening her own cake and taking a bite.
The boy's mouth looked to be full of cake but he nonetheless he managed to force himself to swallow and smile.
"Nice to meet both of you. I'm Remus Lupin. Told you the Cauldron Cakes were good," he said holding up his empty wrapper. "Thanks."
Lily smiled but the only movement from Snape was the lifting of his eyebrow. "First year?" he asked.
"Yes. I've heard all about Hogwarts of course, but don't know anyone." His voice sounded somewhat distant, which made Lily think that he didn't have too many friends, in Hogwarts or anywhere else.
"Well, this is our first year too. Severus knows a few people and all about Hogwarts, but I only found out I was a witch this past summer," Lily beamed.
Snape shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Oh really? I bet that was a surprise." Remus laughed.
"Well, I knew I could do stuff, but it never occurred to me that there would be a school and everything. It's been quite exciting, although I must say I am a bit homesick already."
Remus looked out the window, watching the countryside rush by. "Yea, I'm a bit nervous myself. Never know what the new school year is going to bring."
"You practice at home at all?" Snape asked, sitting up a bit straighter in his seat.
"Not much, no. I've read a few of the books already and know incantations but I only just got my wand the day before yesterday. Didn't know I was going to be attending until the last minute."
"Oh, why not?" asked Lily with a slight frown.
Remus played with his fingers nervously. "Well… I've been sick quite a bit. Parents didn't know if I'd be well enough to leave just yet, but everything's fine now."
Snape shifted his eyes and looked at Remus, trying to figure out what sickness he could possibly have had that would make him unable to attend school. Before he could ask Lily was already talking again, which was fine by him, it meant less socializing on his part. He would actually prefer it if the boy would just leave the compartment so he and Lily could have it all to themselves. Disheveled as this boy was, Snape knew that he wasn't quite as attractive as Remus, and Lily and he seemed to be hitting it off quite well. A pang of jealousy rang through his insides.
Before he had a chance to jump back into the conversation the compartment door slid open and an older boy with pale blond hair, a pale pointed face, and the coldest grey eyes Snape had ever seen, walked in and looked around.
"Severus!" he said, sounding delighted. "Mulciber said he saw you and your mother before the train left, but wasn't sure where you… ran off to." A cold sneer crossed his face as her looked over the other two inhabitants of the compartment, his eyes resting on Lily.
"Lucius." Snape acknowledged him with a nod. "Made prefect this year, of course."
Lucius merely smiled and turned to Lily. "Lucius Malfoy" he said, pretending to introduce himself but making it sound like Lily should already be well aware of who he was.
Being polite, Lily gave a small smile. "Lily Evans" she said. "This is Remus Lupin."
Lucius ignored Remus but brought his hand up to his chin. "Evans? Hmm, not sure if I know that name…"
Snape's heart skipped a beat but he caught on quickly. "She's new here," he said in a hurry.
"Ah…-" Lucius seemed to think for a moment, his hand still rubbing his chin. Snape could see his twisted sneer get slightly bigger and his eyebrow raise, "Tell me, what line of wizards you descend from?"
Snape's heart not only skipped a beat, but he thought it had downright stopped beating all together. This is not how he wanted this to go. He knew about Slytherins, particularly Lucius Malfoy, being obsessed with blood but he thought that if maybe they saw Lily's magic at work first then they would accept her. If she had gotten sorted by the hat then they would know that she belonged with them, but now…
Just as Lily went to open her mouth the hall filled with the sound of a large blast and smoke started wafting in the door. A rather short plump boy went running by, followed by another.
"Excuse me," said Lucius just as another loud bang erupted from behind him, causing him to jump sideways. He walked out, quickly slamming the booth door shut and muttering as he went the same way the boys had run.
Snape heaved a sigh of relief.
"Who was that?" Lily had a look of disbelief on her face.
"Just Malfoy," said Snape. "He's prefect for the Slytherin house. Don't worry about him, he can seem a little intense sometimes."
Lily glanced down at Snape's hands and frowned, causing Snape to look down as well. He had been wringing the hem of his robes, apparently unaware that he was doing so. He blushed slightly but before Lily could notice he stood up and looked out the compartment door.
"Someone's gone ahead and let off muggle fireworks," he said coolly.
"Ugh!" cried Remus. "They smell more like dung bombs."
Snape shut the door and slid back into his seat. "Looks like they set them off right outside our compartment."
"Wonderful."
The three of them listened to the shrieks of the other students as more fireworks were set off, the perpetrator obviously left uncaught. Even with all the excitement just outside the doors, the inside remained quiet. Soon the noise died away and Lily dozed off, leaving Snape to shuffle through his new textbooks. Remus continued to look out at the passing exterior until he too fell asleep, his head bouncing slightly on the window edge as the train roared on. It was a few hours later when Snape woke Lily explaining that they were due for Hogwart's shortly and she should change into her robes.
Minutes later all three of them were changed into their robes and anxiously waiting for the train, which had begun to decelerate, to come to a complete stop.
"I'm so nervous!" exclaimed Lily. "What if I don't make any friends or everyone hates me?"
Remus smiled. The same question had been going through his mind since his being a Hogwarts student became official.
"No one could hate you…" Color rose to Snape's pale cheeks.
The train had finally come to a crawl and Snape peeked out the compartment door. Remus crept forward, trying to look past Snape's shoulder's so he could glance outside but just as he did the train halted to a stop sending Snape's shoulder against the door and Remus into the seat closest to him. Lily also not prepared for the sudden lurch was sent sprawling on top of Remus, cheeks ablaze and apologies streaming from her lips.
"No worries." Remus blushed back.
"Really… sorry… wasn't prepared…"
Snape scowled. He could already tell this Remus Lupin fellow was no good. Not wanting Lily's attention to be diverted much longer, he picked up the books she had dropped in the spill and handed them back to her, opening the carriage door and beckoning her forward.
Everyone was pushing and shoving trying to get off the train, but finally the three of them were off and looking around.
"I wonder where we go…" Remus thought aloud.
Before either Snape or Lily had a chance to say anything a loud deep throated voice called out. "Firs' years over here!"
All three followed the sound of the voice and were very surprised when they came upon the person responsible, for they weren't even sure if it was a person at all. In front of them stood the biggest human any of them had ever seen. He stood as tall as two full grown men and was as wide, at the very least, as three. A long mane of shaggy black hair covered his head and a beard of exactly the same consistency covered the majority of his face. He raised his hands like a runway flagger, trying to get the first years attention. To their amazement, they saw that his hands were the size of trash can lids.
"Firs' years over here!" he bellowed out again.
Boldly, Snape walked forward. With a look of fear, Remus and Lily followed closely to his cloak ends. When the three of them reached him, the giant man looked down and smiled, noticing Lily's look of astonishment.
"Names Hagrid," he said.
"Uh… Hi Hagrid" Lily couldn't take her eyes from the giant leather coat he was wearing and wondered where a man of his size bought his clothes from.
"Well, you three better jump in a boat," he said glancing behind him toward a lake where more than a dozen small row boats littered the shore. "We'll be off soon."
With a glance behind their backs the three of them walked over to a boat and hopped inside, Remus made sure to steady the side so Lily could get in safely. Snape, noticing this act of gentility cursed himself for not doing it first and became annoyed at Remus for being such a Johnny-on-the-spot. He would have to make sure he held the boat firm when it was time for them to depart.
When it seemed all the first years had made their way to the boats they set off across the dark rippling water. The trip was a short one and soon everyone was gathering on the opposite shore, talking excitedly among themselves. Just as he had planned, Snape held the edge of the boat steady as Lily made her way out. Just as she was about to hop down her cloak caught on a nail sticking out of the boat's bow, causing her to fall forward and Snape's foot to slip into the cold lake water. Lily managed to catch herself before falling flat on her face but the damage had already been done to Snape. The bottom of his trouser leg, his sock, and his shoe were complete soaked through.
"Oh! I'm so sorry Severus!" Lily cried out, looking down at Snape's leg.
Snape's lips seemed to migrate to the right side of his face and he frowned slightly.
"It's alright Lily…"
"Hey Snivellus!" A familiar voice cried out through the crowd. "Finally decide to wash your hair?"
"Looks like he started Sirius, I'm guessing he's going for one body part at a time!"
"Good one James!"
Both boys appeared from the crowd, smiling devilishly.
"I'll have you know he slipped while helping me from the boat!" Lily scolded the two boys. "Unlike you two prats, he has manners!"
James and Sirius looked at each other, their eyebrows slowly crawled up their foreheads before they both burst into laughter.
Lily glared at the two boys.
"We'd love to hear all about it but we got a sorting to get to," James said, turning on his heels walking back into the crowd.
"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius called out, walking quickly after James. The two boys vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
"Rude!" said Lily to no one in particular. She looked over at Snape whose face was contorted into a snarl and was muttering under his breath. Lily felt a twinge of guilt. It was her fault Snape had slipped into the water and was now all wet.
"I'm sorry…" Lily said timidly. "I didn't mean…"
"Don't worry," Snape cut in, glaring at the backs of the first years as they headed toward the castle.
"They're jerks Severus. Just forget about them." Lily grabbed his hand and started leading him after the rest of the first years who had managed to get quite a bit ahead of them.
As if he had been slipped a forgetfulness potion, the fiasco that had just taken place escaped his mind as soon as he felt Lily's gentle touch. He was soon too worried that somehow his current thoughts might be draining out of his fingertips into hers, allowing her to know exactly what he was thinking. Of course he knew this wasn't possible but then again, he never thought it possible that he would be holding hands with the young girl he had spent so much time during the summer with.
Soon they had found themselves inside the castle and just outside two large doors, behind which droned a flurry of voices. A very stern looking witch who had announced herself as Professor McGonagall had come in and explained some of the rules of Hogwarts School along with the sorting, and to Lily's delight, the four houses. But before they had so much as a chance to glance around, the witch bade them quiet and ushered them into a large cavernous room where thousands and thousands of candles floated above them.
The voices they had heard were from other students who were all sitting down at four different tables, one for each house by the looks of it. The tables themselves were lined with hundreds of golden plates and goblets, each belonging to a student, all of whom seemed to be staring at the open doors and the first years walking through them.
Lily trembled slightly and gave a tight squeeze to Snape's fingertips. She followed Professor McGonagall, who had walked to the top of hall and placed a stool in front of another long table, which from what Lily could guess, sat the teachers of Hogwarts. With a flick of her wand a dirty looking hat appeared on the stool, looking rather old and worn.
Lily looked over at Snape who was watching the scene intently.
"What is that for?" she whispered in his ear.
"I'm not sure…" he answered, not taking his eyes off the stool or that hat.
"Do you suppose they're going to pull a rabbit out of it?"
Snape and Lily looked beside them at Remus Lupin who was jammed in next to them, a broad smile on his face. Lily giggled, letting go of Snape's hand and brining her own to her mouth to try and stifle the laugh.
"That's a stu…" but before Snape could finish his insult the hat moved and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and it begin to sing!
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
As the hall boomed with applause, the first years stood quiet, amazed by the fact that they had just witnessed a hat that could sing.
"No rabbit then?" Remus sounded a little disappointed. "Ah well."
Professor McGonagall motioned for silence and the whole hall echoed in it. She then stepped forward, unraveling a long parchment of paper and said aloud "When I call your name, please step up to be sorted. Abrams, Daniel!"
Professor McGonagall continued to call students and the hat called out which house it thought best for that particular student. Lily was too busy watching the events that she had nearly missed the calling of her name. On trembling legs she walked forward and sat down on the stool. McGonagall gently placed the hat down on her head and in a matter of seconds she heard it call out.
"Gryffindor!" the hat boomed.
Lily's heart sank and she jumped off the stool, heading to the cheering group of Gryffindors. As she walked past, she glanced at Snape and gave him a sad smile. She so badly wanted to just run back to the hat and try to persuade it to change its mind. Instead she walked over to the table and looked around, realizing for the first time that the boy who had been harassing them earlier was sitting down right next to her. The boy smiled, almost asking for another scolding from her. Instead she sat down and immediately turned her back to him to continue watching.
Soon enough Remus was also called to Gryffindor and sat down next Lily, happy to already know someone in his house. Lily, also glad that she knew someone began to chat quietly with him as the other students were called by Professor McGonagall. It was when the other boy from the train sat down that Lily really begin to feel disheartened. She couldn't understand why she and Remus where in a house with such obviously mean boys. She tried to think of what the hat had said about the qualities that Gryffindor students when a familiar name snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Snape, Severus!" cried Professor McGonagall.
Snape walked forward eagerly and sat down, his back straight and his head held high, almost in an arrogant manner. The sorting hat had barely touched his head before it cried out "Slytherin!" and he jumped down, briefing glancing at Lily before he made his way over to the cheering Slytherin table and the blond headed boy Lily had met earlier.
Everything seemed a blur to Lily after that. Even the magnificent dinner that had shown up out of nowhere couldn't seem to cheer her up. Every few minutes she would try and glance over at Snape but the overly bulky 5th years in Slytherin were blocking her view. It was only after the headmaster's speech, when the Prefects called the first years to line up, did she finally make contact with him again. They were just inside the great hall, waiting for the older students to move out when Snape was able to sidestep his way over to her.
"Is this how it's always going to be?" Lily asked quickly, glancing over her shoulder at Gryffindor's Prefect, making sure she wouldn't get in trouble.
"No…" Snape frowned. "We might have some classes together, but we won't know until tomorrow."
"Those two boys are in my house," she said nodding her head towards the back, where it so happened that the two boys were laughing loudly about something.
Snape glared.
"Well, I better get going," Lily said as she noticed that the front of the line had started moving. "Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow Severus!" She frowned slightly but waved goodbye, heading off with the rest of her house.
Snape waved back and walked over to his own house, which had also begun to move in the direction of the dungeons. He was beyond annoyed that Lily had been sorted into a totally different house, but he found himself absolutely furious that she had been sorted into the same one as the two knuckleheads on the train.
The rest of the night went by quickly. Both Snape and Lily had been shown around the castle and had been able to look around their common rooms themselves. Both had gone to bed early, the days events running through their minds, finally resting on each other before they drifted off to sleep, both assuring themselves that they would make time during the following day for a social call.